"I'm sorry, Yuuri…" Wolfram said sadly before he walked away from the king.
Yuuri clenched his fists. The sun was about to set and Wolfram had turned him down. Yuuri acknowledged that it was his fault. He walked away from Wolfram too, once. But he had come back to claim what was his; more importantly, he had come back to the Demon Kingdom to marry Wolfram. He was not about to give him up after going all this way. No way, no how, not ever. If he had to throw fits like Wolfram did before, he would, although given the extent of Yuuri's power it might not be the best thing to do. How then would he get Wolfram to believe in him now?
Before dinner, Yuuri approached Conrad as the latter was doing his evening exercises. Yuuri had hesitated about a thousand times before he finally plucked up the courage to go to his godfather AND Wolfram's brother, but Gwendal was the last person he'd go to for love advise and Celi was just too… Celi. At least Conrad gave the appearance of sanity, although sometimes Yuuri feared that there was more instability in Conrad's ever-smiling countenance than the brown-haired soldier let on.
Conrad's face brightened with his usual peaceful smile as he saw his royal godson approach him at the odd hour of dusk. The half-human warrior already knew that sometime that day or another, the monarch would come to him for advice about his little brother so Conrad actually already prepared for this. What he was not ready for was how tired and defeated Yuuri looked as he trudged – no, dragged – himself towards him. Conrad doubted Yuuri would even be able to speak, and yet, Yuuri was able to groan a tell-all "Please help me get him back, Conrad. Please…" before Yuuri fell unconscious in his arms.
Yuuri woke up the next morning not on his own mattress in the royal bedchamber but in a narrow single bed. "I'm in the barracks?" Yuuri thought, but he quickly disproved his theory when he looked out the window and saw he was still within the castle walls. "Conrad…"
As if on cue, Conrad appeared with a breakfast tray in his hands laden with a half dozen bagels, cream cheese in a bowl, two mugs, and a tall thermos of steaming and fragrant hot chocolate.
"Morning, Yuuri," Conrad greeted his king good-naturedly.
"Conrad, how many times will tell you… what? Oh, eheheh… 'morning," Yuuri stammered quite sheepishly. He automatically reacted to Conrart's greetings with a rebuke for calling him by an honorific, and the one time that Conrart did not, his mouth had already been halfway through his usual chiding.
Conrart chuckled and poured the boy king he loved like a son a mug of the rich and sweet-tasting brew before he applied himself to halving Yuuri's bagel and slathering it with cheese and handing it to the king, a gesture the king gratefully thanked him for by chowing down on the proffered items as soon as he got them.
"You didn't eat a thing for days," Conrad stated, not asked.
Yuuri stopped chewing, swallowed the small morsel in his mouth, bowed his head, and nodded once.
"Figures. How many days?" Conrad inquired.
"I don't know, honestly. I was worried all the time, afraid of how much time was passing here every day I stayed on earth," Yuuri replied softly, his voice barely a whisper.
Conrad shook his head and before he could stop himself, ruffled Yuuri's hair with a free hand. "I think I need not tell you that was a dumb thing to do, Your Majesty."
Yuuri's eyes shot up but just as suddenly as vehemence had shown in them, it fled in the face of agreement. Yes, skipping meals had been dumb. "Leaving Wolfram – leaving everybody here was dumb too and I did that, too, Conrad."
Conrad smiled and hugged Yuuri to himself. "I'll help you get him back. I'll see that the Council does, too. Leave it to me, Yuuri. In the meantime," Conrad took a small notepad from the bedside table and a small quill and a tiny ink bottle from his pocket and handed them all to Yuuri. "I need you to write all of your feelings for Wolfram down on this paper,"
Yuuri's brows furrowed in befuddlement. "Why?"
Conrad just smiled and said, "You'll see,"
As is habitual for him, Conrart reported to his big brother Gwendal's office at midmorning, but his agenda for today was different.
Gwendal was seated in his chair with his back facing Conrad. "I know why you're here, Lord Weller, and I'll have you know that I am NOT going to be involved in this,"
Conrart just smiled and placed a small sheet of paper on his brother's desk anyway. "See ya at three, Gwendal," before Conrad walked towards the door, closing it after himself.
Gunter sat in an empty royal library that its master did not care to visit that day. In his hand was a sheet of paper on the back of which was "three in the afternoon, Royal Ballroom".
That evening, Yuuri, Conrart, Gwendal, and Gunter stood below the balcony of Wolfram's room.
"Are you sure this is going to work?" Yuuri anxiously asked Conrart.
Conrart smiled at the king reassuringly. "It will, Majesty. These words aren't mine; they are from your heart. Wolfram will know it and this will work,"
Gwendal muttered. "It better work. I have three stacks of paperwork I left unattended for this AND Gunter is starting to mibble. Dammit."
Celi picked this particular evening to bond with Wolfram, it seemed, as the sexy ex-queen of New Makoku was standing at the balcony next to her youngest son who was observing the goings own beneath his window.
Cecilie gazed at Wolfram's tear-streaked cheeks and sunken, dark-ringed eyes and the sight broke her heart. "Pride never did much for a heart in love," She thought. But then, she knew how long Wolfram had put aside his pride in favor of love. Her son was not completely at fault. The blonde-haired queen's green eyes narrowed into slits even as she acknowledged her eldest and her middle child were in the garden beneath her and helping the double-black woo her Wolfram. Shinou forgive her, but she loved how Yuuri was squirming as he looked up at Wolfram who looked back at him with a nonchalant expression, and as always, she voiced what she thought.
"I know you're dying to get down there and kiss His Majesty senseless, baby, but I want you to make him work for this. You've suffered for so long, sweetie. It's about time –"
Wolfram cut her off with an empty stare. He looked devoid of all emotion, and like he was very, very tired.
Cecilie caught in her breath. "Oh my…"
Wolfram smiled wryly at her and just shook his head at his mother. "I plan to do no such thing, mother of mine. I'm going in, and I suggest you go in with me, or we'll both catch cold,"
It was right then that the sure and steady beat of Gwendal's drums, the certain strums of Gunter's guitar, and the deep pulsings of Conrart's bass reached Wolfram's and Celi's ears. Above it all though were the de-facto band's voices, even above whose was Yuuri's own voice, loud and clear. Yuuri was sure now. Yuuri was calling for his fiancé whom he could no longer deny as his own.
You're irresistible, you're mine!
Wolfram was stunned. Yuuri was almost never aggressive as himself. The only times he was anything as assertive as he was then was when Yuuri was fighting for justice and love. Love… Love? Wolfram asked in his head. What are you asking of me, Yuuri? Never mind that his brothers had taken up their musical instruments after almost a century, but Yuuri being self-confident for once and not being wimpy… Wolfram didn't know what he was feeling, but he knew at least that he was curious.
Don't want you for the weekend, dont want you for a day
Don't need a love divided, dont want to feel this way.
See I want you to need me, (the way that i need you)
Just like i need you (the way i see you)
And i want you to see me, like no-one before
Wolfram smirked. "But I do see you like no one else, Yuuri. I see you for the wimp you are. I see the boy and love him… love you."
Yuuri was thinking the same. "You're the only one who knows the boy behind the crown; the child under the cape and kept on loving him. Please don't leave me now, Wolfram. I need you more than all these put together," Yuuri thought, as he gestured to refer to all that surrounded them.
You're irresistible; you're natural, and physical
Its indefinable, it's magical, illogical.
So make-you-mine-able,
You're mine!
Wolfram already knew he was beautiful. His mother named a flower "Beautiful Wolfram" after him when she was still Demon Queen. But irresistible? Wolfram had always played second fiddle to Gwendal in statesmanship; to Conrart in swordsmanship. And while everyone doted on him and spoiled him, no one in his family took the time to actually listen to what he had to say. All his life he'd been gawked at; admired for his appearance. But here Yuuri was, telling him he was irresistible. Wolfram bit his lip to suppress a smile. He thought, "Really, Yuuri?" even though he himself knew the answer. Yuuri always listened to him, always looked past the package. Yuuri was drawn to him for something more than skin deep. It was magical, illogical, and sometimes it got physical when he beat Yuuri up (well, he was jealous!)… and what was that? "Make-you-mine-able?" Wolfram's grin widened to a smile, and then he finally gave in to laughter. How very Yuuri to be so silly even at a time like this! But as the blond knight looked down at the king whom he saw was obviously relieved by his reaction, he understood that Yuuri's "Yuuri-ness" was what he fell in love with, and would always be in love with.
Yuuri breathed in relief as he saw a smile forming on Wolfram's face. When Wolfram started laughing, Yuuri was offended for a second, until he did a double-take and saw how the love overflowed from those gorgeous green eyes, radiant even in the scant illumination that was the moonlight. In fact, Yuuri could not recall when those eyes looked more captivating.
So can't you see I'm tortured, oh cant you hear my pain?
If you'd just let me show you (show you)
I'll be your summer rain
Then you'll feel that you want me (the way i feel it)
Just like i want you (the way i want you)
And you know nothings better,
It's like nothing before!
Wolfram smiled at that. He chuckled as he remembered how many times he'd circled the world – by BOAT, no less! – in attempts to catch up with the king and make sure no harm befell him. It sure wasn't like anything he'd ever experienced, and doubtless he'll be doing more of that if he accepted Yuuri's suit now, but he didn't care. Love was too good a thing to pass up, and besides – Celi was already singing along. Well, he had to admit. The song was pretty catchy. And Yuuri was promising it wont be like before... Yuuri loved him now, and Wolfram was sure Yuuri will make no bones of it. Yuuri did everything with a whole heart.
Yuuri never felt so poetic in his life. But then perhaps love made one poetic. Poetic yet honest. His element was water that cooled down the destructive fire. He was ready to be there for Wolfram now as his lover… and of course, everyone knew how fire and water made steam. He could not wait to marry Wolfram. Yuuri decided he'd marry Wolfram right away! Well, if Wolfram considers it, that is.
You're irresistible; you're natural, and physical
It's indefinable, magical, illogical,
So make-you-mine-able,
You're mine!
Wolfram's cheeks flushed at the words. If Celi wasn't holding onto him so tight as she squealed and shrieked at the giddiness all this was giving her, he would have jumped off the window straight into the Maou's arms. Yuuri would catch him, he knew. Yuuri was just that kind of guy.
Yuuri smiled genuinely for the first time that day, in response to Wolfram's smile. The love he was feeling could not be described, and it couldn't be anything less than magical; even more magical than his power as Maou. Yuuri had trashed every single taboo he grew up with for this love, and he'd be damned if he could not claim Wolfram.
Now you feel what I'm feeling (don't you feel what im feeling)
Don't you know that its more (it can take you places)
It can take you places, like never before!
Wolfram sighed, but it was only because he'd forgotten to breathe. Yuuri was asking him to go on another adventure, and he'd be damned not to go. He nodded at the young king below in acknowledgment, and sang back:
You're irresistible; you're natural, and physical.
It's indefinable, magical, and illogical,
So make-you-mine-able,
You're mine!
Celi smiled knowingly at her son and swiftly fled the room. Yuuri was hurrying up the stairs already and she knew that would not be needed until the morning.
Yuuri met Celi at the door and he smiled sheepishly at his mother-in-law-to-be when she stepped aside and let him in.
"Wolfram, I…"
Wolfram practically flew across the room and into his arms, and their lips found each other immediately. No more words were needed. Everything that needed to be said had passed between them. Actions were what were needed now.
Yuuri crushed his mouth against Wolfram's; effectively staking his claim on him in front of his brothers and well within sight of the whole darn kingdom but he didn't care. Celi had taken her place beside Gwendal who sat behind a drum set and Gunter who held a guitar which, like Conrart's, was plugged into one of Annisina's maryoku-powered generators.
Now that Wolfram and Yuuri found each other, even a crowbar could not have pried them apart just then.
"I love you, Wolfram. No buts --I'm marrying you first thing in the morning. Damn the Aristocrats if they're not here by nine. I'm marrying you at ten and I wait for no one!" Yuuri said, and Wolfram almost cowered at the determination in those eyes, black as coals burning.
Wolfram smiled devilishly as he looked up at those dark eyes he loved with all his heart. "I don't give a hoot, Yuuri. I don't give a damn hoot."
Yuuri kissed him again. "I came back for you, Wolfram. And I'm here to stay. Back in the other world, thoughts of you wouldn't let me be. I had to return,"
Wolfram nodded in agreement. "I know. I'm irresistible, remember?" Wolfram teased, his smile now a snide grin.
Yuuri laughed. "You are. You so are,"
Disclaimer: Kyou Kara Maou isn't mine and neither is "Irresistible" by the Corrs.
