This chapter is pretty long. Not the longest, but still pretty long. I loved writing it. I'm sorry to say there's close to no Noct/Luna in there, but they had a lot of fluff lately. And I have three other darling men to look after. I know last chapter was updated only three days ago, but we've reached the 50,000 hits threshold. It's incredible! And all the lovely reviews! I must say that I'm really glad that you liked the Ravus and Iris moment in last chapter. Because there might be more of those in the future. For now, have a good time reading!
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Unexpected
Chapter 25 – Do you still trust me?
Cindy hadn't any pressing job and wondered if their first training session could happen this very afternoon. Prompto seemed hesitant, but she convinced him over dinner, reminding him of the abandoned barn up south that could serve as the perfect practice range. They'd inspect the location first to make sure no one was around and would settle inside. Cid seemed frustrated to see his granddaughter running off with the blond guy that had accompanied her through sewers and mines a couple of days ago, but he groaned something about young people being foolish and waved her of.
"Why do I get the feeling he doesn't like me much?"
"He's got things all wrong and think ya're a bad influence on me." She teased him.
They took her truck this time, Prompto grateful to sit comfortably instead of riding a chocobo. He was a lot better and the potions had helped, but like Gladio, he wasn't a hundred percent back. About 85-ish if he'd gave an estimation.
"How much would you charge us for a car?"
"It depends on the car. For example, this old truck would be around 30 000 gils. But since it's for the prince… I'd have to make it better and rust-less. I'd say 60 000 gils."
His eyes turned rounder than a chocobo chick, his gasp of surprise making her laugh.
"Not in a single payment, city boy, I'm not crazy. Plus, it would serve to gather most of the parts. There are a few cars by the city's gates that could be usable, if only we could salvage them. The imperials guarding the place aren't making it easy to get anything away in one piece."
He frowned and gave her a questioning look, which she ignored superbly, focusing on the road.
"How many times have you been out of Hammerhead? You shouldn't run around the country on your own, you know…"
"I was towing someone out of there." She explained, the chirp to her voice fading slightly. "It didn't go as well as I'd wanted. The man was too stubborn to climb in the truck with me and his car was hit badly. I took him to Free Crown so he'd get the best treatment possible, but…"
She fell silent, her fingers tensing on the wheel. Prompto wasn't sure he had the right to gesture towards her so freely or friendly, but instinctively, he wanted to wrap her in his arms. His hand gently touched her shoulder, squeezing just a bit.
"But what?"
"He lost one leg…" she blurted out, teeth clenched.
The quiver that ran through her was the only sign of hurt she gave off. No surprise the young woman wanted some way to defend herself. How she could even drive or go out… But Prompto reminded himself that she'd been living outside Insomnia for her entire life. The reality he himself was still adapting to had been her daily life since she was only a little girl. It didn't mean that failing when she tried helping someone didn't hurt as much now.
"Damn. Do you ever stop working?"
"Don't. I need a good laugh and to keep my mind off this."
They'd reached the abandoned barn and got out of the car, Prompto taking one gun out in case anything showed up. Cindy stayed close to him, still tense but trying to keep it in. She carried her metal case with her. The inspection went by quickly and she was more than happy to follow his lead as they drew a few targets on the wall that faced the rocks. The wood wouldn't hold the bullets and Prompto might look careless, but security measures had been drilled into his head at an early age.
"First, I'm testing them."
"Knock yourself out!"
He didn't want to show off, he mostly wanted to see a genuine smile on her face, but the first shot surprised him. The gun was well-balanced despite feeling light in the hand, the gunshot wasn't excessively loud and the round ended up right where he wanted, in the left eye of the caricatured imp he'd drawn on the wall. He tried the other one, hitting the right eye and couldn't help his own exhilaration. Nine shots each was unconventional, but if she managed this kind of perfection on her first try…
"I need guns like this." He told her.
She blushed, hearing the underlying praise and feeling intimidated by the look in his eyes. He was like a child in a candy store. And for a minute, she got the impression the guns weren't the only candies he might be looking for.
"I guess it could be yar payment for training me…"
"Hey, there's no string attached to this. You asked for a favor, favors between friends aren't…"
"Well, if I equip one of the prince's fighters, it will only be good for my business." She tried, unsure she was ready for that kind of subject.
Prompto didn't like how awkward she looked, but since she had a lot on her mind, he decided to get on with the training, starting with the security questions. Cindy was an engaged listener, asking questions all the time and turning the half-hour speech his mother usually gave him before he fell asleep into one hour and a half of explanations. They covered the basics, reloading, disassembling -she was pretty fast, but then again, she had built them- how to clean them up, what to do when a bullet got stuck. After another hour and a half, Cindy begged to try the real deal and Prompto didn't see any reason to wait. There was at least two more hours of light in front of them and her truck was well-equipped to repulse daemons.
The first shot surprised her, not because of the aftershock, but more so because it was far easier than she'd thought to let go of the trigger. It wasn't about pulling, not simply that. The wood ripped apart where she hit, not close to the mark, but destroyed nevertheless.
"Your stance's wrong." He told her.
"How…?"
Prompto wasn't sure of himself, but since she'd suggested it, he'd been dying to try something of the like, so he came up to stand behind her, aligning his arms with hers. Cindy tried not to tense at the closeness. He'd been much closer and less clothed before, but she felt more vulnerable than before. And as boyish as he looked, as lean as his limbs were, he felt larger and taller than her.
Something had changed, since she'd learned the truth about him. He hadn't given her much from his past, but somehow, she had pieced some things together. And realized that his precision and reflexes might be just as drilled into him as any crown guards from Insomnia. He had been raised to be an MT, had had to run from it, had to kill potential cellmates from when he was a child.
His scars were old and he was young, too young for having that many. He'd been through a lot. You didn't keep as big a secret for so long otherwise. Now his breathing ran down her neck and he raised her hands, eased her grip, asked her to relax her shoulders and moved her hips, telling her why every little adjustment helped.
"You lean forward, never backward. Keep your weight on the balls of your feet. Here, there's no wind, so you'll have to take account of that later. If you ever try to snipe anything, math will come in handy."
"How about startin' with the MT I drew on that side?"
He laughed into her ears and the shiver that ran through her felt almost too good.
"The one in the middle? Head or chest?" the gunman asked her.
"Chest."
"Keep both eyes open. When you pull the trigger, you don't want the gun to move. You're aligned right now, but the slightest shake or jerk can disrupt the shot."
"How do you do it? You're always jumping around and fidgeting." She remarked, rolling her shoulders into him, trying to get a reaction out of him.
He just corrected her stance, his hands lingering on her hips a bit too long.
"I keep moving all the time so that when I need to stop, there's no nervous energy left inside. You're already precise. Just give it a shot."
"Do you have to stay this close?"
He took a step back with a sigh and let her try. The three first shots missed wildly. He gave her directions and she got a bit closer, but not entirely.
"You're shaking. Steady your grip."
"I'm tryin'."
He let her empty one charger and sighed afterwards. Her alignment was right and he knew she could aim well, she'd managed to shoot a few things back in the mines. She just needed to calm down.
"Say… those burns, you didn't try healing them with some potion?"
The gun almost dropped to the floor as she turned to look at him.
"What has that got ta do with…?"
"I expected things to be awkward, but now you're the one hiding something and…"
Cindy paled and slid the gun in her tool belt.
"Ya want to talk?"
"I'd like to. I get the feeling you're trusting me again, but…"
"I didn't stop trusting ya. I was shocked. What we've been through was a lot. We got close and I… I know I can rely on ya. It's just…"
She ran a nervous hand through her hair, her cap abandoned with their pack of ammunitions by the door. Tears were showing up in her eyes. He tried taking a step toward her, but she was skittish, a word he'd never associate with Cindy.
"I'm tired of feeling scared and helpless. And I didn't want to burden ya after the way I reacted to… the fact ya're from the empire."
She sounded so ashamed of herself, it was almost painful to hear.
"Burden me? Cindy, if you keep hiding things from me, I'm going to imagine the worse."
Her shoulders slumped down and she wrapped her arms around herself, as though she was cold.
"I know I preach honesty above all, but the timing ain't right. I can't… I'm scared, but I can't…"
He retorted by erasing the space between them and grabbing her shoulders.
"You wouldn't get hurt from oil, not after working for so many years…"
"I can't tell paw-paw." She said. "The king dying, he took it hard, Prom…"
"It's the blight, isn't it? Somehow you caught it?"
His voice was dark and the tears that rolled down her face proved his point. Prompto wasn't sure if he could take it. He simply held her closer, hoping they could achieve one meeting where no dark secret would ruin the mood.
"I can understand hiding it from Cid, but why from…"
"The taint started showing up two days ago. I was scared, but at that time, I still thought the Oracle had been kidnapped and things were crazy for ya all. I can't ask her to heal me with everything she's going through."
"You can ask her. You should. I could take you to her right…"
"People don't die from this overnight! It hurts and I'm not at the top of my game, but this doesn't mean that we should rush and force the gal… I mean, the mistakes I made aren't because of…"
The first sob ran through her. Because she still felt guilty about the guy she'd towed with her truck and who'd gotten hurt. Prompto kissed the top of her head as she hid her face against his chest, the tears dampening his shirt. The poor girl wanted to help so much.
"Don't blame yourself. You could have let him rot instead of risking your life to rescue his car."
"That's ridiculous. Someone calls for towing, I tow 'em where they need ta be. The world might be endin', but there's got to be some reliable things in it."
"You're way beyond amazing, Cindy."
She laughed through her tears, snuggling her face against him.
"Ya need to stop seein' me at my worst." She complained, trying to swallow back her tears.
"If you're asking me on a normal date, the answer's yes." He told her, rubbing her back as she leaned backward, their eyes meeting.
"Sounds good. A date one day, a shooting training the next one, and some prayers when ya think yar friend the princess is up for it. If you can schedule all that between taking down bases and fighting people falling from the sky."
He wished he'd only feel happy about the prospect, but now there was a new pressure on his heart. The girl he liked had gotten hurt. He could bet it was on his watch. He knew a thing or two about the blight. A daemon might have scratched her too deep. But he forced his voice to sound confident as he leaned his forehead against hers, enjoying the feel of her breath mingling with his.
"You've got yourself a deal."
…
Gladiolus had three coughing fits by the time they'd reached Free Crown. Ignis had voiced concerns and despite the fact the large man repeated he was fine, Crowe had decided that she'd find him a doctor to examine him seriously, even if she had to knock him out for the examination.
There was a run-down car and a small teenager hiding by it where the base used to be. She recognized Ignis and Gladio and helped them sneaking the Regalia in a nearby cave they used as a secret garage before to lead them inside the old mines. The building effort had made tremendous advances, electricity running beneath the surface. Guards saluted them and it wasn't long until they were surrounded by excited people.
They'd help in every way they could on their few visits and since the refugees were starting to get more comfortable with their way of life, they wanted to share it with the young king's men.
"Guys, we'd like to see Libertus first." Gladio warned, sensing Crowe's slight panic at the sight of this many people at once.
The main room opening after the long tunnels was a wide space buzzling with activity. Stands lined up the east wall, maps stretched from ceiling to the floor, calculations being done, inventory run. There was a makeshift school with open classrooms on the west side. The children were sitting on the floor, on either blankets or cushions, a few men and women giving them instructions, telling them stories for the most. Crowe instinctively took a step closer to Gladio and he had to fight against his urge to put an arm around her or literally take her hand in his. He was starting to realize the protectiveness he felt for her was a bit possessive, but the feeling was only stronger a few minutes later, when they got down three more tunnels to enter a five meters square room where Libertus was arguing about the usage of phones around Free Crown. He was sitting behind a rundown desk littered with papers and two laptops when they walked in.
The man's eyes widened and he cursed, sending his aids and comrades off, getting up with a slight grimace. His leg still ached, but he had trouble processing what his eyes were showing him. Crowe stood between Gladio and Ignis, her trademark back-braided half bun leaving two curtains of hair on either side of her face.
"It's the lack of sleep. You can't be…"
"Good to see you too, Libertus." She retorted, only managing to keep her voice even through all of her words.
"Oh my god…"
He crossed half of the room, Crowe walking over the remaining space and the hug they shared was half tears half laughs. Ignis shuffled out and had to drag Gladiolus, who wasn't exactly fine with leaving Crowe alone with another Glaive after what they'd done to her. But in the end, the king's shield relented, rationalizing with himself that the woman was quite capable of defending herself.
"I can't believe it, girl. You've been gone for…"
"I'm here. I'm alive. And I'm glad you're here. I can't believe you're…"
She broke off in tears as she recognized his scent, the scent of their home. All the longing and loss was rushing back to her. Gladio and Ignis agreed to give them time and went to check on the people around Free Crown, Ignis naturally checking the plans for the expanding of the base and construction of more rooms, while the larger man asked to see the defenses of the place.
Libertus almost cried as much as Crowe, especially when she asked him details about Nyx's death. But after some more comforting and half an hour of talking, the young woman teased him about turning from revolutionary to an administrator.
"Hey, I do crazy hours here. And all the building back… It's similar to what we were doing in Galahd until we had to run. The big difference is, we're not going to run. We could make an entire city here. We got enough water from the underground lake we found, as soon as the daemons are cleared out…"
"Daemons?" she repeated.
She'd taken a seat on his desk while he leaned against a wall, arms crossed, trying to draw her a clear picture of the current situation.
"The prince said he'd come by with his guys and get on it. It's not urgent, we got two floors to modernize and sanitize. People can't sleep on each other forever. And our lights are strong enough to keep the daemons away from our living quarters."
"No losses?"
His face darkened.
"Of course, we had a few in the beginning. But we can't send everyone to Lestallum. It's too long a trip and we're trying to make a living out of this place. We actually have plans to excavate minerals and shards."
"Wow. You're still as ambitious as ever…"
She nudged him in the shoulder, only to receive a smirk in answer.
"So, you've been following the prince's retinue since they found you? You didn't think it would be nice to give me a call, let me know you were alive?"
She shrugged, knowing how grumpier that would make him.
"It's not like I didn't want to see you. I've spent days in the wilds, hiding from human people in fear they'd slit my throats. After being rescued, I jumped into the first hunt they were doing to feel more in control and then the base was attacked back in Leide and we rushed over…"
"You were never good with standing still. I don't think either of us ever was. Anyway…" He pushed himself off the wall. "Things don't get dull around here. And if you want to stay, I'd be more than happy to…"
Crowe hadn't prepared herself for such a question. Joining Noctis' men had given her a newfound purpose, but it was really fresh and she wasn't exactly ready for it. She wanted to be ready. Her failed mission weighted heavily on her mind and she had the impression she could make a serious difference out there.
"This might sound unfair, but right now… I can't stand crowded places. And I think they could use one more girl on that team. You know what happens when you leave men in charge of everything."
"Men," he laughed. "They're boys. But if you're fine with it, I won't argue. You better stay safe though. I've lost enough friends as it is."
"Same goes for you, Libertus."
He helped her in finding the guys, giving her the tour of the place at the same time. He was still limping and admitted he might never walk straight again.
"But believe it or not, women like invalids. Feel less threatened, maybe?" he suggested.
"I think that a lot of women might give you attention because you saved them." She retorted.
They entered the center room where Gladiolus was playing with the kids after telling them how he'd hunt down Deadeye with the prince, while changing a few details of his tale. And something pulled at her heart at the sight of his large frame, the honest smile on his face and the kids gathered around him, a little girl actually perched on his shoulders. Libertus wasn't blind, but he was bright enough to remain silent. It might be good for the woman to have someone not from Galahd in her life for once. They couldn't keep living in the past. Before to space out, Crowe reminded herself of the raspy breathing the shield had displayed and asked her friend how equipped his infirmary wing was.
"Well, they managed a few surgeries, I couldn't tell you the name of their equipment, but most of our efforts were put in that wing."
"I think Gladio needs some x-rays."
"I see."
His cynical tone wasn't lost on her, but Crowe went right through the crowd of kids, stroking a few heads as she walked along them. Being surrounded by children wasn't as frightening as adult people. Gladio instantly spotted her and frowned at the serious look on her face.
"Get down from the big man, sweetheart."
"Who's that?!" a few kids asked, while the younger commented on simpler things like: "Pretty!"
There was something so endearing about the dozen small voices and the bright eyes looking up at her, Crowe forgot her fears for an instant. Gladio coughed a bit, getting a pointed look from the brunette and slowly understood what she might have in mind.
"She's a Glaive." Libertus called from the other side of the crowd.
Ohs and Ahs surged and it took a whole ten minutes to convince the kids to let both adults leave without another epic story. Glaives were considered with respect since Libertus had been one and had taken over the role of guardian, savior and commander all at the same time. Crowe kept a hold of Gladio's hand until they were standing next to her grumpy friend, who showed them to the infirmary wing.
"I got some work to get done. You guys are staying for the night, right? Give me a text when you're hungry and we'll dine together, get caught up with everything happening."
"Sure." Gladiolus said, eying the rows of white beds and surgical tools aligned on metal tables. He hated hospitals and Crowe could almost feel the protests seeping from him. She waited until Libertus was gone to pry.
"Don't tell me you're afraid of needles?"
"As if." He hmphed.
A nurse walked up to them, a light smile on her round face.
"What would seem to be the problem?"
"He's not breathing right." Crowe said, before the man could even place a word.
A few minutes later, Gladio had been stripped of his coat and necklace, which were both in Crowe's hands while he underwent a medical exam, a few questions and x-rays. The woman had convinced Prompto to give her at least the big man's password so she could stay connected with the others and texted Ignis to make sure he hadn't gotten bored yet of lending a hand. She wasn't sure she could get herself a new phone in the chaos the world had been plunged in and felt it was quite easier to stare at the small screen than watch the half-naked bodyguard. She'd seen her fair share of muscled chests, but that guy… Well, the tattoos were intriguing, and although she'd only caught him working out once, she was positively impressed. It was no surprise he could carry her with only one arm.
She just couldn't help but feel worried. She knew the taller simply fell from higher and didn't like the feeling she'd got from him on the battlefield. He wasn't exactly reckless, but he clearly put everyone's else safety before his own. In fact, everyone on their team seemed to think the same way. And she could understand. The three guys were all crown's guards, the only line between Noctis and death. Lunafreya was a selfless Oracle of light, ready to heal a stranger just because she couldn't see someone hurting. Iris seemed to be equally selfless and the young king… She didn't want to go there. Galahd didn't have a king, but they'd had head figures, ministers and an entire political system that had been infected and crumbled in a matter of months.
People on the outskirts of the wide cities like her family and Nyx's had been hit later on, when the empire made sure his control was total. She'd been a hunter in training back then, turning to revolutionary soldier only to be enrolled by the neighboring country. She didn't want to fall into a new camp again. She didn't want to see more people dying. But she didn't want to lay down the fight.
Gladio walked back in after the x-rays, looking cold and slightly bored. He sat next to her and took back his necklace first, eying his phone with curiosity.
"Playing a game?"
"Running out your battery." After a pause, gesturing for him to take back his coat, she added: "You should wear shirts sometimes."
He chuckled at her comment, leaning toward her with mischievous eyes.
"Wouldn't that be a crime? I worked hard on these abs."
"Well, shouldn't you wear armor when you fight to protect those abs?" she retorted, poking him in the ribs.
They weren't sure where this could have led them, but the noise of someone clearing her throat brought their attention back to Gladio's nurse.
"The x-rays are out. What you got, mister Amicitia, are compressed lungs, or technically speaking, compressive atelectasis. The shock you took in your recent fight has compressed your ribcage and caused lesions that prevent your lungs from fully expanding when you breathe."
"Okay…"
"In your case, it should correct itself naturally. You're young and… quite healthy."
The nurse blushed, having just looked him over despite herself, which only brought a smug grin on Gladio's face. Crowe mentally rolled her eyes, despite the fact she wanted to smile a bit. She wondered if he'd acted the same way with his sister around.
"Don't stay idle, but refrain from getting into battles for a few days. If you ever feel the need to cough, just cough, it actually helps. And no hit in the chest."
"Understood. How about you check on the lady now? She's been pretty anxious lately."
"I didn't…!"
"If the Oracle's light didn't heal some internal lesions, she might have missed stuff on you too." He observed.
The nurse gave a nod, motioning for Crowe to sit on the nearby bed.
"We'll just go with a routine examination then. I can pull the curtain if…"
"I don't mind." The brunette said, taking off her top without hesitation.
She just wanted to see the look on his face. Gladio's eyes widened for a few seconds, but he didn't blush, at least not immediately. She was wearing a bra, but despite having seen her even more exposed once before, the circumstances felt different. And she was a beautiful woman. While the nurse went on with her examination, Crowe observed the man's slow but definite loss of composure as he put on his coat. When his eyes came back to her, seemingly attracted like magnets, she gestured to herself as casually as possible, mouthing the words:
No defined abs, but I worked hard.
He gave her an appraising look, before to nod his approval, the hint of a blush showing on his cheeks as her smile turning cheeky. They were flirting now, he couldn't pretend otherwise, but he had no idea if it was wrong. It had started naturally, his old habits showing up to cover his stress. He liked the look of surprise on her face, the way she bounced right back instead of backing down or shying away. But now that she was mostly clean and giving him an eyeful just to get under his skin, he had to admit that he didn't feel entirely comfortable. If something went wrong, it would make working with her more difficult.
When he dared to lock his gaze with hers again, she saw questions and a nervousness she hadn't expected from him. She wasn't sure if she'd taken his game a little too far, and she wouldn't have time to know either.
His phone buzzed and as he looked down, his face changed, the blush vanishing and his features tensing. His reaction made him cough a bit and she jumped off the bed, her question not entirely out before he gave her an explanation:
"Something's up with Jared."
"Jar…?"
"My butler. He never texts, but…"
She walked up to him and checked the message on the screen.
Please help…
…
"Help? Who needs… I don't know that number." Noctis cursed.
A knock on the door reminded them they were lying in a tangled mess of limbs on the floor, not to mention shirtless. Umbra gave a reproving bark and Luna hurriedly put her shirt back on, before to tell their visitor to get in.
Monica appeared in the doorway, hair dripping, looking out of breath.
"Cor just received a text from Jared. He's leaving with a few hunters. We're staying here, because there's only one of our cars equipped with repelling lights, but I wanted to make sure you wouldn't try anything foolish."
"Jared?" Noctis repeated.
Luna shivered next to him, her hand looking for his and he held it, wondering if the world could just stop for more than 24 hours and give them a break.
"It might be nothing, but he's not answering his phone and he didn't send more than one text. It was cryptic at best."
"You want us to sit here while some old man could very well be…"
"I want you to think straight. Even if Cor finds him, this is a six to seven hour drive to reach him. What good can any of us do?!"
Monica looked distressed and both royals understood they were all in the same boat.
"Come in. You're going to catch a cold in the rain. I don't think either of us can sleep. Let's focus on what we should do." Luna suggested.
Noctis' eyes widened as the older woman walked in, closing the door behind her.
"If Jared texted everyone, he must have written to Gladio too. The guys might just rush ahead…"
"Call them, order them to stay put." Monica asked him almost instantly.
"You didn't have to ask."
…
Iris was woken up when Ravus started shifting around. The cold helping, she'd clung to him in her sleep, snuggling to his chest, Pryna in her arms and his left hand resting on her head. Luna's dog being a ball of warmth and fluffiness, she had helped them remaining asleep despite being cold wherever the other's body didn't touch.
It took the young girl a moment to realize where she was and to remember why. Ravus' arm tensed, his fingers clutching her hair and for an instant, she worried he might not remember last night's events and try something, or react in self-defense. She doubted he ever let anyone that close to him. She tried pushing herself up, whispering his name as gently as possible. She was wondering what Luna could have meant by saying her brother was "difficult" in the morning.
"Rav…"
"Get off." He asked, his voice hoarse.
He's grumpy in the morning too, Iris thought, trying to school her features so her annoyance wouldn't show.
She shuffled away from him, realizing he couldn't easily sit up, even without her weight on him. As she tried extending one hand to help him, he almost snapped.
"You've done enough, just… look the other side or something."
He sounded bitter and she realized he hadn't planned to sleep on his back. Not with his mechanical arm unattached. He had to roll on his blighted side and push himself up gradually, using his legs, his head against the ground and his left arm. It was a pitiful sight and she pretended to take care of Pryna until she heard metal clinking.
"Wait, you should disinfect it first." She tried.
"It's fine." He hissed through clenched teeth, snapping the metal against the flesh.
His prosthetic hand curled and unfurled before that he rolled his shoulder backward once and forward. A snap sound made her jump and he smiled at her reaction.
"Don't tell me you're scared now."
"No, I'm just on edge."
He massaged the back of his neck, bending it until it cracked. The sound was sickening but she felt stiff too.
"You'd better not complain about how bad you slept. I was on the rocks while you used me as a pillow."
She blushed at the accusation, but felt her patience running thin.
"What would you have done if I hadn't been there?" Iris asked him.
"Rot and die, that's what you want to hear?"
"Are you like this because you cried?!"
A twitch in his brows told her she'd hit a nerve.
"That… I'd rather you'd keep that to yourself." He stated, unable to look her in the eyes.
He got up and removed the nails keeping his cape on the entrance, folding the fabric quickly. The sun was slowly getting up, a few rays managing to sneak into the small cave. He stored his repelling light, his cape and considered giving the girl another of his ration. He doubted that would buy her silence about his outburst.
"Say, Rav…"
Tires screeching on the ground and Luna's voice calling her name interrupted her. Ravus took three full steps back, careful of not walking into her.
"Get out now. Take the dog, and get out."
Iris glared at him.
"You could go see your sister for a second at least."
He ignored her, taking his white coat of the ground and removing the dust from it. Iris might have insisted, but Pryna was already running out to greet her mistress and Noctis' voice was calling out her name. She squirmed herself out of the cave, raising one hand to cover her eyes from the strong sunlight. Luna was already out of the car, Noctis sitting in the driver seat, Monica accompanying them. The car wasn't exactly made for rolling off-road, but the prince had never let that stop him before. He got off the car, looking too pale to be out of bed.
"We were so worried!" Luna said, wrapping Iris in a hug.
The young girl was surprised to notice the smell of her hair was similar to Ravus'. She held the older woman back, apologizing three times before that Lunafreya let her out of her grasp, her blue eyes filled with questions. Iris motioned to the small opening in the rocks.
"He's moping in there. You should talk to him." She told her.
"He didn't…?"
The question hurt Luna more than it did the girl, but Iris could understand.
"He didn't hurt me. Even fed me with army rations. But he's not been charming enough to owe himself my thanks."
"I'll give him a talk." Luna swore, a light smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
Noctis stood a few feet behind, arms crossed over his chest, trying to ignore the spectacle of Umbra and Pryna running around each other, yapping and barking happily. The prince had agreed with Luna to let her handle her brother, at the condition they found Iris unscathed. Otherwise, he'd given Ravus the beating of his life. The Amicitia girl walked up to him, squaring her shoulders.
"What are you doing out of your bed?" she asked before that he could say anything.
A scolding was coming, and although Noctis never gave her any of those before, she wasn't surprised to hear bite in his instant answer.
"Never mind that." He barked. "What-were-you thinking?! Cor almost went running head first into danger to make sure you were alright. I had to cover up for you and pretend you were still with us to make sure Gladio wouldn't freak out even more."
"I… Wait? Why did you say more?"
Noctis' anger half fell, but the menace that followed made Monica smile while Iris wondered if he'd dare to go through with it.
"Check your phone. And if I see you try and run off to Duscae, I'm finding a room where you will be grounded until Gladiolus thinks you're fit to get back on the team."
Iris wanted to protest, but her brother freaking out never meant a good thing. Pulling her cell from her pocket, she gasped in shock. The text had come in after she'd fell to sleep, but it was entirely uncommon. Jared would never ask for help.
"Did something happen with Talcott?!"
…
Luna had slipped herself between the rocks and walked into the small cave, discovering her brother trying to slip one sleeve of his army uniform back on. His mechanical arm wasn't exactly cooperating and the sight nearly broke her heart. It was still hard for her to process that he'd lost a limb. Not in some tragic incident, only because Ardyn…
Ravus wasn't sure how to react to her presence. He had known she'd walk right in, but he'd hope she'd give him some time to prepare himself. He wanted to be harsh, so she'd stay back, to marvel out loud at the fact her trident wasn't summoned this time, but the first words that came out were different:
"If you're here to heal me, I want you to leave."
"Ravus… I'd never use my magic on you against your will. I don't want to fight with you. The other day…"
She took a step in and he wondered why he felt like a cornered animal. His emotions were still too volatile.
"I'm not here to get mad at you. I just want a chance to give my brother a hug and get a good look at him. We haven't seen each other in years and now I barely catch glimpses of you…"
He dropped the coat, knowing what she meant by getting a good look at him. She wanted to know how badly he was hurt. With her training, she'd grown obsessed with the idea she could mend anything the empire might try to break in him. He tried to keep his respiration normal when she reached for the prosthetic, taking his metallic hand in hers. She gave it a squeeze, studying the material, its weight. His throat felt tighter than when he'd cry, but he withstood it in silence.
"If I ask, you wouldn't…?"
He shook his head, denying her any answers. He didn't want to bring her down with him. Luna experimentally poked his left side. This time he flinched, because the skin was tender. When she motioned to raise his shirt, he halted her, trying to be both firm and gentle.
"I swear, sister. I've got it under control."
The look in her eyes held a warning, but she didn't laugh in his face, didn't try to tell him why he was wrong. Instead, she did what she'd wanted to do from the moment she'd understood how far he'd gone for her. She wrapped him into a tight hug, her face against his chest. She didn't cry or murmur a word. She just held him and for a second he was home, he felt whole and his pain melted into something pure and bright. He wrapped his human arm around her, unsure if the metal of his right hand should touch her.
"You don't have to do this, Ravus. I love you, no matter what you'll do, but…"
One of her hands was on his right shoulder, the other on the back of his head and he let out a shuddering breath, holding her tighter, hoping she would just stop being so damn perfect.
"You can come with us if you…"
"I can't." He cut her off. "I'm not done yet. I won't ask you to stop, so be fair with me…"
Luna couldn't endure the heavy silence and observed what she could, hoping she might get a smirk from him as she took a step back, looking into his eyes.
"You've lost weight."
"So did you." He pointed out.
"Well, I'm working on that. Where will you go?"
"Not back to the empire. They'd rip off one of my…"
The paleness that grew on her face shut him off.
"Come on, if I don't make fun of it, I'll… I'll lose it."
"Ravus, you should live your life for yourself. I'm not worth this kind of…"
"You're worth everything I've done and ten times more. I hope your prince knows that."
And there it was, the anger he needed to fuel the pain into something that wouldn't cause more tears in his eyes. She took a step back, crossing her arms behind her back as he shuffled his weight from one leg to the other. All this standing around and talking was making him restless.
"Stop worrying about me. I love him."
"What I worry about is if he can make you happy. And if he can keep you safe."
"I'll keep myself safe. And if it weren't for all the people hurting around us, I know we'd be entirely happy." Her sad smile suddenly brightened as she seemed to remember something. "Oh, Ravus, he… he asked me to marry him!"
She pulled on the chain of her moon pendant, showing him the ring Noctis gave her. Ravus grimaced at the sight, but it didn't last long. For a moment, she was just a girl, in love and happy about it. As much as he hated the guy, he had to admit seeing Luna's smile was worth some aggravation.
"I'm not giving you my benediction. You were already marrying him anyway."
"Yes, but it's not… It's for us this time. If… If we manage to find time and fix a date and have it really take place, you'll be there, right?"
She seemed unsure and almost scared at the prospect of him missing the occasion. Not of the wedding not taking place. Of her brother not being there on her big day. He swallowed the knot in his throat.
"I'm not walking you down the…"
"You have to! You even got a beard like father had!"
Now that sounded childish and Ravus hated himself for letting his shoulders relax and the hint of a smile graze his expression.
"Fine! Fine, I'll walk you down the aisle. But I won't…!"
"You'll dance with me once at the very least."
How could she tell what he was going to say every damn time? Rolling his eyes, he relented.
"Luna!" came Noctis' voice, breaking the light atmosphere and reminding the siblings why they hadn't talked as much for months.
"You'd better go. I'm not up for a rematch with your fiancé."
She worried her lower lip, clearly torn up inside.
"You'll stay safe?" she asked.
"You'll stop sending the dogs after me?"
She hung her shoulders, unable to hold back her laugh.
"At least, try to be careful. You mean a lot to me."
"I'll do what I can. Which is a lot, but you know me. Just go before I change my mind about your prince."
She didn't want to leave, but had half turned away from him when he thought of the white flesh on the MT.
"Wait! I… There's something you should know."
She looked up to him, a mixture of curiosity and apprehension on her face.
"I won't ask you anything but this one thing, Luna. Ardyn had you healing MTs…"
The paleness was back and he walked up to her, grabbing her hands in his.
"…don't ever do that again." Ravus asked, his voice not commanding in the least. It sounded more as though he was begging.
"What?!"
He wondered if it was wrong to tell her. Wondered if she hadn't been hurt enough yet.
"Luna, you almost managed to heal it. I saw it with my own eyes. His heart was human and the flesh over it too. You can't do this sort of miracles. It'd kill you."
"I… He was partly healed? Wait, did you…?"
And the hurt in her eyes was a knife driven in his heart, because she wasn't a fool. Of course, he'd killed the thing. Why else would he talk of it in the past tense? He couldn't lie to her.
"You'd never make any living thing worse off, only yourself. But if you try anything like that again…"
"I can heal daemons?"
"You can't, Luna, that's the whole point of me telling you this!" Ravus insisted, shaking her up. "Just promise me you won't try it again."
He had some nerves, asking for such a promise. And the defiance in her eyes was like a dark omen.
"Let us do what we both think best. I'm glad you told me, brother, but I won't promise you anything. Especially considering you've blighted yourself."
He would have protested, but she slipped off his grasp, slipping back into the open air and the light of day. If he loved her too much to worry about himself, he couldn't ask her to be any different.
Under the sun, Luna walked back to Noctis and their intertwined fate. Her resolve was stronger than ever.
To be continued…
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Ha, now I'm worried! But this 21 pages chapter was worth it! I hope I can finally squeeze some Noct/Luna in the next chapter. Splitting the party up was such a bad idea, although the plot is thickening. Next chapter should include a reunion of the team, some more Cindy/Prompto, and an explanation about what's going on with Jared. Although the game spoiled some of it already. And Aranea will be showing up, definitely! Angst is coming.
Also, just to mention, Ravus' beard is nothing more than a stubble. ;)
Review to let me know what you think, guys! Reviews make my days brighter and writing this so worth it. I can use all the cheering I can have lately, what with school being a load of stress right now. No idea when I'll complete next chapter. Got around four pages in, but my most stressful deadlines is coming on fast. D: