Tears answer tears and for once Ignis doesn't try to hold them back. His fingers carefully weave up into Gladio's tangled hair, working through knots to find the Shield's scalp, trying to massage out even a little of the stress that has turned his friend's muscles to steel cords.
Once Ignis stood in a place similar to where Gladio stands. Once he tried to pack away all the emotions he hid from the world. Packed them into boxes. Shoved them into corners and behind doors in his mind that he never meant to open again, but Altissia cracked the doors and upended the boxes. Every time he thought he was making progress, he found he was really back at square one. Going back home? Remembering the truth? Being cut off from his senses in the dark and being able to do nothing but think? He started to face those emotions then. He started to heal little bit by little bit.
It's the true gift this place gives them. A gift that Gladio needs even more than Ignis did.
"I know it probably didn't seem that way," his voice shakes despite his best efforts. He wants to be strong for Gladio right now, but for men like them sometimes the true show of strength is to let their weakness show. "All that time I--he--pushed you away. I need you to know that you were always in our heart. There is no way you could ever leave it."
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Tears answer tears and for once Ignis doesn't try to hold them back. His fingers carefully weave up into Gladio's tangled hair, working through knots to find the Shield's scalp, trying to massage out even a little of the stress that has turned his friend's muscles to steel cords.
Once Ignis stood in a place similar to where Gladio stands. Once he tried to pack away all the emotions he hid from the world. Packed them into boxes. Shoved them into corners and behind doors in his mind that he never meant to open again, but Altissia cracked the doors and upended the boxes. Every time he thought he was making progress, he found he was really back at square one. Going back home? Remembering the truth? Being cut off from his senses in the dark and being able to do nothing but think? He started to face those emotions then. He started to heal little bit by little bit.
It's the true gift this place gives them. A gift that Gladio needs even more than Ignis did.
"I know it probably didn't seem that way," his voice shakes despite his best efforts. He wants to be strong for Gladio right now, but for men like them sometimes the true show of strength is to let their weakness show. "All that time I--he--pushed you away. I need you to know that you were always in our heart. There is no way you could ever leave it."