Author's Notes: Inspired by a Fluriestelle ship conversation going around Tumblr.
Love and Other Silly Things
Estelle loved the Lower Quarter. It was a warm and lively place where she always felt at home. It was little wonder that Yuri still kept an apartment there even when he spent so much time elsewhere between guild work in Dahngrest and traveling. This was a place that he loved, even if he didn't say it, and full of people that he would do anything to protect. It hadn't taken Estelle long to figure out why.
She greeted Hanks, the de facto leader of the Lower Quarter, with a wave and a smile as she passed by the fountain that had started their whole journey a few months before. He shot her a quick smile before going back to chastising a group of children about their shenanigans and she didn't bother him further.
Above the Comet tavern was Yuri's home, a quaint single room that in spite of its simple furnishings was a place that she loved. She could see him sitting in the window where he always did, probably humming a tune and waiting for something to draw him away. Mounting the steps and knocking on the door did just that.
"Come on in," he called from the window.
Estelle entered, closing the door behind herself.
Yuri and Repede were sitting by the window, Yuri actually in it, and Repede curled up on the floor by his feet.
"Good afternoon." She moved to stand next to him, careful not to step on Repede, and looked out with him.
"Hey. What brings you all the way down here? I thought you were in Halure."
"I'm only in town for the day. I thought I'd stop by and say hello."
"Oh, okay."
"Can I ask you something, Yuri?"
"Sure. What's up?"
"How do you feel about Flynn?"
Yuri very briefly choked on his breath, trying to laugh the comment off, "I'm not sure what you mean." He knew exactly what she meant. He was simply avoiding the subject. She expected no less from him.
There were no words for the relationship between Flynn and Yuri, and the strange place that put Estelle when she had entered their lives. That was okay, though. There was no need to have a word to describe it. It simply was. Yuri could never definitely say how he did or did not feel. Estelle knew that it was a relationship built on a foundation of lifelong friendship and perfect trust, and she was proud to even witness it. They were friends and something more, although they only admitted friendship, and sometimes even that was hard for them to agree to.
"Any other questions?" He cocked an eyebrow at her, perhaps a little worried about what else she might spring on him.
"Yes." She folded her hands against her skirt, fingers fiddling anxiously with the fabric. She had been very nervous about asking this next question. It had been weighing on her for some time, and Yuri was one of the two people she needed to ask. "So... do you think that it's okay if you like more than one person at a time?"
He looked at her, not responding immediately, but appeared to be weighing the question for himself. "Yeah. Why not? If you've got two people who make you happy, there's nothing wrong with that."
That was exactly what she wanted and needed to hear.
"Oh thank you! I feel so much better now." She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. She sprung back up, loosening her embrace on him. She didn't question the surprised look on his face, instead heading straight back up to the palace.
She liked that place also, even though she had once felt like it had been a cage. Her journey out into the world had changed that. It was now a place where she felt just as at home as nearly everywhere else she went, and she was free to come and go as she pleased.
No one questioned her going straight up to the Commandant's office, where she knew that she would find Flynn.
Even though he was stiff sometimes and orderly, he was a long trusted friend of Estelle's and Yuri's oldest friend. He was always willing to help her, or anyone else if they needed it. She was hoping that he would have a favorable answer for her as well. This day was already going so well.
Estelle knocked on the door of Flynn's office, and only a few seconds later, the sound of boots leading up the door followed. He opened it from the inside and smiled as soon as he saw her.
"Lady Estellise. What can I do for you today?"
"I was just hoping we could talk for a bit." She entered the office and let him shut the door behind them.
"Certainly. Please take a seat."
"Oh, I won't be staying long."
"All right then. What did you want to talk about?"
She sprung the question on him as suddenly as she had on Yuri. All of this was just her working up the courage to ask the real question. She needed to know first about how those two felt. "How do you feel about Yuri?"
His face went a shade redder, and he coughed a little into his hand to clear his throat, looking away. Flynn was more bashful about answering, but thankfully less out right dismissive of the question. "Yuri and I... I feel... very strongly about Yuri. Of course I would after having grown up with him."
"I'm glad to heard that." She smiled, and he seemed to ease a bit. "Is okay if I ask another question?"
"Of course."
"Do you think it's okay to like more than one person at a time?"
Flynn blushed even further, fumbling for some words, whether to ask what she meant or to try and reply. He collected himself as quickly as he could. He always got so easily flustered when it came to Yuri, and even more so apparently when it came to relationship talk in general.
"I-I suppose that... if that is how you feel, then yes. If there are two people who make you happy, then that's certainly all right." He tried to smile, but it was nervous and unsure.
"Thank you, Flynn!" Estelle hugged him and kissed him on the cheek just as she had with Yuri, and sped out of his office.
After Estelle's strange questioning earlier that day, Yuri was a little reluctant to go up to the palace on her invitation. It wasn't that he didn't like Estelle, because he did. He just didn't feel that way about her, and her earlier statements had implied various things that made him a little uncomfortable. Even with that, he went anyway. She had gone through the trouble of inviting him after all.
Apparently the castle staff had been expecting him. They always expected him, although it was never though the front door. They led him up to Flynn's state room, where a table had been set up with two chairs and laid out with silver platters and candles.
Flynn was there waiting for him, seated at the table, looking just as perplexed as Yuri felt. "Hello there."
"What's going on?"
"I think we've been set up. Won't you join me?"
"I guess I don't have much of a choice." Yuri smirked, pulling the opposite chair out and sitting down. "This wasn't exactly how I planned to spend the evening, but I suppose it could be worse."
"Thanks for a vote of confidence," Flynn joked.
"I see you two found your dinner."
They both turned to the door to see Estelle standing there with a bulky suitcase, and Rita and Judith hanging around behind her.
"Oh. So you're to blame for this?"
She blushed a little. "Looks like you caught me. Well, you two behave. We're going to Yumanju for the weekend."
The look on Estelle's face, the blush that graced Rita's cheeks, and the sly smile Judith shot him made it very clear that this was a pleasure trip, and Yuri could guess exactly what sort. That certainly explained Estelle's earlier questioning, and it made him feel a little less awkward about this situation.
"Okay. You girls play nice." He shot a smirk at them as well, and watched as Rita and Estelle's faces turned even redder.
"Don't you worry about us. We'll play very nice." Judith was unfazed and smiled in return, placing a hand on each of the girls' shoulders. "We should head out. We don't want to keep Ba'ul waiting."
"Y-yes! You two have fun. We'll be back," Estelle stammered.
Rita only grumbled, turning away from them.
The girls said their goodbyes and quickly left Flynn and Yuri alone with their dinner.
"What was that about?" The awkwardness of the moment wasn't lost on Flynn, but the apparent cause of it was. Sometimes he was so naive that it hurt.
"I'll explain later." Yuri ran his foot up the inside of Flynn's calf, causing him to shudder visible and blush, making his own intentions for the rest of their evening clear. If Estelle had bothered to set them up on a romantic dinner before going to enjoy her own getaway, Yuri wasn't going to let it go to waste.