Episode 81.5
the Dry Wind Future
"Huh?" Yuri looked around curiously. The last thing he remembered was the soft caress of full, soft lips against his and the gentle smell of spring flowers. Now he was standing in the moonlight-washed courtyard below his bedchamber, the window un-shattered with the curtains drawn, and no Dry Wind machine within sight, or anyone else for that matter. It was rather disorienting to say the least.
"Hello?!" Yuri called cautiously, "Everyone?!" half expecting everyone to jump out and yell 'surprise' and yet also expecting the unresponsive silence that answered him instead. He sighed in resignation, trying not to panic and think about his situation. It didn't take him long to figure it out. He had been in the Dry Wind with Wolfram, and Wolfram had kissed him. And Yuri was so not going to analyze that too deeply or even at all really. So Wolfram had kissed him and now he was in their future. Where Wolfram was he had no clue and assumed that he had gone on ahead, eager as he was to see what their future held in store for them. And Yuri pushed the irate blond's motives to the back of his mind without deeper thought, convinced in himself that he did not want to go there.
"Ai, I guess there's nothing left to do but see whatever Wolfram wanted to see." Yuri sighed again dejected, and made his way into the castle against his better judgment. Seeing no one about, which of cause he wouldn't considering the obvious late hour, he redirected towards his bedchamber.
"For goodness sake," Yuri muttered under his breath, "what could there be to see this late into the night?" He was becoming annoyed with the entire situation and Wolfram for putting him through it when he had no desire to see the future. He stopped at the sight of two heavily armored soldiers standing guard at his bedroom doors. "Huh?" Surely there was no need for that?
"Erm…" Yuri began awkwardly, scratching his cheek in a nervous gesture. He wondered, suddenly, if he would be recognized as an imposture and that maybe his life was in danger for the first time. "Sorry to disturb you, but… eh?" Yuri paused in his stuttering when his words seemed to have no effect on the soldiers. Hesitantly, Yuri continued forward. "Um, hello?" Still no reaction and Yuri stopped in front of one of the armored mazoku and waved his hand in front of his lazily watchful expression. "Eh hello? Can you hear me? ... Can you see me? Huh." Yuri concluded that he must be invisible to the future, unlike his impromptu trip into the past where he had been fully involved, either that or these guys were really very bad at their jobs. However, Yuri, unable to think badly of anybody, except maybe Wolfram, decided it was the former and walked past them to the doors.
"Oh," he breathed shocked, but then not really, when his hand pushed on through the thick wood rather then against it. Needing no further prompting, Yuri stepped through the wood as if it was not there, he didn't feel cold or even as if he were passing through water, just merely continued to walk with nothing opposing him. It occurred to him absently that maybe none of this was really here, even though he felt the ground firm beneath his feet. Almost as soon as that thought entered his mind, it flittered away on his next breath, which shook and almost chocked him when he caught sight of the withering naked bodies moving in the dark on his king sized bed.
He recognized his own silhouette immediately, and squeezed his eyes tightly shut when he saw familiar looking blonde hair glowing through the darkness. "Oh god!" he couldn't see this! He was not ready! He was sixteen, JUST turned sixteen! He was not ready for a relationship or marriage and certainly not ready for THAT! "Oh god," his voice breathed but Yuri was confused when his mouth stayed firmly closed, and then it came again but this time with a heated curse and Yuri's face flamed with embarrassment, realising. "No!" Yuri covered his ears with his hands albeit a little childishly, but hearing the racing panic of his heartbeat and the rushing of his blood was preferable to… "No, no. No. Nononono!" In his hast to get the hell out he managed to trip over his own feet, his hands flying off his ears and his eyes flying wide open on his way down.
"You're Majesty!" Yuri's ass hit the ground hard, leaving him wincing but that was not enough to distract him from the impassioned voice that was definitely NOT his own this time, and also not whose he had been expecting. Against his will, his eyes landed on the naked mass of entangled limbs once again, and took notice of the very feminine curves beneath his thankfully more masculine form. A lot of time must have passed since Yuri's present because he certainly wasn't that muscular at his mere sixteen years. Yuri frowned at the stranger, too confused with this knew development to be embarrassed by his older-self's increased enthusiasm. It was over before Yuri had processed what he was seeing and how he was feeling. Two things were suddenly clear to him. One; the blonde in his bed was not who he thought it would be. And two; he was surprised and confused about why the blonde in his bed was not who he had thought it would be.
"Hmm… that was wonderful, you're Majesty" Yuri heard the stranger murmur above his older-self's heavy breathing. They had rearranged themselves so that older Yuri was on his back, his long, dark hair spilling over the pillow under his head and the female blonde was at his older-self's side stroking his glistening chest.
"You should go. Wolfram should be back soon." Yuri jumped at the sudden mention of his accidental fiancé and his confusion doubled. Why was Wolfram still be sleeping in his bed if he was married to a woman?
"I don't think we have to worry about that, you're Majesty." The woman spoke up again, sounding quietly confident. "The Prince Consort has not walked in on us for some time. I think that his Highness has come to accept our relationship at last, and will not disturb -"
"You're wrong." Yuri's older-self said in a harsh voice, Yuri flinched simultaneously with the blonde that was apparently NOT his wife. Yuri felt his stomach churn at the realization of his older-self cheating on Wolfram. He gagged as his hand reflexively covered his mouth. "Wolfram would never accept our arrangement," his older-self sneered his correction of the woman's apparent presumption. "He loves me." Yuri heard the resolution in his own words and stood on shaky legs, becoming more and more desperate to get the hell out by the second. "And nothing I do is going to change that, he told me that -"
Yuri stumbled through the air-wooden doors of his bedchamber into the hall, suddenly wishing he were corporal so that he could possibly lean against something, anything, to maybe help stop his world from spinning out of his control. He was CHEATING! He couldn't have been cheating on Wolfram! He would NEVER! Never have such disregard for Wolfram's feels. Wolfram was his friend! Surely, there was some mistake. "This isn't happening." Yuri reminded himself uneasily. It wasn't a lie, this wasn't happening… yet. He could feel himself trembling. His mind racing with all the ramifications of what he had just witnessed. He could have spared Wolfram's feelings before it got this far, before he then married a woman. What could have happened to make him act this way, so selfish, so dishonest, so unlike HIM?! What about Wolfram? Where was he when his older self was cheating on him in their marital bed?
Yuri looked further down the corridor that stretched far into a point. Two more guards stood at attention a length away, where the doors to Wolfram's old room led. Yuri hesitated only for a second before swiftly moving to stand before the deceptively solid-looking double doors.
"Wolfram…" Yuri whispered, overwhelming guilt making his heart clenched painfully. "I'm so sorry…" Yuri half sobbed, his eyes rapidly filling with tears of regret. He was so afraid to look behind those doors, to see what his actions had done to his best friend and his most loyal protector. Nevertheless, he had to see this through. If he had hurt Wolfram then he would bare witness to his pain and repent. He needed to see him, if only to attempt to understand the situation more. All he knew for certain was that he could not let this future happen. EVER. With a deep breath in preparation, he stepped into Wolfram's domain.
And expelled that breath on a harsh sob that left his throat burning and his heart breaking. Wolfram was glowing in the moonlight, the heavy velvet curtains were left open just how they were kept in their bedchamber in Yuri's time at Wolfram's request. The fiery blond could not sleep in total darkness and preferred to be greeted by the sun in the mornings, Yuri knew. Wolfram looked older, even curled up on the window-seat Yuri could see that those strong, pale limps had grown longer and he was even more beautiful in the future. However, although he was in the strikingly familiar pink nightgown, this Wolfram was obviously nothing like his. This Wolfram had no spark in his presence, and his green eyes had no gleam as they looked dully up at the star-filled sky, seemingly lost without any hope of being found. His soft features were just as handsome as before but the passion that they captured and held was long gone, the heat of him had turned cold. Now, he could have been a sculpted masterpiece for all the life he possessed, and if it were not for the steady rise and fall of his chest, the rhythmic flutter of his dark eyelashes and the constant stream of endless tears bathing his pale cheeks then Yuri would have mocked the lifelikeness of Wolfram's still image.
"Wolfram…" Yuri began, having no idea what he wanted to say and knowing that it was useless even if he had the words to express how he felt at that moment. And yet he was diverted by the sound of rustling sheets before he got his chance, and distractedly glanced at his faithful fiancé's queen sized bed.
"EH!" Yuri got the shock of his life when the pile of bedclothes moved sleepily with a soft sigh. Without thought and without realizing, Yuri was at the bed's edge peering closer before he had processed what it might mean. Therefore, the sight of the clearly naked Mazoku MAN half buried under WOLFRAM'S bedding very nearly gave Yuri a heart attack. "WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON!" Yuri screamed to no one and everyone. Not Wolfram too! His mind cried, weeping profusely for the loss of innocence within Blood Pledge Castle. Was everyone cheating now?!
"Not Wolfram." Yuri gritted out. A flood of frustrating emotions swirled in with his continued confusion. "What the hell happened?!" he asked again. "How had this happened? Wolfram would NEVER cheat on me!" Yuri knew this and yet the evidence to the contrary was lying, stretched out right in front of him. With waist length, dark blue hair and golden skin over tightly coiled muscles, this man who was sleeping with his HUSBAND was loads more impressive then he was, even in the future. Yuri could feel a hot uncomfortable sensation squirm to life deep in his gut, making him feel jittery as it sent fire gushing through his veins. It was a terrible and exhilarating feeling, and he both rejected and reveled in it all at once. It was new and untried, and Yuri struggled against it for several long minutes as he stared down at the imposture stirring in his Wolfram's bed.
"My Prince?" The deep, smooth voice only made his blood burn even hotter as it called out towards the future Wolfram. His skin prickled unpleasantly when bottomless blue eyes looked beseechingly towards the moonlit blond.
"Go back to sleep." Yuri's skin abruptly iced over at Wolfram's matured voice sounding both commanding and pleading. His Wolfram was only ever pleading in life threatening situations and even then he had a demanding and determined approach to it. His Wolfram was strong and would fight any battle and win without time for failure… this Wolfram, Yuuri silently asked the heavens what hell-born beast could have beaten his avenging angel down so thoroughly. But of course he need not ask, he knew very well he had only himself to blame.
Instead of obeying, the strange man sat up further, his lazy gaze slithering over Wolfram's body much like a snake. A big, slimy, gross snake, Yuuri decided through narrowed eyes.
"Won't you come back to bed, my Prince?"
"No, he wouldn't." Yuuri harshly answered the snake-like-man, his own voice loud in the silence of the bedchamber making him startle, which made him eternally grateful that he was not really here; scaring himself was not really the impression he wanted to give, especially to his Husband's future lover.
"No. Go back to sleep." Wolfram repeated for himself, his reply making Yuuri feel a little better about his self-induced scare.
"Forgive me, My Prince, but I must speak my mind." The blue-haired Mazoku spoke more firmly, more awake now, shifting further forward on the bed.
"Gees, you just don't give up do you?" Yuuri muttered quietly this time and crossed his arms over his chest, trying to resist the urge to tap his foot impatiently while he was waiting for the snake-Mazoku-man to continue.
When no response came from Wolfram the man took that as his signal to continue. "I have waited many years for you to give into me, My Prince. And you have waited even longer for our Maou to see reason and still he remains blind. What I don't understand, Prince Wolfram, is why you should be the one to feel shame when it is you that has been wronged." Yuuri looked anxiously towards Wolfram who refused to look anywhere but at the slowly brightening sky. Guilt swallowed Yuuri absolutely with the confirmation that this was all his fault, and the fact that Wolfram's future lover was the one to voice his faults only made his devastation more prominent.
"Wolfram…" Yuuri barely whispered, feeling the weight of that name on his tongue like a stone upon wet sand. He felt unworthy.
"Yuuri…" His name was breathed as if in answer and for just a moment Yuuri's heart slammed against his chest and his breathing stopped. "It is not Yuuri's fault. He was born in a world where same gender relationships were shunned. It is not his fault that he does not understand my feelings." Yuuri breathed again, his throat dry and bitterness filled his mouth making it difficult for him to swallow. "I have kept myself for him for those many years for my own sake, not for his. I wanted to give myself only to the one I love. I am shamed that I was not strong enough to wait longer. Perhaps someday soon Yuuri will see my love as a blessing in place of a curse, but even if that day never comes I will always regret my weakness this night." Through the curt words Yuuri could hear the endless years of pain and resentment in Wolfram's voice. Yuuri felt cold seep in his bones for all he had put Wolfram through, and yet a bubble of warmth was rapidly swelling in his chest at Wolfram's constant unconditional love. It felt hollow and too big but it was not entirely unpleasant. Only this small pleasure couldn't last.
"His Majesty is a good King, of that there is no doubt. But his treatment of you is unbecoming!" The blue-haired Mazoku fumed, effectively bursting Yuuri's warm bubble. "He is unworthy of your unwavering devotion! Even your brothers agree! Lord von Voltaire was the one to write me to come, for your sake! I came to the Palace because I wanted to see you again after so long, and I fell in love with you all over again as soon as I laid eyes on you. I could make you happy." Yuuri stared blankly into space as he listened to the impassioned speech, knowing that things must be even worse then Yuuri had thought if Gwendal was sending out requests for estranged lovers for his cute baby brother. And this man sounded so sure of his ability to do anything for Wolfram's sake. "We could leave this Palace, this Kingdom if you wish it. You know I'd take good care of you. We could travel across oceans together, find adventure, build a new life, a home of our own, start a family –"
"He gets seasick." Yuuri whispered absently at the same time Wolfram interrupted, "I get seasick. And I can take care of myself; I don't need you to care for me."
"Of course -"
"Didn't you hear me before?" Wolfram questioned not unkindly. Yuuri hated the lack of fire in that somber voice. "I love Yuuri. I'll always love Yuuri. That will never change, I won't change and I've told him as much many times before. Now I'm telling you. I will never leave him, only death can tear me from his side. And I can do nothing but wait for that day to find me." Yuuri cringed at the finality those words were dealt with.
There was a long, intense silence that followed…
And then, "As you wish, my Prince." The stranger's disappointment was dripping from his every syllable. Yuuri gazed unblinkingly at the haloed golden curls of Wolfram as the sun peeked over the distant hills and then everything when dark.
°o.O°Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ°O.o°
"It is almost time for lunch. I'll bring it here, all right?"
Yuuri laid in his king sized bed in the Royal Chambers listening to Gisela's retreating footsteps, waiting rigidly to address the unnaturally still body next to his when they were finally alone. Never before had he been this frustrated with Wolfram. He was confused to the point of distress by Wolfram's reckless actions the night before and was becoming anxious in his need to understand. Yuuri did not like being kidnapped in the middle of the night. Nor did he appreciate being forced to witness a future that he would have preferred to have left well enough alone. But what was confusing him the most was what he had observed whilst in the Dry Wind machine. He could admit only to himself that he had caught himself wondering what it could be like to give in at times, when Wolfram would drop his defenses and reveal his true feelings which had been happening more frequently within the last year in Shin Mazoku, and Yuuri had come to anticipate those warm moments even attempting to prolong them as much as possible to savor each one. However he had worried that maybe, if he let himself be caught up in Wolfram's intense passion that he might turn out to like it.
And now he wondered whether his continued defiance was really worth it.
Yuuri opened his eyes, still feeling the effects of the Dry Wind soak his stiff body, he stared with hooded black eyes up at the canopy above. Wolfram had not moved. Yuuri knew he was awake.
"Did you want to see our future that much, Wolfram?" Okay, straight to the heart of it. He was not in the mood for a pleasant chat anyway. "The future is something that…"
Yuuri saw that Wolfram had opened his eyes at last from the corner of his eye. "What I wanted…" Yuuri made a soft sound of surprise at Wolfram's reverent voice. "What I wanted to see wasn't our future," Yuuri froze in shock, "but your future."
"Eh?" Yuuri's eyes grew wide as his mind raced with the many implications those words birthed.
Wolfram gazed sadly up at the canopy with Yuuri but with a determination that sparked from the knowledge of the future he had bared witness to. "I won't change," he told Yuuri with conviction, "So there is no need to confirm my own future." Yuuri relaxed slightly as a sense of understanding soothed his anxieties. "…I'll always love Yuuri. That will never change, I won't change and I've told him as much…" He sat up unhurriedly and peered down at Wolfram's stiff figure lying beside him with a softness in his eyes that was becoming a normalcy when gazing at his friend.
"Wolfram, you…" he said slowly unable to keep the affection that he felt for his ardent friend from surfacing.
There was a short pause while Wolfram continued to stare hard up at the canopy, deliberately keeping his gaze averted from Yuuri. The he said, "No one else would understand the feelings I have as the fiancé of this adulterous, good-looking man. But you're a cheating fiancé and I don't understand your feelings…"
Yuuri looked down into his lap, overwhelmed with a soul deep sadness, turning his side to Wolfram unable to cope with his friend's relentless loyalty. It still surprised him how strongly Wolfram felt for him; he did not think he would ever get used to it.
"Hey, Wolfram" he called quietly not wanting to ruin the peaceful moment between them. Wolfram finally looked to him with a small noise of attention. "At the very least, let's please avoid that future, that future… I don't want it to happen..." Yuuri said with care and calm, avoiding Wolfram's eyes.
Wolfram turned his green eyes back to the canopy a disgruntled frown on his delicate features. "Yes… I never want to see that again..." He said angrily.
"Eh?" Yuuri whirled around to gape at him, feeling cold shock and immediate confusion at his friend's vehemence. His mind freezing with the thought that Wolfram would want to avoid that future at all costs.
Wolfram shot up in bed, his fists clenched tightly as if ready to rip a man apart with his bare hands and Yuuri feared for his life, he saw rage burning within those emerald eyes, pale cheeks flushed pink in anger and shaking Wolfram's young demon body. Yuuri looked on with wide eyes, his heart slamming hard against his ribs. "I don't want to see it anymore! Why must I witness you being surrounded by loosely dressed women?!" he ended shouting in Yuuri's face, his tone accusing.
"Women?" Yuuri asked in confusion. Then he laughed. "Ha. You're joking, right, Wolfram." Wolfram appeared unimpressed his cheeks flushing brighter as he narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "I saw that you actually liked me, and you, a man…" Yuuri stopped at Wolfram's confused but still enraged expression. "Eh?" it suddenly dawned on Yuuri that he should have kept that to himself, it was obvious that Wolfram didn't know. "Eeeehhh!" he leaned away from the brutal blond thinking to escape but Wolfram was quick to grab Yuuri's pajama collar and pull him in close. Their noses almost touched. Yuuri didn't think to fight him.
"What?" Wolfram growled. "Are you saying we didn't see the same thing?!"
Yuuri barely hear the door open through the pounding in his ears. "That's right. The future you saw was the future you fear the most." Murata stood with Greta, Conrad, Gwendal, Gunter, Anissina and Cecilie in the doorway to the bedchambers, none made a move to enter or help Yuuri out of his predicament. "That's why it's not uncommon for it to be the partner's happiest future."
Wolfram gripped Yuuri harder and shook him slightly. Yuuri pushed a little at the blond's shoulders and leaned back to get him to stop whilst looking beseechingly towards their intruders, but Wolfram followed with his usual determination. "Spill it! Spill it!" he demanded. "Tell me, every single detail, from start to finish!"
"NO!" Yuuri's mind cried. There was no way that the young King could tell his accidental fiancé the future he saw. Yuuri's eyes darkened with that same purpose and he turned to Wolfram with just as much determination, taking Wolfram off guard for a moment as Yuuri gripped the blond's shoulders more firmly and pushed back to lean menacingly into him, much like Wolfram had done. "You, too! Tell me everything about the future you saw!" Wolfram looked at him in shock before quickly regaining his composure.
"What? You tell me first!" he shouted back and they begun a struggle of wills each trying to get the information out of the other.
"Of course you should tell me first! I have just as much right to know as you have!" Yuuri could hear their audience conversing on the other side of the room, but he did not care, he had to know what Wolfram's fearful future was and then maybe he could understand his own better.
"Like hell you do!" Wolfram snarled and pushed back with all his strength which was a surprising amount. Yuuri fell on his back with the fierce blond on top of him. The Double Black King gulped nervously when sharp nails cut into the skin of his wrists.
"Wait, wait, Wolfram, Wolfram!" Yuuri tried to keep the peace. "There's no need to get violent! Wait! What are you doing?!" He yelped when Wolfram twisted his arm around his back and pushed the young King onto his belly so fast he barely had time to take a breath before his face was smooshed into the mattress. "Hmmhnh! Hmnh!" Yuuri yanked his head up with all his might, almost succeeding in dislodging Wolfram, but the irate Mazoku was quick to recover and twisted his King's arm higher up his back with his left hand pushing Yuuri's shoulders more firmly into the mattress. And since no one was intervening, Yuuri assumed that their audience had left them to hash it out on their own. "Ow, stop it that huuuurrrts!"
"WIMP!" was Wolfram's typical response.
"Is this really necessary?!" Yuuri asked incredulously. His arm was about to come out of it's socket, dammit. Surely there were laws against him getting this kind of treatment?
"Of course it is, you lecherous wimp! How else am I going to stop you from cheating on me?"
"But I didn't do anything!" Yuuri whined. He thought that they'd already agreed that that wouldn't happen, but then that was before Murata revealed that they hadn't actually seen the same future. "Come on, Wolf." Yuuri pleaded, catching Wolfram's eyes over his shoulder and giving him his most pitiful look knowing that the blond was a sucker for it. "We can change the future, remember? And I definitely don't want that future to happen." Yuuri remained with conviction and watched Wolfram melt before his very eyes. It was a real stroke to his ego, he had to admit, that he had such a strong affect on such a beautiful person. With his expression alone he could turn this fierce lion into a cute kitten, albeit he could change him back just as quick but still.
"Why should I be the one to tell you first?!" Wolfram said, loud and indignant even as he meekly released Yuuri from under him. Yuuri got up and turned around to kneel facing his irritated fiancé. Wolfram was still flushed and his breathing was slightly uneven, his peach nightgown had slipped off one shoulder and was rumpled from their scuffle… Yuuri blinked rapidly before he embarrassed himself by being caught gawking, like the idiot he was.
"Because I'm the Demon King and I want you to?" Yuuri retorted lightly, not wanting Wolfram's wrath so soon after he had just escaped but needing to get the argument back on track. He had no intention of telling anyone his most feared future, not even Conrad, he was too confused and… well, fearful to admit to it, he had already admitted enough, but if he had any chance of understanding himself then he needed to know what Wolfram had seen. It was unfair, but Yuuri forced himself not to feel guilty and strongly reminded himself that Wolfram was the cause of all this.
Wolfram glared venomously. "That's cheating, you wimp!" Still the blond remained compliant. He pushed Yuuri gently away from him in slight retaliation and Yuuri fell back onto his elbows with a soft "oof" as Wolfram scooted further back on the huge bed. Yuuri tried not to let his friend's move affect him and buried the niggling of hurt deep inside like may times before, and refocus on what the blond tyrant was mumbling. "I saw myself surrounded by loosely dressed women and competing for your affection while you were handing out flowers." Wolfram said in a rush, his voice drastically quieted from his last words.
Yuuri frowned. "Why flowers?" was out of his mouth before he could think better of it. Wolfram launched himself at Yuuri once again and Yuuri tried hard not to feel elated at the return of his Wolfram's touch.
°o.O°Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ°O.o°
Wolfram was not happy with him. Yuuri had made a hasty escape after managing to get Wolfram to reveal, with the awesome power of his infamous pout, that the flowers he had been handing out in Wolfram's feared future were a symbol of courtship, and that the 'loosely dressed women' were actually Royal Concubines. He also took note of the fact that Wolfram had let slip that they were still engaged at that point, and Yuuri pondered the possibility that what Wolfram had seen was the beginning of the later future Yuuri had witnessed.
Yuuri frowned as he pictured what Wolfram had described to him. It all seemed deceptively childish compared to the emotional drama Yuuri had been bombarded with and considered the likelihood of how Wolfram would have reacted seeing Yuuri's feared future. Yuuri was almost certain that Wolfram would have broken off the engagement immediately in the aftermath without an explanation why. But then again, Wolfram of the future had still been beside him even though Yuuri had done everything possibly wrong by him and had ever intension of staying until the bitter end, maybe he was underestimating just how strong Wolfram's love for him really was. No, Yuuri thought, if Wolfram could see what loving his King would do to him even in the distant future, there would be no reason for him to prolong his pain anymore, since seeing that his love had been for nothing would crush Wolfram irreversibly. And he would most defiantly end up just like future Wolfram only sooner.
"No." Yuuri said decisively as he stalked towards the stables in search of his much loved horse. "That won't happen. I can't let that happen." He could not hurt his friend. Wolfram was incredibly dear to him and held a special place in his heart. He would not cause his friend pain.
He was glade to be out of the Castle and more then relieved to see Ao waiting patiently for him, greeting him with a soft snuffling noise. "Ao! How have you been? Dordascous been taking good care of you?" Yuuri smiled as the black Mazoku horse nuzzled his hand while he petted her. "I need you to give me a ride to Shinou's Temple, ok? It won't take long, I promise." Or at least he hoped it wouldn't take too long. He had a lot on his mind and none of it made any sense to him, but he had to clear this up before his thoughts were jumbled up even more with time.
The Double Black King quickly saddled Ao, remembering systematically the step by step process, Conrad had shown him. "Blanket first. Saddle next. This strap loops in here, secure buckle, make sure it's tight but not too tight -" Yuuri continually muttered under his breath as he concentrated on making no mistakes. He remembered vividly what a loose saddle got him; a massive headache and an unsympathetic fiancé. Well, Yuuri had at least learned his lesson.
Yuuri mounted Ao cautiously all the same, but when the world didn't abruptly tilt he let out a sigh of relief. "Come one, Ao, let's go." Yuuri said with confidence he didn't feel. With a gentle tug of the reins Demon King and trusted steed were on their way. Yuuri sincerely hoped Gwendal wouldn't be too angry with him for journeying to the Temple alone.
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"Ah, Yuuri. I was wondering when you would make time for me." Shinou's harmonious voice drifted to the Double Black King almost before he entered the Pray Chamber. The blond Original King was lounging across two of the three Forbidden Boxes that were now probably not so forbidden.
"Shinou." Yuuri greeted with forced politeness. After his fight with Wolfram, Yuuri remembered that it had been Shinou who had possessed Wolfram to cause all that trouble last night; it wasn't fair if Yuuri just blamed Wolfram since it was more Shinou's doing really, so Yuuri had ridden to the Temple to confront the meddlesome Original King. And, of course, to get some answers.
Yuuri stopped before the raised dais, his expression hard. "I won't to know why you did that last night. I thought you would agree with me that the future is something that should never be seen." Yuuri couldn't help but admonish. Honestly, he thought the Original Demon King would be more rational then Wolfram, or anyone really, but the more he got to know Shinou the more respect he had for Murata's original incarnation as the Great Sage.
"Certainly, Yuuri. I agree that the future is not something to be known. It is ever changing and to predict the future is to predict only one outcome of many." Shinou recited dutifully as if having had a written answer ready.
Yuuri grumbled. "Then why did you do it?"
"I only granted Lord von Bielefeld's wish. He was so single-minded." The Original King repeated his earlier explanation, not that Yuuri knew that.
"Huh?" Yuuri tilted his head curiously.
"His thoughts were so loud that I thought I might lend a hand."
"For heavens sake," Yuuri sighed in exasperation. His rubbed a hand through his hair, frustrated. "And you couldn't think of anything else to silence him?"
"Why would I want to silence him?" Shinou queried in surprise. Yuuri raised one dark brow in response. Shinou shook his head, his expression amusedly disappointed if that as at all possible. "Lord von Bielefeld is a very passionate Mazoku; to silence such spirit would be cruel." He chided with a smile.
Yuuri gaped at him before relenting with a sigh and a small smile of his own. "Fine. But did you have to go about it that way?"
"He wanted to know what your future held in store. He was most worried that you'd be taken advantage of."
"Really?" Yuuri asked. He frowned softly in confusion. "But why?"
"He believes that your optimistic nature and your relentless need to trust will make you vulnerable to a cunning enemy."
"So, he wasn't worried about what our relationship would be in the future?" Yuuri wanted to make sure. He hadn't really believed that Wolfram was not curious as to what his place would be in his "fiancé's" future, but then maybe he was again undermining just how unselfish Wolfram's feelings for him were. God, why couldn't he just get it through his thick head?
"Of course he is." Shinou interrupted his self-rebuke, causing Yuuri's cheeks to heat with embarrassment when he recalled Shinou complaining about how loud Wolfram's thoughts had been. Gees, was there no privacy around here? "His worst fear is for you to love a woman instead of him. He even fears that you would find a man more to your liking. Honestly, he is very insecure for someone so beautiful."
Yuuri felt shame engulf him at that last part. "It's my fault." Yuuri confessed, feeling terrible. "I never realised how serious he took what I said. I always thought he just brushed it off because he never stopped sneaking into my room, and never left me alone for too long. It's only recently that I've noticed just how much he's changed. How I've changed him. He used to be so arrogant and self-assured. Did you know that the first time I found him in my room he practically jumped me? And the second time he was naked sleeping right next to me in my bed, under the covers and everything!" Yuuri emphasized with wild hand movements before quieting down again. "I had never met someone so audacious before in my life. But he's so different now. Now he blushes if I smile at him and he stutters whenever he thinks he's said too much about his feelings. Maybe he thinks that I'll get upset, like I did before." He speculated sadly. "He even stays on his side of the bed or when we're on missions he sometimes doesn't even sleep in the same bed as me… it was so gradual that I just hadn't realised." Yuuri finished quietly, feeling like he's struck out and lost the game for the whole team with his failure to hit the mark three times.
"You know…" Shinou said thoughtfully. Yuuri looked up eagerly, more then ready for a change in topic, he didn't like feeling this way, like he had done something unforgivable and had no idea how to go about making it right again. Shinou unhurriedly stepped down from the dais towards Yuuri. He stopped a foot away and put his right hand on his hip, looking pensive. "You know, I recall that to successfully see into the future, two persons must feel a strong level of affection towards one another."
"Yeah…" Yuuri conceded slowly, not sure whether he really wanted to know where the blond King was going with this new direction.
"There must be love between them, if not be in love." Shinou elaborated watching the Double Black King closely.
Yuuri absorbed that for a second. "…Ok."
"However," Shinou abruptly changed course again. Yuuri's mind stumbled to keep up. "Do you know why a kiss is needed to activate the machine?" Yuuri quickly shook his head, his black eyes wide. "It is the power of emotion behind the kiss that determines how far into the future one sees."
"Oh." Yuuri said stupidly, feeling a little lost amongst this sea of new information.
"Because I was in possession of Lord von Bielefeld's body, I myself absorbed a lot of the power between you as a consequent for my involvement, so Lord von Bielefeld only saw twenty years into the future at most. However, Yuuri, you on the other hand had no filter to restrain the result of the kiss and saw two hundred years into the future at very least."
"Two hundred years?!" Yuuri yelled in astonishment. "But we looked so young!" he countered, shaking his head to communicate his skepticism.
"Of course," Shinou said lightly, unfazed by Yuuri's reproof. "Most Mazoku live past five hundred years, however within our lifetime are many dangers for our kind and in our world, and so it is uncertain when our natural life's end will ultimately retire."
Yuuri considered that for a long moment. "Well, Ulrike is eight hundred and counting…" he relented. The implication that he will live for hundreds of years and still look young boggled his mind, if he thought too deeply about all the years he had at his exposal his head began to pound, and he closed his eyes against the many possibilities that tried to make themselves known all at once. He would have time for that later… loads of time apparently. Right, focus.
"Hm, yes Shrine Maidens have the longest recorded lifespan, because of the peaceful lives that they live they are mostly left out of dangerous situations." Shinou agreed with a wistful expression, and Yuuri was positive that he did not want to know what was going through the Original King's head at that moment.
"I see…" Yuuri muttered, pushing two fingers against each of his temples trying to ease the sudden pressure around his eyes. "What was all that about anyway?" Yuuri asked since he was sure that he had missed the punch line hidden in there somewhere having been distracted by the two-hundred-years-thing, which he hurriedly rebuffed to the back of his mind before it could cause him an even bigger headache.
"Oh?" Shinou breathed distractedly before his eyes glinted with enlightenment. "Ah, Yuuri." The blond King reprimanded with noticeable amusement. "You really should pay more attention when having a conversation."
"Hu ah, that aside," Yuuri hurried along, feeling a twinge of annoyance.
"Hm?" Shinou teased before moving on. "Ai, I guess it can't be helped." Yuuri was relieved when Shinou then met his gaze seriously. "The punch line, as you accurately thought it, Yuuri," Yuuri blushed at that, "Is that a kiss that is powerful enough to send you two hundred years into the future is a result of a much stronger emotion then mere platonic love." Shinou told him conclusively.
Yuuri blinked up at the supposedly dead Demon King, his headache forgotten as he simply listened to the steady thump, thud-dump, thump, of his heartbeat for several still moments as those words washed over him. Surprisingly not drowning in the repercussions of this phenomenal revelation, but rather it soaked into his skin, to bone and seeped deep in his soul drop by drop, and like a summer shower after a humid day it came as more of a relief then an inconvenience.
He had a long way to go before he was fully accepting, he couldn't just push aside the very real fact that Wolfram was a guy and Yuuri still had reservations about two guys being intimate, but it suddenly wasn't as big of a deal as he had initially thought considering that he was no ready for anything like that just yet anyway. He could get over his irrational fear of being attracted to a boy, since he obviously was already, by the time that he would want anything like that from his beautiful fiancé and though it might take some time he felt a new confidence that he could do right by Wolfram. He couldn't imagine his life without the fierce blond in it and he really didn't want to. Wolfram had made him who he was today and he could never care for someone more then he cared for the fire Mazoku. It was all so clear to him now and Yuuri grinned at Shinou who smirked down at the naive King, glad that he could help.
Yuuri sighed happily and smirked back at the Original King. "Ai, are you always this much trouble?" He queried only half joking.
Shinou looked pleased with the assessment of his behavior. Yuuri reframed from rolling his eyes. "In the old days, I always used to make the Great Sage mad like that." his pride apparent in his every word.
Yuuri's shoulders sagged knowing it would be useless to try and tell off the troublesome King. "You've been doing things like this since that long ago?" he asked in exasperation.
Shinou looked dreamily off to the right. "From time to time." He breathed.
"For heaven's sake, your character hasn't changed at all from before." Yuuri said, somewhat (grudgingly) charmed.
"Character?" Shinou looked to Yuuri in askance.
"Ah," Yuuri was taken aback by the Great Demon King's confusion but then closed his eyes with a soft breath of laughter. "Never mind." Yuuri opened his eyes with a determined spark within the black depths. "By the way, did you come back because you were worried about how I was ruling the land?"
"No." Shinou laughed gently. "Yuuri, I've left Shin Mazoku to you. I have nothing to say about it. For now, at least." Yuuri rolled his eyes at that last part. His gaze landing on the glass ceiling above their heads, and took notice of the blue patch of sky of the maou's Japanese sign for Judgment hidden amongst the white clouds.
"Hmm," Yuuri hummed sounding thoughtful.
"I just wanted to spread my wings a little." Shinou assured quietly.
"I see." Yuuri stated, lowing his gaze to Shinou's equally blue eyes. "Come visit again." Yuuri offered decidedly with a pleased smile. It was the least he could do after what Shinou had done for him.
"Yeah." Shinou agreed readily.
I've been thinking of a Sequel to this... but it will be separated into a new fic, so The Dry Wind Future will remain a One-Shot-Extra from the Season 3 OVA The Dry Wind... lets pretend it was actually part of Season 3...