Renovating the Heart (FFXV)

XXX) Altissia

If Ignis was right about anything, it was that Prompto had a tendency to crush people in his sleep. When the first alarm went off in the morning, her foot was the numbest it had ever been, trapped under Prompto's knee. Somewhere in the night, he'd sprawled out, grabbing onto anything nearby, including Rue herself. Once she got used to his tossing and turning and touching, though, she was out like a light.

Noctis groaned loudly as he stretched, the light of his phone screen illuminating the room while the thick curtains over the window blocked out any sun. Prompto sat up slowly, pulling away from Rue as if he'd stayed on his respective side of the narrow mattress all night. And, while Rayne and Gladio gradually woke up grumbling insults at each other, Rue swung her legs out of bed and headed to the bathroom with her things before anyone could claim it. She changed into her third sweatshirt of the week and pulled on her favorite pair of leggings before brushing her teeth, refusing yet again to use her dreaded contacts and stumbling out of the bathroom, where Rayne and Gladio were talking in hushed voices and serious faces. The stopped immediately upon Rue's exit.

"What's up?" Rue asked, frowning. "Is something wrong?"

"No," Rayne replied defensively, shooting Gladio a threatening look. "Nothing that concerns you."

"Okay."

Rue walked past the couple and headed back to the room. Noctis hadn't budged, and Prompto was looming over him with a water bottle. He froze up seeing Rue, pressing a finger to his lips. She sighed, shaking her head, and putting her things away before heading downstairs. For the first time since they left, she didn't feel like complete and utter trash. Iris, seated at the long wooden table outside the cramped kitchen, smiled up at Rue as she took the stairs two at a time.

"Hey! How'd you sleep?"

"Really well," Rue admitted. "Y'know, despite the cuddle-attacks of our blonde pal." She peered into the kitchen, where, predictably, Ignis was busying himself. "Speaking of our blonde pal, he's currently dripping water into Noctis's ear. Should I be concerned?" Iris laughed.

"How's fatherhood, Iggy?" Ignis shot her an unamused look before glancing over at Rue.

"No," he sighed, shaking his head. "I gave up on reprimanding him years ago."

"Prom!" A rather loud thud echoed through the small cabin. Rue raised an eyebrow at the advisor, who seemed entirely unfazed, though a tad annoyed.

"Are they okay?"

"We'll see in a moment, won't we?" Ignis muttered as thundering footsteps hurried down the stairs, followed by the sound of Prompto's breathless laughter. The gunman wheezed at the base of the staircase, looking up at the small overhang where Noctis scowled down at him, face dripping with water.

"Yeah, I guess they are."

"Prompto might get his #$% kicked if he's not careful," Iris added with a giggle. "When are you guys heading out? Cid's coming all the way from Lestallum to drive the boat out there."

"That's not necessary," Ignis frowned. "He's hardly in any condition for such a trip."

"Yeah, well, it's kinda hard to tell him 'no,'" she admitted with a shrug. "I'm sure you get it after all that time you spent with him during the Darkness."

"He's stubborn," he agreed, turning over the eggs in his pan. Eggs. Why is it always eggs?

The morning passed by without many more eventful happenings. Just as everyone had finished their breakfast (or their coffee, if their names were Rue and Signum), the puttering of an old truck sounded at the end of the driveway. Prompto's face lit up and he rushed out the door. Noctis rolled his eyes, letting Ignis take his dirty plate, and stood to follow.