A/N: Damn...volume 3 doesn't come out until April...Does anyone know when the KKM novels are supposed to be out? I heard they were licensed...

DISCLAIMER: LOL NO.

Yuri couldn't get to sleep that night. For one, he was pushed up all the way to the edge of his bed because of Wolfram's terrible sleeping position. He sighed as he scowled at the blonde-haired boy, who answered his unwavering gaze by turning so his back faced Yuri, muttering a breathy "wimp," and promptly falling back into restful sleep.

Yuri sat up and put his feet down on the cool floor. He needed to know. And like hell he was going to wait any longer to find out.

He crossed over to the door, opening it and wincing as it creaked. He held his breath as he slipped his body through the doorway and gently shut the door behind him.

He sighed in relief when he discovered that there weren't any guards out tonight…at least none that he could see. He tiptoed down the hallway, turning a corner and reaching his destination. He reached down to touch the doorknob, hesitating for a moment, and then finally opened the door.

His breath hitched as he saw that Conrad wasn't asleep, but was sitting up in his bed, a book rested in his lap. Reading glasses were perched onto the end of his nose, and his hair was slightly disheveled.

"Your Majesty," he began, slipping off his glasses. "What are you doing out so late?"

Yuri looked down between his feet. Sure, he had this planned out in his head, but actually executing his plan was an entirely different feat.

"Conrad…" he said, gathering his courage. "I need to ask you something. Something important. And I need you to answer me truthfully, not as a servant to the Maou, but as the man who named me."

Conrad's eyes widened. "You know I'll do anything for you, Your Majesty."

Yuri walked closer to Conrad's bed, noticing the firelight dancing on Conrad's already tanned skin. Feeling heat rising to his cheeks, he looked down again.

"Conrad…who am I to you?" he whispered.

"What?"

"It's a simple question, Conrad."

"I don't understand…"

Yuri looked up and locked gazes with Conrad. "I'm not her. I can never be her. No matter what relationship you had with her in the past, I cannot revive it." He looked down, swallowing the lump in his throat. "Who am I to you?"

"Yuri…" Conrad began, then paused. He reached a tentative hand out to the other man, his fingers brushing against Yuri's. Feeling goose bumps begin to rise on the skin of Yuri's hand, he wrapped his fingers fully around the dark haired boy's, and slowly tugged him closer to the bed. "Yuri…" he continued, "You're not Julia."

Yuri's head shot up, locking eyes with Conrad. "I would never want you to be Julia, either." Conrad smiled, and reassuringly squeezed Yuri's hand. "I protect you because you are you."

Yuri couldn't explain what came over him, whether it was relief, happiness, or something else entirely. He smiled at Conrad, tears leaking from his eyes, and allowed himself to be pulled into the embrace of the older man.

Conrad pulled him close and kissed his cheek. "You don't ever need to be anybody else, Yuri. You're you. And that's why we go so far for you. Not because you have Julia's soul. But because you're you. You are the Maou will make this country great. Because you're you."

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