That modified Rising Falcon we were working on! I pulled it off! You were right, the wings gave me so much more speed once I figured out exactly when to pull them out. I think this opens up so much and once I got the hang of it, it really wasn't that hard to use them!
Are you free? I want to show you. You don't stand a chance next time we fight!
[ Flynn saying "you were right" even over text feels really good. Things still aren't perfect between them, but Flynn seems determined to make sure things are okay, and Yuri is going to follow his lead, at least for now. If he isn't weirded out by everything, then why should Yuri be? ]
You're always in the forest these days. I'm just in my backyard. Still need to level it into a proper training area, but it works as long as I'm careful not to crash into the roses. That's a mistake you only really make once.
[ Yuri got a little lost in cooking, making extra so Flynn can have some too. When he gets the text he laughs and peers out the broken window of his little house.
[ Oh thank the goddess. How can all these trees look so similar? There are paths and everything! Flynn really needs to explore around here more often.
Yuri's voice, though, is coming from somewhere to the right, and relief washes over Flynn more strongly than it maybe should. He laughs at himself and his own worry and starts jogging toward it. ]
[ Yuri leans out the window, watching until Flynn comes into view on the path below. He can see Yuri high up in a tree, in a decrepit little house. Yuri gives him a wave ]
Hey, man. Yeah, you should.
[ Even if... Yuri is the one who didn't invite him over. ]
[ Oh, it's so far up! How has Flynn not seen this before? This is really where Yuri's been sleeping? It's certainly protected, nestled up there in the branches. ]
Be right there!
[ So much hubris today. Flynn calls that, circling the trunk, looking for a way up, but... there aren't even any branches close enough for him to jump to. Flynn frowns, putting his hands on his hips for a moment as he surveys the base. ]
[ Yuri blinks down at him. Right, Flynn was never that great at climbing, and Yuri mostly gets up here as a cat. ]
...no. Huh. Maybe I should get one.
[ He won't be getting one. But he does watch Flynn circling around down below, and it gives him the impression of a predator, or of Repede, and he snorts a laugh. ]
Hold on.
[ He slips back inside, and packs up a little rucksack of food. At least he had the forethought to get some containers. He transforms into a panther (at least that's one of the ones he can do on command), and takes the bag in his mouth before trying his best to keep it levels as he climbs down the tree.
He mostly manages it and lands near Flynn, holding the bag out for him with a growled huff ]
[ The breath of laughter escapes before Flynn can really stop it, and he can't really stop it from coming out now, or turning into proper laughter, watching Yuriâsleek-furred and stalkingâholding out food for him. He's still laughing as he bends, accepting the bag. It smells incredible. ]
You should look like a monster like this, but it's actually pretty cute.
[ Yuri growls, then snaps at him, without really meaning anything by it. He transforms back into his human self, crouched down on the ground before he drops to his ass and rolls his eyes. ]
Yep, that's me. A real monster. Sit.
[ He hasn't even asked if Flynn wants food, but he's getting fed anyway. Yuri's tail twitches on the ground, an unconscious response to Flynn calling him "cute" ]
[ Sit. Flynn's already moving to follow the order, folding himself neatly down across from Yuri, when the implication hits him. Yuri came down here to eat with him, and handed the bag to Flynn. But Yuri was already...
Huh. Flynn considers that a moment, looking down at the food, and then over to Yuri, his tail lashing like he's, what, embarrassed?
...cute.
Flynn lets the thought pass, wonders at it only long enough to acknowledge the little flutter in his belly before he starts unpacking Yuri's little containers for him. ]
It's so strange, watching you change like that. You changed back so easily this time.
[ Which is... weird to say. To not have Flynn know. Even if he was the one who was staying away from Flynn, it still feels wrong. Flynn used to know everything about him, and still did, until not very long ago. He watches Flynn unpack the bag, his hands on his own knees. Huh. Does he still want Flynn to know everything about him? Is his potential to do this alone?
He doesn't know.
He takes the container and opens it up. The smell of curry wafts through the air. ]
Y'know they don't have mabo curry here? Took forever to find all the ingredients.
[ He picks up one of the spoons and takes a bite from the container. He didn't bring plates, or really think ahead about this at all. At least it tastes good, almost perfect, and Flynn taking so long meant he could make rice too, nestled at the bottom of the container. ]
[ The the first thing that hits Flynn when he opens his own containerâYuri really did make enough for himâis how familiar and comfortable it smells. He has to sit there a moment, eyes closed, with a smile he doesn't quite realize is there. The container is warm in his palms.
Something bright and hot and a little painful flares in his belly. Flynn stifles it with a bite of curry, does his best not to make any noise about how tasty it is, and fails. It's so good. ]
I keep running into things like that. Things I think should be here, but aren't.
[ ...another bite. How long has it been since Yuri cooked for him? Or near him, or shared his food? They'd eaten travel rations in Ghasfarost tower, and before that they'd eaten most of their meals in the mess at the castle.
He looks up at Yuri around another spoonful. ]
It tastes just like home. Thank you. You didn't have to make enough for me.
[ Yuri shrugs a shoulder. It's ingrained habit, now. How could he just make enough food for himself? Homesickness hits him in a wave, homesickness for Zaphias, for the Comet, for sharing meals with Flynn in the group home, for fighting with him over the stove, and fighting with him over spices. He misses home. He misses his friends. He misses being on the road, but mostly, he misses home. It's been so long since he's been there, now. Months, even before the fox brought him here.
How can his potential be this far from home that he doesn't even know which direction home is anymore?
He realizes he didn't respond, and looks back up at Flynn with a small frown ]
[ Flynn looks up at him, too, his lips parted in surprise. Not that Yuri is thinking about the same thingâthat happens too often, even now, for it to be startlingâbut that he sounds like he actually wants to hear Flynn's opinion.
How long has it been since Yuri sought that kind of thing out?
Guilt tightens Flynn's belly. He swallows and lets his spoon rest, thinking on it. If Yuri's really asking, then he deserves a well-thought-out answer. ]
...I don't know.
[ Not the most comforting, though. Flynn, still watching him, tries again. ]
We remember the same thing, right? Leaving our... selves, it seemed like, to continue down the path we were on, and instead coming here to try something new. Based on what I saw, it doesn't seem like we're able to go home, but I can't square that with everything that we're working on. Why work to better ourselves and live up to our full potential if we can't go back to where we started and put all of that effort to use? I don't know that we're going to go home, but I'm operating under the assumption that we will. I don't know what else I could believe. There's so much left to do.
[ It isn't the answer he wanted to hear, but it's the one he would have given too. He nods slowly, pushing his curry around in his bowl ]
Yeah. Why are we trying to work on ourselves if, if it's for nothing? I don't want to be here forever. I don't want a new life. My old one was-- [ not fine, exactly, but ] I have stuff to do.
[ Stuff to do, like killing a man. ]
Maybe we go back the way we came here? Just... slip back into our lives, like nothing happened, only we're better? [ Or worse. Goddess, is Yuri any better, yet? He's pretty sure the only thing that's different about him now is that Flynn's come in his mouth ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
text; un:scifo; late june 1 / 2
2 / 2
Are you free? I want to show you. You don't stand a chance next time we fight!
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i knew it would work
[ Flynn saying "you were right" even over text feels really good. Things still aren't perfect between them, but Flynn seems determined to make sure things are okay, and Yuri is going to follow his lead, at least for now. If he isn't weirded out by everything, then why should Yuri be? ]
im free. im in the forest, you close by?
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Where in the forest, exactly?
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i can help
im sure one of these animals i can turn into is good at moving dirt
probably???
leshy. you know it?
its fine though i can come to you
just need to finish cooking
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if you get lost ill come find you
[ no one has seen his place, but he doesn't really mind if flynn does for some reason ]
1 / 2
[ Someone is RADIATING confidence after all his success this morning. ]
2 / 2, roughly an hour later
It's marked at ground level, right?
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Calling out: ]
Flynn? Can you hear me?
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Yuri's voice, though, is coming from somewhere to the right, and relief washes over Flynn more strongly than it maybe should. He laughs at himself and his own worry and starts jogging toward it. ]
Down here! Clearly, I haven't been here enough!
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Hey, man. Yeah, you should.
[ Even if... Yuri is the one who didn't invite him over. ]
Come on up.
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Be right there!
[ So much hubris today. Flynn calls that, circling the trunk, looking for a way up, but... there aren't even any branches close enough for him to jump to. Flynn frowns, putting his hands on his hips for a moment as he surveys the base. ]
...Yuri? Do you have a ladder?
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...no. Huh. Maybe I should get one.
[ He won't be getting one. But he does watch Flynn circling around down below, and it gives him the impression of a predator, or of Repede, and he snorts a laugh. ]
Hold on.
[ He slips back inside, and packs up a little rucksack of food. At least he had the forethought to get some containers. He transforms into a panther (at least that's one of the ones he can do on command), and takes the bag in his mouth before trying his best to keep it levels as he climbs down the tree.
He mostly manages it and lands near Flynn, holding the bag out for him with a growled huff ]
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[ The breath of laughter escapes before Flynn can really stop it, and he can't really stop it from coming out now, or turning into proper laughter, watching Yuriâsleek-furred and stalkingâholding out food for him. He's still laughing as he bends, accepting the bag. It smells incredible. ]
You should look like a monster like this, but it's actually pretty cute.
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Yep, that's me. A real monster. Sit.
[ He hasn't even asked if Flynn wants food, but he's getting fed anyway. Yuri's tail twitches on the ground, an unconscious response to Flynn calling him "cute" ]
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Huh. Flynn considers that a moment, looking down at the food, and then over to Yuri, his tail lashing like he's, what, embarrassed?
...cute.
Flynn lets the thought pass, wonders at it only long enough to acknowledge the little flutter in his belly before he starts unpacking Yuri's little containers for him. ]
It's so strange, watching you change like that. You changed back so easily this time.
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[ Which is... weird to say. To not have Flynn know. Even if he was the one who was staying away from Flynn, it still feels wrong. Flynn used to know everything about him, and still did, until not very long ago. He watches Flynn unpack the bag, his hands on his own knees. Huh. Does he still want Flynn to know everything about him? Is his potential to do this alone?
He doesn't know.
He takes the container and opens it up. The smell of curry wafts through the air. ]
Y'know they don't have mabo curry here? Took forever to find all the ingredients.
[ He picks up one of the spoons and takes a bite from the container. He didn't bring plates, or really think ahead about this at all. At least it tastes good, almost perfect, and Flynn taking so long meant he could make rice too, nestled at the bottom of the container. ]
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Something bright and hot and a little painful flares in his belly. Flynn stifles it with a bite of curry, does his best not to make any noise about how tasty it is, and fails. It's so good. ]
I keep running into things like that. Things I think should be here, but aren't.
[ ...another bite. How long has it been since Yuri cooked for him? Or near him, or shared his food? They'd eaten travel rations in Ghasfarost tower, and before that they'd eaten most of their meals in the mess at the castle.
He looks up at Yuri around another spoonful. ]
It tastes just like home. Thank you. You didn't have to make enough for me.
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How can his potential be this far from home that he doesn't even know which direction home is anymore?
He realizes he didn't respond, and looks back up at Flynn with a small frown ]
Do you think we'll ever go home?
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How long has it been since Yuri sought that kind of thing out?
Guilt tightens Flynn's belly. He swallows and lets his spoon rest, thinking on it. If Yuri's really asking, then he deserves a well-thought-out answer. ]
...I don't know.
[ Not the most comforting, though. Flynn, still watching him, tries again. ]
We remember the same thing, right? Leaving our... selves, it seemed like, to continue down the path we were on, and instead coming here to try something new. Based on what I saw, it doesn't seem like we're able to go home, but I can't square that with everything that we're working on. Why work to better ourselves and live up to our full potential if we can't go back to where we started and put all of that effort to use? I don't know that we're going to go home, but I'm operating under the assumption that we will. I don't know what else I could believe. There's so much left to do.
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Yeah. Why are we trying to work on ourselves if, if it's for nothing? I don't want to be here forever. I don't want a new life. My old one was-- [ not fine, exactly, but ] I have stuff to do.
[ Stuff to do, like killing a man. ]
Maybe we go back the way we came here? Just... slip back into our lives, like nothing happened, only we're better? [ Or worse. Goddess, is Yuri any better, yet? He's pretty sure the only thing that's different about him now is that Flynn's come in his mouth ]
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[ Flynn says, with a fractured little laugh. ]
I wish I had a better answer. I wish I knew for sure. All I can say for certain is that what I was doing before obviously wasn't working.
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What do you mean, it wasn't working? You just got promoted.
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Getting promoted wasn't my goal. Holding people like Ragou accountable was my goal, and obviously that isn't... it's not working.
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