Sayo: I disclaim ownership of Kyou Kara Maou and of "Eternal Flame", a song popularized by the Bangles.

Eternal Flame

Wolfram was driven out of the Maou's room last night like every night before. He knew he was probably going to be again later on in the evening, but Wolfram couldn't care less. He loved Yuuri and would do anything to have his nights with him, because everyone else had a cut in the king's time during the day.

Wolfram eased a hairpin from his mane. Said clip was a present from his mother for only one purpose, and that was to pick on the locked door of Yuuri's room. Wolfram had lived in Blood Pledge all his life, so he knew where the latch of each door was. In no time at all, the helpless portal gave out to Wolfram's expert lock-picking skills.

As expected, Yuuri lay in his bed sound asleep, his mouth even a little open now, mumbling something almost unintelligible about baseball. Wolfram smirked to himself. What an idiot, dreaming about a sport when the most desirable bachelor, the man everyone wants all but threw himself at him. Well, actually threw himself at him, and it was infuriating how this half-human rebuffed him just so.

As Wolfram settled himself beside the king and snuggled comfortably with the monarch between the silken sheets, all vestiges of his annoyance fled and his true feelings for the boy resurfaced.

Yuuri threw an arm over his bedmate who just sneaked in and held him close. "Wolfram…" he called, his voice heavy with sleep. "Mmm… warm… soft…" Yuuri mumbled, his face nuzzling the sheer material of Wolfram's infamous pink nightgown and making the blonde knight's cheeks color profusely.

Wolfram was not one to complain though. He already knew that Yuuri loved him, even if the boy himself did not acknowledge it yet. Wolfram had no reason to hurry. Time was cheap to the Mazoku. However, as Yuuri held him, Wolfram realized how priceless moments like these were.

Yuuri's eyes opened slowly, unwillingly. When he was awake, he was Yuuri Shibuya, straight Japanese boy who didn't like other boys. In the pretense of sleep, in between dreams and reality, he could love the angelic boy who had the powers and the temper of a demon. Yuuri allowed himself a small chortle, trusting that Wolfram wouldn't hear him. Just then Yuuri needed to react to his thought of how everyone knew how utterly seductive a devil can be…

"Yuuri?" Wolfram asked, realizing that onyx-colored eyes were looking at him through jet-black bangs.

"Wolf…"

"You're awake?"

"Mmm…" Yuuri said, batting his eyelids very slowly, feigning a sleepy daze but somehow managing not to relinquish his hold on the blonde beauty in his arms.

Wolfram in turn wound his own arms around the waist of the raven-haired one and rocked him like a child. "There, there, baby… go back to sleep. You have a million papers to sign tomorrow,"

"Mmm..." Yuuri sighed.

"Shh…" Wolfram coaxed, his fingers threading through Yuuri's midnight locks. "I'll never leave you…"

Yuuri closed his eyes. He knew what would happen next, and surely enough, Wolfram's beautiful voice seemed to float above his head, and Yuuri could start dreaming again.

Wolfram took one of Yuuri's hands, held it to his own chest and started to sing him a lullaby.

Close your eyes.

Give me your hand, darling.

Can you feel my heart beating?

Do you understand?

Do you feel the same?

Wolfram looked at the sleeping boy in his arms and planted a kiss on his brow.

Am I only dreaming?

Is this burning an eternal flame?

If anyone knew about fire, Wolfram did. His soul was bargained to the element, after all. Fire was all-consuming, but once it has exhausted its kindling, it also burned out. Wolfram sometimes wondered if this feeling would fade someday. Yuuri didn't seem to want him at all in his waking hours. Still, Wolfram felt he could wait forever if need be.

I believe it's meant to be, darling.

I watch you when you are sleeping – you belong to me.

Wolfram turned to the one he was singing to.

Do you feel the same?

Wolfram then tucked Yuuri's head beneath his chin, stroking Yuuri's black locks as he did so.

Am I only dreaming?

Or is this burning an eternal flame?

Tears were starting to form in the corners of Wolfram's eyes but he was powerless to check them. With all his heart, he wished he were this brave when the object of his love could actually hear him. But it was only when the other was asleep that he could do things like this, and he felt like he was taking advantage of the other. He couldn't help it though, he couldn't help himself. He needed Yuuri, and would take what he could get.

Say my name,

Sun shines through the rain --

Wolfram was sobbing now, but he fought for control as he wrenched the words from his heart.

A whole life so lonely, now come to ease the pain.

And Yuuri had; for everyone. The reason why Wolfram was so jealous all the time was not because Yuuri was a flirt (if anything, Wolfram was almost sure the boy was asexual, just warmer than most people are).

The thing was, whether Wolfram liked it or not, Yuuri was the cure-it-all for the kingdom's every dilemma – not the least of which might be Wolfram's loneliness, a remnant of years of being abandoned by his mother to go off on her search for love, of subjected to the coldness of his eldest brother, and to the betrayal of his other brother.

I don't want to lose this feeling.

And he really did not. To Wolfram, love must not be like a flame that dies when it's taken all it can be given, or is suffocated. So he held Yuuri closer and started rocking him again, although Wolfram knew that it was he himself who was drawing comfort from the other and not the other way around.

Close your eyes.

Give me your hand, darling.

Do you feel my heart beating?

Do you understand?

Do you feel the same?

Am I only dreaming or is this burning an eternal flame?

Wolfram looked at his sleeping love once more.

Do you feel my heart beating?

Do you understand?

Do you feel the same?

Am I only dreaming or is this burning an eternal flame?

Having finished the lullaby he thought the other was not hearing, Wolfram closed his eyes and succumbed to slumber so that he did not see the tears that fell from Yuuri's eyes, nor did he feel the other cling to him tighter as though for dear life.