Renovating the Heart (FFXV)

XVI) Dreamers

It was the alarming realization that normally she was up by now that startled Rue awake in the morning. Her heart hammered in her chest was the alarming realization that normally she was up by now that startled Rue awake in the morning. Her heart hammered in her chest and reached to throw the covers off in a blind panic when reason caught her by the collar. She sighed, rubbing her face and trying to fend off her throbbing headache. It's Saturday, #$%^&*^. The Saturday. Out of habit, she slouched back down under the covers and reached for her glasses on her nightstand blindly. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves and slid the glasses onto her face, blinking her eyes open only to squeeze them shut again, startled. These are not mine.

Sighing, Rue put them back on the wooden stand quietly and glanced to her left, where Eren was curled up on his side, breathing softly and slowly. He wasn't the type to look frustrated or stressed when he was awake, so the gentle look on his face wasn't anything to marvel at, but there was something captivating about watching a person sleep so soundly. I left my contacts in. Rue shook her head, carefully slipping out of bed to head to the bathroom. Her steps were silent, her door didn't creak, and her lungs didn't take in any air until she was safely outside the room. She checked her phone; it was only seven.

Carefully, she removed her contacts and washed her face before slipping on her own glasses, which were much rounder and thicker than Eren's because she was actually blind, and heading to the kitchen. She gathered two glasses of water and a bottle of pain killers before heading back to the room, ignoring Honey's quiet mewls. The warm, golden light of the rising sun poured in through her drab gray curtains, a sight she rarely took the time to appreciate anymore. As quietly as she could, she set a glass and a few pills on the stand on the other side of the bed and took a few for her dull headache before crawling back under the covers and squeezing her eyes shut.

It was so warm, so soft, so comforting beneath the heavy blankets on her bed; it was even better to know she wasn't alone even if, in the recesses of her mind, she knew this would have to end and they'd have to talk just to make the likely decision to pretend this never happened. She took a deep breath, relaxing her tense muscles. This was how friendships fell apart. This could be the end for them. This wasn't like the other men; they were strangers. It was for the best that she, no matter what Eren said, fought for a lasting relationship, a friendship, rather than some hot 'n heavy knockoff romance.

"Where'd you go?" Eren mumbled, throwing an arm over her stomach and snuggling closer to her side. She bit her tongue. But #$%^&*^ did he make it hard.

"Just got some water. I didn't mean to wake you," she replied softly, turning over to face him. His eyes peeked open when she shifted.

"No biggie." He yawned, cracking a gentle smile. "You sleep with those on?"

"Huh?" Rue touched the thick frames that were pressed to her face. "Oh, #$%^. I forgot I wore them to find my way around."

"Find your way..." he repeated, chuckling and pulling the covers up over his bare shoulder. The light changed his hazel eyes to a rainbow of distinct streaks of color; some green here, some brown there, a touch of gold in one but not the other... Rue pressed her lips together, dreading what was to come more the longer she stayed where she was.

"Don't you have to get to the Citadel?" she asked, shuddering when his cool fingers traced over her side. He shook his head.

"No. Rayne assigned the people she wants there while she's gone, and Cam'll call us individually if we're needed. All she wants is for us to do what we feel's best, whether that's training or resting." He cracked a smile, his eyes shining brightly. "I think you know what my intentions are."