Domestic Scene I: Home

Reclining against a haphazard row of wooden crates, Yuri inhaled the scent of fresh cut cedar and sighed contentedly. So this is it, huh?

Home.

Home used to be the slums in Zaphias, where he grew up in a tight knit community. While scraping by had been tough, Yuri had no ill thoughts when it came to the warm and caring people who had brought him up.

But now, through odd enough circumstances, he was part of a guild. A small business enterprise started by whom Yuri fondly referred to as the Captain, Karol Capel.

With a couple of high profile ties like Raven's Altosk, Fortune's Market, and the royal family, they had acquired a nice piece of land to build a home base. A half-day's walk from Deidon Hold and Quoi Woods in each direction. Practically on Zaphias' doorstep.

To some the Brave Vesperia headquarters were seen as a frontier operation; spreading the influence of the world's guilds across the globe. After all, someone had to help curb Zaphias' imperialistic habits.

Yuri had drifted off into a light snooze when footsteps descended a flight of stairs. He knew exactly whom that light step belonged to without opening his eyes.

"So what do you think?" he asked stretching out languidly.

"Of what?" came Judith's smooth reply as she sauntered over to Yuri's improvised couch.

Yuri shrugged, "Well, you know… home. A… safe place to kick back and relax."

"Hm, never had much of a home before," she said looking around at the bare walls. Her sensitive ears picked up Karol's footsteps, and the tap of Rapede's claws as they enthusiastically explored the upper levels of their new place.

She regarded Yuri before her lips spread into an easy genuine smile and said, "I think I like it."

Perhaps home was more than just a place to relax.

….

One month later.

A scene much like before, Yuri now lounged on a large pinkish flora print couch. He wasn't much for the color scheme, but it was a good couch. It was firm and cushiony in all the right places, and large enough for him to extend to the full length of his body. Despite its flaws, Yuri knew he was in love. He and this couch were made for each other.

Yuri signed, content. He really had to hand it to Karol and the Interior Decorator Princess for a job well done.

Curtains, rugs, furniture… this place was starting to look pretty cozy. Of course one might have to ignore the pile of all 'things metal and deadly' stacked in the corner. Judy had picked up some interesting habits in the past few weeks. She was becoming quite the collector, or should he say hoarder. They were going to have to talk about that someday.

The corner of Yuri's eyes teared as he yawned.

He didn't even bother to open his eyes when he heard the sound of keys in the door, which announce Karol and Judy's return. Speak of the devil…

The door groaned open and there was a large 'thump" as if something heavy was unceremoniously thrown into the corner. Like an oversized bag.

"Hey, welcome back-"

Yuri's greeting was met with angry feet thundering up stairs, which was quickly followed by a loud bang from a slamming bedroom door. Bad sign.

"… So how was it?"

Judith sat down gracefully next to a snoozing Rapede on a deep red love seat.

"Fine. We completed the task, and received pay," Judith stated.

Yuri blinked at the uncharacteristic terse tone in Judy's voice. Judy didn't give away much, but Yuri was slowly starting to scratch the surface of all her nuances. Simply put. She wasn't happy.

"What happened," Yuri sighed and sat up, throwing his arms up in a long stretch.

"They tried to cheat him." Judith's crimson gaze was flat and she crossed her arms over her ample chest.

Yuri let out an exasperated breath and dramatically threw himself back down onto the couch, "Again?"

"… Yes."

It wasn't exactly a secret that more than a handful of other guilds considered Brave Vesperia a joke. Yes, they've had some high profile missions and the backing of members from Altosk, but many couldn't look past the guild's 13-year-old leader. Or the fact that Karol's guild history had not always been reputable, considering he had joined and quit nearly a half a dozen guilds in the past.

More often than not Karol would get taken advantage of in an insidious form of mockery that set Yuri's blood boiling. The situation had gotten to a point where either he or Judith would always find excuses to accompany Karol on his solo missions as a reminder to all just who exactly they were dealing with.

Raven had warned him that gaining recognition would be no easy task among the old guild establishment.

Judith tilted her head to the side and grinned distantly, "But don't worry we managed to double the reward in the end."

Yuri's lips quirked into a knowing smile, "I bet."

"But…" she said slowly, "This is getting very tiresome."

She got up, and with one arm braced on the back, Judith leaned over the edge of the couch where Yuri's head lie. One of her antennae dangled off to the side.

Remembering his poker face, Yuri forced himself to meet Judith's gaze head on. He just looked up without saying anything, and absently he reached out to ghost the back of his finger along the soft edge of her light blue antennae. Judith used to move way when he unconsciously reached out to her, but lately she'd allow the occasional glancing touch.

Only partially distracted by they way she leaned her body over the couch, Yuri met her gaze equally. Neither smiled or had any other particular expression. This was another inexplicable development after they began to live together.

He wasn't sure when or how it started, but he always felt that he understood his mystifying friend just a little bit better, almost on an instinctual level after one of these staring sessions. Yuri gathered that it might be the same for Judy as well.

Yuri eventually broke the spell.

"Why don't we head on over the Dahngrest, all four of us." He said retracting his finger from Judith's thick blue plumage.

"Hm…I was thinking the same thing," Judith said her crimson eyes alight with an unspoken understanding.

Yuri's grinned turned ominous, "I think its time we showed our faces around there more often. Any body in particular you wanted to visit?"

Judith mirrored that dangerous smile in return. "Oh, there are a few people in mind that I would love to see."

The End