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They all took to traveling the world after Grima was defeated. It surprised no one, because they weren't meant for this time. Now, they had to lead their own lives, away from their parents that they saved. Spending five years on his own was worth seeing the happiness on everyone's face in the end, Laurent decided.
They nodded solemnly at each other, promising to always protect this world for their parents and their future selves. After, they split to different parts of the world.
Laurent always wanted to continue his studies, as he always had that drive to further his intellect. He could never reach the level of his mother, but he hoped to be able to surpass her, for both him and the Miriel that was his real mother. His travels took him everywhere. Soon, he found his stack of notes and observations growing too large for him to carry efficiently. He had to think of a solution to solve his problem, but he couldn't trust anyone to keep his books safe. With a heavy sigh, he continued on his journey. Now mindful of how much heavier his pack was getting, he was regretful that he had not trained his physical body more.
When Laurent chanced into a village, he heard rumors of a wyvern rider dressed in black armor and wearing a mask soaring through Wyvern Valley. There was only one person who fit that description. It was one of the more impromptu decisions Laurent had ever made, but he picked up his books and made his way to Wyvern Valley.
He didn't know how long they had all separated, maybe several months, almost reaching a year now. Laurent saw very brief glimpses of the others, and that was only when they happened to be in the same area at the same time. After spending time with them for so long, he realized there were bouts of loneliness when he was alone and lost in his thoughts. Nothing could compare to the loneliness he felt five years ago though. He had to sooth himself over by reminding himself that they were all in this world together, and still were.
Laurent didn't have to go far before he heard the familiar sounds of flapping wings and screech he had come to recognize. Gerome landed in front of him, peering down at him. Minerva had recognized him and his hat, he explained after a quiet greeting. Laurent couldn't help the chuckle that escaped as he looked at the two of them.
Gerome being the first to settle down had been surprising, but it did make the most sense to Laurent. He had come back to the past to release Minerva, not to fight and aid them. He was a solitary figure, but he was not meant to travel as the rest of the them did.
Laurent was glad that his being older than the others, even if only by a few years now, allowed him to grow understanding. He knew that Gerome's aloofness wasn't because he was condescending to them. Others thought he was selfish and cold for for always acting so callously to his allies. But he had understood that Gerome had to first come to terms with his parents and his own issues before he could offer them any real aid. So Laurent had to be patient with him, and soon, he too had opened up. He was a great companion, listening to Laurent ramble on about things and offering words if Laurent truly seemed stuck. He had come to enjoy Gerome's presence and hoped his friend did so as well.
Gerome's house was quaint, comfortably furnished. He wasn't much for material collections, unless they were things Minerva brought him. Laurent was both surprised and unsurprised to learn that Gerome had a dedicated shelf for Minerva's findings. It was also steadily growing, with how a half-built shelf laid next to it.
Gerome's mask laid on the table as there was no need for him to put it on, especially for Laurent. But he still wore it when he rode out to deal with troublemakers. Laurent heard rumors that Gerome was... popular among the nearby villages. None could recognize him without the mask though. It was a pity, for Gerome was certainly a handsome man.
Gerome proved to be a surprisingly good host, making tea and cooking dinner for the two of them. He was amused to learn that he also prepared a homemade meal for Minerva as well. It had to be an influence from Cherche. Although he was quiet most of the time, Laurent did not mind, already knowing that though Gerome was a naturally quiet man by nature. It didn't mean he was inattentive or disrespectful, quite the contrary in actuality.
They conversed about their friends, spending some time reminiscing of their time in the army. When that ran out, Laurent talked about his travels and findings. He thought his own research to be fascinating, but surely Gerome found them boring? He talked about them while grasping for another subject that they could both chat about. Instead, he was surprised to find Gerome watching him with interest, his eyes attentive as he sat in his seat. In turn, Laurent had asked him about the wyverns, and Gerome's eyes sparkled as he talked about his favorite beasts. He had always wanted to learn more about them, but being in the army had them preoccupied with other things. Laurent also spent time trying to help Gerome with his brooding nature. But they no longer had that problem! He wanted to take eager notes in his book before realizing his problem.
When Laurent mentioned he was beginning to run out of space in his pack for his notes, Gerome only turned his head, scanning around the house. Laurent sat quietly in his confusion, until Gerome turned back, waving to an unused wall. If Laurent wished, he could leave his books here and Gerome could build a shelf to house them. Laurent stared at him so amazed that Gerome coughed politely to get his attention.
It was a good idea, one Laurent gladly took him up on. He was sad to admit that he was planning on leaving the next morning though, for Gerome had been very good company. As they stood outside saying their goodbyes, Gerome had only given him a nod before he walked back inside the house. Laurent waited until he stood at the doorway, but Gerome turned around, a small smile on his face.
“Come visit again,” Gerome said quietly before he closed the door.
It was a week after he had left that Laurent realized the problem of leaving most of his notes and observations. Although his pack was significantly lighter than before, he didn't have any reference notes for when he encountered similar phenomena to things he knew he already came across. That was... a problem.
He quickly forgot about his problem though, when he came across a small village. Discovering their library boasted an impressive array of books and texts that dated from the time of the First Exalt made him ecstatic. He began pouring over the books. So caught up in his studies, he forgot time and even forgoing personal health sometimes, to the chagrin of the librarians.
It was only until late into the night, the stray reminder hit him. He still needed to look up his previous reference for something he had came across... he didn't even know how long it had been.
The next morning, he took pen and paper and began to write, explaining what he had encountered. He tried to remember which notebook he had written the notes in. He knew that Gerome would take time to sort through his books, but felt guilty about asking for such a heavy favor from the other man. If Gerome chose to disregard his letter though, then so be it. He gave the letter to a courier and went back to the library again.
It surprised him when a letter arrived, almost a month later (had he really spent that much time in this village?) that he stared at it, wondering if it was real before he hastily opened it. Gerome's handwriting was surprisingly neat, a sharp contrast to Laurent's messy one. Laurent often had to observe things that happened within seconds of each other and his handwriting suffered for it.
After he read through Gerome's letter, mostly copies of what Laurent had asked him to find, he came to the end of the letter. His brow rose when he read the words at the end.
I enjoy hearing your observations of the world. If it bothers you to ask me for aid, think of it as something for me to do to pass the time. Gerome.
Laurent read over the words again and again, unable to quite believe what Gerome was saying. It made him smile to himself, and he carefully folded the letter to keep safe inside one of his more personal books.
He wrote another letter, thanking Gerome profusely for his aid. He detailed he was leaving the village he was staying in now and was not sure if he could be tracked. He paused, questioning whether Gerome would want to hear what he had found in this village. Shaking his head, he took another paper and began to scribble what he had discovered. By the time he had finished the whole letter, he was unsurprised to find they equaled several pages long. One of his books was filled as well, and he turned it over in his hands, contemplative.
The next day, he gave his letter to the courier along with his notebook. He'd already copied what he thought would be important for further studies. Even so, he couldn't help but feel apprehensive, as if he was overstepping his boundaries with Gerome even if the other man had said it was fine.
Laurent worried, but continued on his way.
They had taken to exchanging letters.
It always surprised Laurent whenever he received a letter. He didn't expect Gerome to want to keep writing. Perhaps he was more bored than he thought. Whatever the case, Laurent did not mind, and continued their exchanges. He looked forward to them as a nice break from the monotony of always musing to himself.
Gerome's letters were always short and concise. He wasn't someone who spent their time thinking more about details any more than necessary. He wrote about the wyverns, but often asked Laurent about what he was seeing. Laurent liked to write his thoughts and observations, but perhaps his verbose way with words bothered Gerome? He never gave any indication that it did though. Considering that their mothers were also good friends as well, then perhaps Laurent was worrying about nothing.
One day, as Laurent walked through a town he was staying at, he heard a loud shout of his name. He startled to find Severa stomping through the crowd toward him. Even more confounding was when Kjelle emerged from a nearby inn. She watched Severa with a wary eye but her brows shot up upon realizing Laurent was there. He hadn't realized they were traveling together, but there was also still the possibility they had also run into each other on their own individual travels.
They invited him to dinner, which he gladly accepted, and they chatted about what they had been up to. Kjelle and Severa had taken to traveling together, confirming his previous thought. Now, they were currently trying to find Lucina. Out of everyone they encountered, Lucina remained the most elusive, unable to hear any rumors or anything more than a passing sentence about her. Even Yarne had a stronger presence than her, although Laurent attributed that to Yarne being a different race and thus, more memorable. It was worrying Kjelle that they hadn't found her sister after managing to stumble onto everyone else, though this was the first time Laurent had seen them. Maybe after they found her, they could have a small reunion of sorts, since they all hadn't seen each other in a long while, Severa suggested. Laurent agreed with that, mentioning more to himself that it would do good for Gerome to travel outside for a bit.
He wasn't sure why they suddenly gave him strange looks, until Severa asked how he knew about Gerome's whereabouts. He easily told them that Gerome was staying in Wyvern Valley, recanting for them how he stumbled upon it, and how he had left his notebooks there for safekeeping because he trusted Gerome. He didn't understand Severa leaning forward in obvious interest, giving him a sly look. Kjelle seemed as if she didn't understand as well, only pulling Severa's arm and telling her to stop being so excited. Severa huffed at both of them, crossing her arms.
In the end, Severa and Kjelle went on their way, saying their goodbyes to him. If there were to ever be a reunion, they would make Gerome host it, considering he was the only one who even had a semblance of permanent residence among all of them.
Gerome's letter several weeks later after Laurent had written to him of Kjelle and Severa's plan (it was more Severa, really) made Laurent imagine Gerome resignedly sighing as he agreed because he also wanted to see everyone, but left a warning.
If they disturb the wyverns or wreck my house, I will hunt them all down.
Although Gerome's home looked the same as it did when Laurent visited the first time, for some reason, it felt... different. It was a strange feeling, and it made him feel... restless. He didn't know how long it had been, only that it was a long while, and he was glad to take a break in traveling, however small it was. He thought about visiting his parents but realized that it had to be around this time he was to be born and that was... awkward, for lack of better word. And, he had promised Gerome he would come back to visit. He was about to knock on the door, until Minerva rounded the corner of the house, growling happily at him.
He rapped his knuckles against the door as a courtesy though, waiting patiently as he heard the thud of footsteps from inside. In the next moment, Gerome opened the door, his eyes slightly wide at seeing Laurent there. The corners of his mouth quirked upward though as he greeted him and invited him inside.
There were much more shelves than before and Laurent could see where his notebooks were. He crouched down, amazed that he managed to fill up so many notebooks, and he still had much more in his pack! It still didn't match Gerome's growing shelves of Minerva's possessions, which had multiplied since Laurent had last seen it. Gerome smiled fondly upon looking at his collection, pride in his voice as he spoke about Minerva finding them.
He went to one shelf though and plucked out an object, a small blue gem that Laurent could gleam. Gerome turned to him and held his hand out. For Laurent, he said in a quiet voice, because Minerva wanted to give it to him, and he didn't trust the couriers to be careful with it as he sent it. Astonished, Laurent took it. It was certainly a beautiful gem, and Minerva wanted to give it to him! He thanked Gerome with a smile, and Gerome nodded, before gesturing to the window. It took Laurent a moment to understand that that was where Minerva usually was, and he went to it, saying his thanks to Minerva. The wyvern only gave him a short glance before she returned to resting.
Over dinner, Gerome wanted to hear of what happened to Laurent as he traveled here, seeing as Laurent didn't see the need to send him a letter if he was coming to visit. Laurent relayed his journey, stumbling upon Owain and Cynthia. He nearly got caught up in their antics when they asked for a blast of Wind magic for dramatic flair, as Cynthia had put it. Brady and Inigo were in another town he came across, performing for everyone there and entrancing everyone. Even Laurent had tears in his eyes as they finished their performance. Laurent told him that they all sent their best wishes Gerome's way as well. Gerome looked surprised and grunted in his usual way. To Laurent's keen eye, he saw his mouth twitching, as if fighting against a smile.
When Laurent inquired about what Gerome had been up to, he revealed that Minerva was pregnant and guarding her eggs. Gerome was building a shelter for her and them. Laurent had to smile upon hearing Gerome's enthusiasm. He sounded just like a doting parent. If the others could see Gerome now, they wouldn't believe this was the same man who kept himself away from everyone.
Before they realized it, it was already late into the night. Gerome insisted Laurent stay because he couldn't trust the other wyverns to not attack him late at night, never mind that Laurent could defend himself. Most likely he didn't want the wyverns to be harmed as well, and as Laurent saw the practicality of staying, he agreed. Gerome set aside extra blankets and pillows and tried to make him a comfortable bedding, at least as comfortable someone could get on the floor. Laurent was used to camping out so this wasn't much different, only that he had more comfortable blankets now.
Laurent laid in his bed, planning out his day for tomorrow, before a sudden thought struck him. Did Gerome still suffer from his insomnia? He hadn't actually heard if Gerome went to bed. He received his answer when he heard Minerva crooning alongside Gerome's deep humming. He laid back on the bed, imagining Gerome reading his notes to pass the time at night. The thought brought a smile to his face and he closed his eyes, falling asleep to their song.
The morning found him waking up to the smell of food, Gerome working on breakfast for the both of them. Compared to the chatter of last night, they ate breakfast in comfortable silence.
When they finished, Laurent went to his books, carefully pulling them out from the shelf as he read his past notes. Gerome cleared the table, and gestured to it, wordlessly telling Laurent that he was free to use it. He walked outside, most likely to feed Minerva, Laurent presumed.
Laurent grabbed his books and set them upon the table, and began to work through them. He didn't realize how long he had taken before Gerome came back, announced he was making lunch, and set to the task. Laurent reflexively looked out the window and realized with amazement that the sun had already past its peak. He set to clearing the table of his books, delicately putting them on the ground as Gerome set plates onto the table.
During lunch, Laurent talked about his notes, summarizing them for Gerome. Perhaps with everything he had come across, he realized that he could record his observations as a book for scholars to read. But he had to reorder his notes into something coherent, and he wasn't sure how long he would take.
Gerome paused, glancing up at him. If Laurent wished, he began to murmur, Laurent was free to stay to organize his thoughts as long as he wished. His reply was so nonchalant, as he had went back to eating his meal, that it took a moment for Laurent to comprehend what Gerome was allowing him to do.
Gerome went out again, and Laurent went back to meticulously examining his books, trying to make sense of his frantic notes. It was as if he was looking at a reflection of a younger part of him, even if his younger part was only at most, a year younger than he was now. Still, it made all the difference, as he had all the experience of traveling, and was only going to continue to do so. But first, he needed to at least be able to organize his notes so he didn't have to spend all his time reorganizing them now.
When he finally noticed Gerome had come back in and stayed in the kitchen, he realized the sun had already sunk past the horizon. With that realization also came his awareness of his neck and shoulders cramping, stuck in one position for far too long. He groaned as he rolled his shoulders, but put the books away on top of the shelf. Gerome's gaze flickered to them briefly before he set down their dinner.
The next day continued the same way, with Gerome out of the house for most of the time and Laurent scribbling more things down and crossing out his notes in his other books. Gerome came back in when it was mealtimes, sometimes staying to help Laurent move his books around. Other than that, he stayed out of the house most of the time. Laurent surmised that he was most likely staying with Minerva or taking care of any other wyverns. He was always at ease with them in his company, at least, better than he was with humans.
It was only until the fifth day that Gerome came in with a stack of wood and tools, setting them down in the room. Laurent blinked at him, wondering what he was up to. It was better, Gerome began to speak, if Laurent had his own desk, so he didn't have to keep moving his books on and off the whole time when they had meals. Laurent was amazed at the generosity of his friend, but he protested that Gerome didn't have to go through all the trouble for him. But Gerome only shook his head, citing it would be more efficient for Laurent, and it wasn't as if Gerome didn't have the free time to do it. With great reluctance, he allowed Gerome to build him his own desk.
And so, Laurent now had his own desk, in Gerome's home. It was odd to think so, and Laurent felt as if he had imposed enough on his dear friend. But when he brought up his concerns with Gerome, the other man only looked at him with furrowed brow.
“I enjoy your company.” Gerome had confessed quietly. “Your books allow me to see a world beyond the one I have made for myself here.” He turned around quickly after that and walked out before Laurent could think of a response.
Laurent still felt guilty about imposing on his friend though. It wasn't fair that Gerome had to clean the house and keep it tidy while Laurent sat hunched in a corner of the house. When he needed to stretch or move his limbs that had fallen asleep, he aided with chores. He helped Gerome clean the floors, dust his pantry, arranging his books and whatever else Gerome needed doing. Laurent did not know how to cook though, so he couldn't help Gerome there. He helped gather local vegetables and fruits if Gerome needed them to compensate. He didn't touch Gerome's collection of Minerva's treasures though, knowing they were likely something Gerome wanted to do himself. He was right when Gerome took to cleaning Minerva's shelves. It took a while, but he finally stopped protesting Laurent cleaning the house.
Other times, Gerome received reports of suspicious people from Minerva when she was out hunting. He would ride out to drive them away. Laurent insisted on accompanying him to provide extra firepower. Gerome always insisted he didn't need it, but Laurent argued that it was efficient for the two of them to work together. Surely, Laurent's mage abilities were much quicker at disposing enemies from faraway. Gerome reluctantly agreed, calling him stubborn but Laurent only smiled and replied his own hardheadedness was no match for Gerome's.
When he wasn't doing these extra things, he returned to his original purpose. Laurent labored over his new desk, tediously flipping through pages, trying to make his writing neat. He only went outside to test his experiments and formulate more hypotheses and ideas, as he couldn't trust any external forces to somehow not ruin his precious records. Gerome would watch if he was nearby, staring with awe as he watched Laurent's successes and failures.
Sometimes, Gerome came to stand next to him when he was inside, peering down curiously at his notes, listening to Laurent rambling to himself. Other times, he came by with a cup of tea to place next to Laurent, something Laurent was always grateful for.
Once, he lifted Laurent's hands up from his work and folded them to put into Laurent's lap. Laurent was too stunned to speak, for Gerome was not one for physical touch of any kind. Gerome moved behind him, hands on his shoulder. He received his answer when Gerome began to move his fingers, digging them, forcefully but not painfully, into his shoulders.
A massage, he explained, as Cherche of this world had taught him, to help soothe and relieve his aches. Laurent had been sitting for far too long, and he admitted Gerome's ministrations felt very nice. He allowed himself to relax, recognizing that it had been a long time since he had taken a break of sorts. He closed his eyes to better enjoy the massage, not realizing that in doing so, he had dozed off.
When he awoke, he found himself in soft padding that wasn't the floor he was used to. Instead, he recognized he was in Gerome's bed, but the other man was no where to be found. There was a note on the table next to the bed though, and he squinted through the darkness to be able to read it.
You are free to use my bed. It would see more use for you than me. Gerome.
Laurent smiled, and crept toward his pack, folding the note into his own personal notebook where he also kept all of Gerome's letters. Focusing, he heard Gerome's deep rumble from outside along with Minerva's soft growling. He crept back to the bed and fell asleep to the sounds he had grown familiar with and the faint smell of Gerome.
He wasn't sure how long had passed, perhaps several months or so, until Laurent felt he had organized his notes enough. He was beginning to feel restless from having cooped himself up for so long and even he felt the itch of traveling hit him. Much of his data now was still inconclusive, and he needed more research. There was still so much more of the world he had to explore, to observe and record. Gerome only nodded when he said he wanted to depart.
If Laurent were to leave, he would need supplies, Gerome said. He walked away, to Minerva, and returned in several moments, with her in tow.
Was she not pregnant, Laurent asked, wondering if wyverns were protective against their young like so many other animals. Gerome explained that she had already laid her eggs and he already built a protective shelter for them, to hide them away from predators and the like. Minerva was pleased at his words, but Laurent thought she still looked reluctant to part with them. Gerome whispered soothingly to her and she relented, as she always did for him.
They took to flying for the nearest town for supplies. Laurent had flown before, but it was never for leisure as they were doing. Well, they were still going to a destination, but this was much preferable to archers and mages trying to shoot them down, and him trying to retaliate as Gerome concentrated to keep them alive. The wind felt nice, soothing and relaxing as opposed to the violent winds he conjured up.
As they walked through town, Laurent received odd looks from the townspeople as he looked for the things he needed. Perhaps it was because of a stern faced Gerome trailing behind him. Gerome kept a wary eye on everyone, keeping his distance. Laurent was sad to admit that it made talking to the townspeople a harder task than it seemed. But once they realized he was much more polite and friendly than his companion though, they opened up and began to converse with him.
He learned the townspeople were grateful to Gerome as he had saved their town several times from bandits and ill folk. But his usual standoffish attitude made it hard to approach him. The village girls were all enamored with him despite his attitude somehow, something that confused the older folk. It made Laurent laugh. They teased him, saying they didn't expect Gerome to also have another handsome friend. Though Laurent laughed at their jokes, his cheeks tinged pink at their compliments. They gave him extra things, for both him and Gerome.
They came back to the house and began to organize the things Laurent had bought. Along with the things he bought for his journey, he also made sure to buy things for Gerome. A new holder for his books, something durable and water resistant when the rain struck unexpectedly as it often did in Valm. He bought new boots for Gerome, noticing that the soles of his boots were wearing thin. Gerome was surprised, but accepted the gift. Food that would preserve for a long time went into Laurent's pack, while the perishable food that couldn't be found around Wyvern Valley went to Gerome.
The next morning, Laurent woke up, and Gerome was already setting down plates for breakfast. A hearty stew with potatoes, carrots, and meat, Laurent's favorite because his mother often liked to cook it because of how simple it was. Just like the many days before them, they ate in silence, although Gerome finished his food first and asked Laurent where he was deciding to go.
Laurent replied he wanted to go back to the continent of Ylisse and go further north, past the mountains of Feroxi. He had never been there, nor could he recall anyone else venturing past there for records and observations. It would be a dangerous trek, Gerome said softly but not without worry. Laurent agreed with him, but if he wanted to write his book of travels, he wanted to be as well-versed in the world. Limiting himself to just only few parts of Valm and Ylisse and calling himself well-traveled was an insult to him, and his mother. Gerome understood, but he was still worried, with his brow creased and tiny frown on his face.
He accompanied Laurent outside, holding Laurent's pack for him, and whistled for Minerva. He couldn't go with him, but he could take him as far as he could, Gerome said. Laurent thanked him for his help, for everything he had done.
Too soon, they were already at the edge of Wyvern Valley, and they both dismounted from Minerva. She growled at him sadly, nuzzling her head against his shoulder. Laurent laughed but he felt the pang of sadness that they all felt when all of them parted for their own journeys after Grima. Gerome watched them, a small smile on his face before he turned to Laurent. Slowly, he laid a hand on Laurent's shoulder, grasping it firmly.
“Travel safely,” Gerome only said with a nod.
Laurent looked at the hand on his shoulder for a brief moment, understanding what Gerome truly meant to say. Gently, he laid his own hand on top of Gerome's, smiling softly as he spoke.
“I will. I still need to come home to write my book, after all.”