He'd known someone from that gang would try to get revenge, so he wasn't surprised to find himself cornered in an alley on the way back to the monastery one night. But these weren't just your run-of-the-mill thugs, these were pros. Well-trained, strong, fast enough to make sure he couldn't maneuver around them.
"Thought you were gonna get away with it, Mockingbird?"
They closed in so fast he didn't have time to move. Just like Count Varley's men. One leered into his eyes, stroking his face with the flat of his knife.
"Pretty bird," he crooned. Just like Count Rowe's nickname for me. "Such a shame you've gotta die, I'd like to have a little fun with you first." His stomach churned with disgust as he struggled to reach for his own dagger, but another one pushed him to the ground and stomped on his hand.
It was a blur after that, and when they finally left him alone he was sure this was it. This was where the Savage Mockingbird died. Mom...Mom, I'm sorry. Constance, Balthus, Hapi...looks like I won't be coming back this time...
Darkness set in around him, but just as he felt oblivion coming on someone lifted his wrist.
"I've got a pulse!" Something wrapped firmly around his arm, then his chest, a bright light pierced through his senses. His eyes fluttered open for a brief moment, looking into the concerned mint-green gaze of Ashe Ubert before he passed out.
He woke up in the familiar settings of the infirmary, groggy and still in pain, overwhelmed with the smell of herbs. Ashe was at his bedside, tying off a fresh bandage around his chest.
"Good, you're awake," Ashe sighed. "Looks like Mercedes and I got there just in time..."
"Why...?" He groaned. "What were you doing there, anyway...?" They'd become friends again during the school year, Ashe liked to visit the Abyss often. Had one of the other Ashen Wolves said something? Had he been asking around?
"I was patrolling the area with Mercedes and Caspar," Ashe said. Oh. That made sense. "Caspar heard the sounds of a fight, and I knew I recognized your voice..." He sighed, closing his eyes. "Thank goodness we got there when we did. Any sooner and you'd have..."
He swallowed, Yuri watching his throat bob with the intensity of it.
"I could've lost you."
"Don't-" He coughed, his throat feeling too dry all of a sudden. Ashe helped him raise his head to drink a few sips of water; it was room temperature at best but it felt like heaven going down. "I'm fine. I'm alive, aren't I?" Ashe sighed again.
"Only because we were lucky, all of us. If we hadn't been there, if we'd been even a moment late..." He smoothed Yuri's hair back. "I wish you didn't do such dangerous things. I know you don't have a choice, but I don't want to find you lying dead on the streets, or find out from someone else you won't be making it back this time."
Only his mother had ever said such things, and even she didn't pour it on quite so thick. She knew the situation they lived in, how close to death both of them had come several times. Ashe had a hard go of it before meeting Lord Lonato, even stealing and getting caught a few times, but he was still so naive, so sheltered from the worst humanity had to offer.
"Don't think I'm not grateful or anything," he said. "Just dunno why."
"Because we're friends," Ashe said. "Because I missed you when you stopped writing, and we were finally together again after you joined the Professor's class." He took Yuri's hand, rubbing the heel with his thumb. "I want us to stay together this time."
He'd been living with Count Rowe for a short while, knowing from the beginning the reasons he was there and trying to be satisfied with at least having a roof over his head and enough food to eat. But he was miserable, Gwendal was the only one who gave a damn about his well-being, and the night before he met Ashe Rowe had demanded some "personal time" with him.
He'd been hiding out in the forests near Gaspard when Ashe found him, opening up a Pandora's box of smiles and joy he'd never thought possible. After being sent down to the Abyss, he'd figured he'd never see Ashe again and that was that.
But here they were. Once again, Ashe had saved him at a low point.
"You're too good for a guy like me."
"Hey, I decide who's good enough for me and who's not," Ashe said. "I know I can't stop you, but if you have to do such dangerous things, from now on I'm going with you."
"What, so you can frighten the bad guys with the power of your cuteness?" Even at a moment like this, he couldn't resist flirting. "Just kidding, I know how lethal you are with that bow of yours." Ashe laughed.
"Looks like you're already on the mend if you're teasing me," he said. "I mean it, though."
"I know." It was nearly impossible for Ashe to lie about anything, his heart was permanently woven into his sleeve. "I guess I can't say no to such an offer...and the truth is, I liked catching up with you during the school year. I'd really missed you." Yuri tried to sit up to embrace him, but winced. Right, the injuries. For several moments he'd almost forgotten those guys nearly killed him.
"Careful!" Ashe checked the bandages. "Good, no bleeding. Let's do our best to survive this war together, okay?" Yuri smiled a little.
"If you're with me, I know you will."'