Snap
Disclaimer: No.
Summary: A collection of short one-shots based almost solely upon requests. Multiple characters, pairings, and alternate universes.
AN: So this is a series of short fics that I like to write at work when I'm bored out of my skull. They'll contain multiple characters, multiple pairings, and in fact you're more than welcome to make a request yourself. Whether it's in a PM, a review, or an ask on tumblr (sword-and-stars), I really don't mind! I'll post them as I write them.
Also, this probably goes without saying but the requests that get done faster are the ones that I like the most or are easiest for me. So of course you're welcome to request anything but I really like the ones that get my imagination going, like AUs and games twists. On with the show!
Morning
Yuri x Estelle!
Yuri has a habit of coming in through the window.
Estelle's pretty sure that he doesn't intend to scare her half to death and she knows why he does it, because he hates being in the castle and the only reason he ever wants to go there is to see her. He almost never lets her know in advance and it's almost always at night, which is probably part of the reason why he comes in through the window like a prowler and not through the front door.
There're different reasons, sometimes he comes by to chat, sometimes he's on the way back from a job and Zaphias is closer than any of the border towns and needs somewhere to crash, and sometimes…
Sometimes, like tonight, it's because he's injured.
Estelle's awake instantly when she hears the windows creak open and there's Yuri, looking like an absolute mess. There are sticks in his hair and mud smudges on his face and his right arm hangs at an unnatural angle, bleeding sluggishly.
"Yuri!" she exclaims and scrambles out of bed to meet him, nearly tripping over herself to get there, "What happened to you?"
He makes a grumpy face.
"Job went wrong. Got it done but…" he makes a helpless gesture at his arm and Estelle understands. He can heal bumps and bruises and cuts, which is why the one on his arm is half healed, but bones are something entirely different and should be left to a professional. And, well, Estelle's not really a professional but she knows plenty about healing and has done plenty of healing on Yuri, and she knows he hates doctors.
He doesn't even really like it when he has to deal with her, but he likes it better than going to a doctor.
"Right," Estelle says and tugs him over by his good arm to sit on her bed. Her guards would throw fits if they knew about this, so she doesn't breathe a word. It's none of their business anyway. This is between her and Yuri. "Sit here, okay?"
The broken arm is a cinch but she takes her time anyway, going deep with her artes at her fingertips to make sure that it really is good as new. Yuri sways a little where he sits and droops. He really does look exhausted and Estelle wants to ask him what his job was but would really rather he get some sleep instead. Normally when this happens he sprawls out on the immense sofa at the other end of the room but even if she wanted to, Estelle's not sure he's up to getting up and going over to it.
So instead she picks the sticks and leaves out of Yuri's hair and hands him a damp cloth to wipe his face.
"You're not going anywhere," she informs him and kneels down to unbuckle Yuri's left boot. "So get comfortable."
"Nah, it's—it's fine," Yuri mumbles and makes to get up, "It's fine, I'll just grab an inn or something—"
Estelle sighs and very gently pushes him down until he's practically engulfed in pillows.
"Don't be ridiculous," she chides, "You don't have a head injury, do you?"
Yuri smirks tiredly at her.
"No, no, I'm good."
"Good," Estelle tells him and brings the blanket up to tuck it around his shoulders. "Get some rest."
"I kicked its ass, you know."
"I have no doubts," she says quietly. Yuri's through protesting. He knows she's right and he knows that he's not getting over to the sofa much less an inn, much less Dahngrest, and Estelle relishes her victory. It's an advantage sometimes that when she takes her time the healing process makes him warm and sleepy (always has) because it means that he doesn't fight with her as much and she can do what she needs to, which right now is make sure that Yuri's safe and cared for. He passes out almost immediately and Estelle really means to grab a spare blanket and crash on the couch herself but the next thing she knows, a couple of minutes sitting down turns into several more, which turn into slumping over…
Until eventually she's stretched out next to Yuri in her own bed, which should concern her but Estelle really just doesn't care that much about it.
And that's how she falls asleep and somehow by morning she's plastered herself to Yuri's back like she's playing big spoon. He's still out by the time she wakes up and Estelle relishes the feeling of being warm and content in a nest of blankets with Yuri for so long that she falls asleep again.
And then when she wakes up again Yuri's twisted and is propped up on an elbow just in time to raise an eyebrow at her.
"Morning," he says, "Fancy meeting you here." The only indication that this doesn't happen every day is the dusting of color across his cheeks, and Estelle feels something start to purr in the pit of her stomach.
"Good morning!" she chimes back and beams, because his other arm is draped across her shoulders with no intention of being moved and Estelle can't help but feel like it belongs there. They stay like that for a while, Yuri quiet and indecipherable, Estelle quiet and not wanting to break whatever spell's been cast on the morning.
Yuri slips out the way he came in over an hour later right when it gets to the point that Estelle needs to be getting up, and Estelle?
The smile doesn't leave her face for the rest of the day.
AN2: Thank you for reading! As always for this fic, you're welcome to drop a prompt in the form of a review, a PM, or an ask.