[FIN] Laid to Rest

[Suudonym]

Buried somewhere deep within the words had resided the wish that they would be refuted, that Yuri would explain that it had all been one long, terrible dream and that it was okay because he was only as crazy as he felt. But he was denied that, which meant that it wasn't a dream, which meant that nothing had been a dream. Somehow he wilted more than he had already. He didn't really have enough energy to be particularly upset anymore.

He didn't really invest much effort in thinking about the question before producing his dull response, "I don't know." He wasn't sure how much of his present condition was from illness, how much was from grief, how much was from the growing numbness that stemmed out of being overwhelmed again and again.  

[BlackPidgeot]

Yuri walked over to Luke's bed and stood beside him looking down at the boy.

"Your dad is still at the funeral but is worried about you," he said while watching the red head fall into his despair again.

Yuri then held his hand out to Luke. "C'mon lets go for a walk okay?"

He could understand Luke's grief but he also knew it wasn't good for him to just lay there in his misery either.  

[Suudonym]

He regarded Yuri with a tepid expression, unsure of the purpose behind the suggestion. Before long he decided that the purpose didn't really matter; no matter what came out of it, he couldn't imagine a way for him to fall much further than he already had. He maneuvered into an upright position and accepted the offered hand as assistance to extricate himself from the bed. It was starting to feel like just a matter of time before Yuri died, and his father, and everyone still in Kodo. He felt as if he were drowning.  

[BlackPidgeot]

Normally Yuri didn't hold hands with guys. That was just... yeah. He doesn't swing that way. But well, a part of him was afraid the boy might just fall to pieces if he didn't hang onto him. Or would just stand there and not bother following him.

Thus after Luke got out of bed, Yuri kept hold of Luke's hand and led him out of the room and out of the manor even. Gaining a few odd, questioning glances from the staff there. He took the red head out into the streets where he released the kid's hand and settled for draping his arm on Luke's shoulder instead as they walked along.  

[Suudonym]

Apathetically Luke allowed himself to be led, paying no distinct attention their direction until he noticed the sensation of a light breeze - an indication that they had left the confines of the manor. Somewhere within him stirred the recognition that his father would probably be displeased to learn as much, but he resigned to it. He found it difficult to care about any consequence, or indeed about much of anything at all. Were it not for Yuri's persisting guidance, he would have readily taken a seat on the pavement and given up there. There was pitifully little left holding him together.  

[BlackPidgeot]

For some time Yuri just led Luke along in silence. The route he was taking, leading them out of the noble quarter and into the more common areas of the city where the middle class tended to live and shop.

He really didn't know how to help Luke. The man was just grasping at straws really. The only thing he could think to do right now was talk.

"Guess I never told you about when I was in the military, huh?"  

[Suudonym]

He heard the words, but a moment passed before he understood their meaning - when he did, his response was a slight, slow shake of his head.  

[BlackPidgeot]

Poor kid... hopefully his blabbering could take his mind off of things somewhat.

"Yeah well, I definitely don't recommend it. Gotta deal with bossy superiors, hot stuffy uniforms, and even stuffier roommates. It's a real drag."

Yuri glanced to the side for a moment as they passed a large, ornate fountain in one of Devoirue's main squares. He knew this town like the back of his hand.  

[Suudonym]

Luke listened, hearing but not internalizing and incapable of connecting the thoughts to create a reply. Unable to summon the curiosity to contribute to the conversation, he remained desolately silent.  

[BlackPidgeot]

"That roommate of mine sure was a pain in the a**," Yuri said, giving an exaggerated sigh. "Still don't know why we ended up in the same place. I grew up with him. He beat me at everything."

Yuri then began to stare a bit distantly as they walked, thinking back on times long past. "His dad was in the military too, a captain. Nice guy, I kinda looked up to him, and maybe I was a little jealous since I didn't have any folks of my own."  

[Suudonym]

Something resonated, but he was reluctant to explore the what or the why for fear of granting any degree of freedom to his thoughts. He tensed slightly but otherwise remained reticent.  

[BlackPidgeot]

"Anyway.." Yuri continued, apparently not noticing any change in Luke's demeanor.

"I was still a kid then, and it was some years after the Blood Purge. There were groups still loyal to the old government. They were causing riots, especially in the Lower Quarter. It was pretty crazy then. People were dying, and the Guarde was having a hard time controlling it. His dad ended up getting killed, protecting his family and the people."  

[Suudonym]

It didn't seem right for those words to upset him - he had been just an infant at the time of the revolution, spirited away somewhere safe and sheltered from the suffering Yuri described - but the story immediately summoned thoughts that he badly needed to escape. He braked, clasping mildly tremoring hands tightly at opposite elbows and maintaining his breath as best he could. It was unfair to Yuri and his friend and his friend's father and everyone else that had been involved in that tragedy for him to project his own trauma and fear just from hearing it.  

[BlackPidgeot]

When Luke stopped, Yuri did as well, looking down at Luke as he reacted in a way that the man had somewhat expected.

He placed his hand on Luke's shoulder. "Hey c'mon, bear with me all right?"

Yuri lead Luke to a bench at the edge of the square and sat down with him.

"Anyway, there hadn't been a body left. And my friend was angry about it for years. He blamed his old man because he had disobeyed orders and ended up dying cause of it. Angry that he'd not left anything behind. He had some really serious daddy issues."

Yuri sighed at the thought of it. Flynn would get really touchy just at the mention of his father. "So when he became a soldier, he vowed to be different and always obeyed orders no matter what. Cause he didn't wanna make the same mistake his dad did."  

[Suudonym]

He shook his head faintly in an effort to convey that he was fine - because he wanted to be fine more than anything - but the availability of a bench was an inarguable relief. He continued to listen, doing a fair job of controlling his panic for once, and distracted his imagination by applying it to Yuri's words. Meticulously following orders sounded like something superiors would enjoy, but… But what? Focus. The thoughts wouldn't connect, but something about it seemed off.