Ways Forward
This takes place in between ‘Possibilities’ and what comes next.
Enjoy.
"He won't respond to me Gladio, not even to eat." The blonds worry was evident as he spoke to the bigger man, his hands dangerously close to wringing together.
Gladio sighed and headed for the stairs. His posture grew more intimidating. He knew Ignis couldn't see it but hoped maybe he would pick up on it somehow. He entered the room Ignis and Prompto shared and went to stand next to the bed, looking down at Ignis, who stared blankly. "Iggy, Prom says you're not responding? I see you breathing, what gives?"
Ignis' face darkened.
"Godsdammit Iggy you can't do this. I know you're fucking beyond depressed but you have to eat."
Ignis screamed silently at him and Gladio cringed, then held a hand up to Prompto, who looked ready to intervene. Gladio moved closer and reached down to grab the blankets on Ignis and yank them away. He put his arm back in time for the enraged man to find it as he struggled to get up to his good knee and throw himself at Gladio.
The big man caught him and let him rage with him as the target, slowly sitting down with Ignis sprawled in his lap. Eventually Ignis stilled and Gladio stroked his hair as he calmed. He spoke to Prompto softly. "He's just angry and can't do anything about it.."
Prompto frowned and nodded some, chewing a nail. "He tried to burn his recipe book. I had to take it."
Gladio sighed and stroked Ignis' hair a little harder, frustrated with his inability to protect his friend from what had happened to him and what he had yet to face because of it. He jumped as Ignis moved his arm violently and tried to speak and when he attempted to stop him received a hard elbow to his thigh.
Ignis tried to pull himself upright and Prompto came to help him and soon the three were huddled together in a group on the bedroom floor. Ignis opened his mouth and tried again, his voice faint and raspy, accent gone. "Hhhhh...r...hhd.." He scowled at the word, barely recognizable but then Prompto spoke cheerily.
"Hard? Yeah it sucks dude. Like, totally. I'd say we teach you some kind of signs buuuuuut…that's out eh?"
Ignis was startled by the young man's honest nature and began to laugh strangely.
Gladio frowned but didn't say anything since Ignis was responding well and he listened carefully as the man tried to speak again.
"Kooohhk?" Both of them were at a loss for a moment until Ignis lifted a hand to pretend to stir and then Prompto grew excited. "Cook! You want to cook! Yeah! Ok! Gladio bring him!"
Gladio seemed unsure but carefully lifted Ignis from the floor and put him over his shoulder, smiling solemnly at the indignant sound he made. He followed Prompto downstairs and to the kitchen, then carefully lowered Ignis into a chair and settled his leg. He looked at his face and froze.
Ignis was crying softly.
Before Gladio could speak Ignis shook his head and smiled, which made him feel better but more confused. Soon Prompto was chattering to Ignis though, taking a lead Gladio had never seen before.
"Ok Iggy, I bet you want something good. Now I won't let you just eat cake, so…let's make that fish stuff you like! I don't think we have everything but…it could still work right?"
Ignis seemed overwhelmed for a moment and rubbed at his nose with the heel of his hand before holding the hand out from him as if it were beyond disgusting. He finally lowered it and sighed before smiling and nodding to Prompto. He raised his eyebrows and tilted his head in a sudden flash of inspiration and grinned when Prompto responded the way he wanted.
"Oh, it's stuff like the mollusks. We have the shrimp though! And lots of rice."
Prompto seemed overjoyed when Ignis nodded and soon the two were wrapped up in conversation. Of a sorts.
And before he knew it Gladio was sneaking out and heading down the coast. He knew it was risky but the way he reasoned, someone had to take care of Ignis, and he wasn't the right guy for the job. It meant that someone had to take care of both Ignis and Prompto. That, he could do.
Gladio soon returned with a dozen Cleigne Mollusks and set the bag in the sink, much to Prompto's surprise. He began to wash them off and grinned at the way Ignis reacted to the sounds. He seemed excited. "Yeah I got you the mollusks. We are right here after all." He saw the scowl cross Ignis' face and spoke again quickly. "I don't want you thinking you'll get a treat like this all the time but it was no big deal, no daemons."
Ignis blushed and turned away from the sink smiling. Gladio continued to prepare the mollusks and Prompto brought different ingredients to Ignis so he could smell them.
This became routine.
Gladio foraged for ingredients and did hunts for Gil while Prompto and Ignis stayed home. Stayed safe. Often he couldn't stay long, if at all, but he always tried to bring them something special. Scrap for Prompto to tinker with. A heating pad large enough to wrap around Ignis' knee. He got books for himself and whenever he was home with the other two he made it a point to read to them.
And despite their circumstances he found himself liking it. It was cozy. He thought it was nearly what having a wife and a kid would be like, though he wasn't sure Ignis would have appreciated being the kid.
But then…watching the way Ignis and Prompto smiled at different parts of his stories and tilted their heads to look up at him maybe it wasn't so far out of line to say they liked it too.
