Caught Out

[threevirtues]

The most recent tomb they'd uncovered wasn't a complete waste, not exactly, but Talcott was going to have a lot of translating to do. He'd need to figure out exactly what timeframe the works were from but it meant they'd have some time to stay nearer to Lestallum for a couple of weeks, at least. Something he knows Gladio and Ignis will both enjoy. It's rare for them all to be in the same place for long, too many demands and not enough people to fulfill them. Talcott's truck, especially, was a commodity and he was going to have a load of equipment to take out to Hammerhead in another day or so. Hardly a breath between jobs.

Which only makes a night like this all the more valuable. Ignis working around the small kitchen with a few fresh ingredients they'd managed to find that weren't completely dead yet. A rarer and rarer find these days. And, for once, Gladio already in the city when they'd arrived instead of out in the wilds stars knew where. They've been catching up, discussing the latest changes but also just enjoying a moment to take a breath and enjoy one another's company.

It starts with Talcott keeping an eye on Ignis while he works. It's a small camper, he will most likely be able to navigate just fine. But it's also an unfamiliar kitchen and Talcott has spent enough time in the kitchen with the man to be able to predict his movements, knowing when and where he will reach for something and able to preemptively place it there if it's in an odd spot in this particular set up. Before long, though, it's quite clear that Ignis doesn't need his assistance.

Which means he's free to continue the discussion but after a time he falls quiet, letting his brother largely control the conversation. Ah- but he's still watching Ignis. No longer in anticipation of his possible needs but just.... because it's delightful watching him in his element. (Granted any time he has a knife in hand he's in his element but Talcott hardly has the opportunity to simply observe when they're fighting whatever pests accost them while they're traversing the increasingly desolate landscape.

But... it is just because it's nice to see him working so happily and confidently through something that Talcott had once witnessed him struggling with. It's astounding how terrifyingly capable the man is. Ever motion practiced and graceful and confident, hands clever and quick switching between knives and pans, the warm light of the RV that makes him look so much softer than the harsh angles accentuated by the violent fluorescence that keeps them alive.

y-yeah. He's... he's staring.

Gladio's staring, too. That's his husband boyfriend, after all. And Iggy is always beautiful to watch at work - even more now, Gladio sometimes thinks, without his sight. Something about his movements has changed since then, become more fluid, more...intentional. Every gesture fully present in a way Gladio can't describe, but always finds captivating.

And after those years apart, aching for him so badly - to say nothing of the mundane separations they experience all the time now, as the ruined world pulls them all in different direction regularly, or considering the dangers and long odds they all face - Gladio never misses a chance to get his fill of Ignis when they can be together, now. And however good the sex may be, when they can snatch those moments to themselves...Gladio almost finds himself prizing the simple, domestic moments more these days. Maybe because they're a reminder of better times, and are perhaps the rarest currency their world has left.

But he realizes getting lost in admiring Iggy is rude when he's talking to Talcott, and he turns back to him after a few long moments, ready to make an apology...only to find that Talcott's distracted, too. And damn, if his expression isn't one Gladio knows at a glance. Gladio's pretty sure he was just wearing it, actually, and that one of them is going to need to go home and change.

Talcott's got a crush on Gladio's boyfriend. And that's adorable.

Adorable, because Gladio doesn't see Tal as competition - both because he doesn't think Tal would ever do anything to hurt his and Iggy's relationship, and because Gladio is confident enough in his relationship with Iggy to know that - whether or not Iggy ever returns Tal's interest - nothing's going to shake the two of them. (And it's not like he and Iggy haven't discussed poly options before, so the prospect of potential other romantic interests for Iggy isn't an inherent threat anyway.) Adorable, because Gladio doesn't know how other people look at Iggy any other way but this. Adorable, because this is his little brother with (as far as Gladio knows, anyway) his first crush, and he looks absolutely fucking besotted.

Gladio supposes a bonus to having a crush who's blind is that you never have to worry about them catching you looking at them like this.

Gladio grins to himself, propping his chin up on one hand, and just...drinks in the moment, while he debates if it's too soon to encourage Tal to make a move yet or not. How old would Iggy want someone to be before he'd date them? They'd never considered this in their talks...

"Now, I have to wonder if one of you has fallen asleep, or if you two are up to something. Which is it, hm?"

It's just a bit of teasing, really. Ignis doesn't do it too often when he's cooking, not like he used to on occasion. Just one of the myriad things he'd had to change. After all, without his eyes to take in the countdown of a timer, or watch the way meat browns, all of that, he needs to rely on different ways to keep track of his cooking. The shift of the scent filling his lungs, how fast or loud oil pops, the mental countdown he steadfastly keeps going in his head... All of that is too easy to derail if he tries to also use mental space to not only keep track of conversation, but come up with thoughts to turn into spoken word. Spoken word that is louder than anything inside his own skull, and thus drown out those sounds so important to a good meal.

A few years ago, it would have bothered him more. Another reminder of the ways he suddenly felt pathetic, left behind. Robbed not only of his sight, but so many other things as well.

It almost felt like he couldn't be a person at all.

But the world has changed, in many ways, and he has had to change as well to deal with it all. To try and change it. One of those little changes has been how much more value he's found there to be in simply listening. Taking in the voices of those he loves, while he's still around. While they are as well.

Most of the time, these past years, and it's only been Talcott's voice that he's really gotten to hear the most as the pair of them have traveled constantly as some of the only people who've been able to. Various little things, really. Some of them lessons Ignis gave him beforehand, explaining the recipe he made the night before, or how to adjust for a lack of something else. Some of them are about where they've been, the translations that need to be made, or work that will await them in the morning.

If he's honest, then Ignis has to admit that having a constant companion has probably been one of the things helping keep him alive all this time. A man cannot survive on furious pride and desperation alone... and, really, Talcott has been an extraordinarily good companion to have. Clever, attentive, always careful about the boundaries that Ignis needed.

Really. In a better world, he wishes he could have done so much for him.

But the world as it is now is the one that they live in, and so Ignis has adjusted to savoring the little personal victories, those individual moments of happiness. And recently, he's been the happiest he's been for ages because of one more voice that's been filling up this little camper - taking charge of the conversation as a whole, in fact, as far as Ignis has been able to tell from his place in the kitchen.

Three years isn't a long time, comparatively, to so much else.

It had also been an eternity of feeling as though he had cut off a limb.

(It's been multiple lifetimes of feeling like his heart has been sewn neatly out from its place, leaving just cold night air to filter through the gaping hole, but that is for something else entirely.)

So to be in somewhere that they can assume to be safe, listening to two of the most important people in his life just casually talking, while he is back to doing the things that so many people thought were impossible for him once upon a time - it's one of those sweet precious moments he can treasure, while he has it. Of course any disruption to the pattern would get his attention.

Silence isn't as subtle as some people think.

It says a lot that Talcott had hardly noticed that Gladio had trailed off. It isn't until Ignis speaks up that he makes a soft sound, confused and inquiring, so used to vocalizing every expression for Ignis' benefit. Iggy can't see the way he blinks and his brow furrows as he sort of comes back to himself. Sothere's a sound to accompany it, something ingrained in him even if he doesn't exactly want Ignis to know he was just spacing out, watching him.

A side effect of spending so much of his time through his formative years beside a blind man is that he's adopted a lot of habits that help to accomodate it. Quietly humming while he works so Ignis is aware of where he is when they're in tombs or caves, small sounds that come with most of his expressions, a habit of counting steps or calling out obstacles when he encounters them on their path. Lots of small things that he couldn't stop himself from doing if he tried. Ignis had learned to adapt and, in many ways, so had Tal. And it had become such a thoughtless response that he is, occasionally, cursed to give himself away even when he doesn't mean to.

"Hmm? No, no. I'm fi-" He starts to murmur a reassurance, embarrassment making his cheeks burn a little and if that helps to make him sound a bit distant and sleepy then he's not going to complain. Of course it goes out the window when he forces his gaze away from Ignis.

Dark hazel meets that warm mahogany he knows so well and Talcott's eyes widen in something between shock and horror. A small squeak catches in his throat, a tiny distressed sound like a frightened rabbit.

"F-fine. I'm fine." He tries to insist, to finish his sentence, to control how much of what is on his face he relays to Ignis. His infuriating vocal cords chose that moment to betray him, making his voice crack on even such a small word. He winces, his face flushed a deep scarlet now, eyes still wide and watching Gladio with the kind of nervous skittishness one would expect from Prompto.

Gladio has to fight so hard not to burst out laughing that he has to press a hand over his mouth. Even without having spent nearly as much time around Iggy while he's blind that Talcott has, he knows Iggy on a level that perhaps even Tal doesn't, and he knows exactly how dangerous any sound here would be in terms of betraying Tal and his crush. So he stifles himself appropriately. His eyes are absolutely dancing with mirth above his hand, however.

When he trusts himself, he pulls his hand away to speak. "Caught him dozing off on me," he says, with a wink at Talcott. "Getting boring in my old age, am I?"

This just means Talcott's gonna get fussed over by Iggy, which is a punishment of its own. Of course, the way Gladio sees it, that's just doing Tal a favor, with that crush of his. And at least it doesn't sell him out for the real issue.

"I don't want to hear comments about old age from someone still by all means in his twenties," Ignis says dryly, shaking his head. The tone takes a rather drastic shift, however, becoming considerably softer and fond as he redirects his voice to Talcott. "And Talcott, keep awake a moment longer. You'll stay up long enough to get some food in you, all right?"

With how busy the boy is - running the truck, helping Cindy out with things, doing so much more even when Ignis doesn't have him all to himself - Ignis knows well enough that he's at risk of eating far less than he should. And that's already a risk with how things are.

Ignis has never been one to do half measures for those he cares about. He's absolutely going to make sure to do all he can for Talcott.

Although, really now... He truly does sound rather out of it. Ignis hadn't thought their latest excursion to be the most exhausting thing in the world, considering what else both of them have done, but, well, Talcott is still a growing lad, in more ways than one. Growth spurts, hormones that Ignis knows a little more about than he's sure Talcott would want him to, all those things are probably doing terrible against his energy levels. It's hard to forget these things when the poor lad's voice just cracks like that, just from getting a little embarrassed at nodding off.

Ignis will have to make sure to give him a bit more on his plate tonight. Help him sleep with a full stomach, with left overs for the morn.

He's not entirely sure which is worse. The prospect of Gladio being upset with him or this godsawful disaster. Gladio amused and with a new mountain of ammunition to use against him might be even worse than getting a talking to about his age and their relationship and what's appropriate and-

Talcott barely manages not to groan out loud, pressing his face into his hands as though he can hide how badly his face is burning. As though there's any way to salvage any of this. But when Gladio speaks it's not to tease him or tell Ignis about this silly little boy or any of the horrible scenarios racing through his head. Once again he's blinking up at his brother, startled and confused but Gladio just winks at him and he has no idea what to do with that.

"You're not old," Tal manages to mumble, sounding a little sulky about it, perhaps but if he's supposed to have been embarrassed by dozing at the table hopefully that will work in his favor. Ignis has his own comment on that and it makes him smile a little to know that Ignis is thinking the same thing.

"Of course, Ignis. I wouldn't miss one of your meals for the world." Soft and there's that dopey little smile again before he's covering his face with his hand again so he doesn't have to look at Gladio. It's really not fair, throwing him under the bus like this. He feels like he might just explode. "Um- I- I'll be.... right back."

It's barely a mumble and he half trips scooting out of the little booth to go lock himself in the camper's tiny bathroom. He doesn't look at Gladio. Doesn't acknowledge anything either of them might say to keep him in place. Just locks the flimsy little door and buries his face in his hands again, letting his head thud softly against the wall. He could absolutely scream. What was he thinking? Gladio's right there! They're practically married! Hell the only reason they're not is probably because the world's gone to shit and he's over here mooning over a man he really should think of as his brother-in-law.

Tidemother, take him. Even she would be a better option than leaving this tiny little room to face either of them ever again.

Gladio only lets himself laugh - quietly - once Tal's fled. And he only allows that because he thinks he can pass it off to Iggy as something else. It's one thing to tease Tal about his crush - which Gladio absolutely will be doing later, it's his brotherly duty - but it's another to betray his trust. Gladio won't sell him out to Iggy for anything.

That doesn't mean Gladio's going to hide it from Iggy, though. Not exactly. He thinks Ignis should know. He's just not going to inform Iggy by telling him himself. He's going to encourage Talcott to do it, in whatever way Tal's nerves and embarrassment will allow him to approach the subject best. Iggy should know, but Tal should get to choose how he's told.

And it's not just for Iggy's benefit, either. Talcott's a good kid. A great kid. Gladio's in as good a position to know as anyone...except, maybe, Iggy himself, which just feeds his certainty that honestly, these two could be good together. There aren't many people Gladio would unquestioningly trust with Ignis, but Tal's certainly one of them. Hasn't he already been doing that, really? There being a romantic component to that trust doesn't change a whole lot.

(Maybe it's slightly weird to think of sharing a lover with Talcott, if only because Gladio doesn't think he could ever see Talcott that way - too much having been like siblings with him for too long. But it's nothing he can't easily shrug off for the sake of Tal and Iggy's happiness.)

The only question is whether Iggy can see (figuratively) Talcott romantically, after he'd seen grow up from a child when Iggy was already an adult. But his relationship with Tal has been a lot different from Gladio's, and...well, there's only one way to find out, isn't there? Gladio knows he can't even sound Iggy out on the subject for Tal - it'd be too obvious. Iggy would catch on right away. So Tal's got to take the bull by the horns himself.

Tal's had a long time to shoot his shot, and hasn't. It's clear someone's going to have to give him a push, and that's the kind of thing Gladio's best at. And who better to wingman for you than the boyfriend of the guy you're into?

"Think we embarrassed him," Gladio says to Iggy with a grin. "Bet he feels like he's a kid again back on Cape Caem, falling asleep on us when we keep him up past his bedtime."

Not to pat himself on the back too much, but Gladio thinks this is a masterful piece of misdirection. One, it explains Tal's behavior without exposing him, but two...it sends the subtle and highly relevant message that the last thing Tal wants is for the two of them to keep seeing him as a little kid. That, for Tal to be at ease, they need to see him as a grown man.

Definitely a necessary first step for anything Tal might want to develop between him and Iggy.

Ignis can't particularly say he's surprised when Talcott excuses himself, nor the twelve steps to the bathroom followed by a faint thud. The walls within the camper aren't particularly strong, after all. That means Talcott won't be able to give himself brain damage. It also means that it's far easier to catch sound of his skull and the wall. As with times before, he won't mention it to him when he finally recovers enough to emerge once more.

"It isn't as though I can't understand that embarrassment," he says, hands still moving and never at rest. Not in this stage of preparation. "I think we've all been there, to some degree or another." What a struggle it was, as a teenager adjusting to his position in the Citadel. Trying to take on everything he could, while also growing into the ability to take it all on, with his image sometimes seeming contradictory depending on what another person wanted from him...

Back then, if he hadn't had someone else to fall back on, who could help offer some sanctuary, Ignis has to admit the possibility that he might have snapped a bit.

(Allegedly, once upon a time, his own uncle slugged someone in his youth, but Ignis is sure that has nothing to do with anything.)

Considering the state of the world at large, Ignis personally thinks that Talcott has far more on his shoulders than he ever did at the same age - some of it put there by Ignis himself as they've traversed together. It can't be helped, but, still. He does wish he could be certain he was giving him at least some measure of grace like he was...

Probably he's not doing it quite as well as Gladio did for him. This isn't even the first time that Talcott has had to excuse himself to whatever tiny bit of privacy they've been able to get for themselves.

....Granted. He knows that not every moment has to do with him, but for other reasons that unfortunately prey upon teen boys. All he can do when that sort of thing wakes him up in the middle of the night is do his best to subtly muffle his ears to give what privacy he can to do the poor boy.

Gladio doesn't get any other words immediately - not when Ignis is focused on the meal for a few more minutes yet before he reaches over for the timer, and turns it to the exact angle he knows he needs. A lid on the pan, and then he's turning back to Gladio - not fully as once upon a time, back completely to the counter, but more to the side. Ear to him, elbow braced upon the counter, hands clasped loosely together. Head cocked.

"Still, he deserves more credit than he may very well give himself credit for, you know. He's no longer falling asleep from simple youth, but for all that he does, every single day." That part, he doesn't mind if it somehow makes it past the cheap walls to Talcott's ears. It's the next words which have him lower his voice just a tad. "Although how strange it is, sometimes. In my mind, I can still recall him as that youth accepting little cactuar statuettes with such delight. But he speaks up, with that deeper voice right at height level, and I scarcely know what to do think."

It's always a strange thing, to adjust to someone growing up. Ignis likes to think he's managed quite well enough; he wouldn't ask an inexperienced child on even the first five steps out towards the places he goes to. But as Gladio can easily pick up... There's a slight twist to that normal experience with Ignis that most don't have to deal with.

"Of course. He's a great kid." Gladio's voice is warm, fond. "Well - a great man, I guess he'd want me to say. But he's always gonna be my honorary little brother to me, so he might just have to live with that one. But you? With all the time you two spend together, and how much it means to him that you trust him and rely on him for things, I'm sure he'd want you at least to see him as an equal by now."

Gladio doesn't know how much, if any of this, Tal might be overhearing, but it's not like he's saying anything he wouldn't want Tal to hear.

"Of course I do. I may be blind-" And there's some wry humor in there, now that he's had years to adjust to his own condition. "-but I'm no fool. He's really grown to be incredible with all that he's capable of doing. Fighting, engineering, historical research..." Ignis shakes his head slightly. "It's enough to almost make a man feel greedy, stealing him away from all the other things he could be doing."

Tal is just leaning against the bathroom door, listening to this conversation and biting his hand to ensure he doesn't make a sound. His heart hammering as he panics. Sweet Shiva, Gladio's laying it on thick. What the hells does he think he's doing?! WHY is he doing it?! They're- They're practically married so why the hells is he going on and on about-

Oh but then Ignis responds and he feels like he might just throw up with the weird little flips his stomach does. It's one thing, knowing somewhere that Ignis is aware of just how much he tries to take on, how much he tries to help. And he wants to help so much. Help them, help Cindy, help everyone that's risked so much keeping him alive to get to this point. He's well aware there were few enough children that survived the initial coming of the Night.

But for Ignis to speak of him not like a kid that's growing up but... as someone worth admiring. It makes his breath hitch and his heart hurt and for a fleeting moment he wants to rush out there and tell Iggy not to be silly. That he's not greedy. Tal wouldn't be anywhere else.

Gods help him but that sounds even worse than this hole Gladio keeps digging.

He can't hide in here forever but the more Gladio keeps talking the more he sort of wishes there was a window in this tiny bathroom so he could just throw himself to the wolves rather than facing Ignis' inevitable suspicions.

Incredible~

There's a soft sound, flimsy pressboard against wood when his weight lifts from the door and the rush of water as he tries so hard to splash water on his face too cool the burning crimson. It's useless, of course. It always is. Both because he blushes a little too easily and because a little camper has no way of regulating the water temperature. Though the world is dark it's almost hotter in Lestallum now, with the power plant running full bore nonstop, the air still and smothering with the blanket of miasma overhead, the volume of people in so small a space and the harsh lights generating even more heat.

He's doomed, no matter what he does. He knows that. But what the hells else is he supposed to do?!

"You know he wouldn't be anywhere else, Iggy." Gladio gives him a fond look, a fond smile, even if Ignis can't see it. "You mean the world to him. You remember back when we were still broken up, and he tore me a new asshole for hurting you and Iris? He'd do anything for you."

All right, now he might be laying it on a little thick, even by his standards - even if what he's saying is entirely true, obvious from basic observation, and would probably all be true of Tal even if he didn't have any romantic feelings for Ignis at all. In theory, nothing he's saying should give Talcott and his crush away at all. In practice...well, Iggy's sharp. Gladio needs to be pretty careful here.

So he tries to sidetrack a bit.

"Besides, weren't you just talking about all the incredible things he does, right here with you? He doesn't need to go anywhere else to make all the contributions and achieve all the things he does. He's doing fine right here. And I'm glad he's with you. Wouldn't trust just anyone to be your right hand, and I can't always be here." A beat. "Probably better it's not me, anyway. Wouldn't want to fall into old bad habits."

Gladio has been monitoring himself and his tendencies to overbearing protection like a hawk, since he first figured out what he was doing wrong and started bending all his iron will to fixing it. He hasn't even skimmed close to falling into those bad habits often, and is usually the first to catch himself when he does. But...well, Gladio's always been a harsh critic of shortcomings, and he's never exempted himself from that. If anything, he seems the least prepared to trust himself again out of anyone.

That'll be something else he has to tackle eventually, he knows. When Noct returns...if he really does save the world, then - assuming they survive - Gladio might end up being able to be with Iggy full-time again. He needs to be able to trust himself not to wreck things again, if he starts being the one to look out for Iggy's needs the way Tal does.

By all means does Ignis recall that particular outburst, all those years back. It's the kind of thing that's hard to forget, even if he'd only really caught the tail end of it and mostly thanks to his sharp hearing. How messy things had been back then. How glad he is that they've put that behind them all.

And yet, indeed, as Gladio says, that was just one bead in a long string of Talcott proving how much he cares about him. How he has, undoubtedly, made the choice to stay at his side for all the desperate research he does, and which he has to admit cannot be done on his own.

Talcott is also making the choice to apparently stay in the bathroom and potentially drown himself from embarrassment.

Ignis is going to have to check on him in a bit, especially when the timer goes off, but for now, this actually works for his advantage. Pushing away from the counter, he makes his way over to where Gladio sits. The way his fingers reach out, gliding against the tabletop before he settles down into the seat across from him is so natural that it hardly looks anything like a necessity in assessing its position in relation to him. "You've been well," he says quietly, underneath the sound of running water. There's no doubt in his mind that it'll sidetrack Talcott suitably enough. "I shall be the first to say that I'd rather not have you go through such bad habits in regards to me again, but, Gladio.... Never forget to give yourself some credit where you are able."

His boyfriend does such good, after all. In a world like this... Ignis wants him to remember that.

That's not the only thing that they're talking about, however, and he sighs, head tilting so that he has an ear towards the bathroom. "...I'm glad that he's doing well here. That he finds pride in everything he does, and is such a a known name to everyone. But you do realize there are some things he can't do right here with me, don't you?"

Gladio lets the encouragement pass without comment, although he does reach over to squeeze Ignis' hand. It's not that he's ungrateful for the praise, more that...he doesn't have enough faith in himself to accept it just yet. Gladio's more aware than anyone else of just how bad he was - and just how much it cost him. How he'd become unbearable to the people in his life who mean the most to him, enough that his absence was preferable to being with him. If it could get that bad once...

"What kinds of things do you mean?" he asks. He's kind of glad the talk has shifted away from his subtle wingmanning of Talcott before it aroused Ignis' suspicions any, so he's happy for the change of subject.

Gently, Ignis's own hand squeezes back.

"Relations with other people, to start with," Ignis points out quietly. "I know he is your little brother, but, as you pointed out, he is a young man in his own right. Romance isn't an impossibility for him. And even with things as they are right now... He could still find someone. Likely there would be an age gap involved, I suppose, but as long as both of them were responsible, it shouldn't be something anyone else can argue against.

"Yet with all his time stolen by me... He cares for me and our work so much, I doubt he would say a word about it anywhere I could hear. So, if he mentions any such thoughts to you instead... You must encourage him on the matter, do you understand?"

Even if Ignis has to frown a little bit, at the idea of having to share his fine young assistant. But this isn't the first time he's given up something for the better of someone else, so he knows perfectly well how to deal.

...In other news, Gladio may have to bite his own tongue to not laugh at this turn of events.

Gladio has to, as carefully as possible, put his free hand over his mouth again. Encourage him on the matter, huh...?

Well, Talcott, Ignis has just given Gladio an excuse to pressure you. And Gladio's just going to...remove any shadow of the doubt here, right now.

"You might be right on that," he says, as innocently as possible, lowering his hand. "Though I don't know why it couldn't work here as well as anywhere else. You're here, right?" And then, before Talcott can actually scream - "And you're in a relationship with me even though I'm not always here. Where he's at is only a barrier for a relationship if he lets it be one."

He's grinning uncontrollably right now, but thankfully Iggy can't see it. "But you want me to give him a nudge, huh? No matter who he might develop feelings for? Or are there certain qualities we should make sure any prospects of his might have before we do any encouraging?" He strokes his thumb over the back of Iggy's hand. "What kind of person do you think would be good for him?"

It goes quiet long enough that Talcott thinks maybe... Maybe he can breathe again. And not puke. Hopefully.

He actually has a hand on the door, trying to open it quietly. He would usually make a point of letting it make a sound so Ignis is aware of him but right now he still sort of wants Ignis to forget he exists. Hell with both of them at the table maybe he could slip out with no one the wiser.

The problem is opening that door just a fraction is enough to make their voices a little clearer, even low as they are. It's... It's not a big space. Running is a foolish idea. It's not as though he can just avoid Ignis. He has to work with the man, after all. Never mind that he wouldn't want to. He just wants tonight to.... stop. But here's Gladio talking about how he can and should definitely do something.

He's got his hat rolled up in his back pocket, face and hair still damp from half drowning himself in the sink and he's patting his face dry with the bottom of his shirt when he steps halfway into the hallway to glare daggers at Gladio. Hazel eyes wide and a little panicked, his expression clearly asking just what the hells he's doing. He was worried about Gladio killing him a moment ago but now he's starting to think it might be the other way around. Tal makes a sharp gesture, cutting his hand through the air like he can actually get Gladio to stop through willpower alone.

But no. Of course not. He really might just scream and after that last question Tal's just got his hand balled into a fist, teeth set hard into his finger and his other arm wrapped protectively around himself. This is it. This is how he dies.

Gladio might be able to keep from laughing, and his hand going up to his mouth may be surprisingly quiet... But Ignis has just reminded him that he's no fool. And through some rather hard to quantify way, when someone is smiling - perhaps hard enough to hurt their own cheekbones - there is just the faintest indication of it in their voice. Maybe it's the shape of the mouth changing the sound minutely; who really knows?

What matters far more is the flat expression Ignis takes the time and effort to definitively send Gladio's way.

This man is truly taking far too much delight at the idea of teasing his little brother over romance, he can just tell. Fortunately for Talcott, that's all he can tell.

...Well, not quite.

"If you truly insisted, I could come up with a list of qualities I think would be ideal for any potential partner. I'd want nothing but the best for him," Ignis says frankly, voice no longer as carefully hushed. The water has stopped running, after all. There's no point. "However, this isn't about me, now, is it? And as you pointed out... He's grown into a fine young man in his own right. Clever, attentive, courageous... I'm not his parent, Gladio. As you yourself said a moment ago, we are equal together. So I won't make selfish demands on who he should see." He squeezes down on Gladio's hand. "All I want is for him to find someone who can appreciate how wonderful he is. Who won't take advantage of him."

And in a world so dark as theirs, where sometimes fear overrides care for fellow people, those who don't take the time to hammer out their flaws like Gladio did... Well, that much is a legitimate worry. But beyond that? Ignis will simply have to trust that Talcott's feelings would not lead him astray.

Although speaking of 'taking advantage of Talcott'-

Raising Gladio's hand in his grip, he lightly smacks his boyfriend's in the head with his own hand. "Now don't torment the lad, he goes through enough as it is," he scolds, although it's hardly anything serious. "You can be truly terrible sometimes."

With that warning given, he gets up onto his feet and returns right back to the counter again. Alright, he thinks that it should be roughly any moment now -

Ding!

"Talcott, the food is ready. Come take a seat."

That should be enough, he thinks, for either of those ridiculous brothers to realize that he heard Talcott poking out the bathroom door a moment ago. Just a little bit of a shift on the floors, things like that.

It's not a big space, after all.

"Good things to look for in a potential partner," Gladio agrees, still grinning. "Honestly, I think I already know someone like that I could introduce him to, if he's interested."

And oh, isn't Talcott interested.

He accepts the self-smack with a snort of amusement. "I promise I won't be too hard on him." He catches Talcott's eye, observes his violent gestures and unspeakable embarrassment. "I've got his best interests at heart, same as you."

To Talcott, he mouths we'll talk later. The grin turns into something of a softer smile, a promise that said talk is not just going to be making him want to die. Though, Gladio thinks, Tal wanting to die here might be inevitable no matter what he does.

He's so ready to just flee at this point. But then Gladio goes and meets his gaze and says that and he might be miserable but the panicked tension bleeds out of him a little, a grudging, confused sort of half smile tugging at his lips.

I've got his best interests at heart.

How is he supposed to argue that? How is he supposed to stay mad at this giant idiot he loves so much when he follows up the last few torturous moments with that? He wavers there for a moment, not really sure what to do, still awkward as hell. There's some part of him that takes note of the finality of Ignis' words, the perfect timing to close the conversation just before the timer went off. The ability to keep his sense of time so perfectly that he was that close to the timer's ring. He really is amazing.

"No, Ignis, you cooked. I can serve everything up." At least fussing about the dishes and such is an excuse not to acknowledge any of what just happened as well as not need to look at either of them for a few more moments. An attempt to find some semblance of normalcy. "Do we wanna eat outside? Get a little bit of a breeze while we can?" Not at all because he's sweltering in the heat and his own embarrassment. Definitely not. It's a perfectly reasonable suggestion, though. The air inside the camper with the three of them in there and the camp stove having been on for some time now. It's a lot.

And... maybe he wants to have a little more space to flee from the conversation if it carries on as it has been.

"Eating outside seems like a wonderful idea, Talcott." Especially with how hot the poor boy runs just on base level. Combine that with how sweltering Lestallum was even before they had to keep the plant permanently going, and the rolling heat of a little kitchen... Well, he doesn't want him to keep over from heat exhaustion.

Still, he waits until he hears those familiar footsteps come closer to him, and then he makes sure to do at least the first plate himself, filled with plenty. "But make sure you eat more than your fill," he tells the boy quietly as he hands over the plate with one hand and rests a hand along his shoulder with the other. A small, fond smile is on his lips even if his one pale eye is incapable of focusing on the other properly. "You have a big day ahead of you tomorrow. I won't have you going off without a full stomach. So I insist on serving your plate myself."

And with that done, he steps aside to let Talcott have run of the kitchen and turns to take the steps outside. As he goes, there's a playful ribbing directed back at Gladio. "Now, why don't you ever help me so neatly as Talcott does in serving dinner?"

"You think I'd steal his job?" Gladio chuckles, rising to his feet and following behind Ignis. As he catches up, a hand moves to rest lightly on the small of his back - more affection than support or guidance. "If Talcott didn't like being your right hand, he'd have followed any of the dozens of calls for skilled people like him a long time ago. He's here because he wants to be here, Iggy - and I'm sure he'll tell you the same, if you ask him. And I've got plenty of you to myself without muscling in on him and the things that you two do together."

He does press a kiss to Iggy's temple as they go outside. "But if you miss having me help you with the cooking, you could just ask. I miss it, too. But Tal's learned your habits since you lost your sight on a level even I haven't yet. Don't know if I'll even be able to catch up to his level of expertise until the world quiets down and I can be with you as much as he is."

He doesn't know how much, if any, of this Talcott is catching, and isn't worrying about it. None of it's bad.

It's a habit he's picked up over the years with Ignis. Small touches as return gestures, just like the soft sounds he makes to vocalize his expressions. Even though his face is still burning Ignis puts that hand on his shoulder and he turns his head, just enough to bump his jaw against the other man's fingers. It's so commonplace but right now especially it feels far more intimate than it has any business feeling. There's a fleeting thought again (one nearly as common as the gesture itself) of how easy it would be to turn his head a little more and press his lips to those clever fingers.

He might keep Ignis' hand pinned there lightly for a beat longer than he normally would, partially trying to convey how much all the praise they both know he overheard means to him. Partially to reassure him that he understands the insistence and it's appreciated, not smothering. Partially, selfishly, just to savor the contact, however brief.

Then the two of them are heading outside, familiar banter helping to settle his nerves a little. He takes the space to calm down a little more, finally huffing a sigh and tugging out his phone to shoot Gladio a text. What the hells are you playing at? Then the phone goes back in his pocket and he sets about making up their plates. When he slips out the door after them a moment later he's balancing two plates on one arm and the other is in his hand, held close to his side to keep his journal tucked under his arm.

Setting his and Gladio's plates down is simple and it's only the fact that one can compare the difference between how he places them that makes it noticeable that what he does is for Ignis' benefit. Instead of simply setting it on the table he lets the bottom edge touch the table and drag across it for an inch or two before releasing it, giving Ignis that audible reference of where the plate is in front of him. And he'll know from familiar experience precisely where his fork will be positioned on the plate. So many small subtle consistencies that are so built into their routine together that he hardly even thinks about them now.

"It helps that I was learning when he was too." He finally says, quiet and still embarrassed but also not trying to butt into their conversation. Talcott has never done any of these things in a way that does not have the built in modifications they've made to accommodate one another.

"Don't give him any quarter," Ignis says, still a bit playful. "You know, when we were driving Iris up to Caem for the first time, she asked exactly what you do to help, and I remember a rather telling lack of answer." His legs shifts, angles, just so his knee smacks into Gladio from where they're sitting down together. "You're here just for the good food. Scoundrel. We'll have to make you do the dishes tonight."

Even as he's talking, however, he pays mind to that light scrape of plate-to-table, and inclines his head in the direction he hears Talcott's weight settle into the cheap plastic chair that it seems all campers come with. A quiet little show of gratitude, as usual.

Small things are so easy to take for granted. To ignore. Up until, all of a sudden, you don't have them anymore.

He won't let Talcott ever think he isn't appreciated.

"Let me know what you both think of it. I've made a slight adjustment to the recipe since last time."

"Someone always tended to shoo me away when he was cooking because he said I was too much of a distraction," Gladio says idly. "Used to wave cooking utensils at me in a real threatening manner. Can't imagine why certain people don't get more help in the kitchen than they do, under the circumstances." He's grinning, though.

"I don't mind doing the dishes. They might have to wait a bit, though. I wanted Tal to come drive around with me a little after we eat - my truck's making a noise, and I don't want it to turn out to be a problem somewhere out in the middle of nowhere. So I wanna consult the expert." He takes a bite of his food. "Only problem is, it only makes it occasionally, so we might need to tool around for a bit before it happens and he can give me an opinion. Haven't figured out what exactly sets it off yet."

He grins, lightly kicking Tal's boot underthe table. "And if he needs his sleep, I don't wanna keep him up too late tonight. So the sooner after dinner, the better."

For as embarrassed as he still is he can't help chuckling at their bickering, relieved in a way for things to be so normal again so quickly. He flashes a smile at Gladio only for the mention of his truck to make his brow furrow. An inconsistent odd sound? He's already trying to mentally diagnose what could possibly be the issue just with what he knows of the model of Gladio's truck. His mind, of course, immediately latching onto the puzzle presented to him.

It isn't until Gladio nudges his foot and gives him that shit eating grin that he realizes he's being stupid and this is Gladio's way of giving them an excuse talk without Ignis. He's just not going to be allowed to stop blushing today, it seems. But he rolls his eyes at Gladio, exasperated at how funny he seems to think the whole thing. Good to know his brother is enjoying this at least. "Well that's.... vague." He huffs a little, tapping his fork on the edge of his plate in annoyance before he's turning his attention to the other puzzle offered to him.

"I won't be able to do anything about it until I hear what you're talking about. So." The last word said pointedly and the tapping stops so he can take a bite, making sure to chew slowly. He closes his eyes, tries to focus on the flavors beyond just enjoying the opportunity to have a full meal like this. A second bite, chewed and savored and then hazel eyes snap open and he sits forward a little, the poor plastic chair squeaking against the asphalt.

"You usually use shallots, don't you? I- gosh we haven't found any in months and there isn't room for something like that in the hot houses here... Still... it's not sharp enough for just white onion, what else did you do?"

Ah, shop talk - or, at least, some shop theorizing. Ignis has always understood that it's best to let the experts thrive in their field without interruption, so he falls silent as Gladio talks to Talcott about the issue with his truck. In times like this, that sort of thing truly is vital to maintain. He won't interrupt on that. All he does is simply eat, and listen. Besides, while he clearly won't be getting into the belly of a machine any time soon, it never hurts to pick up any potential tips, does it?

Not that it seems like he will get anything from Talcott immediately. Not on the engineering side. Rather, his ears perk up as the tapping stops, instead replaced by a quiet and hard to hear scrape. Another shortly after, with chewing interspersed, and then there's the plastic creak he's so familiar with.

That bit of excitement from Talcott has him smiling, glad that the change was noticed. It's a trivial thing, but there's something rewarding to recognition anyway. Talcott always comes through for him like this. "Garlic scrapes," he tells him. "A recommendation I made seems to have been taken, and it's good to have something that you can use the entirety of with no waste. The texture isn't exactly the same, although of course it wouldn't be, but I had hopes that it would add a pleasant depth..."

He talks about it for as long as Talcott and Gladio will indulge him on the matter, something that can easily lead into the developments happening over in the hot houses, seed stores they've managed to find out beyond Lestallum, little things like that. Other things as well, following up with Gladio's own work.

They all get together so rarely like this. There's no end of things to talk about.

However, food only lasts so long, and Ignis sighs as he rises to his feet, hand held out to Gladio, and then Talcott. "I'll have the dishes soak," he informs them. "So go on, and check in on the truck. There's no need to keep something so important waiting."

Gladio is, honestly, happy to listen to it all. Partially because he genuinely is interested - maybe not on the same level as Iggy, to whom the information is practically useful, but simply from the perspective of someone who knows how important food production is in the stretch of seemingly endless night, and also someone who appreciates Iggy's cooking and has a vested interest in how he does what he does and what goes into his pursuit of ingredients. A pursuit that seems just as endless as the night.

But also...well, for the same reason Tal watched Iggy working in the kitchen so raptly earlier. Gladio loves Iggy, and doesn't get to be with him nearly as often as he'd like anymore. He'll drink in the sight of him talking animatedly, gorge on the sound of his voice, to get him through the famine of being without him.

"You sure? We could at least run our own dishes inside." Gladio sounds dubious, but he's already picking up his plate to hand over. Ignis usually doesn't change his mind once he's decided on something.

It's honestly just what Tal needs to get out of the weird awkwardness that's left over from all the teasing and- well whatever the hell else he's supposed to call what Gladio was doing. Something to puzzle out and discuss the processes of, something that he pauses in eating to make notes of in his journal. Which has him flicking a glance over to Gladio briefly, cheeks heating up all over again. The recipe notes end up on a page facing a few sketches, ones that would make Sania proud in the careful details even if these are all of architecture. The etchings from different monoliths, texts etched into tomb walls... and one corner occupied by Ignis' face, the particular slant of his lips when he's satisfied about something.

Just- things he needs to remember. Don't worry about it.

Ignis offers to take their plates in and Talcott takes the opportunity offered by Gladio's token argument to shovel the last few forkfuls into his mouth. Hardly the first time he's gotten distracted by taking notes on what they're discussing and forgotten to finish his dinner. He has to clear his throat briefly to make sure he doesn't choke on the rice and then he's taking Gladio's plat from him instead, stacking the dishes neatly together so he can pass the stack to Ignis a little more carefully. He's certainly not going to argue (even if it would help him avoid this conversation) but he doesn't like the idea of Ignis' hands being full when he'll need them to feel out where he is.

"It shouldn't take long." He assures Ignis, shooting another one of those looks to Gladio that's at once questioning and almost a glare. He doesn't think so anyway? But how the hell would he know. He has no idea what Gladio's planning here.

Ignis 100% doesn't change his mind once he's decided on something, and he scoffs lightly. "It's two dishes, Gladio, I'll be fine," he tells him, not surprised to hear the undercurrent of frantic munching before there's a clatter of plate on plate, and a weight in his hand.

"You two simply take care and don't hurt yourselves riding in that truck." With the plates balanced in one hand all together, Ignis takes a moment to reach out to both of them one after the other. First his hand around Talcott's wrist, a light squeeze. Next to Gladio's shoulder, which he uses to guide the kiss pressed into his hair. "If you don't know what's wrong with it, anything could happen. I know that much. I'll see you both later - although hopefully not too late."

And with that, he deftly steps around the chairs and table, enough that one would miss that he's blind if they watched him at a distance.

"Don't worry." Gladio lifts a hand to rest it over Iggy's on his shoulder, looking up at him fondly. "You've got a hunter and a crack mechanic here. Anything goes wrong, Tal will know how to fix it, and I can hold off any daemons long enough for him to do it. Nothing's gonna take down a tag team like that." He takes Iggy's hand and presses a light kiss to his fingers before he can pull away. "And I'm not gonna let us take so long that you'll start wondering if something's happened."

Then, once Iggy is headed for the camper...Gladio rises to his feet, stretching. "All right, let's hit the road. Sooner we start, sooner we finish." He claps Talcott's shoulder as he passes him, heading for his pickup.

Whatever Gladio's tastes in cars might be under other circumstances, he hasn't cared about anything other than practicality since the long night fell. Whenever he goes from place to place, regardless of why he's traveling, he tends to ferry supplies with him. The truck is comfortably big enough to seat him, and also to run down most daemon small fry. And, if he finds people in trouble out in the dark - not too common, people who get in trouble out there often don't last long enough to get rescued, but it has happened - he's got room to load up a whole extended family. That, reliability, and good mileage are pretty much all he's worried about in a vehicle. And between Cid, Tal, and Cindy, there's no doubt that when it comes to maintenance and parts, he's got the best anyone could ask for.

Gladio's truck is plenty hefty for what it does, he doesn't need a truck the size of Tal's. Most people wouldn't need something that size. It's only because Tal is fast becoming the primary supply runner between the remaining outposts that he has the beast he does.

Gladio starts out into the parking lot and Talcott is quick to catch up, falling into step beside him. That anxiety is starting to creep back in and as much as Tal wants to punch him in the shoulder for all that he's not.... entirely sure where the hell they stand at the moment.

"There's nothing wrong with your truck, is there?" He finally asks, quiet, very nearly sulking. He hardly give Gladio a chance to respond to that, though, before he's turning to step into the larger man's path, one hand catching his arm to stop him. Not that Gladio couldn't bowl him over if he wanted to but that's beside the point.

"Gladio, please. I-" The embarrassment has faded a little now that he's alone with Gladio and he can't stop way worry creases his brow and leaves him chewing on his lip. "It doesn't mean anything. You know that. Right? You know I'd never- Not that it would matter. But the point is" He's tripping over his words, fumbling them with his anxiety and he just sucks in a deep breath, lets it out slowly, tries to center himself.

"I love you. You guys have been through so much. I would never do anything to jeopardize what you have. You-" A weak, apologetic smile. "You're soulmates. I'm... just a kid with a dumb crush."

"Nah, she's running like a dream. Doesn't have much excuse not to, with the care you and the Hammerhead crew put into her." Gladio's voice is just as relaxed as when Ignis was listening in. Talcott's working himself up for nothing; he's not upset in the least.

He lifts his free hand to curl it around the back of Talcott's neck, bracing him as he looks him in the eye. "Hey. Relax. I know you wouldn't do anything to mess up our relationship. And frankly, if I wasn't able to sink what we've got, then I don't know if you or anyone else has what it takes to do it, either." A smile flickers over his lips. "Iggy and I...we're rock solid. I know that."

He shakes Talcott a little with that hand, gently. "But I also know what a guy catastrophically in love with Ignis Scientia looks like. Could say I've got some experience in that area. It's not just a crush, Tal. And you're not just a kid." He steps closer, gently shaking Talcott's hand off his arm so he can put his other hand on the boy's shoulder. "And I think you've got more options than you realize."

Then he releases Talcott, steps back to head around to the other side of the truck. "But it's gonna take a little explaining, and if we don't get on the road soon Iggy's gonna get suspicious. Hop in and we'll talk on the road."

That hand on his neck settles him in a way few other things can. It's familiar and comforting, something meant to give strength. Something that he knew even before he was on the receiving end of it. It's just... what the Amicitias do and he's not sure who it originated from but even Cor's done it to him a couple of times. In some ways it could be oppressive, he knows Iris has certainly thought so before, but the intent is always to brace someone, show them they're not alone.

It's probably the most comforting thing anyone has ever done for him. He still remembers Grandpa doing it to him when he was little, when they found out his parents wouldn't be coming home. And this same man's hand on him when he realized Grandpa wouldn't be coming back either. And Talcott leans into it, tips his head up instead of leaving his gaze downcast, trying to take that warmth to brace himself for the rest of this conversation. Whatever else happens... His brother isn't mad at him about it so... they'll figure it out.

Aaaand then Gladio shakes him a little and he staggers with it, exaggerating a little maybe but it's a kind of playful that lends itself to it. One hand comes up to squeeze Gladio's wrist, grateful and.... also confused all over again. And blushing. Yeah that's never going to stop. Catastrophically in love. That's... sure one way to put it.

But he bites down on the questions, knowing damn well that Gladio is right. Ignis knows the precise rumble of his truck and if he doesn't hear her start up soon he'll start wondering. So Tal slips inside, nearly banging his head on the door frame, unused to both the smaller cab and his steadily increasing height. He's nearly as tall as Ignis now.

"I appreciate you trying to make it sound like I'm an adult now and all, and that you think I can handle myself, but. To you guys? I'm always gonna be a kid. I get it."

"To me, maybe. We practically grew up siblings, after all." Gladio starts up the truck, and it's only when he hears her familiar rumble that he's absolutely sure Iggy can't hear what they're saying now. They were well away from the camper by the time Talcott initiated the conversation, too far for even a man with the sharpest of hearing to hear, surely...but Iggy's always been a force to be reckoned with. If it had been Gladio trying to hide something from him the way Tal is doing, he probably wouldn't have risked a word until they were a solid mile away.

But hey, that's Tal's risk to run.

"But to Iggy? That's another matter." He glances sidelong at Talcott. "I watched him with you today. No wonder you fell for him, with him being that affectionate with you. But it didn't look like a man fussing over a kid to me. It looked like..." He pauses, searching for words. "Like he couldn't do enough for you. Like you mean so much to him, all he wants to do is give back to you. And he respects you, too. Admires you, even. Gonna level with you, Tal - I don't think I've seen him act like that with anyone before. Not me, not Prom, not even Noct. The two of you have something special going on." He cocks an eyebow at him. "Might even say that all that devotion you've shown him is being returned."

As they get further away from the city, he switches on the highbeams. "Tal, did you know Iggy and I have discussed poly before?" Just gonna casually drop that one on him.

If anyone has a precise read on exactly how good Iggy's hearing is and how far is safe... It's Talcott. He has to know, it's imperative he know for their safety. They spend days at a time surrounded by darkness and daemons with no one else around for miles. Allowing even a meter too much distance between them could be a matter of life and death. He likes to think they were far enough for a casual conversation to be difficult to pick up more than perhaps a few syllables if they were said emphatically enough.

It's really unfair, honestly, Gladio talking about all this with him when they're in his truck, leaving the safety of the city and Talcott is on high alert, even if Gladio might not be entirely. He's keenly aware that this truck is much smaller than his own and that, though they likely won't be going far, sometimes the worst tragedies happen mere meters away from safety. He also can't slump down and curl into his seat or squirm in embarrassment the way he wants to, not with most of his gear still on (and a good thing too, considering where they are).

"Maybe but it's not-" he flounders, unsure what he can even say. Maybe it is special, he likes to think it is, but it still doesn't mean much of anything. Then Gladio just tosses out that question and Talcott turns to look at him, eyes leaving the window for a moment longer than he would usually dare. "I- What?"

Surely he's not suggesting-

Gladio keeps his eyes fixed on the road. He's not exactly sleeping at the wheel himself here, but he doesn't plan on taking them too far from the city, from the lights. He thinks they'll be okay. "He and I love each other," he says. "More than just about anything. But there are other people we love, too. Some of them...enough that if they were interested, we'd be willing - happy - to be with them in the same way as we are with each other. It doesn't feel like a threat, or an imbalance. It just feels like more love to go around, with the people who mean the most to us.

"You can probably guess some of the subjects of those conversations. Yeah, you didn't come up...but we had these talks pretty early in our relationship. You weren't even grown yet. But seeing the way you looked at him tonight, and looking at how he is with you in a new light...can't help thinking maybe there's a name that ought to be added to the list. For him, at least."

He glances in the rearview mirror, then catches Talcott's eye in it briefly. "I'm saying I think you have a chance, Tal. And that you ought to take it. I know better than anyone how worth it he is. And I know better than anyone just how good you'd be to him. You're not gonna take him away from me, and you don't want to. With all that on the scales...you think I'm not gonna tell my little brother to shoot his shot?"

"Shoot his shot" Tal mutters it under his breath, shaking his head in disbelief before making a frustrated gesture. "At your boyfriend!"

But.... he doesn't say anything more than that, doesn't keep arguing, keep insisting it's not like that and it can't or won't ever be. He's too thorough and thoughtful to dismiss something out of hand like that, no matter how absurd it might sound. If he thinks about it, though, really thinks about it. That kind of fairytale happy ending one true love stuff is very much for people in a different time and a different place. He knows of at least half a dozen hunters who have some sort of romantic? sexual? relationship with multiple people. Everything's too chaotic, too uncertain. There's no time for jealousy when you could die any day and there's some comfort in that idea.... knowing that the person you love will still be taken care of, will have someone to lean on and get them through when, eventually, one of them dies.

Perhaps a morbid way to look at it but it's simply the way the world is these days. And if there's anything the world could use more of in this miserable time... it's love. Love and light and if they can't hold onto that then what are they holding onto anything for?

Tal sighs, leaning against the truck's door, rolling the window down to get a little bit of breeze for a moment. Finally, slowly, he shifts his weight, turning to look towards Gladio once more instead of hunching against the door like some sort of brooding cat. He takes a breath, steadies himself for what he's going to say because he knows Gladio will want to argue, will want to insist he's trying to run away from the conversation. He's not... he just needs a little more time to settle on what he wants to say.

"I'm not the only one you should be telling this to." He finally says, serious and certain in a way that he rarely needs to be. "Some people just... aren't made to be alone. But sometimes they're too scared to reach out too. If that's something you want, would be happy to have? You know Prom's in Hammerhead. And you know he would tie himself in knots before telling either of you how much being alone hurts him."

"We don't have the chance to talk as much as we did before I started running supplies and I can hear it in his voice every time I talk to him. This darkness is killing him. Little bits at a time." It must sound like it's completely out of left field for Gladio but... especially after losing Galdin, losing Dino. Prompto's probably his closest friend. There's a lot of things they share and that desperate need to be useful is one of them. Tal's self worth isn't as tied up in it as Prom's is and he's watched this man grow so weary and sad and hurt and how fragile that smile he puts on for people is.

Prompto's probably the person he looks up to the most and it kills him that he can't be so powerful a force of hope for Prom as Prom's always been for him. Especially early on in the night. Having him and Dino include him, give him a purpose. And Gladio opened himself up for this with the whole you can probably guess thing. He's not stupid. In fact he's been told time and time again that he's too observant and insightful for his age.

"You talk to Prom... and I'll talk to Ignis- IF" And here he holds up a finger, making sure he has Gladio's attention. "If you still think it's a good idea after my birthday." He won't ask Ignis to make any decisions about... what he may or may not want with him when he's still a minor. The world might be falling apart but he feels like that's... important, somehow. A line he can draw and be sure Ignis has no doubts and, while he can't imagine his feelings for the man ever changing, he's smart enough to know that teenagers are stupid. He doesn't want to risk the relationship they have over something that could, feasibly, change.

Gladio is silent for a solid thirty seconds before he speaks again.

"Yeah, Prom is one of the people we talked about. And honestly...I know you're right. Kid shouldn't be alone, and I know he's not doing great. Even without having seen him for ages." Talcott may be slightly mollified to find out he's not the only one Gladio calls 'kid'. So maybe it's not so much an age thing as he might feel it is sometimes, if even Prompto is subject to it.

"I know how much it hurt him, when we all separated. When Iggy and I broke up especially. He tried to hold things together so hard, tried to be the moodmaker he's always been, and it wasn't enough. Couldn't be enough, with me being the way I was. I could see it killed him, and that was just how much he let through." He sighs. "I avoided you and Iggy because I just felt like I would only let you guys down more, but with Prom...I started avoiding him so he wouldn't feel like he had to keep trying to fix things. Fix me."

He's silent again for a moment. "Things are better now, obviously, but...he's been hurting so much. I could've guessed it, even if you hadn't confirmed it. And it's my fault. And I hate knowing...that if I do show up, try to make things right with him, he'll just forgive me for all of it. I know he will. But what I don't know is if he'll do that because I deserve it, or just because anything's better than what I've already put him through. I don't know if I can actually make things right again, and I don't want him settling for only scraps of what he deserves."

Now it's Tal's turn to just laugh and shake his head at his idiot brother. He leans forward a little to swat at Gladio's arm, a playful scold in direct contrast to how serious they've both gotten.

"C'mon, Gladdy. Listen to yourself. He deserves better so you're going to deny him something that would make him happy?" Gladio doesn't have to look away from the road to hear the eye roll in his voice. "Sounds more like... you still think you don't deserve him and in punishing yourself you're punishing both of you."

The trouble with growing up alongside this kid and also being a demonstrably emotional person, Gladio, is that he knows how you think. Maybe even better now that Ignis and Gladio have finally gotten back together.

"And you can't blame yourself for everything. Yeah, he was hurt by your stubbornness but you can't just keep saying that all the hurt everyone has felt is your fault. Things are desperate enough without taking that burden on your shoulders." He finally shifts away from the door so he can lean lightly against Gladio's side, careful not to put too much weight against his arm when he's driving. Odd when he'd been able to tuck himself under his arm entirely a few years ago.

"If being with you is better than where he's at... who benefits from denying him that?"

The laugh is definitely not something Gladio's expecting, not in the headspace he's in, and he shoots Talcott a startled sidelong look.

"The point is that it's been awhile since I actually made him happy, rather than being the source of his misery." He rubs the back of his neck with one hand. "And...he's not like Iggy or Iris. They each put their foot down when I was hurting them too much, didn't want me in their lives until I could get my act together. But he never...said too much of me hurting him was enough. If I end up hurting him again, I don't know that he won't just let me. You think I want to do that to him? At least with the rest of you, I know you'll let me know if I'm going off course."

He doesn't say a damn thing about feeling like he doesn't deserve Prompto. Tal's got him pinned like a butterfly to corkboard. But that isn't his primary reason for avoiding Prompto (or he's convinced himself it isn't) so he just...lets that one lie there.

"I'm not crazy enough to blame myself for all the pain ever or anything. But I'm the one who caused the problems that made Iggy and Iris not want to be around me, and it was those problems Prom kept trying to fix and couldn't. If all that pain isn't my fault for not being able to handle myself better, treat other people better...there isn't anyone else who had control over it." He shrugs, eyes hard and fixed on the road. "Don't try to take responsibility that's actually mine away from me just because I'm better now and you feel sorry for me, Tal. You thought it was my responsibility back then. Nothing's changed except where your sympathy's at."

Still...he shifts his arm so he can stroke Talcott's hair for a moment. Just because he's refusing the kindness he doesn't deserve...doesn't mean he doesn't recognize and appreciate where Talcott's heart is at.

"My worry is that I might not be good for him, Tal. I'd try to be - the same way I never stopped trying to be good for the rest of you. But I might go off the rails again and not realize it, and...he just took that from me before. Don't know that I can trust him to let me know if I'm not treating him the way he deserves."

Gladio, it's pretty transparent that the person you really don't trust is yourself, and the concerns about Prom letting you shit on him are just a byproduct of that.

"You really are impossibly stubborn sometimes, y'know?" Tal elbows him gently, hazel eyes soft and a little sad.

"I'm not trying to say you shouldn't take any fault, I'm just saying you're putting too much on yourself. And that you've put in a lot of work. Everyone can see that. You wouldn't be where you are now if you hadn't. Continuing to beat yourself up over what you did is not going to help anyone, it's only going to make you miserable." But he sighs, leaning forward, gaze cast upward at stars that are no longer visible.

"I know it's... all sort of a mess these days but that's part of what Grandpa taught me y'know? When he thought I'd be looking after you and Iris. Listen, Observe, Learn. Then act accordingly. It's hard, sometimes, separating yourself and your feelings from the facts but if you practice it, it gets easier." He glances back at Gladio, his brother more than his charge and he hopes it will always be that way. But the skills are still there.

"I think you can keep yourself on the right course. But sometimes what's best for you isn't what you want to hear. I know Grandpa had to get onto your dad about some stuff. Some of it involving you if I got the context there right. That's probably why I was so upset that you wouldn't just listen when we tried to tell you how you were hurting people. That was supposed to be my job. y'know? Telling you what you needed to hear, not what you wanted to. Hard to take it seriously coming from a kid though, I know."

Finally he leans back, settles back into his seat.

"Oh yeah?" Gladio cocks an eyebrow at Talcott sidelong. "Just how much is too much?" It's honestly a more genuine question than a sarcastic one. He's not exactly sure what the line he's supposed to be drawing is, or where it's at. If no one else is responsible for his actions, and it was his actions that were the source of all the issues, then how is taking all the blame taking too much?

"As for continuing to beat myself up...I'm not doing it because I want to feel sorry for myself. You know me; that's not what I'm about." He looks back at the road. "It's to hold myself accountable. To never forget how badly I can fuck up, or how I fucked up, or what the consequences were when I did - and that it could happen again.

"It's how I got here in the first place, Tal - all the progress I've made. Figuring out what I did wrong, and watching myself for any backsliding into those bad habits once I made up my mind to eradicate them. I had to keep on myself all the time in order to change. I don't know that I can afford to stop doing that without inevitably regressing. Maybe it's a hill I've already crested, and I won't just slide backwards if I stop pushing...but maybe I'm not over to the other side, either. I don't know." His fingers tighten minutely on the steering wheel. "If you understand being tough on somebody to make sure they keep on the right path...I don't get why I'm supposed to go easy on myself."

He glances over at Talcott again when he talks about not taking him seriously, then reaches over to rest a hand on the back of his neck again. It's brief, but warm. "It wasn't that I didn't take you seriously, Tal. It was one of the most serious moments of my life, trust me. It was just...me not being able to grasp the problem yet. I couldn't see, back then, that the way I felt like I had to act, the things I felt like I had to do to keep the people who mattered to me safe...I didn't actually have to do them. All I could think was that if I stopped, I'd...lose all of you. Like I'd lost the other people I couldn't protect. That I wasn't there for." A muscle tightens in his jaw.

"But then, because I persisted...I lost you all anyway. Or at least became someone who was just disappointing and hurting you, even if you would have still kept me around - which is why I couldn't bear to let you or Prom do that. I didn't want to lose you, but I didn't want what I was for you when I stayed, either. So for awhile I thought I was just - not good enough. I didn't think I could change the things that needed changing. And it took awhile for me to get over...the fear." It costs Gladio something to say he was afraid, but he forces it. "Enough to see, or remember, that all of you have your own strength and can look after yourselves. That I could back off of the protectiveness without you all dying on me. You managed for years without me around at all.

"It had nothing to do with you being a kid. Or even me not wanting to listen to you. I couldn't hear what anyone told me. I already thought I knew what the problem was, and I thought it was with me as a person, not just - things I was doing I could change. Once I got ahold of that eventually, all the things all of you had said to me finally started to click."

For a moment Tal just sits there, quiet and contemplative. Something that Gladio is surely used to by now. What was it he'd just said? Listen and learn. He vaguely remembers a teacher telling them that too, once. Active Listening or something. Making sure you're taking in everything that's being said before coming up with a response.

He doesn't need his brain to start humming though, filling the emptiness while he considers with a soft, subtle sound. Something that has no purpose here but he does by default when he's thinking. Something to tell Ignis where he is and that he's considering the topic and hasn't dozed off on him or anything. An idle habit that is so ingrained he doesn't even notice he's doing it.

There's a lot to sift through. A lot to consider. Some of it is stuff only Gladio can answer but he needs guidance to find those answers. He's not sure he knows how to get him there, though. No matter how much he tries to live up to even a fraction of his grandpa's wisdom.

"I'm glad you figured it out eventually. Some people... never would have. I guess I just-" He sighs, scrubbing a hand through his hair, fingers sliding down to scratch through ever lengthening sideburns and the light stubble of too many days on the road. "You're not supposed to go easy on yourself. I'm not asking you to stop trying, or stop keeping an eye on yourself. Think of it like... a screw. You want it to be tight, yeah, so that it holds together properly, safely. But if you keep turning the screwdriver, keep putting all your weight behind it..... Eventually you're going to strip it bare and make it unusable, stuck in a rut, maybe different from the first thing you took it from but still stuck."

"But if you tighten it and then... just use the chair like normal? Yeah you have to come back occasionally to snug it back up but you can do that. If you stripped it in the first place then you're never going to be able to make adjustments later. Eventually you hit a point where something gives." He glances over at his brother, face scrunched up and unhappy but not at Gladio. He doesn't like the analogy he's using here but it's the best he could come up with. "If you can't bend a little bit, you'll break. And if you never stop focusing on what went wrong you're eventually gonna lose sight of what went right."

Talcott huffs an irritated sigh and yanks his hat out of his back pocket, shoving it onto his head and tugging the bill down. So much for wisdom.

"As far as where to stop blaming yourself? You can't control other people's feelings. You were an ass, yeah. But you didn't make Prom feel like he needed to fix everything. He came that way. Hells, so did I. You hurt him sure and you've taken responsibility for that, but whatever came before to make him feel like it's entirely his responsibility to keep you guys together, to make you happy? That's what he needs to work out. 'Course... alone and drowning like he's been... it's not exactly something he can work on."

"I'm... working on it too, y'know. Trying to just... use the skills Grandpa taught me and not look at everyone else's problems like they're something I should be fixing."

Gladio is silent for a long moment, turning this analogy over in his mind. Then he reaches over, rubbing the top of Tal's cap since he's put that barrier between them for getting his hair ruffled. This means Gladio ends up shoving it down over Tal's eyes a bit, which Gladio is wholly unrepentant about.

"You're too smart, you know that? I get what you're saying. And you're right. I don't know if that helps me figure out...where the healthy line is, exactly, but I'd better start looking for it. I can't afford to burn myself out on this."

He nods slightly, even as he keeps his eyes on the road. "But...yeah, you're right. Maybe I was the reason Prom had something he felt he needed to fix, but I wasn't the one who made him think he needed to fix it. It's just...hard to share the responsibility like that, when you feel like if you hadn't caused the main problem, then the extra problems other people might've brought into it themselves would never have gotten rolling in the first place. But it's not gonna help Prom fix those issues of his if I take all the responsibility."

His hand drops to Talcott's shoulder. "Jared would be proud of you, you know." His voice is warm, and just a touch gruff as he works to keep from getting too emotional. "You're an incredible kid. A great man, even. Everybody's a work in progress, but with how far you've already come? You're gonna outshine him. And there's nothing he would've wanted more for you than for you to use his lessons to become even wiser and more skilled than he was. You couldn't do him a greater honor than to become the person I can already see you growing into."

Tal grumbles an annoyed sound, leaning away from Gladio and scooting closer to the door before taking his hat back off and fixing it. Bastard. But he's smiling despite himself. It's... It's good to be able to play around like this a little, again. Especially when he doesn't have to worry as much about Gladio treating him this way because he looks at him like a child and not just because that's how he shows affection.

"I try~" He can't help teasing back with a grin at the compliment but it's all for show. As Gladio continues he's serious again, determined to make sure Gladio understands what he's been trying to say. It's easier to relax as well, listening to his brother talk through some of it, recognize how difficult it might be but that it is the right path forward, sharing the responsibility.

He's nodding, sympathetic but knowing if Gladio takes everything on himself then Prompto will also have even more trouble finding those lines for himself. They need to find the middle ground, rather than both of them at either extreme. But then Gladio's hand is on his shoulder and he says his grandpa's name-

Just as abrutly Talcott can't speak either. It's all he wants, to be someone his grandpa would be proud of. As though he could make up for his stupid blabbermouth if he is good enough at everything, makes sure he keeps all of them safe. But here's Gladio, telling him he's doing that, more than that. That Grandpa would be proud of him and implying, of course, that Gladio himself is proud of him. His jaw tightens and he turns his head to look out the window once more, squeezing his eyes closed to force away the rush of emotion that turns his vision glassy.

"That's not fair-" He finally manages to choke out, lifting a hand to wipe away a tear, sniffling hard. Perhaps if he'd listened more back then, paid more attention, he'd have realized just the kind of person he was talking to- It's not logical. He was eleven for Ramuh's sake. But his eyes are still misty when he looks back at Gladio again, leaning into the hand at his shoulder. "I hope so."

"It's more than fair. It's earned." Gladio lets his hand drop, allows Talcott to try to regain some composure. "And I promise, there's not a single person who knows you who wouldn't agree with me. I'd get Iggy to back me up on this, but I think if he complimented you that much you might just burn up like a daemon in sunlight."

Which, while they're on the subject...

"I don't like the idea of you having to sit on your hands with this crush, not when I can see how bad you've got it...but honestly, waiting until your birthday's the right idea. I'd bet you any money Iggy wouldn't entertain the idea before then anyway. Not if it's him. If it was somebody your own age, I think he'd be more lenient, but when it's him...he's gonna want to be careful with you. And you being eighteen is probably the soonest he'd accept that you wanting him is an adult making an informed decision, and not just a horny teenager with a crush. Not because he doesn't trust or respect you, but because he'd be too fussed about taking advantage of you."

He glances sidelong at Talcott. "So yeah, I think you've got the right idea. And I promise I'm not gonna do anything to give you away before then. Not even being your wingman. Tonight was just teasing, but I can keep a lid on it going forward - if I made a habit out of it, he'd catch on." He smirks a bit. "But I can also promise you that I don't think you're gonna fall out of love with him by next year. I don't think it's possible to fall out of love with Ignis once you fall in - I've sure never seen it happen. I couldn't make it happen when I thought it was my only option and I was trying."

He settles more comfortably in his seat. "And I can promise I'll still think telling him is a good idea next year, too. Both because he deserves to know, because I think you've got a better shot with him than you think, and because I can't see any downsides to two of the best men I know ending up together and being happier than they already are. You're already good for each other. Maybe you can actually upgrade to great."

Godsdammit Gladio. It is entirely unfair to get him so emotional, fighting back tears and then immediately go back into teasing him about how stupidly in love he is. He knows, okay. He's spent the last four years fighting every thought about it. He shouldn't be mooning over a man that is, practically, married. But then Ignis will say something or do something and his heart aches with how much he just wants to hold him. Sure, yeah, okay he's a teenager and hormones are a thing but- that is not what he wants. (okay not what he wants most. He won't lie and say he doesn't want to worship every inch of Ignis' body.)

What he really wants is to be able to kiss his fingers when his hand falls on his shoulder. To hold him at night when they're on the road and surrounded by daemons. To stroke his hair and tell him he means the world to him. Something he tries to show him, day in and day out.

Going from crying to blushing so fast makes his head hurt and for a moment he just scrubs at his cheeks, unsure which one he's trying to will away, tears or the blush. "I think he knows me well enough to know I wouldn't say anything so serious without having put a lot of careful thought and consideration into it. Not just... because of hormones." Well, so much for getting rid of the blush.

"I don't know, if you pulled anything half so blatant as the shit you were saying tonight he's gonna know. But... I guess... if he knows then it just- will come as less of a surprise later?" He shakes his head a little, not entirely sure he wants to think about Ignis figuring it out because of Gladio. "Either way... it's not gonna matter till next year."

Tal slumps back in his seat again, rubbing at his eyes. "We should head back... I dunno about you but I've been up for-" A glance at his watch. "close to 24 hours now. And you've stressed me the hell out."

"Yeah, sorry about that." Gladio pats Talcott's knee. "Try to sound not too much like you've been crying when we get back, or Iggy's gonna rip me some superfluous new holes." He chuckles. "Though I guess we could just be honest and tell him it was because I told him how proud of you Jared would be. How proud of you we all are. He'd probably let me off with a warning, then."

He takes a turn, then puts the truck in reverse so he can send them back along the road they came. "In the meantime...you can snag a nap while we drive. Won't be long, but if you're that tired, any little bit helps. Guess I wasn't lying to Iggy when I said you needed your sleep after all."

"You can tell him whatever you want..." He flashes Gladio a sheepish kind of look. "I'm gonna sleep in the truck." It's a little embarrassing, given everything they've just been talking about but it's been weeks since Gladio and Ignis were in the same place, they don't need him on the couch in the RV when he would be just as comfortable in the bed of his truck.

Gladio pauses, shooting Talcott a look. "...not that I don't appreciate the gesture, but you getting some decent sleep means more to me than sex. Iggy would feel the same way. We can wait until tomorrow night, get you better rested. I'll be here a few days."

"It's not just that. I've been kinda... too tall for the little fold out bed in there for awhile." There's only so much space afforded by a dining table dropped down to join with the bench seats. He's nearly 6' now, it's cramped! But it is infinitely safer. They can even turn the lights out in the camper instead of trying to sleep with the bright flourescents in their faces. "And it's hot."

It's hard to say if he's making up excuses or genuinely thinks it'd be better to sleep in the truck. There's pros and cons to both and if he doesn't have any strong opinion either way he doesn't see why he shouldn't go with the option that'll give them more privacy.

"Just...makes me a little nervous, having you sleeping outside." Gladio sighs. "But you're an adult now, huh? Guess I gotta let you make your own decisions, same as Iggy." He gives Talcott a sidelong smile. "I better see you well-rested tomorrow morning, though."

That smile speaks volumes for the progress he's forced himself through and it earns him one in return. "I'll be fine Gladio. I appreciate it though." The real trouble is going to be convincing Ignis to let him sleep on his cot in the truck. But if he doesn't go in with Gladio then they can just avoid that argument altogether!

Now that's a cute thought.

And to the foolish or inexperienced, it seems as though Talcott could get away with such an idea. When they finally pull back in to town, the camper where they stay has all of its lights turned off. Completely silent, at a distance.

Except the second that the truck settles down, engine rolling into silence, there's a door opening, and out trots someone who wastes no time in navigating straight over to where they've parked with the same confident strides as always. All the more silent in the buzz of a busy and overcrowded city like Lestallum, too, although hopefully neither men are so foolish as to not keep their eyes on the camper where Ignis has been.

"That took less time than I thought," he says once he's near enough. "Then I can only assume that it was a minor trouble in the end. Excellent to hear. I suppose there's no need to stay out and ruin your sleep schedule any more than it is, is there, Talcott? You've earned some good luck."

Gladio might die laughing. Talcott might die of embarrassment and having to explain why his voice sounds a little rougher from crying.

...But good nights like these are precious.