Renovating the Heart (FFXV)

XXVIII) One of the Guys

After a brief stop at Hammerhead to pick up curatives in order to ease Ignis's anxiety, the ride officially began its home stretch. Hours passed by and Rue finally turned her music off in order to save her phone battery. She felt Gladio stirring in the seat behind her and it caught her attention—and everyone else's.

"Hey, Iggy."

"What is it?" Ignis asked, glancing up at him in his rearview mirror.

"It's almost dinner time. Why don't we pull over at the next haven?"

"Seriously, dude?" Prompto groaned, prying himself away from the door he'd curled up against. "Can't we just tough it to Caem?"

"My #$% hurts," Gladio shrugged, stretching his arms. "And I told you we were gonna camp. You brought your sleeping bag, didn't you?"

"Rayne brought them all," Noctis mumbled. Good thing I brought my own blanket...

"I'm not opposed to camping for the night," Ignis nodded, looking over at Rayne. She shrugged.

"Sure. I don't care."

"Oh, man," Prompto huffed, slouching. "You ever go camping, Rue?"

"You mean aside from the fact that I lived outside for three years?" Rue countered, raising an eyebrow.

"Wait, you were outside the whole time?" Prompto frowned. Even Rayne turned to eye her curiously. "I thought most people went into cities."

"The people I was with felt trapped inside the cities. We fended for ourselves," she shrugged, avoiding Gladio's eyes. She didn't have the heart to tell him it was because he got her friends' families killed. "I'm alive, aren't I?"

"Dex was with you, wasn't he?" Rayne asked, cocking her head to the side. "I feel like he mentioned that."

"Yeah, he was." Rue nodded, gnawing on the inside of her cheek. "He saved me and another person I was with on our way out of Insomnia." She felt as though she shouldn't say more, but she continued anyway. "He was so busy with us that he couldn't save his own wife."

"Wife?" Rayne frowned. "He was married before all this?"

"Yeah." Rue laughed awkwardly. "Weird, isn't it? I can't imagine him with anyone but Relir."

"Right?" Rayne turned around and sank into her seat. "Relir..."

"On a lighter note, we've arrived," Ignis announced, pulling onto the shoulder of the highway and stopping the car. To their right, a smooth stone decorated with ornate blue symbols beckoned for them to settle in for the evening.

"Everyone out!" Prompto called, prying open his door. 

Rue stepped out of the stuffy vehicle with stiff legs and stretched her arms over her head, taking a deep breath of the warm spring air. The greenery around them was plush and vibrant; she'd never seen something quite like this. She met Ignis's eye as he exited the car, straightening his glasses and his jacket.

"Tired of driving?" she asked, trying to keep her voice cheery.

"Unlikely with the alternative drivers at our disposal," he replied dryly, heading to the trunk to help carry things up to the haven.

Rue smiled, shaking her head, and followed, letting Gladio pile a stack of folding chairs into her arms. Prompto collapsed onto his back once he reached the haven, taking a deep breath. Noctis kicked at him with the tip of his boot, dropping an armload of bags beside his friend's head. Prompto jolted, sitting up straight to avoid getting crushed.

"Dude! Not cool!"

"Help set up," Noctis countered, offering a hand to drag Prompto to his feet. the blonde huffed.