When Things Come Back to Bite Us [Catch All]

[wolfstrike]

Characters: Yuri Lowell and YOU
Date: All of October
Location: Anywhere and Everywhere
Situation: All the Things
Warnings/Rating: None Yet

During October Yuri will be doing much of his same old routine. Working at the Hotel and doing stuff with Brave Vesperia. In face, he's looking for a meeting place other than the Hotel Lobby for guild meetings. His location of choice being a foreigner house in the Sky Sector that he's actually thinking of taking residence in. Sorry Anton, but Yuri's getting a little tired of not having a window in his room. 

[Dove - Shortly After the Chihuelans Leave]
After the Chihuelans make their departure, Yuri's gone off outside the city to unwind a bit. His pent up anger and frustration over the whole situation needing some release in the form of practicing his artes. He does this throughout the day until he finally gets tired and settles himself in a meadow that evening. He's laying there lazily on the grass, arms folded behind his head as he stares up at the sky in quiet pondering. 

The stars are definitely different here. There's no bright beacon that is Brave Vesperia, nor is there a threatening darkness whose tendrils snaked across the sky. The latter he's certainly grateful for, though the threats in this place are just as real, if not as visible. It's times like this that he misses having Repede at his side. His canine friend having always been with him for the past several years until he came here. The two knowing each other so well that they practically knew what the other was thinking and feeling. He missed his friends too. Estelle's naive bumbling little princess self, Karol's enthusiasm, Judy's wit, even Rita's sass and Raven's stupid jokes. He had gotten used to them being around all the time and things felt a little lonely without them. 

Letting out a sigh, Yuri continued to muse silently to himself. 

Comments

[wolfstrike]

"People were dying. I couldn't just stand around," Yuri said solemnly.

In the end he couldn't prevent them all from being caught and killed but he hoped his efforts spared a few of them.

[phoenixstrut]

"Yeah..." she agreed, dropping her gaze back to her knees. "I'm just glad it's over."

[wolfstrike]

"For now. I don't think we've seen the last of them."

He sighed quietly, looking up at the stars once more. But his attention suddenly shifted when there was a rustling among some nearby trees and bushes. Yuri stood up, clutching his sword just in case.

[phoenixstrut]

She held back a sigh. Most guys obsessed over things, right? At least his was justice...

The rustling made her draw her head up as well, and she followed his gaze curiously. "It's probably just Era..." she told him, hoping she was right. She really didn't have the energy to fight at the moment...

[wolfstrike]

Right, Era.

But then there was the sound of a bark that distinctly belonged to a dog.

"Uh... Can Era do that?"

Because he didn't know of any dogs in Keeliai. Valdis made it plane she wasn't one.

[phoenixstrut]

She nodded. He hadnt taken the form of a dog since they had arrived on the turtle, but he had been a wolf a few times...

Lifting her hand, she brought fire to her palm, the beacon she called her companion with. "Era?"

.......the large bird swooped down from the treeline opposite of the rustling, turned into a small flash of fire, then dropped into her lap as the same kitten as always, waggling his paws lazily up at her.

"...."

[wolfstrike]

Yuri watched as Era came swooping down then landed in Dove's lap as a kitten.

"..... Definitely not Era," he pointed out.

His gaze then went back to the treeline as the rustling continued and a shadowy figure emerged. Yuri couldn't see the details at first but he did see the swaying of a familiar sweeping thin tail.

"Repede?"

But as it drew closer, two shining eyes looked back at him instead of one. The wane moonlight also glinted off some armor.

It was at that point that Yuri suddenly dropped his sword.

[phoenixstrut]

A dog in armor...?

Repede?

Her mind immediately went back to his dream. That did look like the same dog... minus the scar across its eye. Wait... hadn't there been another one...? Something made the memory uneasy.

In the few split seconds it took to process this, Yuri's mood had swung from calm to absolute disbelief, and alarmed, she turned her head back toward him. "Yuri? What's-- gah!"

Era, impatient and suddenly too curious for his own good, squirmed free from the angel's gentle hold and took off sprinting toward the newcomer as fast as his short little kitten legs could carry him.

[wolfstrike]

When Era bounded over to him, the dog paused and dipped his head to sniff at the kitten cordially.

Yuri however continued to stand there in utter shock and disbelief.

"It can't be..." He said quietly to himself. "Lambert?"

The dog then looked up and slowly wagged his tail, then approached once more.

His emotions betraying him, a bit of moisture started to gather at the corners of Yuri's eyes as he bent down to the dog's level. "But you... I..."

[phoenixstrut]

Dove let her hand fall to the grass beside her, a smaller flame licking at her fingers as she silently called Era back to her. The kitten looked up at the humans, realized the gravity of the situation, and returned to the angel's side, only pausing to look up at Yuri as the man knelt.

Dove watched in quiet awe, her eyes widening at the twist in her boyfriend's emotions. For now, she would remain quiet, unwilling to interrupt their moment, and would cuddle Era to her chest as he climbed into her lap for a better view.

[wolfstrike]

As Lambert came up to him, Yuri felt like he was that smart mouthed punk knight again. The dog sniffing at him. While Lambert certainly recognized Yuri he knew that the man was different, but accepted this.

Lambert had never actually belonged to Yuri, they had formed a partnership and a bond. Enough that Yuri had called him friend. It had been years ago, but seeing Lambert here... and alive, brought the memories flooding back him as if they had just happened. Reopening the old wounds anew.

"I'm sorry..." Yuri said at last.

Lambert looked back at Yuri in that quietly serious way, with understanding in his eyes. Despite the informality of it all, he then licked Yuri's face once in forgiveness and looked at him again meaningfully. It wasn't difficult for him to put the pieces together. Lambert vaguely knew what was about to happen to him when that creature attacked and also knew that Yuri would have done his duty.

[phoenixstrut]

She watched the exchange in silence, her wings finally fading from her back.

Her heart beat a step quicker as his emotions rolled, flooding her with a passion she couldn't place. She wanted to comfort him... but it wasn't her place right now.

[wolfstrike]

Yuri finally smiled and placed a hand on the dog's head. Lambert wasn't Repede, he wasn't truly his dog, but he would be damned if he didn't do everything he could to take care of him here.

He still could hardly believe it. Lambert was supposed to be dead, but Yuri knew how this place worked. The dog was from his past, taken some time before his demise.

Yuri then stood and looked over at Dove, a blink as he suddenly remembered she was there.

"Uh... Dove this is Lambert. Lambert, Dove."

The dog looked over at her and tipped his head slightly in acceptance.

[phoenixstrut]

A small smile lot her face as one finally broke out across Yuri's, and when he addressed her, she rose to her feet, set Wra on the ground next to her, and approached carefully. Animals loved her... Another angel perk. Hopefully Lambert would feel the same.

"Hello, Lambert," she greeted, extending a hand.

[wolfstrike]

Lambert sniffed at the offered hand, and then sat, looking up at the both of them. He knew Yuri, and would definitely stay with him in this strange place. He was also not a stupid dog, and could tell there was a connection between the two humans. Lambert having no concept of Angels, though he could tell she was a bit different somehow. He thus accepted her as well. He was a well trained dog and easy enough to get along with as long as you didn't pose a threat.

"This is Repede's dad. Repede is my dog back home." He couldn't quite remember how much he told her about Repede.

At the mention of his son's name, Repede looked back at Yuri.

"We've taken good care of each other," he assured Lambert, who looked satisfied with that answer.

[phoenixstrut]

With Lambert's acceptance, Dove brushed her palm across the top of his head, scratching just behind his ears for a few seconds before letting him go. He seemed like a very refined dog that may or may not appreciate a lot of affection. "Ah, I see..." she nodded, looking back up at Yuri. "They do look the same..." She remembered from his dream, vividly.

"Will he be staying with us, then?" ... "You, I mean."

Blush.

[wolfstrike]

"Yeah," Yuri said resolutely. "I'm sure Anton won't mind."

Though Yuri couldn't help a small grin at Dove's little mistake there. Or was it a mistake?

[phoenixstrut]

She playfully frowned at him, though her blush deepened at his grin.

She sobered quickly though as she realized why she might have slipped.

"I miss you."

[wolfstrike]

His grin then faded to a knowing smile.

"Yeah... me too. Sorry, I was kinda busy since the Chihuelans came."

[phoenixstrut]

She met his eyes with grace, softening. It was hard not to just let it go, but she knew if she didn't address it now, it would bother her even worse the next time. And she was sure there would be a next time.

"Busy, or just... Distant..?

[wolfstrike]

Yuri paused and then sat himself down again. Lambert settling himself down nearby, sensing that the humans needed their time.

He always did like to skirt things, to act like there was nothing wrong, but she had called him out on it.

"I know how sensitive you are," he explained lamely. "It was better for you not to be around me."

[phoenixstrut]

She stayed quiet a moment, then took a seat near him again, this time leaning off to the side on her hip. His intentions were sweet, in their own way, but the distance had been worse than the conflicting emotions. She shook her head fondly, a fading smile peeking from the corners of her mouth. She hated that her gifts sometimes made her dangerous... Or at least, made others uncomfortable at times.

"I appreciate the idea..." she told him earnestly, "I really do. But I'm a big girl, Yuri... I can handle it." A slight grin. "Even chaotic hearts are better than being apart so long."

Besides... She didn't know how much time they would have together; either of them could be sent home at any moment. The thought of wasting any of what the did have seemed sinful.

[wolfstrike]

Yuri didn't look at her as she spoke. Gazing distantly at nothing in particular while he listened, quietly stoic as he reflected on the past few weeks.

"I was angry, Dove. I wanted to kill her," Yuri then admitted.

"The Justicar," he then clarified.

[phoenixstrut]

She closed her eyes as a chill ran down her spine. Of course... And he meant it. He was just as difficult as she had thought...

"And I would have stopped you," she added for him, shrugging before sitting up and loosely wrapping her arms around herself.

[wolfstrike]

Yuri said nothing in reply. Because there was nothing to say. She had finished the thought for him and he wasn't going to deny it. She knew his past, and thus knew he could have done it if he had decided to. But he hadn't, obviously something had held him back.

Lambert listened keenly nearby, but he was also still and silent.