Hack

by Lynxrider

Prompto has always known he's odd. But this...this is weird, even for him. Or, Prompto's fourth-wall-breaking abilities come in handy. The poly isekai fix-it no one asked for, but I wrote anyway. Enjoy.

24. Heartbreak

Getting out of the way.

Jason was pretty good at it, if he did say so himself. It's not that anyone ever blatantly asked for him to fuck off, but he could take the hint when it was given. He could safely say he was used to it at this point.

Don't get him wrong, it's not like his friends and family were cruel to him or didn't want him around or anything like that. He wouldn't be close with them anymore if they were. It's just that he recognized when he was standing between someone and something they wanted, and rather than stubbornly holding his ground because of something as dumb as 'hurt feelings' or whatever, he would just... step aside. It was easier for everyone that way. He didn't allow himself to insert his own desires into the equation, because every time he'd tried, he'd only set himself up for heartbreak. Or worse, caused discord for everyone else involved.

He'd lost some good friends that way. It was never worth it.

He had to wonder though, why Gladio was still here with him. He side eyed the large man walking silently beside him in the darkening evening. They'd been walking for a good couple of minutes and Gladio still hadn't removed the arm he'd thrown over Jason's shoulder, golds firmly locked on the movement of their feet and face inscrutable.

Jason just didn't get it. Unlike him, Gladio wasn't an outsider in this situation by any means. If Prompto and Noctis were any more blatant about their desire for Gladio to go with them the man would have eye shaped burn marks on his ass. Maybe Jason just wasn't sensitive to the situation because he had no idea how these sort of things worked, but he knew disappointment when he saw it, and it was written all over Prompto's face when Gladio decided to stay. Why did he, though? Was it really concern for Jason that held him here? Sure, it was possible Ardyn might go after them, but he found that pretty unlikely. What would he even do, mock them? As far as Jason knew, they were still following the path that Ardyn himself set, so he had no reason to interfere at this point. No, the more Jason thought about it, the more it sounded like an excuse for Gladio to avoid the others.

He wasn't sure how he felt about that. But, meh. It wasn't the first time his friends had used him as an excuse to avoid their problems. He was sure Gladio would work out whatever was on his mind eventually, and if that meant he needed some time away from the others, Jason was happy to oblige.

Honestly, he was kind of glad. More and more, Jason found himself enjoying Gladiolus' company, finding that while initially he hadn't wanted to have anything to do with him, his calm presence sometimes felt like a balm on Jason's stress. After they'd talked the other night, it went a long way to help Jason from feeling like a raw, exposed nerve to feeling like someone out there had his back, if only a little. When he'd decided to stay in town alone, he was going to take the opportunity to think about his next move, but if Jason was being truthful to himself, the last thing he wanted to do was think about anything at all.

Gladiolus' firm arm around his shoulder, his warm weight against his side, their silent, if absent minded companionship...it was a nice distraction.

Jason stayed silent, allowing Gladio his thoughts, and stared out into the sunset instead. Subtly, he guided their steps back around the block before they wandered straight out of town, toting Gladio around like a particularly cumbersome handbag. Gladio didn't even seem to notice, so Jason followed his nose, seeking out the aforementioned food trucks and finding them easily. The town wasn't very big after all.

An empty lot between worn down buildings was emitting the most wonderful smell of cooking meat and sweet breads. A small smile twitched at Jason's mouth as nostalgia washed over him, the scene reminding him of one of his favorite hangouts in his hometown. His smile turned into a full blown chuckle as the sun finally set and street lights flickered on around them, the square lighting up with strings of golden pin lights hanging between poles.

Gladio shifted, and his arm tightened around Jason for a split second before he straightened. "Well, well, isn't this romantic?" he drawled.

"Yeah," Jason deadpanned, smirking a little. "Reminds me of the dates I used to go on...when I was twelve." He elbowed Gladio in the side. "You done using me like a crutch yet, or do I have to drag your heavy ass around all night?"

All of a sudden, Gladio's weight just got exponentially heavier, and Jason stumbled. "Urgh!"

"Heh, okay, okay," Gladio said, raising his hands in surrender before Jason could make good on the threat in his eyes. "Let's get some grub. I'm starving." Jason watched Gladio's sauntering form for a moment before rolling his eyes and following. Guy didn't seem to stay down for long, that was for sure.

It wasn't crowded by any means, only a few others out tonight for whatever reason, so they easily found a table to sit at while Jason payed for their food, fumbling a little with the strange currency of this world. It felt weird, he thought as he fingered the soft leather of Ignis' wallet, to be paying for something himself. He hadn't been able to do that for a while, and it made him feel a bit guilty since he hadn't actually done anything to earn that money. You need to eat, a sensible voice inside him intoned, but it still stung his pride, having to be taken care of like he was a dependant.

"You have that look on your face again," Gladio said casually as they waited for their names to be called.

"What look?" Jason said absently, sliding the wallet back into his pocket. He glanced at Gladio, who leaned against his arms on their worn table, lifting a brow. Jason felt a little bit like a bug under a microscope.

"That look like you can't stand the thought of being taken care of."

Jason blinked, surprised that Gladio had sussed out exactly what he'd been thinking. He smiled awkwardly, avoiding his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

Gladio leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest and staring up into the sky in mock thought. "Oh, I dunno, the fact that you like to pretend you're invisible, you never speak up when you need something and look guilty every time you ask a question, and let's not forget, you walked around for weeks without brushing your damn hair because you didn't think we'd get you a comb."

"I–" Jason stuttered, taken aback. Had Gladio really been watching him that closely? "I don't feel guilty!" Of course, that wasn't entirely true. He felt guilty about a lot of things. Needing to eat wasn't one of them, however.

"Oh?" Gladio gave him a pointed look. "Is that why you look like you're about to cry everytime Ignis offers to mend your shirt?"

"I don't–I don't look like I'm about to cry! Fuck you, dude!" Jason could feel a disconcerted flush rising in his cheeks, scowling.

"Then spill. What's your deal? Neglectful parents? Abusive lovers? Survivor's guilt?"

"Wha–" Jason could feel his anger peaking at Gladio's mocking tone. Gladio, for his part, only seemed to become more calm, though he had his own scowl of annoyance on his face. Jason let out a frustrated sound and slumped back into his chair. "Ugh. I think I preferred it when I was afraid of you." When Gladio remained silent, clearly not willing to let it go, Jason gave in with a twitch of his eyes. "Fine. It's nothing so tragic as that, alright? I've just never been good at accepting help from anyone."

"So it's a pride thing."

"No! Yes. I don't know." He threw his hands up in the air, then abruptly deflated. "Look, I grew up a spoiled little rich kid, okay? And it was all good, right, I got everything I wanted as long as I was everything my parents wanted me to be." He grimaced, knowing how pathetic he sounded. This was precisely why he never talked to anyone about this, because it wasn't tragic. At all. Just really, really stupid. "I had a falling out with them when I was sixteen and have been on my own since. I don't accept help because I'm too damn proud to admit that I need it. There, you happy?"

Gladio was silent for a full minute while he processed this, and Jason refused to look him in the eye, feeling more pathetic by the second. "Are you telling me," Gladio started slowly, "that you're willing to die for your pride?"

"What? No!" Jason said immediately.

"Really? Because I'm pretty sure rejecting help for your basic needs is going to get you killed."

"I'm not–"

"Jason." Jason's mouth snapped shut at Gladio's sharp tone. He looked angry, fingers twitching on his arms as if he was restraining himself from strangling him. "This isn't a game. We're at war and we can't afford to be selfish."

Jason's jaw clenched, seeing red. Selfish? "You think," he said, jumping to his feet in a fit of pique, "that it's selfish for me to not want to be a burden? To not want to be treated like a damn useless kid. "

"Yes, I do!" Gladio said calmly in contrast to Jason's anger, the low rumble of his voice nothing but reasonable, as if he were talking to an irrational child. It only made him more pissed, shoulders going rigid. He was this close to telling Gladio where he could shove it. "Did you ever stop to think that by refusing help, you were putting all of us in danger? What if you collapsed in the middle of battle and we had to risk ourselves to save you because you were too proud to say you weren't feeling well? Or should we just leave you there, 'cause clearly you can take care of yourself?" Gladio's voice hardened, brows drawing together sternly. "The way you are now, you are a burden."

Jason's breath came in short, rapid bursts, shoulders shaking with anger and seconds from throwing himself at Gladio, damn that he was stronger. He wanted to hurt him, the stinging pain in his chest from Gladio's words smarting sharply. Gladio didn't move, staring Jason down but making no move to fight him. His arms were lax across his chest, gaze challenging.

With a force of will, Jason relaxed back on his heels, eyes cutting sharply away as he tried to get ahold of himself. Because dammit, Gladio was right. He would hide it if he were in pain or sick. He absolutely loathed the feeling of people fussing over him or feeling like he was holding them back. What made it worse was that it wasn't even for any noble reason, like caring for others more than himself or anything like that. He just wanted to prove himself, or, more accurately, prove to himself that he wasn't weak and that he didn't need anyone. It was selfish. He didn't like having this flaw thrown in his face like this, and hated Gladio for it in that moment. His hands fisted tightly at his sides. "Yeah, well, until a little while ago I was a prisoner, so excuse me if I'm nervous about asking for stuff."

"What are you waiting for, permission?" Gladio scoffed, raising Jason's hackles. "Well, here it is. You have my permission to do whatever you want. No one's making you do anything, Jason. You could have fucked off after you left the first time in Liede, but you chose to look for us. And once Noctis released you, you chose to stay. Stop making excuses."

Jason, so thoroughly called out, ground his teeth until he was afraid they would crack. He released his jaw with a force of will, refusing to look Gladio in the face.

After a moment, Gladio sighed. On stiff legs, Jason sat down, still not lifting his eyes from the cracked concrete beneath his feet and rather feeling like a chagrined child. "Look, I get that this isn't easy. Hell, I probably get wanting to impress your folks more than anyone, but this is ridiculous. Letting others help you out isn't a weakness, and no one's going to think you're this strong, manly man for refusing to brush your hair," Gladio said sarcastically, and Jason's lips twitched in reluctant amusement.

"I'm not trying to impress my parents," he denied weakly. And it was the truth. He'd grown out of that ages ago, and had long reconciled with them, because looking back, their fight just wasn't a big deal, just angsty teen rebellion and overbearing parents turning into a big ridiculous drama. Unfortunately for him, by the time he'd realized this, stubbornly fending for himself was already a habit. It was fine back in his world, where he'd had a paying job and enough sense to remember to pay his bills on time, but in this one he didn't have that option, literally couldn't survive without help. He realized that the problem had been growing steadily worse as the weeks went by, too wrapped up in his own personal hell to realize it was happening.

And then Gladio, the jerk that he was, finished hammering the nail in his coffin by saying, "You can't expect us to pay attention to you twenty four-seven because we can't trust you to look after yourself."

"Alright, alright, I get it," Jason groaned, letting out a bemused laugh. "I'm sorry. I was being childish."

"Yeah, you were," Gladio said, a little smugness in his tone. Jason glared halfheartedly and his grin only grew. "You didn't even notice you were doing it, did you?"

Jason sighed. "No, I didn't. I've had a lot on my mind, in case you didn't notice."

"We all do," Gladio said pointedly, expression grimming. Abruptly, Jason was reminded that he wasn't the only one who'd lost his home and his life. Great, now he felt even more like an ass. Because honestly, compared to his problems, these men had it way worse... Before Jason could get properly depressed about that, their names were called. Wordlessly, Gladio got up to go get their food, leaving Jason behind with his thoughts.

Jason stared down at the worn down grains in the wood beneath his fingers, scratching idly at an old flake of rust red paint. Clearly the table had seen better days, the grooves so deep that Jason was half convinced it had been out here for the better part of fifty years. It looked about as worn down as he was starting to feel, honestly. Just by silent observation, Gladio had managed to pick him apart, exposing his behaviors like he were an open book and calling him out for it ruthlessly. He wasn't quite sure whether he was angry about that or grateful that Gladio had seen this problem while Jason was too preoccupied to see it himself.

When Gladio came back, he dropped a greasy paper tray in front of Jason with a plop, the two tacos practically falling apart in their soggy shells. Heh. Trailer food. 'Fantasy based on reality' indeed. "Here you go, rich boy, eat up."

"Now, see, that's why I never tell anyone about that," Jason said, rolling his eyes. He was starting to give himself a headache with all of this sass overload. Or maybe it's because he keeps rolling his eyes. Whatever.

Gladio chuckled, taking a huge bite of his sandwich. "What'd you fight with your parents about, anyway?" he said through a mouthful of food.

Jason put a hand over his heart, taking on the most dramatically dismayed expression he could manage. "Oh, it was horrible, they–they–" he swooned, throwing a hand over his eyes. "They didn't approve of my career choice!" he wailed facetiously in an obnoxious falsetto, drawing the attention of several people trying in vain to enjoy their dinner.

Gladio choked, face turning red as he attempted not to spew ham and lettuce all over the table. Jason mockingly dove for cover, peeking over the table with wide eyes, which only set Gladio off again. Jason grinned, sitting in his seat again as Gladio tried to regain his breath. He looked pretty ridiculous, Jason mused, all red faced and pursed lips, eyes crinkled in humor. Jason decided he liked this side of Gladio a lot more than his ass-kicking, stern dad routine. They were the same age, dammit, and he was going to treat Gladio like an equal. "But seriously. It was stupid. I wanted to be a martial artist and they wanted me to get a job that actually, y'know, paid. So like an ass, I ran away from home. Lucky for me, my instructor let me work at his dojo part time while I lived with one of my buddies." Jason smiled fondly at how young and naive he used to be. He found out a couple years later that his parents had practically begged Eddie to take him on, though he would have done so anyway. That was just the man he was. Nat had just been happy to have someone he didn't hate to split rent with.

Gladio snorted, exotic, amused eyes practically absorbing the golden light around them. "Ha! You're right, that isn't tragic. It's embarrassing. I wouldn't tell that story to anyone either."

"Shut up, man. It seemed like a really big deal at the time." Jason shoved a taco into his mouth, wincing a little at how weak the salsa was. Tch. White people. Or. Whatever ethnicity these people were. Lucians? In any case, they couldn't make good salsa. Come to think of it, he didn't remember if Ignis had any Mexican dishes. Something he'd have to fix as soon as they got together again, he mused idly. "Not everyone can have dramatic sob stories. I'm just an average guy."

"Or an idiot."

Jason threw a piece of limp lettuce at him. "Whatever. I'll ask for help more often, alright. And if you ever call me rich boy again, I will tear off your arm and bitch slap you with it." Jason frowned. "Or something equally ridiculous."

Gladio looked stunned for a second, before a slow, devious grin lit his features. "Whatever you say, baby face." Jason threw another piece of lettuce at him, but found himself grinning as well, despite his annoyance. "Heh. Got you to lighten the hell up without alcohol this time."

Jason thought that was rich, considering he'd just got done with his stern dad routine. "Congrats on distracting me from the end of the world," he said dryly.

"Oh? Do you find me distracting?" Gladio drawled, crossing his arms across his chest and deliberately flexing his muscles, making his tattoos dance across his skin. Jason blinked, incredulous, but his laugh came out as more of a strangled choke when he had a sudden vivid memory of those same arms–large, bulging and flushed–pinning him to the ground. Gladio's gaze sharpened at Jason's momentary lapse, lips twitched smugly as Jason spluttered. Abruptly, the mood changed from teasing to half-serious, an almost audible shift in the atmosphere that had Jason feeling inexplicably off balance.

Oh hell no. He was not going to get flustered over this muscle bound idiot's dumb pick up lines.

Scrambling out of the verbal trap he'd just assigned himself, Jason injected his voice with as much scathing sarcasm as he could. "You just can't help yourself, can you?"

"Not around you," Gladio said, lowering his voice a couple octaves and giving Jason a look that could only be described as sultry.

Jason was ready to laugh it off again. He really was. But something in Gladio's voice–maybe the fact that it'd rumbled so deep it was almost a growl, or the fact that the joking flirtatiousness that Jason was used to hearing was completely absent–had his heart blocking his windpipe instead. Adrenaline sparked hard in his stomach, sending goosebumps up and down his arms.

What? Was he serious? Like, serious, serious? Jason's stomach did this weird little swooping sensation that felt distinctly out of place, and he just...didn't know how to react. Because this was suddenly feeling a lot more deliberate than it had before, when he was convinced Gladio was just joking around with him. But. He stared carefully into Gladio's eyes. Really?

"I don't know if I should be offended or not by the expression on your face right now," Gladio said, voice abruptly going back to normal–thank fuck–and squinting suspiciously.

"Um." Jason said eloquently, and Gladio gave him a roguish smirk that simply wasn't fair. Jason wasn't really sure if he should feel intimidated or not by the sudden intent in his look. An intent that was just there all of a sudden, as if he'd only been waiting for Jason to slip up before he pounced like a damn puma.

"What, cat got your tongue?"

And he was reading his mind again. "Wha–I mean, are you–really?" Jason took a breath, feeling rather like he was breathing through a straw, and sternly ordered his words to work. Articulation is key. "I thought–but, you–me?" Well, he fucked that up. "I thought you were with Ignis!" he finally spat out. For a split second, he was proud of himself for getting out that wonderfully coherent sentence. Until he realized that wasn't even the main issue, since polyamory was a thing here. His thoughts were slipping dangerously into hysteria as his mind came to a full stop.

Gladio didn't really seem to think so either, but his eyes darkened a little. "Nah. It isn't like that between us anymore."

Jason opened his mouth, ready to let out a few more half chewed, panic induced nonsense words, when he paused. He blinked, rewinding and slowing that down for proper consumption. "Wait, what? But I thought…" He thought back to the night he'd first me them all–well, in any real way–and the way Ignis and Gladio had kissed so naturally. Not only that, but how close they seemed to be, as if they knew each other intimately inside and out; enough to know the other's thoughts, finish each other's jokes and play off one another's wit as if they'd rehearsed it. Now, unless Jason was very much mistaken and blind as a motherfucking bat, he hadn't noticed any dramatic breakup scene…Except that maybe he did. Did Ignis and Gladio break up that day when their three friends returned from camp? Without even saying anything? Jason remembered distinctly that moment when Gladio had stepped back from them, and how odd it had seemed at the time.

Did Prompto know about this? Judging by the wistful way his eyes went when Jason suggested all four of them get together, he guessed not.

Gladio gave Jason a long look before he sighed, all hints of playfulness draining out of him. He stood, grabbing his tray and tossing it in a nearby bin. "C'mon, let's get a room." He pulled out his cellphone and grimaced. "Huh, it's only eight. Is it sad that I'm actually tired enough to go to bed right now? Feel like an old man."

"Don't say that, we're the same age…" Jason said, momentarily distracted by how close Gladio was suddenly standing. But then he blinked, glaring accusingly. "Hey, wait! Don't just change the subject! When the hell did you two break up?"

Something crossed over Gladio's face then that hinted at something dark beneath his calm exterior. "The second he took up with Noctis," Gladio said sharply, and Jason's jaw snapped shut at his abruptness. Taking a deep breath and pinching the bridge of his nose as if he hadn't meant to say that, Gladio turned and began to slowly walk down the street. It took several seconds for Jason to will himself to follow, mind spinning in confusion. What was that supposed to mean?

Was Gladio...mad at Noctis? For stealing Ignis? That didn't really make any sense though, because Jason hadn't sensed anything of the sort. Not with the way they spoke or the casual touches between them or the possesive way Gladio held Noctis in his sleep. But if the resentment Gladio had just shown him wasn't out of jealousy, then...what?

Jason drew even with Gladio, peering at his face cautiously, not entirely sure of his mood. Whatever was up was clearly bothering him, judging by the hard set of his jaw and the perfect line of his shoulders, as if he wouldn't allow his feelings to bow them. Every shift of his body was telling Jason that Gladio did not want to talk about this. But. It kind of looked like he needed to.

"So?" Jason said against his better judgement, lifting a brow. "You going to elaborate on that, or what?"

Gladio grimaced, shooting him a glare that would have made Jason back off only the week before. But now, after he'd seen the other sides of Gladio–caring, amused, protective–he couldn't be afraid if he tried. "When the hell did you get so cocky?"

"This is your fault, remember?" Jason grinned. "You're glares don't work on me anymore, Mr Shield. Besides, you just spent the last hour dissecting me, so turnabout is fair play."

Gladio grumbled. "At least your sense of humor has improved."

"Excuse me? My sense of humor is always awesome. I don't feel much like joking around when my life is threatened four times a day." Jason faltered a little, but wasn't about to take any more of Gladio's evasion. "No more stalling. Spill."

With a deep sigh, Gladio shot Jason another weak glare before giving in with a shrug. "We didn't really break up. Honestly we were never really together, in a sense. Iggy and I have a sort of...arrangement."

"An...arrangement," Jason said flatly. "Like, a friends with benefits arrangement?"

Gladio hummed, staring absently at a streetlamp they passed slowly. "Kind of. It's not that simple."

"Try me."

"Was that an offer?" When Jason only glared, Gladio flashed him a grin before he swiftly moved on, sobering. "You know how Noctis and Ignis were together?"

"Yeah, Prompto said they broke up after a misunderstanding, or something." He'd been pretty vague on that. Just that it was apparently bad enough to destroy their friendship entirely.

"Ha. That's an understatement. I won't get too into it since it's kind of personal. You'll have to ask them yourself. Thing is...Iggy didn't take it too well."

"What happened?" Jason asked quietly when it was apparent that Gladio was lost in some dark memory. His walk had slowed to almost a crawl, the two of them barely moving at all anymore. Jason got the distinct feeling he was about to delve too deeply into these men's personal lives, like he wasn't meant to hear this. He shifted, not liking the feeling at all, but didn't interrupt, realizing that his discomfort wasn't the issue here. Gladio seemed to need to talk about this, and Jason was the only one who wasn't directly involved.

After a moment, Gladio shook himself out of his memory, slipping his thumbs in his pockets and coming to a stop. It pulled his black pants slightly lower, exposing a small sliver of his pelvis to the golden light of the streetlamps. "He shut down. He threw himself at his work and wouldn't let himself feel anything, and I didn't see him smile for months afterwards." Jason pulled his eyes away with a bit of effort, trying to imagine an even more reserved Ignis than the one he knew. It wasn't easy, considering his smiles were rare enough as they were. Gladio continued, wistful. "You know, I used to hate Ignis." He smiled a bit at Jason's surprise. "I always thought he was just some pompous ass who thought himself too good to socialize with the rest of us. It wasn't until I pulled him off the sidewalk, a cocktail away from alcohol poisoning, that I realized what a load of crap that was." He shrugged. "It couldn't have happened at a better time honestly. I'd just gotten out of a dead end relationship myself. He needed someone to take care of, and I needed to...feel needed, I guess. We started to see each other not long after that."

"So…" Jason said slowly, trying to wrap his head around all of this. Jeze, talk about having a complicated love life. "When you said arrangement, you meant…"

Gladio grunted. "Our relationship always had an expiration date, you could say. I knew that someday Noctis would pull his head out of his ass and forgive Ignis. Also figured that Ignis would go back to him, which he did."

"So you let him go? Just like that?" Jason didn't get it. At all. "You love him, don't you?"

Gladio gave him a look. "You've never stepped aside for someone you loved?"

Jason had. He knew exactly what that was like. But unlike Gladio, the person he loved didn't love him back, and Ignis clearly did. So did Noctis and Prompto, unless he was reading them completely wrong.

Gladio chuckled suddenly, flicking Jason in the forehead. "You know I can read everything you're thinking all over your face, right?" Jason scowled, rubbing his forehead, and Gladio's lips twitched. "It's not a lack of attraction or anything like that. I just have a job to do, and I can't be Noctis' shieldand his lover. It doesn't work that way."

"What? Says who?" If anything, Jason thought he would protect Noctis all the more fiercely if they were together.

"Say's me," Gladio said firmly, eyes intense, though it didn't seem like he was staring at anything that Jason could see. "I don't think I can do my job without that distance. It's my Calling to throw myself in front of everything that endangers my king, and I fully expect to die one day doing it. Noctiscannot put himself in danger to protect me. It's already bad enough that he's so protective of Prom and Iggy."

It's a little late for that, Jason thought privately. Noctis was already willing to throw himself into the flames for Gladio. So, Gladio was keeping his distance to prevent that from happening? His reasoning, though a bit flawed, made sense, and Jason could respect that. That is, if it wasn't one hundred years too late. "That...is the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard." Gladio started, surprised at the strength of Jason's tone. Jason turned around to face him fully, poking him in the chest. "It's way too late to think like this, and you know it. If you wanted to just be a meat shield, you wouldn't touch Noctis every chance you got, or go out of your way to make sure he was holding up okay, or cradle him in your arms while you sleep . I get what you're saying but if you think for one second that Noctis isn't already in way too deep, then you're blind."

A flash of anger sparked in Gladio's eyes. He straightened, looming over Jason fiercely. His voice dropped an octave in anger. "You think I don't know that? I knew from the start I was getting too close to him, and I let myself do it like a goddamned idiot. Then you up and tell me that Noctis sacrifices himself for us and I fail . He dies, I live, and that's not how this is supposed to work. A shield should never outlive his king."

As the last of Gladio's words echoe harshly against the street, Jason realized that he might have gone too far by pointing out the obvious flaws in the man's logic. Gladio needs the distance, he thought in a sudden flash of clarity. Jason told him that he basically fails in his entire life's purpose, and he thinks that by pulling back he might be able to do something to prevent it. It looked like Gladio'd made his choice, and he wasn't going to back down from it. Jason knew there was no way that was going to work, but Gladio was probably aware of that, just didn't know what else to do.

The fact was, it wasn't Jason's place to say so, no matter how much Gladio needed to hear the words.

"You're right," Jason said softly, breaking eye contact first and looking at crack in the pavement beside his boot. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pried."

Gladio was standing much, much too close, heat radiating off of him and engulfing Jason in the already humid night, making a bead of sweat slide down Jason's face and neck. Jason didn't move, trying to exude as much submissiveness as he could so that Gladio wouldn't lash out in anger. Curiously, he didn't feel any fear at the prospect, just a little sad. The last thing he'd wanted to do was make the man feel worse than he already clearly did. Finally, Gladio let out a sigh and took a half step back, something in Jason's lower back easing a little at the small shift. He looked up carefully beneath black lashes to see Gladio looking derisively down at him.

"No. I...dammit. I didn't mean to ramble on about myself. Believe it or not, I was actually planning to make sure you were doing alright, give yousomeone to vent on." Jason's face told Gladio all he needed to know about what he thought about that, and Gladio laughed, a pleasant rumble. "Yeah, I thought as much. Tell me anyway. How are you holding up?"

Jason gave him a sidelong glance, rolling a pebble beneath his foot absently and shoving his hands in his pockets. "Okay, I guess…" he was still reeling a bit from the abrupt change in conversation.

Gladio snorted, half sitting on the low wall behind him. "Don't give me that. Every time you look at Prompto, you look like you're about to cry." He looked up, placing a mocking hand on his chin. "Either that, or you look like you want to hug him and never let go."

Jason's jaw fell slack in shock. "What! I do not!"

Gladio raised a knowing brow. Jason wasn't sure he liked his tone. "Look, I just." A wave of stress flooded up from somewhere low in his gut to choke him as a flash of Prompto's smiling face was conjured in his mind. He let out a pained sigh, shoulders tightening. He didn't want to think about this, much less talk about it. "You ever know something about someone that they didn't know themselves. Something you thought would break them if they found out?"

"No?" Gladio said slowly. "Is this another one of those, 'I know the future' things?"

Jason nodded slowly. "I don't want him to ever find out…" he whispered. And he was going to do everything in his power to make sure Prompto never did.

Gladio looked like he wanted to say something, but he pinched his lips together instead. "You really are taking too much of this onto yourself," he said plainly. "You keep acting like you have to single handedly protect us from Ardyn, or the future, or whatever the hell else. Why?"

"The hell, Gladio. I'm not heartless," Jason said sharply. "I find out that this is all real, and that I actually have the knowledge to stop this big fucking tragedy from happening, you think I'm just going to walk away and pretend none of it is happening?"

"That's what most people would do."

"Yeah, well, I'm not most people." Jason snapped.

"That you aren't," Gladio said, smiling fondly, cocking his head to the side. Jason paused, gulping a little at the assessing way the man looked at him. "But don't dodge the question. You've told us everything we need to know to figure it out ourselves. So why are you still here?"

Jason shifted from foot to foot, finding it hard to look Gladio in the eye. He had a bunch of reasons. A bunch of good, selfless reasons. But for some strange happenstance, he couldn't think of a single one. Because Gladio was right. Again. He'd told them everything he remembered, and even the thing about Prompto; he could just tell Gladio now and he knew the man would take care of it. And what could he do, anyway? He wasn't as strong as the rest of them, and he wasn't exactly useful in fighting a bunch of fantasy monsters or men with extraordinary magic. If anything, he was a detriment to their teamwork and an extra burden. He'd done his part, and even the excuse of maybe finding a way home wasn't a good enough reason to continually risk his life. He couldn't go home if he was dead. So why? Why did he stay?

A sudden rush of memories hit him hard then–Prompto's stricken eyes when Jason told him he didn't exist, Prompto handing him a potion when the rest of them would rather him suffer, Prompto believing him, buying him things he needed even though he didn't ask, almost getting crushed and the utter relief of seeing him alive again, Prompto inviting him in from the cold–

"Prompto…" Jason said, wide eyes unseeing and voice cracking at the admission. That was it, wasn't it? Jason was doing this for him. Maybe he had been from the very start. He...loved him. He loved his laughter, loved the way he took care of everyone, loved the way his smile shined like the sun, his loyalty to his friends, how he was so careful with others' feelings and put them before himself. Even his painful insecurity, the constant way he needed reassurance and his pension for being as annoying as possible to distract them when things were getting too serious, even though it was wildly inappropriate, was endearing to Jason. His heart flooded with warmth. Jason loved Prompto.

Just as soon as he had the realization a second one impaled him in the chest, choking off his air.

He'd set himself up for heartbreak.

Jason's love wouldn't, couldn't, ever be returned because Prompto was with someone else who hated Jason. Noctis would never allow it.

Jason looked up, realizing belatedly that his eyes had filled with tears, to stare at Gladio. The larger man stared right back, the grim look of understanding on his features almost physically painful to look at and Jason realized suddenly that their situations were very similar. Neither of them could be with the one they loved. When Noctis, Ignis and Prompto got together, they were left behind with no hope.

And the worst part was, both of them were choosing to step aside, rather than potentially ruining what already was.

"You know," Gladio said after a few silent moments. He stood, taking a step closer. "I'm glad you stayed. I'm glad you're going to stay, even though this isn't even your world and you don't owe us anything." Even though he probably wouldn't ever have Prompto's love, went unsaid. And Jason found that it was true. The realization didn't make his burning desire to protect the man any less. He would see this through to the end. A tear slipped down his face, and he blinked the rest away, not wanting to cry in front of Gladio. It wasn't like this was the first time something like this had happened to him. He could handle it. "I admire you for it."

Jason startled as Gladio slipped a hand up to cup his face, thumb rough and calloused but gentle as it wiped away the moisture below his eye. Jason twitched but didn't pull away from his touch, brow furrowing and looking into Gladio's face carefully. Gladio's expression was open. A little sad, but there was desire there, the same desire Jason had began to sense not too long ago. Jason didn't know what to do with such a look, didn't even know where it came from, especially after all they'd just talked about. "...What are you doing?"

Gladio scoffed softly. "Is it so hard to believe that I find you attractive? I've been flirting with you for weeks."

Well. Yes. It was. Gladio had been flirting, but Jason just thought it was a joke. And now, if anything, it felt like an excuse, a way to forget about the ones that Gladio couldn't have. That thought burned through his mind and made him feel even worse. Besides that, Jason had just found out that he liked Prompto, a man, and just barely started to consider Gladio a friend, much less a potential romantic interest. "I don't think I want to be your excuse," Jason said instead of all the other things running through his head. He wondered if this is how Gladio had gotten together with Ignis. 'Hey, both our relationships failed, so let's get together because I think you're hot, even though we'll probably break up once you get with the one you really want'. Or something like that. Did Gladio think they were going to have the same sort of 'arrangement'? Only this time, it would be Jason who was left behind once Gladio inevitably realized that he was being stupid and joined the rest of them?

Jason didn't want that. Still, he wavered, because in that moment he felt desperately, despairingly alone, and Gladio was offering a comfort he likely wasn't going to get anywhere else. Even though this could only end in utter disaster, Jason wanted that comfort. More than anything.

Even if it was just an illusion.

"You're wrong." Gladio said, intense. His eyes seemed unnaturally bright in the streetlight as he leaned in closer. "I don't want just another distraction. I like you. Go out with me." Jason didn't believe him, but didn't stop him either as hot breath washed over his face.

He went rigid as thin, chapped lips slid gently over his own, hard and unyielding. A fine tremor starting in his spine and spreading all over his body. He held back a gasp, eyes blowing wide and having no idea what to do with himself as Gladio held his face gently in one hand and wrapped the other around his waist, pulling him closer. He let out a small noise as a bur on Gladio's lips caught on his own, the dry scratch sending a tingling sensation throughout his whole body. Gladio pulled back before kissing him again, once, twice, three times, eyes intense beneath lids dropped to half mast. Jason shuddered, hard, and his hands came up to grip Gladio's shoulders, not sure whether he wanted to pull him closer or shove him on his ass.

It was so vastly different from anything he'd ever experienced before, being held rather than holding. The girls he'd dated, so slim and small and soft, were a stark contrast to the firmness of Gladio's massive chest against his own, his large hand winding through his hair to scratch at his scalp and the chapped press of his lips, using their slight height difference to his advantage by tipping Jason's head back.

Jason didn't know if he liked it. He wanted to pull away. He wanted to press closer.

He wanted to forget.

Gladio, mimicking his thoughts for the third time that night, whispered against his mouth. "Just for a little while, let's forget. Let go."

Jason blinked slowly, feeling a bit dazed. "Yes," he mumbled back, not sure what, exactly he was agreeing to, just knowing he needed some sort of relief before he broke. The next time Gladio kissed him, Jason melted, leaning his body into it and tilting his chin to the side with a small exhale so that they fit together more comfortably. He could feel Gladio smile against his lips and with a final kiss the man pulled back, taking Jason by the hand and walking back towards the town.

Jason stared at their joined hands as he followed blindly, cataloguing every callous, vein and scar in the large hand wrapped around his, not even noticing when they'd stopped, when Gladio payed the hotel fee, when they'd entered the room and the door closed behind them with a click.

He blinked back to half awareness when Gladio let go of his hand, watching as the larger man did away with the harsh fluorescent light and flicked on a small lamp, golden glow setting soft shadows in the dingy room. Gladio turned back towards Jason, shedding his jacket as he came close, leaving his entire torso bare, abs rippling with every shift of his hips. Jason watched numbly as Gladio reached towards him slowly and undid the straps of Jason's leather gauntlets, slipping them from his arms gently with more than a few soft touches. Jason felt weird, but he didn't comment as first one, then another of his gloves fell to the floor. Jason had already long shed his protective outer layer on account of the heat, so Gladio started on the buttons on his thin undershirt.

A hard knuckle brushed against Jason's collarbone, and he shivered. A little thrill of adrenaline had Jason reaching to stop the movement of Gladio's hands, brows drawing together uncertainly. "You going to wear all of that to bed?" the larger man asked, voice almost too loud in the quiet room.

Jason gulped. Bed? His eyes flickered over to the single bed in the room, heart racing in his throat at the implications. Was Gladio intending to sleep with him? Did Jason want that? His cheeks heated at the idea, along with the rest of his body.

While Jason was distracted, Gladio worked through the rest of his buttons, but made no move to slip his shirt from his shoulders, leaving it to hang open on his chest. Gladio's eyes slipped downward, and Jason's heart skipped a beat. But he only gestured to Jason's shin guards and shoes before turning away and taking care of his own clothes.

Jason sat on the edge of the bed, working on the ties behind his legs until his armor was completely removed, then working off his shoes, the cumbersome pieces dropping to the floor with startlingly loud clumps.

Jason jumped when Gladio's feet came into his vision, calloused hands slipping around his cheeks to lift his face up to look at him. Gladio bent over, placing a single chaste kiss to Jason's lips. "Hey. Calm down, I'm not going to do anything you don't ask for." And it was so weird. Gladio was being so gentle and it was such an odd role reversal for Jason, who felt like some teenage virgin girl that needed to be delicately handled. It was that that finally woke Jason up completely, with a spark of irritation. He didn't need to be coddled , dammit. Because he wasn't a teenage virgin girl.

...Just a twenty four year old virgin guy. But what was Jason without his pride?

Snaking his arms around Gladio's shoulders, Jason pressed his mouth against his firmly, swallowing the shields surprised grunt as he pulled him down on the bed. He let out an oof as Gladio's weight abruptly settled on top of him. Taking advantage of Gladio's open mouth, Jason slipped his tongue inside. A sharp spike of arousal heated his blood as Gladio's tongue instantly wrapped around his, sliding slickly as he drew closer. Gladio laughed into his mouth as Jason tried to devour him, wresting control by flipping the larger man onto his back and pinning him to the bed. He growled, stradling Gladiolus' lap aggressively.

"Heh, there you are," Gladio rumbled deeply with a salacious grin. His voice vibrated through his chest and into Jason's, and the man shivered at the foreign sensation. "Took you long enough to wake up."

"Ass," Jason said, panting a little, and abruptly felt more normal, the two of them slipping into their usual banter more easily than should have been possible, considering the odd situation. Gladio lifted a brow and Jason shifted, uncertain again and having no idea what the hell to do from his superior position. This was a little...out of his range of experience.

Gladio took advantage of his distraction, tipping him to the side and pulling Jason against his chest, Jason's head pillowed by one of his massive biceps. He threw an arm around Jason's waist, exactly the same as if they were in camp and about to go to sleep, then grinned down at Jason's surprised expression. "As much as I would love you to fuck me tonight, I don't think you're ready for that."

"Wha–" Jason's jaw dropped. Gladio was much, much too close, close enough to feel his breath against his cheeks. Jason's face felt like it would burn anything it touched. "Fuck– you? I'm not ready? " Aaand he was back to stuttering like a lunatic. Gladio chuckled, much to Jason's chagrin, and placed a blistering kiss on his mouth. Jason moaned in surprised arousal, deciding that yes, he did like it when Gladio did that, just in time for Gladio to pull away. He glared at him, but didn't move to kiss Gladio again.

"Go to sleep, babe. There'll be plenty of time for that later." Gladio wiggled his brows at Jason, who was struck dumb by his apparent graduation from 'baby face' to 'babe', before pulling back and flicking off the lamp. Bathed in complete darkness, Jason felt Gladio settle down half on top of him just like always. His heart rate spiked as he felt Gladio's obvious arousal press into his hip beside his own half hard one, but true to his word, Gladio didn't move to do anything about it.

Thoroughly and utterly distracted, Jason couldn't think of a damn thing other than Gladio's huge, comforting weight against him. After a while listening to the larger man's steady heartbeat thrumming against his ear, Jason fell into a deep sleep, exhaustion from the emotional rollercoaster of the day pulling him under and dreams steering thankfully clear of nightmares, lingering only on large, calloused hands clasped in his.