Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of the Abyss in any way, shape or form.
4. Guy's Night Out
Of the bars in the city, Guy liked to frequent one near the entrance, a place called Fenrir's. It was small and out of the way, with dim lighting and an old feel, as if it had been there for generations, exactly the same. The clientele, both men and women, were largely there to relax off the stress accumulated over the day and rarely made waves, opting to sit talking quietly over beers. The barman doubled as the bouncer, but he rarely had opportunity to act as such; in the year that Guy had been going there, he'd only ever seen one person thrown out.
Guy was halfway through his beer when Jade came in. "Hey," he acknowledged, nodding.
Jade walked over, taking the stool next to him and signaling to the barman for a beer. "You were running errands for Peony today, I believe."
"Less errands than babysitting," Guy said, shaking his head. "Your sister and her husband are in the capital on business. Peony asked me to look after Lyria while they were in meetings."
"Ah, yes. And how is my little niece? She's three months old now, I believe."
"She has an impressive pair of lungs. She also liked my hair – kept on trying to pull it out," Guy acknowledged, wincing for good measure.
Jade gave a low chuckle as he took a sip of his drink. He opened his mouth to retort, but Guy didn't hear, all his attention now on the buxom woman leaning against the counter behind Jade.
Honestly, he was proud of himself; he hadn't run screaming out of the building yet, and he wasn't visibly trembling. His body had begun to sweat and he had to consciously control his breathing so it stayed even instead of panicked little intakes, but it was an improvement over the past.
"Hello," she breathed directly into Jade's ear, voice low and seductive.
Jade turned in his chair, smiling at the woman. "Hello," he said lightly.
She smiled flirtatiously over at Guy as well, batting her eyes. "What, no hello for me?"
Guy smiled through teeth he refused to let chatter. "H-hello."
She pouted at him and moved closer, slithering around Jade's stool to reveal that she was wearing a black dress, skin-tight and form-fitting. "What's wrong? That sure was a cold hello."
Guy stared back wide-eyed, feeling cornered as the old fears pushed through. "S-sorry, but… um… can you not come closer? Please?" he asked, voice beginning to waver. She was close, almost touching, and his instincts were screaming at him to get out of there.
"What?" she gasped, beginning to glare. "How rude! You—"
She reached out to poke him in the chest, and that was it; Guy's nerves snapped. He found himself scrambling backward off the stool and running towards the door at full speed before his brain fully caught up. His panic carried him into the darkness of the back alley next to the bar, where he flopped hard onto the cobbled ground. He let himself lean against the cool stone wall as he panted into the chilly night air, hands shaking.
Distantly, through the retreating fog of fear, he was aware of the door to the bar opening. For just a second, he heard the noise of glasses clinking, wood creaking as people shifted in their chairs, and the quiet murmuring of people. The door shut again, cutting the noise off, and in the gloom, he could hear someone walking slowly in his direction.
"You lasted longer than I thought you would," Jade said.
Guy huffed, turning to glare at the man who stood casually at the mouth of the alley, hands in pockets and head tilted down. He wasn't really mad at Jade; he hadn't expected or wanted Jade to intervene. It was his problem to deal with, and no one else's. But it was frustrating to see Jade, unruffled and unworried, standing there just then. Swallowing back a sharp retort, he said instead, "How come you left?"
Jade sighed, spreading his hands and shaking his head. "She would only tire an old man like me out. Better to go home and get my rest."
Guy couldn't help but give a chuckle. "Somehow, I can't see her tiring you out. If anything, it would be the opposite."
"Thank you for the vote of confidence." He stepped nearer, offering a hand to Guy. Looking bemused, Guy took it and let Jade help pull him to his feet.
Guy stood there awkwardly, wondering what to say next. Normally conversation with Jade was easy; the two of them got along, and they were used to each other's company. But at that moment, with Jade looking so closely at him, he found the words die. Instead, he shifted to his other foot, staring over Jade's shoulder at the pool of light from the nearby streetlamp.
"Let's go. I'll walk you home," Jade said suddenly, voice loud on the otherwise quiet street.
Guy nodded, the tension leaving his shoulders as he fell into stride next to Jade. "You don't have to walk me home; I'll be fine," he said after a moment. His voice was mild, almost inquisitive. He didn't resent Jade's presence, but he was curious why the colonel had chosen to keep him company.
Jade shrugged, his voice teasing. "You might need the moral support if we run into any other women."
The answer, or rather non-answer, took Guy by surprise. He glanced at Jade, and saw the amusement lurking on the older man's face. "I guess that's alright," Guy said finally, chuckling. "Do you want a drink at my place? To make up for not finishing yours at the bar."
Jade smiled, the look hidden by the darkness, and pushed his glasses up. "If you insist."