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.
"Gotta keep him from drooling on Cindy," he explained as he was halfway out the door.
"Don't worry about cleaning up," Iris assured Ignis as he started to run the water. "Sig 'n I can take care of that stuff once you guys are gone."
"You're sure?"
"Of course!"
With that, Gladio ushered everyone outside to greet their favorite nude mechanic and her cranky grandpa, who made several picky snaps at Noctis about his posture and ignored Rue altogether until they got off the elevator in the lighthouse. His sharp eyes scanned over her, narrowed, and he shot Noctis a stern look.
"Who's she? One of your concubines?"
"Uh, no."
"She could be, for the right price," Rayne muttered, elbowing Gladio. Rue pretended she didn't hear, though it was obvious the others did. Still, they were too polite to ask.
"Well? Introduce her," Cid snapped, crossing his thin arms. His scowl was even scarier under the dim lights of the dock, hidden beneath the shadow of his weathered baseball cap.
"I—" Rue started, cut off when Cindy stepped out in front of her with a pout on her lips.
"Paw Paw, I already told you. She's Ignis's assistant for personal matters."
"What, like a therapist?" the old man croaked, shooting Rue a glare when she laughed, covering her mouth with her hand. "Quit yer gigglin'!" #$%^. "Are we headin' to Altissia or aren't we?"
"Yeah, we are," Noctis nodded. Cid huffed, grabbing a key off the wall and heading toward the boat that was docked at the edge of the water behind them. Rue wondered how water hadn't soaked all the furniture in the room.
"Get yer stuff in the back and then we're headin' out."
"Bye Gladdy!" Iris said cheerfully, squeezing the life out of her big brother. "Be safe!"
"Will do," Rayne winked, earning a groan from her brother. She threw an arm around his shoulders and ruffled his hair. "And you be safe with Axel, yeah?"
"Stop," he huffed, trying to push away. She grinned, forcing him into a hug and then releasing the poor boy. "You don't have to be so weird about it."
"Yeah, well, you're my little brother and he's my son." Her eyes lit up and she laughed. "Dude, you're a creepy uncle!"
"Seriously?" he grumbled, shaking his head. Prompto laughed.
"Have fun, Signum!" she called over her shoulder as she headed toward the boat, lugging her suitcase behind her. Cid watched them load their things with a scowl.
"Why the #$%^ do ya'll need all this stuff? You were fine with the clothes on your back last time."
"Guess we're just living in the lap of luxury," Rue muttered. Ignis huffed a short laugh, turning back to the old man.
"Are you certain you're willing to take us? It's quite the—"
"I didn't haul my #$% all the way out here for a sappy goodbye," he snapped, slowly getting on board. "Cindy, make sure no one's blowin' up Hammerhead, ya hear?"
"Sure thing, Paw Paw," Cindy sighed, shaking her head. She raised a hand up and waved cheerfully. "Bye now! Don't forget to come back 'n visit me some time!"
"It's just for a few days," Noctis reassured her, looking around the sleek boat. Is this his? Cid started up the boat's engine and, with a final wave to his granddaughter, pulled out of the dock cautiously. Once outside, they started to speed up. Rue braced herself against the railed edge as the waves tossed them about, rolling her eyes when Prompto heaved a dreamy sigh.
"I could never forget her."
"Bet you dream about her," Rayne scoffed, crossing her arms and flopping down onto one of the two leather couches that lined the ship's interior. "What the two of you would do if you were alone..."
"Stop," Noctis huffed. Prompto's face grew bright red.
"I do not!"
"And I don't believe you," Rayne retorted, closing her eyes. "Those beds were small."
"I didn't think they were too bad," Rue shrugged. Rayne raised an eyebrow.
"You and Prompto aren't exactly a good size comparison for me and Gladio. Have you seen the guy? Huge."
"Huge," Gladio nodded with a smug smile.
It was Ignis's turn to sigh dismissively at his friend, watching Noctis head toward the front of the motorboat to speak with Cid. The advisor sat down in the seat at the front corner, adjusting his glasses and hunching over his notebook. Curious, Rue started toward him, only to be stopped by Prompto's plea for a photo or two—a photo or two which somehow took twenty minutes of her time. Finally, Rue headed toward Ignis to figure out what he was doing, but she paused a few steps away from his seat. Why the #$%^ do I keep pestering this guy? Her heart skipped a beat nervously as she wondered if he regretted inviting her along. Before she could turn tail, though, he noticed her hovering a short distance away.
"You're not getting sick, are you?" he asked, looking up from the book.
"No?" Rue frowned, taking the last few steps to close the distance. Ignis moved over to the edge of his chair, nodding toward the extra gap between him and Rayne. "You're sure you don't mind me invading your space?"
"Unless you plan on sitting on me, I have no qualms about you being here." Rue fought the urge to laugh.
"#$%^, you got me there," she huffed, sitting down and keeping as much distance as possible between them. "What're you doing over here?"
"Checking the schedule."
"Of course you are; what else?" she teased, looking at the others. Gladio joined Cid and Noctis a short while ago, Rayne was fast asleep, and Prompto was on his phone at the back of the ship, concentrating on mashing his fingers against his screen. "How are we holding up?"
"Well, we've checked off one objective."
"Which is?"
"Board the ship."
"Ah." Rue turned her gaze back down to the book. "Has anyone ever told you that you have incredibly, maybe even freakishly, perfect handwriting?"
"Not with quite the same wording, no," Ignis replied, amused by her description. "Years of practice will get you there."
"I could use it."
"I'm aware."
"Thanks," she scoffed. "What's next? Kiss #$% with the Camelia lady?"
"Bringing our things to her estate. As the hotels will likely be full due to celebrations happening this weekend, she has offered us a secure place in her own home."
"Geeze, how big is her house?"
"About an eighth of the size of the Citadel," he frowned. "So, fairly large. More a mansion than a house."
"Rich people," she muttered, shaking her head. She suddenly realized how painfully uncomfortable this conversation was. She was shoved up against her boss, trying to avoid the woman who hated her guts, and attempting to continue a conversation on a topic she knew nothing about. Clearing her throat, she pushed herself to her feet. "Well, I just came to snoop. I'm gonna go bother Prompto now."
"He certainly needs it more than I do." Save it, Scientia.
The rest of the ride passed in relative silence, save for Rue and Prompto's competitive, but hushed, smack talk as they played a few rounds of King's Knight. Finally, the boat began to slow, and Rue got to her feet, staring in awe at the sight of the magnificent city. Rubble still decorated the clear waters and the buildings themselves, but it was hardly as bad as Insomnia's condition after the darkness. Bright blue waterfalls streamed down from gates and moats and poured from a wall that must have been a dam at one point. The buildings were aged with chipped white and cream paints, but it only added to their charm. The gateway into the city was one of pale stone carved into a hundred ornate patterns and designs. Prompto snapped a few pictures to her right.
"And I thought Cape Caem was gorgeous," Rue gushed, gripping the railing on the side of the ship and leaning forward to feel the mist on her face. Gladio chuckled, shaking his head.
"Altissia really is its own kind of thing."
"Still. It has a certain charm to it that Insomnia could never compete with." She stepped back to wipe off her glasses, turning to face Gladio, who combed a hand through his long hair to push it out of his eyes. "Has Iris ever been?"
"No. She wanted to when we went the first time, but we weren't here on vacation."
"Hm." Rue leaned against the side of the boat, watching the clear water pass by beneath them. "You should take her some time, preferably before another world crisis."
"How many more of those do you think we can handle?" Rayne scoffed, finally peeling her eyes open. "I missed this place."
"I mean, this boat is where you 'n the big guy got it on for the first time," Prompto teased, elbowing her. She rolled eyes as Rue frowned, not entirely wanting to picture what Prompto just put in her head.
"If by 'got it on' you mean 'kissed,' then yeah, I'll accept that." Rayne turned her violet eyes up to Rue, irritated by the blonde's antics. "I swear, any PDA of any type has to suddenly turn into something highly inappropriate with them."
"What do you mean by 'them?'" Noctis demanded, crossing his arms and facing the others. "I made one comment."
"A comment that contributed," Rayne countered smugly, dragging herself to her feet and stretching her arms over her head. "That makes you a part of the grand scheme, my friend."
"And the innocent bystander?" Ignis asked, finally looking up from his notebook. Rue raised her eyebrows. Dude, it's been hours. What are you doing?
"Involved because he didn't step in."
"If I recall correctly, Gladio stepped in before I had the chance."
"Yeah, well, at least he was making himself useful." Gods, they're all children, aren't they? Rue fought a smile as the boat slowed, entering a narrow stream that carried them toward the city. A man dressed in a military uniform stopped them before they could reach the dock.
"Your Highness?" he asked upon seeing Noctis, jerking his head toward his crew. "No need for a pass; go on ahead. The secretary is expecting you."
"Thanks," Noctis nodded.
Cid grumbled something under his breath as he tucked a paper slip back into his pocket, presumably a pass to allow them entry into the city. The waters spanned into an open circle before the mechanic expertly turned them into a position at the docks. The boat's motors slowed to a stop.
"Get yer stuff and get out; I gotta get back to Cape Caem, but if ya'll give me a call, I'll come right on back to pick you up," Cid said in his hoarse voice. Ignis nodded gratefully.
"Thank you. We'll be sure to call ahead of time."
"Yeah, yeah. Go on and get yer people together, Noctis."
"Will do," Noct nodded, climbing off the ship and reaching out to take the suitcase Gladio lowered to him. "Thanks, big guy."
"Don't mention it," came a grumbled reply.
Once they'd unloaded, the group headed through security, which immediately granted them access, no questions asked. Ignis peered at the dampened map that was stapled to a bulletin board ahead of them, searching for the secretary's home. Just two years after the world began to come together again, the city was alive and bustling with life, having slowly picked up the pieces of its crumbled buildings and returned them to their former selves. Altissia was certainly dependent on its appearance and being the first back on her feet was very important to her people, it seemed. Rue felt all too welcome in this land of strangers; the bustling city of Insomnia was where she'd grown up, after all. A lifeless town was absolutely not the place for her.
Finally, Ignis began to lead the way through the city, somehow having memorized the way to the estate they were to stay at. Already, the sun was crawling down from its afternoon heights, ever so slowly creeping toward the horizon. Prompto and Rayne pointed out different locations they remembered and Gladio told Noctis a story about an old man getting in an argument with Ignis over prices. Rue gawked at her surroundings; it felt as though she'd stepped inside a classical painting. People played music on street corners and paid for food at stands they'd never seen while the gondolas sped past through narrow rivers that cut through the town. Altissia was a dreamland.
The secretary's estate was the icing on the cake, towering high above the residential buildings and the shops and guarded by heavy iron bars. The guards outside were solemn, staying eerily silent as they parted the gates to allow Noctis and his retainers entry. Another pair of men opened the large, paneled doors to the interior, which was decorated with bronze vases and dull tapestries to allow the bright colors of the tile designs to come through. Before Rue could comment on yet another beautiful scene, they were greeted by a young woman in a tight black dress.
"Welcome, Your Majesty," she greeted, bowing lowly. When she straightened, she smiled at the group. "Allow me to show you to your rooms. You're welcome to remain as guests in this home as long as you need."
"Thanks," Noctis replied, following the girl as she led the way up a broad set of stairs and down a wide hallway of doors. She paused outside the first room.
"I hope you don't mind, but we've assigned the rooms by pair to save space."
"Of course," Ignis nodded, watching as she opened the first door.
"This room is for Your Majesty and Mr. Argentum."
"Prompto works for me," Prompto corrected with a smile, lugging his bag through the door. "C'mon, Noct! We're bunk buddies!"
"Not this again," Noctis sighed, shooting Ignis a look before heading into the bedroom. The young woman smiled, leading the way to the next door with quick, long steps. The click of her heels against the smooth tile echoed throughout the expansive hallway.
"This next room is for Rayne Callen and Gladiolus Amicitia." #$%^, that means I'm stuck with my boss. Again. Rue glanced over at him. This poor man.
"Thanks," Gladio replied, heaving both suitcases into the room. Rayne shot the girl a grateful smile and closed the door behind them.
"What do you think they'll do first?" Rue muttered to Ignis as they moved along. "Christen the room or eat everything they packed?"
"I'd rather not guess."
"Last but not least, this is the room for Ignis Scientia and Rue Corden." Ignis frowned, peering into the room. "Is everything alright?"
"Yes, I had just hoped there would be more than one bed," Ignis admitted, turning his gaze back to her. With a practiced smile, the girl tucked her brunette hair behind her ear.
"I'm sorry, sir, but all we have are rooms like these. If you'd like, I can bring bedding up for the couch, but the secretary was quite clear about making sure we only used three rooms. Otherwise, His Majesty would be the first to be provided his own space. Unfortunately, much of the manor is under construction as we rebuild the city."
"Of course," Ignis muttered. Rue cleared her throat, offering the poor girl a smile.
"We'll give you a call if we need you, okay?"
"Sounds good! I left my cell number in every room for just that reason. Don't be afraid to ask for anything."
"Thank you," Rue nodded, dragging her dingy old bag into the room behind Ignis and closing the door. She gave a look whistle, looking around. "This is better than any hotel I've ever seen."
"Well, it is a powerful woman's home," Ignis reminded her, heading across the room to open the curtains to the towering windows that overlooked the city.
Between the rows of glass was a door to a balcony set with two chairs and a short concrete wall. The wall to her right was a towering bookcase guarded by frosted glass doors, and before that stood a long table set with six chairs. To her left, a wide bed with thick covers and at least a half dozen pillows. As much as I hate to admit it, there looks like there's room for both of us. Ignis carefully cracked open the doors to the balcony and took a deep breath of the fresh air. Before either of them could break the silence, a knock came to their door. Gladio peeked his head in.
"You guys down to get some food?"