A LAWFUL WASTELAND

[counterattack]

[ it's December 8. Law turns 18 today. at this point, he's been living in Copalli for over a year. during the final relic fiasco, he achieved trance within about five seconds (because it's basically overlimit) and faced Tiamat in her castle because he had a score to settle with dragons (dragons, wyverns, same shit) and had enough taking shit from these mother fucking guardians in this mother fucking jungle. it was epic.

anyway, it's a few months later and Law lives in Tikal again, down at the bottom of the crater. they've built bridges and pulleys aboveground, as well as created a system to keep the crater from filling with water when it rains. although most of his farm was lost during Tikal's fall, he's rebuilt it bigger and better than ever and repopulated it with even more chickens, hogs, cows and even a few semi-domesticated mist monsters. there's also proper crops, probably due in part to at least one friend or another planting on the huge expanse of land he's set up there. he also rebuilt the inn that collapsed on top of him back then, and this time it's actually finished. he got a local business manager to help run the place and they export animal products and crops all over Copalli. the inn is booming. it's great.

all is well.

except now it's his birthday and Law is just trying to go about his business like he doesn't know that, strapping on his fancy wolf gauntlets and shouldering a big pack of supplies to go make some delivery trips to the other cities. nothin' to see here, not ya lil dude all growed up, a solid 5'9" (and a half) with some cool tribal tats done over his wyvern scars and something of a more mature countenance, buuuuuttt still the dweebo dorkus doofus meathead he's always been.

ANYWAY, THIS IS #LATERGRAM INCENSEDVERSE. medallion him, meet him at any of the cities, fight monsters together on the road, pretend there was a party planned that he's trying to sneak out of showing up to, WHATEVER WORKS. ]

Comments

[counterattack]

You're so weird.

[ He says, way more fondly than he means to. Or, rather, more fondly than he realizes it comes out sounding, because nah, he means the fondness in its entirety, no holds barred. Law may not always be the most forthright with his thoughts and feelings all of the time, especially not with people outside his core group of friends, but he's sincere to a fault and... at least with Gladio, those walls are starting to come down. Some a little slower than others, some, uh, faster.

It only took him a whole entire year to manage it. But look, it's kinda nice being able to be so open about this stuff now, not that he did such a great job of hiding it before. Now when he wants to give Gladio a look like he's the greatest thing since sliced bread while he's kicking him under the table, he doesn't have to tack a "haha no homo though" onto the end of it. ]

I—oh. I kinda forgot you even brought it.

[ Kinda. He had a distraction! Now that he's reminded, though, that curiosity's rekindled all over again, and he cranes around in his seat to look over at the box sitting on the bed. ]

That's the thing that's gonna make me clear my whole day, huh...? Okay, okay, but don't say I didn't warn you. Satisfied?

[indeferent]

Like the cat who ate the canary.

_{[ So maybe it's a little grim, but hey! He's more than satisfied with that little promise tucked away, and that's enough to make Gladio bring Law's hand up to his lips so he can plant one right on his knuckles. Yeah, he'll never get tired of that particular thing and it's entirely because he's a sucker for the Little Stuff that comes with whatever it is they have. Are they actually dating? Gladio doesn't know, but he's taking that thought and running with it in his mind and heart until Law says otherwise. They're going at his pace after all, and Gladio can be patient. ]}

Migel helped with uh... Pretty much all of it? All I did was drool on it a little when I picked it up and get the material he needed.

_{[ Material for what? Gladio's not saying. Instead he moves to stand -fingers still entwined - and lifts Law's hand again. C'mon, up. ]}

It's nothing bad, I promise. And hope? Yeah.

_{[ And hey! That box doesn't even have nails pounded into the lid. It's one of those nice, easy lids that just slides off and on. And suspiciously almost as long as one of Gladio's arms now that he's getting a better look at it. ]}

[counterattack]

[ There's probably something to be said about kissing his hands, in particular, given that they're also his weapons. You could argue it's not all that different from kissing someone's sword or gun. The thing about fighting with your body, though, and with your hands specifically, is that you have to be so much more conscious of the actions you take. You can lay down weapons and distance yourself from the things that you do with them, but you can't ever do that as a martial artist. It's important to keep them clean. Metaphorically. (And literally, but tell that to his chewed-up, dirty nails.)

Law gets up with a strangled sound in the back of his throat. ]

Drooled on it? What the heck are you putting in your mouth that Migel would wanna work with? Unless—wait, you didn't change again, did you?

[ Something you're always telling me not to do. What's the number one thing he's always saying to everyone? Stay out of the incense, don't travel alone, take precautions. Even now that the incense sometimes just... decides to have positive effects rather than negative ones, it's not a gamble anyone should be taking unless they really have to. It's better not to breathe it in at all. Before he can slide the lid off that box, he turns to give Gladio a look, instead, one hand planted on his hip. ]

Tell me what happened.

[indeferent]

_{[ Try as he might to keep the disappointment off his face when Law's hands slip from his own, Gladio's ears droop a little for all of maybe two seconds. It's not hard to follow him up, both of his own hands held up palms-out in a silent easy gesture. He's not going to argue — Six, no — but he also doesn't want this to start veering in that direction either. If anything it's more for himself. ]}

Nothing happened, I swear. Nothing bad, anyway. It's... something I had to do after that shit with the dragon and all the relics. I've been trying to get a better hold on that side of me, which is why I think you'd be okay around it. M'starting to know what sets it off and how to keep my mind in the driver's seat, but uh... I was out where I wouldn't hurt anyone incase it did go wild.

_{[ And near Coatepec where the Salamanders had set up a system of traps and signals that would alert them of any monsters that just so happened to set them off. In that particular case they would've had to deal with an angry Behemoth but they were still equipped to capture him either way. ]}

If anything happened I swear you would've been the first to know. Everyone in the lodges know to contact you 'n Noct.

[counterattack]

[ The funny thing is how neither of them realize just how eerily much Law is acting like his father right this second, from the stern way he frowns all the way down to the way he's standing. A small-fry like him pulling a son I am disappoint is kind of hysterical, but it comes from a place of caring, just like the person he picked those mannerisms up from. As much as he doesn't love the idea of Gladio willingly subjecting himself to something that could put himself—and potentially others—in danger, he lightens up as the explanation goes on. Can't exactly argue with that sort of logic. It's just another sort of training, isn't it? And he's got no business criticizing anyone for being reckless. ]

Gladio... I don't wanna know about it after something happens. What'm I supposed to do for you then? If you're gonna do something that crazy, at least tell me where you're going next time.

[ Guess that let's find someplace just for us to wild out at might not be such a bad idea after all. The times he's transformed have been relatively few and far between, so he hadn't thought about it being that urgent, but clearly he's going to need to rethink that bit. Sighing, he relents, and takes the hand from his hip to nudge Gladio's arm with it instead. You can have it back if you want. Punk. ]

Don't make me worry about you more than I already do, okay?

[indeferent]

_{[ Gladio immediately brings Law's hand up to his face the instant he has it, pressing one cheek into his palm for a few moments and finally turning to press a kiss to it. He may be shit with saying sorry with his words, but speaking with his body and actions? That's definitely more his forte. He lingers like that for a little longer, then when he speaks it's partially muffled by Law's hand. ]}

Coatepec.

_{[ A tilt of his head and Gladio takes a slow breath, leaning his face back into that hand. Maybe it's the more animalistic side of him that seeks out forgiveness via touch in the moment, or maybe it's just his way of apologizing for a second time. Whatever the reason for it Gladio keeps at it, his fingers gently stroking the back of Law's wrist. ]}

Whenever I do that, I go near Coatepec. Partially 'cause I know they're equipped to handle shit like me and partially because, uh... Look, don't laugh too much at this but Behemoths have a pretty damn good sense of smell and... there's a lot of shit to smell over there. They've got all those gardens that I can pick up on when the wind hits just right, everything up by the mountains, the jungle... 'n they're semi-aquatic too, so the hot springs is kinda nice even if it makes it a little more ornery than usual 'cause of the temperatures.

_{[ Clearly they're going to have to find somewhere near the ocean or a cooler pond of sorts in their wilding out place. Maybe. ]}

I thought I smelled you out there though, like you were passing through on an errand or somethin'. So, uh... I went looking.

[counterattack]

[ Well, that's a good place, he guesses. Monster Baby Jail is there. And a decent contingent of fighters, ever since Eagle went full metal dragon on the headquarters and wreaked such havoc. That was one straw too many for Copalli, evidently. All the coteries are pretty comingled these days, anyway, but still. The last few vestiges of Law's disapproval melt away as Gladio noses into his hand, eventually replaced with a faint laugh (see? he isn't laughing Too Much). ]

No, yeah, I know what you mean. I'm like that with Kiichpan whenever I'm monstered out. It's smelling people for me. There's a lot of 'em there.

[ Well, their feelings or whatever, anyway. He still doesn't... quite understand all that? Most of the time it's just stuff like fear, aggression, and pain, things like that. Anything that would rile up a wolf on the prowl, maybe. He's not going to explain how he smells with his tongue like a snake and just leave Gladio to find out about all that the hard way later, but he can't judge in the meantime. At least going around smelling things is a relatively normal thing to do. Like. With your nose.

His fingers stroke the side of Gladio's face, maybe curl a little for some beard scratches, but pause as he tilts his head. ]

Me? Mm... last time I went to Coatepec was a couple weeks ago, and I stayed on the main road. Geez, that's a good nose. So while you were trying to sniff me out, you... found something out there you thought I'd want?

[ Something apparently important. Now he really has no guesses about what it could be. After he lets that curious look linger a moment or two, it's finally time to turn back toward that box and, with one last questioning glance over his shoulder, slide the lid back. ]

[indeferent]

It was faint. Really faint and combined with something else.

<sub>[ His voice is quiet enough to be a whisper at Law's back after he turns, the rest of him stepping up behind him the rest of the way to lean over and loosely wrap both arms around his middle. So what if it's a little awkward with the difference in his height? It just means that Gladio can prop his chin on Law's shoulder and watch for a time. He only moves when the lid starts to come off, reaching out to catch it so it doesn't wind up on the floor or wedged between the bed and the wall. Once he's got it off where it won't get lost or be in the way, he reaches partway into the box to brush aside some loose straw and peels back a corner of cloth to show the edge of some familiar metal.

It's not as pristine as it once was, but it's pretty damn close all things considered. There's a couple extra dings and scratches that Migel couldn't quite work out without completely reforging the entire piece — something Gladio was vehemently against — but overall? It's... almost like it had just seen some rough combat like another near-identical looking weapon. The leather straps of course had to be replaced thanks to the wyvern's insides and the natural process of decay, and parts of the copper-esque trim had also been replaced with something that Migel had sworn up and down to be stronger. Truthfully Gladio didn't know what he was looking at when he'd fetched the ore from that particular cave, but he'd taken the smith for his word. In another bundle wrapped next to it? There's a fang with a strip of leather corded through it. It wasn't very long compared to the canines of a wyvern, but it's clear it came from one and was no doubt imbedded somewhere in the metal.

Shuffling a little, Gladio reaches up to scratch at the back of his neck. He fiddles with one of the skulls adorning his own necklace, brows furrowing together for a moment. ]</sub>

You were always wearin' it or your other ones, then after April I quit seeing it. I always wondered...

_{[ What happened to it, but now he knows. He put two and two together. ]}

Anyway, that's... what I was smelling. Like I said, it was barely there. Then I recognized what was left when I knocked the bones and shit away and... I brought it to Migel once... You know.

_{[ No point in running into the city as a "panicked" animal and getting arrows and a couple spears lodged into his flank, right? That'd have alerted Law for sure. ]}

[counterattack]

[ The charmed, comfortable little smile on Law's face, ultimately missed with Gladio behind him but still there nonetheless, disappears almost the instant the lid comes off that box. He recognizes what's in it right away, and it's a blank look of shock and disbelief that takes over his expression instead. For a long few moments, he stands there frozen, staring down at the contents of the box, completely silent save for that first, slightly sharp intake of breath. He just... he just can't believe his eyes, that's all. ]

Gladio...

[ He sounds like he wants to follow that up with something, but whatever it is he might've said, he can't really think of the words, never mind say them. Tentatively, he touches his fingers to the smooth surface of the outer gauntlet, feeling over the white armor with quiet reverence. It's really real. The bracer his father left him, the one he'd been wearing on his left arm the day of the wyvern attack. Well, and every day besides that, too—he practically never took them off. Looking at it now, it's almost unfathomable to his mind that it's whole and intact. He can remember, all too well and with a noticeable, physical shudder, how it felt for those fangs to slice clean through the metal and into his arm. It's still an honest miracle he hadn't lost his arm entirely. After everything, the piece on the right had still been salvageable, but he'd just had to assume the left had been eaten by the wyvern entirely. But here it is, whole. Not quite identical to how it'd looked the day Nayth had given them to him, but pretty damn close.

It's been... almost a year. A year sometime next month, he's pretty sure. At this point in his life, walking away battered and damaged, still alive, but missing something he can never get back is just par for the course. Law just keeps smoothing his fingers over the surface, too incredulous still to pick it up yet. ]

I-I... you don't know what this means to me. I thought it was gone forever...

[indeferent]

_{[ He doesn't. Not truly. Whatever keepsakes Gladio may have been able to inherit from his father were lost when Insomnia fell, left behind and potentially destroyed by the empire. His father's sword was still within the citadel with the late King and Shield and everything else back at the old manor which... he probably wasn't likely to see again for a long, long time. But he at least understands what it's like to have something of home back in his hands. His gaze drifts from the box, to the gauntlet, Law's hand, and up his arm to caution a look to his face with a gentle look of concern written across his own. ]}

...Migel kinda said the same thing. He was, uh. He seemed pretty surprised to see it was salvageable considering how long it must've been inside of it plus the elements wearin' away at it but I guess things on Dahna are made of tougher stuff, huh?

_{[ Dahnan weapons. Dahnan people. Gladio's eyes move back to the myriad scars covering Law's shoulder and to the tattoos covering some of them up, his fingers itching to reach out and touch. But he doesn't. This was a moment he couldn't — wouldn't — intrude on beyond speaking and standing around like a lost dog. This was the sort of thing he was always terrible at even with his sister. He shifts his weight from one foot to the other, expression relaxing into something a little more curious and unreadable all at once. ]}

It's like the one your dad wears, right? Was it his when he was younger? 'Cause it looks like it was made for a smaller arm.

_{[ Or maybe his father had it made for when he came of age? That seems like something his people would do considering the way they lived. In a world like Eos and in a city like Insomnia all those milestone years were done so, so much differently. People usually had big parties or wound up with cars, not weaponry. Even Gladio's sixteenth was like that once the traditional ceremony involving Shields-to-be was done and over with; safe and luxurious without a care in the world about the Niffs or the situation outside of the walls. Dahnans... They never had that privilege. ]}

[counterattack]

[ So it really did get eaten. He hadn't ever gone out there to check. Never really had any reason to think he'd find anything, and as for wyvern remains... he didn't have any interest in seeing them. His fingers drift from the gauntlet to the fang also nestled in the box, running along the outer curve and then pressing against the pointed tip. Almost a whole year ago, one of these very fangs almost ended his life. As terrifying and painful as it all was, and sometimes still is, even now while he's looking at pieces of that experience, not perfectly restored but strong enough to remain just like himself, he'd still make the same choice again. ]

I—I dunno. I never asked. I think they were his. I think... he probably retired them when he got older, but he saved them for me.

[ They hadn't been perfect, even when they were first given to him. Fixed up, like they are now, but you could still see the proof of use, scores in the metal, a wornness to them that made slipping them on feel natural, not like when they'd have something brand new forged. Your father wanted you to have these, too, is all Nayth had really said. The letter, the rings, and the gauntlets. And nearly half a lifetime of doubts, questions, and mixed feelings only somewhat resolved. None of them were a replacement for his dad, but when he'd see how the braces would almost glitter in the early-morning light, at least it was like he could feel his presence again. Like he had a piece of his strength packed into every punch.

His hand returns to the gauntlet, eyes closing as he leaves it there to rest over it. ]

I guess I could've asked him anytime since we found each other here, but I didn't... want to hear about what was supposed to happen. It wouldn't change anything. Everything he left for me, not even knowing if I was still alive to take them someday, I would've given up in a heartbeat to bring him back. I guess in a way that's kind of what I did when I saved him from that wyvern. I thought losing this, or even dying, was the price I'd have to pay not to lose him again. But it's... we're all still here. For now, at least. Still, I...

[ It's a complicated gamut of emotions to run through, and for another moment or two Law stands there with his hand on the gauntlet and his eyes closed, trying to let it all process. After that minute or so, though, he turns around in Gladio's arms to hug him, instead. A little abrupt, and it's quite the squeeze, but it's the best way he knows how to express himself. His words are muffled into Gladio's shirt, but still plenty discernible. ]

I hated thinking about going home without it and without him.

[indeferent]

_{[ Law's arms cinch around his back, forcing all of the air from Gladio's lungs and making his ribs ache in an odd sort of way, but he makes no motion to stop him. On the contrary, Gladio loops his arms around him in return, one sitting loosely over the back of his neck and shoulders and the other just across the middle of his back, the latter just a little bit tighter. He's shit with words, but hugs? He's got that down to a science with eight years of being an older brother behind him. ]}

So don't think about it. You...

_{[ He wants to be selfish. Gods, he wants to be so, so incredibly selfish but the words just don't come. The arm across his neck moves so he can shove his hand into Law's hair instead, amber flicking down to the gauntlet with a slow, steady exhale. ]}

You don't have to go home. You can stay here. Grill your old man over everything you could ever wanna know and then some. If he doesn't know, then... That's when you figure out the answers together, right? Nag the hell outta him 'til he caves, and... you guys stay here. Stay 'til you can find a way to bring him back with you if you really gotta go home, but...

<sub>[ There's gotta be a way, right? If this world can bring the dead back to life then maybe there's a way to convert that to whatever sort of magic exists on Dahna. Ooooor it'd make a weird time paradox like they'd talk about in all those sci-fi movies Gladio would watch back home. Either way if Law was able to keep his father alive? Then he thinks Law would be happy. And... then Gladio would be more okay with letting him go.

As long as Law was happy. ]</sub>

There's no law saying you gotta go. Not because you've got these back.

[counterattack]

But it could be over at any moment.

[ That's what they say, anyway. When people disappear, they went back home. It was as good as confirmed at the end there, when they finally got their answer on who did this and how. It's all at the whim of some dragon. For all he knows, spending too much time in the incense could make it happen, too—there's just no way to really know. Until then, he has to live like this is all they've got, and that means no squandering his chances again. Not that that seems to have stopped him from screwing up left and right anyway, but...

This helps. It makes things feel less final, foreboding, and unfortunate. Something precious to him wasn't lost forever, it was just missing for awhile, and now it's back and just about as good as new. If it's even possible, he squeezes Gladio just a little tighter, taking a big, deep breath in both to steady himself and just to breathe the scent of him in. Zephyr's not the only person he'd hate to leave behind here, after all. Now just a little moreso than before. ]

I don't even know how to thank you for this.

[ Nobody's ever really done anything this big for him before. Nobody alive, anyway. And he sucks at using his manners in the first place. ]

[indeferent]

<sub>[ That's why he tries not to think about it. He tries not to think about being sent back to Eos with or without the rest of the guys. He tries not to think about waking up and finding Noctis gone all while knowing what awaits him, stolen away by the crystal they'd sought to reclaim from the Niffs. He tries not to think about how the nights were getting longer and longer, and... Gladio just tries. Tries to focus on the now versus the what ifs.

That's why if he feels another twinge in his side, Gladio doesn't say anything. That's why he tangles his fingers into Law's hair that much further until he's cradling the back of his head in his palm, nails lightly scratching at his scalp the way his father once did when he'd had something of a breakdown. Clarus never said anything, he simply held his son and guided him through it. It was different compared to this of course, but he never forgot what it felt like. ]</sub>

You don't have to do anything. I won't stop you if you do, but... You don't have to.

_{[ Then, something Cor once did that still sticks with him. Again the circumstances were different as was the relationship between himself and his godfather compared to himself and Law, but... Gladio ducks his head down and presses a single, short kiss to the top of his head. Actions spoke louder than words, always. A tight hug and a wordless message to say "It's alright." That tiny little gesture had meant to the world to an eight-year old Gladio who felt like he'd lost half of his that day. ]}

I guess for now... Stay here as long as you can?

[counterattack]

[ A tight laugh escapes from the back of Law's throat, shoulders raising just a little as Gladio kisses his head. Yeah, he's familiar with that gesture. It's definitely a little contextually different between them than it is when it was his parents doing it, but the sentiment is generally the same. His arms loosen a little, but that's not to say that he lets go. Absolutely not. Just enough to let Gladio breathe, maybe, and also to give himself just enough space to be able to speak without saying it all directly into his tit. ]

Oh, I'm not going anywhere. Not if I have anything to say about it. Besides, everyone I love is here. I wouldn't wanna be anywhere else.

[ All his friends, his dad, the people from other worlds that he's met—hell, sometimes the incense is even kind to him and lets him see his mother. Even if that's all just an illusion at best or a dangerous hallucination at worst, the times it's happened were welcome. In reality, he'd kind of... started to forget her face. And her voice. Over the years, the details have faded no matter how much he's still tightly held on to his memory of her, both good and bad. But here, he got to see and hear her just like he remembered.

Tilting his chin up, Law smiles from the space where he's still nestled into Gladio, and after a couple-second pause, his cheeks color a little. Yeah, uh, can you maybe not drop the L word in a vague, obviously includes you but I also didn't make that explicitly clear either way right now? Now is not the time for that. Or... maybe it is? God, he doesn't know. He isn't even sure how to follow that assertion up, exactly. He just gets tripped up on his own thoughts and ends up stuck, smiling like an idiot. Eventually, he tilts his chin right back down again. ]

I just—uh. Thank you. This really means a lot to me and... my whole family, I guess. If I can find some way to pay you back, I will. Besides staying, I mean.

[indeferent]

_{[ He doesn't mean it like that, he tells himself. Even so, that little four letter word that rhymes with a certain bird doesn't fail to warm his ears and make his heart beat a little faster. Still, Gladio marvels, I was wondering what it'd sound like. He quickly decides it's something he likes and try as he might to keep up a bold face that lazy, goofy-ass smile still manages to take over and he's unable to stop himself from moving his hand to gently cradle Law's face in it. Well, up until he decides it's time to tuck it back down into his chest that is. It's not a complete deterrent though because once his face moves from Gladio's palm, he just slides it back into his hair and allows his smile to grow. ]}

Family, huh? Think this means your old man'll quit looking at me like I mauled you like some sort of dog toy and he's secretly planning on turning me into a rug?

_{[ He doesn't, not really. There've been a few Questionable Looks and the end of the day Zephyr knows Law is old enough to make his own decisions, but that's still his son. Gladio catches himself laughing quietly, his hold around Law tightening after he realizes that the one the other man had around him has loosened. ]}

I'm mostly kidding. I don't think he'd actually skin me, I just know that look.

_{[ Big brother with a little sister and all that jazz. ]}

Can I ask something that'll probably sound stupid?

[counterattack]

Heh, yeah, this might win you some points with him. Seriously though, I don't think he was that upset.

[ Uh... was he? Honestly, he hadn't been paying that close attention to any of that at the time. His head, after his birthday? Fully in the clouds. Showing up fashionably late to his own party and explaining, as if blissfully unaware, I was with Gladio, didn't have him worrying about what other people might think, for once. Even his dad; it'd just made him think about the whole with Gladio thing. Again. Memories that hit differently when you're sober enough to see them differently in your head. No amount of disapproving leers could undo the sort of feelings those thoughts were giving him, hoo boy. In a way, he'd been almost flippant about it. As teenagers are, really: I know what I'm doing, I can handle myself, don't worry about it.

Either way, he'd go to bat for Gladio any day of the week. No matter how things go between them, he's a good, honorable guy. He believes that no matter what, uh, personal things happen between them.

He could step away from him now, but... why do that? This is comfortable. And honestly, even as he's starting to overcome the more complex feelings this is giving him, he's not quite ready to go back to that box and handle its contents yet. In a minute, he can strap the gauntlet on and make sure it fits and all that jazz, but for now, he's fine with the distraction of their arms around each other and a question to answer. His eyes take a moment to follow his words, once he's swallowed that note of shyness so that he can look up again. ]

What is it?

[indeferent]

<sub>[ At this point not even a horde of daemons could keep Gladio from Law. If it ever came down to proving himself worthy to Law's father, he'd do it in a heartbeat just because he could. Annnnnd partially because it's something he's never actually had to do what with being Technically Nobility. His status and position meant he'd be the one with suitors, so to be the suitor was a nice change for once, and part of Gladio still wants to follow through with it. Those sorts of things just take time though, you know? It's not something he'd rush into without at least a little thought put into it.

It wouldn't be as romantic if he did that.

The only thing is he has no idea how Proper Courtship even worked between Dahnans or if they even had it considering the state of pretty much everything on Law's world. It's not gonna stop him from thinking about it though, and speaking of... ]</sub>

Is that sort of thing common with your people? Havin' weapons and stuff as, uh... heirlooms? Or is it just somethin' your family does? Like I said, it's kind of a stupid question but...

<sub>[ Asking for a friend. It's him. He's the friend.

To distract himself from just how foolish he probably sounds, Gladio drops his gaze down to Law's shoulder and "busies" himself with picking a strand of hair from the back of his shirt. Is this one his? Law's? Fang's? It's a distraction that's what it is. A distraction and an excuse to stroke the pad of his thumb back over his tattoos once he gets rid of the hair. ]</sub>

S'just something I never thought about when I first saw you with it. Like the other ones you had when we first met, the grey ones.

[counterattack]

[ Law's eyebrows raise, less at the question itself, and more at the way Gladio asks. And... maybe at the fact that he asks at all. It's kind of funny that he's been in Copalli for well over a year and no one's ever really asked him about his home before. Not that he gave anyone much of a reason to, and anytime he did talk about it, it was always pretty small, throwaway tidbits that didn't explain a lot. Up until now, he'd purposely wanted to avoid sharing, but... maybe it's time to talk about it.

Shaking his head a little, Law lets his arms fall away from around Gladio's back. ]

It's not stupid. Here.

[ It just seems like something he should answer with some modicum of decorum. Stepping back, Law turns to take the box housing the gauntlet and necklace and scoots it aside, careful to keep it from the edge of the bed so it doesn't fall over and onto the floor (not that anything other than maybe the box would break, but still, it's precious cargo). With just enough space freed, he takes a seat on the edge of the bed and gestures for Gladio to sit next to him.

Funny... last time he talked much about the circumstances back home, it was his dad sitting here while he paced back and forth, gesticulating wildly while he explained everything to him. ]

It's... uh, kind of a complicated answer. I'm not sure if it's like that for every realm in Dahna, but if I had to guess, yeah, leaving behind weapons is pretty common, if you're gonna leave anything behind at all. That's because, in most cases, there's nothing else to leave behind. My people are slaves, and most of us barely have the necessities—a place to sleep, food to eat, clothes... that's about it. We barely even get a say in what happens to our bodies when we die. Whatever we have, the Renans can take away whenever they want, and it's not like anyone gets paid so they can buy keepsakes for each other. You have to take your chances scavenging or stealing. Most of my people don't know how to fight for themselves, either, so... those that do, they have to pass that strength on to the ones who come after. So that the fight doesn't die, y'know? The resistance, I mean.

[ Law's hand moves to the collar of his shirt, where his parents' rings sit just beneath, the outline faintly visible. He's lucky he even has these, honestly. Luckier than most. Rinwell never had much from her family, and neither did Kisara. ]

I ran away from home when I was young, but my dad left those bracers for me to have if I came back, even though he didn't know if I was even still alive. He was a leader that a lot of people looked up to, so those gauntlets, they're... kind of like big shoes to fill. A symbol of hope and freedom. That's why they're so important to me.

[ Well... part of why, anyway. ]

[indeferent]

<sub>[ Any other time and Gladio might've sat right in his lap just to be a little shit, but not today. Not with this. He waits until Law settles in, then takes the offered space. Unlike the last few times they sat side-by-side (and before his birthday), Gladio's thigh presses up against Law's without a care in the world and he quietly reaches to take his hand. Not for any particular reason mind, just... to hold it. Sue him, etc etc. It's really the only thing he can think to do when he starts talking about the reality of it and just how Fucked up things were on Dahna compared to the image Gladio had painted in his head whenever it'd come up in the past, his brows knitting together and swallowing down his own anger.

Niflheim was bad, yeah, but the longer Gladio looks at Law the more he feels his blood boil. It's the same feeling he'd get whenever he'd talk to the Glaives about their homeland, only this felt worse somehow. Maybe it's because he has a closer connection to it? Either way, he doesn't like it. There's nothing he can do about it here though, so Gladio opts to tangle his fingers with Law's and squeezes.

At least he can understand the second part a lot better. ]</sub>

It's a lot of pressure to put on a kid whether you mean to or not. If... you ran to get away from that, I get it.

_{[ Not entirely but it's something. ]}

Your entire family, though... Were they all...? Your dad lead a resistance movement, right? He sure as hell looks the part with all the scars I've seen on him.

[counterattack]

[ Try as he might, Law can't really hide the way he searches Gladio's face for his reaction. One of the main reasons he never brought this up in any detail since he arrived here, other than for his (and others') safety, was because he hadn't wanted anyone to look down on him. Or to think that, because he came from a world where subjugation is the norm, they could force him into submission, or use that knowledge to take advantage of him somehow. Of course, most people he's met, he knows wouldn't ever do that. Or he believes they wouldn't, at least. Gladio and his friends, in spite of their seemingly noble births, are nothing like the lords or Renans of Lenegis, who are so used to the status quo that they can't even imagine a world where a certain caste isn't beneath them. Not even out of malice, but just because that's how they've lived their lives all this time, not knowing any differently.

Still, you can never really, totally, completely be sure of that a hundred percent, can you? This is a test of faith as much as it is just an answer to an innocent question. What Law sees on Gladio's face makes him a little nervous, but that squeeze to his hand is reassuring. He squeezes back. ]

I didn't run away because of that. If anything, it was the opposite. My mom died, and my dad... really let me down. I thought I knew enough and could handle myself, so I ran off half-cocked and tried to do everything on my own. It was really stupid.

[ He sure learned a lesson. And the lessons don't stop comin' and they don't stop comin' and they don't stop comin'. The Big Mistake heard round the world. ]

There's not really a... an "entire family." Dahnans don't usually live very long. I never met my grandparents, but from what my dad told me, at least about his dad, they weren't really fighters the way my dad is. Someone else introduced him to the fight. Eventually, yeah, my dad became a leader. Him and my mom, at least until I came along. Then she stayed home to take care of me in secret.

[indeferent]

<sub>[ He had an inkling that his mother wasn't in the picture anymore, but man... Hearing it out loud just makes it that much more real, doesn't it? That's another thing he and Law have in common, he guesses. For a long while Gladio doesn't say anything while he speaks, his thumb absentmindedly stroking across the back of Law's fingers. Trying to imagine a life like that... It's impossible. He knows he's got it good compared to a lot of people back home even in Insomnia, no doubt about it. He never had to worry about going hungry or not having a roof over his head. All the injuries he sustained during training? All of it was taken care of whether it be as simple as a twisted ankle or nearly losing his eye from a drunkard.

He never had to worry about having everything he held dear taken from him by someone else or being beaten to death for not moving fast enough.

Gladio's hand tightens and his chin dips down. None of it was right, not when Law was so... so... him. Nobody deserved to live like that, but Law especially. ]</sub>

That explains why he's got so many people looking up to him over in Coatepec, huh? I see it whenever I'm near the lodge and he's around. They... look at him like they know he's gonna take care of them. Like they know they'll be okay going out into the forest if he's with 'em.

_{[ The air around him screams leader and he doesn't even have to raise his voice to get that point across. That, Gladio thinks, is something he can respect despite his own "fears" towards the older man. They're not even actual fears either, it's just... He knows how parents can get regarding their kids. It's respect. ]}

I dunno if I could ever manage to do what your mom did, though. Raising a kid in secret? That... She sounds tough. Being a mom, fighting behind the scenes and worrying about your husband all at once couldn't have been easy. Since your dad was the leader, did that mean you were gonna take over one day? Or would someone else have?

[counterattack]

Heh... yeah. He's been at it a long time. If it wasn't for me, he—

[ Now now, none of that. Law immediately rethinks that thought and shakes his head as if to say, forget it. It's easy to say, considering what happened, but who knows how things would've turned out, in the end? He just got finished saying that Dahnans don't live very long, and Zephyr was already pushing toward 50. That's a pretty big deal for a slave, never mind a resistance fighter. Either way, you're lucky not to keel over or be gunned down before you're old enough to have a family of your own. There's a more or less unconfirmed theory that the Renans leave certain people alone long enough to let them breed just so that they don't ever, y'know, run out of Dahnans to subjugate, but once you're past your "prime"? Forget it.

Still, it's hard not to still think about even after all this time, knowing just how safe he would've been with Alphen and the others. He would've been fine. Probably. ]

My mom was strong, too. Stronger even than my dad, sometimes, I think. But they wanted me born free, so she... did what she had to do, I guess. I dunno if there were any guarantees on me taking over the Crows after my dad... it just would've gone to whoever was best fit to lead. I'm not really sure I'm leader material, honestly.

[ He's ideal leader material, he just has growing up to do. He's only eighteen, after all. And aren't the best leaders the ones who don't go around saying what great leaders they are? Eh. Whatever. ]

I think... they wanted me to be free to walk my own path, whatever it is. That's what everyone should be allowed to do. Choose their own fate and face it head-on.

[indeferent]

They should, yeah. They're right about that.

<sub>[ Nobody should be beholden to some bullshit prophecy or be saddled with a burden before they were even born. His thoughts drift to Noctis for a moment, along with every time someone had spouted something about the Chosen King. Gladio was content with his own as a Shield no matter what road it brought him down, but there were some things he couldn't accept. Things he didn't want to accept. For years he'd imagine how life was going to be like under Noct - he'd take over the Crownsguard one day, that was a given. Maybe he'd settle down and get married too, just like his old man. Kids? It's an idea, but there probably wouldn't be any real "need" to now that...

No.

One of his ears flicks in irritation and there's a few choice words poised to fly from his tongue but if his time in this world has taught him anything? If his time with Law has? Then he needs to take a breath and re-ground himself. Prophecy or not, they should all be allowed to choose. That's why... ]</sub>

So... If being their leader isn't on your path — which, I think you'd be a damn good one for what it's worth — what would you wanna do once everything was settled? Here, back home... Hell, assuming you had the power to snap your fingers and get whatever the hell you wanted, what would it be? No limits. What would you want waiting for you on whatever road you took?

_{[ What would you carve out with the tools your parents gave you? ]}

I mean... Did your parents ever envision anything for you that you liked the idea of? For instance, uh. My mom, she'd...

_{[ He can't remember the last time he ever spoke to anyone about his mother. You know, obviously outside of his immediate family like Iris, his dad, and the Hesters. He'd never even told Law about her and the realization makes his mouth go dry. Gladio shakes his head and lightly nudges Law's shoulder with his own, laughing softly. ]}

You first.

[counterattack]

I... I don't know. I'm not really sure what my place is. All my friends have somewhere to be and something to do, but when it comes to me, I...

[ He's just not sure where he belongs. It didn't really feel like home, being back in Ulzebek. They didn't all exactly welcome him with open arms, either. Not to say that he didn't feel welcome, but—it just didn't feel the way he thought it would. It was no "Simba coming back to claim Pride Rock," that's for sure. There's nowhere for him in Cyslodia, either. It's easy to envision what he thinks he could do with his life: fight. Help others. But it doesn't feel like an answer, at least not when he thinks about Dohalim and his vow to return to Lenegis, or Rinwell and her mission to uncover Dahna's lost history. Shionne and Alphen have a future they want to realize together, and Kisara's always had a backup plan or two or ten. Where does that leave him?

Brows drawn together, the best he can come up with after a long moment of searching for an answer is that maybe he'd be some kind of bounty hunter or mercenary. Nothing wrong with that, right? He glances up as Gladio prompts him further, interested, sort of hopeful for that way out of the subject, but when the ball winds back in his court again, Law goes right back to searching for an answer. ]

Well... haha.

[ There's only one thing he can think of there, and as soon as it comes to him, he—laughs, sort of. He's not really the crying sort, but the instant pang he feels is almost enough to push him there, his voice a little tight. ]

Most of the time, all we ever talked about was the fight. The liberation of Dahna. Finding a common ground with the Renans so we could achieve peace. That was the big ideal in our house... an end to the bloodshed. And I mean, yeah, that's what I want. Of course that's what I want. That's what I've been fighting for all this time. But I was kinda—I used to really fixate on the part where they'd say that once the fighting was over, then we'd all be together all the time. We could go out without risking our lives, I could have friends, we'd see other realms, try new things... we'd do everything. T-Together. Like a real family. I know that's not possible now, but... that's still the future I want to live in. I just don't want to be left behind again.