Renovating the Heart (FFXV)

XXXV) 180 Degrees

The following day passed quickly. Most everything she or anyone from the Crownsguard did was an act of recovery from what they'd missed on their trip to Altissia. Rue spent most of her time at work daydreaming about Eren's return as she crafted an official transcription of her notes from Camelia's office. If they hadn't been keeping so quiet about their relationship, would he sweep of her feet like in the movies? She crinkled her nose. Cute, but they weren't the showy types. The last thing she wanted was for them to be comparable to Relir and Dex.

When she went home that night, her empty backpack slung over her shoulder, she turned on a murder documentary and grabbed her last bottle of wine, making a mental note to go grocery shopping the next day. She curled up on the couch in her pajamas, hugging Honey to her chest and drinking straight from the bottle like any semi-alcoholic heathen might. Considering the circumstances of the last time she sat and watched television late like this, she was easy on herself when her heart began to pound and her breaths felt short. She gave in and went to bed, taking extra care to lock her bedroom door, and dozed off with Honey sprawled out by her head.

In sharp contrast, her heart practically sang as her eyes opened to the sound of her alarm. Rue got ready with the most energy she'd ever had in the morning, careful to make her bed and put her coffee mug in the dishwasher before she left, heavy jacket slung over her shoulders and phone weighing down her right pocket. Her steps were brisk and peppy, her reflexes quick as she weaved her way through the early morning traffic on her way to the Citadel. Relir lectured her the day before about not sharing the news of Eren's return; today she smiled and gave her an excited hug before rushing off to train. Ignis hardly batted an eye when she stepped into his office, grinning from ear to ear as she threw her jacket up onto the coat hanger.

"Guess what today is."

"Judging by the look on your face, today is the day the troops from Gralia return."

"Yup!" She shuddered, elated, and leaned forward to peek at what he was writing down on a piece of paper, palms pressed to his desk. Ignis looked up, eyebrow raised. "What've you got for me today?"

"A lighter workload," he admitted, tucking the paper into his notebook and scooting his chair back to search a drawer to his left. "That way you get a chance to speak with Rayne and Gladio about my offer and you can go home after Eren arrives." Rue couldn't help but feel stunned by the act of kindness, and if it wasn't kindness, it was certainly thoughtful. "I need a thorough report of the events in Altissia—from the business end. Because of your... lapse in memory, we'll call it, I will handle the attack."

"Sounds good," she nodded, tucking her hair behind her ear. Uneasily, she tilted her head to the side, hesitating to speak. He must have heard her thoughts, looking up expectantly. "Why were those people even there? Just to prove a point? I think they could've done that without trying to kill us."

"Perhaps they thought the only way to be rid of our influence for good was death."

"They felt trapped?"

"There's a chance. Consider the murder of your husband, for example." Rue frowned as he spoke the words casually, as though they held no weight. Taking the page of bullet points from his hands, she shook her head.

"I'd rather not draw that comparison, if you don't mind. I don't see much similarity."

"You weren't trying to prove a point?" Ignis asked. Rue felt suffocated, an instant turnaround from how she felt moments before. Since when did he poke his nose around in her business? She didn't like his sudden curiosity, answering coldly.

"I was trying to save my daughter from her druggie father before he could hurt her. That was the only point." He clearly sensed that he'd crossed a line before he'd spoken the words, quickly turning his eyes from hers at her snappy response.