Title: Some Things are Preordained
Fandom: Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Characters/Pairings: The Abyssal 5. Ashe Ubert/Yuri Leclerc.
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Notes: Alternate universe (Ashe never met Lonato)
Word Count: 1,039
Summary: Ashe may not meet Lonato in this universe, but he’s still destined to meet Yuri.
--
“It’s not as scary as it looks, kid.” Balthus wasn’t usually this, well, gentle. He was more of a ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’ type. But this new arrival to Abyss’s doorstep seemed to need it desperately. He was a pale little thing, almost ghost like in his demeanor. His eyes kept shifting around his surroundings, as if he expected an attack. Balthus wasn’t the overprotective type, not when he had his own neck to watch out for, but he couldn’t help but feel for the kid. “Just ignore Abysskeeper glaring at you. He does that to everyone.”
The kid glanced at Abysskeeper, then back at Balthus. “I’ll manage,” he said. “I’m just thankful that there’s a place here for my family.”
“There’s a place for anybody down on their luck here. I should know; I’ve lived here for years,” Balthus chuckled. “Speaking of, what’s your story?” He was nosy—it was hard to believe that this kid could have done anything that would merit a life in Abyss.
“I’m…” the kid paused, then muttered something about how he may as well be honest for once. “I’m a thief. To be more specific, I’m a thief who needs to build some stability for my siblings. So, we left Gaspard and came to the infamous Abyss.”
Balthus had to laugh. “You. A wispy little thing like you, a thief—hey, give me back my wallet!”
The kid smiled guiltily. “Sorry, but I figured that showing you would be easier than explaining.” He handed Balthus back his wallet. “I’m Ashe, by the way.”
“And I’m Balthus, the apparently easily duped King of Grappling.” Still, no point in sweating it—he had gotten his wallet back, after all.
Ashe actually smiled a little bit at that. “So, are there any rules I need to be aware of while we’re living here?”
“Nope, aside from the obvious. Abyss is very live and let live,” Balthus assured him as they continued on their tour of the Abyss. “We look out for each other, too.”
“That’s very different than what I’ve experienced,” Ashe mused, and despite him stealing from Balthus just moments before, Balthus’s heart went out to the kid again. Yeah, life sucked for everyone in their own way, but just what things had Ashe endured to think that way?
“Hey, B,” Hapi chirped as she walked up to the two of them. “And… Freckles. Yeah, we’ll go with Freckles for you.” She almost smiled. “What’s up?”
“Freckles here is moving in, Hapi,” Balthus said as he clapped Ashe ungently on the back. “So you gotta be nice to him, okay?”
“Hey, I’m always nice,” Hapi huffed. “It’s society that sucks. But seriously Freckles, if there’s anything we can do to make your move easier, just let me know. I may not be able to do much, but I’m still willing to try.”
“Thank you,” Ashe said, although his eyes were on the book cover Hapi held.
“Oh, this thing?” Hapi said when she realized where his attention was. “It’s Loog and the Maiden of Wind. I’ve been hate reading it. You want it?”
“I—” Ashe ducked his head. “I can’t read.”
“Oh.” Hapi tapped her chin with her free hand thoughtfully. “How about I teach you?”
Ashe looked at her again. “I’d like that a lot. Thank you.”
“Well, well, well. What do we have here?” Constance sauntered up to their gathering. “An intimate conversation with a new denizen of Abyss? How scintillating! You simply must fill me in on all the details.”
“So, in other words, your latest experiment didn’t work out, and you need a distraction.” Hapi grinned. “Don’t worry, Coco. We have you covered. Meet Ashe—he’s new here.”
“My eyes deceive me!” Constance declared. “He looks too innocent to belong in the Abyss.”
“Yeah, tell that to my wallet,” Balthus muttered.
“It’s nice to meet you, Coco,” Ashe said with only a glimmer of wariness from Constance being… Constance. “I hope that we can become friends.”
“And I am most certain that we can, little one—provided that you remember that my given name is Constance. Only Hapi is permitted to refer to me by that nickname.”
“Oh, sorry. Got it.”
“Chill, Coco,” Hapi said. “Freckles is still learning the ropes here at Abyss.”
“Perhaps, but I refuse—wait. Where did he go?”
--
Ashe appreciated how new friends(?) were trying to help him acclimate, but he needed a moment. He wasn’t used to so much attention. In fact, too much attention was anathema to someone in his… profession.
I don’t have to do that anymore. At least I hope not. Abyss was going to be different. It was going to be his second chance. He was going to find honest work. He was going to be someone his siblings could respect. At least he hoped so.
“Hello, friend.”
Ashe was greeted by a young man with violet hair, clad in a dark school uniform with a cape. He smiled, but it didn’t touch his eyes. “I’ve never seen you here before.”
Ashe was sure that his smile was just as phony as the young man’s. “That’s because I’m new here. My name is Ashe Ubert.”
“Yuri Leclerc,” he said with a melodramatic bow. “A beautiful yet insignificant bird who’s chosen to build his nest underground.”
“Wow. You come up with that all by yourself?”
Yuri blinked, then laughed from his belly. “You’re tougher than you look.”
“I’m a thief. I have to be.”
“Ah, so now we know why you’ve made your home in the Abyss.” Yuri wasn’t smiling now. “I won’t have you stealing from my people.”
“Don’t worry. Those days are behind me. You have my word.” And while he was a thief, he still kept his word.
“You know what’s funny? I actually believe you.”
That was a relief. “So, I’m guessing you’re the one in charge here?”
“You’d be guessing right, friend. So, it’d be in your best interest if you stay in my good graces.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Ashe responded. “So, does that mean we’ll be interacting enough so that I can attempt to stay in your good graces?”
Now Yuri was smiling for real. “It just might.”