How would I go about having one item placeholder A in the world, but another actual item B once I equip item A?

To give an example, let's take gauntles: it would be weird to find in the world 2 gauntlets that always stay at a fixed distance, separeted from each other. So I'd like to have only of them, or 2 but togetehr, as item A. But after I pick them up, and equip them, I want them to stay at that fixed distance, one on each arm, as item B.

Maybe having a placeholder item A isn't the best idea, but for now I don't have another one. Any ideas how should I proceed with this?