@xamicitia
Noctis had never been good at getting through to Gladio. Even now, when Noct was nothing but an apparition dependent on the dreams and willingness of his friends, it still felt impossible. He was always the hardest to reach.
Maybe that was partly his fault, too.
“Guess I get to wake you up now, huh? There’s gonna be a pretty nice sunrise today, you don’t wanna miss it.”
He sighed. Telling this to Gladio’s slumbering form really wasn’t the same as hanging out. Not really comforting at all either. But Noctis wasn’t the soothing type; being dead hadn’t made him any less repressed.
All he could think to do was reach out, poking a fingertip at Gladio’s forehead, the same way he’d done when they were kids, just checking if his skull was extra thick or made entirely of iron.
“Just so you know, you don’t have to live like a shield any more. You don’t have to be strong for me anymore. It’s over. It’s okay.”
He slid his fingers through Gladio’s hair, tugging it a little, and didn’t let go until he was fading into crystal light.
“Now quit napping and watch the damn sunrise, all right?”
