Rayne Drops (FFXV)

LX) At Long Last

SORRY ABOUT THE LACK OF UPDATE LAST WEEK! MY INTERNET WAS SCREWED UP AND BY THE TIME IT WAS FIXED I DECIDED IT WOULD BE BETTER TO WAIT UNTIL SUNDAY, WHEN I USUALLY UPLOAD THESE. CURSE THE INTERWEBS!  

There's a change in the air. Ignis feels it too. The particles have picked up in the wind, blowing relentlessly in their unconquerable numbers. Daemons have sprouted up in clusters so large the hunters can hardly take them on anymore. Exhausted, the parties nearly always come home a member or two short. Years of Ardyn's darkness left the wildlife to mutate and resist the efforts of humans.

I pace across the length of the caravan, tugging at the slipping edge of the all-to-big gray t-shirt Cor dropped off to replace my tattered rags of clothing. Really the only thing still remotely intact is my leather jacket. Crownsguard clothes weren't meant for extreme camping marathons full of bloody battles, Astrals, and collapsing cities, I guess. The shirt refuses to stay up, sliding down over my left shoulder. Fighting my petty irritation, I sit beside Signum, brushing his shaggy hair out of his face. Stitches lace his wounds together, though I still find new bloodstains on his sheets from time to time. His blue eyes blink open slowly, squinting against the dim light of the caravan.

"C'mon, Sig," I murmur, shaking him gently. "It's time to go."

"Already?" he groans, pushing himself up on his elbows. His voice is slightly deeper than I remember, his face more matured. He still has the classic Callen Babyface, but it's an older one for sure. These are crappy times for a teenager to grow up in.

"You're heading to Lestallum today, are you not?" Ignis inquires, cutting a mushroom on the countertop behind me. "Your recovery will be much better there."

"Well yeah, but what if..." Signum shakes his head, easing himself to his feet. Wincing, he keeps his weight off his broken leg until I hand him a crutch, peering up at his haggard face.

"It'll be fine, Sig. Just stop growing and we won't have any problems."

"At this rate he'll be towering over Gladio any day now," Ignis replies wryly, dropping the mushrooms into the pot to his left.

"Doesn't make him any better," Gladio shrugs, laying back on the couch with his eyes shut. He opens one to look at the two of us. "Get your sappy goodbyes over with so Iris can head out."

"You don't wanna keep your sister here?" Sig raises an eyebrow, smiling.

"If I hear 'Gladdy' one more time..." Gladio grumbles, shutting his eyes again.

"C'mon, Gladdy, let's get Sig to the truck," I tease, resting my hand on my hip. Gladio huffs, getting to his feet and padding toward us.

"You're really asking for it," Gladio warns, hooking a finger under my chin so I'm forced to look up at him.

"Asking for what?" I raise an eyebrow. Signum rolls his eyes when Gladio ignores my question, pressing a kiss to my lips before pulling away with a grin.

"Actually, I don't mind hearing it from you."

"Astrals," Ignis sighs, shaking his head in disapproval.

"Alright, can we go now?" Signum pushes uncomfortably, shoving my shoulder.

"I highly doubt that," I laugh, shoving Gladio out of the way so we can leave the caravan. He takes up Sig's bag as he passes it and throws it into the back of the truck. Iris leaps out of the driver's seat and throws her arms around her brother while Prompto laughs, shouting some sort of joke I don't understand down from the watchtower.

"See you again at some point," Sig shrugs, welcoming my tight hug. "Take care of those idiots."

"I swear, Signum, if I ever see you that messed up again, I'll let you die and Ignis will grill you for dinner."