(Author's Note: Pre-game/anime, Jade and Peony are in their late teens-early twenties. The boys wanted some fun and I haven't written porn since last year (yeah, I know) so..Here goes! I'd also like to add that I've never danced, and my music knowledge comes from a pass grade Music GCSE I took two years ago, so I apologise for any errors. Also, I have not played the game, only seen the anime. This is because Tales of the Abyss was never ported to the PAL region and I don't have the money to import an American PS2.)

Waltz

It's why our bodies even lay here.

Peony's fingers find his palm and slowly outstretch until Jade's are forced to do the same, their hands mirroring for a second before cold-tipped they entwine and Peony's lips curve at the corners,

"Beautiful." He whispers, and Jade shakes his head once, twice, missing the slight show of teeth from the taller boy as a flick of his wrist forces Jade to take that final step closer, enough so that he can feel the warmth radiating from Peony's chest. Always so, so warm...

Faint memories of a steady heartbeat almost lull him into resting his head against that broad chest but he resists, a token gesture, red eyes meeting violet in a silent challenge. Warm lips find his and Jade wonders why he had protested Peony bringing him here in the first place.

The deserted Imperial ballroom is hardly the best place to be doing this, but Peony's father is caught up in a meeting with the General and there's only any wayward servants to catch them, and really, this is the last place anyone would check. Prince Peony wasn't known for his love of any social events, rather, his hatred of them...

It was a brilliant idea, really, not that Jade would tell him. Peony was cocky enough as it was...

Besides, Jade's willingly to comply was likely answer enough, if the way the prince's fingers were roaming over his clothed body was any indication.

Lips move lower and a gentle bite to Jade's collarbone wakes him from his thoughts. Half-lidded, he watches Peony direct a small smirk at him before plucking his glasses from Jade's face, kissing him deeply, his tongue delving into his mouth and playing over Jade's with all the grace of a fine dancer. Jade loses himself in the sensations, and is surprised when that hot mouth is withdrawn, leaving him slightly breathless, his body forgetting how to work his lungs somewhere in the embrace. Peony licks his moist lips, and Jade finds himself watching the movement of that pink tongue, fascinated, a small part of him wondering why it's not still doing wonderful dirty things to his own.

"Ah, ah, a true gentleman never abandons a dance." Jade blinks at Peony, his brilliant brain failing to comprehend those words and their still clothed bodies. Shouldn't they be in some unsightly tangle against the nearest solid surface by now...?

Peony giggles, steps back and gently tugs Jade with him, his fingers tightening in the spaces between Jade's own as his other hand comes to rest firmly on his waist in a position that is vaguely familiar,

"...Peony I'm not a woman." He sighs, tries to free a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration, but isn't given the chance before Peony is slowly leading him across the varnished floor and Jade is forced to refocus on not stepping on Peony's feet or tripping over his own, "Peony...!" He glares helplessly at the other, biting his lip in exasperation and clinging to his composure.

"Not so tight, you'll leave scratches all over me...And not in the places I like." Peony gives him a lecherous smile that makes Jade want to hit him, if he could only get a hand free...

"Just relax." As if that were possible! Peony hums softly, the tune is improvised and hardly what Jade would class as 'music', though the pronounced bass line and timing is familiar and Jade finds himself settling into Peony's lead easier with the accompaniment.

"One, two, three, one, two, three." Peony counts under his breath, keeping both of them in time with the imaginary orchestra. Jade eventually stops watching his feet and finds himself watching Peony instead. The prince is concentrating on their steps, eyes half closed and a lazy smile playing upon his lips.

Jade finds himself returning it, somewhat amazed by how graceful Peony can be when he tries. Those eyes slide fully open and the soft humming swells to a crescendo and quickens as Peony twirls Jade before clutching him to his chest, claiming his lips. The tune stutters, punctuated by heavy breaths and tiny moans add ornamentation to the lewd semblance of a waltz. Their tongues take over the dance, the conventional steps forgotten as fingers take over the quick, quick, slow, motions over clothing and skin. For a second Peony holds them poised, a fine picture of lust and affection for an empty audience, then Jade's back hits the ornately carved wood panelling of the walls and the huge room disappears beyond the hot body over his.

The prince is all smirks and knowing, confident touches, and Jade knows in that moment that no matter his father's doubts Peony will be a fine emperor if he can apply himself to it as well as he does this. Then Peony presses into him and Jade stops caring. The world could explode around them and it wouldn't matter so long as Peony does not stop-

A soft, hoarse noise breaks the rhythm of moans and harsh breaths and Jade doesn't realise it's come from him until Peony laughs, warm air against his chest. When did he get his shirt open...? Teeth find a nipple and the coherent thought is gone, Jade's long fingers tangling in Peony's hair, dragging him upwards and almost gasping when his sensitive lips are forced into performing over and again while below fingers stumble over buttons and zips before Jade feels cool air against his aching erection. It doesn't last, and soon they are both groaning as Peony's cock, free from the confines of clothing, presses unyielding into Jade's, giving a standing ovation to the minutes-long kiss they are struggling to continue.

Light-headed, Jade tilts his head back to breathe, bites into his swollen lip to silence a cry when a rough thumb glides over the wet head of his arousal, the thin moisture gathered at the tip being spread down the shaft, making the gentle movements of Peony's hips easier. Their hands are still laced tightly together, squeezing tighter when Peony's left copies the motion around their erections, a quiet gasp springing from Jade's throat. He looks down in time to meet Peony's eyes, his pupils dilated so that the lust-darkened irises are barely more than a tiny indigo shock around unfathomable black. The sheer desire in that look is enough to make Jade shiver and his cock twitches because that look is all for him.

He had always known Peony was handsome, but he was completely and utterly breath taking like this, and Jade didn't have words to describe the sensations that burst up in his chest. His eyes watered for want to blink but he didn't dare, and when moisture broke forth and slid elegantly down a flushed cheek he swore that this was the reason. Peony didn't comment, or demand an explanation, just chased the droplets with his tongue, leaving hot trails of wet that rapidly cool when he pulls away, the presence over him suddenly gone and Jade aches. Peony has other plans, though, as suddenly something closes over his cock, soft, though it feels like a vice to Jade and he cries out, the back of his head hitting the wood behind him with a dull thump that is lost in another pleasure-born noise that Jade would swear blind was not a squeal. Peony's mouth was definitely one of his finer aspects, and while kissing him was incredible, this was in a whole different league.

The blow jobs Jade had heard described by the other soldiers were always fast, all deep throating and bucking hips.

Peony's blow jobs were unlike anything he had heard described, and Jade wasn't sure that words would ever be able to do the act justice.

That nimble tongue demonstrated its talents once more, but with different strokes than those performed in Jade's mouth. Partnerless, it moved solo over Jade's cock with such precision that would have any marksman green with envy. It made Jade feel wholly inadequate in this field, as if his own tongue were always holding Peony's back with incompetence when they kissed, and that now it moved unhindered its full potential was reached. Broad sweeps across the underside made up a strange beat to the rhythm in which Peony moved. He was humming again, the vibrations from his vocal chords resonating up to his tongue and throat and over the sensitive skin of Jade's penis. The movements of that hot wet chamber only accentuated the tune, the velvet-smooth walls of Peony's mouth tightened and slackened around him steadily as that tongue pirouetted between dipping into the now leaking slit at the tip and twirling around the circumference, pressure changing from painfully firm to ghostly swipes that were almost as painful and had Jade fighting to keep his hips still for fear that letting them thrust blindly would bring an abrupt end to the performance occurring around his cock. He looks down, watches the slight movements of Peony's head, matching them to the sensations spreading to his body from between his spread thighs.

Peony looks up, and that's all it takes.

Jade's hips barely quiver as he comes and a broken staccato sigh leaves his slack jaw. On his knees, Peony smiles, feeling the short bursts of warm liquid on his tongue. He waits, bides his time until Jade slumps against the wall, shaking faintly from the force of his orgasm. Graceful, he moves fluidly to his feet and draws Jade into a kiss, the latter groaning as he tastes himself in his lover's mouth and both of them shivering from the arousal of it.

Jade finishes Peony with his hand, too exhausted from the blow job to do more, though Peony doesn't seem to care. Afterwards he laps it from his fingers, and isn't surprised when Peony catches a few drips, winking at him before pulling away and slowly straightening his clothing, his hair still plastered to his brow and mussed from Jade's fingers running through it and tugging at it. Jade finds the strength to do the same, replacing his uniform methodologically, tightening his belt and straightening his glasses, willing the dark flush to depart from his cheeks.

Smiling tenderly now, Peony laces their fingers once more and Jade moves to his side without prompting, their lips meeting briefly and Peony rubs his nose to Jade's gently, a single quiet peal of laughter leaving him. Watching those violet eyes crease with mirth Jade firmly believes that his greatest achievement was not any of the academic or scientific ones attributed to his reputation, but this secret between only them - he knows that having Peony here with him, despite all the wrong he has done, is greater than anything he has done or ever will do, and...

And he loves him for it.

Overcome with that brilliant revelation, Jade initiates the next kiss, startling Peony every so slightly, though he reciprocates the kiss within a second, his arms resting around Jade securely, protective as they've always been. Once, they had felt heavy, a cage around him, chaining him to the ground.

Now, if they be tethers then they kept him connected to home, the yarn leading him from the Minotaur's lair to safety, strong and unfaltering.

He hadn't realised that Peony had been watching him until pursed lips leave a butterfly's wing of a kiss upon the tip of his nose, so light that it doesn't even disturb his glasses. Confused, Jade meets Peony's eyes and sees himself mirrored back in open irises,

"I love you too." The words are whispered, and it might have simply been the acoustics of the ballroom, but the words are echoed in Jade's ears as if shouted, and he smiles, resting against Peony and listening to the gentle beat of his heart, feeling everything he had always thought he wouldn't.

(Post Script: Please leave me reviews! It's been a while since I wrote anything so feedback is always loved 3)