melodiesofeternity | A Lover's Lament

Who: Gladio and you! (some prompts closed to certain areas/people - they will be indicated)
When: Backdated to November 2nd (as the first day of the prompt)
Where: Yun'Ashia primarily, Curtisy Center
What: Ignis Scientia Has Vanished
Warnings/Notes: Anger, frustration, possible mentions of violence, mentions of a poly relationship, sadness

I. November 2nd - A Disappearing Act (closed to Eosian houses on Yun'Ashia)

It's another evening working at the cafe, Gladio stealing glances at Ignis whenever he can as he works behind the counter making drinks and chatting with customers. When Iggy says he's going into the back to get something, Gladio nods and goes back to preparing drinks. After five minutes he figures Iggy's searching for something that's buried. After ten minutes, he gets worried and flips the cafe's sign to 'Closed' while he gently tries to usher the remaining customers out under the guise of needing to start preparations for the next day.

When the last customer exits, he hurries to the back and finds it empty. Well, empty of a certain bespectacled man with sandy hair who owns part of his heart. Gladio looks behind every stack of boxes, under every table, behind every door, all to no avail. Ignis is simply nowhere to be found.

He checks his tablet and almost sobs with relief that his boyfriend's name isn't greyed out. Quickly locking up the cafe, Gladio sprints home.

Once inside the house, he simply shouts. "Have any of you seen Iggy?!" Frantically, he darts from room to room. Nothing. So he runs to the garden. No sign. The gazebo? Empty. He's not in the chocobo stables either. Trudging back inside, he faces the fact that Ignis really is gone.

II. November 3rd - A Desolate Day (closed to Ravus)

Gladio hasn't slept. Not since coming home to find Ignis gone. He's lost count of how much coffee he's consumed but honestly, he doesn't care. He simply pours himself another cup and brings a cup of tea to Ravus.

"Here. Brought you some tea instead of coffee, this time."

He plops down next to his boyfriend - yes, he has two - and sighs as he sips his drink. Gladio won't break the silence until Ravus does, for now content to have at least one of his loves next to him even as his heart aches for the other to complete them.

III. November 5th - A Dim Outlook (MogNet - OTA)

[The video opens to Gladio sitting in the garden, on the bench by the meditation area. He isn't going to ask for help finding Ignis, not now. As long as his name stays un-greyed, Gladio will simply make himself believe that Iggy is coming back.

His forced smile and clenched jaw give away his mood.] Iggy's gone. We're hopin' he'll be back but in the meantime any help we can get to keep his cafe going would be appreciated. And if anyone has any leads on somethin' I can fight ... I'd appreciate that.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Might just take you up on that.

Thanks.

[He's genuinely touched by the offer and a smile crosses his face.]

You good with wearin' a uniform again?

[Dylas isn't smiling. He's wondering just how much he's going to have to pack into a suitcase, how long he's going to have to stay. His Moogle certainly isn't going to pop out and help him.]

Might?

I'm already getting ready to leave. Tell me where I need to be. I'll wear whatever I have to. I've spent years working in a restaurant, so just make sure his employees are ready to fill me in when I arrive.

His "employees" are himself, Ravus, and me. It's not a huge place, Dylas. Just a small cafe in Yun'Ashia that serves the best coffee and pastries around.

[Gladio's trying to think of which room in the house could best hold Dylas without being too confining. Maybe Iris' old room, but he'd have to redecorate it. Or pray that the Naga doesn't mind leaving the decorations alone because he can't quite bring himself to even think about changing her room yet.]

Just come to Yun'Ashia and I'll meet you at the airship station.

Thanks. Again.

[What? His employees aren't random NPCs? So much for that. Whatever the case is, he's relieved to hear that there are pastries involved. He wouldn't be caught dead eating one, before his transformation or after, but he knows how to make them. Bread is easy. Porcoline taught him how to make all sorts of dishes.]

I didn't know you had a job. You don't really come across as the domestic type.

Yun'Ashia's not far from Nakagawa. Do what you need to do and worry about me later. I'll see you when I see you.

[Yun'ashia is northwest from Nakagawa and the first continent to the west if you ignore Oktavia beneath it. By the time Dylas has packed enough shirts and waist wraps, it should only take him about six hours to arrive at the airfield. Whether anyone's greeting him or not is another story. He hopes it's 'not' so he can lurk around town before running into Gladio. He's sure the guy has more things to deal with than just a business right now.]

[What does Dylas think he does all day? Of course he works.]

I work at a weapons shop mostly. Just help out in the evenings at Iggy's. What did you think I did?

[Gladio will absolutely meet Dylas at the airfield because he's that kind of nice guy who meets friends at airfields and train stations and the like. And yes, Dylas is his friend no matter what the irritable Naga says.]

I'll meet you at the airfield. See ya in a bit.

I don't know. Hero shit?

[He never really stopped to think too much about it, but he figured he was out there doing the more adventurous kind of work.

When he arrives at the airfield, he's slithering alongside a 'teenaged' black Chocobo. Yakitori is almost tall enough to be ridden by a human, but she's certainly not going to be big enough to be ridden by Dylas anytime soon. She pecks at the ground occasionally, aiming for pieces of food left behind by hurrying travelers.

Dylas groans each time and guides her more strictly, descending the ramp and looking for Gladiolus. He's carrying a suitcase in the other hand.]

[Gladio is, as promised, waiting at the airfield when Dylas arrives and he does nothing to hide his obvious laughter at the chocobo's behavior. He waves to make himself known before walking up to his friend and the hungry bird.]

Hey Dylas. Thanks again for showing up. I appreciate it and I'm sure the others do too.

[Not knowing this chocobo's temperment, Gladio holds a hand out to the bird to see if it will allow him to give it a few pets. He has some greens in his pocket and will happily pull them out for the feathered beauty if it wants.]

Who's your friend here?

[The others? His eyebrows quirk, and he's about to ask the question, but nope. Nope, he's not going to ask. He's just going to stay here, work, and keep his head low. No one really wants him to get involved in all this emotional shit he's no good at it. He's just here to help.]

It's no problem. The grannies were pretty understanding. Uh, some of 'em say hi. They remember you from the last time you came in.

[Some of them said other things, too, but Dylas isn't going to repeat what those dirty old Lalafell asked him to say. Yakitori is receptive to pets, but she makes a face at the greens, much to Dylas' eternal dismay. She'll eat them, but she's much more interested in that bag of potato chips someone dropped on the ground. Dylas is raising a goat.]

This is Yakitori. She's...something, alright. I used to leave her with Yue, but... [Whatever. This isn't about him.] I'm stuck with her.

When y'see them next, or if you call them, give them a 'hello' from me too! [He grins, remembering the sweet older Lalafell women fondly.

Gladio gently pets the young chocobo, careful to make sure he doesn't ruffle the bird's feathers too much, and outright laughs when she ignores the greens in his pocket in favor of the trash on the ground.]

Here, girl, lemme get that for you. [He squats down and opens the bag more to allow Yakitori's beak to get at the tasty chips inside.]

Seems she likes less conventional food. [A chuckle.] Yue is your housemate? Why couldn't he look after her while you came here? Not that I'm complaining - we have plenty of room in the stables and she looks like a sweetheart.

A Lover's Lament

Dylas is a good friend

shut up thick nerd

BFF status unlocked

gross

deal with it

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I don't have an icon of OlderGladio laughing, so forgive the younger icon