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“I can take care of myself,” Prompto said as he struck the flint and the tinder ignited.
“I know you can,” Gladio responded calmly, trying to ease the bitterness that was rolling off his friend in waves. He watched attentively as Prompto fanned the flames until they sparked and the kindling caught fire. “That isn’t what this is about.”
Prompto continued to add larger pieces of wood to the fire under Gladio’s watchful eye. “Well, it sure seems like it to me, Big Guy. You’re the one who decided you’re gonna leave us behind and go it alone.”
Gladio sighed. It was tough facing the reality of how jaded and hardened Prompto had become since they’d rescued him and then almost immediately lost Noctis to the Crystal. “Yeah, I did. But I didn’t ask you to come out here because I think you can’t take care of yourself.”
Prompto’s eyes glowed fiercely in the firelight as he asked, “Then why the hell did you?”
Gladio redirected his gaze to the campfire as he answered, “We can do more and help more people if the three of us spread out. Eventually, when Ignis is more… settled… I know you’re gonna want to strike out on your own too. When that time comes, and you’re ready, I want you to be prepared.”
“Dude, whenever I so much as asked you if I could help you set up the tent you always insisted on doing it yourself because I’d ‘just get in your way.’ But now because you decided you’re gonna leave, all of a sudden you think I need to learn how to camp?” Prompto snapped furiously. “I survived Noct throwing me off a fucking train in a frozen fucking wasteland! I know how to make due with absolutely nothing.”
“That’s my point, Prompto,” Gladio raised his eyes to meet Prompto’s smoldering gaze as he snapped back in frustration. “That never should have happened in the first place and it was my fault. I should have made sure you could access our equipment and knew how to use it. I should have taught you basic survival skills so you didn’t have to make due with nothing.”
Prompto deflated with a sigh and sank back into his chair as he said, “At the rate we’re going, I think we’re all going to need to make due with a lot less. The sun hasn’t come up in weeks.”
“I know. That’s why I need to be out there,” Gladio said solemnly. “Things are gonna get a lot worse real quick and that’s why I know eventually, you’re going to be out there too. So before I go, I want to make sure you know the necessities. We have no idea when Noct is gonna be back, but staying alive has got to be your absolute priority. Things are gonna get rough and I know you can take care of yourself, but I want you to be as prepared as you can be.”
Prompto laughed mirthlessly. Outside the glow of the haven, the roar of daemons echoed loudly in the dark. “I don’t think any of us were prepared for this.”
“We weren’t,” Gladio agreed as his eyes focused once again on the glowing embers of the fire. “But now we’re going to be and when Noct comes back...”
Prompto picked up where Gladio trailed off. “...We’ll be ready.”
“Yeah, Blondie,” Gladio said with a mirthless chuckle of his own. “We will be.”