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[hauntedking]

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[wolfish]

As well as can be expected.

[ Yuri steps inside, pauses, and takes his shoes off. Hayame expects it done in her home, and he sees the sense in it.

With that done, he straightens and nudges the door closed. ]

Others had a rougher go of it than me, yeah?

[hauntedking]

I believe so. Link...

[ Dimitri sighs. ]

He's switched. But he's also been attacked while trying to come back to this particular city.

[ He sounds very sorrowful about that. He shakes his head and leads the way into the small sitting room. There's a pot of tea on, it looks like, complete with two cups and some little snacks to nibble on. ]

[wolfish]

I did hear some gossip to that effect...

[ Yuri admits, trailing after Dimitri. That was one tale it was impossible to avoid. ]

Maybe he just needs to find his way again.

[ Link was so very hard on himself, and it seems to him that his world only encouraged this. The weight of the world is too much for any one man. Thinking of that, Yuri plants a hand on Dimitri's back, if only for a moment. ]

Meantime, we'll save a space for him, yeah?

[ Dimitri, too, shoulders too many burdens. ]

[hauntedking]

That we will.

[ He nods firmly, a smile dancing over his features and then he gestures for Yuri to sit. He starts by pouring some tea. ]

But... how have you been? Since the Oracle?

[wolfish]

[ Yuri seats himself with his typical learned poise. His last visit, he hadn't lingered terribly long, so he spares his surroundings a more attentive survey — if only for a moment.

When Dimitri speaks, Yuri's attention drifts right back to him. ]

Well, I never was much of a fan of so much attention, but I've been more worried about the others. Byleth was pretty ill after his revival... Do you know if anyone else was like that?

[hauntedking]

...I'm not sure. I haven't heard much from anyone else on that. But it wouldn't surprise me if it was true.

[ He settles in his chair, looking thoughtful. ]

Asking around might be useful.

[wolfish]

That's true. I'll have to see about it.

[ Yuri may not be the biggest fan of Communion, but it serves its purposes. ]

I'd not heard it mentioned prior, so I've wondered whether it's a change to how this all works or a one-off situation.

[hauntedking]

It could be something specifically to do with the oracle, perhaps. But... our time here has been limited, so it's a little hard to say without more exposure.

[wolfish]

Agreed... Though I'd rather no one die in order to find out.

[ He'd rather, he says, for he hasn't much say in the matter.

With their tea served, Yuri tugs one of the cups nearer to himself, eyeing the steam. He's always had something of a cat's tongue, so it may be too hot for him as of yet.

His line of sight flicks back up to Dimitri. ]

What about you, though? You didn't run afoul of more boulders, I hope.

[hauntedking]

...no, no boulders. Although you've probably seen what I ended up dealing with instead.

[ He's still not sure how to feel about all the attention it's gotten him. ]

[wolfish]

Try as I might, I couldn't dodge that one.

[ Some things he'd far prefer hearing from the person involved, provided they wished to share it in the first place. ]

Must've been harrowing.

[ With Dimitri's background, especially. ]

[hauntedking]

It was a very intense fight. I haven't encountered anything like it since... the war.

[ He leans back in his chair, gaze a bit distant. ]

There was... an element of it being personal with him. But I'm not sure what I should have done differently.

[wolfish]

There may have been no "should have", given the circumstances.

[ Though he tries not to look it, he studies Dimitri's features thoughtfully. ]

We don't often have the luxury of choice.

[hauntedking]

I suppose we don't. I... still don't enjoy the thought of it. But... you know me. I'm willing to kill, if need be.

[ He just doesn't enjoy it. ]

[wolfish]

I know... I'd rather you didn't have to, either.

[ He knows that for all his superhuman strength, Dimitri is a kind man. ]

While we've got time, we can look into alternatives.

[ There are various methods of incapacitation, after all. ]

[hauntedking]

It might be a little late for that... but... yes. We'll have to see what we can figure out.

[ He clears his throat. ]

We should try to talk about something a little more pleasant, shouldn't we?

[wolfish]

There are three more Oracles, after all.

[ Unless they're in for a surprise.

But Dimitri is right; it isn't much of a teatime conversation. ]

What shall we discuss instead? You might regret letting me choose the topic.

[ Punctuated by a sly smile, and thus the suggestion of humor. ]

[hauntedking]

[ Dimitri laughs. ]

I'd have to think of what to discuss. The season, perhaps? The way the city has changed? How your everyday life is going? I can think of a few things.

[wolfish]

[ That is certainly a list. Yuri laces his fingers together as he leans over, arms resting against his legs. Terrible posture for an erstwhile adopted noble, but he doubts Dimitri will mind. ]

Which one first?

[hauntedking]

Well, let me hear about you, first. How is your life, from day to day?

[wolfish]

Ah.

[ Day to day. He needs to think about that. ]

Typically, I fix meals... Head to Alenroux to train and forage, run errands in town if there are any. This last while, Byleth's been recovering so I've stayed in more. Not terribly exciting, yeah? But preferable to a gauntlet of death traps.

[hauntedking]

Oh, are you and Byleth living together?

[ He hadn't realized. ]

[wolfish]

Have been since I got here, actually. He didn't want me to feel pressured to harmonize...and I suspect he needed the company.

[ Byleth always had Jeralt and his mercenaries back home, to say nothing of the army they're now part of for the time being. Where Yuri's accustomed to being alone, the same likely couldn't be said of Byleth.

Or perhaps it was simply reassuring to have someone remember home the same way. Yuri never has directly asked. ]

[hauntedking]

Oh, that's nice of him. I hadn't realized.

[ He supposes it does make sense, though - they do remember things happening the same way... ]

How is he holding up?

[wolfish]

He suggested I cook in exchange, so that's what I do, among other things.

[ Byleth knew well enough to offer a trade. Wise move, really. ]

I'd say he's doing better than he was. Wouldn't leave him unattended otherwise, sick as he'd been after reviving. It's why I wondered how typical that experience might or might not be.