A/N: Hey guys! Here we finally are with this collab fic we've been talking about! We hope you've been waiting for it as impatiently as we wanted to post it for you! Before we start, we have a few details we need to explain to you:
First off, there are two races in this story: Angels and Demons. However, that doesn't mean they are surnatural beings. They're actually humans. The names are only given to their races based on their cultures and their physical features. Angels have pale hair and Demons have dark hair.
Second, we might have mentioned that this was an AU, but that doesn't mean it's going to be filled with magic and everything. It's actually something more like our medieval time without the fantasy.
That's pretty much it about that!
Oh, we also want to remind you that this is a collab. This means that, even though the fic will be on this account, it's written by Saenda and I. The way we divided how we write goes like this : Saenda wrote the prologue, I will write the first chapter, she'll continue with the second and so on.
Warnings: This fic contains violence, some torture and sexual content later on. If you don't like, don't read. There's this magical button at the upper left that brings you back safely :D Click it any time!
Disclaimer: We unfortunately own nothing but the story and a few original characters. Other than that, Yuri and Flynn are not ours ;.; If they were, they would so totally kiss in the game!
Before we forget, we want to say a huge thank you to PeachteaKT for betaing this chapter! You're the best!
We won't leave you hanging any longer. Have fun reading!
No Matter the Differences, We are Alike
Prologue : Childhood
Small hurried steps left traces as they crunched the dirty sand. Heavy breathing was the only sound in the still surrounding, not a single whistle of wind or crackle of dead leaves echoing. There were merely the steps, the breathing, and the rustle of clothes as the little child ran as fast as he could. From time to time, he would check behind him if someone was following, but upon realizing that he was alone, his lips would form a huge pleased grin and he would continue to run as though his life depended on it. At least, he was not escaping anything. He just could not wait to get to his destination, but to do so, he had to be careful not to be seen. This was a secret he wanted to keep to himself very dearly; a place where he felt at peace, where all the evil in the world was locked aside as though it did not exist.
His feet slowed as he neared a vibrant green bush – a very rare thing these days. It was the only one he had ever seen outside. The mountain spread wide and tall. It was impossible to see its end in each direction, and the peak breached the cloudy sky. The color dark grey of the sky and the absence of wind hinted at the calm before a severe storm.
The child turned once more towards the dark sand sprawling as far as the eye could see, checking from right to left and left to right, his ears listening for any strange noises. He observed every eroded rock, works of the violent winds that were so common in these wasted lands, and every dried tree with prudence. When he was sure that all was motionless and that there was not even a single breeze in his blonde hair, he smiled in satisfaction and focused his attention back on the tall bush.
The boy pressed himself against the rocky facade and slowly slid behind the vegetation. He ignored the pointy branches scratching his skin slightly as well as the dry leaves that stuck to his hair while he slowly trudged through the bush. The uncomfortable walk was however very short and soon, the child felt emptiness behind him and he took steps backward in the hidden entrance. As he turned around, he gleefully stared at the secret pathway that lay before him, leading to a wonderful place that he could not wait to reach. When he resumed walking once more, the child strolled over to stare at the cavern's rock face. It seemed so tall and wide for a little boy like him, but if an adult roamed this passage, he would almost feel confined, the place big enough to contain a horse at best.
The distance he had to travel was somewhat long, but the boy did not really mind. When the path finally ended, it opened into a huge cavern that could contain a whole city, and the place in itself was like a paradise. The first thing that struck to the eyes was the surface encrusted with thousands of glittering blue gems. It felt like the rocky wall above was a night sky filled with shimmering stars, each gem proudly giving off as much light as possible. Light also emanated from a clear water lake below. The liquid was so pure and illuminated that, when close enough, it was possible to stare at the bottom which was feet below in a few areas. The sound of a waterfall at the far end constantly echoed inside the cavern. The water infiltrated from outside, but it was impossible to tell from where. Judging by the fact that the lake was never overflowed, the water also evacuated from another spot.
As he walked in, the boy removed his shoes to feel the soft grass below his feet. He could not believe such a thing existed. In the outside world, it was nothing but sand everywhere as well as the cobblestoned paths in towns. But there definitely was nothing like the unique gentle caress he could sense between his toes, making them curl pleasantly. He also knew there were flowers a bit further in, hidden behind the strange blue-green trees that obviously could only live in darkness. Those flowers glowed in a bluish light, as though they absorbed the light from the water. It was a wonderful sight every time he came. The boy heard that, long ago, the world was the same as this sight. However, the technology protecting it was destroyed, leaving the world barren and ashen. It obviously did not reach this place, however.
How glad was the boy to have discovered such a paradise! No one else would ever come here, it would be the place where he would come to feel at peace and escape reality. It was not as though he would be missed while he was gone anyway, even if there was a violent storm while he was not in town. No one would be worried and no one would try looking for him. If he was gone for good, they would only feel relieved of a burden on their shoulders.
"Die, you fiend! Ah yah!" a childish voice filled with determination resounded in the cavern.
Suddenly, a child holding a branch and waving it back and forth in the air emerged from the bush that was just beside the blonde boy. The latter turned in surprise. The child, who had now stopped his movements in surprise, had silky ebony hair that cascaded in his back, gathered at the bottom with a dark purple ribbon. His black eyes were as wide as saucers as he stared at the blonde's shocked blue gaze. He wore dark clothes that could only belong to someone of a high class; a light gray long sleeved vest atop a black shirt, which was held at his waist by a thick chocolate belt, and a simple pair of black pants. His clothing contrasted starkly with the blonde's clothes: a simple and worn white long sleeved shirt with dark blue pants that were torn at the bottom.
And then, the shock was gone and the dark haired child was moving again. He lifted his branch up in the air, pointing it in an accusative way at the intruder.
"Get out of here!" he ordered. "No one's supposed to be here except me. I don't want any strangers in my special place!"
He took a better look at the newcomer and his eyes became wide once more, this time in pure outrage.
"And you're an Angel! My dad told me that Angels are vile humans who deserve nothing but to be punished for the bad things they've done!"
Those last words irritated the blonde to no end. Seeing another child his age, he had been ready to share his secret place, but now he wanted nothing more than to throw him out.
"Hey, I didn't do anything wrong!" he exclaimed in irritation. "So what if I'm an Angel, I could say the same about you Demons anyway! And besides, this isn't your place! I came here before and you were never here, so this definitely makes it my special place!"
He crossed his arms in a finality stance, as though he were saying 'There, that settles it!' and glared at the Demon.
But the dark haired boy did not back down. Instead, he only grew more annoyed and he jumped on a rock to increase his height while he continued to point the branch at the Angel.
"You know what? There's only one way to settle this! We'll fight for our special place! The loser must leave this place forever. Sound all right?" Before the blonde could even agree, the dark haired boy continued. "But I'm warning you, my father is a really powerful general. So I'm pretty sure you can't beat me!" he bragged.
And then, without a single warning, he jumped off the rock, roaring as he threw his stick at the Angel. The latter moved at the last minute, taking a few steps backward, grabbed the stick used to hit him, swung it up to topple over the other boy, making the Demon yelp in surprise. The blonde then forcefully threw him to the ground. He released the branch and watched the other with a smirk, arms crossed on his chest in a mocking stance.
"That means I win, right?" he asked, laughter present in his voice as he approached the limp body, staring at the lump of hair covering the other's face.
Humiliated, the Demon immediately stood up, picking up his stick and pointing it again at the Angel.
"That's not fair! It doesn't count! You cheated! You were supposed to have a weapon but you didn't use any!" he accused and the blonde put his arms on each side of him, clenching his fists tightly.
"What? You didn't even give me time to find a weapon, so you cheated! And besides, if I can beat you without a weapon, that means I'm stronger than you are," he concluded with a smirk.
The other child flared up. "Shut up! That still didn't count! Now take a weapon! I'll show you how it's done!"
The Angel rolled his eyes and sighed before his gaze trailed up from the ground. He quickly found another stick lying around. Once he picked it up, he took a fighting stance. Contrary to his opponent, he did not throw himself head on. Instead, he waited, carefully examining how the other would start. This time, the dark haired boy took longer to attack; he too was analysing the situation. When the long haired boy did charge, his weapon at his side, he moved it up in order to hit the other's shoulder. However it was parried by the Angel's branch as they collided.
Both boys took steps backwards only to charge again. Every time the dark haired boy lashed out, he was met by the other's weapon. The branches clashed a few times as the boys moved in circle. After a few seconds, the blonde's foot hooked the other's ankle, tripping him, and then pushing him right into the lake. The only sound the Demon made was an exclamation of surprise before there was a loud splash.
The dark haired boy, now dripping wet, pouted as he sat on the rocky bottom of the shallower part of the lake. He spat water and the blonde immediately burst out in laughter. At first, the Demon glared at his opponent, but then the laughter was too contagious and he was soon following the other's example. They were now laughing so hard, their stomachs hurt.
When they both calmed down, the defeated boy sighed heavily and placed his hands behind his head as he let himself fall onto his back, enjoying the warm water caressing his hair and skin.
"Aw man, I guess you really are stronger than I am," he complained.
He did not look up when he heard splashes coming his way, knowing full well his opponent was approaching. Soon, the latter's face was in view. A grin shot towards him that he answered immediately.
"Do I really have to leave?" the Demon whined as he took the hand that was offered to him to help him up.
The short haired chuckled and raised an eyebrow.
"I don't know..." he trailed off, feigning a pensive look as he considered what he should do. "Wasn't 'leaving and never coming back' your terms?" he reminded, shrugging nonchalantly as though he were ready to throw his opponent out.
And yet, when he saw the Demon's saddened pout and pleading look, the blonde child could not help but laugh harder as he smacked the other's back.
"Of course you can stay! This place's too big for just me anyway."
He smiled widely as he reached his decision and turned around to go back to the shore, followed quickly by the dark haired child.
"My name's Yuri Lowell, by the way," the Demon finally offered his name and the blonde happily answered.
"I'm Flynn Scifo."
Now that they knew each other's identities, Flynn felt like they could become friends. The mere idea thrilled him and he hoped very much that Yuri would want him as a friend as well.
"But man, you're so strong!" the long haired boy suddenly exclaimed in admiration. "I mean, my father taught me some moves and I was sure I was strong, but you beat me so easily! Is your father a general too, or something?"
The smile on Flynn's lips was wiped away and his gaze trailed off in the distance as he sat on the rock Yuri had used to jump on him earlier. At this, the Demon frowned and looked genuinely concerned, tilting his head down so that it could be to the same height as Flynn's.
"What's wrong?"
"I don't have parents," the blonde admitted painfully, a nervous smile on his lips.
It was a touchy subject that he hated bringing up and Yuri picked up on that rather quickly. He sat next to his new friend, arms folded behind his head as he looked up at the glimmering gems.
"Oh."
He did not know if he should apologize for his lack of tact, but thought it would force them to continue the subject, and thus chose to go for a safest direction.
"Where did you learn those moves, then? They were pretty cool. I'd love to learn them too!"
He grinned and the blonde shook his head in some sort of discouragement as he laughed softly.
"They're nothing special, really. I just picked a trick or two at the orphanage, to defend myself."
He did not add more to his explanation, his eyes once again trailing away, rather uncomfortable about this subject as well. However, he would have to learn the hard way that, most of the time, tact really was not Yuri's forte and that his curiosity came above all else. And so, even if the dark haired had sensed the other's discomfort, he ignored it.
"Defend yourself? What for?"
Flynn sighed heavily. He may only be nine years old, but already he knew that if he started hanging out with that other boy, he would get wrinkles early. That still did not stop him from answering. Somehow, he did not feel like he would be judged by Yuri.
"It's not really a place of pink flowers and sunshine. The older kids are always mean to the younger ones: they want to steal the little food we receive and they want to impose some sort of stupid hierarchy on us, like they're boss or something. So I had to learn a few tricks to be able to stand up to them and protect the other kids. It's not like the adults care about us or anything; they don't do anything, even if we complain."
Yuri looked obviously outraged at his new friend's confession and he stood up abruptly, fists clenched tightly together.
"What? They're cowards, attacking the defenceless like that!" he roared out in fury, but then a smirk crept its way on his lips.
He turned towards the blonde, looking almost evil as he did so.
"They need to be taught a lesson."
Flynn arched an eyebrow at the other's statement. "What? I don't have enough power to do that on my own."
He waved the idea away with his hand, but then Yuri surprised him again.
"That's why I'm going to help you." Yuri was grinning, determination all over his features, an expression that would not take no for an answer.
"Wh – No!" Flynn exclaimed, eyes wide in disbelief and horror. "Yuri, you can't be serious! There's no way I could bring you back with me! You said it yourself earlier, we Angels are your enemies... so I don't know why you want to help me..." he muttered the last part before speaking up again. "...And if I brought you back with me, you could be in danger! I don't want that."
The blonde was earnest in this. He did not want the first friend he made out of the orphanage to be hurt, or worse, killed.
"Aw, come on! I'm good at hiding!" the Demon boasted, but Flynn shook his head with determination anyway.
There was absolutely no way he would endanger Yuri and that was that.
"No."
The dark haired opened his mouth to protest, but Flynn stood up with an apologetic yet firm smile and cut him off.
"Can't we just play? I can show you some of the moves I know!"
Yuri wrinkled his nose, obviously not pleased, but then sighed and nodded. He would figure a way out to help his new friend, but for the time being, he would play until the sand storm that must be taking place outside was gone.
After a few hours of practicing fighting moves, playing tag, and racing around the place, both boys collapsed on the grass breathing heavily, but with huge grins splashed across their faces. They had fun all afternoon, and Flynn could positively say that this was the best afternoon he had spent in his entire childhood. Of course, he had some friends at the orphanage, but they mostly looked up to him as a protector and they never ran around. He had never had fun like this.
Once he caught his breath, the Angel sat up with a disappointed expression on his features.
"I have to go back. The sand storm must be over by now, and if I don't head back in time, I won't get dinner tonight."
Flynn chuckled mirthlessly as he saw the horrified stare he received from Yuri. Of course, the dark haired would not know what it was like to be deprived of food. He had parents who cared for him. That made the Angel's chest twinge in a bit of jealousy. How he wished he had a normal life where he could have no worries and be safe.
"Oh, okay. Hey, can we meet here again?" Yuri asked, his fists balling discreetly behind his back. Flynn's mood brightened up immediately at his friend's request and he nodded vividly.
"Sure! That'd be awesome!" he exclaimed with a grin as he stood up. "I usually come here every two days during early afternoon, right after lunch."
Yuri nodded as he also stood up, having picked up his branch from before in order to point it at Flynn.
"Alright, I'll come in two days. And I want a rematch!"
The Angel chuckled as he shook his head and turned around to walk out of the cavern.
"Yeah? Well, don't expect to win."
He ignored his friend's indignant scoff and waved him off without looking back.
Thankfully, Flynn arrived on time at the orphanage and did not have to go without dinner. And just as he had predicted, no one had really noticed his absence or had not cared if they did. It seemed most of the adults here thought that if he wanted to wander off and kill himself during a storm, it was his problem.
After the kids had eaten in the dining room, they were sent back to the dormitories: a common room where all beds were lined up together, leaving no space for privacy. However, the children could not complain. At least they had a roof, beds – no matter how uncomfortable they were with their hard mattresses and itchy covers – and some food – which usually tasted bad. The adults just loved to remind them that they were luckier than a lot of people in the city. Flynn wondered if that was really true, but he never opened his mouth to whine.
As they made their way to the dorm, Flynn, who was last in line, sighed internally as he knew it would soon be time for the older kids to bully them. He was suddenly yanked by the arm and pulled into a pitched black room. Unable to understand what was going on, he was ready to shout for help – even though he doubted he would receive it – when a small hand covered his mouth and he heard a quiet "Shhh!"
Immediately, he recognized the voice and his eyes went wide.
"Y-Yuri? What... what are you doing here?"
The boy, hidden under a cloak, threw the hood away and grinned at him while realisation and panic settled in the blonde's stomach. His friend was not supposed to be here! How the heck had he found where the orphanage was, let alone the city? He did not live on this side of the border. And if he was caught, the adults would either take him as a prisoner at best or possibly even kill him on the spot! No, no he could not stay here!
"I came here to help you with those bullies, just as I promised!" the Demon affirmed, a very serious look in his eyes, which in returned made Flynn growl in exasperation.
How could one be so stupid? Had he not thought everything through before coming? Like what the consequences could be if something went wrong?
"I would have come earlier, but I couldn't stay because I had to make it back for dinner. I followed you to find out where you live and came back," he added, not realising how angry his friend was becoming.
"You didn't really promise to help me," Flynn seethed through his teeth. "You have to get out, now."
He put more force in the last word, trying to turn the dark haired boy around to push him out, but the latter would not hear it this way. Yuri planted his feet firmly into the wooden floor so that he would not budge from his spot.
"Why? It's not like I'll get caught! I already walked around a little and no one saw me!" he gave as proof to support his case, thinking it would help loosen up the Angel.
He could not be more wrong. It only worried the other boy more.
"You did what?"
Flynn smacked his forehead. Could someone really be that careless? Yuri did not care if everything screamed danger around him. On the contrary, it apparently only fuelled him more.
"Are you kidding me? Yuri, this is dangerous! I don't want anyone hurting you!" Flynn protested once more, trying to push the Demon away again without results.
The dark haired huffed in annoyance. "I'm not that fragile and I can take care of myself. I swear I won't get caught and I really want to teach those bullies a lesson. Please, can you just hear me out?"
Yuri's pleading voice sounded so pitiful that Flynn found himself sighing in defeat. He stopped pushing and crossed his arms on his chest, not able to believe that he was going to go along with what the Demon was planning. The Angel could only think that his new friend would be the death of him many times to come. He muttered an "all right" reluctantly, but had to hide a very faint smile that wanted to push itself onto the corners of his mouth upon seeing his friend's beaming expression. Maybe – just maybe! – it could be worth it.
"Okay! So, I noticed there was an empty attic just above the room where you all sleep. Since it's already night time, I'll go and make some noise in the attic to scare everyone. You'll send the older kids and I'll scare them to death and give them a good beating before you come in and pretend to beat me. And then, they'll be too scared to ever pick on you and the other kids."
Flynn raised an eyebrow, staring at his friend in doubt. Yuri pouted, understanding very well what the blonde was thinking.
"I'll have you know that I'm pretty strong! You just happened to be stronger," the dark haired boy muttered the last part. "You can beat them easily, I'm sure I can do it too!"
"Are you really sure?" Flynn still seemed hesitant.
The Demon sighed.
"Tell you what. If things go really bad, I'll escape from the window. I swear I'm good at that!"
Yuri flashed his friend a grin and, somehow, the blonde was convinced about that fact. Besides, Yuri seemed so confident that Flynn wondered if this could actually work. Could he trust this plan that much? The Angel was so tired of being bullied that he just wanted to go along with it... but not before making sure of a few things first.
"How are you sure that they're going to take the bait? That they'll be scared at all?"
Yuri smirked. "I watched them earlier. They certainly didn't seem that brave to me. They look more like cowards, especially if they pick on the younger kids like that."
Okay, so maybe Yuri did have excellent stealth skills for a nine year old. Flynn had to grant him that.
"And I'm already prepared!" the dark haired boy added, reaching for a bag at his feet that Flynn now just noticed.
Yuri pulled out a mask of a grimacing ugly visage – kind of like a monster – with protruding eyes that he installed over his face, wooden sandals with an elevated base that he put on, and a golden gong with designs of dragons the Angel had never seen before. Considering the dark haired boy also wore a cloak, his body was already covered. Flynn shivered slightly at the sight of his disguised friend. In the darkness, he would look like a real monster.
"Alright," he finally agreed, a bit reluctant, but most of all thrilled.
Finally those bullies would get what they deserved. Yuri chuckled almost darkly.
"Great! I'll see you later, then."
He removed his sandals and left silently while Flynn walked back to the dorm.
Flynn was scolded when he arrived – strangely enough, the adults only seemed to care if the children broke the rule of being in the dorm after dinner and nowhere else – and had to apologize two or three times before the lady finally left after smacking his head. When she was gone, the older kids laughed at him, but Flynn could not care less. They would get what they deserved today.
Almost on cue, creaking sounds were suddenly heard above them. All the kids looked up in curiosity and suspicion.
"What's going on?" an older child, a boy named Marten, asked. "Did an adult go up or something?" he asked, a bit of fear present in his voice.
The creaking sound started up again, louder this time, and everyone started to slightly shake in fear. Everyone knew that the adults had forbidden the access to the attic because it was a dangerous room. Flynn just hoped that Yuri would be alright as he roamed around the room.
"That's impossible, they know it's dangerous," the blonde answered, frowning. "Do you think it could be... haunted?" he whispered to add dramatic effect.
It worked splendidly as the older kids stared at him with eyes filled with fright.
"W-what? That's dumb, Scifo! There couldn't be any ghosts here!" Marten protested, but as he did so, a creepy voice filled the room they were in, obviously coming from above, oohing darkly and laughing chillingly.
The low sound of the gong echoed around and the creaking sounds became loud steps. Flynn had to admit that Yuri was doing a marvellous job because even he was starting to feel chills running down his spine.
"Still think there are no ghosts?" he asked, trying not to smirk at how horrified the bullies looked.
Of course, he felt bad for the younger children who were also scared to death, but he would explain everything later to them so that they would not be scarred for life.
"Why don't you go see what's upstairs, oh leaders?" the blonde added to the older children.
They immediately stared at him as though he were crazy.
"Are you out of your mind?" a girl almost screamed in a high-pitched voice.
Flynn shrugged, looking up nonchalantly.
"Well, you are proclaiming yourselves our leaders, so that's your role, right? Or are you all cowards?" he taunted, laughing evilly in his mind.
Instantly, the oldest children threw him insulted glares and most of the boys tried to recollect themselves.
"We're not cowards, Scifo, and we'll prove it to ya."
Slowly, they made their way out of the dorm as the creaking sounds, creepy voice, and gong became even louder. Once they were all out, Flynn turned to the frightened children remaining and offered a gentle and reassuring smile.
"Guys, don't worry. There's no ghost, really. I made a friend today and right now, he's helping me teaching those bullies a lesson."
For a moment, the children did not seem so sure, but they gradually eased up.
"There's really no ghost?" one whispered and Flynn nodded.
"Yeah, promise. But don't tell the others. Now go to bed. This will be over soon, you'll see."
Then, he also exited the room to follow the older kids. When he arrived at the attic's entrance, he saw most of the group frozen at the doorstep, staring inside, trembling in pure horror. The blonde realised that Marten was not among them, nor was another boy who was Marten's right hand man. Suddenly, Yuri spoke up in his ghostly voice again.
"You will stop harming the children."
It felt like a whisper, but it was loud enough to echo in the room and outside where they stood. Exclamations of fright left their lips and tears were shed shamelessly. Yuri repeated the same words over and over again as Flynn walked towards the entryway, but was stopped when a hand was put on his shoulder. It was the girl who had spoken earlier. She mouthed a 'Don't go', but no sound came out. She was obviously too frightened. Flynn smirked and shrugged her hand off.
"I'll show you how it's done."
And despite her warnings, he entered the room. He first saw the two teens' bodies unconscious on the floor, either from pure fright or from Yuri's beating. Then, his eyes were caught by the latter moving from right to left, using a cone of some sort to project his voice. When the Demon noticed his friend, his voice abruptly stopped and he removed his mask to grin at the Angel. With a motion of his head, he encouraged Flynn to speak up, which he did.
"Spirit, I am a harbinger of peace. I come to tell you that our eldest will give us harm no more if you promise not to haunt them anymore. Will you leave in peace, spirit?"
Yuri muffled laughter with his mouth before he nodded. This would be enough. With a pleased smirk, Flynn grabbed both teens' collars to drag them out of the room – they were heavy, but the blonde tried to hide that fact. When he came out, the other children rushed to them as they muttered thousands of words of thank you. It would certainly not be enough.
Flynn put his hands on his hips and stared at them a bit haughtily.
"You heard what I said back there. You'll have to behave from now on and stop bullying us or the spirit will come back to haunt you."
They all nodded, asserting they would be good from now on and the younger child smiled in satisfaction.
"Good. Now take them back downstairs. I'll just check one last time that everything's over and I'll join you."
He did not wait for an answer as he turned to enter the attic a second time.
This time, Yuri was waiting for him near the only window. He had removed his costume and put it all back in his bag. As Flynn approached, he whispered to him his gratitude and the dark haired boy gave him a thumbs up.
"Pleased to be of service," he announced in the same tone of voice, making the Angel chuckle.
"You should've seen those boys' face when they saw me! It was priceless! They were so scared that beating them was not even a challenge." They laughed a bit louder together and Flynn smiled.
"By the way, I forgot to ask you earlier. What is that mask? It gives the chills!"
Yuri chuckled and got it out of his bag so that they could take a better look at it.
"It's supposed to be a Hannya. It represents a jealous female evil spirit," he explained while Flynn stared at the horns and the tongue sticking out of a twisting mouth full of fangs.
"Yeah, well, it's weird if you ask me," he replied. "And the sandals? They were weird too, not like we have around here. What are they?"
"They're called geta. We mostly wear them with kimono, a style of clothing. I'll show you one day."
Flynn could not help but be very interested with this , as much as he wanted to chat with the Demon, the latter could not stay much longer. They could not risk him being caught.
"You'd better go," Flynn advised and Yuri nodded.
The dark haired opened the window and pushed one leg over the frame before he turned one last time to his new friend.
"I'll see you in two days?" he asked as the Angel rolled his eyes at the obvious question.
"Of course!" he exclaimed, a tad irritated that Yuri would have to ask.
The latter grinned and shrugged before he disappeared. Flynn watched him climb down the building before he ran off in the mountain's direction. Then, he closed the window and made his way to the dorm below, thanking God above for this wonderful friend.
In the very short time they had known each other, Yuri Lowell and Flynn Scifo had already become best friends.
"Come on, Yuri! What's taking so long?" Flynn called out his friend as he watched him from his elevated spot.
When Flynn arrived in the cavern, Yuri had challenged him to a race, which the blonde had answered to immediately with a smirk. Even though they had both departed at the same time, the Angel was far faster. He reached the wall that looked like steep slope stairs and had climbed it rather quickly. Now, he was staring at the Demon that had just barely reached the stairs and was proceeding in climbing it as well. When finally he sat down next to his friend, Yuri tried to catch his breath as he glared at Flynn.
The latter gave him a smug smile.
"Are you all right?" he asked gently, which only earned him a scoffed "Tch!" from the dark haired boy.
Flynn could only chuckle and Yuri took the opportunity to push him slightly, enough to unbalance his friend who yelped and did his best to cling on the wall so that he did not fall.
"Hey! That was dangerous!" he complained – with reason – but Yuri was already looking away with an expression that clearly stated he had done nothing wrong. The Angel growled, but left it there. For now.
They sat on this spot for a while, observing their little kingdom from above. It looked absolutely beautiful, from the waterfall, to the field of flowers glowing in the dark. It was the one bit of happiness they could look forward to in that world of despair.
"Hey Flynn," Yuri suddenly called up, eyes still locked on the waterfall further away.
The blonde turned his head, waiting for the other to speak up once more.
"You know, I've been wondering for a while now. You beat me all the time when we spar or race or anything..." the Demon started, wincing at the snickering beside him. Why did he have to say that? "I remember beating those kids at the orphanage pretty easily, so obviously, you should have been able to defeat them too. So how come they'd never stopped bullying you before I came?"
Flynn's smirk quickly took a sour turn and his eyes trailed away.
"It's not like I didn't want to teach them a lesson. But they had the adults wrapped around their little fingers. So if I made the mistake of beating them up, they'd immediately report it and I would be the one punished, even if it was, ultimately, to defend myself. The adults would never believe us younger children. So I had to take the rap."
"Whoa, that's really lame."
"Yeah, well, that's how things were. But they're a lot better now – Yuri, what's with that face? You're not planning what I think you are?" Flynn asked suspiciously as he saw the sudden smirk on his friend's face.
The latter turned his head away, trying to hide his expression behind nonchalance, arms now resting behind his head, but Flynn had already guessed his plans.
"You can't go back to the orphanage and get back on the adults, Yuri. Absolutely not!" he warned, eyebrows furrowed.
The Demon pouted, glancing at his friend. "Aw, you're no fun at a – yaouch! What'd you do that for?" he yelled after his friend hit him on the head.
Yuri stared at Flynn as though he had grown two heads, rubbing the sore spot and grumbling.
"I said you won't!" Flynn ordered.
"Fine! Geez!"
"You know, humans are so weird."
Both boys were currently 'stargazing' in their hiding spot, contemplating the shimmering gems incrusted in the inner surface of the mountain. Side by side, they were lying on the soft grass, resting after a hard afternoon of training and playing together. They had known each other for a little over a year now, and aside from sparring and challenging each other, it was the boys' favourite activity. Whenever they took the time to observe the glimmering stones, they felt they could talk about whatever came to mind and always became closer to each other. It was a soothing ritual they had come up with one day. Every time they were too tired, they would plop down onto the grass and stare upwards for a long time until they were ready to go at it again.
"I mean, even though there are Angels and Demons, we're all humans. We're the same," Flynn continued, sighing softly. "But we keep fighting each other as if someone has to be superior to the other. It's because of this stupid war that our world ended up like this."
Indeed it had. Apparently, the rivalry between the two people had gone on for thousands of years and, as a result, had been the harbinger of the ancient technology's downfall.
"It doesn't have to be that way! Look at us. We're friends!"
It had been bothering him for a while now and he really needed to share it with his friend, Yuri could tell. He wondered if there was a reason why he chose to share it then. He waited for his friend to continue to see where he was going.
"I want... I want to change that," the Angel suddenly admitted, turning his body onto the side to take a better look at his friend. "When I'm old enough, I want to join the army. I'll work hard and rise up the ranks so that, one day, I can change everything and help bring peace!"
His blue eyes shone with fierce determination and, as the Demon stared at them, he found himself smirking proudly. He too had had the same train of thoughts for a while. He would have to enroll, because of his father surely, but he was tired of the incessant war. He wanted it to stop; he wanted the humans to understand how beautiful of a friendship the two countries could have. And for that, he would have to do his part to set that change in motion.
From the way Flynn's smile grew, Yuri knew that his friend had understood they had both the same goal.
"We should make a promise, then," Yuri announced as he hopped onto his feet, grabbing the wooden sword he always brought with him these last few months.
Flynn raised an eyebrow, interested, as he too grabbed his wooden sword, a gift from Yuri on his last birthday. They stood face to face and raised their swords, crossing them.
"Even though we don't have real swords for now, let's swear on them," the Demon started.
"We swear to make people smile..." Flynn told with assurance and unbreakable resolution.
"Even if we follow different paths..." Yuri added, conviction spread across his features.
"Even if we bear different burdens..."
"Even if people praise us, or hate us..."
"There are places that you or I can't reach, but if we work towards our goal, we'll never be alone," Flynn finished with a nod of his head. "Because I'm sure that if we both make a difference in each of our sides, we'll gain allies in the end."
"Hey, Flynn, did you hear that?"
Said person looked up to his friend who was currently in an alert stance, eyes scanning around him and ears opened widely. Curious and already jumping to the conclusion that they might be found out, just in case, he too paid attention as he stilled, hand automatically reaching for his wooden sword at his side. They would protect their paradise with all their might.
However, it was not the cracking of branches or the crunching of grass that reached his ears. Instead, a whimper echoed very softly in the cavern, almost inaudible. It did not sound human either, more like an animal. However, one thing was certain: it was obviously in pain. Upon realising this, the two boys, now twelve years old, began to search for the source fervently. It was Yuri who found it first, and when he called out to Flynn, his voice was cracked and barely audible, worrying the Angel immediately.
He rushed to the Demon's side, but he stopped dead immediately as he took the sight that now lay before him. His eyes widened in horror and, for a while, he was only able to stare in shock, body trembling. Before them, lying in crimson grass, was a dog covered in blood, body completely still. There were many bite marks on its surely once shiny dark fur, now dishevelled and full of knots because of the coagulated blood, if not completely gone in some spots. One of its rear legs was bent at a weird angle, almost twisted, meaning it must have been broken. Its eyes were closed and its chest was not moving.
It was such a horrible sight that Flynn could not resist looking away, fists tightened at his sides. Who or what could have done this to this poor dog? It must have suffered greatly through this ordeal. Thank goodness it had been able to escape, but now it was... it was... Flynn could not even think the word. It was too painful.
He stubbornly averted his gaze, and that was when he saw the real source of the noise they'd been following: a black and white puppy, exactly like the other dog, whimpering as it snuggled against the adult dog – either its mother or father – bleeding from its right front paw, trying to get the other's attention, obviously not understanding that it could not answer anymore.
Yuri gritted his teeth and leaned forward, gently gathering the puppy in his arms, careful not to touch its injured paw. The dark haired boy closed his eyes tightly and hid his expression with his hair as he lowered his head, fighting back the tears that welled up in his eyes and threatened to flow down his cheeks.
"This is... horrible." His voice was hoarse and weak and Flynn felt his heart wring painfully at the sound.
He put a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder and looked away, leaving Yuri some privacy so that he would not feel ashamed.
"I know," he whispered.
He too wanted to cry very badly, but he needed to be strong for Yuri. He could not afford to look weak now when he could give support.
"Take him back to the lake and wash its wound. I'll take care of this."
Yuri shot him a surprised look and opened his mouth, ready to protest, but the blonde cut him before he could even speak, raising his hand to do so.
"It's okay. Just go, alright?"
The Demon grumbled as he turned around, but Flynn knew very well that, deep down, he was grateful.
Once his friend was gone, the Angel searched around for either a convenient rock or a big branch, one that would prove useful to dig. It would take quite some time, but he would do it with what was at hand. Once he found his tool, he started the labour and did not stop until he made a large hole, dragged the dog's body inside, buried it and then placed a stone above the earth lump.
It was then and only then that he allowed himself to take the time to breathe and wipe away the sweat from his forehead, smudging dirt on his face in the process. Somehow, as he had worked, he stopped thinking altogether, and his movements became automatic. It was the only way he could avoid being overwhelmed by depressing feelings, especially when he dragged the animal's corpse into the hole.
He stood up mechanically, barely noticing Yuri sliding from the bushes behind and silently kneeling in front of the makeshift grave. The Angel slowly dragged his feet away to the crystal water not too far away and he dropped onto his knees. He dipped his hands inside, his eyes carefully watching the dirt and blood that drifted away with the small waves he created. For a mere instant, the liquid became crimson where he washed himself, but it soon dissipated as it was carried away by the current. It vanished in the blink of an eye, just like that life was now departed from this world. It was so... so horrible!
And yet, he would see lives being ripped apart more and more as he grew up. After all, the Angel had sworn he would become a knight. Was he truly ready to live with those consequences? Ready to watch his comrades falling in combat, being beaten ruthlessly, maybe even tortured? It was the reality he had chosen, he understood that, but now that he had seen the poor dog, now that he was experiencing death for the first time, Flynn realised he might not have thought things through all that much.
But the more he thought about it, the more he realized that his decision was correct. Yes, he wanted to join the knights. However, that reason was to change things: to put a stop to this senseless war and make sure that no one would get hurt ever again. He might have to experience death again in his future, but he would do everything in his power in order to save as much lives as he could. He would make people smile, just like he had sworn to Yuri.
Suddenly, a small yelp tore him from his thoughts and he startled as he turned around. His eyes trailed to the ground where he saw the puppy slowly coming his way, trying to ignore the pain that came from each movement it made with its paw – which was now covered with a torn piece of fabric from Yuri's shirt. Wait... why was the puppy here? He was supposed to be with Yuri! Where the heck was the Demon? Flynn had been sure he was at the grave, but he could not see him anymore! Standing up quickly, he strode around the place, turning his head from left to right, heart pace quickening in anxiety. He suddenly had a very bad feeling.
"Yuri? Yuri, where are you? Answer me!" he called out, keeping his voice in check so that the worry would not be so evident, but as he received no reply, it only heightened.
Where could he have gone to? He could not have possibly...?
The Angel turned around and paced to the spot he had buried the dog. He examined the grass where it had been lying previously, and saw that the blood that had seeped from the animal's wound left a trail that stretched to the entrance Yuri always came from. No... His friend could not have thought of that, had he? He could not have been stupid enough to follow the trail in order to get back to whatever had killed the dog, had he?
However, when he saw that Yuri's wooden sword was gone, Flynn let out a panicked yet frustrated shout. That idiot! What if he actually managed to find the thing responsible? Judging from the bites, it was obviously the work of monsters. If Yuri fought them, it would be dangerous! He could get seriously hurt, if not killed!
He turned around abruptly and grabbed the puppy that had decided to sit down and watch Flynn's movements. The latter also seized his cloak he had brought because of the bad weather and wrapped the pup warmly inside as he carefully placed him next to the grave.
"Stay here, okay? I'll be back soon with Yuri."
On that, he was gone, running as fast as he could, following the trail that led outside of the cavern, and making sure to grab his wooden sword before he did so. It would be the first time that the Angel would set foot on Jigoku, the Demon's side, and yet none of this even crossed his mind as it was preoccupied with thoughts of Yuri: Yuri being careless, Yuri fighting a horde of beasts, Yuri getting hurt!
Flynn ran and ran, heart racing in his chest. It was pouring outside and the blood had been washed away from the sand, erasing the trail. He did not know where he was going, did not know where he was, and there was so many chances of getting caught by someone of this country. And yet, the blonde did not care in the least. He could not sit still, not when his friend might be in big danger because of his stupidity! And so he continued to dash in the sand, following the path his instinct told him to pursue.
"Yuri!"
He was thankful, so thankful that he had found him, that he had not been too far, but his eyes widened as he realised that he was circled by two wolves, a third unconscious on the ground. His heart leapt in his throat as he spotted scratches and blood on his friend's body. His heart just stopped when one of the wolves jumped on Yuri and bit down on his right wrist.
"Yuri!"
Flynn rushed to the battle, this time seeing nothing but red. He kicked the wolf off his friend and gave a swing of his sword to knock it on the head. It yelped painfully as the second wolf, growling angrily, jumped on the blonde, but the latter was quicker. He stepped aside and plunged the tip of his sword into its stomach, shoving it away in a strong push. Before the first could even think of getting up and charging again, he kicked it strongly in the ribs, sending it colliding into the third wolf which had been unconscious until now. They howled in pain and, realising that they would be no match for the infuriated boy, fled away, followed by the second wolf instants after.
Breathing heavy and loud, it took a moment for Flynn to realise that his enemies were now gone and that he had to come back to his senses. His thoughts immediately shot back to Yuri and he spun around to take a look at his friend who was clutching at his right wrist. He was bleeding profusely, face wrenched in pain as he tried to even his breath and think of anything else but the pain.
The blonde pushed the panic aside and carefully grabbed the Demon's wrist to examine it shortly before he pulled him onto his back without a word. He heard a faint protesting sound exiting the other's mouth, but he ignored it and started running again towards the cavern. They could not linger here, lest they were found by the people of Jigoku. Besides, Flynn wanted to at least clean that wound soon, scared that it could get infected.
When he reached their destination, the Angel did not let go of Yuri until they were on the shore where he slowly sat the dark haired boy on the rocks. He then went to grab the pup and his cloak and brought both back, setting the dog aside so that he could tear a strap of fabric from his clothing. He dipped it into the water and took the Demon's wrist once more, gently patting it to wash away the blood. He ignored the hisses that came from the other's mouth and made sure to keep him still as he tried to struggle and repeated the process of dipping the cloth in the water to rid it of the blood before cleaning Yuri's wound. They were both silent as he worked, but their discomfort was palpable, both boys holding so many dark feelings that threatened to burst.
Finally, when Flynn deemed he was finished and after he had torn a second strip from his cloak to wrap it around Yuri's wound, he could not take it anymore.
"You idiot!" he yelled, releasing the demon's arm as he hid his expression with his hair, though it was clear he was boiling with rage from the way his body was trembling. "How the hell could you do that? Do you realise what you've done? You got hurt! You could have been killed if I didn't show up!"
As he shouted, the blonde had raised his head to look into his friend's eyes, but the latter was stubbornly averting his gaze. It infuriated Flynn even more.
"Yuri Lowell, look at me when I speak to you!" he ordered, making the dark haired boy start and look up with widened eyes. "What the hell did you accomplish by going after those beasts? What satisfaction did you gain from beating them? You don't even know for sure that they were the ones who had killed that dog!"
Flynn was fuming from the sheer stupidity his friend had shown. He wanted so badly to punch him in the head; maybe it would knock some sense into him!
Yuri's face scrunched in irritation as he once more looked away.
"What's it to you anyway, Mister I'm-so-perfect? You were able to beat them pretty easily, after all. Must be nice to be able to do anything without any difficulties," the Demon spat ruthlessly, leaving the blonde shocked and speechless. "Hmph, thought so,"
Yuri grumbled and moved to turn away, when he was smacked behind the head. Yowling in pain, he made a U-turn and was about to yell at the Angel, but stopped when he saw the expression Flynn wore on his face.
Flynn was shaking, fists clenched; he was still furious, but what actually showed through his features was a broken expression filled with anxiety.
"You could have died," he merely whispered, eyes shining as though they were tearing up, before he shook his head furiously.
He stood up and went to sit near the grave, followed by his friend's gaze.
Yuri lowered his head in defeat, sighing heavily as he rested his forehead in his good hand. Now, he could not help but feel bad for his attitude towards Flynn and for making him worry. It was just that... sitting there, earlier, near the grave, had made him grow restless. He could not sit still when such injustice had been done, when such cruelty had taken place. And by then, he had completely stopped thinking, the thought of worrying his friend not even crossing his mind just a bit. But now, he realised how rash his actions were. Ugh! All this was giving him a huge headache, and Flynn's smack had certainly not helped, nor did his drenched body. He shivered violently. Stupid weather.
Standing up, Yuri stopped briefly as a dizzy spell took him over before he grasped the pup and walked the distance separating both boys. He plopped next to his friend who was currently focusing on the task of carving markings on the stone he had set above the earthy lump. The Demon stared at him for a while, eyes unfocused as he wondered what to say or do. He hated apologizing, it was within his personality to do so and it felt shameful, but he knew he was wrong. And obviously, Flynn would not talk to him until he had been given an apology.
"What are you writing?" Yuri asked anyway, but of course, no answer whatsoever was given to him – he was ignored.
This both frustrated and pained him at the same time, which in return only made the headache grow stronger, enough to make his head feel as if a hammer was knocking relentlessly on his skull. Definitely not the most pleasant experience.
"Look, I'm sorry," he mumbled as he petted the puppy's soft fur absent-mindedly.
He was not one for long and heartfelt apologies and he hoped that these three words would be more than enough for the blonde. Judging from the sigh that was emitted from the Angel's lips and the way he slumped his shoulders slightly as he stopped carving, it at least meant he was acknowledging the dark haired boy again. And when the latter saw resignation in his friend's blue orbs, he knew he was forgiven – or at least, that the subject would be dropped and that they could act normally around each other.
"I'm carving him a name," Flynn simply stated, replying to Yuri's earlier question as he got back to work. "I think that's the least we can offer him as a goodbye."
His eyes were filled with sadness as he stared at the stone, and the Demon could not help but look away. He watched the pup that now had its eyes closed and head resting on his lap. Yuri tried not to feel overwhelmed by his earlier feelings when they found the dog. Only when he thought he was calm enough did he allowed himself to peer at the name that was being chiselled. Lambert. Somehow, it fit.
The Demon's eyes lowered to the puppy once more and a slow smile spread on his lips as an idea emerged.
"How about Repede?" he asked softly.
Flynn followed his gaze on the baby dog that had opened an eye as though it knew they were talking about him. The Angel smiled and nodded. It seemed like a fine name to him. Yuri grinned.
"How about it, boy? Does Repede sound nice?"
The puppy barked happily, wagging its tail in excitement. It too liked its new name.
Flynn looked up and suddenly noticed how his friend's face seemed to be too white. He frowned worryingly.
"Hey, Yuri... Maybe it'd be best if you returned home," he suggested, raising one hand as if unsure whether he should support the boy or not.
The dark haired, however, did not really hear what his friend said. His head felt as though it was stuffed with cotton, and yet it was throbbing excruciatingly; his body was also feeling dead cold and his wrist was in so much pain, Yuri had the impression it was burning. He mumbled something that Flynn did not quite catch and put Repede down so that he could get up. However, before he could do so, he fell on his side, hit by a particularly strong dizzy spell.
"Yuri!" Flynn called out in anxiety as he hurried to his friend's side, touching his forehead and cheeks. "Damn, you're burning up! I should've brought you home instead of coming back here."
The blonde chastised himself as guilt swelled inside him. He stood up quickly and went to fetch their cloaks, all the while berating himself. They were been both drenched from the heavy rain earlier and even though he had cleaned Yuri's wound, it was not good first aid. The wound was bound to get infected. Damn, he should have been smarter.
He helped Yuri in a sitting position when he came back and draped him in his cloak before doing the same with his own. He then turned around and helped the Demon to climb onto his back for the second time that day, ignoring the latter's feeble protests.
"I'm bringing you home whether you like it or not." Flynn stated firmly, leaving no place for arguments. "I just need you to give me directions."
Once he was sure Yuri was secured on his back, Flynn stood up and gathered Repede in his arms. He headed for the exit he had taken earlier.
"Thanks."
The blonde could feel the smile in his neck, which made him lightly sigh in affection towards Yuri, but his seriousness came back as he felt the heat emanating from his face. He would need to be quick if he wanted Yuri to receive treatments as soon as possible.
"When you'll be out, turn to your left and go straight. There will be a forest with a bunch of dead trees. Just follow the main path inside, and when you get out, the city should be right up ahead." Yuri directed in a thick and barely audible voice.
It had taken the Angel's entire attention to hear it all, but he caught every word and nodded in understanding. Soon, he emerged from the damp environment they'd been in. The blonde was glad to see that the rain had stopped. At least it could not worsen Yuri's condition.
He found the woods rather easily and immediately spotted the path his friend had talked about. While he walked, he hoped hard to not come across any beasts like the ones they fought earlier. He only eased up when he saw the exit. That was when he pulled the hood over his head. No need to attract attention with his blond hair and blue eyes.
As Flynn moved out of the woods, he took in the scenery that lay before him, and indeed he easily located the city's outskirts straight ahead. So this was what Jigoku looked like. Instantly, he noticed how very different the buildings looked from the ones in Paradis. The Angel was used seeing white stones everywhere – crumbling, mind you, but still white nonetheless.
Here, the houses seemed to be principally made of wood and the roofs were made of tiles. The style in itself was different as well: the doors and windows seemed to be made of thick paper, a huge contrast from the wooden doors and windowpane they used back in his country. There were many other details, Flynn was sure, but he did not quite have the time to be investigating.
"Just leave me at the edge of the city. I'll manage from there," Yuri whispered in his ear.
Flynn bit his lower lip as he thought that option over. He really wanted to bring Yuri to his home where he would be safe, but the risks of getting caught would be too high and he was sure Yuri would be mad at him if he took it. And so, he nodded as he walked quickly to a tree nearby and crouched down so that he could lay his friend against the trunk. He also laid Repede next to the Demon. He could not bring the puppy to the orphanage, they would not let him keep it, and so it would be best if he stayed with Yuri.
"Are you sure you'll be all right?"
Yuri smirked weakly. "Of course. Thanks for carrying me here, though."
Sighing discouragingly, Flynn lightly flicked the other's forehead and watched him wince and grumble moodily.
"You better come back once you're completely healed! I'll wait every day, you hear me?"
The Demon rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Hey, I'm not dying or anything. Stop being so dramatic."
He chuckled as he punched his friend's shoulder lightly.
"I'll be back in a blast; you won't even have the time to miss me."
Flynn wanted to say more, but a voice spoke up further away, making him abruptly turn his head in a stranger's direction.
"Hey! Who the hell are you? Show yourself!"
Flynn could not linger here, he had to get away. He gave one last look to his friend, whom was urging him to flee, before he stood and took off running as fast as the wind. He checked a few times behind him if he was being followed, and was glad when he arrived in the cave to see that no one had been sent after him – or if they had, that they had not found him in the end.
Yuri took two weeks to recover. When he came back, he still had some traces of his wound left, but not enough for him to hurt every time he used his right arm. And as he entered their secret hideout, Repede trailing after him, the Demon wondered if his friend had been worried because he had not shown up in such a long time. Somehow, the mere thought made him snicker. The worrywart image somehow fitted Flynn.
He spotted the blonde's back as he was training with his wooden sword and approached him casually.
"Hey, Flynn! Long time no see! How've you been doing?" he asked, stopping not too far from his friend.
"Fine, as you can see. And you? Have you recovered completely?"
Strangely enough, the blonde did not turn around as he asked this. Yuri found it odd and he frowned lightly, but still answered.
"I'm fine now. No sickness and wound almost completely healed up."
A smirk appeared on the Angel's lips before he spun around and smacked the Demon with his sword. The latter barely had the time to unsheathe his own sword to protect himself as his eyes widened in shock.
"What the hell? What's gotten into you?" he demanded as he tried to push his friend away, but the latter was putting all his strength in this.
"Don't think I've completely forgiven you for last time, Yuri! You need to be punished for being such an idiot and I'm going to make sure that you are !" Flynn explained with a matter-of-fact tone.
"H-hey! I said I was sorry, didn't I?" Yuri protested, but it was to no avail.
Flynn would hear none of it and he fought his friend with all his strength. Obviously, he won the fight in a matter of minutes, making sure Yuri would not get out of it without lots of bruises so that he would learn the lesson.
Flynn burst in the cavern, excitedly running inside while breathing heavily because he had run all the way from the orphanage. Something very good had happened in the previous days and, since he was free today for the first time in a while, he wanted to share the good news with Yuri as soon as possible.
He was glad to see that the dark haired boy was already in their hiding place, playing around with Repede whom had grown a lot since the first time they'd found him. As he heard the panting noises coming his way, Yuri turned in his direction and stared at him in amusement, one hand resting on his hip. Flynn stopped abruptly before him, bending down, hands on his knees while he caught his breath.
"Whoa, what's the hurry?" the Demon exclaimed with a laugh. Once he felt he could talk normally, the blonde straightened up and grinned at his friend. His right hand grabbed a hilt on his left side and he unsheathed a sword – a real sword, one which the blade was made of steel, shining slightly as it reflected the lights of the stones above. Yuri's eyes widened in both surprise and delight as he examined the weapon.
"I'm officially enrolled to become a knight, Yuri! I almost can't believe how closer I am to our promise!"
Flynn was exhilarated. His birthday had been a few weeks ago and he had turned thirteen, considered to be the legal age to start working in the army. And so, Flynn had approached the knights to offer his services and was welcomed immediately among the troops so that he could be trained. When he demonstrated his skills, beating a few of the knights already in post, he had been offered a sword so that he could begin duties between the times he would train. Sparring with Yuri those past few years had paid off.
"Ah, so that's why you haven't showed up recently." Yuri understood, placing his hands on the back of his head. "Me and Repede have been pretty bored, you know," he told nonchalantly, which made Flynn smirk.
"Aw, you missed me. Were you worried?" he taunted amusingly.
"Ha! No, I just didn't have a good dummy on which I could practice my skills."
Flynn tsked, not missing the double meaning dummy had here, but his smirk only widened.
"Says the one who always loses to me. What skills? I don't see any."
Yuri mumbled something and lightly smacked his friend's shoulder, causing them both to burst in laughter.
"But you know, you'll be turning thirteen next week. You'll be able to enroll in your own army, especially considering your dad's status, so I'm sure you won't have any time to be bored anymore," Flynn stated as his laughter died down and as he turned around to crouch and pet Repede whom had been nudging his leg.
Even though the dog followed Yuri around most of the time, he still considered Flynn as one of his masters and showed him just as much love.
"Yeah."
Because his back was to Yuri, the Angel missed the disappearing smile. He also missed how the Demon seemed to hesitate, opening and closing his mouth, wondering whether he should speak or not. But without realising it, the blonde made the decision for him as he continued his speech.
"Oh yeah, I'll make sure to be free on the next day of your birthday so we can celebrate it together. I've got a huge surprise for you."
Every year, they decreed that they would celebrate Flynn's birthday on the same day – because no one really cared at the orphanage – and Yuri's on the following day – since he was celebrating with his family. Every year, Flynn was unable to buy any gifts for his friend, and even though Yuri did not seem to mind, the Angel could not help but to feel guilty, especially when he saw the gifts he received from Yuri.
This year, however, he would finally be able to give him a great present. For the last couple of years, he had taken a few jobs around so that he could earn some money and save it for this special occasion. He never used it, not even once, so that he was sure to have enough.
And finally, now that he had a few duties with the knights, he received plenty of money to buy something he found and absolutely wanted to give Yuri: a sword on which the blade had been chiselled with the symbols of 'pride' and 'strength'. He had first seen it a few months back and hoped very much since then that it would not be bought. His wish had been granted and he was able to purchase it the previous day. Now, all that was left to do was to wait and give it to Yuri.
Lost in his thoughts, Flynn also failed to notice how the dark haired boy smiled bitterly, looking away, clearly uncomfortable. But when the Angel finally turned back to him, Yuri acted as if everything was perfectly normal.
"You'll be here, right?" the blonde asked with a smile, but somehow, as he asked the question, a bad feeling churned the pit of his stomach.
"Of course!" Yuri rolled his eyes as if the question was too stupid to be asked.
Flynn chuckled, reassured, yet that feeling still lingered. He ignored it, however, when Yuri eyed his sword.
"Come on! Show me some moves with it!"
The blonde grinned and happily obliged.
A week later, Flynn was arriving early at their hiding spot, sword in hand as he happily sat on a rock near the entrance Yuri would arrive from. And yet, even though he was excited, he could not shake the stupid bad feeling he experienced the last time. It had reappeared this morning and had only grown since then. But surely, nothing would go wrong, right? Yuri would show up like always and Flynn would present him the gift with a huge grin on his face. The Demon would be surprised, but he would also be touched and the faintest of red would colour his cheeks. His eyes would be gleaming with excitement and he would grab the sword and want to try it right that instant. Flynn would laugh and agree, and then he would beat Yuri in a matter of five moves or so and then would ask Yuri if he was all right, irritating the latter.
Yes, the day would be perfect; if only the feeling would just go away.
Bah! It would go away once he saw Yuri and he would be able to tell his stomach 'I told you so, nothing to worry about!' So he waited, waited for his friend to show up, listening for steps that would echo or barks that would announce Repede.
But the hours grew, and so did the ominous feeling.
Then, the end of the day came without a single trace of the Demon. Flynn lowered his head and stared at the sword with a broken and frustrated expression. Yuri told him he would come, but he had not deigned show up.
And he would not be coming back either. Ever again.
A/N: Gasp! Yuri's gone! Cliffhanger, yay~! :D We're so starting rough xD Don't kill us yet? That is... if you want to read the next chapter...
We'd really like to read your comments and thoughts about this to know if this is worth continuing? Moreover, we're heading off all weekend starting right this moment (yay conventions!), so we'd be so thrilled to have lots of reviews to read when we get back~ (and maybe panic to the fact that we have to answer them all xD).
Saenda: I do hope you liked my style of writing as well. This must be weird to read something different from the person you're used to reading xD
Well, hopefully, we'll see you in the next chapter! See you around!
Rose & Saenda