The sweltering rays of suns shone over the region of Leide. We had passed the blockade that separated Insomnia from the rest of Lucis, our eyes taking in the beautiful landscape of the desert.
Prompto was driving the Regalia and Ignis sat beside him, obviously paranoid that the blonde would do something unintelligible and try to crash the car, or worse. If Prompto didn't check for blind spots or even looked away from the road, Ignis was quick to scold him.
I sat in between Noct and Gladio, obviously, a bit squished in between them but I didn't mind. Noct watched as the desert rolled by and Gladio was reading the novel he had brought along with him.
I looked up at the giant man, observing the way his amber eyes moved slowly as he read to himself, his other hand running through his hair. He let out a soft chuckle if there was something humorous the author wrote or furrowed his brows if it looked like something terrible was going to happen.
Heat rose onto my cheeks and I turned away, clutching my pounding chest and trying to calm myself. I had to focus. I can't let anything compromise the task at hand.
"Alma, you okay?" Noct asked from beside me and I turned to him, giving him a quick nod. "You sure?" He pressed. "Your face is red. Do you feel sick? We can pull over if you aren't feeling well."
"I-It's okay, Noct, I'm fine," I smiled in assurance. "It's just very hot here, that's all."
"We should take off our jackets soon," Gladio spoke as he kept reading. "Leather isn't going to do us any good in this heat."
"Indeed," Ignis agreed. He turned around and looked back at Noct. "It's been some while but do you remember the last time you saw Lady Lunafreya?"
Noct hummed in contemplation, a dreamy, far off look in his eyes as he remembered his childhood friend, "About twelve years ago."
"That would make you," Prompto said, his eyes widening. "Eight? You were kids!" He also turned to look at Noct but Ignis gave him a glare and pointed towards the road, telling him to focus on driving.
"Hope she hasn't gotten her hopes up," Gladio closed his book and smirked, his gaze playful as he teased Noct.
"Why not?" Noct raised a black eyebrow before he glared at Prompto, who snickered at Gladio's comment. "Calm yourself!" He warned his best friend.
"Try and keep it together when you meet her," Gladio's voice rumbled from within his chest.
"She'll expect to see a fine young prince," Ignis added.
"Tell me something I don't know," Noct leaned forward.
His advisor gave a slight smirk, "We don't have time for all that. But this is your wedding we're talking about,"
"That too," he agreed but then scowled when Prompto started laughing again. "You really need to calm down."
A laugh escaped my lips and then Gladio and Noct turned to me. I covered my mouth to stifle my giggles, and so I didn't embarrass myself.
"Sorry," I said softly, looking down at my lap.
"Alma, you can laugh," Noct poked my cheek playfully. "It's Prompto who can't."
"Aw, why?" The blonde whined and pouted. "I was only kidding!"
Gladio reached out to gently peel my hand off of my mouth, "You don't have to cover your mouth, baby girl."
Before he could touch me, I took my hand off of my face and smiled tightly, "You don't have to do that, Gladio..." I stared at his amber eyes and I tried to look away but found it futile. He gave me a smirk and was ready to say something but was interrupted by the sound of the car's engine.
"Uhhhh," Noct made a sound as the car slowed down.
"Uh-oh," Prompto said, shifting the gear into neutral and firmly gripping the steering wheel.
Gladio looked at our driver, "What do you mean, 'uh-oh?'"
Noct sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "I think I know..."
The Regalia stood still on the side of the road and Noct opened the door, stepping out onto the empty freeway. He wiped the sweat off of his forehead and took off his jacket, throwing it onto the backseat. Gladio got out of the car as well, shrugging off his leather jacket and revealing the tattoo that spanned across his back and arms, the muscles of his chest rippling in the daylight. I looked away to hide my blush, taking my jacket off as well and rolling up the sleeves of my black hi-lo button-down shirt, the lace on the back doing little to shield the sunlight that burned my back.
Gladio put on a muscle shirt with the Crownsguard insignia on it; although covering his torso modestly, it didn't help in clinging to his well-built physique. "I'm going to see if we can hitch a ride to the nearest gas station."
Ignis dug into the pocket of his slacks and pulled out his phone, opening up the GPS, "It says here that the Hammerhead garage is up ahead."
"Then we hitch a ride there," Prompto chirped, taking his jacket off as well. "You don't think that the engine overheated, do you?"
Ignis took his coat off and placed it on the front passenger's seat. He looked to the gauge behind the steering wheel. "There's enough gas in the tank. It looks like the engine has overheated." He turned to look at us. "I wonder if we have enough money for repairs."
"That is if they accept Insomnian currency out here," I crossed my arms.
Ignis adjusted his spectacles and looked to the driver's seat, "Alma, you should steer the car in case we need to push it all the way to the garage. A lady such as yourself shouldn't be standing in this sweltering heat."
"I'm fine, Iggy," I chuckle and wave. "I don't mind pushing the car if it comes to that."
"Then let's get to pushing," Gladio pounded his fist into his open palm and then went behind the Regalia, prompting us to follow.
Noct leaned his back against the car and grunted with pain, hissing through his teeth. "Come on, ol' girl! Take us to the garage!"
"You say that like she's a living, breathing entity," I chuckled.
He smirked in my direction. "Well, she is my dad's car."
Ignis took the right side of the Regalia, "Prompto, you can drive without me telling to you to focus, can you?"
"Of course I can!" the blonde huffed and sat down in the driver's seat. "I'm not that incompetent..."
"It's going to take a while until we get there. Are you sure you guys are okay with that?" I asked, sweating falling down the corner of my brow.
"I'm not going to answer that," Noct looked away. There was no way he was going to survive this.
We pushed the car for half an hour and we hadn't made any progress. With Noct's complaints, Prompto's whining and Gladio's constant yelling, I was afraid that we'd be here by nightfall. Dad told me that daemons roam the land at night and I didn't want to come face to face with one. I did everything I can to stop myself from snapping at Noct and Gladio but I was on my last nerve. I was ready to open my mouth when Noct sat against the Regalia, groaning with frustration and shaking his head humorlessly. His gaze was set on a car in the distance, which looked very outdated, unlike the cars we've seen in the city. Gladio extended his arm, his thumb out, asking the driver to give us a ride but the middle-aged man within the truck just passed us.
"I think we can forget about hitching our way there," he furrowed his brows and placed a hand on the Regalia. "I thought people were friendly outside the city."
"You can only go so far on the kindness of strangers," Ignis rested his forehead against the wheel with a defeated expression. He had switched places with Prompto.
"We're just gonna have to push her all the way," the king's shield rolled his arms back and walked towards the back of the car, where Prompto was laying on the asphalt, his limbs splayed out and he didn't even do anything but steer the car.
He said with exasperation, "I've already pushed myself...to the brink of death!"
I shook my head as I stared at him, "Prompto, come on..."
"Oh, get up," Gladio slapped Noct's back, urging the prince to stand. He stepped over to Prompto and kicked his foot. "Come on! The car isn't going to move itself."
"Ow!" Prompto squeaked and crawled onto his feet. "Sheesh! I thought the car was supposed to move us!"
I rolled my eyes and joined him on the right side of the Regalia, "Prompto, come on. Hardship builds character."
"Wouldn't that be nice," Noct grumbled from the left side of the car, adding to his best friend's comment.
"Can it!" Gladio took the back, his giant hands on the trunk. "Ready. Steady."
"Aw!" Prompto whined.
Noct scowled again, "Really?"
"Puuuuuush!" Gladio commanded as he pushed the car.
The car began to move again as Ignis steered and we pushed. My arms were burning but I decided to think of this as some sort of training and that it would help me get stronger. I heard the soft tune of a harp and I realized Ignis had turned on the radio, the familiar lyrics of Florence and The Machine's cover to Stand By Me coming on. He hoped that some songs would cheer us up as we pushed the car.
"Un. Believable." Noct grumbled again.
"Not exactly a fairytale beginning, huh, Prince Noctis?" Gladio placed emphasis onto his royal title.
"We let ourselves get carried away," Ignis said with a stern tone.
I nodded in agreement, "He's right, you know..."
"Look, these things happen," Prompto tried to lighten the mood but it wasn't helping.
"Let's just hope this isn't some omen!" Gladio said through gritted teeth.
Noct raised his head and glared daggers at his bodyguard, "Gladio, do me a favor?"
"What?"
"Push this thing by yourself!"
"All by myself?!" He asked, incredulous.
"You won't even notice if we just... let... go..." Prompto attempted to move his hands away, knowing very well that the behemoth of a man could push the car without the three of us no problem but squeaked with fright when Gladio yelled.
"Prompto! Don't even think about it!" He warned.
"Guys, if you're going to put all of your strength into arguing, you won't be able to push the car," I told the three of them.
"Alma is right," Ignis looked over his shoulder at the other guys. "Save some breath for pushing."
"Ignis, c'mon-time to switch!" Noct tried, desperation creasing his brows.
"Nuh-uh! We just switched back there!" Gladio said.
"And it's my turn, Noct," Prompto said.
"His 'turn,'" Ignis muttered sarcastically.
An hour and a half had passed and Gladio wasn't letting Noct or Prompto take the time to rest. It was my turn to sit in the Regalia and steer since Ignis was very worried that I was probably going to faint. I tried my hardest to get him to believe that I was fine but I appreciated how caring he was. He was like a mother hen and a brother figure put into one. I placed my foot on the accelerator, my hands firmly gripping the steering wheel as I started towards the road. Hammerhead wasn't so far now and it was only nine o' clock in the morning.
"Hey, are you guys even pushing?" Gladio glanced at the younger men.
"Hard as I can," Prompto sang.
Noct replied, "With everything I got!"
"We'll be there in no time," Ignis assured them.
"Check it out!" Prompto chirped happily.
Noct looked back at him, "What?"
"Up ahead, the sign!"
I looked to the side and frowned, pouting playfully, "Prompto!"
He snickered and kept pushing.
"Aw, you made me think we were close." Noct sighed and continued pushing.
After that, the way to Hammerhead was filled with complete silence, save for Florence's singing. My fingers tapped lightly to the beat of her song as we neared the garage.
