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When; veeeery eeeaaarly October 30
Rating; PG, some tldr ranting may abound
Characters;

srslynotguy [ FLYNN SCIFO ] &

notflynn [ YURI LOWELL ]
Summary; Try to tell your bestfriend the reason you've been gone all that time is the fact that you've been sucked into another world with no means of going back home... when you have a ridiculously long rapsheet to your name that has a tendency of growing in length because you're that willful. Yeah, it's not gonna go well. [ CONTINUED FROM HERE. ]

Log;

They walked back into the streets in terse silence, glad to have been able to escort Ahiru back to her apartment safe in sound, but now both aware of the talk that was impending between the two of them. The City surroundings, the odd architecture and the lights that did not seem to be powered by aer, or blastias, at all, and, most of all, the lack of a functioning barrier above them were all jarring things for Flynn Scifo, but he was really more concerned for the matters regarding his friend. So, he supposed that he had been telling the truth then - and he was sorry for not believing him but the apology for that will come later - but he wasn't at all satisfied with Yuri's delivery. It still felt like he was hiding something important.

Flynn wanted to know how he managed to fall off Zaude, for one, and why he'd even let himself to fall like that. Hearing the report from Sodia had been... it had been terrible! He had desperately wanted the report to be proven wrong then. That was why he had personally searched the area around Zaude, and even the places where the currents could have taken Yuri! To think that he had been here all this time--

And who was he kidding? Maybe it was unfair of him to expect so much out of his friend, but Yuri had always proven himself to be too stubborn for his own good. Was it too much to believe that something like this place couldn't have hindered Yuri at all? Or was it... naive of him?

He sighed and finally spoke, "Yuri... we need to talk."

Flynn stopped walking and waited for Yuri to do the same.

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Yuri walked a few more steps before coming to a stop as well. His expression was drawn into a subtle scowl - he certainly wasn't pleased. No, not at all. Mostly because Flynn was being difficult, though that was something he should have expected. Whatever his questions, though, he could not tell Flynn about Sodia. Not out of respect for her, however. He only had Flynn's well-being in mind.

With a sigh, he looked up at the night sky. It reminded him of their encounter at Montaic. That had been an utter disaster.

"Yeah, we do," he responded, soft but clear.

There were many things he felt he could not tell Flynn just yet. He also had a feeling that the City wouldn't let his secrets stay secrets for long- not with Flynn there. The deities didn't work that way.

"Well? Ask away." He still had yet to face him.

Flynn watched Yuri's back all that time, quiet and well aware of what the sight of that back represented for him in the past few months. For some time after the incident at Zaude, he had been... it was embarrassing, but the stress of being torn between his duty to the Knights and to his friend, Yuri, must have gotten to him, because he had this dream where Yuri just kept walking forward, never turning back to face him again. It was such a silly dream to have, in retrospect and especially with the real person in front of him like this, but back then it had evoked real fear and worry from within him.

He closed his eyes and berated himself: there was no use calling upon such memories now.

"If we're going to have this conversation, I'd like you to face me, at least, Yuri. I didn't have to wait all this time to have this conversation just so I can talk to your back." He said all of that in firm, rather harsh, tone, but in the end he sighed anyway and added, "Please."

He could only really laugh at that before turning to face Flynn - just the two of them. It'd been a very long time since they were last able to do this. It was almost a pattern with them at this point, and the thought in itself was a little amusing. In a very not-funny sense, of course (but it was almost, in a way, a relief to be bickering with Flynn again- almost).

They stood as equals, but in a sense, there was a very definite sense of inequality- one that Yuri could feel, anyway. Their experiences and memories and sense of time. It was all messed up no thanks to the deities. That sort of thing would be so difficult to explain, especially since Flynn has already shown his reluctance to believe the not-in-our-own-world-anymore-Toto part.

"It's been a long time, Flynn."

Why did Yuri have to be so laid back when it came to situations like this? Of course, Flynn knew Yuri had his own serious episodes, and that those in itself worried Flynn more usually, but at this very moment maybe he'd have preferred a more apologetic Yuri. Someone that he could understand and react accordingly to-- no, that wasn't correct. He did understand Yuri, it was just that he made it so difficult to deal with him sometimes. He found himself sighing again, but then recovered quickly to give Yuri a severe look.

"I know it's been a long time, Yuri," he said dryly. "Now... I want an explanation. To begin with, I want to know how you managed to slip off Zaude the way you did."

"Not exactly easy keeping your balance when a giant apatheia's crashing toward you," Yuri replied, placing a hand on a hip as he always did. And it was true, mostly. He only narrowly escaped the impact and overwhelming pressure of it.

Yeah. Flynn won't be looking at that scar on his midsection anytime soon. Or ever.

"I'm lucky I didn't face the same fate Alexei did."

Fortunately for Yuri, Flynn wouldn't even know to think about that scar to begin with. As far as he was concerned, a tiny scar like that would be the least of all the possible injuries Yuri could have gotten from falling at that height. And... he looked fine. That question will be for later.

The mention of what happened to the former Commandant didn't improve the atmosphere between them. Truth be told, he had considered that possibility, but still having that brought up to brush off another extreme was extremely callous of Yuri.

"And I'm glad too, but that's hardly the matter here. Did you really expect me to be thankful that my friend hadn't been crushed by that giant thing and fell into the watery abyss instead?" He tried to keep a level tone there, but it was difficult to keep that anger in check. He had been worried, and while his own feelings could be disregarded, Yuri had caused so much pain for other people as well!

"You didn't jump either, I know. I just... I have a hard time believing you, of all people, could have-"

He sighed and stopped there. Yes, Flynn Scifo, he told himself, you are being unreasonable right now. In real life, there are no such certainties.

"You of all people should know-" He trailed off, clenching his fists out of some emotion branched from guilt. He worried everyone - he knew that better than anyone. When Estelle hugged him with all she had- when Judith gave him that look of hers- he knew. Now he was getting Flynn's half of it, and perhaps this was the worst of all.

The hand on his hip pressed into the scar on his midsection. He could feel it faintly underneath his top. What a nice little gift, right, Sodia?

"I'm here now, isn't that what matters?" Even as he said it, he winced. No, it wasn't. Even he knew that - he knew Flynn better than that.

"Yuri..." He started, but sighed again instead. He looked away and tried to find the words to say something. Suddenly, there was so much he wanted to say, but he couldn't for the life of him make a sense of it all enough to actually get it out there. There were still some things he wanted to ask, wanted to know about, not just Zaude but-- Truth be told, he was beginning to wonder now about how real all this was.

"I honestly don't know whether or not to believe all of this," he admitted finally, with a guilty look. "Yuri, what I'm saying is that, I know that I am glad that I've finally found you. You look fine, and that's good. But--" he took a deep breath. "How much of this is grounded in reality? I don't even understand how this all should make sense. You admit that you "slipped" back there, but you're here like this and that... that simply doesn't make sense."

"It's a little complicated." Where to even begin explaining anything? Ahiru made a little bit of a start, but then there was everything else about this damn City. He didn't even have a guide to go off of. All right, first, the curses. Because those pumpkin patches were not normal.

"All right, I hope you were paying attention to her back there, because she was right. We're stuck here. This is as real as it gets." A sigh. Okay. That was a start. "If you don't believe me, I guess you'll find out soon enough when a curse hits. Now those are fun."

Yeah he really needed a guide. What was he supposed to say? That curses can turn you into a girl, make you bleed everywhere, and kill people?

Deep intake of breathe, slow exhale-- Flynn stared hard at Yuri. He was sure his friend was being difficult on purpose, and he was certainly not enjoying it. "You're going to keep avoiding the topic, aren't you?" he said slowly, and gave his friend a moment to just digest that question. And then, more to himself, "This is where I'm supposed to get the questions out of you myself, isn't it?"

"You're just not asking the right questions." He gave Flynn a level, challenging gaze. There were just some things he could not say, and he would try his damnedest to keep it that way.

Sensing the tenseness, he clenched his fist, and the hand on his hips falls to his side. Just in case. "But yeah, you hit it right on the head."

"No, Yuuri. I believe that I am asking the right questions. You just refuse to answer properly." Those hands that were at his side, clench into fists- Yuri's precaution were for good reason. "We're not kids anymore, Yuri," he added then, confident that he didn't need to waste anymore words to emphasize what he wanted to get across.

"But if that's what you want, then--" He took a brief look around, just to make sure they weren't going to make an embarrassing spectacle of themselves. "-you leave me with no choice. I understand this is hardly a knightly thing of me to do, but-- "

"You asked for it."

After that, Flynn Scifo punched his childhood friend, Yuri Lowell. He aimed for the face.

He anticipated it- but Flynn being Flynn, despite the time difference, still managed to hit right on. And of all things- he targets his eye. Thanks, Flynn. That was definitely going to show, and people were definitely going to ask. What a pain. Though probably not as painful as having a metal fist punching eyes out.

But Yuri wasn't going to take this without retaliating. Attempting to keep Flynn in place by grabbing onto his arm, Yuri quickly brought up his fist to Flynn, holding his ground steady to avoid any slip-ups.

Some things just never changed between them, really. There was the fact that Flynn was ultimately the neat-freak of the two, the fact that Flynn was just born to be more law-abiding than Yuri, and then there was the difference in their skills in cooking. When it came to fighting, just as Flynn couldn't manage to make a simple omelet or sandwich taste just right no matter what effort he put in it without external help, Yuri just... well. He usually lost to Flynn.

This time was no different, and in a combination of skill and luck, the knight was able to dodge his friend's fist.

"I guess that answers my question," he said calmly as he held Yuri's fist in his hand. Nevermind that he punched Yuri in the face to get that simple answer...

"I guess it did." He didn't dare move. Really, it wasn't too surprising that Flynn blocked his punch - that sort of thing had happened all the time in their youth. It was just something known. He had only hoped, though, that this time maybe he could have won. The score was currently: Yuri: 1, Flynn: 9283013.

Edited 2009-10-31 00:31 (UTC)

Flynn didn't move either, so for a few silent moments they were stuck in that state of impasse. The blond knight relented eventually though, releasing what might have been a relieved sigh. "You really are alive," he said quietly, well aware of the redundancy of such a statement. And then, he frowned, again. "I'm sorry, but you deserved that, Yuri."

"I think there are other ways you could have used to convince yourself that I'm alive." Yuri touched a hand to his eye to check for bleeding. Thankfully, it was dry. Just a little teary. Just the formation of a dark, dark bruise.

He crossed his arms, frowning. He deserved it? This is the thanks he got for protecting Flynn's judgment of Sodia? Not that Flynn knew, of course- but it was the principle of the matter. Geez.

And the worst part was- he would endure a thousand punches and not tell him exactly what happened. "Thanks. Glad to know you're happy to see me and everything."

"I would have settled for a detailed explanation, but since you were insistent on talking about everything else but what's happened to you, I-- I was truthfully a little angry." And seeing Yuri with the beginnings of a very bad bruise in the eye really did make Flynn a little bit guilty, but nevertheless, he did feel somewhat justified in his actions. "I couldn't possibly care more about this place than my friend who's gone and almost had himself killed right under my nose. I don't care if there are curses, we can talk about and deal with that later. I wanted to know if you were injured after Zaude, or if you were recovering here after all that time. That is more important to me."

And then, when he was done speaking his mind, he took another deep breath. "Having said that, you can return the favor if you want." A little smile formed on those lips then, hardly mocking but possibly just as irritating for Yuri. "It might have satisfied me, but it's still against the law, isn't it? I'll let you settle this one personally."

"Really. Couldn't tell." With a sigh, he decided this was something he could at least answer, though it was a little complicated. The City aside- it was really Duke who nursed him back to health. But it was no lie that he did spend a handful of months in the City. Huh. "Yeah, I was injured. When I woke up, I was here and bandaged. When I went back- well, I found out Duke brought me back to Zaphias."

He closed his eye and thought. If he remembered correctly, that was exactly how it went. Though when he did return, it was almost like he never left in the first place, and the City was the last thing on his mind. Time went on like normal, even with months of him being in the City. Even his wound started to hurt again when he returned to Terca Lumereis.

Flynn listened to all that quietly, but he had to admit that it didn't really make sense. If Yuri had returned to Zaphias like he did, then it would make sense for him to have heard of it at least. And yet, here he was, standing less than a feet from a friend he hadn't seen in months until their meeting earlier that day.

Disparities aside, Flynn didn't manage to climb up the ranks by his good looks alone, and that admission made him realize a possibility he hadn't even considered. "You're saying that people are brought here from any time at all."

"Yeah," he replied softly. And there was a huge time gap between the two of them, that was for sure. It was so strange to think in those terms. He and Flynn had always stood side-by-side no matter what. "The deities' just love screwing up with time."

"I... see." He paused, thinking for a moment, before speaking again. "Does this mean you're a few steps ahead of me again?"

"This is... problematic," he finished, once again well aware of the chaos Alexei had wrought not only within the Empire but to the world itself. Before he could sink deeper into despair though, he remembered Yuri's words: how he had returned to Zaphias, to their world, before once more finding himself here again.

"But since you're alive and well, I suppose things will have a way of looking up eventually."

"You could say that." Yuri took a few steps closer to Flynn, looking thoughtful. How like Flynn to be optimistic. He didn't even mention the extent of the curses, yet. Or tell him about what happened in their world.

"You're right. Things'll look up." He gave him a brief look. "Now, I believe I owe you something."

With that, he aims a swift but powerful punch with his gloved hand - right at Flynn's eye.

True to his word, Flynn didn't even try to avoid that, though he did flinch afterwards. That hurt. Yuri was certainly not one to pull back when it comes to things like this. Of course, the same could be said about him of course.

"So, did that satisfy you, Yuri?" he asked light-heartedly, even if he was rubbing at his right eye and wondering if, maybe, he'd gone a little bit too far in provoking Yuri.

Yuri cracked his knuckles, smiling a little. That light-heartedness was just too contagious. It was times like this that really looked like best friends. Right after they beat the shit out of each other. "Damn that felt good."

"Now. Anything else, Commandant?"

"That's Acting-Commandant, Yuri, even if I am well on my way to that position it would still be presumptuous of myself to let that slip of tongue slide."

If Flynn was just a tad bit stiff in his stance then, the Acting-Commandant was now more at ease. Though, of course, the confident smile on his face was more telling than this fact.

"It's getting late. I think I can spare you the from further interview tonight. We need to get something for your eye, as well. Are there any mages capable of healing artes in this place?"

"Yeah, whatever, Flynn." Yuri shook his head and motioned for the other to follow him. They weren't too far from the apartment building, thankfully.

"Don't worry yourself. I know someone who does a little healing." Ino mentioned it once during their spar. He would really prefer not to show up on her doorstep with a black eye- but hey, nothing else could be done.

"That's good to hear, but I hope you mean to ask this person for his or her assistance tomorrow instead." Because Flynn simply had to remind Yuri about these things from time to time.

Naturally, he followed his friend.

"No, I was planning on slipping in through her window unannounced." And, well- he kinda was. She wouldn't have minded, right? Or maybe she'd wake up and laugh. "You always gotta ruin the fun, don't you?"

They soon neared apartment building number six. He opened the door and for a split second was about to hold it open for Flynn. Damn you, Ino, and your constant etiquette lessons. But he walked in first, keeping the door open long enough for Flynn to slip in as well. Thankfully, their room was only one long hallway away!

Flynn had to frown at that admission, because knowing Yuri, he was probably telling the truth. "Yuri... that's not fun. That's called trespassing, even if the person you're planning to intrude on does consider you a friend. And at this time of night, you'd have the addition of suspicion of theft on you if you get caught."

Even if Yuri was joking in his statement, it was hardly something to be taking lightly.

That long hallway between the two of them and this Yuri's quarters encouraged Flynn to quiz his friend a bit on his living quarters. "Are you living alone?"

"Probably, but whose fault is it that I need healing in the first place?" Yuri glanced, unimpressed, toward Flynn. Yeah, he really didn't like the idea that he had a black eye. At all. Oh but the darkening around Flynn's eyes was so beautiful.

Always gotta take things so seriously, Flynn. God.

"And no. I live with three other roommates and Repede. You should meet them sometime."

"And whose fault was it that I had to resort to such drastic actions even before that?" Flynn countered easily.

Three other roommates? And Repede? Yuri's suggestion of meeting them immediately disqualified any possibility of them being anyone he'd met before, and that piqued his curiosity just a bit.

"You, living with someone else other than Repede?" He slowed down, but didn't come to a complete halt as he pondered this piece of information. "That's an interesting living arrangement."

"You're really just too much." Yuri shook his head. He never won these things. Or anything else other than cooking. God damn it.

"Yeah? They're pretty interesting people." Leon, Ruca, and Teito- yeah, they were definitely interesting. Pretty fun to tease, for the most part. And for Leon- a pretty damn good swordsman.

"I thought as much, considering the fact that they were willing to live with you," Flynn said that one with a smile, but his expression grew just a bit serious when he continued. "I know I'm in no place to be saying this, but I have to ask anyway, will your roommates be fine with my late intrusion, Yuri? By the way it sounds too, it's a little crowded..."

So, granted, it was a bit too late to be saying things like that, but it had to be said anyway. He was sure to be able to follow directions from here anyway to the nearest inn. The last thing he wanted was to be was to be the very reason Yuri had to... overstep his boundaries.

"Yeah, who cares? Leon'll probably get angry, but that's just how he is normally." Yuri really had no worry about waking his roommates. If they were awake, they were awake. If they weren't- he and Flynn would just hang around until they woke up. Depending on the time, it may have been close to his early morning training routine.

And yes, he chose to ignore the comment about only interesting people willing to live with Yuri. He was a perfectly good roommate, thank you very much.

That was not reassuring to hear at all. Stopping abruptly, Flynn had the mind to berate Yuri... quietly. "Yuri... that--" he sighed, shaking his head. "I better not intrude then. Directions to the nearest inn or lodge should be enough."

No, Yuri, thinking it's perfectly fine to crash into living quarters you share with other people knowing full well how angry they would be if you did does not make a perfectly good roommate.

"Guess I can't change your mind." Flynn was just as stubborn as he was, Yuri knew. Trying to change his mind would be futile. He had to instead work with it and go with the flow.

They stopped just before his door. Room 69. He then knocked on the door next to it. Not hearing anything, he just barged right now.

"Yuri- that's--!" Flynn really wasn't able to finish his sentence until after the door was forced open, and so he finished it with a defeated sigh, "...trespassing."

It took all his willpower not to bring a hand to his forehead in just-- sheer disbelief at his friend's action.

"I appreciate your eagerness to provide a place for me to stay, Yuri, especially with my abrupt arrival but this-- is hardly the way to go about it. The landlord..."

"-doesn't mind if we just take up a room without telling anyone. Don't worry, it all works out. Just get a job and pay the rent and you'll be fine. Trust me." He gave Flynn a challenging look- but he was really being sincere. That was how he and Estelle found their apartment together.

He walked inside. It looked exactly like his own.

Despite his misgivings, Flynn did end up following Yuri into the apartment anyway... more out of concern for his friend. For all he knew, it might not be as uninhabited as Yuri had suspected. And Yuri... had this habit of walking into places and situations without really taking into account what could happen as a result.

"I'll have to speak with this gracious landlord tomorrow then, regardless of how laid back you claim he or she is, it doesn't bode well for me to simply... break into private property like this." He gave Yuri a particularly pointed look.

"I think you'll find that a little difficult, but hey, I won't stop you. You can either stay in here or in my room. Up to you." He shrugged and leaned against a wall, calmly observing his best friend.

"I will stay, for tonight at least. If the owner or the landowner chooses to come tomorrow, then I will personally apologize for... this." Flynn took the moment to briefly examine the apartment; aside from being fully furnished, it did seem void of personal effects, but one couldn't be too sure when in an unfamiliar place. Satisfied, he turned again to Yuri.

"It goes without saying that this is the kind of action that would get you in trouble back at the capital, Yuri."

"Aren't we lucky that we're not back at the capital?" Though he didn't mind much, it was still annoying whenever the Imperial Knights hounded him for his crimes. He definitely didn't forget when Tweedle A and Tweedle B came for a visit that one time.

"It's still pretty dark outside, so I'll swing by whenever I get back up." Yuri pushed himself from the wall and placed a hand on a cocked hip. "You up for an early morning workout?"

"I'm torn between two different sentiments, I suppose." Of course, if they had been in the Capital, they wouldn't have been in this situation and he liked to think that Yuri himself would have behaved just a bit more.

"I'm up for it. Remember, it's the part of a Knight's daily routine. Those brutal mornings."

"Oh, you're so going down," he boasted. For the past four or five months, he and Leon have been working to perfect their training routine. Of course, he knew Flynn was perfectly capable of handling it. But he still couldn't help but taunt a little.

Placing a hand on Flynn's shoulder, he said with an air of familiarity, "Get some sleep, Flynn."

Flynn nodded once, and gave Yuri a warm smile in return. "I will. See you later, Yuri."

It was easy to say, but Flynn himself wondered if they would be, in fact, seeing again each other later. Still, he knew now that, at least, regardless of whether or not there would be a later, Yuri was alive.

He could live with that.

With a chuckle and a final wave, Yuri turned to leave, still trying to process that idea that Flynn was in the City. His best friend from childhood- now things were going to be interesting. He'd be in close proximity to his roommate and other friends. Most of all, Flynn would have to see the injustices and murders Yuri had seen and feel at a complete and utter loss for what to do.

That was the worst part.

But for now, he'd go with it. For now, Yuri Lowell and Flynn Scifo were the same duo they were as children. No Knights, no guilds - nothing would stand between them.

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