Like a thousand Suns – A Kyou Kara Maou fanfic by namichan89
After my large project „First of May" I'm a bit in the mood for some „back to the roots". This fic will in the end have about 8 chapters, I think.
Also, every chapter will get a title again! Everyone who read my first fanfic („Earless?", Loveless fandom) knows that I like using song titles for that (honestly, when I think about a title, I rather think of song titles than anything else...).
Therefore, „Like a thousand suns" is actually a Song by Heaven Shall Burn. I love these guys :3
And here go the regular disclaimers: I don't own Kyou Kara Maou. I only own what my messed-up mind does to those poor characters I borrow from the writers of this wonderful anime/manga/novels.
Rated M for a reason, and you know what I mean ;) Consider the first chapters as a warm-up, though. Because I'm pretty bad at „plot what plot" ^^
We start at Status Quo, as always...
Chapter 1: The tables have turned
Summer in Shin Makoku was something Yuri truly loved.
He liked the hot season for various reasons. The weather was always nice and perfect for playing baseball, if the sun wasn't burning too merciless from the sky. He enjoyed playing catch with Conrad in the cool morning hours, when it was still endurable. Also, he hated freezing and rather preferred to sweat instead. A cold shower or bath was the best he could think of for these days.
And a cold shower was what the young king wished for the most at the moment, as he entered Gwendal's office to get to his paper work. This duty was still tedious, and he was sure that his attitude towards it would never change - especially when he would rather like to go outside and have fun. Or a refreshing cold shower.
Not that Gunter hadn't demanded all his time over the past hours teaching him the code of behavior towards Small Shimaron's politicians. He sighed loudly.
Gwendal raised his eyes from the papers on his desk.
„Is everything alright, heika?" he asked, raising his left eyebrow.
„Yeah, of course," Yuri took a wishful look through the window before he sat down on his own, smaller desk in Gwendal's office. He had his own office, but here he wasn't alone and couldn't escape his duties that easily. He knew himself well enough to be fully aware of how easily he was deflectable. And he had the opportunity to ask the grim-looking general whenever he wasn't sure about something.
Though Gwendal never said much during their working periods, he was just happy that the dark-haired demon wasn't averse to Yuri using his office as well.
He took the first sheet of the pile of papers waiting for him. After skimming over the text, he turned to the older man, perception lighting up in his eyes.
„That's the reason why I have to learn Small Shimaron's etiquette?" he waved the paper.
Gwendal just nodded, not even looking up from his work. „Yes, that's the way it is."
„You know I hate those formal receptions and congresses," the black-haired boy pouted, „but I know, it's all for the good of Shin Makoku, so I will be there... who will accompany me, by the way?"
„Most likely, Gunter and Conrad. I'll try to convince Wolfram to stay at home, since Gunter will be missing, and you know his... problems... with traveling by ship." The tall mazoku cleared his throat, still not looking at Yuri.
„I wonder if you really manage that. He will insist on coming with me, as always."
„Yes, but Conrad will be there as your protector, while Gunter will handle the diplomatic part. Wolfram couldn't handle one of those tasks better than those two, and you needn't travel with a whole escort."
„Hmm," Yuri nodded thoughtfully. „We'll see."
As he had just begun to work through his huge pile of work, he noticed footsteps in the hallway leading to Gwendal's office.
He had been living in Blood Pledge Castle for several years now, and he could figure out by the sound of the steps who was visiting them.
If they were quiet and steady, it was Conrad. Hastily, loud ones were Wolfram's. If they were accompanied with a clicking sound, then most likely Cherie. Quick, scuttling, most of the time running steps gave notice of Greta.
Fast, rather loud steps belonged to Gunter, but there was also another person who walked that way.
Anissina.
The door burst open, revealing the red-haired inventor.
„Gwendal," she raised her vocal voice, „Would you mind following me?"
Said mazoku sat at his desk, his hands covering his face while Yuri could notice his clenched jaw. „That's not a question but an order, right?", he sighed, „Yuri, tell Gunter: 'Immediately.' Okay?"
„Uhm, okay."
„Well then, I guess I have no choice," he laughed dryly as he got so his feet. Anissina smiled maliciously. „Let's get it done, then."
Whatever she intended to test on him, Yuri knew that the general would come back exhausted with one hell of a headache. Like it always ended up. He pitied Gwendal, but even he, the 27. maou of Shin Makoku, was powerless against Anissina von Karbelnikof in this matter.
And with that, the woman pulled the terrified-looking Gwendal at his sleeve out of the office.
When the door was shut again, Yuri decided that he had to continue his work. Gunter would be here soon with the afternoon tea.
As he recognized the familiar sound of the adjutant's footsteps some time later, he put the paper aside which he actually worked on.
Gunter opened the door, but stopped immediately instead of stepping inside. „Where's Gwendal?" he asked irritatedly, scanning the room.
„Anissina came to get him for some kind of experiment... He begged me to tell you this: 'Immediately.' That's all he said. But don't ask me what he meant."
„No problem, I know what the point is. We got our own code there. Because of the risk if one of us visits Anissina's laboratory, pretending that the other one is needed for some kind of... stuff, then she tends to keep the other one," he cleared his throat.
„We always try our best to limit the time she occupies us to a minimum. If she gets one of us, he leaves a message to tell the other one when he needs to be rescued or redeemed. Therefore, we will go and get him immediately, like he begged us to."
He placed the tray onto Gwendal's empty desk. Yuri found that arrangement rather funny, but he wasn't the one she always used for her ridiculous inventions, so maybe he wouldn't understand the whole matter.
But the king also wondered if things had always been that way. „Did she always expect you two to help her and test her inventions? Like, even before I came?" he asked his teacher.
Gunter nodded slowly. „Well, yes. But she was always that way, even when she and Gwendal still were teenagers. Even during the time of their relationship."
Yuri got to his feet to follow the white-haired man into the floor.
Then, suddenly, he stopped. „Wait... What? They had a relationship?"
„Yes, several years ago... uhm, hasn't told you Wolfram once?"
„Now that you're mentioning it, yes, I think he actually did. But that is long ago." As Yuri thought about it, he remembered Wolfram telling him about that shortly after he arrived in Shin Makoku for the first time*. (* see note below)
It was a strange thought for Yuri to imagine the reasonable, logically thinking and hard working strategist Gwendal as a lover. But the thought made him blush nonetheless.
Gwendal knew this was gonna suck. So much.
Anissina had let go of his arm the moment they stepped into her laboratory. She had offered him a chair before leaving the room without any explanation.
Now he sat there, still highly alerted and prepared like his own decapitation was to be announced, wondering what she was up to. He expected the worst case. Gwendal considered leaving the room, which would be easy, but she would find him anyways.
Surrendering, he sighed deeply. It was useless and he was fully aware of that.
After five more minutes, she came back with a tray of tea, putting it down on the table in front of him before sitting down as well.
„So, if you wonder, I just wanted to talk to you about a special machine I want to build. The thought came to me lately, and I am curious about your opinion on it."
Gwendals eyes snapped open. „And that is all?" He couldn't believe it. He was prepared for getting tortured, but this?
„Yes, indeed it is." Anissina got to her feet to get a blueprint from her desk, which stood in front of the window. The dark-haired mazoku followed her with his eyes as she crossed the room. Doubts still circled through his mind when she returned, unrolling the piece of paper to show him her plan.
„See, this is going to be a tiny machine soldiers with maryoku-powers are able to wear under their helmets. If it constantly gets a small amount of magic, it can create and sustain a shield that prevents the souldier from weak weapons like arrows and knifes."
Gwendal wondered even more about the actually pretty good idea. He was simply speechless.
Looking at her light blue eyes, which sparkled excitedly, he listened as she continued explaining. „I know that soldiers who actually have maryoku could easily build a shield like that around themselves all the time, but it affords huge concentration and that isn't easy to maintain during a battle all the time. On the other hand, it shouldn't use too much power, so no one will break down from magical exhaustion during the fight."
„Doesn't sound easy to build, but I like the idea," the general nodded thoughtfully, taking a mouthful of his tea.
„Thank you very much," she smiled happily. „I actually wanted to ask you if you'd like to help me with it?"
Gwendal was surprised. He thought about it for a while before answering her.
„If you promise to not use my maryoku for any other dubious projects..." he eyed his ex-girlfriend suspiciously.
She gave him the sweetest smile she could manage. He knew these ones well enough to still be careful. „Of course I promise. Trust me, just for once. You did so several years ago, remember?"
„That's been a while," his eyes still rested on Anissina's. „I know you long and good enough by now, I think."
„Oh, you think you do?" she smirked. „When have we simply talked to each other for the last time?"
„That's also been a while."
„I miss our conversations at times, you know. We always could talk endlessly. Things have turned so weird after..." the red-head stared out of the window, leaving the sentence half-finished.
„... after you broke up with me?" Gwendal ended it for her.
„Yes. I never meant to end our friendship as well with that."
„It's hard to still be friends when you have been a couple for over ten years."
She nodded, lost in thought, still not looking at him at all. „I know. I don't regret it, but I never intended to... well, to make you being afraid of me."
„I'm not afraid of you. What are you talking about?" Gwendal answered embarrassed.
„Oh, I know what I'm saying," she turned back at him, smiling bitterly. „Don't try to deny it. You always hide or run away from me."
Now it was for Gwendal to look away, staring into the sky outside the window.
„What about if we go outside to sit at the balcony for a bit?" Anissina asked to overcome the awkward silence. „The weather is fine and we could finally have a good conversation again."
„Sure."
Gwendal lost track over the time passing by as he chatted with Anissina over all sorts of stuff. He didn't feel that tense like he did before and – he couldn't believe it as he thought about it – he actually enjoyed her company. She was still that sophisticated, intellectual woman he had fallen in love with centuries ago.
The turn in her behavior startled him. He didn't know when they could talk that freely the last time. He liked it, it was refreshing and it was a load off his mind to not having to be afraid of her storming into his office any more.
He felt like being on eye-level with her, finally, again. It felt good.
When he heard a knock at the door of the laboratory, he almost flinched. Then he remembered having begged Yuri to tell Gunter he should come here 'immediately' to get him out of here.
Well, 'immediately' had been some time ago. He didn't mind, though.
„Come on in!" Anissina shouted at the entrance.
Gunter stuck his head through the door, examining the room. He looked irritated. „Where...?"
„Out here!" Gwendal called, waving from the balcony.
„Oh, I see." Gunter crossed the room, with Yuri on his heel, who couldn't help but look even more confused. As they stepped out the door to the balcony, he couldn't believe his eyes.
„You just have tea? Since when..." the young king eyed the scene suspiciously. His eyes wandered from Gwendal to Anissina and back. The two adults looked thoroughly innocent at him. He noticed how relaxed the general sat on his chair, with his legs crossed and his back leaned at the backrest. Anissina looked just as easy, she had let one hand hanging down behind the seat back.
„We were just talking," Gwendal said, looking into Yuri's eyes. It seemed like the dark-haired mazoku didn't quite know how to handle the younger one's confusion. „Actually, I think it's time to go back to work for me," he added, leaving a short glance at Anissina before emptying his cup of tea.
„Won't you like another cup? We still got plenty," she offered.
Gwendal hesitated. Yuri could notice by the way he stopped his movements, until he spoke again after a short moment. „Well, I think I wouldn't mind another cup," he answered before turning to Gunter and the king again. „I will be back to the office soon. Okay?"
The white-haired counselor just stood there, open-mouthed, and it seemed like he couldn't believe what he was hearing, just as Yuri was.
So far for chapter 1. The title „The tables have turned" is by Pain.
* note: Wolfram actually tells Yuri that Gwendal and Anissina were leading a relationship once, but it is never mentioned in the anime (at least as far as I saw it, and I'm currently at episode 95). Just in the novels and mangas (somewhere in the first volume) and even there never mentioned again. It's a pity imho, there's a lot of potential in that storyline.
A friend of mine actually wanted me to do a... hetero-fic. Yeah. Really. (But as we all know, HetIsEw - trope it.)
Ben, I won't make any promises! ;)
So if you excuse me, I'm off to work at chapter 2! ^^