Archive of Our Own

Long before the sun rose over Hammerhead, Cindy was up and about. It was happening more often lately, as the sun seemed to be making its appearance later and later with each day that passed. Despite this worrying development, Cindy continued to rise at her usual time and had fallen into a rather comfortable routine over the course of the past three weeks. 

Cindy headed over to Takka’s to order her morning coffee and breakfast, and as expected she found Ravus waiting for her in their usual booth. The former Prince of Tenebrae certainly was a puzzling fella, but one that she’d surprisingly found herself yearning to get to know better. It had taken time for his rather icy exterior to thaw somewhat, at least to the point of him readily accepting her company, but their time together was something that Cindy had really begun to genuinely look forward to each day. 

Ravus never ate breakfast but always had a cup of black coffee. At first he'd complained about it, but as days continued and the man settled in, his complaints grew less and the ice melted just as Cindy believed, little by little. It had been the same with his change in clothing. While he still refused the cap but on the hottest days, he'd grown accustomed to tying back his well groomed platinum hair, wearing the chunky, round toed work boots, jeans, and logoed t-shirts. That and with the stubble growing in on his sharp chin he was starting to look quite the mechanic, down to the dust on his clothes and motor oil on his cheek.  

They'd had two jackets made for him, one much like Cid's and the other a replica of the first, with the difference being the pinned left arm. Today he was wearing the latter which meant that he wasn't wearing his prosthetic. 

Only his eyes looked towards Cindy as she sat, thumbing the handle of the coffee cup as he did when he was thinking too hard. 

“Howdy, Ravus,” Cindy said with a grin. She’d quickly fallen out of the habit of addressing him by his defunct title, and the familiarity of using his name had come surprisingly easy. “How are ya doin’ this mornin’?” 

At that point, Ravus lifted his head and met her eyes. "The hole in the bathroom mirror was not intentional. Cid is going to recalibrate my arm when he has a moment free. I hope it did not inconvenience your morning routine."

“Nah,” Cindy replied with a chuckle. She’d noticed the damage when she’d gotten up of course, but she figured it was likely the result of the prosthetic gone haywire again. “It didn’t bother me none. Truthfully, I don’t really use the mirror much. I’m not really the kinda girl to make a fuss over that sorta thing. It ain’t like I ain’t gonna get grease all over me, anyway.”

She paused to take a sip of the coffee that Ravus had waiting for her and considered. It had been a while since she’d had a crack at that mechanical arm of his, and despite it not being a vehicle, she’d found herself fascinated by the intricacies of its design. “Maybe if it's okay with you and Paw Paw, I could take a gander at it? Unless a call for a tow comes in, I’m expectin’ a slow mornin’. Maybe I can figure out what seems to be goin’ awry?”

"Perhaps it's worth a look." Between the piece misfiring when Ravus attempted simple tasks, or the wiring shocking him with pain and not moving at all, he would take any extra eyes on the newly built mechanical arm. "I'm sure your eyes are better than your grandfather's, though I admit in my frustration I left the arm in his shop." He glanced over as Takka came over with Cindy's usual breakfast, sitting back in the booth as it was placed in front of her. 

“Thanks, Takka,” Cindy said with a grin as he nodded and returned to the counter. Returning her attention to Ravus she reassured, “I’ll check with Paw Paw after breakfast. I reckon he won’t mind if I take a look. Anyway, aside from the mishap, how are ya feelin’ today? Any pain?”

It was a normal run of questions, like returning to a doctor day after day, though he understood the fact Cindy meant well. "Less. I learned my lesson and removed the prosthetic after the misfire." A feat that was never easy with one arm but he almost always insisted on doing alone. It wasn't personal. It was more about maintaining his own independence and nothing more. He was actually learning not to shirk from help when offered, but that one thing. 

"Pain aside, your grandfather had me handling all of the oil changes after the last mishap, I'm not entirely sure if it wasn't just so he didn't have to, but when I questioned it he told me I looked as though I was 'goin soft' and needed to pay off the damage to the sink and cost of prosthetic repairs with manual labor."

Ravus didn't mind the physicality of it, though he was still getting used to the grease.

Cindy frowned, “I’ll handle Paw Paw. Today is supposed to be your free day and there ain’t nothin’ urgent that needs to be gettin’ done. At this rate, if a call don’t come in for a tow, I might end up with a free day, too.”

She took a bite of her breakfast and followed it with another sip of her coffee. Normally she would spend a free day tinkering with one of her pet projects. The Imperial vehicle she’d gotten her hands on when they cleaned out the nearby abandoned base for parts had kept her busy during her down time for the past several weeks. There was still more to discover about that marvel of an engine, but today she was looking forward to the rare chance to tinker with that broken mechanical arm. 

"Free days are still an alien concept to me, reserved for those that have others to do their bidding." Of course Ravus was learning things worked differently outside of the major strongholds and cities. Normal folk had a different, yet charming way of structuring hard work and recreation time, he realized this now that he'd stopped resisting. It was opening his eyes to an entirely different world than that of nobility and military. "But still, I have faith in your work, so long as it doesn't ruin your potentially free day."

“Nah, it ain’t no trouble. I like to keep myself busy. I usually spend my free time tinkerin’ with somethin’ or another.” Cindy replied. “Besides, I’ll get to spend a little more time with ya, while we try to work out the bugs in that arm. Maybe I can help ya figure out somethin’ ya would enjoy doin’ when ya got free time. Ya know, somethin’ just for you.”

"That's very similar to what my sister said as we departed Cape Caem." Ravus mused aloud, under his breath. "Of course. Not to say I never enjoyed myself in my previous post…" Cindy knew, of course, but they weren't always alone in the diner so it was a safety precaution. He raised a brow at the young woman, carefully selecting his words. "But I hadn't truly considered hobbies or friendly socialization before coming here."

“Well, now’s the perfect time to experiment,” Cindy said enthusiastically. She felt bad that Ravus hadn’t given any thought to things that seemed perfectly natural to her, but maybe he could figure out something that gave him joy while he was here. She took a few more bites of her breakfast and suggested, “Try and think about something ya think might bring ya joy, or something ya never tried before that you wanna give a go.”

Ravus would definitely need to consider such a thing, contemplate things he enjoyed as a child or simply the sorts of things that were available in the immediate area. He wasn't sure how many options were available in a land of mechanics and farmers. "Other than working on cars, what sorts of things do you enjoy, Miss Aurum?"

Cindy giggled and reminded Ravus, “Ya don’t need to get all formal with me, ya know. I’d like it if ya called me, Cindy. As for what I enjoy, I like talkin’ to folks and gettin’ to know their stories. There’s so many people from all walks of life that pass through here on their way to someplace else. The way I see it, every person got a unique way of lookin’ at things, somethin’ about them that’s special, but in the end we all got somethin’ in common. We’re all just tryin’ to get by in life and dealin’ with the hand we’d been dealt.”

"You enjoy people." Ravus hadn't considered such a thing could be considered a hobby, but he supposed, having seen her interact with customers and hunters that passed through, that it was exactly as she said. He considered this for a moment as Cindy finished up her breakfast and then hummed to himself. "Then I suppose it's a good fit for you, here. Would it be bold of me to assume you're happy, then?"

“For the most part,” Cindy answered honestly. “I know I’m luckier than most. Paw Paw may be prickly as a cactuar at times but we look out for each other, ya know. I get to do what I love and make a livin’ outta it. Get to know folks I never thought I’d get to know.” She took in Ravus’ usual serious expression and caught that tiny hint of vulnerability that he was always so careful to hide. 

Cid had mentioned Cindy's parents once or twice while rambling on, something he tended to do when poking and prodding at the components of Ravus's arm. Her parents had been taken by daemons, the same sort that fueled his previous arm and that the Empire he'd served had harnessed. As such he made a habit not to speak of it, or the past, even if the loss of parents could have led to them finding common ground. "I do not know if I've asked such before, or if it would be too forward of me, but what of the future?"

“I ain’t certain whatcha mean about the future,” Cindy said as she took the final sip of her coffee and rose to her feet. She was ready to head to Paw Paw’s workshop to pick up the malfunctioning prosthetic. “Let’s get that misfirin’ arm of yours sorted and we can talk about it back at the garage.”

A soft grunt later Ravus was on his feet as well. He stood out a little, but thanks to the uniform supplied by Cid, he was fitting in a little more each day. "Fine. That is priority one, after all."

Cindy frowned, concerned that Ravus might have misunderstood her, “I didn’t mean to dismiss the question,” she clarified as they strolled over to Paw Paw’s workshop. “I just meant we could continue the conversation in private while we work.”

"If you wish. And nothing you've said has upset me." He said with a level tone, staying at her side and half a step behind, as he once did with those of higher rank than himself. It was a habit that would take much longer to break. "We do not delve into personal conversation often, hesitation is understandable. Especially in regards to what you know of me. Just know I will never ask anything that can be used against you. If you ever feel that to be untrue I will not be offended should you be straight forward about the fact."

Her frown deepened at Ravus’ words. That really wasn’t what she meant at all and Cindy felt compelled to clear the air. She paused in her tracks and turned to Ravus, gathering his good hand in her own as she replied, “I ain’t never got the impression ya was anythin’ more than a good man who’d been dealt a shittier hand than most. I know ya wouldn’t use nothin’ I say against me. I just didn’t understand the question and thought we both might be more comfortable continuing our chat in the garage.”

Ravus didn't know what to say, beyond the fact he felt foolish in his misunderstanding, part of him knew it was a combination of his military and noble backgrounds that made it more difficult to take words at face value. "I did not mean to assume." He turned his head away to distract from any further remnants of his embarrassment, just in case. "I… sincerely apologize."

“Come on,” Cindy said as she moved them towards the workshop without releasing her grasp of his hand. “There ain’t nothing to be sorry for. Misunderstandings happen.”

Paw Paw wasn’t around when they reached the workshop, so Cindy just picked up the prosthetic arm in her other hand and led Ravus the remaining few steps to the garage. 

Cid had been there when he’d dropped it off, but no one ever had an idea where the old man ran off to. There had to be other lounge points they didn't know about beyond the chair at the front of the garage. 

As soon as his hand was released Ravus began removing his leather jacket and setting it aside. "Cid believes it's the nodes buried in my arm, or the attachment between the wires and the device. What do you think?"

“Hmmm,” Cindy said thoughtfully. “I’ll take a gander at all the wiring. Both in your arm and the device.”

She opened the panel on the device to expose the wiring and immediately spotted two wires that shouldn’t have been connected. As she moved to correct the problem she asked, “So what was it you meant back there about the future?”

Ravus made a noise in the back of his throat but conceded to nod. The wiring seemed to be changing every day, a trial and error that seemed endless in nature. "It goes back to what my sister said. It was a wish for peace and happiness in the future. How would you define such a thing, in your own life?"

As Cindy carefully rearranged the delicate wiring she considered the question. “I suppose I’ve never really thought that far ahead. I tend to live in the moment rather than focusin’ too hard on the past or the future. There ain’t nothin’ I can do about the past except to learn from it and ya never know what the future holds until ya get there. The way I see it, if ya get your heart set on something and it doesn’t happen, it leads to disappointment. Only thing in my power to control is what’s happenin’ right now.”

"I see. That must be a freeing way to live." Ravus directed his eyes to Cindy's work, which was as close to living in the present as he ever had done. His entire life had been a compound of reliving the past and working for the sake of the future, nothing he was in between mattered as the present was fleeting and soon became memory. "I'm afraid I cannot live with such freedom. Tenebrae still lies in ruin, I still have duty to the future as a noble of house Fleuret."

“It must be rough,” Cindy sympathized. “Being born with all that weight on your shoulders. Ya ain’t never had much time to ever want anything for yourself, have ya?”

"My reasoning is much the same as the reason you prefer not to look forward." Ravus said, flatly, even though he could still hear his sister's voice in his head, telling him to do the opposite of how he was raised. "I suppose it can be done, though even that must fit in a specific set of confines."

“So once ya got your arm workin’ and ya leave here, what’s the next step?” Cindy ignored the little voice inside of her that wasn’t exactly looking forward to the day Ravus left and asked, “How are ya plannin’ to move forward and get your country back?”

"The Imperial army has been undermined, shatter it while weak, then return to Tenebrae with military force, secure the borders and see if Lucis follows suit." It was said matter of factly, as though he'd recited it dozens of times. "What comes after is up to Lady Lunafreya. Should she… wed the Lucian Prince, I will have to not only rebuild our home but follow my birthright." It was a slightly solemn look, but at times the line between solemn and determined blurred within Ravus.

“Regardless of Lady Lunafreya’s choice, why not work with Lucis to help Tenebrae?” Cindy asked as she finished the wiring and went on to check the other systems in the mechanical arm. “Ya have friends and allies here. Knockin’ back the Empire would benefit us both I reckon. Y’all could do more together against the Imperials than apart.”

"It's after the Imperials are gone, when we must retreat to our homes and try to repair. Lucis and Tenebrae will have their own problems in rebuilding. They will both need someone to lead the efforts. The Royal families will be crucial to maintaining the morale in the difficult days to come. If the people do not see that their country's leadership is strong, they will falter." 

Ravus stared at the arm beneath Cindy's surprisingly delicate hands as she used specifically tailored amounts of electricity to test the function of the individual fingers. "The one thing my sister does not understand… is that despite her defiance of the Prophecy, there are still sacrifices to be made. Those of us who escape the flames do not do so without still being burned."

“Ya ain’t used to relyin’ on or trustin’ others to have your back.” It wasn’t a question. It was a statement of fact, and Cindy spoke her observation as neutrally as possible in the hopes that Ravus would understand it wasn’t a judgement. “Ya had no one to rely on but yourself for a really long time, but despite that ya only ever seem to have thoughts for others. Your sister, your country, and your people, but never for yourself. The way I see it, if that ain’t strength of character and heart, then I don’t know what is.”

At least Cindy understood that part. And even if he wasn't used to relying on others… he had good reason not to. Most people could not be trusted. Especially in the Empire. "It would erase the meaning of everything I've done to this point, were I to stray now. If I do as you say, try things, or as my sister wished and take something for myself… I would have to realize: that something would have to be let go should I bear the weight of the Crown."

A small part of Ravus envied Cindy, but the regret in attempting to escape all the ones he'd worked so hard for would far outweigh that. 

“Guess we ain’t that different in that respect,” Cindy commented as she finished up her systems check. She was pretty sure she’d figured out the problem with the wiring of the mechanical arm itself but she still needed to check the connections and the wires directly attached to Ravus’ body before she attempted to put the two together. 

“Ya might be plannin’ things further out than I do, but ya still are grounded in the moment. If ya don’t want for nothin’, then ya won’t be disappointed if things change. Either way, crown or no, Tenebrae and your sister are both lucky to have ya in their corner.”

"And the automobiles and patrons of Liede are lucky for you. Hopefully whatever future you build for yourself brings you joy." Ravus had no idea if the future he strove for was one of joy, but his happiness would not come first, he could only be so lucky if happiness were a side product thereof. "Have you discovered the issue with the prosthetic?"

Short of an issue beneath Ravus’ skin, Cindy actually was pretty confident she’d fixed the problem, but she needed to be sure. If she was successful, it was a foregone conclusion that Ravus would be leaving Hammerhead soon, off to accomplish bigger and better things that had nothing to do with her. The thought made her sad... but that’s the kind of life she led. Lots of people around and about, but the vast majority of them were only passing through. Folks like Prince Noctis and his friends, or Ravus, though she’d grown to care for them all, she wasn’t a part of the world they led. Not really. Still she knew that when the time came, she would miss this handsome, kind hearted, and selfless man that she’d gotten to know over the past three weeks. 

Shaking herself from her gloomy thoughts, Cindy confirmed, “I think I have, but I’d like to take a gander at the wires attached to ya before puttin’ it to the test.” 

Ravus nodded, having simply been waiting for her word. It was nothing like the first time. He'd more or less gotten used to taking off his shirt in front of others in the last few weeks. In fact, he’d physically gotten much quicker at doing so with only one arm. The one thing he'd never get used to was having her hands on him, a sensation that always prickled his skin despite his best intentions. "You always seem to be able to find the problems, even when your old man cannot. Have you… entertained the thought of becoming a military mechanic?"

“Not exactly somethin’ that’s ever been on my radar,'' Cindy answered honestly as she waited for Ravus to finish taking off his shirt. Then she joked, “I mean, I’d be willin’ to help ya tune up any of those military vehicles if ya want, but somethin’ tells me I wouldn’t meet the uniform requirements to actually join up.” 

Ravus almost opened his mouth to say that a mechanic wouldn't need to stick to uniform, but in reality he doubted it was a life she would enjoy at all. It was bad enough being ogled by harmless country boys or the occasional Prince's retainer. Even Ravus knew military men were a category of their own. They were worse. The women were no better. Ravus had never been able to find companionship of any kind in the barracks. At least not the sort that lasted more than a single night. "It truly is not for everyone."

His shirt joined the jacket and he pulled a stool underneath himself so that he had something to grip if he needed to. Astrals knew he'd needed it, before. "I suppose, then, I may call on you should the mechanics on hand need more of an expert's touch."

“Well, I’d be honored,” Cindy replied as she carefully began to examine the wiring protruding from what remained of Ravus’ shoulder. She plucked at each wire gently, making sure they were properly attached but not so hard as to cause Ravus any pain. She ran her fingers over the delicate mythril strands, making sure they were smooth and not frayed. Then she gathered the tool to check and see if each of the individual wires were reading electrical impulses properly. “I know this part is uncomfortable for ya so I’ll get through it as quickly as I can.”

"Do as you will." He had to relax or it could be worse, so physically that's what he did. Underneath, his mind continued to storm. Ravus didn't vocalize his concerns that there would be no army and no mechanics… not for many years, probably not until Noctis had brought peace back to Eos. But if the intel he'd received from his contacts was correct, their ragtag group might be enough. "Would you not leave Hammerhead for anything, then?"

“Never really thought about it before,” Cindy replied honestly. “I mean, I’ve spent my whole life here. I’ve got Paw Paw and the garage. I don’t really want for nothin’.”

Swiftly she moved to check each individual wire with the lowest possible current. It wouldn’t necessarily cause Ravus pain, but it had the potential to, so she wanted to finish this part as quickly as possible. 

“I mean, I don’t think it's likely I’d ever leave but since ya never know what the future might hold, I suppose it's possible.”

Ravus's face twitched slightly with the contact, each wire causing a different level of pain, but considering he didn't know the breakdown of the original arm, discomforts were unavoidable. "I'm well aware that I do not fit or belong here." Ravus paused as one jolt shot all the way across his chest. "I am not allowed to. Have you ever been to a royal court, Cindy? It's politics, all of it. Politics, continuation of bloodline, money, image… you would hate it there."

“I can’t say it sounds like my cup of tea,” Cindy agreed readily. “Truthfully, it don’t sound like it's yours,  either.”

She paused in her tests of the wires and met Ravus’ eyes. “Look, I don’t pretend to know much about that kinda stuff, but there’s somethin’ ya oughta consider. When ya get your country back, ya have the chance to build things the way ya want. It don’t gotta be the way it's always been. Sure, politics ain’t never gonna go away, but some of the other stuff don’t have to be part of the way you run things if ya don’t want it to be.”

"Change can only go so far, unless we abolish the system entirely and build from chaos." Which would throw his entire future into disarray. He would never admit it, but the thought terrified him. "I do not think Lunafreya would agree to such terms, and should I be crowned, a council of democracy would already be in place, of her choosing. Should I not… well, the only difference is that an arranged marriage would be less immediate. Tenebrae's Queen Mothers have always strived for fairness and equality among their people. The line of the Oracle is of utmost importance to the country. Those within are meant to be teachers, healers." Not vengeful soldiers… He glanced up, wondering if Cindy pausing her work had been of his doing.

“See that’s what I meant,” Cindy clarified. “The political stuff sure, like the council and all that are fine and good, but the Oracle line, that ain’t just on yal. If your sister decides to marry Prince Noctis, it don’t change the fact that she’s the Oracle. If she doesn’t, well, then she should be with someone she chooses rather than someone chosen for her. Same should be for both of you. Why shouldn’t both of y’all be happy?”

"We're entirely allowed to marry someone of our own choosing." Ravus lifted his head as he looked at Cindy, fully, his good arm moving until it was even atop his leg. "Arranged marriages are only used for the betterment of the country, such as a joining of nations or national powers, when an heir is needed and one is otherwise unavailable, or when we choose to concede to them." Ravus had already thought such things over, as he'd considered all parts. "I understand it may seem antiquated, but it… works better for some situations and some people."

Cindy nodded, not really in agreement but more in acknowledgement as she resumed the testing, “Well the Empire arranged the marriage between your sister and Prince Noctis and that didn’t exactly go as planned.” She chuckled and added, “Honestly, I wouldn’t be all that surprised if that whole thing falls apart faster than a Spiracorn can skidaddle.”

Ravus grunted, not about to speak his true feelings on the matter. "That is up to them, or moreso the Prince. I've said my piece. She has said hers, and I will fully support her to the end, whichever way the tides turn. The powers involved in the union may have damned it, themselves. But were I to seek a bride, for example, it would be Lady Lunafreya that chose her, not warring powers." Ravus had been furious when he'd heard the proposed engagement, but as a Commander there had been nothing he could do. 

“I don’t think the problem was with these here wires,” Cindy declared as she concluded her check. “Lemme get the arm and I’ll calibrate it for ya.”

She picked the piece up off of the table and began the delicate task of attaching the arm to the sensory wires one at a time. She had to step in close as she did so and she could feel the minute shifts of Ravus’ muscles under her hands. It was intimate, and while Cindy didn’t usually think of fellas in that kinda way, she couldn’t deny that with Ravus, her mind had been wandering in that direction more often than not.

Cindy hadn't even tried to sugar coat the change of subject and Ravus exhaled. It was simple, in wanting to get to know her thoughts he'd spoken only of himself. It was not polite of him, at all. He went still, shifted his gaze to the unsightly scars and wires that were his shoulder as his expression went slate. "I'm thankful you decided to help me and am forever in your debt."

“Nah, ya don’t owe me nothin’,'' Cindy insisted. “If anything, I’m grateful ya let me tinker with somethin’ so important.” She laid her hand on his bare chest and couldn’t help but catch the slight hitch of his breath as she carefully guided the mechanical arm into place. 

At this point, she should have pulled back. Everything was fully connected and the arm should be fully functional. Yet despite all the reasons why she should move, Cindy found herself reluctant to step away. There was something simmering beneath the surface of the unlikely friendship they’d forged. Little by little, they’d begun to draw each other in further. Despite all his talk of arranged marriage, she couldn’t help but feel like there was something underneath all of Ravus’ questions about her future. With the clock running short on the time they had together, Cindy decided to take a chance. 

“Lemme, ask ya somethin’?” Cindy questioned quietly as she peered up at Ravus. “I know ya are determined to see all this through, but indulge me. If ya had one single selfish wish for yourself, what would it be?”

Ravus's lips pulled and his eyes shot up from his shoulder to her face. "I've done my very best to avoid such things." Hence why he didn't have hobbies as they'd spoken of, before. "Anything I would want would be dashed from my hands the moment I returned to Tenebrae. What… point would there be in wishing?"

If there was one thing Cindy was well aware of, it was when a man desired her. Admittedly, the signs were a lot more subtle with Ravus. He never actually made any advances, but when she was this close to him, he couldn’t hide the increased pace of his heartbeat or slight hitches of his breath whenever her hands made contact with his bare skin. 

Unlike the others that she enjoyed stringing along by their noses, Ravus’s eyes never strayed to any of her assets. When he conversed with her, he looked her in the eyes. The thing that surprised Cindy more than anything was just how much she found herself wishing he’d be more forthcoming with her about his desires. If she was right, and she’d solved the problem with Ravus’s arm, he’d be leaving soon. The situation was complicated, but Cindy didn’t want to have any regrets.

“Okay, then how about this?” Cindy persisted as she boldly stroked the skin beneath her fingertips, “Why did ya wanna know if I’d ever consider leavin’ Hammerhead?”

His muscles jumped beneath her touch and immediately his skin prickled up.  How was Ravus supposed to answer that in a way that didn't seem… awkward, especially in his current condition? "How else do you gently inquire whether or not your future interests align? It's unfortunately… a very important thing to ask in my position."

“Align with what?” Cindy pressed. There was something more to this. She was sure of it.

"With… mine?" Immediately he realized how stupid it sounded, but it had been a momentary lapse in conscious thought that he hadn't anticipated. 

A bright smile spread across Cindy’s face. She knew she hadn’t been imagining that there was something more here. “And just what position are ya hopin’ I’d be willin’ to align with?”

Ravus wasn't an idiot, he could tell when he was being questioned, though he supposed it was more a tactic than anything on her part. She was not an idiot either and knew of her sway over men and women. He didn't like his inability to think. "I've had enough of flippant, meaningless relations and fair weather friends. Even should I have a future set in stone, those around me are not."

Cindy knew it was time to drop the act. If she was going to get anywhere with Ravus, it was clear she was going to need to stop beating around the bush and speak plainly. She took a step back and removed her hand from his chest. This was a serious conversation and it needed to be handled with respect. 

She met his gaze head on and admitted, “I know what folks think about me. Despite the general assumption, I ain’t never had a frivolous fling in my life. Look, I ain’t gonna pretend this ain’t complicated. I know it is. For both of us, really, and it ain’t realistic not to face it. I ain’t ready to uproot my life anytime soon, and I know ya got a duty to fulfill, but if ya were willin’ to give it a go, I’d be willin’ to figure out a compromise. Meet ya in the middle until we’re ready to commit to a bigger change that both of us could live with.”

"I never meant to accuse you of being that sort, and even if you were I would not be one to judge." And yet her admission nearly made Ravus stumble, only because he'd once again made the mistake of trying to read beneath. But his skin was chilling now, which only seemed to make the prickle worse. He held in a breath and hoped he wasn't thinking too far ahead. "Geographically speaking… and if Lucis agrees, Cape Caem is rather close to the mid point."

Giggling at Ravus’ rather literal interpretation of her suggestion Cindy replied, “Not exactly what I meant but I guess somethin’ like that would do. Besides, I think ya underestimate just how grateful the Prince and his boys are to ya. Way I understand it, if it hadn’t been for ya givin’ them a helpin’ hand out there, that party of four would be down to three. Just between us, Ignis offered Paw Paw a small fortune to fix up your arm, but he didn’t accept it.”

"And your grandfather?" Ravus knew he had to be more precise, seeing the question itself was rather vague. He shifted his shoulder and winced, then stretched out the arm and moved the fingers, one at a time, thumb to tip. "Knowing what he does of Niflheim and what role I played in their military advances, is it even possible to gain his favor?" 

“Paw Paw is always gonna be pricklier than a cactuar on his best day,” Cindy answered, “but if he’d felt that way about ya, no amount of gil in the world woulda been enough to get him to help ya, and he didn’t accept a single one.”

And Ravus would eventually pay him back, one way or another. He reached forward and brushed a finger along Cindy's jaw. For him it was a bold move, though even he realized it was nothing to most. "I shall tread lightly, regardless. He seems a man not afraid of a fight, and his wrench looks awfully heavy."

“I’m sure ya can handle yourself,” Cindy teased as she leaned into the touch. She had butterflies in her stomach as she stepped forward and replaced her hand on his chest. She tilted her head upwards as she moved and slowly moved in for a kiss.

She was met halfway, though Ravus dare not touch her with the mechanical arm. His fingers became a gentle weight on the base of Cindy's neck and he tilted his head slightly until their lips met with soft pressure.  

The butterflies in Cindy’s stomach intensified as their lips joined. Ravus’ lips were surprisingly soft and the kiss, while relatively chaste, ignited feelings inside of her she’d never really experienced before. She melted into the sensation and cautiously increased the pressure of her lips against Ravus’s. 

His lips parted slightly, allowing the kiss to slide closer, though he made no move to deepen it. He wasn't about to spoil it by going too far. 

Beside him Ravus's arm twitched and his fingers jolted. Shocked, the former commander pulled away. 

Cindy was disappointed when Ravus abruptly pulled away, until she noticed that the mechanical arm was going haywire again. “Shucks. Sorry about that, Ravus. I was certain I had it that time. Do ya want me to help ya get it off?”

"Ah, yes!" Ravus had to physically grab the mechanical arm and force it downwards so that it didn't attempt the same sort of destruction it did in the morning.  "The… arm I mean!"

Stepping in close, Cindy swiftly, but gently disconnected the wiring and eased the prosthetic away from Ravus’ shoulder. “Guess there’s still a few more of them bugs to work out.” She sighed and then set it on the workbench carefully. A small bashful smile spread across her lips as she realized what that meant and she looked up into Ravus’ eyes. “I reckon this means I’ll have the pleasure of your company a bit longer.”

A hint of a smile chipped the corner of Ravus's normally stoic visage. "Yes, though I believe I've figured out what triggers the misfire. It reacts directly to an increase of heart rate."

“Well then,” Cindy said with an ever widening grin as she moved in close to steal another kiss, “I suppose that means we’ll have to be very thorough in our testin’ before ya can move on?”

Apparently there was a silver lining, afterall. "Yes, I cannot continue with my plans until the arm is properly calibrated, at the very least. It seems, Miss- ah, Cindy, that we'll be seeing each other for a while longer."

This thing that had grown between them was complicated. Eventually, Ravus was going to have to leave. But at least for now, they had some time to work it out. Cindy threw her arms around Ravus’ neck, kissed him again, and then suggested, “Why don’t we enjoy the rest of this free day and then run some more tests later?” 

This time it was Ravus that pressed for another kiss, keeping with the rhythm they had created. "Then I'll follow your lead, it seems as though you understand better than I how to enjoy such a day."

Cindy’s eyes were sparkling as she thought of an idea. “Let’s go pick up some food to go and take a walk over to the nearby haven. We can make a date of it.”

Ravus nodded, but not before grabbing his shirt and jacket from the rack where they'd been left.  "Of course, it sounds perfect."

Once Ravus was fully dressed, Cindy reached for his hand with a smile. The future might be scary and uncertain, but for once, she was looking forward to seeing where it led them.