Event: Abort! Part Two (day 25, Egret). Luggage carriage

[voidtreckermods]

They are on world world#27462947582 for about five hours, helping, ushering people out of the city, fighting monsters, keeping guard. All seems well in the city itself, peaceful even except for the slight panic of people being told to move south.

Wherever they are, north in the desert, travelling through the countryside to the south or still in the city itself they will notice from their peripheral vision a darkening of the sky. Looking up they will see clouds. Strange clouds, appearing in the blue sky out of nowhere.

Their SCA’s start beeping, rapidly, flashing red. The clouds are too weird to be clouds, dark shapes in the sky. It might be that the Voidtreckers heed the warning and tap their SCA to evacuate to the train. It might be that they do not.

If they don’t then there is a moment, a moment of absolute stillness as those around them notice the shapes. A confused pause. Children stop their chatter, people stop their complaining, even the monsters seem to sense something and pause in their attacks.

The remaining voidtreckers are yanked away, even without pressing their SCA, they glow gold and disappear.

They all appear in the luggage carriage and not even a second later, with no warning the train lurches, flinging everyone off their feet as it enters the void.

It’s not really easy to tell speed in the void, but they will get the sense that they are moving fast. Faster than before, leaving that world and whatever those shapes were behind.

(OOC: Information on this event is here and part one is here)

Comments

[callmegladio]

"Suuure you do. Stuck in an old man's bed. You're very lucky." And Gladio with nothing on hand to throw. How annoying. He'd save it for later. When Noct was least expecting it he'd find something sailing toward his head and he helpless to dodge it. It would be perfect.

[sonoflucis]

"I am, though." Noct said. "I mean, you may be an old man, but you're buff and some of us are into that." He grinned. Easiest to let someone know you're into them if you're teasing... Right?

[callmegladio]

Gladio wasn't typically the oblivious type, but in this instance it went right over his head. He just assumed that Noct was being weird and admitting he had some kind of old guy kink and hey, it took all sorts! If Noct liked a more mature man, more power to him!

"You know, I think there's a few of those on the train. I could introduce you?" Gladio grinned widely.

[sonoflucis]

Noct waved him off. "No way, I'm really particular about what buff guys I'm into. Gotta have long hair, some scars, some tats... But mostly a killer smile."

[callmegladio]

"Narrows it down to about a dozen guys." Gladio laughed, though when he thought about it, he wasn't sure if all of them had tattoos. Not all had killer smiles. So maybe it narrowed it down to a small handful?

And yes, not he was being deliberately oblivious, because he thought Noct was just teasing him. Much like the young man and the creepy perv comments. It was all just teasing. Right?

[sonoflucis]

"Nah, just one." Noct said, his smile softening. "Not that I have a chance with him." Yeah, this wasn't teasing anymore. Noct knew Gladio would let him down gently. At least, he hoped he would.

[callmegladio]

The teasing smile fell away to be replaced by confusion at first, before things began to click into place. Noct... wasn't messing with him. What he'd thought was just idle banter was not at all idle.

Once more Gladio leaned back against the wall, just quietly watching Noct for a few moments more, before he spoke quietly. "Let me guess? You've been talking to Prompto?"

[sonoflucis]

Noct flushed and nodded. "It's not just that, though. I've always wanted to impress you. To be something more than just... You know, a prince."

[callmegladio]

"Noct..." Gladio sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. "... You know damn well you're more than a prince. And you know damn well you impress me. And if I've not said that enough, that's on me. I've always been proud of you. I know what you're capable of. I know how strong you are." And maybe sometimes in the past he'd pushed him a little harder than others, but that was only because he knew Noct had it in him. Knew of the limitless potential he had within him.

He opened his eyes, his smile gentle and warm. "You've always been more than a prince."

[sonoflucis]

Noct smiled softly, heart swelling at those words. "I'm glad. I just... I don't want you to think Prompto pulled me into something I didn't already feel, you know? I've always admired you. Even when I was being a brat."

[callmegladio]

"Oh, you're still a brat." He chuckled. "And so is Prompto." And he would have having words with the blonde about talking about him behind his back. But that raised some other questions, and Gladio's smile became a frown. "... What's he been saying exactly?"

[sonoflucis]

Noct turned bright red at that question. "Well... He told me he's really happy with you. And that he... Um..." Geez, this was really awkward. He didn't want to lie, but could he really say that?

He kinda had to, didn't he?

"He wishes he could share."

[callmegladio]

Gladio just stared at Noct for a good while before he lifted a hand to check his SCA. "... You've been here just over a week... He really doesn't waste any time, does he?" He muttered with a little shake of his head, part amusement, partly exasperated. Prompto was like a damn puppy. Far too excitable.

[sonoflucis]

"I think because he and I are really close to being from the same time...? So we both missed each other even before he was brought here..." Noct scratched his cheek. "We never kept secrets on Eos... Why start now?"

[callmegladio]

Now he was wondering just what, exactly, Prompto had said to Noct... And whether he should be saying anything at all. Because he had his own conversations with the blonde before Noct had even boarded the train. But back then it had seemed like an impossibility. Prompto expressing feelings for Noct, confessing he loved the both of them and seeing validation and reassurance it was okay to do that... Gladio hadn't been sure how he felt about it. But now, with Noct all but saying the same damn thing...

He rubbed a hand across his eyes. "I wasn't talking about secrets, Noct... It's not exactly a secret he and I are together. And it wasn't a secret he loved you." He dropped his hand into his lap. "Before here... I thought you both were together."

[sonoflucis]

Noct got completely flustered then. "Did we really seem like that? I didn't even know he liked me until I came here!" He covered his face. "He just... You know... He wanted to tell me more, but I didn't want to know if you weren't comfortable with it... And... I was a little jealous, I guess."

[callmegladio]

"Jealous...?" Gladio leaned forward a little, watching Noct carefully now. "Why would you be jealous? You want him too? I... know he loves you. He asked me once, told me he had feelings for you. You come first in his heart, Noct. I can't exactly stand in the way of that, can I?"

[sonoflucis]

"I wasn't jealous of you." Noct said, his voice hushed. Honestly, he knew how Prompto felt now, there was no reason to be jealous of Gladio.

[callmegladio]

"I see..." Gladio glanced down at where his hand lay upon his sheets.

When Prompto has questioned him, at no point during that questioning had the thought occurred to him that Noct might like him. He seemed to remember Prompto saying some ridiculous things, but Gladio could barely understand why Prompto liked him, much less why Noctis would feel the same.

"How long?" He asked, not looking up from his hand.

[sonoflucis]

Noct shifted, worried he was making Gladio uncomfortable. It would really suck to get kicked out when he couldn't walk. "Um... Probably since we started getting along, honestly. I know I was a brat about it... But I liked that you didn't treat me with kid gloves."

[callmegladio]

That was... predictably vague.

He looked up to Noct, contemplating his next words carefully.

"So what is it you want? I know what Prompto wants. But what do you want, Noct?"

[sonoflucis]

What did he want? Was it too much to ask to be with them? Was he being selfish? "I just want you both to be happy. In my wildest dreams, I could be part of that but... You haven't said how you feel about the whole thing..." Noct looked at him. "It's okay if you don't feel the same way. I wouldn't begrudge you, and neither would Prompto."

[callmegladio]

"I haven't said, because no one asked. And I was asking you... I don't want your wildest dreams, Noct. I wanted to know what you want." But he supposed Noct had answered that, just in that self-depreciating way of his. Both asking for it and dismissing it as an impossible thing in the same breath. It was maddening.

There was a part of him that felt bad for this. This should have been a conversation Noct had with Prompto. Not him... He sighed. "... When did I say I didn't feel anything?"

[sonoflucis]

"I want to be with you both." Noct said, knowing Gladio wanted a straight answer. "Just to be held by you... To be loved, I guess..."

Noct bit his lip. "I didn't say you didn't feel anything... I just don't want pity." He looked back at Gladio. "What do you want, Gladio?"

[callmegladio]

Did it hurt to give straight answers? In Gladio's mind it saved so much damn trouble. There could be no misunderstandings or crossed wires if people just came out and said what they wanted to say. So he was very happy when Noct stopped beating around the bush and told him plainly what he wanted.

Though the next line earned the King a light smack against his thigh. It would have been the knee since it was closest to him, but he didn't actually want to hurt Noct.

"The hell..." The brief moment of happiness that had been threatening to bubble up within him was covered over quickly with irritation. "Pity? You think I'd pity you? Do you actually think I'd jeopardise what I have with Prompto because of pity?"