Stormy Wasteland by Vanessa S. Quest
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Kyou Kara Maoh! (ConYuu)
(A/N) This is my first fanfic for this fandom, I hope you enjoy it, everyone! Standard disclaimers apply, I own none of the characters, I write this for fun, and hope you like it. Please R & R!
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Terrified, lost, cold and alone; above all, four of the worst feelings compiled together had struck at once, and Yuuri could all but huddle up in the dark to shiver. He hardly knew what brought him to this place, well, short of a temperamental maoh, questionable karma, and flat-out lousy luck.
Here, of all places, he got to spend a particularly horrible winter night. And where exactly was here, for that matter! It wasn't on any of the maps Gunter insisted on showing him. He could see why, cavern décor fitted with howling wind and wolves didn't seem like the pleasant countryside his retainer would care to show him.
Yuri had been brought here nearly four hours ago, after falling into a massive pothole filled with run-off, only to come up through to a stanch underground lake with frigid waters. Did anyone even know where he was? Was anyone coming for him? To make matters worse, on Earth it was early autumn, and all that stood between his skin and the elements happened to be a soaked, light-weight sweater, jeans, and very moist socks, his shoes lost in limbo.
Yuuri rubbed his shoulders to bring a semblance of warmth back to them, but the wind kept cutting right on through robbing him of even that much comfort.
As he shivered, he built up some resolve to look around outside, maybe he could find a landmark or someone coming? He had to try, his shelter wasn't being all that hospitable at the moment, and he didn't really think he could stay deep in the cave, something about that made him feel uneasy beyond the thought of being overlooked by any possible rescue party.
Yuuri wrapped himself in his own arms as he walked outside of the cave, catching a glance of what must be a winding meadow when the winter snows thaw, and further still to the horizon, thick, dark woods.
He heard the howling of what definitely sounded more like wolves than wind and took a few steps back, hastily, he turned to spin back toward the cave, as he did, in his periphery he caught the glimpse of warm, reddish light just at the far edge of the woods.
"Maybe it's a village?"
Yuuri shivered from the elements again, the loud howling made his legs feel weak, the noise was getting more pronounced as he wandered out further. He could see his breathing freeze just past his mouth as he carried on, deciding to move toward the village than just wait idly to freeze to death in a cave somewhere in an unfamiliar area.
The snow crunched under his feet making him chill faster, and as if just to spite him, as he had ventured to just the borders of the woods, past the meadow, a sheath of icy wind laced with fat snowflakes began to assault him. Yuuri turned, maybe he should go back to the cave? Wandering around in a white-out wasn't exactly the safest thing to do. He heard the sound of growling to his back. He stiffened.
"Ah… good… doggy…?" He turned around to see his worst-case-scenario facing him, an angry looking wolf, and a few of his pack. He gulped, "Ha… ha, ha… you don't happen to be vegetarian in this world, by any chance?"
The growls turned more vicious and Yuuri felt cornered, he walked backwards, backing away, stumbling over a downed log, he fell into a drift of snow, the wolves approaching him. As Yuuri shook, he doubted it was strictly because of the cold anymore. His hand probed the ground beside him for anything useful, finding nothing but the finest quality of snow, he made a hasty snowball and threw it at an approaching wolf, catching it off guard, and in the mouth. He stood up and began to run haphazardly through the woods as fast as his legs would allow.
As if lady luck had finally decided to grace him with her presence, he heard the most wonderful sound—
"Your highness!"
Conrad! Yuuri could cry with joy, "I told you to call me Yuuri!" He said it, less out of complaint, but more out of having something to call out to make sure Conrad knew where he was. He slowed his run, again, turning to face the wolves that were quickly surrounding him. Yuuri began to feel weak, his strength zapped from him in this weather, as a wolf leapt at him, he collapsed, just missing the wolf's attack. His eyes focused above him to see Conrad standing before him, facing the wolf that had just launched itself at him.
"Yuuri! Are you alright?"
"Con…rad… Look out!" Yuuri warned, in vain, Conrad had already beat the animal back. Instead of retreat; however, it and its pack began to circle in.
"Yuuri, can you stand up?"
"…I…" Yuuri's eyes felt unbelievably heavy at that moment, "…Con…rad…" his eyes fell shut.
"YUURI!" Conrad made a sideward glance, assessing the situation, Yuuri must be hypothermic, he was soaked to the bone.
"Yuuri…" Yuuri's eyes opened up dosed heavily with fatigue, fitting him with a drowsed look.
As Yuuri scanned the surroundings, he found the slight glow of a fire burning and felt the weight of what he suspected was a blanket of sorts, finally, his eyes found the source of the voice.
"…Conrad. Where…?" More of his surroundings became apparent as his eyes adjusted to the dark, of course, the cave.
"I had to get you out of the weather at once, this was the nearest shelter. I sent for Yozak to bring a carriage, I can't let you outside again in your condition."
"Where are we?" Yuuri questioned aimlessly, probably to fill the warming air.
"Little Cimaron. I'm glad I found you in time, I'd never forgive myself had you been…"
"I'm alright, so don't worry over me needlessly. Okay?"
Conrad put his hand to Yuuri's cheek, "You're hardly alright, your majesty. You're frozen half to death, if I hadn't found you when I did, even without the wolves, we wouldn't be able to have this conversation, so please be obedient and allow me to baby you a bit more."
Yuuri blushed, unable to argue that.
Conrad pulled over a familiar, albeit drier looking sweater from near the heart of the fire. "This should be dry now, your pants need a little more time though."
Yuuri's eyes widened, how had he missed that? He looked down at himself to realize, yes, in fact, he was naked underneath Conrad's coat, though he was a bit surprised he hadn't realized Conrad wasn't wearing the coat he had been before.
"…but then, the fire wood… You went out in that without your coat?" Conrad smiled protectively, disarming him with his charm.
"I'm fine, Yuuri. I'm very hearty despite my looks."
"You… you sure you don't feel cold?" Conrad sat down beside Yuuri, handing over his pants.
"That should be all better now, I wonder what's taking Yozak."
Yuuri took haste in clothing himself, Conrad draped his coat back over Yuuri's shoulders when he was done putting his sweater on.
"I hope the wolves aren't giving him any trouble…"
Conrad was taken aback for a moment, as if wondering whether or not he should say, "…Ah, that won't be a problem, Yuuri. They won't be bothering the villagers for a while, either."
"You didn't kill them did you, Conrad!" He felt selfish after saying it, immediately. There had been so many wolves that he probably had to kill them just to save himself… let alone Yuuri.
"Of course not, but wolves conserve energy except when hunting, and they spent plenty trying to hunt you, besides, Yozak knows these woods, he wouldn't broach their territory with the horses. Welcome back, your majesty."
Yuuri smiled, "Ah… thanks Conrad. For everything, it was really scary… being here all alone…"
"Yuu…ri…?" He noticed the shiver go up Yuuri's back, he must have been frightened. "I'm sorry I didn't find you sooner. I had no idea you were in Shin Madoku."
"Then… how did you know to look for me?"
"Actually, Yozak and I were here on reconnaissance, as you know, Little Cimaron's ruler has been looking for an alliance with our kingdom, we were sent to make sure it was a genuine request."
"How could it not be!"
"Ah, of course, your majesty, all the same, we had to check."
"A…alright, I suppo—a-a-choo!" Yuuri sneezed a second and third time, he subconsciously tightened his grasp on the coat, pulling it tighter to him.
Conrad gave him a look over. "Yuuri, please hold on a little longer…"
He's lost too much body heat, Conrad thought to himself, "I'm going to get more wood for the fire, just wait here."
Yuuri grabbed Conrad's arm. "…C… Conrad, please don't leave me alone here!"
"…" He looked at Yuuri, already knowing he lost, "Alright," he put an arm around Yuuri, pulling him close to share his warmth with the young man. "We'll just have to hope Yozak hurries, won't we?"
Yuuri blushed at the intimate contact with Conrad's body. Yuuri's eyes began to close as he started to doze off, meekly.
"Yuuri?"
"Just a little bit, let me just rest a little bit more like this, Conrad."
"…Of course." He rubbed Yuuri's shoulders to bring in more warmth.
Yuuri seemed to coo at Conrad's touch, murmuring in his dreamy state something that Conrad was pretty sure he shouldn't decipher.
"I love you, Conrad…"
Conrad shifted a bit uneasily. He already knew he was in a precarious situation… "Ah, your majesty! Yozak is here, wake up, please."
Yuuri blinked up at him, blankly. "Con…rad?" he looked over to see Yozak. "Oh, Yozak, you've arrived…" He shivered again, curling closer to Conrad's warmth.
Conrad helped Yuuri to his feet, though it was apparent to him, he'd be carrying the youth into the carriage. He lifted Yuuri into his arms and walked him toward the compartment, setting him down he exited momentarily to give Yozak his orders.
"I have to tend to his majesty, please take us to our exit-ship, we'll have to readjust our mission plan. Our priority is securing his majesty's health back at Shin Madoku."
"Alright, Captain. Oh, by the way, captain, enjoy your precious quality time with him now, before your brother gets in the way of it, for you."
"Yozak…" Conrad gave him a dangerous tone. If anyone knew his inner-workings, it would be Yozak. He probably had figured out his complicated feelings for Yuuri when they had that 'chat' a while back, if not when he saw Julia's precious charm necklace adorned by him, by time he had told Adelbert about Yuuri having Julia's soul, though, Yozak had already known, that probably just clarified it a bit.
"Yes, I will keep that in mind." As I keep him from freezing to death and hallucinating, he added to himself. Had he said it out loud he knew he'd have a questionable look from Yozak, not as though his old friend would blame him for any possible infidelities.
"Alright then, let's go."
Conrad slid into the compartment and looked at Yuuri's prone form. "Yuuri, are you alright?" He fetched a blanket from under the seat to secure around his figure.
"…Oh, ah, C-Conrad." He smiled with a touch of embarrassment. Conrad realized why, Yuuri was smelling his jacket, maybe he had meant it what he had mumbled in his sleep… However, that was a separate issue.
It brought a lot to think about, Conrad knew he loved Yuuri, undyingly, and he knew it was the same way he had loved Julia, and that, of course, was one-sidedly, as her engagement, and his, made that the only option for him. Even now, knowing Yuuri may possibly return his feelings, if Yuuri also loved his younger brother, or even if he did not, Wolfram loving him was reason enough that he could not just frivolously romance him, not without knowing the course of action was set. After all, it was unfair to both Wolfram and Yuuri if it didn't pan out. That, and Wolfram would never forgive him, and that was more than for being 'human'.
Yuuri seemed to sense the conflicting tension, the dead air was not as free as normal silence… "…Conrad… I'm, I'm really glad you found me."
"Of course, your majesty."
"I told you, it's Yuuri! Honestly, Conrad…" He sighed, "I mean it, I'm glad it was YOU…" He looked down, he leaned into Conrad for his warmth. "And not just because you're skilled with the outdoors, or strong, or capable… if it was someone other than you, even if everything else was had exactly the same outcome… I'd have been afraid. Thank you."
"I'm glad I make you feel safe Yuuri, I truly am." He smiled warmly at Yuuri, very tempted to pounce the younger man and kiss him. Oh, self-restraint, how well trained you are!
"An…and… that's why… I hope you won't hate me for what I'm about to…"
Yuuri leaned over and kissed Conrad chastely. He then looked down, "I… I know, it's wrong, I'm supposed to be engaged to Wolfram… but you know that was an accident! And besides, what kind of custom is THAT! Smack a person to be engaged…! It's barbaric. I … I don't know what to do. I tried explaining to him that I didn't mean it, I didn't want to marry him, I don't love him… not in that way at all! But I can't… you know, I can't just say I don't love you because I love your older brother and want to be with him more than anything else…" Yuuri shut himself up, petrified. "…Ah… ah… I… I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have ever said that!" Yuuri clamped his hand over his mouth.
He was saying all this, to Wolfram's older brother, not even knowing if he felt the same way at all, it was just selfish of him… and he just kissed Conrad… Would Conrad have even pulled back if he didn't like it? He was seasoned, and loyal… so, he might have felt obligated like it was an order… but was Conrad really like that, either? There are so many questions as to his feelings, and Yuuri just unloaded such a—
"Yuuri, is that really how you feel?"
Yuuri blushed. "…A… Yes. It is." He lowered his head, he wasn't about to lie about his feelings to Conrad. Oh, and the age difference… he was so immature compared to Conrad… and Wolfram, how was he really older than Yuuri? He was so hot-headed… He really was nothing alike—to pardon the pun, it was like fire and water. They just don't mix, fire burns bright then gets snuffed out, water gets burnt, really, just not compatible at all.
Conrad leaned in, and kissed Yuuri, much deeper than the younger man had been able to. "Yuuri, I'm not a fan of trysts, however, I leave that to your transgression for now. I won't rush you into it, but I love you more than I have loved anything in my life."
"R-r-really! You feel the same way as I do?"
He nodded.
Yuuri smiled brightly, his energy levels back up, drastically. Was the Maoh really just trying to do this? Was that why he was brought back?
"Yuuri, please do rest now, though. You're still quite weak from the hypothermia."
"Can you hold me, to help keep me warm, then?"
Conrad smiled, slightly rye with a sense that he wasn't sure how naïve or adult of a request that was from Yuuri. "Of course, anything for your majesty."
"I told you it's…"
"Yuuri, I love you, too." Yuuri blushed giving a soft smile, he kissed Conrad's neck, curling into him, he dozed off gently.
-Finished 1-7-2008- by Vanessa S. Quest