Chapter Text
Misted by the remnants of rain, illuminated by the rising dawn, the great city of Insomnia was stirring to life. Night lights flickered off while cars began to surge through roads, moving like a river towards the center of Insomnia. There was more activity than usual today, a buzz of hushed excitement that vibrated off every person as doors opened and closed, citizens rushing out to the Citadel. Even in the slums, Insomnia was awake. Food carts smoked earlier than usual, hoping to grab business, while bars shoved out their drunkards in a hurry. The clanging of the metal platforms echoed throughout the city as huge masses scrambled to find a television or radio. Today was history for Lucis. Everyone was eager to hear what was about to be said.
But Keith had never been one to care about anything other than his own problems. Though he never intentionally ignored people, he was the type that just didn’t notice . His issues were like some kind of massive black hole that consumed his attention, that made it impossible for him to think about anything else. It wasn’t healthy and he knew it, but did that really matter when it only affected him?
Someone shoved him roughly. His shaky legs nearly collapsed as he fumbled against the railing of the platform while a voice mumbled behind him. Something about- it’s too late? The sun? Being a minor?
Fuck.
He looked up. Morning. He had stayed out all night. No wonder his vision was blurred. The man scowled and shoved him again, this time, further down the platform. “Are you listening, you freakin’ brat? I said get out! The King’s doin’ some announcement today, and I can’t have some kid whose balls have barely dropped hanging around my bar.”
Announcement? Shit, was is that thing that his class wouldn’t shut up about? He couldn’t remember what it was for. His head fucking hurt. “Did ya hear me? By Ifrit’s ass, get moving!” The bar keeper pushed him again .
“Alright… Jesus, I’m leaving!” Keith snapped, clutching the railing for support. As he slowly crawled away, he heard the man spit in his general direction before slamming the bar’s doors. Seemed like the last time he’d get in there , which was some pretty bad luck. It was the only place with low enough standards to let him get drunk. “Ugh…” Keith gurgled, nausea creeping up his throat. Though it’d be some time before he’d drink again.
But, as Keith squinted at the crowds moving above and below him, there was a bigger problem than his stomach. He was still drunk, bordering on hangover, while a country-wide event going on. Which meant lots of people and police , never good for a foreign kid on a student visa. “Gotta… urgh… get out of here,” he said with a burp, hurrying towards the descending stairs to get back to his- to his-?
“For fuck’s sake,” he cursed suddenly, slamming his hand down with a clang.
He needed to go back to his dorm which was in the fucking center of Insomnia where (ironically) the Citadel was. How the hell was he going to get past security without being stopped for public indecency?
The sudden smell of street cart food made him retch. He needed to leave though, maybe not to his dorm, but instead to some alley where he could lean against a wall and breathe before he hurled all over the ground. Stumbling, Keith took the stairs step by step, clinging to the rails for dear life as his vision swirled and his head throbbed. Nothing seemed right, not the signs, the sun, nor the shifting black of uniforms in front of him.
Keith paused.
He looked up, then straightened immediately, ignoring the ache in his back as he did. Of course , he thought bitterly, as he tried to calm the swell of anxiety building alongside his nausea. Walking only a few feet away from him, quite distinct from the crowd, were two soldiers clad in all black and silver. One was fumbling with his uniform and muttering some Lucian curse to the Gods; he was heavy-set and had a face full of rough hair, altogether disheveled, though Keith was certain he would be able to outrun him. The other, however, was a different story. Not only was he much taller than Keith, he looked like a real damn fighter. His beard was cut close, different from his companion, and his posture was immaculate. With clear, grey-blue eyes, the man stood as if he belonged on the front-lines of war. If Keith wasn’t so threatened, he’d be challenging him to a practice fight, off-handedly wondering if the man knew how to wield a sword.
“Gods be damned,” the bigger soldier said, “For the life of me, I can’t get the shitty thing on! Why in Shiva’s tits would they make these uniforms so complicated?” He kept pulling at what looked like a chain. His companion grinned, “Libertus, it really isn’t as hard as you’re making it seem.”
“Says the arse that was ready an hour before the ceremony began!”
“ Really isn’t that hard,” the blue-eyed man said, “Must be those stubby fingers of yours.”
The man named Libertus glared at the chain, “Go fuck an MT, Nyx. If you ain’t helping, then what use are you?”
The two spoke differently than any other Lucians he’d met. And Keith recalled a time in class when he had actually payed attention.
“Those guys outside are pretty cool, don’t you think? Their uniforms are so awesome!”
“ I dunno, man. They’re pretty intimidating. Aren’t they from out of Insomnia? A lot of people told me they're bad news...”
“No way! Even their name’s kick ass! Kingsglaive- I totally wanna talk to them!
Kingsglaive.
Watching them both with cautious eyes, Keith stepped down onto the next platform and tried to slink behind a shop stand. But because he wasn’t focused (and drunk), his foot knocked some left over bottles, causing them to clink and fall, loud and clear enough to be heard above the murmuring of people.
The soldiers turned.
“Of course!” he spat, before turning and offering the two a nonchalant smile. Judging by their faces, though, it must have been ineffective. He scrambled back to the railing as quickly as he could, hoping to God that he looked somewhat sober.
Libertus stepped forward, “Oi, kid, can I ask you something?”
What did something mean?
“Uh?” he said, a bit too high-pitched for comfort, “Yes?” Was that his sweat sticking to his shirt? Standing as straight as possible, Keith tried not to seem suspicious but ended up fidgeting and shifting his gaze away from the Glaive’s. He could actually feel Nyx’s accusing stare.
“Well, since this arsehole won’t do it,” the man began, glaring behind him, “Would you be able to fix this fuckin’ chain on my button? It doesn’t stay when I try.”
Keith exhaled and nodded stiffly.
“Y-yeah, of course,” he said, waiting for the man to come closer. He couldn’t take the chance and leave the railing. He didn’t feel too steady on his feet, and Nyx following Libertus as he approached wasn’t helping his nerves. “Thanks,” Libertus said, obviously happy, and pulled his uniform towards Keith.
Slowly, the teen reached out and grabbed the chain. With as much control as he could muster (he recalled holding his father’s knife for the first time), he slipped the latch onto the button, tugging at it for good measure before stepping back and offering a better, relieved smile. “There you go,” he said, “It’s pretty secure now.”
Libertus looked down and grinned, “Saved my life, kid. Don’t know what Capn’ Drautos would do if I didn’t look like I walked straight out of the King’s palace.” He tossed a smug look at Nyx, who rolled his eyes.
“Y’know, he’s only like that because you intentionally rile him up.”
Libertus shrugged, “Sometimes his uptight arse needs a bit of a reminder of where he came from. He acts like he’s the King’s head of guard!”
“Enough, Libertus,” Nyx said, “Like it or not, he’s our boss, and our boss wants us at the announcement to show that we’re responsible Lucians, and not a waste of tax money.”
There was a sharp anger in Nyx’s words, one that Libertus huffed in consent to. “Fine, we’re going. Hey,” Libertus turned to Keith again, “Thanks again-”
But Keith was currently hunched over. The nausea had come back with a vengeance, and he felt like he needed to curl up and die. With a grunt, Keith pulled himself upright and onto the platform’s edge. He could see that below him, the crowds had dissipated.
“Kid? You okay?” Libertus asked. Genuine concern was in his voice as he reached for Keith, but when the teen accidentally burped, the soldier’s eyes went wide. The Glaives exchanged looks. Nyx’s face hardened.
“Libertus, let’s take him with us. We’ll get him ID’d and returned to wherever he needs to go.”
His companion nodded, but just as he was about to sling Keith onto his shoulder, the teen jumped, as quick and lithe as a cat.
The Glaives barely registered the clang of the metal below.
“Son of Ifrit- Nyx!”
“Right,” the taller man said, leaping over the railing in quick pursuit, while Libertus turned and ran through the crowd to find another staircase.
…
If Keith had knocked people over while running, he absolutely didn’t notice or care. It was enough to hear Nyx’s footsteps behind him to get his adrenaline pumping. His vision narrowed, his legs surged him forward, Keith was sprinting. He slid through the crowd and kicked a garbage bin or two for good measure as he jumped down staircase after staircase. The sweat was pouring down his face now, nausea long-forgotten, and despite the situation- no, because of the situation- Keith was smiling.
He felt intense excitement as Nyx yelled from behind, and an absolute thrill when the soldier’s footsteps were fading, lost to the noise of the masses. He was getting away. He was winning. God, this was fucking fun.
Keith actually laughed as left the platform and ran into the concrete section of the outer ring. Here, he remembered, were the cars and main shops of Insomnia. If he kept going, he’d make his way to the Citadel. Keith had managed to get away .
He crossed the street, caused some irritated honking, and ran into an alleyway. He had no idea where it would lead him, but he just kept moving, squeezing through narrow passages and more throngs of people. Once, just for kicks, he leapt onto a fire escape, climbed onto the roof of a building, then hopped into another alleyway, scaring the crap out of a hobo.
“Ha!” Keith yelled, as he spotted a huge, televised ad above a department store. He managed to get the inner ring. Just how fucking long had he run for?
Man did he not care. Finally slowing down, he fell against the concrete wall of some building, breathing heavily with an idiotic grin. He felt fucking fantastic. Staring up at the ad, he dimly remembered the whole reason he’d been worried. And, goddammit, Keith’d feel awful once the adrenaline faded, but his mind was in a dream-like state.
“Oh,” he exhaled with an uncomprehending chuckle, “So that’s what this whole big thing was about.”
The ad before him had changed to a “BREAKING NEWS” announcement.
Apparently, “The engagement between Prince Noctis and Oracle Lunafreya has been dissolved!”
Keith was wondering about who the fuck they were when suddenly, Nyx slammed onto the ground before him, sparks of blue light firing off of him as he met the teen’s widening eyes.
Nyx brushed something off of his uniform, giving Keith an exasperated glare.
“You’re fucked now, kid.”