A/N: This started out as a creative dump for something poetic, then it got bittersweet real fast... x.x
YxJ; will upload cover soon.
I do not own Tales of Vesperia.

Yuri sighed under the soothing raking of fingers through his hair.

It was a calm day. The clouds roamed the skies lazily, their bellies grazing the green, rolling hills, slowly drifting towards areas unknown. A soft breeze kissed his skin, pleasantly embracing him for but a fleeting moment, as ephemeral as a candlelight, yet always coming back to greet him seconds later. The air was clean and clear, and the hypnotic ministrations on his head made him drowsy. Closing his eyes to the world around him, Yuri couldn't help but breathe in, taking in the rare peace that life had seldom granted him these days.

A soft chuckle sounded, not unlike the sweet jingling of bells. "Feeling content, are we?"

A smile graced his lips - a picture of perfect serenity, they made. A gentle hand continued to run its fingers through his locks. With his eyes closed, he could only hear the grass rustling in the wind; could only feel the constant touch of his companion. Those same hands, he noted, that could impale any monster with seemingly inhuman strength, now stroked his hair with the same force as the soft breeze, showering his head with butterfly kisses with every slight contact on his skin. He could remember a time when her touch was electric, shocking him with the slightest brush, yet leaving him yearning for more. Now, her caress was one of familiarity, and it's rhythmic tempo made him content to just lay on the plains and sleep his days away with her by his side.

The fingers suddenly ceased their pleasant massage, jolting him awake. On his exterior, however, Yuri was sure that he didn't so much as twitch. The ghost of her glove remained in his hair as she removed her hand, and he silently yearned for its missed presence.

A tap on his nose called for his attention, but his body was lethargic from his near slumber. Slowly, he cracked his eyes open to see flipped violet ones peering inquisitively at him. Blue hair veiled their faces from the world, swaying gently in the wind as Judith smiled at him.

"Can't have you falling asleep, now can we?" she said, plum eyes crinkling slightly in humor. "I know a certain someone who wouldn't like it if I had all the fun today."

"Oh yeah?" he responded, resisting the urge to yawn sleepily. "And who might that be, Judy?"

The Krityan gave a small laugh, poking his forehead this time. He would be lying if he said that he didn't feel a wayward spark just then. "You, silly."

Judith shifted, and Yuri then remembered that he had his head in her lap. Her legs gave a silent creak as she bent her knees from their outstretched position, and he begrudgingly sat up from his pillow, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. The breeze welcomed him again, and as he looked to his friend, he saw her smiling contentedly, leaning back on her arms, eyes closed. She seemed to relish in the wind as it brushed her long hair back, exposing her features to the skies above.

The picture of serenity, if he ever saw it.

He knew that, ironically, he was in that same picture moments before, and was disturbed from his peace by the same woman that took pleasure in it now. However, Yuri decided against saying anything, afraid of breaking the thin glass that held Judith in her small moment of tranquility. Because as much as he wanted to do something now that he's been stirred, he knew just how rare these minutes were, so he turned his head to leave her in the blanket of calm that was simply her, the wind, and the sky.

At last, his companion let out a satisfied sigh. He could hear the rustle of grass under her movement as she turned, and this time, he was greeted by the welcome embrace of the Krityan behind him.

"Sorry," she muttered, not sounding apologetic in the slightest. He could feel her smile over the fabric of his shirt. "Ready to go?"

He felt a grin of his own form on his face, a breathy laugh escaping his lips. As he gazed over the grassy expanses before him, he wondered for a moment. He could always suggest that they stay here, to bask in the fleeting peace that always seemed to abscond them. He could choose to remain right where he was, in the embrace of the person that he cherished, living without a care, letting his sins be swept away by the breeze. Under the rolling clouds that grazed the green, rolling hills, slowly drifting to areas unknown, with the wind softly brushing his skin and the gloved hand that raked its fingers through his hair, he could stay right where he was.

But he wouldn't. He couldn't. He knew that; they both knew.

They both understood that peace wasn't for them.

He wouldn't ask her to give up everything for him - her dreams, aspirations, wanderlust, sense of discovery; she went where the wind went, where the skies offered so much to explore. She wasn't meant to be tied down to one moment, one place, one person.

He wouldn't ask. He would do it with her since she wanted, even if it meant giving up this picture of serenity. He didn't deserve it, anyway.

He closed his eyes to the world around him for one more moment, and breathed in the clean, clear air that gave him the peace he yearned for. Just one more moment - that's all he asked.

He opened his eyes to meet her violet orbs staring back inquisitively at him.

"Yeah. Let's go."

rip