He sucks in a breath, a sharp inhale that Ignis will hear, startled by the vehemence of his insistence. He was angry, of course he was, it was no different than what had happened back home. Somehow Gladio hadn't quite been prepared for it, though and he could feel the prickling burn in his eyes already.

But Ignis continues, and the softer tone only makes it worse. He speaks and Gladio moves to the other side of his shed, lays out on the bed with the crystal nestled near his head. A think breath, a faint sniffle.

"You don't owe me anything Ignis... I don't want to stop speaking to you or seeing you but I don't expect you to tell me your secrets either. That's not... why I wrote it."