Shortly after Ashe was adopted by Lonato, there was a boy just a little bit older than him. He met this boy strolling around the shops, looking utterly bored despite the charming smile on his face, and they became fast friends. They played together as much as they could, spent many of the fancy gatherings glued to each other's side, until one day that boy was gone. Not just "gone off to the Officers Academy;" at least then he and Ashe still sent letters every week. One day he never got a reply to his latest letter, and that was it. Count Rowe refused to speak of it, Lonato presumably didn't know anything.
It's been years, Ashe is a student at the Officers Academy now, and Lonato is gone. But when he offers to accompany Prince Dimitri below Garreg Mach, he recognizes the boy immediately.
Except, of course, he's no longer a boy, and he's beautiful. Granted, Yuri was always beautiful, but he's absolutely breathtaking now, even with his weapon poised to attack Ashe and the others.
"Let's get you home. I bet Count Rowe is worried about you," he says, but Yuri rebuffs him with a swing of his blade and Ashe is forced to fight back. It's nothing short of a miracle that, with Edelgard's help, he's able to disarm Yuri and best him without doing too much damage.
--
Everything after that is a blur. Countless soldiers attacking them, sentient golems, the Chalice of Beginning, Aelfric's betrayal, rescuing Yuri from the vortex before putting the cardinal out of his misery. Between all of this, Ashe and Yuri have little time to reconnect, and it's not until they face Aelfric that he realizes why Yuri was so much colder and more distant than he remembered.
"Don't worry so much," he tries to console Ashe even as he lies recovering on a bed in the infirmary. "I've gotten myself out of way worse than this." Ashe just barely stops himself from asking; he wants to know what Yuri's been up to and how he ended up below Garreg Mach in the first place, but he doesn't want to pry and a small part of him isn't sure he can handle knowing.
So he settles for making small talk, nothing too deep or personal. He used to be able to tell Yuri anything, but now he just feels awkward and he doesn't know why.
"I'm glad you're safe," he says as Yuri begins to nod off. He reaches for his hand, reconsiders, and jerks it back only for Yuri to take it anyway. "Oh..."
"We used to hold hands as kids, didn't we? Whenever we went off somewhere new? This is fine." Yuri yawns, smiling a little. "I missed you, sparrow." Ashe closes his eyes, the warmth flowing through him almost overwhelming.
I missed you too, more than you'll ever know.
--
Yuri rejoins the Blue Lions, and they slowly make up for lost time. They share meals, Yuri helps Ashe with his math lessons, they catch up. Yuri is sympathetic when Ashe talks about the business with Lonato.
"I keep telling myself he shouldn't have let the Western Church sway him," Ashe sighs. "But would he have rebelled anyway, after what happened to Christophe? I know Lady Rhea was upset with him, but why couldn't she just have him arrested?"
"Because not everyone's willing to give you a second chance in life, that's why," Yuri says bluntly. "And sometimes if you do get a second chance it's because someone wants something from you. Lady Rhea didn't see any use for Lonato, therefore he had to die." Ashe clenches his fist.
"It's not fair, though!"
"Damn right it isn't," Yuri sighs. "Lonato was a good guy. Anytime he'd catch me bumming around Gaspard because Count Rowe was in a snit he'd invite me over. And you'd bake cookies for me and smile and I'd forget all about my problems. Then you'd wish Lonato could have taken us both in so we'd be together all the time." Ashe blushes, it was a naive thought back then and it's still one now.
"I can still bake you cookies, or cook anything else you'd like," he offers.
"Only if you let me cook for you in return." Yuri grins, Ashe's cheeks heat up even more, and he nods.
"I-I'd like that."
--
It doesn't take Ashe long to realize why he feels so strange around Yuri. Not that he's never had a crush before, half of the Blue Lions have made his pulse race and his cheeks flush. But it's so different with Yuri. He feels anxious and awkward around him, but that just makes him want to spend more time with him.
Yuri keeps helping him with his math, and Ashe gets a perfect score on the next test. When he tells Yuri, he nearly kisses him as thanks before they pull back and try to pretend nothing almost happened.
Then, one day, the professor approaches them.
"Ashe," she says, "Yuri has a surprising amount of potential with the bow. Your skill level is such that I think you would be the perfect tutor for him outside of class." But there are so many archers better than him, Ashe thinks. Shamir, for example, or Leonie or Claude or Bernadetta. But I'd get to spend even more time with him, how can I say no?
"I'd be honored," he manages, praying neither Yuri nor the professor notice the stammer in his voice. "I can start anytime, too! Right now, even!" Yuri laughs.
"Aren't you the eager sparrow. But I was thinking maybe tomorrow after class," he says. "In the meantime, why don't I buy you dinner as thanks?" Ashe's entire face goes volcanic, his heart doing somersaults. Yuri's always been a bit of a flirt, he shouldn't take it this seriously. But there's something in his tone, in his expression that suggests more than just flirting.
Or at least, Ashe wants to believe. But I'm just a kid compared to him, he's grown up handsome and worldly and I'm still a scruffy-haired kid who doesn't understand knighthood beyond his books. Finally, he nods, hoping that's enough of an answer. His tongue is stuck to the roof of his mouth, his voice refusing to obey.
"Great." Yuri picks up his sword manual. "I'm due back at the Abyss to check up on some things, but I'll see you later? Meet me in front of the gate."
"R-right! I'll be there!" Ashe nods again. The professor just looks at him, her usually expressionless eyes teasing. "Don't-"
"I wasn't going to say anything," she murmurs, patting his shoulder as she walks back into the classroom. Ashe hurries to his room, taking out the few extra clothes he brought along. Mostly Christophe's hand-me-downs, but there's a thick wool coat Lonato bought him shortly before he left.
It's not nearly as cold in Garreg Mach as it is in Faerghus, but he sets it aside to wear anyway.
--
It's not a date, he keeps telling himself. Even though Yuri's dressed up a bit too, holds his hand when they walk into town, and pays for them both. It's not a date.
Somehow he makes it through the meal without spilling anything or making an idiot of himself. Occasionally, his gaze will catch Yuri's, and for a moment he'll let himself think that maybe, just maybe there's a spark of something more there.
"Hey." Yuri's holding out his fork. "You've got to try this." Ashe reaches for the fork-only for it to make its way towards his mouth. Oh... Despite knowing this isn't just a "friendly" gesture, he opens his mouth to accept the forkful of grilled pheasant. He's never had it cooked this way before, and he strongly dislikes the fried cheese-filled variety at Garreg Mach.
But this is delicious, and because he can't let someone give to him without giving back, he offers Yuri a bite of his fish stir-fry.
"Amazing," Yuri murmurs as he swallows. "Such a simple dish, yet it tastes divine. Maybe because you were the one feeding me." Ashe nearly drops the fork, and Yuri snickers. "I'm kidding!" But his cheeks are pink, and Ashe lets himself believe otherwise.
The walk back to the monstery is quiet and pleasant, and the whole way Ashe wonders if Yuri will kiss him. He's both relieved and disappointed when he doesn't.
--
The next day is their first archery lesson. Ashe spent the better part of the early morning reading his bow manuals and making sure his weapon and the training bow for Yuri were in perfect shape, and when Yuri meets him on the training grounds he feels like he's waiting for a date.
But if last night wasn't a date, this certainly isn't. It's practice, I'm going to be his tutor. That's all it is.
Yuri arrives in his normal clothes, looking devastatingly beautiful as usual. This is important, Ashe. Focus.
"Hope I'm not late!" Ashe smiles, trying not to look like he's been on pins and needles all morning.
"You're right on time," he says. "We'll go over the basics first. Did you finish the manual the professor gave you?" Yuri nods.
"I read through it twice. I mean, it looks easy, but I bet once I've got that bow in my hands I'll realize it's not," he says with a laugh. "But I'll try not to make your job too hard." Ashe hands him the training bow, steadies his nerves, and the lesson begins. Sure enough, Yuri doesn't take to it right away; his aim is perfect, but his hands are used to holding a blade and it shows. Of the ten arrows he fires only one hits the target, and the others fall at his feet before he can shoot.
"Archery is about distance," Ashe says as arrow number eleven misses its mark. "You've got it too close to your chest, you need enough distance to nock the arrow or you'll stick yourself."
"Oh, right." Yuri moves the bow away from himself, but it's at the wrong angle and the arrow's not lined up properly. "Not sure why the professor thinks I'd be good at this, really. My style's all about being able to land a blow if I'm backed into a corner, and archers tend to be sitting ducks."
"Once you get good enough you will be able to counter up close," Ashe says, "but first you need to get the hang of holding the bow. Here, let me help you." And without thinking he sets his own weapon down and positions himself behind Yuri, moving his hands until the bow is in a proper upright position, far away from his body with the arrow nocked perfectly. "Okay, try it now."
This time, the shot lands between the bulls-eye and the outer ring, and Ashe smiles.
"Now you're getting closer! Now, let's see if you can get it in the center...unless you want to try it yourself?"
"You think I'm ready? I mean...maybe you better help me out a little more." Yuri almost sounds flustered, and Ashe can feel his shoulders tensing a bit against his chest. Their bodies are pressed so close together, and Ashe is just trying so hard not to think about that; it's no different from how Christophe held his hands when he was learning to use a bow.
But he's so warm, and he trusts me, he needs me.
"All right," he murmurs. They both reach for one of the fallen arrows, their hands brush, and Yuri nearly drops his bow. "Easy now..."
It's almost torture, having to keep a straight face and a serious attitude when being this close to Yuri feels so right; how can he focus on arrow trajectory and distance and all that other stuff when he still remembers how badly he wanted Yuri to kiss him last night? He can't even mentally debate whether or not he should have gone for it himself, not right now.
But somehow, he makes it through the rest of the lesson. By then, Yuri's hold on the bow is nearly perfect.
"Too bad it's gotta end so soon, huh?" Yuri grins. "I was looking forward to shooting my first bulls-eye!"
"I'm sure you will with just a bit more practice," Ashe says as they gather the fallen arrows and put the bows neatly away. "We'll meet again tomorrow, same time?"
"I'll be there with bells on." Yuri leans forward for a split second, then jerks back. "Anyway, I've gotta get back to the Abyss! See you later." Ashe reaches up to touch his cheek, except he's got no reason to. He was going to, wasn't he? And he was acting so oddly during the lesson...
Or is it just wishful thinking on his part? There's no way someone as beautiful and worldly and experienced could see a scruffy, naive boy like him as anything more than a little brother. Yuri probably looks at him and thinks of the days when he tried to carry Ashe on his back, or held his hand in the dark during a visit to Rowe while reassuring him there weren't any ghosts on the upper floor.
It's fine, though. We're good friends again, he didn't forget me, and that's enough.
--
Yuri manages his very first bulls-eye on the third day of their lessons, and by the end of the week he's such a natural it's almost like that first difficult day never even happened.
"Looks like I don't need you to hold my hands anymore," he says in such a way that Ashe can't tell if he's teasing or genuinely disappointed. In Ashe's opinion, Yuri hasn't needed his hands held since day two, but of course he couldn't bring himself to let go and if Yuri wanted him to, he'd have said something. Which of course made Ashe wonder even more if his just my imagination, wishful thinking moments were being validated somehow.
"I'm proud of you," he says. "The bow's a good fit for you, the professor was right." The blush on Yuri's cheeks is most certainly not his imagination.
"Funny how she seems to know everything, huh?"
"Yeah." Ashe smiles. "Well...that's all for today, then. Next week we'll start working on a few combat arts, starting with-"
He's kissed. One minute he's talking, the next minute Yuri's holding his hands, drawing him close, pressing their lips together, and Ashe wonders if he's randomly slipped into a daydream. But he didn't hit his head, not even recently, he's the picture of health, and he knows he's awake. Yuri is kissing him.
So he kisses back, pouring every ounce of longing he's had since finding Yuri in the Abyss into it. He never wants this moment to end, but all good things must, and soon they're parting for breath. Ashe's heart races, Yuri's cheeks are flushed, and he looks almost shy.
"I've been wanting to do that for so long now," Yuri confesses, and Ashe's eyes widen.
"How long?"
"Since the day I left for the Officers Academy. When we said goodbye, and I promised to write before I broke it and got myself thrown in the Abyss." Yuri smiles. "I spent years worrying I'd never see you again." Ashe laughs shakily, his knees going weak with relief.
"So all that time..."
"You were worrying over nothing," Yuri laughs, and Ashe's eyes fill with tears as they embrace. He feels so warm, so familiar and comforting, and Ashe wishes they could just stay like this forever. But alas, they have classes this afternoon.
But tomorrow is a free day.
"Let's go out tomorrow," he says, "or to the library, or just anywhere we can be alone."
"How about I take you down to the Abyss?" Yuri offers. "The Shadow Library's never crowded, and everyone there pretty much minds their own business. Not the most romantic spot, I know, but..."
"No." Ashe snuggles closer to him. "No, that's perfect."
Anywhere is romantic as long as he can be with Yuri. Their lips meet again, briefly, and soon the clock tower is chiming. It's time for class.
"Tomorrow, then?" he whispers.
"It's a date." Yuri's hand lingers on his cheek as they part, Ashe makes sure all the weapons are back in place, and they join the others in the classroom.
For once in the five moons he's been here, Ashe wishes he didn't have to sit through an hour-long lesson.