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Sometimes Yuri looks up to the skies above the capital city, almost expecting to see the barrier blastia that kept the monsters out, only for the twinkling stars to greet him instead.
He has to smile when he looks up out of habit. Even the night sky reflects how much the world has changed.
When he’s not running around on missions with Brave Vesperia, he visits his old home in the Lower Quarter and spends the night in his old room, letting the silence of the night greet him with his window wide open and Repede sleeping next to him.
Those nights he doesn’t sleep much, his gaze fixed upon the Imperial palace and to where Flynn most likely was making changes in his own way.
I’m just standing in until the right person comes along.
He had told Sodia as much and even to this day, he still regarded that as the truth.
One night, while visiting Hanks and the other kids, he decides to wander around the Lower Quarter by himself, breathing in the cool night breeze. He stops in front of the fountain when he hears boots click across the stone floor and lifts his head.
“Well, well, well, the Commandant himself visiting the Lower Quarters at night? How scandalous,” he teases and Flynn, predictably, just sighs and rubs his forehead, “Who’s the lucky lady?”
“Yuri.” Flynn’s voice is testy, almost annoyed but he knows Flynn well enough that he’s not crossing any borders, yet. “There is no lady and you know that.”
“Do I?” He doesn’t mean to sound so accusatory and Flynn flinches a little at the wording before sighing softly, standing next to his best friend. Yuri doesn’t take his words back though, instead, looking at the knight next to him.
“It’s been awhile,” Flynn finally says before looking at Yuri with a slight smile, “It’s good to see you home.”
“You do know you have a room in the palace right,” Yuri points out with a wry smile on his face.
Flynn snorts. “Yes well. That isn’t exactly home for me.”
He pauses and stares at Yuri for a moment and the guildsman meets his gaze. “Actually. There’s something I’ve been wanting to talk to you about if you have the time.” Flynn’s gaze is stern but there’s a sparkle in his eyes that Yuri hasn’t seen before. “…Yuri – I.”
“Whoa, whoa, hold it,” Yuri’s mind had already screeched to a stop, “Hold it. Before you say anything, you realize that I’m a criminal right? That I could potentially ruin everything you’ve been working so hard to build?"
Flynn stares at Yuri, looking frustrated before reaching out and grabbing Yuri’s hand (oh, he’s not wearing his armor, Yuri belatedly notices) and pulling him into a kiss. It’s more teeth and noses smashing into each other but it’s a kiss nonetheless and one in which Yuri sort of mentally screams.
“I’ve already considered this, idiot,” Flynn retorts with a bit of a spark in his gaze, “What you did is indeed a crime but like I told you, it’s still your justice that I can’t deny. You did save people.” He jabs a finger in Yuri’s chest and it kind of hurts but Yuri makes no comment, “You my best friend, are the person I’ve come to have feelings for, no, probably always had feelings for. I won’t stand for any depreciating commentary about yourself.”
Yuri’s mouth slightly gaps open at the bluntness that Flynn’s carrying with him today and makes a note to never truly piss off his best friend. “But the point still stands that if you’re with me, you’ll have to deal with even more bullshit on account of who I am. I don’t want to taint that image. I don’t regret it and I never will but – “
Flynn sighs and just stares at him. “While I can’t say I’m happy that you have no regrets about what you did and how you did it, that doesn’t mean I’m going to abandon you simply because of gossip.”
Yuri just stares before pressing his hands to his face and groaning. “Flynn, you’re going to be the goddamn death of me. You can do so much better."
Flynn snorts, “If better is you then I already have.”
THAT got Yuri groaning even louder. “That was disgusting.” Despite the harsh commentary, he’s smiling and Flynn can see it, smiling back at him. The knight reaches for Yuri’s hand and squeezes it gently and Yuri, despite common sense, squeezes back, wanting to believe Flynn’s words.
No. Maybe a part of him already believed him.