Permissible | jadeguy

[precibyss]

Fandom: Tales of the Abyss
Characters/Pairings: Jade Curtiss/Guy Cecil, (Nephry, Noelle, and Peony mentioned)
Rating: G
Summary: Guy volunteers to take Jade in the Albiore II to his family reunion he was given forced time off to attend and the two of them get a little more than they bargained for.

Intended this for the drabble_zone Shiver prompt, but I got too wordy again.
 

Family reunions were never among Jade Curtiss’ beloved events. He didn’t hate his family, but the reunions were always just to show face, discuss his work, and get pestered by the Curtiss household for him not finding a partner like Nephry has. The Curtiss family rarely got together, yet Jade often found himself too busy with work to join them. It wasn’t Jade’s fault that being a colonel of the Malkuth military kept him so occupied.

But this year that wouldn’t be the case. Nephry had worked around him and asked His Majesty for some time off for her brother. The other day she came to his office to tell Jade that he was expected next Loreleiday through Remday, handing him a signed official document of the requested time off from Emperor Peony himself.

No work excuses this time. Or so Jade thought.

Then the Albiore II went down well outside Keterburg. Engine failure. The craft was working just fine before takeoff hours ago. Noelle and Guy both tested it before Noelle entrusted the craft into Guy’s capable hands. The engine should not have failed. Guy could not explain it; no matter how much the colonel jokingly prodded him to.

Five more attempts to restart the Albiore and Guy called it.

And because Nephry would give him an earful if he missed yet another family gathering, Jade and Guy decided to weather the ever-winter region’s snowy climes on foot. Nephry would forgive him for being late when she learned what happened.

Guy stood out ahead of him by several paces and off to the side where the snow was nearly to his hips, trying to get his bearings on their general heading through the snowfall. When he took his next step, Guy fell comically deep into the snow, enveloped in white up to his ears. His blonde hair and a bit of his hand and arm the only parts of him showing. Jade heard his startled yell muffled under the blankets and chuckled as he hobbled to retrieve the devoured man.

“This is why I said it’s best to stick to the path,” Jade said after brushing some snow aside and uncovering an ear. Guy mutters back a response he can’t hear over a burst of wind that cuts through the path in the trees.

Jade grasped and shook his hand, revealing more of his arm under the loose snow and pulled him up to expose more of his torso. Head and shoulders exposed again, Guy’s cold flushed face standing out against the white of the surrounding landscape.

“What path!” Guy said, head swiveling around to gesture at the snow-covered everything, shaking some loose snow flurries in his hair.

“The path through the trees, obviously,” Jade said as he loomed over Guy. Smiling down at the swordsman who looked not unlike a rodent poking its head out of its hole at the moment. “I’m going to grab your torso now and pull you up.” Jade informed as he dug his hands in around him to do exactly that.

Guy grasped his coat and must have assisted with a great push against a stone because the man came loose in such a hurry that Jade’s heft sent them both toppling back as he pulled the man free; Guy’s weight on top of him a warm comfort in the persisting cold.

“I’m too old to play games in the snow,” Jade muttered in protest.

“That’s rich,” Guy said, and sat up. The swordsman then grasped some snow in his gloved hands and sprinkled it in Jade’s face. “’Cause right now you couldn’t look more like a kid.” The infuriating man laughed at him and Jade felt some of the snow tumble down his face to his lower neck.

Guy stood up, still laughing, legs straddling him as he reached a hand down to help him up. Jade took his hand and let the man pull him up. The snow on his neck tumbling into his jacket, forgotten. But the contagious smile and warm breaths of Guy’s laughter stayed with him well into the night. Well after they arrived almost four hours late to the reunion.

Comments

[emperorsteppeppers]

*chewing on this ficlet like it's candy* thanks for the treat sir
I love how you wrote them this is so cute and lovely! I know you like to try your hand at darker stuff a lot but i think you handle little fluff and fun prompts like this so well~

[precibyss]

haha I keep feeling like I am going to catch everyone so off guard when I start showing my truer colors. but I am having fun writing the sweeter stuff for now