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On Thursday evenings, Ingrid visits Ashe’s room.
Though she’s heard all the knight’s tales before, knows them inside out, they hit harder these days. The fairytale knights fight in battles that seem all too similar to those Ingrid finds herself in week after week. She hopes she carries herself with the same virtues these soldiers of old stood for.
Alongside her and Ashe are a pair of fresh eyes. Hapi and Yuri were not raised on these tales like her, and with that come new perspectives she never would have considered - though they may be harsh and crude at times, she’s glad that more people are able to enjoy the stories so close to her heart.
Ashe frequently walks her back to her room. Occasionally she sends him off with a kiss. Rarely, she asks him to stay with her longer. Ingrid remembers how flustered he would get at the beginning of their relationship, and is glad of how far they’ve come together.
On Thursday evenings, Yuri finds himself in Ashe’s room.
It’s not that he has a particular interest in fairytales, but he likes everyone else there, it isn’t a waste. Whilst the others act out the relationship drama in the stories, Yuri keeps his eye on what’s happening in reality. An arm around the waist, a pair of knees touching, in this crowd that counts as scandalous.
For his own part, Yuri never hesitates to tease Ashe or Ingrid (Hapi’s too used to it). He’s unsure how their arrangement will continue after the war’s end, but for now he’s satisfied.
If he hasn’t eaten, he’ll ask Ingrid to accompany him to dinner. They’ll share the finest meal Abyss has to offer - whether Yuri’s cooked it himself, or paid the cook extra this week. She was originally wary of the place, but now it’s second nature to her. They lose track of time, talking for hours into the night, until the tavern finally tells them to shove off.
On Thursday evenings, Hapi trudges up to Ashe’s room.
These evenings were her idea, surprisingly. Her paths hadn’t crossed with Ingrid before the war, but she knew she was also a fan of these knight’s tales. During the war, this was a good opportunity to relax, and get to know Ashe’s other ladyfriend better.
There is a difference, Hapi thinks, between the knights in these tales and the knights of Seiros that exist today. And with that, she’s able to see how Lady-knight and Freckles differ from the knights that hurt her in the past. These guys are way better.
She might return to Abyss with Yuri-bird, though they’ll take a massive detour to get there. There are many spots to sit and stargaze, and Hapi knows them all. Yuri still makes up constellations that Hapi can’t see, but he always remembers what Hapi’s told him. Occasionally, there’s a star named after the knight they just read about, and when she looks up it shines twice as bright.
On Thursday evenings, Ashe is visited by his three closest comrades.
It’s a sign they’ve survived another week, isn’t it? He puts great care into selecting this week’s story. Whether it’s a tale of a mighty battle, a thrilling drama, or just plain silly, Ashe looks forward to seeing how everyone will interpret it.
Ingrid is always earnest, keen to the moral lesson the author is trying to convey, and how they can apply that to their lives. Yuri is quick to criticise the protagonist’s decisions, whether they be foolhardy or naive. But when the story reaches a close, he’ll admit they weren’t that bad in the end. Hapi is quick to point out any innuendo. Though Ashe will sometimes choose a story to appeal to her tastes, sometimes a lance is just a lance.
Sometimes, Hapi will crash in his room. He never asks her to stay, but somehow she always knows when he wants her to. She always falls asleep before him, a peaceful expression on her face. Ashe is overjoyed to know that she feels so comfortable around him.