Renovating the Heart (FFXV)

XXI) Casper

"Hey, you feeling alright?"

Rue peeled her eyes open as Eren walked into her apartment unannounced, kicking his shoes off and hurrying to her side. After Ignis kicked her out, she dragged herself home on her own, used another potion against her better judgment, and bundled up on the couch. The television was on, but it was muted, and the curtains above the sofa were drawn tightly. Eren gingerly sat on the edge of the couch as Rue slowly sat up, rubbing her face. Her head was throbbing and her body ached, but at least she wasn't bleeding anymore. His hand rested on a lump of thick blanket that turned out to be her thigh.

"How's it going?"

"A little better," she mumbled with a yawn. Her eyes could hardly stay open. "My head hurts still."

"Did you take anything?"

"Yeah," she sighed, letting her shoulders fall forward as she slouched. Eren nodded, his gaze falling to the floor. Feeling a twinge of guilt, she rested a hand his arm, squeezing. "How was work? Any juicy Glaive gossip I should hear about?"

"It was okay," he shrugged, leaning into the couch cushions. Rue wiggled her way around until she was sitting on her knees, resting her elbow on the back of the couch. "As for gossip..." He huffed out a short laugh before looking at her. "I hear the outside world isn't nearly as pleasant as they want us to believe. The King and all them were supposed to be meeting the leader of a group of people who took on the role of Kingsglaive while Noctis was gone. I guess they were given the king's thanks and sent away without any real recognition or position within the Citadel."

"That's terrible."

"Yeah." He shook his head. "I couldn't imagine going through all that just to be told you don't count because you're not city folk. So, naturally, they're all pissed and they've decided to rile up the people outside."

"That's always smart," Rue scoffed, playing with the smooth surface of the couch cushion she leaned against.

"There's another post that Rayne's started to send glaives to," he added, though something in his voice changed. "Somewhere by the old Niflheim border, there's a bunch of Imperial people that really hate the idea of world unification. Like, they're preparing to do whatever it takes to get their land back."

"But Noctis didn't take their land."

"I know. It's something about a guy that's leading them that thinks even the idea of unification is imprisonment, so until Noctis openly gives up, they're gonna be a real pain in the neck." He huffed, shaking his head. "Anyway, the post. She's already sent a few of the older Glaives that stayed loyal out there; none of them ever returned."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously." Eren shifted to get comfortable. "And now she's getting desperate, what with Cam's men being massacred left and right, so she's starting to send newbies out there."

"As in you guys?"

"Yup." He pursed his lips, cocking his head to the side. "And for some reason, she's not sending groups. It's always one or two at a time. Heaven knows she won't send Axel out there, so no one can tell who's going to go next."

"#$%^." Rue's stomach tightened at the thought of any of her friends being sent off into the unknown at her enemy's whim. "Why isn't Gladio helping?"

"Gladio's priority is Noctis; it always has been. The only reason he's ever in Glaive business is to teach us new skills that Rayne needs assistance with or to give us pep talks about the importance of protecting the king. It's especially important now that the world's gone to #$%^ and there's no chance of an heir anytime soon." He sighed. "And I'm guessing you know why Ignis can't help."