I finished the side story a few nights ago and I can officially say 

I adore each and every one of them 

Yes that means I recruited them on my fourth run of the game for the first time 

Don't judge me >:(

Final story set in the same college a/u (at least for now) 

[This chapter is a bit angsty but also very fluffy]

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Abyss isn't the most homely place on campus. At least, not from a distance. 

It's all underground, not getting much sunlight. There was a four story library filled with any book you'd ever need. There was a tavern with drunks and other wanderers who happened to find themselves in Abyss and took a liking to the place. There was a very small temple which, unlike the church above ground, allowed you to pray to any and all gods you believe in. There was a small farmers market with foods brought from the surface. There's a scrap yard where people would bring broken parts to see if anyone would need the spares. Car parts, electronic parts, you name it, it was there. There was even a fortune teller who was scarily accurate in her predictions. 

There was also the destroyed cathedral. No one has ever been allowed in there from recent memory. That last time it was used was around the year 1185? That was the last record of it ever having been used. You had heard it got destroyed in a fight against some giant metal toy like things that were powered by magic after eleven people stole a very valuable chalice, an artifact to be used in some kind of ancient resurrection ritual. There weren't many records of what had happened in the cathedral those almost thousand years ago. You wish there were. Ancient stories and legends of Abyss fascinate you. 

Some might say it's not sustainable to have a subsection of the university be entirely underground. The residents of Abyss would disagree with you. 

The school in Abyss was small, consisting of one singular classroom. There aren't many residents who are interested in pursuing their education that have not already. There were two dorm rooms for students, one for female bodied people, one for male bodied people. They each had two sets of bunk beds in them, desks, and closets for clothes. All the amenities one could need. 

However, the most interesting thing about Abyss is the people. Specifically, the Ashen Wolves. 

You've known them for a few months now. You accidentally stumbled across Abyss once, curious about the stairs that seemingly led nowhere. The four of them found you and to say they were absolutely bewildered to see an unrecognizable face was a major understatement. 

Constance von Nuvelle is the most eccentric of the four. Hapi gave her the nickname Coco. She speaks as though she was royalty. She's a bit entitled but if you can look past that she's a pretty great friend! She has a dream to bring back a sector of the surface government that her family used to run yet was destroyed many many years ago. Word to the wise, don't let her go in the sun. Something in her flips and she becomes... Depressed, almost. Give her a parasol if you're going to the surface. 

Balthus is just a big sweetheart. Given the nickname of just the letter B by Hapi. He gives the absolute best hugs in the underground and you always can come to him whenever you're having a bad day. He was also surprisingly perceptive, able to tell whatever mood anyone is in at any time without them having to say a word. Once his strong arms found their way around your body, you knew you are safe. You'd think that'd be almost oxymoronic considering Balthus is in major gambling debt and has multiple bounties on his head. He is safety though. 

Hapi is almost constantly stuck in a state of melancholia. She gives everyone nicknames. You've seen her smile and laugh before but those things are a very very rare occurrence. She ran away from her old home because she wanted to see the world. She got in some trouble with officials from a church on the surface and was brought down to Abyss. It's not that she hates it here. Sometimes, though, it feels like she was moved from one cage to another. It is rumored that she has an ability to call monsters to her whenever she sighs... Constance also accidentally got her addicted to coffee. 

Then there's Yuri. Dubbed Yuri-Bird by Hapi, seemingly for no real reason. The name of Savage Mockingbird floated around his head like a storm cloud. He is the king of the underground. He had his people that follow him everywhere, his gang, his men. He was a good man yet very very closed off. You've never heard a single story about his past that wasn't embellished in some way. Yuri is not a very trusting man by nature. Even the other Ashen Wolves didn't know much about his past other than the positive stories he'd tell around the fireplace at night. 

And that's exactly where the five of you are right now. 

You had managed to steal an empty room and make an indoor safe fire in there. You all had various drinks, Hapi with a pumpkin spice latte, Constance with a strong Rooibos tea, Balthus with some spiked cider, Yuri with some hot chocolate, and you with the cider that wasn't spiked. Balthus had pulled you into his lap and had his strong arms wrapped around his waist. Your head was rested against his chest and you had your cup up to your face to keep it warm. 

Balthus was recounting a story and would occasionally unwrap his arms from around you to gesticulate wildly, his drink almost falling out of his cup but never would, staying in the confines of his mug. It is a very tall mug, able to hold a ton of liquid. 

Constance was laughing quite loudly at the story you were fairly certain he was not being fully truthful about, opting to add some fancy details that definitely didn't make much sense. You weren't going to call him out on this though. The story was really funny. 

Hapi was giggling quietly with a hand over her mouth. Yuri was smirking yet had a very amused gleam in his eyes. You would roll your eyes but would laugh along with your friends when the moment called for it. 

It's the holiday season. The cod weather outside and the snow on the ground were clear symbols of that. Everyone was getting into the holiday cheer, having feasts, exchanging gifts, lavishly decorating the university campus with hand made décor. 

Your friends in Abyss weren't exactly about that. 

The holidays to them were more about spending quality time with their close loved ones. In the Ashen Wolves case, that meant each other and you. 

That one fate, chance meeting had you forming life long ride or die friendships that you hope to keep for the rest of your lives. Balthus, Constance, and Hapi could confidently say they trust you with every fiber of their beings. 

Yuri is an enigma. 

The man is very attractive. Most people will agree with you on this. He does his eyeshadow so well every morning. He actually taught you how to put on eyeshadow. He's highly intelligent and perceptive and is able to notice any little small detail and will point it out with no shame. 

And yet... 

There is so much about him that you wish to know. Why he always keeps to himself, why he is so slow to trust people, why he feels he's alone when he's surrounded by close friends that hold him close to their hearts. 

Why, why, why. 

You knew he would open up to you when he was ready. You just wish he understood that he can trust you and other people. 

You didn't even realize his eyes would travel to you whenever he wasn't fully paying attention to what was happening. Subconsciously, his eyes would travel up and down your body, observing every movement you made, every change in position, every slight or big change in your expression. Observing, analyzing. Eventually, his eyes would land on your face, slowly trailing to look into yours. He was trying to read your mind through your eyes. 

You focused back in on the conversation and stared back into the lavender eyes fixated on yours. Once he felt your eyes connect, he smiled. Not a genuine smile, no. A small, fake, fleeting thing that if you weren't looking you would've missed. 

Yuri held a special fondness for you. You'll quip back at his sarcasm, you were kind to the animals in Abyss, the people loved you. He had no reason not to call you his friend. 

The holiday music in the background was a nice contribution to Balthus' embellished stories. It would swell and fall with the dramatic parts of the story, adding a hilariously unintentional comedic effect. Constance's booming laugh echoed throughout the hallways of Abyss, Hapis laughter rising in volume a little. Yuri still made no verbal noise, yet his eyes would narrow whenever Balthus said something particularly unbelievable. All things considered that was pretty frequently. 

Yet Yuri's eyes never left yours. 

You brought your cup of cider to your lips and Yuri did the same. You both took a sip at the same time. You both put your cups down at the same time. You moved one of your hands to give Yuri a little wave, Yuri mimicked your movements exactly. 

It took you a second to realize what he was doing. 

He was copying you! Like a five year old! 

Your eyes widened and his smirk grew tenfold across his face. 

You flipped him off and he had the audacity to act offended, moving his right hand to cover his chest as he slightly leaned back in his chair. 

Hapi was more invested in whatever little exchange the two of you had going on at this point and let out a very loud chuckle when you non verbally swore at the leader of the Ashen Wolves. That caused Balthus and Constance to pay attention to the two of you as well. 

You put your finger down, instead opting to use that hand to tuck a strand of your hair innocently, batting your eyelashes sweetly. Yuri kept up the offended charade, crossing his arms over his chest and fake pouting. You stuck your tongue out at him, quite childishly. He quickly returned the gesture. 

The other three were laughing at your antics. The two of you were absolutely acting immature. If Yuris men saw him behaving like this he would never hear the end of it. But if his men were here he'd never behave like this in the first place. 

It was really nice to see him letting loose and relaxing, even if it was at your expense. 

There was a candle in the center of the table. It was new at the beginning of the night. The was was dripping down the sides, catching and landing on the table below. It still burned bright, not ready to go out yet. Just like the energy between the five of you. 

Hapi had then recounted a story from her childhood, about her hometown. How the people in her town loved astronomy. She would take her finger and dot little constellations with the candle wax which you had no idea how the wax didn't burn her finger straight off. She would talk about the history behind the constellation, what each star meant in its particular position. How during this time of year, everyone in her town would go to the mountains and spend the night under the light of the stars. It was a sad story yet Hapi recounted it with such a fondness in her voice. She had an uncanny ability to make you feel like you're there with her when she tells stories. 

"So if you're ever looking up at the sky and see stars in that particular formation, this is the constellation you're looking at," Hapi said. 

"Wow, Hapi! I didn't know you knew so much about the stars!" Balthus said with a happy smile on his face. 

"When you grow up with people who have learned all of this from their ancestors hundreds and thousands of years before them in a village cut off from most modern forms of technology, you've only got a few options to learn things. Listen or run away and make a new life for yourself. I just happened to do both," Hapi responded with a casual shrug like this was the most obvious thing in the world. 

"Hapi, have you ever thought about going back to your village?" You asked. 

"Thought about it? Sure. Don't we all. But would I go back? Never. I would have nothing if I ever returned. My family doesn't even know that I'm still alive nor do I think they'd care to know. My home is here, with all of you. This is where I belong," Hapi gave a very small but genuine smile. You believed every word she said. You gave her a bright smile in turn. Yuris eyes softened a bit. Balthus gave a toothy grin. Constance was close to tears. 

"Hapiiiiiiiiiiii! That must be one of the most delicately adorable things I have ever heard you sayyyyyyyyy!" Constance wailed, throwing her arms around Hapi in a tear filled hug. 

"Don't get used to it, Coco. This is a once in a lifetime thing and OOF-" Constance had squeezed her arms tighter around Hapi and started sobbing even louder. "Coco, stop. You'll make my coffee salty with your tears." Hapi had half-heartedly tried to get Constance to loosen her grip on her but shortly after gave up and let herself be crushed in a hug. Hapi wrapped an arm around the blonde holding her, gently and awkwardly patting her shoulder. 

Eventually the conversation dropped and devolved into Christmas caroling. Constance and now drunk Balthus were singing off key at the top of their lungs, Hapi was gently singing along, as were you. Yuri was bobbing his head side to side, deeming it inappropriate to comment on how horrible his friends sounded singing like this. He instead chose to vibe along with the rest of you, enjoying the moment you all were sharing. 

Sure, some of Abyss' residents would shout at you all to shut up. That would make y'all break out into uproarious laughter and continue singing the way you were. You and Hapi would sing maybe just a bit louder. Constance had taken Hapis left hand in her right and was swinging it up and down. Balthus was wildly swinging his now empty mug around. Yuris hand was tapping along to the rhythm against the table. You were just living in the moment. 

"My coffee's gone..." Hapi mused sadly, staring at her empty cup. 

"Worry not, Hapi! My tea is also empty. Let us go on an expedition to get more!" Constance said, grabbing her cup and keeping Hapis hand in her other. 

"Hey, I'll go with you. I'm feeling a bit dehydrated," Balthus noted as you quickly moved to get out of his lap. You didn't want his drunken self to trip over you and end up hurt. Balthus thanked you, albeit in a slurred mess of drunken speech, and got up to follow the girls out to the drink room. 

That left you and Yuri. 

"Not thirsty?" He asked and you shook your head. 

"I still have some cider left," you commented then took another sip of your drink. 

"That's good. Don't want you to get a migraine from dehydration," Yuri mimicked you again, taking a sip of his hot chocolate. 

"Did you really have to copy me earlier?" You narrowed your eyes at him and he laughed. 

"It was funny! Plus,, it got everyone's attention off Balthus who was clearly in his stories. You could tell, couldn't you?" He quipped back at you, slowly getting up from his chair and walking up to where you were. 

You had been sitting on Balthus' lap and he was seated on a couch of sorts. It was more like a really cushion-y chair. Hapi and Constance were sharing a couch as well. Yuri had been seated by himself on a chair across from you and Balthus. 

"Y/N, stand up," Yuri commanded. You stood up just like he asked and he immediately stole your seat on the couch chair. 

"HEY!" You exclaimed because the sheer AUDACITY this man is displaying is more than enough for one day thank you very much. 

Yuri only laughed at you and pulled you down into his lap by your waist. 

You grumbled a bit but nuzzled your face into his neck. 

Yuri knew you like him. He likes you too. But it's also really REALLY fun to tease you. Just like he is right now. 

He isn't a huge fan of PDA but it's just the rest of the Ashen Wolves. They won't say anything to anyone else. He's okay with holding you like this if it's just them that would see. Anyone else would've gotten intimidated into never ever using their voice again. 

Yuri can be very intimidating. 

Your friends came back from getting drinks and no one questioned the new seating arrangement. They just accepted it as fact and that was that. Yuri wouldn't have it any other way. 

The other three went back to singing along horribly to the songs, Balthus now significantly more drunk than he was before. 

You closed your eyes, your face still nuzzled in Yuris neck. He had moved one of his hands to play with your hair. 

This is exactly how the holidays should be spent. With your close friends, drinking and singing merrily, celebrating the season in your own ways. It may be extremely unconventional but your friends are unconventional too. It makes a ton of sense to celebrate in whatever way you five want to. 

You felt your eyes close. The comfort of your position lulling you into the arms of sleep who could also be named Yuri. Now he was gently humming along with his friends, the rumbling in his chest sounding very soft and bringing you closer and closer into sleep. 

Your friends kept singing as you finally let yourself fall asleep. Yuri looked down at you, watching your slow, steady breathing. Your peaceful form in his arms made him smile genuinely for the first time that night. 

The holiday season wasn't so bad after all. 

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Alright this one is only 3k words today but I've been exhausted and doing stuff around the house 

Happy holidays everyone! I won't be uploading (maybe unless motivation strikes) till after tomorrow because I need a small break. My back still hurts from writing 

I'll see you when I do!