Post-game fic set in the post-game timeline of my other stories including the one I wrote for Colloyd Week 2019 ("Travelling") where Colette and Lloyd live on a narrowboat for a while, which is when this is set. I'm continuing with calling the winter celebrations that might be the sort of equivalent of the game world's Christmas Winter Festival like in the other fics. Also decided to continue to use the older term "wireless" for a radio as it'd be fairly new tech (at least for ordinary citizens) in that world at the point when this story is set.
For my "Lloyd" and my friends. Merry Christmas everyone!
Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia
Every previous Winter Festival that Colette could remember she had been surrounded by people. When she was the Chosen she was included in various ceremonies which the whole village had attended, and then after the journey to unite the worlds she and Lloyd had spent the holiday with their friends.
This year, however, it had just been the two of them and Noishe. All the friends had wanted to celebrate together but most had plans shortly before the festival and some particularly bad snow had been forecast that meant it might not be safe to travel. Rather than risk getting stuck in a blizzard they'd arranged to meet up after the festival and had sent each other presents and cards to open on the day. Colette was very grateful the post service had been established, it was so helpful for keeping in touch with their friends when they were all travelling around so much.
She yawned and snuggled closer to Lloyd. He was wearing the pyjamas she'd made him from some beautifully soft fabric she'd found at one of the markets they'd been to a while ago. There had been a variety of colours available and she'd bought a selection of them to make gifts for everyone along with the pyjamas for Lloyd and a set for herself. The thought of her friends enjoying the softness and warmth of the various hats, scarves, gloves and shirts she'd made for them made her happy, and the thought of the look on Presea's face when her friend discovered that she'd appliquéd paw pads on the mittens she'd made for her made her chuckle.
Lloyd made a curious humming noise and she explained what had amused her. He smiled and agreed that Presea would love the mittens.
Colette moved slightly to look at the gifts they'd been given. A selection of thoughtful presents that had made her and Lloyd smile a lot, some had amused, some were books that would entertain, some were nice clothes including fluffy socks that would keep their feet nice and warm and some was delicious food. They were lucky to have such kind friends she thought. Lucky too to have a cozy safe space to spend the holidays in. Although the weather outside was awful, snow covering the ground and continuing to fall, making the world outside cold they'd managed to tie the boat up somewhere sheltered and, having made a nest with warm blankets along with the duvet, they were warm and snug in their bed.
Not only was the boat cozy it was also looking rather festive. They'd found a miniature tree, something that had been fashionable in Meltokio where some of the richer residents used them to have a tree in each room that had then spread more widely across the world as a general decoration, and decorated it with little home made ornaments, some that Lloyd had carved and some she had sewn. The cards from their friends were displayed along part of a wall of the boat on a pretty piece of ribbon and they'd made some paper chains which they'd hung from the ceiling.
Dinner had been festive too. Not the huge dinner they would normally have with their friends and that they would all be sharing when they met up when the weather improved, but they'd managed to cook their favourite parts of the traditional dinner in the boat's little kitchen, cooking smaller portions that had still filled the boat with delicious smells and they'd cooked enough to have a few leftovers for the next day. Noishe had enjoyed the portions of the foods he could have as well and was currently curled up by their feet sleeping peacefully.
Colette hummed happily, it was so cozy being wrapped up in all the blankets hugging Lloyd while the world outside was windy and snowy and cold. They were listening to the compact wireless Regal had had installed in the boat for them and enjoying the gentle, quiet music that was currently playing. Earlier there had been an exciting drama and a comedy programme that had made them laugh, the festive programmes had been a good selection this year.
She looked up and noticed that Lloyd was still wearing the hat from one of the fun things Zelos had sent as one of his presents that had been part table decoration and part toy. The prettily decorated cardboard tube had popped when they'd pulled it apart and they'd found a little toy, a piece of paper with a bad joke on it and a paper hat inside the tube. They'd pulled another apart so they could both have a hat but Colette had taken hers off when they'd gotten back into bed. She reached up to take Lloyd's off, giggling slightly at the fact that it was a little askew.
"Nah, leave it, I like my new hat, it's festive," he said sleepily. She giggled and shrugged, gave him a light kiss on his cheek then snuggled back into the very cozy spot she'd settled into in his arms.
She was so happy and relaxed and it was so warm and snug she thought happily that she could spend the rest of the night exactly where she was, so she did.