While Jade was used to being at close quarters- whether in a lab, in a squad, or even with Luke and the others, it wasn't quite the same as having someone else in your home. Not that he necessarily considered the Curtiss manor his home; he barely spent more than a year's worth of time collectively in it, the domesticity of it made him slightly uncomfortable.

And the talking. Jade considered himself a man of few words- Guy could attest to that, since he so often delegated the task of explaining situations to him- but Peony was in that zone of being sick enough to warrant attention, but well enough to badger him for it. So, idle hours of the day passed simply discussing the going-ons of the world- the climate was supposedly settling, but no one knew the cause of the disturbance to begin with. Jade realized he hadn't had a simple conversation with his friend since their childhood- the talks escalating into arguments of the past weeks didn't count.

"Why are you so vehemently opposed to marrying some noblewoman and doing your royal duty, so to speak?" Jade asked casually on the third day, settled comfortably in his armchair by the bed. "Maybe someone from Kimlasca, to help strengthen ties?"

Peony blanched visibly, trying to hide under the covers. "You saw how well that went in the past. No, if it's ever going to be someone, she's going to be born and bred Malkuthian- Why am I even considering this?" He said, turning his back on Jade. "I already gave my reasons. The people can choose their next ruler- just because someone has my blood doesn't mean they can have my throne,"

"You've thought about this a lot," Jade mused, idly turning the pages of a book he had open for show. "I didn't peg you as a nationalist though, born and bred Malkuthian, really? You know we all come from the same stock,"

Peony turned over again, making a face at Jade. "Well, I didn't pin you as a royalist either. You always struck me as some weird progressive type."

"I'm flattered," Jade replied, shutting the book.

Though he hated admitting to the privilege, Peony was used to being waited on hand and foot. Still, to have a friend doing this was odd. And that's what Jade was, a friend. And friends could forgive and forget; if Jade was able to wave away the events of the last few days, then maybe Peony could give that another shot. He relaxed. It must have just been stress, he thought. Peony was always an energetic one, never quite able to sit around doing nothing but easily frustrated when effots seemingly produced no results. (This often lead to late nights in the kitchen.) Maybe he'd just felt the need to shake things up and to make something, anything happen. And oh how it had paid off. He was out of commission with very little to do. The books that filled the shelves were all fon-this and particle that. He hadn't expected any anthologies of Abyss Rangers, but he was disappointed to find that the lightest read in the house was the romance novel he'd given to Jade as a joke years ago. It was bookmarked on the copyright page. In the absence of work, quality entertainment and his beloved pets, he took every opportunity to engage in conversation. When Jade looked like he was about to leave, Peony turned the question back to him.

"What about you?"

"What about me?" Jade replied smoothly, though he knew exactly what the other was asking.

"Why don't you find someone nice, settle down, retire, raise some kids?"

Jade laughed. Peony hated when Jade laughed, because Jade only laughed when nothing was funny.

"I'm being serious!" Peony insisted. "You are a colonel, which is respectable, but you aren't under any sort of obligation. You can find someone you genuinely like-"

"I'm going to cut you off right here Peony, lest you get any weird ideas and try to live your life vicariously through mine." Jade said, walking over to the bookshelf to replace the fontech journal he was reading. "I am content with my life right now and after helping save the world I think I earned my retirement in peace."

Peony sighed. "I guess you're right."

"I usually am, your majesty."

"Doesn't mean I can't hate it when you are."

"I'm going to prepare dinner," Jade said, exiting quietly. It was becoming a pain to keep the conversation from wandering into dangerous waters. And he had to stop mulling over the events of the past couple weeks because all it did was give him a headache. But to stop thinking would mean an eventual confrontation. At least he had the excuse that Peony was sick and he didn't want to stress him under the conditions. A fine excuse to keep things at the status quo.

Peony was back where he started, amazed and perplexed by Jade Curtiss. The man always claimed he wanted a quiet life but refused the promotions that would have kept him off of the field. And though playing nurse for the emperor was nothing compared to dashing about the world while trying to save it, but Peony knew he wasn't the most agreeable patient. Jade didn't need to take on the extra responsibility, and yet he did.

Even after the vomiting, the flooding, and the badgering. The insulting. The arguing.

Though they had never really been arguments, just Peony raising his voice to say some things that may or may not have been true and Jade simply taking the angry words stoically. The angry words, of course, had an awful tendency to turn into angry kisses. But Peony was still more interested in knowing why Jade had kissed him back.

He would never get the mystery off his mind.

Dinner passed in silence as Jade returned to his books and armchair while Peony brooded over his bowl, stirring clockwise as his thoughts scattered in various directions.

He had made no progress by the time he'd finished his meal - though he was thankful that the food was finally staying down. Maybe a small change of scenery would help him clear his mind.

"I'm going to take a bath," he declared.

"Let me help you."

"I've got it," he insisted as he his feet on the floor. He was tired of having to use Jade a crutch to make the journey of ten steps to the bathroom. At least, he thought he had; with the sudden head rush that came from standing, Peony couldn't be too sure of much. He was lying on the floor when his vision returned.

"Strike one," Jade sighed as he pulled him up carefully by the waist.

"I don't need your help," Peony protested, shaking off Jade's steady arms, but he was found himself clinging to them as his legs buckled, numb from almost 48 hours' inactivity.

"Strike two."

"Shut up." But Peony held onto him anyway, shuffling awkwardly as the feeling returned to his legs while Jade led them to the bathroom. Peony pulled off his shirt and began untying his pants when he spied Jade's figure still leaning in the door frame.

"Hey, creeper-"

"Because it's not 'creepy' when you do it."

Peony blanched, stomach rolling as he realized that Jade had a point. But he wasn't going to let Jade babysit him in the bathroom, and certainly wasn't going to let him help-

He was surprised by the speed at which Jade moved to lift the toilet lid and hold back his hair. Peony glared at him, not wanting to watch his own cascade of mostly digested carrots and potatoes as Jade softly declared "Strike three."

"Maybe this will teach you not to get sick- or at least share your living space with farm animals"

"But they are important to me" Peony mumbled, awkwardly climbing into the tub, half submerged in hot water. Jade helped him up, thinking it really would be embarrassing if he died by drowning. "You have to take it easy," he said, handing him the sponge. "Lean back"

Peony obeyed- what else was he to do?- sighing as Jade began to wash his hair absently. "Isn't this a pain for you?" he asked quietly.

"Yes."

"Ouch."

"But I don't mind," Jade said easily. He couldn't fathom how his friend was feeling or the responsibility he had to shoulder in the aftermath of their saving the world. And having the Rappig flu, of course.

"Lean back again" he said as he combed out the suds, lost in his own thoughts. "Lean forward," he ordered gently, starting to wash his back.
"It was not my place," he said quietly after awhile

"Huh?"

"To tell you to get married."

"Oh."

Peony stared into the misty water before closing his eyes and sighing. Jade had only made a suggestion he had been hearing for years, a suggestion that wasn't surprising or all that unreasonable. The people expected an heir, and Peony could easily resign from all political affairs if he could accomplish that one thing.

"Lean back."

Such was not the case for Jade. Peony was obligated to have a kid, just as Jade was obligated to give his life in service to the empire. Perhaps the mortal burdens would have been lessened had Jade simply accepted any of the offers for promotion, but Jade declined them all. For love of country, Peony guessed. That's why he stayed on the front lines, why he went to the ends of Auldrant and its core. Why the Closed Score had bothered him so much. Why he was washing Peony's shoulders at the moment. Patriotism.

"Relax."

Patriotism explained his calloused hands. Battlehardened, skillful. But it didn't explain why they seemed so delicate on Peony's skin, lightly massaging muscles that had apparently become tense with his thoughts. They were soft and they were distractions.

"You can sit back again."

Peony rested on the porcelain, taking a deep breath and opening his eyes. There again were soft temptations, hovering inches away as distractions pressed the sponge around his neck and across his chest. Twice, no, three times he'd tasted those lips. The third time was more than simple patriotism, wasn't it? Whatever 'it' was. Whatever he had started.

"It wasn't my place to kiss you," said Peony, staring at the tiles on the other side of the tub.

Jade remained silent, simply reaching over to pull the drain, which gurgled loudly as the water began to drain away. "I suppose I have to extend the same sentiment then," he said finally, handing Peony a towel.

"You don't," Peony said quickly, drying himself off quickly. Jade helped him out again, so he could crawl back under the covers.

"Let's talk about this when you are fully recovered," he said, turning to dim the lamps. Peony didn't reply, but he didn't have a choice either way. Jade stood outside the door to the bedroom for a long time contemplating what they had to talk about. If it was a simple matter of attraction, he could have resolved it already. But it wasn't.

It was a matter of politics, of ethics, of so many factors he thought he had avoided with his resolution to remain a bachelor indefinitely. But now he was being forced to consider each and every factor, and it hurt. Jade was surprised by how painful it was to want, but know in the end he could never have. There just wasn't a clear course of action. There never was.

Silently, he opened the door again, steps muffled by the plush carpet.
"Are you asleep yet?"

Judging from the lack of response, he probably was. His suspicions were confirmed when he approached the bed where Peony was rather inelegantly sprawled out on. Careful not to disturb him, he pulled the covers back on his prone form. How careless, he couldn't help but think, brushing an errant strand of hair from the sleeping man's face. It was dangerous to be so vulnerable, he realized. There was fragility to life that was rarely feared and almost never appreciated.

If the last kiss tasted like rain, this one was all warmth. Relaxed in sleep, the other's lips were pliant and unaware, which at the moment, suited him just fine. Jade knew he wasn't playing fair, but wasn't there a saying? All is fair in...

Unsure of how deep a sleeper Peony was, he drew away, before leaving the matter alone.

...love and war.

[A/N: At this point the ending's completely diverge. I wrote the depressing one and my coauthor wrote the supposedly less depressing one, but that might be another year until I actually get it :P]