hotel: yuri

[shaft]

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[shaft]

[ He hasn't seen Garreg Mach since he was a student there, and it almost feels stranger to be there than the ruins of Derdriu.

A different place. A different Byleth.

He recoils on instinct, hates the feeling of familiarity the memory brings. Even if he'd made peace with Byleth at Wiwaldi, with the memory of his death so fresh in mind, he can feel a familiar anger boil up.

Back in the opium den, he just laughs humourlessly. ]

Wow, you and Byleth seemed quite close. I didn't know you were so willing to show your soft side, Yuri.

[ashenvaliant]

[ he tilts his head. ]

At that point it had been…. five years, since she’d been teaching the Deer. She’d nagged me about my people before in the past, so it wasn’t so much of a surprise she was doing it again.

[ … ]

Watching that felt… wrong. Even though I know all our worlds are different.

[shaft]

[ He shrugs, not about to run to Byleth's defense, even if it is one different than he's known. Not when he can still taste is blood on his tongue. ]

Your people... Are you referring to those that lived underneath Garreg Mach?

[ashenvaliant]

[ it's fine, he's not looking for byleth stans. each world is so similar, but the differences are stark enough that they make a huge impact. he's understanding that a little better with each passing day. ]

Living. And yes, those and others as well.

[shaft]

[ He tilts his head, happy to move the conversation along to Yuri. ]

What exactly were you fighting?

[ashenvaliant]

[ he tilts his head back. *yuri has not forgotten the memshare. ]

In what context?

[shaft]

To have lost people. What were you fighting?

[ashenvaliant]

... The war, Claude. Same one we've all had to deal with. My people aren't gathered under Garreg Mach their entire lives, and the fighting bled into all corners of Fódlan, you know that.

[shaft]

[ He shakes his head. ]

That much I could guess. But the way you spoke of it made it seem like it long predated the war.

Regardless... I'm sorry to hear it. The weight of a lost one isn't something that ever gets lighter.

[ashenvaliant]

The war made it worse. Sometimes it’s not as easy as saying “who were you fighting?” when the answer is everyone, one way or another.

[ he waves a hand slowly. ]

Like I said, my ways of coping are ultimately just for me. It doesn’t do the people who died anything. [ … ]

I have to ask though — this battle at Derdiru. Before or after Grondor Field?

[shaft]

[ True, but loss hurts more than just the person being lost. He wants to pursue it, but doesn't ignore the question. ]

There was no battle at Gronder in my timeline. The three armies never clashed... It was just Edelgard invading one after the other.

I assume, anyway, that she went after Fhirdiad after Derdriu.

[ashenvaliant]

… So, with the Professor behind her there wasn’t even a stand off. [ oof. ]

One would assume, yes.

[shaft]

[ tries not too obviously to be too bitter about this ]

You know, if you really trust someone, you should give them your real name.

[ashenvaliant]

[ YEAH, KHALID. ]

I barely use it as it is. Like I said, I enrolled in the academy under this name so for all intents and purposes it might as well be.

[shaft]

Hmm, not ready to bridge that last gap?

[ashenvaliant]

Are you... putting yourself on the same level as my own mother, Claude?

[shaft]

I meant with Byleth.

[ashenvaliant]

She doesn’t know.

[shaft]

So you don't trust her that much.

[ashenvaliant]

I thought the memory made it pretty clear. Only my own mother knows my name. There’s very few people I trust enough with it.

[shaft]

It's only a glimpse, and you could've very well grown closer after that.

In any case, I'm not going to pry. Personally, I think a person should be allowed their secrets.

[ashenvaliant]

You’re being rather persistent about it regardless. [ khalid ] But no. She’s not at the level I’d share my name with her.

[ she will never be s ranked because luca got there first ]

[shaft]

There's no helping my natural curiosity.

[ he shrugs ]

I'm sure she's heartbroken about it.

[ashenvaliant]

I doubt it.

[shaft]

I never have any idea what's going on in that head of hers, to be honest.