This is a The Last Story fan fiction. Sorry if the characters are a bit OOC; it's been a long while since I've played the game. Based Post-Game so probably spoilers.

What was different about today? Something was different; but it shouldn't be. Everything was over now, peaceful. Yurick should feel at ease with the life he was living now. He did most days but today… He was feeling absolutely foul today. Maybe it was a comment from Lowell that set him off.

"Hmm… So your parents are traveling huh? I guess you must miss them terribly."

Lowell was simply flirting with another girl but something was different. It caught Yurick the wrong way. It irritated him. How can he speak that way so casually when you'll get to see them again? Yurick didn't have such an opportunity. Thus, his bad mood. He didn't blame Lowell too much though; he often said thoughtless things. Yurick knew he'd probably be more careful if he was speaking to the group or to Yurick personally.

Yurick sighed. What was being depressed going to help? Still, he couldn't get over this feeling and bring himself to do anything but sit here on the castle terrace. He was only here in the first place to give a letter to Zael, which he had already done. It's not like he had anything better to do…

"Hey Yurick, are you alright?"

Yurick jumped a little, surprised he had been so deep in thought that he didn't notice Zael until he was right behind him. Embarrassed by his own reaction, he blushed a little.

"I-I'm fine." He replied.

"Really? Because he seemed out of it earlier today." Zael responded, not convinced. Yurick restrained a sigh of relief that Zael wasn't going to comment about his actions. Then again this was Zael; he was way too kind to do that. Lowell would have definitely teased him about it.

"Yurick?" Zael asked when Yurick was staring off into space. This brought him back to reality and back to his current situation. Did he want to talk to Zael about it? He always listened and never judged, he was a good friend. Yurick would not have been enjoying this life he had without Zael who had showed him to let others in.

"It's just some stupid comment that Lowell made that got me thinking about… err… things that happened long ago."

Zael immediately understood. After all, he was there when Yurick went to investigate his father's sunken ship even when Yurick didn't want him there. He even saved his life when he was poisoned by one of the monsters.

Zael took a seat next to Yurick.

"If you makes you feel any better, I lost my parents at a young age too." Zael said.

"I assumed as much. Most people don't decide to be a mercenary by choice, unless they love fighting like Syrenne." Yurick said. "And that doesn't make me feel better."

"Well, it all worked out in the end, didn't it? I ended up with Calista and some great friends I can rely on."

Yurick had to resist a snort.

"Yeah, except for Lowell and Syrenne."

"They can be reliable too. And even if they weren't; that would still leave you, Mirania, and Calista." Zael said. "Sometimes a simply chat between friends can work wonders. Are you starting to feel any better?"

"…A little." Yurick admitted.

Silence fell in between the two for a few seconds.

"…Were you ever lonely? Did you ever… feel like shutting people out?" Yurick asked uncertainly.

"I was lonely plenty of times; but then I met Dagran and the loneliness mostly disappeared. I… Don't think I ever had the desire to shut anyone out. I knew that this person could be taken away as well, but I wanted to make connections all the same." Zael explained. "I'm sorry, Yurick. I can't imagine what you went through. My parents didn't die so close together like yours did."

"It's alright. It's not like it's your fault. You've done everything you can to help just about all of us."

Yurick was actually surprised by how much better he felt. Zael could tell as well.

"Do you want to go do something, Yurick? I have a little free time." Zael suggested. "Like maybe we can take a stroll around the town or something, visit the others while we're at it."

"That sounds like a good idea. Mirania was saying just the other day about how she was going to visit you soon."

"Well, let's get going then." Zael smiled and stood up, followed by Yurick. As they were heading out Yurick spoke.

"Thanks Zael."

"Any time."

The two of them headed off.

Fin