Summary:
Yuri was never a go-getter. His life was good, and he had no reason to get up and leave his perfect world. People in the small town he called his loved him and his familiar, bowing in greetings and offering them sweets or refreshments from time to time. He had no reason to leave, none whatsoever.
At least that's what he thought.
"Yuri!!!" His mother called out from the other room. Yuri groaned, still too sore after dancing with the townspeople last night at one of their festivals; Fuyu no aisatsu. "YURI!!!" His mother said, louder this time. Yuri groaned again, but he now got up, brushing off his shirt and walking into the kitchen. "There you are!" His mother huffed, exasperated. "Take this," she said while throwing money at him, "and get more eggs." Yuri rolled his eyes at her, smiling affectionately. "Good morning to you too, mother." She laughed at that, her shoulders shaking as the giggles bombarded her. She shoved his shoulders, smiling and telling him to get dressed.
Yuri shrugged halfheartedly and moved slowly to put his boots on, shrugging on his coat haphazardly, but he took longer than usual. He looked back at his mother's fuming figure, poised to run at any time given. His mother gave him a look that made most grown men piss their pants, her stare burning into him with an extreme ferocity. "GO!!!" His mother roared, irritated by his slowness. He yelped in surprise and scrambled out the door, slipping on the ice on his way out.
Hatsetu was a really beautiful place in the winter. Snowflakes blanketed the cherry blossom trees, and ice covered the rooftops of the old houses. Yuri sat there, enjoying the quiet atmosphere on a snow covered bench while the normal hustle of his small town was silent and still. Suddenly, he heard a loud cry of a bird, drawn out and eerie. He tilted his head up in surprise as the giant bird flapped it wings in greeting before tucking its feathers in and diving into a pile of snow. He stood frozen for a minute before he realized it was speaking to him. Yuri! It cried happily, flicking the white flakes on him. I'm back! He looked closer, now realizing the frost covered feathers and pearl white tendrils of fog swirling around the bird. "Lumi!" he cried out happily, not using their mental communication. Lumi squacked in return, her light blue feathers ruffling up against the cold. (Lumi is Yuri's familiar, but she only sees him in the early winter to early spring because of her restricted power.)
Most familiars are year round, but fire and ice familiars are often restricted to winter and summer seasons due to the fact they could harness their power for great things, from helping the sick and injured to building an entire hospital for them. Usually people with greatly powered fire familiars can keep their bond year round, but the familiar is very weak until it gets somewhere warm. The ice familiars are vice- versa.
Lumi nuzzled up against the warm hand of Yuri, almost purring in contentment like a cat. She stopped abruptly, looking past Yuri in a quizzical way, her eyes narrowing and she screeched softly in warning. Yuri... It looks like our time will be cut short, this man looks like he's crazy. Yuri giggled softly before turning around. He stopped giggling almost instantly while he stared at the man, dumbstruck by more than one thing.
His head was curved into his jacket, almost like he was staring intently into his pocket, his mouth moved slowly to talk to it, but he smiled widely soon after his lips stopped moving, making a heart shape with his mouth. He was tall, taller than Yuri and long silver bangs fell into his face, glinting in the weak sunlight. He finally turned his head, catching sight of Yuri and Lumi and smiling wider than before, waving to Yuri excitedly. "Hello!" the man said with a very thick Russian accent, walking toward them quicker than before.
Frost blue eyes with hints of violet sparked like the snow on the ground, and his eyes crinkled at the edges due to his wide smile. Yuri waved without words in response, still wondering why a Russian man was in their small town. "Could you please direct me to the nearest hotel, or a place to stay at?" he asked softly while walking up to Yuri and Lumi. Yuri stared. Simply put, this man was fucking gorgeous.
