revivalproject | [Open] The Daring, Dashing, And Dating

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[Open] The Daring, Dashing, And Dating

WHO: Gladiolus, Noctis, Any Starduck Crew (or visitors), Open
WHERE: Starduck, Ul'Dah, Limsa Lominsa, Gold Saucer, Costa del Sol Dungeon
WHAT: Shipboard Times, Questions, Gladitorial Work, Dungeon Crawl, and Dating
WHEN: During Event, from June 17th - August 10th
WARNINGS: Violence/Injuries Possible in the Dungeon Crawl
NOTES: Unless otherwise noted, assume Gladio is dressed Like This on the planet

1A - A New Star | Starduck | [Crewmates Only]

Turned out that flying a ship in atmo and in space were not quite the same. Gladio may have had some practice at the former, but fuck, the latter wasn't easy. He grit his teeth as he focused on the whole thing. After a thought he flips a switch and speaks, hoping the PA system really does work.

"This is your Captain. Feel free to come on up to get a fucking view of a glowing hole in space. And some planet with it I guess. Anyone got any Ifrit-Damned clue what's going on here? Come up to the cockpit and explain shit."

1B - Captain With The Ship | Starduck | [OTA, visitors from other ships welcome to fly over]

No one could be on the planet all of the time. Okay, maybe they could, and go and spend their money on nice restaurants or plush inns, but not Gladio. No, he had other things he should be doing, and honestly, he felt safer bunking down on the Starduck. So in the evenings it was always a touch to a crystal and being whisked back onto his ship. Once there Gladio groaned and started to shed his gear right there in the hold. Simple enough to tuck it all back into his chest and then dress in his normal gear.

"Nice place, like to visit. Fuck I wouldn't wanna stay."

He wasn't used to people being that much larger and stronger than him. The Hrothgar were getting to him.

"Time to chill.

2 - King of the Ring | Ul'Dah Coliseum | [OTA]

They had him at 'battle monsters for a purse of money'. Gladio was a monster hunting machine back home, and he was more than happy to prove it here. Granted he wouldn't be able to change his weapons on the fly in the battle, but he still didn't mind. He's doing great.

It's easy to run into him here. Gladio's often in the back prep areas, stretching and doing warm up exercises, eyes sparkling with excitement. Any might approach him then as he warmed up for a nice round of monster fighting. Of course there was always the chance that someone might want to set up a nice little spot of one on one competition, may the winner take the spoils. All it would take is someone approaching him to start a conversation for that.

But a guy couldn't be fighting all the time. And after fights even Gladio found himself up in the stands, stretched out and catching his breath as he watched the action. Maybe he might not linger as long, but hey, it was nice to see who all was a good fighter, right?

3 - Stocking Up For Later | Limsa Lominsa Markets | [OTA]

It felt it had been so damn long since Gladio had been in a bustling port down, since he could see the sun on the water and in the sky and on the beach and not see ruins along with it all. It was... Fuck, it was one of the most beautiful things ever. And so he didn't mind coming back here time and time again. First he kept stopping in to check up on Noctis (fishing, predictably). Then he moved on to gather quests for the day, intending to head out to do what he could to build up gold, earn rumors, and go seeking the secrets the Agrii needed.

He spent a lot of time moving between shops to pick up potions and other supplies, and of course he popped in and out of other ones to look over weapons and armor. But in the end the thing that gave him the most pause was any time he caught sight of someone he recognized from Temba.

"Hey! Over here!" he shouted, waving. Better to let them know he was around, and swap intel. Had to know what was going on, right? They were all in this together.

4 - Old Hand At Dungeons | Costa del Sol Dungeon | [One Thread Tony & Jon, OTA one on one otherwise]

Seek Rats, huh? Well, if Gladio knew anything, rats and all that sorta shit were in underground caves. Sure, they were other places too, but who was he to judge? Besides, they probably meant secrets, and from Gladio's experience, some of the deepest and most important secrets of his own world were in fucking caves. Sure there were daemons there too, but they'd found answers to stop the will of Bahamut in caves like this.

So, once he'd heard the cave was a thing, that it was new, well, it seemed like a place to go searching. Gladio's earlier meeting with Tony had brought him to the decision of working with others for this, and once he was pretty sure they were sufficiently geared up, he'd boarded a boat, and gone with Tony to find the entrance to the cave.

"Alright," he said, eyes casting about to make sure there was no one around before using Tony and Jon as cover to summon his sword to his hand. Better safe than sorry. "Time to go in. Your job is to stay back and be my eyes, and solve any puzzles. Keep a mental map of where we're going. And if you feel confident fighting, join in. Just make sure you get back if I order you to, okay?"

He was the experienced on in this after all.

Of course Tony and Jon weren't the only ones he went in with either. Gladio was always happy to go through places extra times, because honestly it was easier to do a thing multiple times. And hey, he was making good money from hunting these monster parts. So he didn't mind clearing the beach while he waited for additional partners to go dungeoning with. In fact, he thought he had caught sight of someone right now. Gladio stood a little taller, leaning his giant sword against his shoulder, and he nodded.

"Yo. You looking to head in? Could use another set of hands."

5 - Charm Goes Arm In Arm | Gold Saucer | [Closed to Noctis]

It had taken a week and a half before Gladio had finished the plan. He'd told Noctis he had an idea, that he'd let the guy know when it was ready. Seeing as they shared a ship, he could keep Noctis appraised at night if Noctis came back to the ship to sleep. Six knew that Gladio sure slept on the ship, liking how safe and secure it felt. And the night before Gladio had asked Noctis to make sure to reserve the day for him.

All the time had been investing in building up the Gil for this. With a heavy pouch filled with the money he'd need for the planned evening, he had awoken, dressed in an outfit he'd gotten expressly for the day, and then he had awoken Noctis. Once he had his King up and moving he guided Noctis to the crystal, and then through it, dropping them in the entrance of the Gold Saucer.

"Alright," he said, smiling as he held his hand to Noctis, "today is for us. I've got a lot of ideas, and some set plans. But you're welcome to overrule stuff."

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"Wait what?"

Gladio definitely wasn't expecting that. And then he's smiling. Noctis would be so angry if that happened. He's got a great mental image of it and is having fun.

Dustin returns Gladio's smile with a completely deadpan frown.

"Did I fucking stutter? What are you grinning about?"

"No, that doesn't mean what you said isn't weird. And I'm grinning at how that would piss NOctis off."

Noctis would fight the thing. Because he was so angry over losing his fish.

"Ah." Dustin huffs a sigh, looking more exasperated than relieved. "Well, maybe he's already run into a few and thrown them around. I don't fucking know, I just turn in the fish. You should go talk to him and see if he knows someone that needs protecting."

Yes, Dustin has more or less said that he's one of those people. Is he going to directly ask Gladio for the help? Not a chance in hell.

"I check in with him every night," Gladio points out. Him and Noctis shared a ship after all. And damn, that space with his boyfriend was good.

"And if he finds someone who needs protecting, he'll do it himself. That's just who he is."

Dustin arcs an eyebrow, but doesn't waste his time trying to determine the finer points of Gladio and Noctis's relationship. Or if 'checking in' is supposed to be some kind of double entendre. The thought does cross his mind, but his impression of Gladio is that he's too blunt for that sort of thing, so he elects to take it at face value.

"Then it sounds like he'll be kept busy," Dustin shrugs. "We're looking for work for you, right? If you think he can handle protecting the fishermen, there's still the Miners' and Botanists' Guilds. They don't usually post their quests in other cities, but they still need to get supplies abroad. I've heard a few like that asking for escorts by the gates."

Where would they ever get the privacy on the ships right now for that sort of 'checking in'? Though Gladio had considered renting a hotel room for that very purpose.

"Damn right. New fish, and people to protect? Dude's going to run himself around silly. But work for me would be appreciated. Need to pull some in to get money for clothes and supplies. As for Miners... Guess I'm used to fumbling around in the dark, might work for me."

So he's willing to consider that. If he can remember where the gates are.

"Gotta admit, haven't left Limsa by any gates. It's all been crystal travel because I hadn't had quests here."

Edited 2022-08-05 17:36 (UTC)

It takes a second for Dustin to infer that Gladio doesn't know where the gates are. When he does, he lets out a long-suffering sigh and points directly across the plaza.

"Straight ahead, down the large road and through Bulwark Hall. You'll know you're on the right path when you pass the chocobo stables." Dustin lets his arm unceremoniously flop back to his side. "That's Zephyr Gate. Heads due east into La Noscea. There's some notable mining locations in the wilds there, so you're likely to run into someone that wants an escort."

Not a single fucking clue where the gates were. And Dustin's sigh only earns a smile. The directions are useful too.

"I'll be heading there then," he says with a grin, and definitely a salute of appreciation as well.

Dustin returns that grin and salute with just a dour frown, apparently unimpressed.

"Good. Go be useful or whatever." He waves a hand dismissively. "If anyone asks, you didn't get this info from me and I was never here."

Oh come on, smile kid. Don't be so dour.

"Definitely got it from you," Gladio rolled his eyes. "You sound like you're trying to be in a spy movie."

It was just ridiculous.

Dustin scoffs, re-folding his arms. "Got it from me, huh?" he says, gently glossing over the dig that followed. As far as he's concerned, they are spies, and they should be taking this seriously. "What's my name?"

Well, that's a good question.

"Don't know. But I can head back up to the ships to check," Gladio pointed out.

IF there was one thing he appreciated, it was how the communication devices had listings on the 'He Rows' that included their names and pictures.

Dustin scowls his displeasure at his bluff being called. It wasn't a terribly good one, sure, given the ubiquity of the tablets and how frustratingly easy the Agrii made it to find names and pictures of people, but he'd hoped Gladio wasn't bright enough to think of that avenue so quickly. That, and delicately-maintained anonymity is something Dustin has relied on for months before arriving on Agra-10. He's still getting used to it being so unceremoniously stripped away from him.

No surprise, then, that Dustin becomes immediately defensive about it. "Well, fine!" he snaps, his previously haughty expression transitioning seamlessly into a pout. "Go ahead! See if I care."

Too irritated to stick around and see how Gladio feels about that incredible passive-aggressive comeback, the teen spins on his heel and marches towards the giant crystal at the center of the plaza. He's still got tasks to do in Limsa, but right now, frankly, Dustin just wants to be anywhere but here.

Wow, he may be buff, but that doesn't mean Gladio is an idiot. He loved learning and was a lifelong reader, so yes, he could come up with logical answers to something as simple as 'how to find a name'.

"Hey," Gladio says, moving after the other as the guy made for a crystal, "is it a problem? For me to know who you are? If it is, I could not look. If you want."

Of course, Gladio's also a genuinely good guy.

Dustin might be walking away quickly, but his stride isn't terribly long, at least not in comparison to Gladio's. The man catches up to him before he makes it too far. It helps that Gladio asking for permission is unexpected enough to get Dustin to stop in his tracks as well. He pauses, then spins his head over his shoulder, looking incredulous.

"Why do you care? It's not like there's anything stopping you." Annoyance still carries through Dustin's tone, in spite of the surprise written all over his face. "Hell, you might look at it on accident while you're trying to find the records of someone else. It'd be idiotic of me to demand anything else."

"Respecting the wishes of another autonomous being is stopping me," Gladio points out. He's not a meat head. He's got a brain in here too. "But if you want, I'll do my best not to find out. It's called respect."

ANd at the moment, he's worried the kid hasn't gotten enough of it in his life.

"I'm not here to be your enemy. But I'm not forcing you to accept me as a friend or acquaintance. Just someone that, in the moment, has your back."

Dustin slowly pivots the rest of the way around to face Gladio again, eyes narrowed and arms folded defensively as he takes the time to assess the man's intentions. Not that Gladio hasn't made them clear, but he could be deliberately trying to catch him off-guard, playing nice so he can get Dustin to disclose more sensitive, harder to ascertain information than just his name.

Except, Gladio has shown absolutely no evidence of being a liar. He's almost painfully forthright and earnest, neither hostile nor probing. And Dustin can't deny that Gladio's values align with his own, to a degree that hearing them parroted back like this is a little jarring. The kid might be a condescending ass, but he's a condescending ass that respects boundaries, because it's what he always hopes will be done for him. It rarely has.

A long, scrutinizing pause later, Dustin's thoughts come to a consensus. He visibly deflates with a heavy sigh through his nose.

"...I don't care if you know my name," he mumbles, eyes rolling down to follow his feet scuffing at the stonework floor. "But I value my privacy. I don't want people to know I was here. Is that too much to ask?"

"Nope," Gladio says, "it's not too much. So I'll respect it. Which means I'll see you when I see you."

And that he won't bother looking the kid up. Sure, he doesn't care if Gladio knows his name, but he says he values his privacy. And there is no reason for him to pry. So he offers a little playful salute before turning around. He's got to find that work.

Dustin watches Gladio start to leave, opening his mouth to interject - but stops. This feels like a favor, and favors must be repaid, except Dustin is getting the distinct impression that Gladio isn't expecting to be compensated for something that he sees as basic human decency. Should he press him anyway?

...No. He'll remember this and find a way to pay him back later. Dustin clicks his mouth shut and turns away, headed back towards the markets instead of the crystal. He's got more wares to sell and, suddenly, he doesn't feel quite so threatened about sticking around for a while.

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[Open] The Daring, Dashing, And Dating

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