Shine
Fandom: Tales of Vesperia
Pairing: RavenxYuri
Warnings: Fluff, Inebriated!Raven at first, sap, over-gratuitous use of "light" references and possible Canon divergence. Take it for what it is.
Notes: Gift/surprise-fic for my counterpart, DarkHybridChild. From Raven's PoV, and the dialogue that wouldn't end. Ughhh. Also note that Raven's slurring and slang is heavier when he's drunk than when he's sober and he also talks without slang when he's being serious or trying to make a point/convey whatever. Other than that, enjoy.

Y'know, Yuri Lowell is a man tha' breaks ev'ry traditional mold tha' society 'n maybe even th' laws life itself created.

An' then again, maybe it's jus' 'cuz I'm super ine-ine...drunk. Had one too many of the spirits, y'see. But these thoughts o' mine? Nah, they're nothin' new. Jus' shoved into the back of m'head come dawn an' sobriety.

Issnot somethin' obvious, his depature from every known way to categorize someone-at first, he comes off as some arrogant, hot-headed kid with a smart-mouth. But if ya corner him, ya unleash a savage wolf. An' yet... Turn around, observe him in th' moments in between-when he's not putting up a front, not carefully hidin' his thoughts in that skull o' his, watch how his eyes flicker... Ya begin ta see, he's weak and fragile.

O' course, call him tha' ta his face and ya may as well kiss yer life goodbye, but tha's the truth o' the hour. He's fragile and weak-but not in the ways ya'd expect. We define weakness by if someone's capable of somethin' or not. We define fragility by how somethin' effects us an' how we deal.

Yuri is more than capable-he'll face down any challenge ya throw at him, do it all with a smirk an' glimmer o' excitement in his eyes. He takes everythin' in stride 'n doesn't let much of anythin' touch or penetrate his defenses an' get to him. It's when ya get 'im out of those elements-stick him in a mundane, day-to-day lifestyle, give him time ta think-then ya see it all fall apart.

There ya see all th' cracks in his walls, see all th' chaos swirlin' in the depths of those eyes o' his. He feels trapped-a caged animal wantin' ta roam free, ta break th' proverbial chains and run as far as he can go. His eyes are forever fixed upon th' sky-ta th' stars beyond. He knows no bounds. No limits.

His fragility lies within knowin' he can't possibly hope ta fit in and settle for the mundane life the Lower Quarter of Zaphias offers. His weakness stems from bein' unable to say no. No matter if he longs ta be free, he wouldn't jus' up an' abandon the Lower Quarter residents. They're th' closest thing he has ta an actual family.

An' even knowin' they prob'ly don't need him, he stays.

He says he's no leader, but tha's where he breaks even tha' archetype. He doesn't lead by bein' commandin' or makin' himself ta be somethin' bigger, he doesn't lead by givin' inspirin' speeches... He doesn't even lead through example. At leas', not in th' traditional sense. But believe me, ya see Yuri up close when he's fightin', or doin' somethin' important, ya see exactly where his heart 'n mind are. Ya feel it, see it, it's there in his eyes and the air about him an' ya just...follow. No thought about it, it's somethin' as natural as breathin'.

He's truly a wolf; a lone one, sure, but he still longs ta be part o' th' pack. Everyone accepts him inside of it, but he's insecure about it, he knows he doesn't truly fit or belong. There's jus' too much wanderlust and the calling to roam fer 'im ta truly settle fer a domestic lifestyle.

Y'know... One o' these days, 'm gonna free him.

Dunno how yet, but one day, I will.

He deserves ta be free, ta be happy. 'Sides, I still need ta return th' favor.

Maybe I don' say it often enough, but really... If it wasn't for Yuri-and ta some extent, the others-I wouldn't be here.

I wouldn't have this freedom o' my own...

I wouldn't... I wouldn't be alive.

My prior "lives" before? I was jus' simply existin', you really couldn't call it livin'...

Yuri-an' Brave Vesperia-they gave me the reason to live.

'S been hard, sort o' scary, but the thrill of the unknown...not havin' that weight held over ya, knowin' ya were jus' on borrowed time livin' for only one reason...

It feels good to have that burden gone.

I still have my debt ta repay Yuri, after all... Because of 'im, 'm here, I'm free.

So 'm gonna free 'im in return. He needs ta know what true freedom feels like, too.

If 'm honest with m'self, it's not just b'cause o' my debt. No, it runs farther than that, even. Yuri is so... Well, he's many things. I could prob'ly wax poetic all night about it if I really felt up ta it. But, I'll keep it simple.

Yuri shines. As bright as, if not brighter than Brave Vesperia. Raw, blinding, warm, sometimes completely overwhelming and overpowering, but radiant. Here, in Zaphias, they're only dullin' his shine. They don't deserve him, honestly. Terca Lumireis doesn't deserve him.

...O' course, I don't deserve him, either.

'M not stupid enough to think I could ever truly grasp and have Yuri for m'self, but it doesn't mean I can't try, does it?

I already said, 'm learnin' ta take bigger risks and reach out for the unknown. Before, I never would have. I never would've tried ta grasp for Yuri, much less think this way. But there ya have it, that's just it. The whole reason I am this way is because of Yuri.

So...

Even if it's a foolish thought, a foolish wish...

At least 'm dreamin' again, and that's enough for me.

...Heh.

Y'know, I figured it out.

Tomorrow, 'm settin' Yuri free.

"Hey, kid."

"What is it now, old man?"

"C'mon, don't be so cold ta ol' Raven. I got an idea that I think ya'll like."

"This'd better not be one of your dumb schemes again."

"Oh, come now. I'm hurt. Anyway, how's about you, the mutt, and I head off? Y'know, take another adventure, for old time's sake."

"...Who are you and what have you done with Raven?"

"Eh?!"

"Why in your right mind, would you want to go on a trip unless you had ulterior motives?"

"Before, that would'a been the reason. Call it a bit of nostalgia, but I do miss travelin' about sometimes, ya know. And you look like yer just about at the snappin' point, so why not remedy both things? So how 'bout it, you in?"

"...I guess I was growing bored here. Sure, why not. It'd be nice to get out and stretch again."

"That's the spirit. C'mon, get yer stuff and let's be off!"

"Okay, okay! Jeez, stop pushing me, old man. ...When did you get so eager to leave?"

"About the same time as you got bored."

"Heh..."

"Wow... I almost forgot how it feels, to be out here in the open without restriction. I can breathe again."

"I get ya there."

"Don't get me wrong, Zaphias is all well and good, but..."

"Yuri, ya don't gotta explain it ta me. I get it."

"...Yeah. Thanks, Raven."

"Anytime. Now, which way should we head?"

"Hmm... I really don't care, you choose."

"Well tha's somethin' new."

"It was your idea, so you should call the shots."

"Yer sucha brat. But if yer gonna play it that way, fine. Let's head for Nordepolica."

"Sounds good."

"Raven..."

"Yeah? Is there something wrong, Yuri?"

"No, nothing like that."

"Then, what's that look for?"

"I just... When this is over, I'll have to go back to Zaphias. Being out here, traveling, going so far... It feels so...dull, to think that all I have waiting afterwards is the mundane life back at the Capitol."

"...Yuri..."

"Heh, sorry. I got all sentimental there, didn't I?"

"No, it's not that. Jus'...gimme a sec, okay? I need'a minute ta form the right words."

"...Alright."

"Yuri, you deserve better, and more than just a routine, mundane lifestyle trapped within the Lower Quarters. The whole reason I wanted to get out and away, was because I couldn't stand to see you wasting away there. Seeing you so animated and full of life again as we've traveled, that's been worth it."

"...Raven... Why...?"

"You deserve to live the way you want to, and... If an excuse and reason is all you need to, then I'll be that. Let's just...keep traveling. We can wander all of Terca Lumireis for as long as you want. The Lower Quarter will be fine, it has Estelle, and Flynn. It will be there when you want to go back."

"...Why, though? What's in it for you, giving me the excuse to continue wandering about?"

"Everything, Yuri. Freedom, the chance to see the world again, you may get us into trouble, but you always bust us out again. I trust you, you wouldn't rush us off carelessly to our deaths or anything."

"You're not telling me everything. I know you better than that."

"I can't put it into words, Yuri. Not without it sounding completely stupid and embarrassing."

"...Try."

"Yuri..."

"Please... Just try. I...want to hear your reason. I need a reason to keep going, you said that yourself. ...I need to know if that reason is worth it."

"Then I think I have a better way to prove that."

"...! Raven, what are you-"

"Showing you."

"Mornin' sleepyhead."

"Morning..."

"Still not a mornin' person, huh?"

"Shut up."

"Fine. But I get ta eat the last bagel then."

"Like hell you will!"

"Haha!"

"Where shall we go now?"

"I kind of want to head for Mt. Temza..."

"Why there?"

"Just a feeling I have."

"We'd better get a move on, if we want ta get through that god-awful tunnel before dark."

"...Heh, yeah. Let's go."

"Finally..."

"Yer really tryin' ta kill me..."

"But look at this view! ...It's so worth it."

"I guess it is."

"...You're not even looking."

"Oh, I am. Not at the scenery, though. Just you. Seein' your face light up like that, that's worth it."

"Raven..."

"I know, I know. I'm a dumb sap."

"...Thank you."

"Huh?"

"I'm... I finally feel it."

"Feel what?"

"Free. Here, with you. With no limits, no expectations. ...I want it to stay this way forever."

"It'll stay this way for as long as you wish it to, Yuri. 'M not goin' anywhere."

"Yuri...?"

"Mm?"

"You shine."

"Huh? What're you talking about?"

"Call it sap, but yer practically glowin' as bright as Brave Vesperia right now."

"...How?"

"When you're happy, completely free... Your eyes shine, you glow bright, nothing holds you down. You're like a fragment of Brave Vesperia that broke off and landed here on Terca Lumireis. ...You're a light."

"...You really are a sap."

"Yeah, that's me. Raven the sap."

"...Dahngrest. It's been a while."

"Haha, it really has, hasn't it?"

"...It feels strange, a bit, being back here."

"I suppose it does, yeah."

"...Hey, let's check up on Karol. I want to see how he's doing."

"Huh? Oh, alright. May as well since we're here."

"Don't worry, we won't be staying long."

"...That's not what I'm concerned over."

"...Why didn't you tell me the Guild wanted you to stay?"

"In case ya didn't notice... I didn't exactly want to stay m'self. There wasn't really anythin' for me, not after Don's passin'. 'Sides, I owed my debt to Brave Vesperia, after all. It's still up in the air if 'm an' official member an' all, but tha' point of the matter is I would rather be roamin' free alongside of you than be stuck here doin' boring things that I've done for the past several years."

"...Raven..."

"Yuri, don't. Ya don't need ta take everyone else's burdens on your own shoulders. This was my choice, and I've never felt better about making it. I'm stayin' with ya, and you're not gonna make me go away that easy. You know by now how persistent I am."

"...Hah. That's true. But even so... Are you sure? I mean, really sure? Raven, this isn't something to take so lightly-"

"I'm not taking it lightly. I've thought this over for a while, before I even bothered going all the way to Zaphias to drag you out. Come on, give me some credit here. Trust me, okay?"

"...Okay. Just making sure."

"You're stuck with me, Yuri. No gettin' rid of ol' Raven~."

"...The view is so amazing here when it's not raining..."

"Haha, yeah, that is a rarity for it not ta be."

"Heliord's grown quite a bit, honestly."

"Yeah, but even so, look at that. The skyline..."

"...I've never seen the stars so bright. ...Ah! Look!"

"Oh, wow. Brave Vesperia's practically lighting up the sky as bright as the Moon."

"It's so... Wow. I don't really want to say 'beautiful' because that sounds so cheesy, but... It's the truth."

"I could say the same towards you. You're shinin' again, Yuri. Glowing under Brave Vesperia's light."

"Hey, cut that out. You know I hate when you wax poetic sap."

"How am I ever going to be able ta stop when you keep drawing my eyes back to you? ...You're beautiful, Yuri. Bright, warm, and I don't care if you hate me saying so, because it's the truth."

"...I..."

"Shh. C'mere."

"Raven...?"

"Yeah?"

"...Thank you."

"For what?"

"Everything. I have never felt so...weightless and free as I do now."

"There's no need ta thank me for that at all, you just needed a nudge, that's all."

"No, that's not it..."

"What is it, Yuri?"

"I think I can finally say it in words now."

"Say what...?"

"I love you."

Never did I ever truly dare ta imagine that I'd have Terca Lumireis' brightest being for m'self.

Dream of it, sure, but have it happen? That's somethin' entirely different.

But 'm not complainin'. How could I? There's nothin' more that I could ever wish for.

Lying here, right now, in this bed in Heliord's inn, with Yuri in my arms, I think I can finally say I feel great about being alive.

"I love you, too, Yuri."

End

End Notes: Let me tell you, this damn thing did not want to end. To not so jokingly make reference to something I said to a friend:

"THIS IS THE DIALOGUE THAT NEVER ENDS, YES IT GOES ON AND ON MY FRIEND. TWO PEOPLE STARTED TALKING, NOT KNOWING WHERE TO END. AND THEY'LL CONTINUE SPEAKING FOREVER, 'CAUSE THIS IS THE DIALOGUE THAT NEVER ENDS."

JFC, I can't even begin to tell you how much effort I made in this. And if it's not up to par, I apologize, as ToV is not my main fandom and I'm not nearly as good of a writer as DHC is. I am an editor, dammit, not a writer.

Anyway if you love it, awesome, please drop me a line. I could do with some feedback. If you dislike it, feel free to tell me why, too, so I can improve. But if you just flame like a lamer, I'll just be amused and laugh because you wasted both of our time doing so. Anyway, yeah, that's it. See you whenever I get around to posting something else.