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Ashe had become an unofficial Ashen Wolf, well… pretty much immediately after the whole scandal with Aelfric and the Chalice. They were just… his people. He wanted to see the children in Abyss well-fed and laughing, the sick people healed, the foreigners given succor. That was what Lonato would have done, if he were still here.
When Hapi had started hanging around Ashe more often, listening to his rambling about Lonato and Christophe and knighthood with her occasional friendly sarcasm and sort of… warm amusement, it had seemed like everything was fitting into place. Ashe… well, he’d had some trouble with romance in the past. A lot of the time, really. So when he’d found himself genuinely falling for the beautiful, guarded woman, he had spent nearly an hour weeping tears of joy before the Goddess. And that, he had thought, should be the end of it.
Except it hadn’t been. Ashe knew all the tricks Lonato had taught him. He could remember the first day he’d told Lonato about how Count Rowe’s beautiful son had set a fire in his breast, like the stories about Loog and the Maiden.
‘You mustn’t let such distracting thoughts trouble you, my son. It is the will of the Goddess that man and woman be united, and multiply to guard the sacred land from all of Her enemies. Do you understand?’ And he did. Lonato had always been gentle, with the way he had struggled, reminding Ashe that feelings like that were just a corruption of healthy admiration. When Dedue made a meal and Ashe could picture the taste of those dexterous fingers, it was really just respect for the kind gift. When Dimitri trained and Ashe couldn’t look away from his figure, he was overcome with patriotic admiration, nothing more personal. And so it had gone. Even with Lonato fallen, Ashe couldn’t disappoint him…
But it seemed like Count Rowe’s distractingly lovely son wasn’t done with Ashe yet. Ashe couldn’t be angry at Yuri, not for that at least. It wasn’t his fault Count Rowe had dressed him impeccably and clearly imparted a sense for style. It was downright admirable that he carried himself with such confidence and poise. No, it was Ashe’s fault that his feelings couldn’t contain themselves to honest friendship. When he’d seen Yuri again, while caring for a young widowed mother, Ashe had been struck with… well, the same feeling he got when he saw Hapi. She was supposed to have fixed him. Now he wasn’t just betraying Lonato and the Goddess. He was betraying her.
Ashe knew he couldn’t hide this… shameful tendency from Hapi forever. That was why he’d come to Abyss today. He’d confront the Ashen Wolves, his girlfriend in particular, and just… confess. Maybe her wrath could spare him a similar fury from the Goddess later.
As Ashe approached the Wolves’ classroom, he heard voices. He tried not to eavesdrop, really he did, but the instincts of a young footpad were hard to get rid of.
“-so, I think it’s really starting to bother him.” That was Hapi’s voice. She sounded somewhere between amused and worried. “If you could bring it up? I feel like he might be scared if I do it all on my own.”
“Right, right. Sure thing. I don’t doubt he’s had the thought once or twice, at least - I mean, who hasn’t?” That smooth, suave voice could only belong to one person. Ashe felt his heart sink. He… no, he couldn’t put this off. If he had to confess his sin before both of them, all the better. Then he could just be done with it. He entered the room, the silence that overtook them and the immediate turn of two heads to watch him confirming the subject of their earlier conversation.
Ashe could feel himself withering beneath their gazes. Hapi didn’t deserve him. She deserved someone who would love her without wandering eyes - especially wandering eyes like his. He started to work up the courage, reminding himself of the Luna Knight’s courage when facing an unjust trial, when Hapi beat him to it.
“So, Freckles… how much did you hear?”
“Probably enough. That does make this easy.” Yuri stepped closer to Ashe, eyes focused on him in a way that made Ashe start to blush. “What do you say?”
Ashe didn’t hear nearly as much as they seemed to think. He tried to speak, but only a hesitant sound that barely resembled a word emerged. Hapi snorted, and when Ashe looked at her, she was grinning at him the same way she always did. She… must not understand yet how-
“You’re gonna break him, Yuribird. At least ask first.” Yuri sighed dramatically.
“Fine. If you didn’t hear, Hapi thinks you’ve got yourself a little crush on m-” Hearing it said aloud was too much. Ashe backed away a bit before leaning against the wall. His heart was racing, and… not just from Yuri and Hapi’s gazes fixated on him.
“How can you say that so… easily?” He started to tear up, blinking to try and clear his eyes.
“Yes! I… I’m so sorry, Yuri, I… I can’t stop it. I begged the Goddess to take it away. And Hapi, I- I know you must feel so betrayed, you must hate me, but I-”
“I- not really, Freckles. Hey- hey, Yuribird, can you get ahold of him-” Hapi’s voice was much closer, and soon enough two sets of arms grabbed Ashe, pulling him through the halls to a dormitory. He… dissociated entirely, for a moment. Or a minute. Or several. All he knew was that when he was fully present again, he was sprawled across two laps. The scents of a musky pine forest and some… expensive perfume mingled and for a moment Ashe felt himself relax. He wanted to just bury himself in the softness beneath-
No! He couldn’t- but he also couldn’t bring himself to be afraid or angry. He… thought he might have just panicked himself into exhaustion. He risked looking up and met two pairs of eyes, both equally wracked with concern.
“You all right?” The way Yuri rested a hand on Ashe’s forehead even as Hapi’s laid on his chest, as though to still his heart, made Ashe feel… almost sick, honestly.
“No,” he croaked out. “I don’t think so. What are you doing? You… you shouldn’t be close to me like this. It isn’t right, especially when Hapi and I-”
“Church bullshit,” said Hapi flatly. Some part of Ashe wanted to reprimand her but… he was still just too tired. Yuri sighed.
“Well, Ashe, we can’t make you stay. But we don’t want you to leave.” Ashe… couldn’t fully process the implications of that.
“What? What do you mean? You- I mean, both of you-”
“I don’t really mind sharing,” said Hapi with a shrug. “I thought the crush was cute. Still is.”
“You’re like that a lot. Don’t think I don’t remember the first little crush. That… was a bright spot in a very dark time for me, Ashe.” Again. The hand on his chest, and one on his cheek. Ashe was feeling a lot of things, both good and very problematic. From the way Hapi was idly resting a hand on his leg, and occasionally squeezing it, she… could tell. Ashe tried to focus on what Yuri was saying, but… he was still circling back to what Hapi had mentioned. Sharing. Sharing. Sharing him… he assumed. He…
“But… you aren’t… you aren’t disgusted? Either of you…” Hapi laughed a little, and Yuri leaned down.
“Not in the slightest. If anything, just the opposite. I’m feeling a little drawn to you, kid.” Ashe blushed, and this time, he let himself… well, enjoy it as much as he ever could.
“I… I don’t know. I don’t think… I mean, this is… against everything-” He sighed. “I… I don’t know. My head feels too… fuzzy, right now.”
“Well, we’ve got the room to ourselves for a while,” Hapi said idly. “Didn’t know how long you were gonna be out.”
“For the Goddess’ sake, Hapi-” The words might have indicated frustration, if not for the playful grin teasing the corners of Yuri’s lips. “He needs to figure himself out before any of that.” As he realized what they were talking about, Ashe felt his heart start pounding and his cheeks flush.
“Um- yes! None- I’m sorry, none of that now.” He practically squeaked. He rolled off of them and stood up unsteadily, collapsing into Yuri’s arms. He laid his head on Hapi’s shoulder, realizing that… well, leaving wasn’t an option either.
“I… I think I need some rest…”
“Yeah, that seems about right. Get some rest, then, Freckles.” Hapi shifted, allowing Yuri to lie Ashe down before she could tuck him in. As Ashe felt his consciousness fading - much more calmly this time - he heard Yuri’s voice.
“We’ll be ready to talk whenever you wake up.”