[Ravus' voice almost startles him, Gladio having gotten lost in his own head while sitting in silence. His body feels ... sore but somehow a little lighter. Maybe it's that all of his physical injuries, major and minor, have finally been tended to and bandaged. And that he'd been able to rest and eat at the retreat. Really, he thinks it's Ravus being so close to him.
Remembering how awful his apologies went with Ignis and Prompto, Gladio flounders. How can he possibly apologize well enough to even marginally appease Ravus?]
Why? Words can't fix this. Can't even come close. [All the self-hatred he's felt since everything started comes out, every word dripping with it.]
Y'want me to talk about how I fucked up? Because I did, big time. M'just an idiot who acts without thinking. My friends are barely speaking to me and that's the most you've said to me in almost a week. And I deserve all of it and more. Pretty sure I've never disappointed my dad or my mentor this much in my entire life.
[Now that he's started, Gladio just can't stop, vitriol spewing from his mouth at a probably alarming rate.] You were right, Ravus, back at the base on Eos. I am a weak Shield and I can't protect a damn thing. M'so fuckin' useless and, even worse, I'm stupid. I just ran off - completely ignored my duties here and gave no thought to you or to anyone else. Didn't even try to talk about anythin'. Just charged off half-cocked and ... and it was all for nothin' because Iris isn't even here. Somethin' took her from this world and I couldn't ... I didn't even know.
[Strangely, there are no more tears. It's as if Gladio cried all of them out of his body so all that remains is a desolate dullness in his eyes and a sad slump to his shoulders.] So what will my apology matter at all? It's not gonna fix anythin', not gonna take away whatever hurt or anger you felt. Probably still feel. And I deserve it all anyway, Ravus. Hell, I'd deserve you tellin' me to get out and ending whatever th' hell we started. Does my being sorry make anything better? [It was an entirely rhetorical question that Gladio answers before Ravus can even attempt to.]
No. Me tellin' you how damn sorry I am doesn't change a damn thing. So why should I waste your time?
A Nat1 apology ....
Remembering how awful his apologies went with Ignis and Prompto, Gladio flounders. How can he possibly apologize well enough to even marginally appease Ravus?]
Why? Words can't fix this. Can't even come close. [All the self-hatred he's felt since everything started comes out, every word dripping with it.]
Y'want me to talk about how I fucked up? Because I did, big time. M'just an idiot who acts without thinking. My friends are barely speaking to me and that's the most you've said to me in almost a week. And I deserve all of it and more. Pretty sure I've never disappointed my dad or my mentor this much in my entire life.
[Now that he's started, Gladio just can't stop, vitriol spewing from his mouth at a probably alarming rate.] You were right, Ravus, back at the base on Eos. I am a weak Shield and I can't protect a damn thing. M'so fuckin' useless and, even worse, I'm stupid. I just ran off - completely ignored my duties here and gave no thought to you or to anyone else. Didn't even try to talk about anythin'. Just charged off half-cocked and ... and it was all for nothin' because Iris isn't even here. Somethin' took her from this world and I couldn't ... I didn't even know.
[Strangely, there are no more tears. It's as if Gladio cried all of them out of his body so all that remains is a desolate dullness in his eyes and a sad slump to his shoulders.] So what will my apology matter at all? It's not gonna fix anythin', not gonna take away whatever hurt or anger you felt. Probably still feel. And I deserve it all anyway, Ravus. Hell, I'd deserve you tellin' me to get out and ending whatever th' hell we started. Does my being sorry make anything better? [It was an entirely rhetorical question that Gladio answers before Ravus can even attempt to.]
No. Me tellin' you how damn sorry I am doesn't change a damn thing. So why should I waste your time?