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Chapter Text

Eyes from the packed stands and from every television in Eos were watching, their gaze threatening to pierce right through her resolve. She didn’t waver. Closing her own, she whispered a prayer to the Six. 

It seemed like ages before the song composed just for her short program, Somnus , started to play, bringing an abrupt end to the deafening silence in the venue. A calmness washed over her when the blades of her skates began to scrape against the smooth ice. In that moment she knew her prayer had been heard. 

She was flying across the rink, etching her name into it with elegant spins and step sequences carefully choreographed to match the intensity of the vocals and tranquility of the instrumentals. With a deep breath, she took a leap off the ice and one of faith. Gentiana landed a quadruple axel, the first successful one in all of figure skating history, followed by a flawless triple lutz, sending the audience into a roaring frenzy. 

Not even her coach, Camelia Claustra, was expecting her to execute the move, let alone with such effortless grace. She couldn’t help but grimace, warning Gentiana that the risk of injury wasn’t worth any amount of points. The young skater had a bad habit of defying her coach that way. 

Camelia thought it must’ve been fluke; not once had she been able to land the axel in practice. But then she did it again and again, each time the rotations increased slightly until she landed for a final time with a quintuple axel, then finished with another dizzying spin. She opened her eyes again, not realizing she had them closed the entire show. 

Gentiana, the dark horse of the Grand Prix Final, was now a gold medalist and figure skating legend, and she still had one more program to go. The other skaters knew there was no topping that. 

One of the commentators dubbed her the Goddess of Ice as she made her way off the rink and was promptly greeted by a tsunami of bouquets. It wasn’t just the jumps she landed, thought to be impossible before now, that earned her that nickname. It was the way she mesmerized the audience with her every movement, much like a siren trying to lure unsuspecting fishermen at sea. 

She touched the hearts of millions with her passion, not her finesse. She defeated the undefeated without so much as a single medal to her name. Gentiana ignited a fire in those wide, amber eyes, the pair watching from a television somewhere in Eos that were now so full of hope and wonder that had never been there before. 

She hadn’t anticipated this sort of victory. She didn’t envy the gold medalist status or the fame that came with it like the other skaters. Her prayer was simply this; Gentiana asked the Six to give her the strength to keep fighting so she could be the last one skating on the ice. 

***

His eyes were analyzing the rink, determining his next move for the remaining few seconds of the match. As soon as they crossed over into his zone, Gladio stole the puck from underneath the opposing team, the Hammerhead Sharks. He had to protect the puck until he saw an opening, but there was none. He was forced to pivot backwards on his skates, sending shavings of ice flying everywhere as the other team’s defensemen stayed on his tail. No one would be able to steal the puck back from him as good as he was, but they were running out of time and both teams were playing to win. 

Finally, Gladio saw an opportunity, a very risky pass that could cost them the match. Yet he trusted Noctis to catch his pass anyway and struck the puck with his stick. Noctis caught Gladio’s drift and charged away to where he could meet the puck before their opponents realized their game plan. Once he got it, Noctis pressed forward, weaving through the opponents. He saw Prompto, wide open and ready to shoot, but one of the opponents attempted to steal it from him and before he knew it, the puck was airborne. 

Prompto was swift and headed towards the puck at full speed. Lucky for him, he was smaller in stature compared to most hockey players, making him much quicker on the ice. Raising his stick, Prompto made contact with the airborne puck and batted it with his entire body, scoring on the opposing side from their zone. The timer went off with a blaring buzz, signaling the end of the match. Prompto pumped his fists in the air and sang his usual victory fanfare before joining the rest of the team for a short meeting. 

“Did ya see that, Biggs? Argentum scores another midair shot, breaking the tie with only a few seconds to spare!” one of the commentators boomed. 

“I sure did, Wedge. It’s no wonder they call him the Crack Shot . But he wasn’t the only player that shined tonight. Both Caelum and Amicitia made some incredibly difficult passes to keep the puck in play. It was a close game, but a victory for Insomnia nonetheless.”

“There’s no doubt the three of them carry the team, but for how long? Will Insomnia finally ascend to play for Lucis at internationals? Or will the team be stuck warming the bench just like every other season?” Wedge added. He was particularly blunt in his statements. “The Insomnia Dragons just aren’t the same team we knew a decade ago.”

“You can say that again.” Biggs agreed in that painfully monotonous commentator voice. “Something’s gotta give, or Insomnia can kiss their chances of ever reclaiming the championship ring goodbye.”

The trio heard every word of what the commentators said from the locker room television as they changed out of their gear and hit the showers. Deep down, they knew they had a point. 

The three of them individually were talented, big name hockey players. As the team’s sniper, Prompto Argentum earned himself the nickname Crack Shot, virtually having never missed the goal when he took a shot. Gladiolus Amicitia, the team’s defenseman, was dubbed The Shield early on in his career for his remarkable blocking and rebounding capabilities. 

Noctis Lucis Caelum, the center for Insomnia’s team, hadn’t earned his nickname just for being a gifted player since his youth, but also for the legacy he’s burdened to uphold. His late father and hockey legend, Regis Lucis Caelum, was revered as The King of the Rink . Even his grandfather before him was a renowned hockey player. Subsequently, Noctis bore the title Prince of the Rink , a nickname he dreaded with every fiber of his being. The pressure and expectation that came with it had always put a bitter taste in his mouth, especially when the team had nothing to show for it with its current roster. 

Put the three of them together on the rink and the men were even more impressive, but a hockey team consisted of 6 players working together in unison, not just 3. It was not that their teammates were lacking in skill, their hearts just weren’t in it. Insomnia’s team was only as strong as its weakest link, after all. 

The question of whether his friends thought this season would turn out like the last was resting on the tip of his tongue, but Prompto thought better of it. He elected to ignore the elephant in the room along with Noctis and Gladio as they washed the grime off their bodies and changed into more comfortable clothing. The three men walked side by side with Noctis in the middle as they made their way out of the Coliseum and towards the parking lot. 

“You guys ready to get your asses kicked?” Gladio teased. The three of them typically had their game night after Saturday evening matches. 

“Shit, that was tonight? Sorry, but I can’t.” Noctis replied regretfully. 

“What? You got other plans?” Gladio asked. 

“Gotta pick up my brother from the airport bright and early.” Noctis almost groaned, particularly when he said bright and early. 

Gladio and Prompto gave each other a confused look before Prompto jumped in front of Noctis, blocking his path for a brief moment. “Woah woah woah, wait a minute. Since when do you have a brother?” 

“Or get up early for that matter?” Gladio added. 

“Since forever?” Noctis said as if he sounded unsure. He hadn’t realized he never mentioned his brother to his best friends until now. 

“Then how come we’ve never seen or heard of him?” Gladio finally asked. He shot an unamused look at Noctis as he took in this new information, thinking back on how the three of them spent basically every moment together since grade school. There was never a brother in the picture, not even for a visit on breaks or the holidays. 

“Uhm, same mom, different dad.” Noctis explained. “When she passed, he went to go live with his father in Tenebrae before I even met you guys. Haven’t seen him in person since, but we still talk to each other everyday.”

“Huh, all these years of knowing you and we never knew you had a sibling?” Gladio said, more to himself than to his friends. 

“Yeah, it’s like I don’t even know you anymore!” Prompto cried in a mocking tone. 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to keep it a secret.” Noctis laughed apologetically. “Anyway, he’s staying with me until he can find his own place. I’ll introduce you guys once he’s settled in.” 

“You better,” Gladio warned him. 

“Y’know, if you wanna sleep in, I can always pick him up for you, Noct.”  

They all knew Prompto’s proposal was only a joke, but he secretly hoped Noctis would at least offer to let him ride to the airport with him. If he asked himself, Noctis wouldn’t say no, but he worried he might interrupt some sacred sibling bonding moment if he wasn’t invited. After all, he was an only child. He didn’t know how these things worked. 

“And let you crash the Regalia, again? Not a chance.” Noctis laughed at the suggestion as he unlocked the door to his car and hopped inside. “I’ll see you guys at practice.”

“See ya” Gladio and Prompto said in sync, waving goodbye as Noctis drove off. 

The two headed towards the downtown train station, having conversations that would jump from one topic to the next. They could talk about anything, whether it was just two of them or all three, as best friends often did. Gladio and Prompto agreed to postpone their game night until the next time Noctis could join them and boarded different trains after saying goodnight. 

The ride home for Gladio went by in an instant. The next thing he knew, he was unlocking the door to his condo on the top floor of the complex, haphazardly tossing his hockey gear into the genkan and slipping into his house shoes. The view of Insomnia was always breathtaking at night through the floor-to-ceiling windows in his living room. Although, the actual interior of the condo was nothing to write home about. 

It was simple, but not too basic. He hadn’t decorated the walls with any magnificent art pieces or collectibles, but there were many books and some pictures Prompto had snapped of the two of them and Noctis. It had its own character and warmth to it that were lost in the many contemporary flats surrounding his. 

With the fortune Gladio had amassed from being a pro hockey player, he could easily afford a mansion and his own Regalia if he desired it. But he preferred his cozy condo. He didn’t have a family to fill all the rooms of a mansion like the one Noctis inherited from his father. It was just the right size for one. Maybe two if he were having a one night stand. Or three if it was game night. There was no need for a flashy car when it was just him when the trains were much faster for getting around. Walking to the stations was the closest he could get to nature in the city. 

As much as his condo was a safe haven to him, he wondered if maybe something was missing from it as he hopped into bed. Gladio often thought this way once he started drifting off to sleep, but he could never quite place his finger on it. He had Noctis and Prompto, he had hockey, and he was able to live more comfortably than most due to his career. What else was there to life?  

He was never religious, but he prayed silently to the Six anyway. He hoped, if they were really out there, that they could help him find what he was looking for. Before long, he was fast asleep, not having to worry about the answer until another day. 

Chapter Text

“Ignis!” Noctis shouted as he waved down his older brother from behind the gates. 

The airport was bustling with people traveling from all over Eos to Insomnia. Ignis stood there for a good while searching for Noctis in the sea of bodies before practically sprinting towards him with his luggage when their eyes met. They hadn’t seen each other since they were children, and he could hardly contain his excitement seeing Noctis for the first time again. Tears started to well up in Ignis’s eyes, taking in how his younger brother grew into the fine young man that was now wrapped in his arms.

“Noct! It’s good to see you again,” the smile on Ignis’s face spread wider as Noctis buried his face into his chest, just like he used to as a child seeking his brother’s comfort. “It’s been far too long.”

“It’s good to see you too, Iggy,” Noctis murmured. 

He didn’t want to let go, worried that Ignis might disappear again if he even dared. Eventually, he pulled away and offered to help Ignis with his luggage. Ignis declined at first, but Noctis was insistent, so he obliged and followed Noctis out of the airport to the Regalia. The two spent the drive back to Noctis’s place catching up with each other while Ignis admired the sights of Insomnia. He had been away so long that he had forgotten how big and gorgeous the city was, yet it still felt more like home to him than Tenebrae ever did.  

After about an hour of driving through the morning rush hour traffic, they pulled up into the driveway of Noctis’s place. The mansion was located in the outskirts of downtown Insomnia on a hilltop, tucked away from the commotion of the city. It was just how Ignis remembered; extravagant, with its own courtyard in the front, an excess of bedrooms and land, a personal ice rink, and the typical swimming pool you’d find in most other mansions. It was truly fit for a king. Once he stepped through the front door and set his baggage down, the weight of the world seemed to fall off his shoulders, just like that. Ignis was finally home.

He found the room he slept in as a child left untouched by the staff, warming his heart in ways he couldn’t express with words. Regis had always been more of a father to him than his biological one. 

He wasn’t physically violent towards Ignis, but rather emotionally unavailable. He didn’t support his dreams of becoming a professional figure skater nor did he accept his sexuality. Ignis managed to get a job after school to pay for his figure skating lessons. Somehow, his father always managed to swipe what little money he made from him. Even the savings account that was left for him by his mother to use when he came of age was milked dry.

Despite his controlling nature, Ignis hardly saw his father most days. He had to be his own parent and raise himself. When he was around, he spent most of his time cooking for and cleaning up after him and his “guests”, the incredibly noisy ones that kept him up late on school nights while having sex with his father in the room right next to him. It was the very thing Aulea left him for before meeting Regis.

He was never impressed. If Ignis’s grades dropped to as much as a B, if the chores weren’t done just how he liked, or even if his cooking was slightly off, his father would berate him. Ignis never gave him the satisfaction and graduated as the valedictorian of his class, a milestone his father didn’t bother showing up for. 

He never understood why his father didn’t let him stay with Regis and his brother or even visit when he clearly didn’t want him. It was what Ignis resented him most for. The fact that Regis still thought of Ignis as his own son, even in his absence, and waited for his return, made him yearn for the childhood he was robbed of. 

“Make yourself at home,” Noctis said as he approached Ignis, snapping him out of his reverie. “Oh, and I ordered some Galahdan food for us. No way I’m letting you cook after that long flight.”

“Of course. Thank you, Noct.” Ignis was loath to have others spend their money on him, but he was grateful for the gesture nonetheless. 

“Anytime, Specs. Just let me know if you need anything else.”

Ignis nodded. “So, when do I get to meet your best friend...and the man you’re madly in love with?”

“Oh, you mean Prompto? I, uh, whenever you want.” Noctis was blushing bright red and scratching the back of his head at the thought of introducing Ignis to Prompto. Not even Gladio was aware of his crush on him. It was much easier to talk to Ignis about it since they didn’t know each other yet.

Ignis chuckled as Noctis fumbled with his words. “I’ll be busy with work during the week, but I’m free this weekend. Is that alright with you?” 

“Yeah, of course! And you can join us for game night, too.”

“I’d like that.” A soft smile played across Ignis’s rosy cheeks. He couldn’t wait to meet the men that stood by Noctis’s side since his childhood, the ones that protected him where Ignis couldn’t and shaped him into the lovely person that he was today.

***

Gladio was up at the crack of dawn and already on his usual morning run when he got a text from Prompto. 

Prom [Today, 7:07 AM]: “Hey Gladio, I think I left one of my memory cards at your place. Mind if I swing by and get it?”

Gladio [Today, 7:12 AM]: “You have the keys. Just let yourself in.”

That was how deep the trust between the three friends went; they all had keys to each of their homes. Even Prompto, who was promptly banned from using both Gladio and Noctis’ kitchens after nearly starting a fire by attempting to make grilled cheese with the stove all the way up on high...and then forgetting to about it until the smoke detectors went off during a game of spades. As long as he wasn’t trying to cook, Gladio figured there was nothing to worry about with Prompto alone in his condo while he was away. 

By the end of his run, Gladio’s body was gleaming with droplets of sweat that danced along the feathers of his tattoo. It was a tattoo of an eagle, covering his back and arms completely. It was bigger than the one his father, Clarus Amicitia, had gotten to keep the Amicitia family tradition. He thought about calling him after checking his phone for any new messages. 

There were 15 unread messages from the group chat with Noctis and Prompto, 3 from a random hookup that got a little too clingy, and several more from Prompto in their direct messages, waiting to be read. Gladio would have time to read them all after speaking with his father.

Everyday Gladio would push himself a little bit harder than the last, determined to get stronger than before. He feared that if he slacked off for even a moment, him and his friends would never live their dream of making it to the Eos Hockey Tournament. All his efforts would be for naught anyway because of his other teammates. Maybe they just needed a better coach that could motivate them and bring the team to its full potential, Gladio thought. There was a slim chance Clarus would be of any help with that, but he had to try.

Anxiously, he tapped his father’s name in his contact list. Gladio was almost certain that Clarus wouldn’t pick when his phone rang for too long, but he answered at the last moment.

“Dad?”

“Gladio!” Clarus roared from the other end. Getting to talk to his only child was one of the few things that brought him joy in his old age. “I saw your game last night. Congratulations! You really take after your old man.”

“Thanks, Dad.” Gladio hesitated before continuing. “Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. You heard what the commentators said, right?”

“Ah, hell no.” 

“What? ” Gladio asked.

“I see where this is going. The answer is still no.”

“Come on! Insomnia was undefeated when you were coaching. The team needs you,” Gladio practically begged. Before he could finish his thought, his phone vibrated against his ear repeatedly. Prompto was calling and Gladio immediately declined. He would call him back. Whatever it was, it could wait.

“We’ve had this conversation before, Gladio. My hockey days are over.” Clarus maintained. “Besides, Pelna is a great coach.” 

“If he’s so great then why hasn’t the team made it to the Eos Hockey Tournament once since he started coaching?” Gladio argued.

“You know why.” Clarus retorted.

Gladio went to say something, but there was nothing more to be said. His father was right. He just didn’t want to admit the truth he was trying to run from. There was an awkward silence between before Clarus finally spoke again.

“Listen, son. You’re not gonna like what I have to say, but-”

“Hold that thought, Dad.” Gladio cut Clarus off when his phone rang again. It was another call from Prompto. “I’m gonna have to call you back,” he told Clarus before hanging up to answer his friend. 

He sighed, wondering what was so important that he now had even more unread texts from Prompto. 

“Dude!” Prompto shouted into the phone before giving Gladio a chance to speak, the panic evident in his voice. “I need you to hurry back to your place, now!”

“Uh, why?” Gladio asked, raising a brow. 

“I fucked up.”

“What do you mean you fucked up ?”

“Please don’t kill me, I-”

“Hello, Prompto?” 

The call dropped. Gladio tried calling him back, but it went straight to Prompto’s voicemail. His phone was dead, and the desperation in his friend’s voice made him worry more than anything. Gladio booked it so he could make the next train to his neighborhood. He was relieved when he saw the building to his condo was in fact, not on fire. There were no ambulances or police cars outside either, nothing out of the ordinary. So he made his way inside with a little less urgency than before. When he got out of the elevator and onto his floor, he found Prompto pacing back and forth outside of his front door. 

“Mind telling me what happened?” Gladio asked, startling Prompto as he walked over to him. He was already turning the key in the lock before Prompto could collect himself and answer the question. Gladio’s eyes went wide as soon as he opened the door, seeing it for himself.

There was a little girl of about 8-years-old inside. The child’s hair was a deep brown, falling just below the ears and cradling her round cheeks. Her eyes looked like honey trapped inside a pair of the rarest gemstones. She wore a black dress with tights underneath and a plaid coat to match. In her tiny arms was a moogle doll from a children’s show, a backpack still on her shoulders and a suitcase next to her feet as if she was fixing to stay awhile.

It was a moment before the shock had subsided and turned to anger. Prompto could feel it radiating off of Gladio’s body and knew there was no coming back from this. He would have to give up his key and somehow make amends for letting a little kid trick and lock him out of the condo.

“Don’t be angry with him,” the girl pleaded. “He wouldn’t let me see you so I locked him out, I’m really sorry!”

“What’s your name, kid?” Gladio asked as he walked over to the child in his living room and knelt down in front of her, his voice terrifyingly calm.

“Iris,” she replied.

“Does your mother know you broke into a stranger’s house, Iris? Where is she?”

“She’s…um,” the girl looked towards her feet with a forlorn expression on her face. “She’s out of town.”

“Out of town? Then where's your father?”

“He’s right here, with me.” Iris beamed as she looked directly into Gladio’s eyes, hoping he would catch on.

“Great, let’s go find him. Prompto, grab her stuff.” 

“R-right, on it!” Prompto obeyed. Gladio took Iris by the wrist to lead her out of his home, but she resisted.

“Wait, I need to tell you something-” Iris tried, but Gladio was quick to cut her off.

“We can do this the easy way or the hard way, kid.” He picked the girl up and carried her over his shoulder as he made his way to the door. 

“No! Listen!” Iris cried as she struggled to get out of Gladio’s grip. “Put me down!” 

“I don’t think so, and you’re gonna tell me where he is before I call the cops. You’re lucky you didn’t walk into some pervert’s house.”

“But it’s you! You’re my father!”

“You aren’t fooling anyone, I think I would if I had a-”

“My mom is Rio!” she shouted before he could finish. Gladio froze in his tracks with his hand on the doorknob upon hearing that name, a name he hadn’t heard in years. “Rio Antiquum? You dated her in college. She never told you about me, but I’m your daughter.”

Chapter Text

“Hello? This is Rio Antiquum speaking”

“What the hell, Rio?” 

Gladio could hardly contain his anger upon hearing her speak so nonchalantly, as if she didn’t do anything. He could feel an old wound beginning to open back up again and wanted nothing more than to tear into her, but then he glanced over at his friend and the child sitting on the couch across from him and took a deep breath. “It’s Gladio. Look, if this is some kind of joke-”

“Psych!” A boisterous laughter came from the woman on the other end. “You fell for it, didn’t you?”

Huh...

“I’m not available right now so leave a message or whatever. Better luck next time, babe!”

...you gotta be fucking kidding me

“The mailbox you’re trying to reach is full and cannot accept any messages at this time. Goodbye.”

Gladio couldn’t help but laugh a bit as the line went dead, both at his predicament and at the fact that he’d forgotten all about Rio’s little joke. A joke he used to find charming.

He dialed the number again as he paced around the room. Still, no answer. Not even from Prompto’s phone. Memory after memory of his ex flooded his thoughts each time the phone went straight to that ridiculous voicemail greeting, memories that reminded him why he broke off his engagement to this woman.

“See? I told you mommy’s phone doesn’t work.” Iris said as she watched Gladio end the call and dial again for the umpteenth time, this time from her own phone.

“Bullshit.”

“Woah, dude!” Prompto’s mouth flew open as he rushed to cover Iris’s ears. “Not in front of the kid.”

“It’s okay” She said a little too cheerfully, “I’ll accept his apology in the form of payment.”

Gladio smirked as he handed her phone back. “Do you hear this kid, Prom?”

Iris only curled the palm of her little hand inward and back out repeatedly until the smile on Gladio's face disappeared and the man was digging into his back pocket for spare change. All he had was a crinkled 10,000 yen banknote and almost cursed again for not keeping smaller bills as he reluctantly handed it over. Iris gawked at the bill and inspected it carefully as if it might be a counterfeit, then grinned from ear to ear. 

“Apology accepted!”

Wow, just like her mother.

“Hey buddy, can I talk to you for a sec?” 

Before he could protest, Prompto was ushering him into the kitchen where they would be out of earshot. Still, he whispered, “Is she -- is Iris -- really your daughter?”

Somehow, Gladio already had his mouth full of cup noodles and scowled at him. “That’s exactly how you got locked out, isn’t it?” He gulped his ramen down and gestured towards the child with wooden chopsticks. “Don’t believe everything she says.”

Prompto tried, but all he could do was open and close his mouth like a mime without any words coming to his defense. The scene replayed vividly in his head: he was still searching for his memory card when he heard a knock on the front door and opened it to find Iris standing there, frowning at him. Of course he didn’t believe her when she claimed Gladio was her father. Just another fangirl , he thought, yet he still fell for the oldest trick in the book: “Look over there, a chocobo!”  

Definitely not his brightest moment.

Prompto’s cheeks grew hot as he tried shaking off the embarrassment. “Right, right....so, uh, what are you gonna do now?”

The two men glanced over at Iris, who was now preoccupied with a phone game in one hand and her plush companion in the other. The girl’s feet dangled from the couch without a care in the world.

Gladio sighed.

“I’ll just have to take her back home myself.”

***

The sun was back on the horizon when Gladio realized how the day had passed by in what seemed like mere minutes. With some help from Prompto, he finally managed to snag a plane ticket to Tenebrae for himself and Iris: the only two tickets available on the same flight that week, in fact. 

Getting into Tenebrae was incredibly difficult now that the country was independent of Niflheim, thus lifting the travel ban enforced by the latter nation. Everyone was either touring the magnificent landscape or reuniting with family members who got separated during the Niflheim occupation. That would explain why now of all times Rio would decide to pull a stunt like this. Still, if Iris really was his daughter, she could’ve told him when she found out or at the very least warned him before dropping her off like that, he thought. Unlike her mother, Gladio wasn’t going to send the kid overseas alone, especially when she wasn’t answering the phone. He needed to confront his ex-fiancée in person, anyway. 

Gladio raked his fingers through his hair with elbows to his knees, letting out a groan as his thoughts continued racing. Iris had drifted off into a peaceful sleep on the opposite end of the u-shaped sectional not too long ago -- probably exhausted from jetlag -- making it easy to study her features without any awkwardness. Just as soon as the thought entered his mind, Prompto whispered it.

“She looks just like you.”

“I know...” Gladio admitted as he sat upright to gaze over at her again. There was no point in denying it. He couldn’t see even an ounce of Rio in her face, much to his relief. 

“You sure you don’t wanna ask Noct for a ride?”

“Yeah, I’m good,” Gladio shifted his weight backwards into a slouch and locked his fingers together behind his head. “Besides, I don’t wanna count on him getting up that early again.” 

Prompto smiled. “Fair enough.”

The room grew quiet after that, only the faint noises of cars driving by filling the space. Gladio nearly fell asleep before Prompto let out that damn sigh, the one he’s heard all too often. He opened his eyes to peak over at the blond sitting next to him in his peripheral. His suspicions were confirmed as he watched Prompto scroll through the many pictures he had taken of and with Noctis on his camera. His expression was twisted into a longing frown. 

Rolling his eyes, Gladio cut through the silence. “ Gods , Prompto. Just tell him.”

“I can’t do that!” Prompto nearly shouted and jumped in surprise at being caught red-handed. Both pairs of eyes widened as they watched Iris shifting around in her slumber. Only then did Prompto speak again when her movements came to a stop, this time lowering his voice. 

“I don’t wanna lose him. Besides, his friendship is more than enough.”

A stifled laugh came from Gladio, who couldn’t believe his ears. “Do you really think Noct is the type to cut you off like that?”

The flush in Prompto’s cheeks deepened, not realizing what he was saying until being called out. “Well...no, but-”

“Then what’s stopping you?”

“I just...y’know, I don’t want things to get awkward between us.”

“It’s already awkward” Gladio said a bit more bluntly than he meant to. He softened his tone when he noticed Prompto recoiling into himself. “Hey, the worst he can say is he doesn’t feel the same and you can move on, right? If he likes you back and you don’t say anything, he’s gonna be the one moving on.”

Another sigh escaped Prompto's lips as he considered Gladio’s words carefully. He had a point, and pining after his best friend for as long as he has was borderline torture. 

“Yeah, you’re right. I’ll tell him...when the season’s over.”

Gladio didn’t answer, but Prompto could feel his eyes on him. He turned to meet the other man glaring at him.

“What? I will!”

Satisfied, Gladio resumed his position from before. “Good, ‘cause if you don’t then I will,” he teased.

“Bro, not cool!” Prompto whined as he shoved Gladio, earning himself an annoyingly smug grin. 

“Well” The pair looked out the window in unison. The sun was long gone and the city lights waxed full. “I should get going.” 

Gladio gave Prompto’s shoulder a firm squeeze. “Thanks for staying. You didn’t have to.”

“Aw. It was nothing, big guy.” With that, Prompto stood up and dragged his feet towards the front door. “Call me when you land.”

“Hey Prompto”

“Yeah?”

“Think fast.” 

Gladio tossed the keys left on the ottoman towards his friend who was halfway out the door. Prompto looked down at his hands in confusion when he caught them. 

“Try not to get locked out while I’m gone. See ya later, Blondie.” 

Prompto beamed as he nodded and waved goodbye back. Gladio heard the faint jangle of keys turn inside the lock and just like that, the air around him grew thick again. Quietly, he walked over to Iris, nearly picked her up so he could carry her to the bed. He thought better of it and found a couple of throw blankets to drape over her small frame instead. 

Try as he might, he couldn’t fully convince himself that Iris could be some other guy’s kid as he lay awake in his bed. If anything, he became more unsure the more he dwelled on it. All he knew was there was a little girl that looked just like him sleeping in his living room and his name was on her birth certificate. And he couldn’t help but feel as if he was forgetting something important. Whatever it was, it was keeping him awake, so he tried calling Rio for a final time. Again, no answer. Though, this time her inbox wasn’t full. 

Ain’t that a bitch . 

Gladio left her a message, then fell asleep.

***

Shit.

The alarm had already gone off three times in the past 45 minutes. Gladio hadn’t overslept like that since grade school. He sat upright in bed and was immediately greeted by Iris curled up at the foot, cringing at the irritating ringtone he had chosen. As soon as he began to coax her out of his bed, he realized he hadn’t even packed his own clothes. Screw it. He’ll just buy something when they get to Tenebrae.

After improvising a quick breakfast of leftover rice with miso soup and rushing to get himself ready, the two finally made their way to the station downtown. Gladio flipped through the apps on his phone aimlessly all the while pushing past the morning rush hour crowd with Iris in tow. He still couldn’t figure out what it was that he was forgetting and hoped it would jog his memory. It gnawed at the back of his head so much that he didn’t notice Iris tugging on his arm.

“Dad-” 

That one simple word ripped Gladio from the depths of his musings and brought him to a halt. All he could do was look back mutely at Iris, who looked just as flustered as he felt. He didn’t know if he could ever get used to being called that.

“Um...Gladiolus?”

“What is it?” The man chided himself silently when the words came out too short.

“Actually, never mind.” She said, averting her gaze to the floor.

“Hey, look at me” Gladio knelt down in front of Iris when she kept her gaze fixed on the subway titles. Slowly but surely, those big, amber eyes met his own and his throat suddenly went dry. “I know we just met, but I need you to promise me something.”

She tilted her head to the side, giving him a guarded but curious look.

“I tell you what’s on my mind, and you tell me what’s on yours. No more holding back, no secrets. You can talk to me, deal?”

Iris nodded. A wave of relief washed over him.

“So, what did ya wanna say?

“Um, can I call you ‘Gladdy’?”

He wasn’t sure what he was expecting her to say, but every fiber in his being was telling Gladio to say no. He almost wished she’d tried to call him ‘dad’ again, but something about her was off today. All the confidence and snark she possessed from the day before was gone. 

“Yeah” he said, “Gladdy’s fine.”

Those must've been the magic words because that radiant smile from yesterday made a comeback, and a contagious one at that. Gladio found himself trying to suppress his own to no avail.

The moment was soon interrupted by the intercom announcing their train’s arrival. The pair sprinted past the sea of bodies and through the closing doors in record time. They were even able to find a seat together despite the train overflowing with passengers when a business woman around his age offered hers up. Any other day Gladio would’ve declined, but his lack of sleep from the night before and her insistence that he should sit next to his child made him cave this once. 

When the conductor finally announced their stop, Gladio checked his watch. There was still time until the next train bound for Insomnia International Airport showed up; they would make it in time for their flight so long as there were no more delays. Everything was smooth sailing from there. That was until Gladio lost his grip on Iris’s hand when a man entering the train collided with him. The doors closed behind him with Iris on the other side.