~ sultana dreaming plays softly in the background ~
thank you to my friend @mellowjacket for comming me i had so much fun and im so so happy with the result, princely wedge may be my magnum opus
“Oh come on” Mel bemoaned as she ran her hands over the cold steel of the Manacutter, “Surely you can do better than this?”
Biggs looked incredulous. “What do you mean!” he cried, slapping his hand against the airship, “It’s a Manacutter! It’s as reliable as they come!”
Mel shook her head as she walked away. “Reliable, sure I’ll give it that” she admitted, climbing atop the Biggs workstation as though it were public seating, “But does it have to be so… hackneyed?” She reached over and started idly futzing with his tools.
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN!?” he cried again, stomping over and ripping one of his wrenches from the woman’s hands. “It’s an Ironworks classic!”
Mel ripped the wrench away from its owner before he could hang it back up. “Yes, and everyone and their skypirate uncle has one, I want something with more style, you know?” she grimaced as she looked at the vehicle, “More power maybe?”
From his little workstation in the corner, Wedge piped up. “More power you say?” he questioned, hand placed thoughtfully on his chin in contemplation. His mouth stretched into a wide grin. “Oh I can give you more power.”
Biggs took half a second to process what his friend was planning before stomping over towards him. “No” he said plainly before reiterating, “No! You’re not killing the bleeding Warrior of Light with that godsforsaken thing!”
Mel’s ears perked up. “You have my attention Wedge” she called, hopping off the table towards the man, “Explain.”
Wedge’s grin didn’t fade as he beckoned her over toward a tarp cover shape on the other side of the workshop. He grabbed the tarp and ripped it off in dramatic fashion to set the mood. “I give you the Garlond Ironworks Falcon MK II!” he cried in joy, “A marvel of both speed and style!”
Mel whistled and she gently ran her hand over the sleek front end, admiring how compact the design was. “What’s the catch?”
“The catch” Biggs interjected, “Is that the last fool who flew that thing is still in critical condition!”
Wedge shook his head. “I’ve made all the adjustments! It’s completely safe to fly now! Probably…”
The two men continued their bickering as Mel continued to admire the machine. She settled herself into the cockpit and gripped the controls, grinning to herself. “I’ll take it!” she interjected.
Read it on AO3 above (registered users only) or under the readmore below -
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Final Fantasy XIV
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Cid nan Garlond/Nero tol Scaeva, Maelie/Ronantain
Characters: Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Named Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV) - Character, Male Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV) - Character, Cid nan Garlond, Nero tol Scaeva, Biggs (Final Fantasy XIV), Wedge (Final Fantasy XIV), Maelie (Final Fantasy XIV), Ronantain (Final Fantasy XIV)
Additional Tags: Oneshot, Original Male Character(s) - Freeform, Christmas, Starlight Celebration (Final Fantasy XIV), Nero tol Scaeva being Nero tol Scaeva, Fluff, Funny
Summary:
It's Starlight in the Firmament, and the Ironworks Gang is joined by WoL Kyler Drake in handing out gifts!
Oh wait, what's this? NERO TOL SCAEVA WITH THE STEEL CHAIR?!
Kyler smirked as he watched Cid fiddle with his Starlight hat again. “You know, it would probably sit better if you removed your goggles.”
Cid shrugged. “It’ll stay long enough as it is. We’re nearly out of toys, anyway.”
A fair point. Kyler’s toy sack was considerably lighter, and from the looks of it, Cid’s, Biggs’, and Wedge’s were, too. Wedge waved farewell to two children as they departed with new toys in tow. His toys had been particularly well-received, being a new invention: a toy airship that could shift and click until it transformed into a warrior. He called them Changers, though he could’ve called them anything and the children still would’ve been clamouring for them. Kyler’s toy toolsets came in at a close second in popularity. He took a particular note of pride and hope in inspiring the next generation of craftspeople and engineers, especially in the Firmament. After one thousand years of destruction, Ishgardians seemed ready and eager to see what they could create.
“Thank you for joinin’ us, Kyler,” Biggs said as he placed a hand on Kyler’s shoulder. “Means a lot to the wee ones, getting’ a gift from the Warrior of Light and all.”
Kyler nodded with a small, sincere smile.
Biggs continued with his other hand raised in a pointed finger. “And that’s what this whole kerfuffle’s about, ain’t it? Much as Jessie says that this’ll help promote the business as well, it’s worth doin’ even if there weren’t no business to promote in the first place.”
“Oh, I’m not so sure about that.”
Biggs’ eyes widened beneath his goggles. “Nero?”
Their gazes turned to Nero as he approached. Two mammets carrying a large sack followed in his wake. Judging from the corners jutting against the heavy fabric, and the uniform shape, it contained several boxes.
Nero smirked and removed his sunglasses as he came to a stop. “Come now, genius and generosity are not mutually exclusive. There’s no reason why we can’t show off while being charitable at the same time. Especially when we’ve so much to show off in the first place. Well, I do, at least.”
“Happy Starlight to you too, Nero,” Cid replied, deadpan.
“What’s that you’ve got with you?” asked Wedge, one hand to his chin in curiosity.
“Why, Starlight gifts, of course. Made by me.” Nero paused to look around. “Where can I find more children? This would be far more convenient and economical if they gathered someplace where we could find them instead of the other way around, but I suppose I can only expect so much from Eorzeans.”
“There’s two over yonder, by that statue,” said Wedge, pointed to them.
“’By that statue’ in Ishgard could be anywhere,” Nero remarked and put his sunglasses back on. “Come along, then. All of you, not just the mammets.”
As fate had it, they weren’t just any children – at least, not to Kyler. As they approached, they overheard Ronantain pleading with Maelie.
“You will be welcome in our house, Maelie, I promise.”
“Are you sure? I don’t know nothin’ ‘bout fine dinin’, and I ain’t got anything fancy to wear.”
“My uncle could teach you the basics of proper dining etiquette. And we could buy you a dress. Consider it a Starlight present.”
Kyler’s smile widened as they reached the children. “Hello Maelie, Ronantain.”
The children looked to him. Maelie gasped. “Kyler!” she exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air. “Happy Starlight!”
“Happy Starlight,” Ronantain added with a smile and a bow of his head.
“Happy Starlight,” returned Kyler with gentle laughter in his voice. “Can we have a moment of your time?”
The children nodded with Maelie’s “uh-huh” and Ronantain’s “very well”.
“Judgin’ from those Saint hats most of you are wearin’, are you all Helpers?” asked Maelie.
Kyler nodded.
Nero stepped in with a flourish of his arms. “I hope you children are ready for the greatest Starlight gift you’ve ever received. Everything before will pale in comparison, and everything to follow will be rendered underwhelming. Kyler, if you wouldn’t mind…” He indicated to the sack the mammets were carrying.
Wedge nudged Nero’s leg and hissed under his breath, “You’ve got some nerve asking him of all people to be your bag boy!”
Nero glanced down. “We’re Helpers today, aren’t we? Why wouldn’t Kyler want to help me bestow these children with gifts?”
“It’s fine, Wedge,” said Kyler. “Today, at least.” He gave a pointed look at Nero, who shrugged with a victorious grin. Kyler retrieved two of the boxes from within the sack. He handed them to Nero, who handed them to the children.
Ronantain read the text printed on the top of the boxes: “’Nero tol Scaeva Presents The Simple-Serve Oven’.” He arched an eyebrow. “Do you mean to say that there is an entire oven in this box?”
“I do. Well, a miniature one, inspired by the cooking sets used by those of the Culinarians’ Guild but designed to be so simple that even tykes such as yourselves can use them.”
“’Tykes’? With all do respect, ser, we may be children, but we are not infants,” Ronantain countered, his brows furrowed.
Nero shrugged. “Children these days, my goodness. So ungrateful.”
Maelie finished prying open the top of her gift box and cooed. “Ronantain, I think this really is a wee little oven.” She looked to him, excitement brightening her features. “We can bake treats for the patients at Ser Vaindreau’s!”
Ronantain blinked at her. “Oh, I-I don’t know how to bake.”
“I can show you! I remember baking with my mum when I was little…I think. It’s not so hard – you just put the ingredients together, mix ‘em up, and put ‘em in the oven.”
“I can share a few easy recipes with you next time I come to Ser Vaindreau’s,” added Kyler. “I’m sure the patients will love them.”
Maelie smiled at Kyler before turning to Nero. “Thank you so much for the gift, Mister Helper! We’ll put it to good use. Won’t we, Ronantain?”
Ronantain cleared his throat, composing himself. “Aye, that we shall. Thank you very much for these gifts.”
“Much better,” said Nero. “You’re welcome. Run along, now. You’ve got treats to bake and, uh, more of whatever it is you children do.”
Both Maelie and Ronantain looked at Nero with a confusion-pinched brows for a moment. Then Maelie shrugged.
“Let’s take these to Ser Vaindreau’s and set them up. Charlemend is there already, I’m sure he can help us if he’s not too busy already,” she said. “Bye Kyler! And Kyler’s friends! Thanks again!”
“Farewell for now,” added Ronantain. As the children walked away, Kyler and company heard him say to Maelie, “Speaking of my uncle, he and I really would love to have you over for our family’s Starlight dinner. It wouldn’t be any trouble at all.”
“It does sound nice. And…you’d really be willin’ to buy me a fancy dress for it?”
“As fancy as you please. Like a sentinel tree ornament.”
The last they heard of Ronantain and Maelie’s conversation was Maelie giggling.
Biggs, Wedge, and Kyler fell into a conversation about what to do with the dregs of their toy bags – if they should combine them all into one, where to go next to finish them off, where to go afterwards for a good drink to celebrate. Cid stood next to Nero as their discussion began.
“I’m impressed,” Cid commented as he put a hand on the back of Nero’s arm. “Even if I’m also waiting for the other shoe to drop.”
“There’s no other shoe. I suppose you could say that the Saviour of Eorzea is rubbing off on me. Fighting alongside him instead of against him in Garlemald had me thinking. This is my gift to him, in a sense.”
“That and showing off your genius is something of a gift in its own right, isn’t it?”
“Oh, very much so. And speaking of gifts…” Nero reached into his coat and withdrew a once-folded piece of paper, which he handed to Cid.
Cid eyed the paper for a moment before taking it. “Nero, if this is another invoice…”
Nero smiled.
Cid unfolded the paper. His brows furrowed. “This is a…a reservation confirmation for The Bismark?”
“For two. In two day’s time.”
Cid looked to Nero. “I don’t know what to say…and I haven’t gotten a gift for you yet.”
“Just be there. And remember to wipe the grease and dirt from your face this time.”
Cid chuckled sheepishly. “Right. That much I can do.”
“I know.” Nero lowered his glasses, winked at Cid, and put them back into place. “Ah, ‘twould seem that Kyler’s spotted some more rugrats.” The two of them – and Nero’s mammets – began following Kyler. Nero looked to Cid as he noticed him fiddling with his hat. “That would likely sit better if you remove your goggles.”
Cid removed his hat and offered it to Nero. “Perhaps you’d rather wear it instead.”
