A/N: A collab project Kirenza and I have been working on! She drew the beautiful cover art and helped me beta the drabble. It's a day late but I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day =)

"At least tell me where we're going."

"Be patient, Yuri."

There was no mistaking the irritation lacing Flynn's voice. Though blindfolded, Yuri imagined the frown creasing his brows with ease.

"I've been for hours." he sighed dramatically, and heard Flynn give a light scoff.

"What you've been is anything but. In fact, you haven't stopped talking since we left."

"Hey, I've got to busy myself with something, right? You insisted on taking me along your romantic escapade, so face the consequences." Yuri folded his arms and leaned back in his chair, well intent on annoying Flynn into spilling the beans. "How'd you get Judy to lend you Ba'ul, anyway?"

Flynn's steps creaked on the Fiertia's wooden deck. "By asking nicely. You know, like a normal person would."

Yuri rolled his eyes behind the blindfold. Truth be told, he'd never expected Judy to be in cahoots with Flynn to plot behind his back. He'd been lured out of Aurnion with the promise of a sparring duel and had fallen right into their trap, which was why he was now stuck hundreds of feet in the air without the slightest idea where they might be possibly headed.

"Stop fidgeting already, we're nearly there." Flynn patted his shoulder.

And certainly, another ten minutes later Yuri felt Ba'ul make a soft landing. Flynn's fingers wrapped around his wrist to carefully lead him out of the ship. Barely outside Yuri tore the blindfold down, only to be met with the sting of bright sunlight.

"Where-" he started, bewildered. The island stretched far, fields of grass fading on the coasts into beaches of fine sand as sunshine glistened on deep blue ocean waters. Something about the landscape he couldn't quite put his finger on tugged at the back of his mind, but Flynn chuckled before he could remember.

"I suppose the surprise effect worked, then."

"Sure, but what for?" Yuri frowned in complete confusion, "Why'd you bring me here?"

"Remember today's date? I asked your friend Judith for advice and she mentioned a beautiful island south west of Yumanju." Flynn looked around, "I must say, she wasn't lying."

"What date? I don't…" Yuri trailed off, suddenly recalling one of Estelle's storytellings, and eyed his best friend with caution as he pieced everything together. "Tell me you don't seriously want us to celebrate Valentine's Day."

"Why not? It sounds like a wonderful lover's tradition." Flynn beamed, holding up a basket, "I even brought a picnic."

Wondering whether he ought to be more worried about food poisoning, Yuri pinched the bridge of his nose. "Flynn, we've talked about this. No cheesy celebrations unless it's somehow of unavoidable importance."

"I figured you'd say that," Flynn smirked, one of sheer mischief that Yuri had grown wary of with the years, "so Judith and I made a deal with Ba'ul. He won't be coming back until sunset."

Before Yuri even had a chance to protest, the entelexeia growled in agreement and shook his wings as he took off, leaving the two of them on their own. "Traitor." Yuri glared after him.

"Karol helped, too. He told me how much you've been working for Brave Vesperia, so consider this a day off."

"Didn't think I'd see the day you of all people would tell me that."

"I'm full of surprises."

"Full of yourself sounds more like it." Yuri muttered.

Choosing to ignore this, Flynn jabbed him in the side. "Come on, follow me."

In the middle of the island there was a small lake, and in the shade of surrounding palm trees Yuri recognized a tablecloth as well as two neatly folded plaids ready for them to use. Flynn must have planned everything down to the last detail, he noted with a tinge of amusement.

While Yuri's appetite called for a nice meal, he made Flynn swear he hadn't touched any of their lunch before digging in. There were pastries, rice cakes and seasonal fruit salads of all kinds with whipped cream for Yuri's exceedingly sweet tooth, flavored with ginger ale and juice to match the tropical ambience. Sated and exhilarated, Yuri stole a kiss from Flynn's lips seconds before sprinting off with a head start as he shouted for his oh so charming lover to move his butt for 'some fun' – which, in Yuri language, meant sparring.

For hours he made sure Flynn did keep his promise outside of Aurnion. Again and again they would perfect their movements against and with each other, a dangerous dance neither wanted to end. The thrill of a battle never let Yuri down, but it was against Flynn that he drove himself further each and every time, that he found real, raw challenge and matching enthusiasm. Later, when everything was pants and racing heartbeats, laughter would spill from Yuri's mouth with astounding ease as they washed sweat and dirt in the lake away, tasting salt water on each other's lips. No restraints, no facades; here and there they were free, kings of their world, and for once it was as easy as when they were children.

Slumber claimed them fast after that. Yuri let his mind wander to the sounds of the ocean, but did not realize he'd fallen asleep until he woke with a start to the last warmth of a retreating sun and the impending chill of early evening. Palm trees spread their shadows long and far over the beach, eerie silhouettes against the light of sunset. Oranges melted into yellows and roseates; it reminded him of a tale Flynn's mom used to tell them before bed: once upon a time an angel came and painted his canvas bright and beautiful every evening. His brother, however, soon ran and splattered it all with the dark of the night sky. Every sunset was another attempt, each time a little different, each time to be followed by blues and sparkling stars.

The memory brought a smile to Yuri's lips, and he turned away to watch Flynn sleep. For the span of a solid minute, he fought the urge to spray what was left of the whipped cream on his face.

Somehow, the longer he stared, the more thoughts he'd been trying to ignore for the longest time came back to flood his mind, nagging him with doubt and worry. The curve of Flynn's nose, the feeling of his cheeks in his hands, the warmth of his lips and the depth of his eyes – Yuri knew all of it by heart. He knew they could, but whether they would was another matter entirely.

Eager for a change of mood, Yuri shook Flynn's shoulder. "Wake up, Mr. Perfect! We're building a sandcastle."

"Mmm…" Flynn groaned, not at all happy about the sudden wake up call. "Told you not to call me tha- wait, we're doing what?"

"Building a sandcastle. You and me. Now."

"What are you, five?"

"Uhuh." Yuri laughed. "And I won't take no for an answer, so move."

While Flynn remained skeptical for about three minutes, all it took was a bet of 'who builds the better part of it faster' for him to give in. Sunset made its slow way down the horizon as they ran back and forth looking for supplies, neither side ready to lose. Barely ten minutes later, their work was done.

"It's clearly a draw." Flynn said, examining the lopsided sand fortress.

"You're just saying that because my side looks better than yours."

Flynn snorted. "You wish."

"Oh yeah? Then does your side have a secret vault?"

"Uh…no. Why would you even take the time to do that?"

"See for yourself." Yuri gestured to the very bottom of his tower, where he'd made a clumsy attempt at a tiny cave-shaped treasure room.

"That's your secret vault?" Flynn smiled, amused. Yuri kicked him in the leg.

"Just open it."

Doing as told, Flynn knelt down and reached inside. The small, hollow stone he pulled out made him look back up to Yuri with questioning eyes.

"Yuri, what-"

"It's a ring." Yuri interrupted almost too quickly. "You know, something you put on your finger and all."

Faking nonchalance usually was his forte, yet somehow Yuri suddenly started doubting himself as he refused to look at Flynn. Who knew why he'd thought it funny to hide the hollow stone he'd found earlier while looking for decoration, a stone so similar to an actual ring he'd played with the idea for a second too long? A second too late, perhaps?

Laughter interrupted Yuri's anxious stream of thoughts and his head whipped back to Flynn, whose smile was so wide it looked almost painful to the cheeks. "And I'm being cheesy here?"

"…Asshole." Relieved, a smile just as bright mirrored on Yuri's lips and he understood Flynn's answer in his eyes. Kneeling down in the sand, he found leaning in for a soft kiss as Flynn slipped the tightly-fitted improvised engagement ring on his finger so simple, so natural and obvious that he wondered what he'd been so anguished about. After all, this is us.