Cao - Eh heh! It's a oneshot based on my story, "Sound of the Wind"! We all know that despite keeping Alex alive, Duke Fabre mae him work there in his manor as a servant, right? Right! Well, if you don't, then why the hell are you here? GO READ THE FANFIC, MAN! D
Alex - Or woman.
Cao - Mm. . .WELL! Anyway. Enjoy!
Alex - Cao does not own Tales of the Abyss or Namco. But she does own me.
Cao - This was inspired by the massive amount of laundry I had to deal with the past three days, which set me back on completing that fanfiction chapter of mine. Ish not my best, really. I didn't even try
oOoOoOo
Hidden Talents
"It's really simple, you know. All you have to do is fold it like this, then this, and then a third time like this. See? Piece of cake!"
The blond sixteen-year-old servant looked over at his six-year-old companion, the child's brilliant blue hair sticking out like a sore thumb against the dark tanned colour of the stone interior of the Fabre manor. His name was Alex Kinjo, and it had been about two years since Duke Fabre had taken him into the manor as a servant. A servant. The sole heir of the Kinjo family was nothing more than a servant, even though he didn't technically know who he truly was.
"It doesn't. . .look too hard," Alex murmured quietly. So quietly that the older boy didn't hear him.
"It's not. Just don't think about it too much and you'll be fine!"
"'Kay. . ."
Currently, the two together were folding laundry, since Duke Fabre had insisted that the boy start doing some chores around the manor. It was either that or the boy would be thrown out.
oOo
"He's six years old now. I'm aware of that," Duke Fabre stated, sitting in his chair at the farthest end of the giant table sitting in the Drawing Room. "But if we intend to keep his identity a secret, he needs to learn how to work around here."
"Sir, with all due respect, he's not ready yet! Besides, he hasn't even learned how to take care of himself!" the blond teen argued, though somehow still managing to stay within the boundaries of obedience.
"Then teach him."
"But, Sir--"
"Guy Cecil!" Duke Fabre spoke, his booming voice enough to make everyone in the room - from the named blond teen to the White Knights stationed as guards - flinch. "I know full well your attachment to that boy. But unless you teach him how to act like a servant within the manor, I'm afraid I'll have no choice but to throw him out onto the streets! Or worse, kill him."
oOo
Guy's blood boiled at the thought. So much so that he smacked a particular shirt down rather hard on the pile of neatly-folded clothes he and Alex were working on together. The pile, about twice Alex's short height, toppled over, and both servants ended up buried by the clothes having been unable to escape it. Well, in the case of Guy, half-buried, and in the case of Alex. . .completely buried.
"Alex!" the blond gasped, quickly unburying the little boy and picking him up into his arms. Really, it was amazing; the blunette was only about the size of your average four-year-old. Guy chuckled at that, setting the boy on the table they were using to put the clothes and gently brushing him off.
"What's wrong, Guy?" the child asked, shaking his head in some mild attempt to ward off his guardian when he started to fix his hair. "You're dis. . .dis. . .uh. . ." He had to think for a moment to find the right word.
"Distracted?" the blond offered, and was given a vigorous nod of the head as a sign that he'd got it right. "I'm not distracted. I'm just thinking about a few bad things."
"Why?"
Damn that question. It was Luke's and Alex's favourite one. Guy swore the two of them were in on it together.
"No reason. It's just. . .hm. . ." The teen had to think about this one. "Well, I don't really have a reason. I'm just thinking about them."
"Oh. . ."
Alex swung his legs on the edge of the table a little bit, seemingly a little upset. Now, Guy felt bad, sighing and running a hand through his blond hair; he didn't mean to burden the kid with his problems. That was one of the last things he wanted to do.
"Come on. Let's get this stuff folded up again," he decided to say, changing the topic. "Feel up to doing some yourself?"
"Yeah!"
oOo
It had taken the two servants a while, but they finally managed to refold everything back up and have it delivered, and Guy spent the rest of the morning and part of the afternoon teaching Alex how to do various things, such as mopping down the floors, cleaning up the big rooms, etc. But on their way to their room to rest. . .
"GuyguyguyguyGUY!"
The servant in question yelped, a redheaded blur going up and tackling him to the ground while Alex only watched, golden orbs glazing with curiousity.
"M-Master Luke. . .good to see you, too," Guy said, somehow managing to push himself up onto his elbows while looking down at the redheaded boy. Emerald orbs were filled with joy, a big grin plastered on the twelve-year-old's face.
"Hey, are you done with chores, yet? I wanna plaaay!"
"Hm. Well, our next chore is making sure you're all washed up for bed."
"Whaaat? But it's so early!"
"We've got a long time. So I guess we can play now," Guy said, making it sound like they were busier than ever.
"Come on! Let's play now!" Luke whined, now poking his personal servant several times in the arm as though it would do something.
"Alright. How about Hide-and-Seek?"
"'Kay!" The redhead grinned, scrambling off of Guy and going over to Alex, grabbing the six-year-old's wrist. "But you're it! Count to, uh. . .twenty! And, and. . .the maids are 'safe'!"
"W-What?! T-That's a little-"
"Let's go!" Luke announced cheerfully, and before either Alex or Guy knew it, the two young boys were off to go and hide. The blond teen tried to call out, but his voice had completely escaped him, so he only sighed and placed a hand on his head.
"Guess I've got no choice. . ."
oOo
"Oh, no. . .this is awful!"
"What? What happened?"
"You mean you didn't see it?"
"No, I had gone to the kitchens to deliver a tray!"
Luke and Alex had gone their separate ways, the redhead declaring he'd found the perfect hiding spot and promptly hiding in it. Now the blue-haired boy was dashing down the halls, though when he'd found a place to hide in as well, he'd caught wind of some of the maids' conversations.
"What are we going to do? His Grace will be furious."
He may be six, but he wasn't stupid. In fact, he was rather smart for his age, which probably made up for his size.
"We'll never get it done on time!"
He had to help. He knew it!
"I-I'll help!" Alex called out before he knew it, startling the maids and revealing his spot. The child froze when their curious gazes fell on him, retreating into his hiding spot for a moment. Then he remembered he had called out, shakily coming out from hiding and going up to the maids.
"Y-You'll help? But Alex, dear, you don't even know what's wrong," one of the maids said, kneeling down on the ground with her legs tucked under her.
"I-I don't care! I'll help!" the child said with determination. The group of maids looked at each other, exchanging glances. Then they looked at him again, and most of their hearts melted at the sight. To say that they were fond of him. . .would be an understatement.
"Alright. You can help. But not a word to Duke Fabre, okay? This is a secret!"
Alex beamed.
"'Kay!"
oOo
Seven Years Later. Chesedonia Inn. Night before returning to Baticul.
"There! All done!" Alex announced, looking happily at Luke's jacket.
"You really are pretty good, huh?" Guy commented, looking at the blue-haired child.
"Eh? Not really. The maids just taught me the basics and I sort of learned from there. . ."
"Still, it's impressive for someone your age."
"Pfft. Better than being your age and unable to do it," Alex murmured under his breath.
"H-Hey!"
The door to the guys' room suddenly slammed open, and there stood Luke, looking directly at the jacket in Alex's hands. His emerald eyes narrowed as he strode right up to the blue-haired child, who panicked and dived behind Guy for shelter just in time to avoid Luke having to snatch the jacket from him.
"I don't need some little kid messing up my jacket," the redhead said, looking it over.
Earlier that day, he'd got it caught and ripped on a stall, then proceeded to yell and blame the owner of said stall until Tear and the others managed to get him to calm down. Then he'd demanded that Guy fix it, who had no choice but to accept the task and try. But he couldn't even sew in the first place!
"Fine. Then this little 'kid' will come in the middle of the night and rip it right back up!" Alex threatened, sticking his tongue out at Luke.
"Don't you dare!"
"You're right. I won't. It's not worth it."
"What's that supposed to mean?!"
"Alright, alright. Calm down, you two," Guy said, standing up from the bed he was sitting on and staying between Alex and Luke. "Just go get some rest you two."
"Ah!" Alex quickly got to his feet, though on the bed, and tugged on the blond's left sleeve, revealing a small hole there. "Your shirt's torn!"
"Hm? Oh. . .I guess it is. . ."
The child pushed his cloak back a little bit, revealing his traveling pack that he reached into and pulled out a needle and some thread. "Hold still, 'kay?" he murmured, reaching up and sewing up the little hole. In a matter of seconds, he was done and cut off the excess thread. It didn't even look like there had been a hole in the first place!
"Thanks. . .you've gotta teach me how to do that sometime," Guy chuckled, looking back at Alex with a smile.
"Sure!"
"Wait, wait, wait," Luke cut in, earning both servants' attention. Then he pointed at his guardian. "You can't sew?"
"Nope."
"But. . .he can?" he continued, pointing at Alex next.
"Yup," the child answered cheerfully, stretching for a moment before putting away his needle and thread once again. Silence filled the room for a moment, with Luke staring dumbfounded at his jacket. Then he simply made a small 'Hmph!' sound and turned around, going over to his bed and climbing into it without a word.
"I think you pegged him," Guy commented once he was sure Luke had gone to sleep, giving Alex a little high-five. "Now, when do my sewing lessons begin?"
"Soon, old man, soon!"
"H-Hey! I'm only twenty-one! If you want old, just look at Jade!"
"Good point. He is an old man. . ."
"This 'old man'," Jade said, magically appearing behind Guy and Alex, "knows several experiments he could perform in under an hour using nothing more than a needle." The two servants looked at the Colonel who was wearing a perfectly harmless smile, glasses glaring against the light and making it impossible to see his eyes. "Now, off to bed, children. We get up bright an early tomorrow, no matter the amount of time you rest."
And the man walked around them and over to his own bed, stripping himself of his top layer of clothes before going to sleep himself. The entire time, Guy and Alex stared at him, half scared, half confused.
"H-He was kidding. . .right?"
"You can never tell with that man. . ."
oOoOoOo
Cao - Jade. . .always scared me. . .
Alex - He did not. You love that man. . .
Cao - True XD
Alex - . . .
Cao - REVIEW, PEOPLES! And yes, Alex can sew. Ain't it awesome?? :DD