Renovating the Heart (FFXV)

LXIII) Gale

"What the #$%^ are you doing here, Corden?"

"Thought I'd stop by." Rue straightened, her eyebrows twitching when a sharp pain shot through her side. "I work here."

"And you're on recovery time," Rayne countered, crossing her arms. "You're getting paid to lay in bed."

"I don't want to lay in bed."

"Well, I can't pay you for doing nothing."

"Watching to learn isn't nothing."

The rest of the Kingsglaive watched in stunned silence as the two bickered, knowing full well that Rayne would have throttled anyone else for that level of defiance in her training room. Rue waited for Rayne's reply, suppressing a smile she knew would get her in trouble. Finally, Rayne huffed and waved a hand at her.

"Fine. Just stay out of the way."

"I'm good at that."

"No," Rayne snapped, eyeing Rue's cuts and bruises. "You're not."

She shrugged, slumping against the wall as she sank into a seat on a bench. Relir shot her a knowing smile. As the rest of the glaives stood to show off their warping to each other, a few others wandered to the sidelines, accepting defeat that many others did. Without the talent for soaring through time, the rest of them were basically upgraded guards. Rue was okay with that. She jumped when she realized someone was standing over her.

"Oh, hey Ari."

"Hello." Ari's pale eyes flitted toward the practicing glaives. "Do you mind if I sit here?"

"Not at all." Rue smiled, waiting. He hesitated a moment longer before sitting down, keeping a large gap between them. In his hands, he turned a small book over and over. "Why's it taking you so long to read that one?"

"Pardon?" His head snapped around to look at her before he glanced down at the book. "Oh." He shrugged, leaning forward the press his elbows to his knees. "I'm studying it," he answered finally.

"Studying?"

"Yes." Ari sighed, flipping through the pages quickly. She could see hundreds of markings, notes, and highlights.

"What, like, language class?"

"No." He was clearly beginning to get irritated with her prodding again. "To learn how to improve."

"Improve...? Oh, your writing, right."

"Yes, my writing," Ari muttered.

"We don't have to talk."

"No, it's alright. I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I'm a bit... short-tempered these days."

"Hard not to be when it feels like we're always taking two steps back," Rue huffed, running a hand through her hair. Ari glanced at her, nodding slowly.

"Yeah. I guess." He tucked the book away and looked up at the glaives, watching them vanish and reappear around them, cringing ever so slightly with the air-bending pop that followed every return. "Looks like most of yours is going right, though."

"What do you mean?"

"Your friends. The support you receive." He gestured toward Rayne. "No matter how much you fail, you're brought back up to your feet."

"Yeah... I guess." Rue watched Rayne bark orders, admiring her determination in shaping these people into mindful, powerful soldiers willing to die for king and country. She remembered the faces of those who surrounded her, whether they be supporting her through smiles, gruff teasing, or tight hugs. A faint smile tugged her lips. "I'm very lucky."