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Abyss Drabbles
Fandom: Tales of the Abyss
Rating: G
Characters: Guy Cecil, Natalia L. K. Lanvandear
Summary: Post game, an interlude in Sheridan
"I thought I would find you here." Natalia sat next to Guy on the work bench, back straight, proper posture as ever. Her distance perfectly calculated not to drive him off. "What are you working on?"
He smiled at her a little, sideways, setting his tools down and stretching back, joints popping. "Did you come all the way here to ask me that, Your Highness?"
Natalia folded her hands primly in her lap, giving him an arch look for the formality. "There is no need for such formalities with me, Count Gardios." She touched her lips with the fingers of one hand. "Father sent me to check in with Aston on the state of things. He mentioned you were in town. I wanted to see how you were."
He smiled a bit more chagrined. "Sorry Natalia. I'm glad to see you. The Emperor sent me on the same errand, so I thought I'd help out."
"I am glad I caught you here."
"Yeah, me too."
They were both silent for a moment, listening to the quite, night-time sounds of Sheridan; crickets, owls, the howl of the wind, and the distant cursing and banging of engineers up late and working. It was a comfortable silence of two very old friends who hadn't seen each other on perhaps too long, lost in their own thoughts.
Natalia sighed finally, happily. "I baked lemon cookies earlier. Noelle wanted to be sure you got to try them too." She took out a little napkin and placed it in front of the suddenly terrified looking young man. "I'll leave them for you, to sustain you in your work. Come see me off in the morning. I look forward to your evaluation of my skills."
At a loss for words Guy could only nod in mute horror as the princess stood and left him.
Despite the pain it brought him, he ate the cookies anyway.
---
Fandom: Tales of the Abyss
Rating: G
Characters: Guy Cecil, Natalia L. K. Lanvandear
Summary: Post game. An arranged date.
She was gorgeous. Of course Guy knew that already, but seeing her like this, dressed up for him, it made his breathe catch in his throat. He couldn't offer her his arm, but they were able to walk together, relatively close.
"You look stunning today, princess."
She blushed a little, and that was beautiful as well. He'd never really noticed. Of course he knew she was beautiful, but it was different today.
"Thank you." The silence for a moment was just a little awkward, but they were both better trained than that.
"How are you settling in your role as a noble, Guy--Ah!" Natalia raised a hand to her lips, coloring again. "Count Gardios."
"Please." He smiled, rubbing the back of his head. "This formality doesn't really suit either of us, does it?"
"It is the proper way of doing this." Natalia replied, eyes wide.
"Yeah, but... Just call me Guy. I'd prefer it."
She relaxed a little, warmth returning to her eyes. "Yes. I would like that. And please, refer to me as Natalia."
"Maybe next time we should do this some place less formal." Guy looked around the beautiful gardens, the arranged spot Ingobert had insisted on. The chaperons were discrete, at a distance trailing them but it was still odd to be watched like this.
There was a pause, while Natalia studied him. "You really must do something about that habit of yours, Guy." She said, a bit reproachful.
"What...?"
"You're saying you want there to be a next time." She scolded.
Guy looked at her seriously. "I do want there to be a next time."
"Ah..." She blushed again. "I see. Yes. In that case, somewhere less formal would not be so bad." She paused a moment in consideration, then frowned at Guy suspiciously. "As long as it's not Sheridan. Or Belkend."
"Who do you take me for?" Guy laughed.
"A certain fontech-obsessed enthusiast..." Natalia's sideways glance just made Guy shake his head.
"Alright alright, where would you like to go?"
"I'm not going to think of everything for you!"
"Hahaha, got it. Somewhere nice... How about a picnic?"
"Oh that would be lovely! I could--"
"I'll cook."
---
Fandom: Tales of the Abyss
Rating: G
Characters: Guy Cecil, Luke fon Fabre
Summary: Pre-game. Teaching Luke.
Luke was thirteen. Most kids his age would starting to be really learning advanced subjects by now. If he'd been like he was a few year ago, he would have been tackling adult-level topics with highly expensive and educated tutors, probably. Instead, he was going through the basics. Again. He had tutors, sure, but Guy was his main teacher--after all, Luke still knew so little, Guy was easily able to cover his lessons for him.
In theory.
In practice Luke was distractable, active, and impossible to keep still long enough. It was bad enough in the winter when the cold kept people inside, but summer was making Guy feel about ready despair. Even finding Luke for his lessons took thirty minutes to an hour or more, depending on if Guy could guess which of the kid's favorite hiding spots was being used that day. And that was the easy part--it just got worse from there.
A few times he'd tried the strict tone with Luke, it worked, but the heartbroken and subdued look he got back made him feel... Guilty. He hated that. He hated that this little brat could make him feel guilty when he... So he used bribery, cajoling, and occasional downright wheedling most of the time. Sometime around mid summer he caved and started holding their lessons outside, which helped a little in Luke's attendance, but not a lot in his attention.
Eventually he started giving up on the books and trying a different tactic--he made the lessons a game with the kid they played while Luke climbed trees and hunted caterpillars.
That, of all things, finally seemed to work.
Of course it couldn't be the same game every day. Guy had to figure out new lesson plans constantly, or the brat lost interest. Often enough he still had to chase Luke down to even finish a lesson.
Days spent at Luke's education and his own chores, nights devising lesson plans and spending a few precious hours on his hobby and his own training--young as he was Guy started falling asleep in his classes with Luke--reading to the kid under the shade of a tree in the warm summer air... It was hard not too.
Which is how Guy ended up with the penned-on mustache and monocle and assorted scribbles on his face while Pere laughed and scrubbed his skin with a milk-soaked rag and Guy's face burned in the dual embarrassment of the scribbles and for getting comfortable enough with his enemy's child to just doze off like that. That and the memory of the maids--he was going to murder the brat. He really was.
Just, later.
When he was older.
---
Fandom: Tales of the Abyss
Rating: G
Characters: Guy Cecil, Luke fon Fabre
Summary: Pre-game. Guy's perspective as Luke is growing up.
It was annoying. That was the word for it. Really annoying when Luke came back without memories. The kid couldn't even recall his own name, let alone how to talk and walk. And when the fuss died down and the Duke inevitably went back to his cold distant aloofness, and Susanne was too sick to consistently look after her own son, of course the kid was left to Guy to raise. He was like a baby, mewling, stupid, blank. Trusting. Helpless.
It was annoying.
-
He'd held Luke's life in his hands before. Countless times. Sometimes it was harder than others to remember the plan. But he never stopped noticing that he had that power. It was what kept him going on the harder days. That sort of twisted, secret thrill.
But it was nothing compared to now. Luke practically needed him to survive, he was so dependent on Guy. It should have been exhilarating.
It was.
But it also made him feel a little ill.
-
It was just so annoying. At least before his memory loss Luke had... Hadn't... He'd been on some kind of terms with his parents unavailability. Now the heartbroken look he got when the Duke ignored him or he was told he couldn't see his mother due to illness was just too much. Guy wanted to leave the kid to his misery. Deal with it, even if they're not there, your parents are alive! It was something he wanted to scream, when Luke sulked or pouted or acted up, throwing tantrums as if that would earn him the attention he craved.
But in the end he ended up at Luke's side anyway, letting the kid soak his shoulder, distracting him with words or games or stories or just being there until Luke got over it.
When he got back to his rooms after times like that, Pere would usually talk to him about swordwork, or gardening, or fontech--something relaxing. It was the only thing keeping him sane sometimes, he was pretty sure.
-
It wasn't always bad.
The manor had an orchard of assorted fruit trees--nothing like Engeve, nothing like St. Binah, but enough for a kid to climb in, find fruit. As Luke grew he loved the orchard. He recklessly dared the tallest trees to find the juiciest looking fruits, and then he threw himself out of the branches full force, trusting Guy to be there to catch him every time. He didn't tend to whine about the scrapes and bruises he got from having fun, and when he wore himself out he shared his fruit with Guy and asked for stories about the outside world.
Sometimes he daydreamed elaborate things he'd do, when he was free. Once he claimed he'd become a pirate lord and rule the oceans, and another time he decided he wanted to be the greatest king of Kimlasca. That's when Guy asked him about his goals seriously for the first time since Luke's kidnapping.
Luke made the claim he'd be the greatest man ever. Guy made a wager with him about that. That was when Luke was twelve.
-
Sometimes Luke could be pretty endearing, in a clumsy way. He was also rude, entitled, selfish and childish. When Natalia came to visit he'd call her names and hide. He'd roll his eyes at his teachers and talk back. He'd play pranks on the servants. But still, sometimes he was endearing.
When Natalia looked really hurt by his words he'd run away. But then he'd always come back, offering her a flower bracelet or some stolen fruit or some other childish token in sullen, awkward apology, without ever really apologizing. If she tried thanking him, he'd yell at her to shut up, but Guy could see how Natalia understood what Luke meant.
He could too.
When he bothered the maids, Luke never meant to upset them. So when he caught a maid crying once he stood there. Luke probably thought they were alone--he never knew how much Guy watched him, he just wasn't self aware enough. But Guy saw him pat the girl's shoulder awkwardly--he never caught the words Luke said but it made the girl laugh and Luke blush and run away in embarrassment.
Luke never saw it, but the girl was still smiling through her tears after him.
Sometimes Guy wished Luke wasn't so kind at heart. Other times he wished other people could actually see it, instead of assuming the kid was pure brat through and through.
When he caught himself wishing that he had to go sit down for a while before the pit dropped out of his stomach entirely.
Rating: G
Characters: Guy Cecil, Natalia L. K. Lanvandear
Summary: Post game, an interlude in Sheridan
"I thought I would find you here." Natalia sat next to Guy on the work bench, back straight, proper posture as ever. Her distance perfectly calculated not to drive him off. "What are you working on?"
He smiled at her a little, sideways, setting his tools down and stretching back, joints popping. "Did you come all the way here to ask me that, Your Highness?"
Natalia folded her hands primly in her lap, giving him an arch look for the formality. "There is no need for such formalities with me, Count Gardios." She touched her lips with the fingers of one hand. "Father sent me to check in with Aston on the state of things. He mentioned you were in town. I wanted to see how you were."
He smiled a bit more chagrined. "Sorry Natalia. I'm glad to see you. The Emperor sent me on the same errand, so I thought I'd help out."
"I am glad I caught you here."
"Yeah, me too."
They were both silent for a moment, listening to the quite, night-time sounds of Sheridan; crickets, owls, the howl of the wind, and the distant cursing and banging of engineers up late and working. It was a comfortable silence of two very old friends who hadn't seen each other on perhaps too long, lost in their own thoughts.
Natalia sighed finally, happily. "I baked lemon cookies earlier. Noelle wanted to be sure you got to try them too." She took out a little napkin and placed it in front of the suddenly terrified looking young man. "I'll leave them for you, to sustain you in your work. Come see me off in the morning. I look forward to your evaluation of my skills."
At a loss for words Guy could only nod in mute horror as the princess stood and left him.
Despite the pain it brought him, he ate the cookies anyway.
---
Fandom: Tales of the Abyss
Rating: G
Characters: Guy Cecil, Natalia L. K. Lanvandear
Summary: Post game. An arranged date.
She was gorgeous. Of course Guy knew that already, but seeing her like this, dressed up for him, it made his breathe catch in his throat. He couldn't offer her his arm, but they were able to walk together, relatively close.
"You look stunning today, princess."
She blushed a little, and that was beautiful as well. He'd never really noticed. Of course he knew she was beautiful, but it was different today.
"Thank you." The silence for a moment was just a little awkward, but they were both better trained than that.
"How are you settling in your role as a noble, Guy--Ah!" Natalia raised a hand to her lips, coloring again. "Count Gardios."
"Please." He smiled, rubbing the back of his head. "This formality doesn't really suit either of us, does it?"
"It is the proper way of doing this." Natalia replied, eyes wide.
"Yeah, but... Just call me Guy. I'd prefer it."
She relaxed a little, warmth returning to her eyes. "Yes. I would like that. And please, refer to me as Natalia."
"Maybe next time we should do this some place less formal." Guy looked around the beautiful gardens, the arranged spot Ingobert had insisted on. The chaperons were discrete, at a distance trailing them but it was still odd to be watched like this.
There was a pause, while Natalia studied him. "You really must do something about that habit of yours, Guy." She said, a bit reproachful.
"What...?"
"You're saying you want there to be a next time." She scolded.
Guy looked at her seriously. "I do want there to be a next time."
"Ah..." She blushed again. "I see. Yes. In that case, somewhere less formal would not be so bad." She paused a moment in consideration, then frowned at Guy suspiciously. "As long as it's not Sheridan. Or Belkend."
"Who do you take me for?" Guy laughed.
"A certain fontech-obsessed enthusiast..." Natalia's sideways glance just made Guy shake his head.
"Alright alright, where would you like to go?"
"I'm not going to think of everything for you!"
"Hahaha, got it. Somewhere nice... How about a picnic?"
"Oh that would be lovely! I could--"
"I'll cook."
---
Fandom: Tales of the Abyss
Rating: G
Characters: Guy Cecil, Luke fon Fabre
Summary: Pre-game. Teaching Luke.
Luke was thirteen. Most kids his age would starting to be really learning advanced subjects by now. If he'd been like he was a few year ago, he would have been tackling adult-level topics with highly expensive and educated tutors, probably. Instead, he was going through the basics. Again. He had tutors, sure, but Guy was his main teacher--after all, Luke still knew so little, Guy was easily able to cover his lessons for him.
In theory.
In practice Luke was distractable, active, and impossible to keep still long enough. It was bad enough in the winter when the cold kept people inside, but summer was making Guy feel about ready despair. Even finding Luke for his lessons took thirty minutes to an hour or more, depending on if Guy could guess which of the kid's favorite hiding spots was being used that day. And that was the easy part--it just got worse from there.
A few times he'd tried the strict tone with Luke, it worked, but the heartbroken and subdued look he got back made him feel... Guilty. He hated that. He hated that this little brat could make him feel guilty when he... So he used bribery, cajoling, and occasional downright wheedling most of the time. Sometime around mid summer he caved and started holding their lessons outside, which helped a little in Luke's attendance, but not a lot in his attention.
Eventually he started giving up on the books and trying a different tactic--he made the lessons a game with the kid they played while Luke climbed trees and hunted caterpillars.
That, of all things, finally seemed to work.
Of course it couldn't be the same game every day. Guy had to figure out new lesson plans constantly, or the brat lost interest. Often enough he still had to chase Luke down to even finish a lesson.
Days spent at Luke's education and his own chores, nights devising lesson plans and spending a few precious hours on his hobby and his own training--young as he was Guy started falling asleep in his classes with Luke--reading to the kid under the shade of a tree in the warm summer air... It was hard not too.
Which is how Guy ended up with the penned-on mustache and monocle and assorted scribbles on his face while Pere laughed and scrubbed his skin with a milk-soaked rag and Guy's face burned in the dual embarrassment of the scribbles and for getting comfortable enough with his enemy's child to just doze off like that. That and the memory of the maids--he was going to murder the brat. He really was.
Just, later.
When he was older.
---
Fandom: Tales of the Abyss
Rating: G
Characters: Guy Cecil, Luke fon Fabre
Summary: Pre-game. Guy's perspective as Luke is growing up.
It was annoying. That was the word for it. Really annoying when Luke came back without memories. The kid couldn't even recall his own name, let alone how to talk and walk. And when the fuss died down and the Duke inevitably went back to his cold distant aloofness, and Susanne was too sick to consistently look after her own son, of course the kid was left to Guy to raise. He was like a baby, mewling, stupid, blank. Trusting. Helpless.
It was annoying.
-
He'd held Luke's life in his hands before. Countless times. Sometimes it was harder than others to remember the plan. But he never stopped noticing that he had that power. It was what kept him going on the harder days. That sort of twisted, secret thrill.
But it was nothing compared to now. Luke practically needed him to survive, he was so dependent on Guy. It should have been exhilarating.
It was.
But it also made him feel a little ill.
-
It was just so annoying. At least before his memory loss Luke had... Hadn't... He'd been on some kind of terms with his parents unavailability. Now the heartbroken look he got when the Duke ignored him or he was told he couldn't see his mother due to illness was just too much. Guy wanted to leave the kid to his misery. Deal with it, even if they're not there, your parents are alive! It was something he wanted to scream, when Luke sulked or pouted or acted up, throwing tantrums as if that would earn him the attention he craved.
But in the end he ended up at Luke's side anyway, letting the kid soak his shoulder, distracting him with words or games or stories or just being there until Luke got over it.
When he got back to his rooms after times like that, Pere would usually talk to him about swordwork, or gardening, or fontech--something relaxing. It was the only thing keeping him sane sometimes, he was pretty sure.
-
It wasn't always bad.
The manor had an orchard of assorted fruit trees--nothing like Engeve, nothing like St. Binah, but enough for a kid to climb in, find fruit. As Luke grew he loved the orchard. He recklessly dared the tallest trees to find the juiciest looking fruits, and then he threw himself out of the branches full force, trusting Guy to be there to catch him every time. He didn't tend to whine about the scrapes and bruises he got from having fun, and when he wore himself out he shared his fruit with Guy and asked for stories about the outside world.
Sometimes he daydreamed elaborate things he'd do, when he was free. Once he claimed he'd become a pirate lord and rule the oceans, and another time he decided he wanted to be the greatest king of Kimlasca. That's when Guy asked him about his goals seriously for the first time since Luke's kidnapping.
Luke made the claim he'd be the greatest man ever. Guy made a wager with him about that. That was when Luke was twelve.
-
Sometimes Luke could be pretty endearing, in a clumsy way. He was also rude, entitled, selfish and childish. When Natalia came to visit he'd call her names and hide. He'd roll his eyes at his teachers and talk back. He'd play pranks on the servants. But still, sometimes he was endearing.
When Natalia looked really hurt by his words he'd run away. But then he'd always come back, offering her a flower bracelet or some stolen fruit or some other childish token in sullen, awkward apology, without ever really apologizing. If she tried thanking him, he'd yell at her to shut up, but Guy could see how Natalia understood what Luke meant.
He could too.
When he bothered the maids, Luke never meant to upset them. So when he caught a maid crying once he stood there. Luke probably thought they were alone--he never knew how much Guy watched him, he just wasn't self aware enough. But Guy saw him pat the girl's shoulder awkwardly--he never caught the words Luke said but it made the girl laugh and Luke blush and run away in embarrassment.
Luke never saw it, but the girl was still smiling through her tears after him.
Sometimes Guy wished Luke wasn't so kind at heart. Other times he wished other people could actually see it, instead of assuming the kid was pure brat through and through.
When he caught himself wishing that he had to go sit down for a while before the pit dropped out of his stomach entirely.