January 4th - 8th

Flynn had refused to leave Yuri alone after the events of the previous day and had therefore forced him to come to his place. The latter hadn't resisted much, but neither had he shown any of his usual enthusiasm. Nor had he shown any sign of any other emotion, actually.

Pain. It was the only word Flynn found to describe what he saw whenever he looked at the other boy. His raven eyes screamed pain, his pursed lips contained his inward suffering, and the crescent red marks in his palms were the only signs of his repressed rage. And Flynn felt equally miserable at his own powerlessness to bring Yuri back to this world.

He wanted Yuri back. He wanted the cocky, ever-smirking and completely idiot Yuri back. Yet, all of the blonde boy's attempts at starting a conversation had ended prematurely. Despite his efforts to soothe Yuri to sleep, Flynn was quite certain the dark-haired male had remained awake the whole night. In the morning he found him seated on the sofa, watching the news. On the screen could be seen Alexei, giving a speech in his usual flashy way and promising to do his best to eradicate crime from the whole nation. What a joke. Seeing his face made Flynn sick. He grabbed the remote and turned the TV off.

Yuri barely reacted when Flynn slipped a hot cup of coffee in his hands before sitting beside him, but at least he didn't let the cup fall. He watched as Yuri brought the cup to his lips and stroke his back. As Yuri remained silent, Flynn bit his lower lip and stood up.

"Thanks." Yuri's hoarse voice was suddenly heard.

Flynn turned round, surprised, and smiled faintly. "You're welcome."

"I'm sorry for being such a trouble." Yuri let out wearily.

Flynn blinked and sat down again, taking Yuri's hand in his. "Yuri... How many times do I need to tell you that you'll never be a trouble to me?"

But as he looked at Yuri, the only thing he could see was guilt painted all over his face.

"I... I didn't even manage to notice that he wasn't acting on his own will..." the long-haired boy said, holding Flynn's hand tightly. "H-He was my mentor, he's the one who helped me when I needed it the most, and I just... let him down." he finished in a whisper.

"You couldn't know." Flynn comforted him. "Even Gauche and Droite, who were the closest to him, failed to see it."

"I was wrong all this time." Yuri went on, a hint of anger in his voice. "I was after the wrong target. All this time the one I should have been after was–"

Flynn didn't like where this was going and he decided that he had to stop the flow of Yuri's thoughts before it took a dangerous turn. He moved from his spot to kneel in front of the dark-haired male, now holding both his hands, and stared straight at him with determination.

"Yuri, it doesn't please me to do this but I have to. I know this is going to sound harsh to you, but you need to listen to me." he said unwaveringly. He paused for a second to make sure that Yuri was indeed listening, then went on: "You are not some sort of hero whose duty is to fight injustice. All that you have been doing until now has been irresponsible and selfish."

Yuri looked away, remorse mixed with anger on his face, and Flynn felt the boy's hands getting tense in his. But he had to continue, no matter how reluctant he was to utter words that he knew were hurting his lover.

"You need to stop making other people worry about you. That's why I'm asking you: don't even think of going after Alexei. Get over it and resume the normal life of a student. There is no need for you to get hurt more than you already have been, and I'm not talking only about physical wounds. Yuri, do you understand what I'm saying?"

But Yuri had lowered his head, and his hair was partly hiding his face so that Flynn couldn't see his expression. However, as the latter suddenly snatched his hands away and stood up, Flynn understood that Yuri wasn't in a pleasant mood.

"You're asking me if I understand?" the boy spoke with a low yet clearly upset tone. His back was turned to Flynn. "Well yes, I do. But it seems like you're the one who doesn't understand. You can't just ask me to just let every go and pretend nothing ever happened."

"That's not what I said!" Flynn protested.

"But that's exactly what you meant! You're asking me to forget that this bastard Alexei played damn dirty to get my mentor to do whatever he wanted for him before actually killing him! He freaking killed him! And that, while pretending to be a righteous man who acts for justice's sake!"

"I just want to stop seeing you get hurt!" Flynn retorted, feeling his blood boil. His patience towards Yuri's whims was wearing thin. "I just want you to turn back to that stupid student whom I disliked so much–"

"Well sorry for being so stup–"

"–and whom I ended up falling in love with!" Flynn finished.

"Then for your sake and mine, maybe you should reconsider those feelings of yours!"

Flynn's heart failed a beat at those words and he stared incredulously at Yuri. A surge of deep anger seized him. There were limits to how much he could stand Yuri's ridiculous outbursts.

"Yuri! What was that supposed to mean?" he urged, grabbing the other boy's wrist and pulling him closer in a not-so-gently way.

"It means that maybe you should have thought a bit more before getting involved with me." Yuri snapped dryly.

"How is that my fault only?" the blonde boy retorted with sheer disbelief. Was Yuri really implying what he thought he was? Seriously? "Or are you telling me that you never felt a damn thing for me?" he added, feeling a lump in his throat. Yuri glared at him, irate, but Flynn could have sworn he saw the latter flinch for a second.

"I–How I feel doesn't have anything to do with you!" he let out angrily, and the next thing he knew, a fist collided with his cheek, making him stumble and growl.

"And I told you to stop acting so damn selfishly!" Flynn burst out. Despite being the one who had landed the blow, it was him who had sheer pain veiling his sapphire eyes. "How... How can you just assume it doesn't have anything to do with me?" he added, his voice progressively losing its original resentment only to be replaced by bitterness. "How dare you..." He himself was dumbfounded at his own action, as it was very unusual for him to lose his temper to the point of hitting someone, especially when that someone was supposed to be his boyfriend. Yet at the same time, the punch felt surprisingly pleasant to blow some steam off.

Yuri was rubbing his cheek, not meeting Flynn's eyes; however, a quick glance at the blonde boy was enough to tell him that he had done it again. He had done the one thing he never wanted to do: he had hurt Flynn again. He felt like hitting himself for his stupidity and shouting at himself for being unable to make even one person happy. A storm of emotions broke out in his head, and all were yelling at him to react quickly and do something about the other boy who was standing there and looking at him with affliction... and hope, a desperate hope that it was all just a very bad dream.

Yuri was overwhelmed with guilt. No matter how troubled and upset he was about the recent events, it wasn't a reason to take it out on Flynn. Especially on Flynn. He hadn't expected the latter to actually punch him, but the shock had apparently been enough to shake some sense into him. He realized with horror the implications of his previous words and without any further thought, he pulled Flynn to him in a tight embrace.

"I... Flynn, I'm sorry." he finally spoke, his voice but a whisper. "I'm really sorry, I don't know what's gotten into me. I... should have never said that." he added, dejected. "You're right, I've been a stupid, selfish and untrustworthy idiot all along. But please, please believe me when I say I didn't mean what I said earlier. I... Damn it, Flynn, I... love you so damn much... I swear... Believe me..."

The blonde boy, at first surprised by the unexpected apology and the confession, soon found himself wrapping his arms reassuringly around Yuri while relief progressively replaced his anxiousness. He was careful not to show it too much but inwardly, Yuri's words warmed him up. He could feel Yuri's quick heartbeat against his chest, and could even feel the state of panic the boy was in. At that moment Yuri gave him the impression of being a child, a lost child who needed someone to hold tight on him and not let him wander away, even if it required a lot of effort. Was Flynn ready for that kind of effort? He wasn't sure of it himself. But could he abandon Yuri now, when he needed him the most? The answer to that question was much easier.

"Yuri, you need to calm down." Flynn replied as he gently forced Yuri to let him go. Then he led him to the sofa and prompted him to sit down. "You need some time to get over this, and I'll stay with you as long as necessary for you to recover. But you must promise me one thing."

"What is it?" Yuri inquired, slightly worried.

"Don't ever put my feelings for you into question again. Or I'll leave you for real." The blonde male added with a faint smile.

He got the reaction he had been hoping for: Yuri's lips curled up and he chuckled.

"I wouldn't let you." he said.

"Wouldn't you? I'd like to see how you'd manage." Flynn replied, displaying curiosity on his face. He got his answer as Yuri captured his lips promptly.

Was it only Flynn's imagination or was Yuri much more demanding, almost too possessive and too... desperate? He reacted instinctively by slipping his hand in the long and soft raven hair and stroking it slowly; it was his usual, silent way to reassure his lover and maybe to reassure himself as well. Yuri was there, seeking comfort while asserting at the same time his will not to let Flynn go. It was all the latter needed.

Shivers suddenly ran down his spine, and it was only after a few seconds that he noticed that Yuri's fingers had sneaked under his shirt and were leaving a warm touch on his skin. They wandered up his back, making him gasp softly. It felt strange on him and yet it was definitely not unpleasant at all; Yuri was taking control of the situation, which Flynn didn't expect after having seen him in such a devastated state. He didn't mind; he tilted his head on the side when he felt Yuri's lips on his neck, laying feverish kisses on it. His heart pounded faster against his chest, and his breathing started getting erratic. A wince flashed on his face when he felt teeth sink slightly in his skin.

"Yuri..." he gasped.

"That's what I'd do to you if you ever tried to leave me." the long-haired male whispered at his ear before nuzzling his neck.

"I guess that would be convincing enough..." Flynn replied with a small chuckle.

Yuri rested his forehead against the blonde's chest, his fingers slightly trembling as they clutched the fabric of Flynn's shirt. At that moment, he looked strangely vulnerable despite his displays of self-confidence, and Flynn wasn't fooled by the mask at all. He certainly could get quite annoyed by Yuri's changing temper at times, yet he was progressively learning to do with it, simply because he couldn't imagine himself doing otherwise.

It happened to him quite often to still wonder why he was still sticking with that boy who was the complete opposite of everything he had always believed to be right and immutable. Everything, from their upbringings, their ways of handling their existences, their studies and their values clashed; and still, luck had crossed their paths and ups and downs of life had intertwined them in the closest way possible.

"I really couldn't do anything about it, could I?" The question came as a bare whisper filled with bitterness. Flynn knew immediately what the other boy was talking about without even asking.

"No, you couldn't." he replied firmly, pulling Yuri closer. "Neither you, nor Whitehorse, nor anyone else."

"I wonder how Gauche and Droite are faring right now."

"Call them?" Flynn suggested but he felt Yuri shake his head.

"I'm pretty sure they wouldn't reply to me."

"Then try asking Raven?

"Calling the old man by his first name now?" Yuri forced a chuckle.

"I guess it's a matter of hearing other people calling him like that." Flynn defended himself.

"In any case, I'm not sure I want to talk to him right now. Actually, I don't want to talk to anyone else but you." Yuri let out a sigh. "Sorry for acting like a spoiled brat."

The blonde boy patted his back. Then an idea popped in his head. "You are spoiled, indeed." he said, but his tone was gentle. "I think you should go talk to a few people, actually. That would help you get a change of air."

"Who?" Yuri asked reluctantly.

"How about paying a visit to the hospital? And the orphanage?"

"Oh."

The dark-haired boy raised his eyes to Flynn, and finally, a genuine smile appeared on his lips. Karol, Rita, Pia... His family.

He nodded. It was time to stop that act of self-pity and remember that he had people around him caring for him.


It had been decided to meet at the hospital in order to spare Flynn and Yuri a detour by the orphanage. Consequently, the usual group of people was gathered around Rita's bed in the hospital room, and the unexpected yet pleasant surprise was the presence of Estellise who had shortened her holidays after getting all the recent news. The girl looked profoundly sorry and almost guilty for spending her holidays away, unaware of the not-so-happy events that had befallen her friends.

"And why the hell would you be sorry for being the only one here who actually spent a nice Christmas?" Rita asked her with a reproachful tone. "It's not like we're gonna skewer anyone who had nice holidays. That'd be a massacre."

"But–" the pink-haired girl started protesting.

"No but." Pia interrupted her. "My dear Estelle, everyone here is happy that you managed to have a good time, and if you want to make us happy in return, then offer us your sweetest smile." she said, ruffling Estelle's hair.

The girl blinked in surprise at the gesture before complying with the offer and nodding, a broad smile on her lips.

"Now that's better." Pia approved. Then she addressed Yuri, catching him off guard: "Your turn, my boy. What's with that brooding face of yours?"

"Brooding? I'm not brooding." the boy replied, not expecting the question. The others also looked at Pia with curiosity.

"I've known you for too long. You can't fool me." she said with a falsely scolding tone.

Yuri sighed. "I guess I can't. I've got no choice but to tell you what's wrong, right?"

Flynn glanced at him, slightly frowning. Both boys had had a mutual agreement to keep the whole Yeager and Alexei business from Pia. Chances were high that she would react very badly, and though Flynn had at first been a bit reluctant to remain silent, he had quickly come to the conclusion that it was better for everyone. Therefore he couldn't help but feel uneasy at Yuri's last words. Did Yuri really intent to...

"Christmas break is almost over and I soon have to go back to school." the long-haired boy let out tragically. Pia raised an eyebrow before letting out a clear laugh.

"You hypocrite. You spend your whole time doing nothing, school or no school." she said, and her words were immediately followed by sneers from Rita and Karol and chuckles from Estelle and Flynn. Yuri glared at the latter.

"Well sorry for not being as perfect as Mr Perfect here." he replied sullenly.

"Yuri..." Flynn rolled his eyes and shook his head, but as he saw the smirk on Yuri's lips, he couldn't help but feel relieved inwardly. He hadn't been wrong in thinking that seeing his friends would cheer Yuri up a bit, even temporarily.

The rest of the afternoon was spent talking about holidays and Christmas presents and various other stories – mainly narrated by Karol, thanks to his ability to think of endless topics, to the point Rita had to tell him to shut up at some point. But the mood was pleasant and it wasn't rare to hear laughter echo in the room, until Pia started coughing.

"Getting sick?" Yuri inquired, but Pia waved the question off.

"Probably just a small cold." she said. "Nothing worth worrying about."

"It's still very cold outside, you should be careful." Estelle advised. "And in order not to get sick, my grandmother always says to drink a lot of hot tea with honey and lemon." she recited, which made Pia smile.

"Thank you, girl. I'll remember your grandmother's wise piece of advice."

"If your grandma has a recipe so that my head stops hurting me, I'm in." Rita intervened, pointing at her bandaged head.

"I'm afraid she hasn't shared such a secret with me yet." Estelle replied with a chuckle before asking with a more concerned tone: "Is it really hurting? If so, perhaps you should tell a nurse or a doctor about it."

"Nah, I'm fine. Just thought maybe your grandma was some sort of doctor with traditional methods and all. Could have been funny." the brunette shrugged.

"I'm afraid she is not. No one in my family has studied medicine." Estelle shook her head apologetically.

"What are your parents' occupations then?" Karol asked.

"Oh, well my father is a prosecuting attorney and my mother is an art teacher at the university."

Karol whistled. "Woah, that sounds so cool! So, your mom teaches at our uni?"

"Idiot, she's an art teacher." Rita cut him off. "Our school is a science and economics one."

"Oh, right..." the boy lowered his head.

"She works in the neighbouring city, at the literature and art university." Estelle explained.

"But damn, your parents sound so cool! Especially your dad! A prosecuting attorney!" Karol exclaimed before frowning: "Huh... what does a prosecuting attorney do by the way?"

Rita smacked her head and Pia let out a sigh. Yuri shook his head, resigned, while Flynn merely chuckled.

"What's with those reactions!" Karol defended himself, his cheeks turning slightly pink. "I-I mean, I know they do something with justice and all, I just don't know exactly what they do!"

"Prosecutors are on the victims' side, they help convict guilty people." Estelle kindly explained.

"Ooh, I see. So they're the good guys then!"

"Something like that, yes." the pink-haired girl nodded with a smile.

They were interrupted by another of Pia's coughs.

"Well sorry everyone, I'm starting to feel a bit tired, so I guess I'll have to leave you all." she said.

"Yes, we have been here for hours, it's normal to be tired." Estelle nodded. "Especially if you have a cold. It is best to have some rest."

"You sound like a teacher." Karol pointed out.

"Yeah, you're too serious." Rita added.

"I-I..." Estelle flushed, not able to hide her embarrassment.

"She can't be as serious as Flynn, believe me." Yuri said, smirking again at his boyfriend.

"Yuri! Will you just stop–"

"See what I mean?" Yuri interrupted Flynn. "You're totally unable to take a joke when you hear one."

"Yuri, stop annoying your friend like that." Pia ordered. She then sighed and addressed Flynn: "I'm not sure how you are able to still hang out with him, but I admire your patience."

"I do my best." Flynn replied, smiling.

"Let's hope Yuri will someday realize he's lucky to have you as his friend..." Pia added.

"Hey! They aren't just friends!" Karol exclaimed. "They're–Ouch!"

"They're best friends." Rita finished for him, ignoring the glare she received from Karol as he rubbed his head.

"Is that so?" Pia cocked an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Yuri replied hastily at the same as Flynn said: "Something like that."

Yuri wasn't sure now was the best time for Pia to learn that he and Flynn weren't exactly friends, and given the blonde's reaction, they apparently shared the same thought.

"Well in any case, I'll be going back to my kids now. Karol, you'll help me with dinner?"

"Sure!" the boy replied enthusiastically.

Flynn, Yuri and Estelle decided that it was also time for them to leave, as visiting hours were soon over anyway, and after long minutes of goodbyes, the boys were finally on their ways back home.

In the bus, Yuri decided to inquire about a delicate topic:

"How is it going with your parents?" he asked carefully, unsure of wether it was actually a good idea or not. Surprisingly enough, he received a smile from Flynn.

"They aren't really happy with me, but I guess I can't really help it. That's not really a problem though." the blonde boy added. "I've managed to convince a few people to sign a contract with me about the projects I've been working on, which mean that I'll soon be able to be financially independent. My parents won't be able to do anything against that. As long as I can secure some income, they won't be able to force me to do anything I don't want to."

"Wow, you sound confident. And rebellious." Yuri replied with quite some admiration. "But are you going to manage with school and all?"

Flynn nodded. "I'll keep attending school, but I'll have to stop any extra activities, at least at the beginning."

"So you're going to become like one of those super stuck-up guys always wearing a suit and talking about figures and whatnot until I die of boredom listening to you?"

The blonde boy frowned. "That's how you imagine me to be once I start working? God that sounds quite... unappealing. Don't worry, I promise I won't turn into something like that; and if you see any signs that I do, please feel free to hit me back to sense."

"Sounds like a deal." Yuri replied with a smirk before giving Flynn a quick peck on the lips. Flynn blushed inevitably, as they were still in the bus with people around them. Apparently no one had noticed them though.

"Y-Yuri, please avoid doing it while we are not alone!" he said in a low voice.

"Sorry, sorry, couldn't help myself." the other boy apologized very unconvincingly.

Flynn sighed heavily and shook his head in resignation. "Hey, Yuri."

"Hm?"

"This weekend is the last one before school starts again."

Yuri pouted. "You didn't need to remind me that."

"Would you like to go to the sea?" Flynn asked.

The question took Yuri off guard. "The sea? In the middle of winter?"

Flynn chuckled at the other boy's reaction. "It's because it's winter that I want to go. It's quiet and the landscapes are beautiful."

"I-I'm not sure. It's quite sudden." Yuri replied thoughtfully, but seeing Flynn slightly lower his head to conceal his disappointment, he added hastily: "But I don't mind going! I guess it'll be a nice way to spend the last weekend of the holidays."

Flynn shook his head, "You don't have to force yourself, Yuri. It's fine if you don't want to, it is indeed too sudden."

"No, no! I mean, I just didn't expect such a suggestion out of the blue. But I'd really love to spend a weekend with you, somewhere else but in this town." Yuri replied, grinning. The smile faded quickly however. "It's been... kind of getting on my nerves lately."

The blonde boy stroked his back comfortingly. "I know..." he said softly. "That's why I thought a break would be welcome."

Yuri smiled back. "So, where are we going?"


"I can't believe you have summer quarters! Well, I should probably say winter quarters." Yuri corrected himself as he dropped his bag on the ground, standing in front of the white villa.

It was early afternoon, and the sky was clear, with a few clouds here and there when they arrived. His eyes were wide open, and scanning the whole estate, from the high painted gates to the main building itself, surrounded by grass and trees, mainly pines. He even spotted a round fountain – which wasn't working, much to his disappointment – and gravel paths winding around what seemed to be small ponds. The temperature wasn't low enough for the latter to be frozen.

The villa wasn't actually too huge, even though it couldn't be called small either. Large bay windows allowed Yuri to have a faint preview of the inside of the two-storey house. Farther away were several other villas built in a similar way, probably belonging to some other rich people who had nothing else to do with their money but to spend it on houses in which they most likely spent barely a week or two a year. People like Flynn's family.

Well, for once he wasn't going to complain about it. He inhaled deeply, filling his nose with the salty scent of the sea brought by the light winds that were blowing on the area. On the way here, he had been given the opportunity to see the sea for the first time, while Flynn was driving along the coast. He saw the long and empty beaches, the marine water splattered with foam, and a couple of boats sailing not too far away from the marina.

He had been surprised by the quietness as they had entered the small town; it was because the number of inhabitants was low here, Flynn had explained to him. During summer, the population was easily multiplied by ten.

"You are allowed to come in." an amused voice interrupted Yuri's thoughts. The long-haired boy turned his head to Flynn.

"Hm? Oh, yeah. Sorry, I was just admiring the view." he said as he grabbed his bag and followed Flynn inside the residence.

The interior was incredibly spacious with a minimum of furniture and decorations, all in tones of white, silver and blue; yet the purified design gave a light atmosphere to the whole space. Yuri came to wonder if it was a habit of the Scifos to have such simplistic designs. He walked around to the back of the house and looked through the bay windows. The sight he was offered made him open his mouth in silent awe.

The residence was actually built on a cliff and from where he was standing, he could see the seemingly endless sea stretch in front of his eyes. For a moment he felt hypnotized by the gigantic masses of water, realizing for the first time how immense the seas and oceans actually were. And realizing also how insignificant he was.

"Daydreaming?" a gentle voice asked behind his back. Yuri turned around slowly, still in a daze, but then his lips curled up into a smile.

"The view you have... That's... wow..." he spoke softly, making Flynn chuckle.

"I had the feeling you'd like it." he said. "Now let me show you your room so you can put your stuff there." he motioned Yuri to follow him upstairs, but the latter stopped him by swiftly snaking an arm around Flynn's waist and pulling him back, making the blonde male's back bump against his chest.

"Not so fast, you." he said, resting his chin on Flynn's shoulder. "I'm sleeping in your room or I'm sulking the whole weekend. You choose."

The other boy sighed, though he was clearly smiling. "What am I going to do with such a spoiled kid?"

"Just bear with him." Yuri replied before laying a kiss on his lover's neck. Flynn shivered.

"I don't have much choice, I guess. Now, if you let me go, maybe I can get us something to drink? And later I'll show you around. Then we can go have a walk outside, it's not too cold."

"I'm a mere guest, I'll follow whatever the host says." Yuri replied with a false humble tone.

"Liar." Flynn laughed.


The town, which Yuri preferred calling a village, was as quiet as ever, with a few kids playing outside and not many cars passing mainly on the coast road. On one side of the road were many restaurants which were all closed – they opened only when tourists started coming, Flynn explained – while on the other side were terraces where people would normally eat during summer. A bit farther away was the sandy beach on which Flynn and Yuri were currently walking.

The air was cool but not cold, as Flynn had predicted, making the walk quite pleasant. There was more wind, which had forced Yuri to tie his hair up.

"If I remember well, you once told me that you like me with my hair up, didn't you?" he asked with a light yet definitely impish smirk.

"I-I do." Flynn replied, surprised that Yuri still remembered such an insignificant fact.

"I guess I'll keep it like that more often then." the other replied as he slipped his fingers in Flynn's. There was no one there to see them, and honestly, even if there had been, Yuri didn't really care anymore. He wasn't certain that Flynn was so comfortable with it, but at least for now, he didn't seem to mind.

They walked in silence for almost a minute, simply watching the waves washing the shore or the boats sailing by and the seagulls fly above their heads with their typical cry. Each of Yuri's footsteps was sinking slightly in the sand, reminding him a bit of the snow at his hometown. It was funny; he had always imagined that going to the sea was only good in summer, yet now he wasn't so sure anymore. Coming here when there weren't thousands of tourists filling the streets and frying on the beach was probably not so bad an idea, and he was really grateful towards Flynn for bringing him here. His fingers unconsciously tightened around Flynn's hand.

"Something wrong?" the latter asked.

"Hm? Nah, I was just thinking that this place is pretty relaxing and all." Yuri replied, which made Flynn smile.

"Glad you appreciate it."

"Hey, what's behind the cliff over there?" Yuri asked, pointing at the sea cliff a few hundred meters farther. "And I see houses on it?"

"Yes, it's the upper part of the town. And behind it you have creeks. We can go tomorrow if you want, it's really nice too."

"Sure!" the other boy exclaimed enthusiastically. "Say, do you come here often?"

"When I was a kid, we would go there every summer." Flynn explained. "My father brought me here a few times during winter, that's how I came to prefer it during this time of the year. It's been three years since we haven't gone together though."

Yuri didn't ask any further as he felt it wasn't a wise idea to dig deeper into Flynn's family vacations.

"I'm glad you agreed to come, Yuri." Flynn suddenly declared, smiling softly. "I really like this place, but having some company is much better than going alone."

"Hey, we can come here anytime." Yuri replied. "Though I guess it'll be a bit more difficult once I resume working."

"I fear I won't have much free time myself." Flynn nodded. He then turned to the other boy, smiling broadly. "That's why we should enjoy this weekend as much as we can."

Yuri gave him back his smile, nodding. "Yep, you're right–Oh! I completely forgot!" he exclaimed abruptly, startling Flynn a bit. "I promised you that once everything was over, I'd cook your favourite dishes so we could spend a nice evening together!"

The blonde boy blinked in surprise, then chuckled. "So you did. I'll be looking forward to it."

"We could do that tonight. I just need to go buy some stuff and–" Yuri offered, but Flynn shook his head.

"You're here on vacation, so I won't allow you to do anything. I've planned to take you to the restaurant. There's one here which is open all year long and makes really good seafood dishes. And there's no room for discussion."

"Looks like I don't have much choice." Yuri shrugged.

A loud rumble was heard in the far, making both boys raise their heads to the sky. Big, dark clouds could be seen approaching towards the coast at a quick pace, brought there by strong winds. The sea was starting to get rough and the waves were growing in size.

"Uh-oh. I say we should hurry back." Yuri suggested, getting an immediate approval from Flynn.

The first drops started hitting the ground a few minutes before the two boys reached the house though fortunately the downpour hadn't come yet when they stepped inside. However, it was only a matter of minutes before the sound of falling raindrops turned into a loud hammering accompanied by more rumbles that echoed in the far. The sky turned dark within seconds, only blinded by flashes of lightning strikes.

Yuri whistled. "That was a close one."

"Yes, we were quite lucky on that one." Flynn nodded as he switched on the lights. "Want something warm to drink?"

As Yuri nodded, Flynn headed for the kitchen while the dark-haired male stared rather gloomily outside. Flynn came back after a few minutes with two steaming cups in his hands.

"Why the sullen face?" he asked, handing Yuri his cup.

"Well, it's a pity the storm just had to break out today." the latter replied. "Did the weather forecast mention any?"

"Yes, it did." Flynn replied, much to Yuri's surprise. He frowned.

"And you still wanted to come here anyway?"

Flynn smiled, then motioned him to follow him. "Come." he said, a hint a mystery in his tone.

Intrigued, Yuri stood up and complied, following Flynn to the back of the house from where he had admired the sea the first time. There, the blonde boy turned off the lights and walked to the bay windows, inviting Yuri by his side.

"Look." he merely said.

And Yuri looked. And he realized that the sight he had been offered previously was nothing compared to this one.

A sheer contrast. Overwhelmingly so. The pale blue sky had been taken over by dark stretches of grumbling grey and black clouds; in some parts though, they weren't thick enough to conceal the light, letting streaks of pinkish orange stream through them. Not a single gull was reckless enough to dare cross the storm and the once calm and quiet sea was unleashing its fury, sending huge waves to crash violently against the rocky cliffs before falling back heavily in bursts of foam, as if it had a will of its own. Some waves were so tall Yuri imagined himself being easily engulfed by them and swallowed to the depths of the ocean, with no hope of recovery. The thought sent chills through his spine. It was like watching a painting created by a master, a living painting in motion. And the whole landscape looked even more cataclysmic through the blur of the heavy downpour battering the bays. Lightning seared through the sky, making Yuri jump.

"So?" Flynn asked, looking at his lover with hidden amusement. The latter didn't reply immediately, too captivated by the demonstration of Nature's wrath. It was simply breathtaking.

"... Wow..." was all he managed to say. He felt like he could stand there for hours, watching the sea ravage the coasts, the wind bending the palm trees to its will and the sky burnt by thunder and crying over the town. There were winter storms in his hometown, but never that violent, and there was no sea to add to the fascinating disaster.

Yuri glanced on the side and saw Flynn watching straight in front of him with obvious emotion in his eyes. It seemed like Flynn really loved winter storms, and Yuri was starting to understand why. He even felt slightly jealous – no matter how irrational it was – that Flynn's attention was currently all directed at a mere natural phenomenon.

And as if his thoughts had been read, he felt an arm slip behind his waist, as if to reassure him that he hadn't been forgotten.

"If this doesn't stop soon, we'll have to cancel the restaurant." the blonde boy murmured.

"I don't mind." Yuri replied on the same tone. "I could stand here for hours, to be honest."

"So I guess I convinced you that storms aren't necessarily a bad thing?"

"Pretty much."

Though they actually didn't stand there fore hours, they did remained in front of the bays until the storm started quieting down. The clouds drifted away slowly, but now the sun had already set and night was coming quickly. Yuri sighed.

"It's over. And now I'm hungry."

"Let's go eat then." Flynn suggested.

"Say, actually I don't feel like going out." Yuri declared, crossing his arms. It was Flynn's turn to sigh.

"And here I thought you said you were but a mere guest here and would follow whatever the host says."

"But a nice host should also listen to his guest."

"You have a point." Flynn gave up. "So, what do you want to do?"

"How about we order pizzas and watch the TV while eating?"

Flynn cocked an eyebrow. This wasn't exactly how he had planned to spend the evening, but there was no harm doing it in Yuri's way, if it made him feel more at ease. It was the main purpose of bringing him here, after all.

"The things I do for a spoiled kid." he replied, grabbing his mobile in his pocket.

"The things you do for my irresistible self." Yuri corrected with a smirk, and before Flynn had time to protest, he planted a kiss on his lips. He soon pulled back, looking quite satisfied. "I haven't had the opportunity to do it for the whole day." he merely stated.

Once again, Flynn opened his mouth to retort something but ended up conceding defeat. This was happening way too often to his taste, he thought. Not that he actually minded.


Flynn cracked open an eye and winced as a ray of sun almost blinded him. He immediately noticed that his body felt numb and his neck was rather sore. He wasn't in a sitting position, but neither was he completely lying. Something in-between, making him feel very uncomfortable. His back was against an armrest and he thanked the pillow underneath for saving his backbone. There was also something heavy on him. And there was noise. Or rather, sounds. People talking. He was not in his room, and definitely not in his bed. Actually, he wasn't even in a bed, but on a couch. A large one, but still. He turned his head to where the chatters were coming and noticed the TV that was turned on.

Oh, so Yuri was already awake and watching it. However, as a soft snore reached his ears, his brain clicked and he understood that something was wrong in his deduction. Lowering his eyes, he saw Yuri half-lying on him and on the couch, with a blanket pulled over both of them. Apparently the dark-haired boy was enjoying his 'mattress' much more than Flynn had. An arm was resting on his chest while the other was hanging freely on the side. Memories slowly reassembled in his head.

They had ordered pizzas and had settled in the couch, watching some movies on the TV until Yuri had declared he was a bit cold. Flynn had therefore gone to pick up a blanket in which both boys had wrapped themselves, to finish the night talking while sometimes gazing at the screen. It seemed that they had fallen asleep in the middle of the process, and while Yuri had somehow managed to fit himself in a comfy position, Flynn hadn't been so lucky. Yet he didn't really feel like moving, for fear of waking the other boy up, but his limbs protested.

Well, too bad for Yuri. Flynn carefully stroked the cascade of raven hair.

"Yuri. Wake up." he called out softly. The latter stirred a bit, but only to snuggle more conveniently in Flynn's lap. With a sigh, the blonde boy reiterated: "Yuri, it's morning." No reaction. "You asked for it."

And with no other warning, he pushed Yuri unceremoniously on the floor – with the blanket to cushion the fall, thank you very much. A second later, an angry yet sleepy 'what the hell?!' was heard. From his spot, Yuri glared at Flynn who was trying to sit up carefully, wincing as his muscles stretched and his back made a small cracking noise at the movement. He leant his head on the side, massaging his sore neck without even paying attention to the boy at his feet.

"What was that for?" Yuri asked grumpily as he sat up and glanced quickly around him. "Hey, we... fell asleep while watching the TV?"

"It seems so." Flynn replied, stretching his numbed arms. "Well, you seem to have spent a good night at least." he added with a falsely reproachful tone.

"Why? Didn't you?"

"Let's say a certain someone has been lying on me for the whole night, forgetting that I am but a mere human being, bound by the laws of physics to end up in complete pain after having such a weight on me."

"You make too difficult sentences right in the morning." Yuri declared, yawning loudly. "That killed my brain."

"Too bad for your brain. That'll be your punishment." Flynn replied with amusement as he stood up and strode over Yuri. He was about to walk to the kitchen, but as he did so, Yuri raised one of his legs, making Flynn lose his balance, and grabbed his wrist to pull the boy to him as he fell on top of him with a gasp.

"Yu–hmph!"

Yuri's mouth had silenced Flynn once again. He was getting dangerously good at that game. When they broke the kiss, an innocent grin was plastered on Yuri's face.

"Forgive me?" he merely asked.

"Don't think it's that easy." Flynn pretended to be very serious.

"I'll make breakfast."

"It had been planned before coming here that'd you bring stuff to make breakfast. This doesn't count."

"I'll make lunch too. Curry beef. With tons of pepper." Yuri bargained.

Flynn surrendered. "Don't think your cooking will save you every time, though." he warned.

"Allow me to doubt your words. Now if his Highness deigned to move from my humble self, I could go prepare breakfast."

The cushion Yuri received in his face was the only answer he got from Flynn. The day was starting well.


Flynn's mother closed the door behind Sodia and ordered the maid to take care of the empty tea cups on the table. Then she locked herself in her study and sat down at her desk, her lips pursed in obvious discontent. Through apparently innocent and well-intentioned questions, she had managed to draw enough information out of the naïve girl. So Flynn preferred to hang out with a low-class, delinquent boy without thinking of the consequences on his name, on his family's name?

She wasn't going to let it go like that. She didn't care if they went to the same university; they didn't have the same social status and she refused to let her son be seen in such company. She cursed silently at her own mistake – well, more accurately, her and her husband's mistake – not to have sent Flynn to the country's most prestigious university, where only the elite students could be found. At least, there, he would have been able to focus on his studies and his future, he would have been a pride for the Scifo name. But now he was being distracted by 'friends', commoners and low-lives. She couldn't allow that.

She'd have to talk to her husband about it too. Too much freedom had been given to their son already.


The weekend had passed too quickly, in Flynn's opinion. But it was also most certainly one of the best weekends he had been given to spend. City lights were flashing by his sides as he was driving back. On the passenger's seat, Yuri was sleeping soundly, his head slightly tilted on the side. A faint smile appeared on Flynn's lips. The day had been particularly exhausting, especially for Yuri who had spent it jumping and climbing on the rocks near the cliffs, sometimes giving real frights to the blonde boy who had stopped counting how many times he had thought Yuri would break his neck. But at least it had reassured him to see his boyfriend enjoying himself like a kid; that short trip to the sea had definitely been worth it.

Flynn was careful enough not to glance too often at that peacefully sleeping face; a traffic accident was the last thing he needed now. Tomorrow, they'd go back to school. Tomorrow, their normal lives would resume again.

At least for some time.

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A/N: It's so freaking hot here I'm going to sleep in the fridge after uploading this chapter, otherwise my poor self will turn into fried meat. I'll do my best to give coherent replies to your comments though :D