Wolfram's True Feelings
"And so the flying frog went zhoosh in the skies to meet his Princess...oii Wolfram!" The Demon King Shibuya Yuuri huffed, interrupting his story half way. His daughter, Greta, looked up at him curiously before turning her attention to her other adopted father.
"Ah hah! Wolframmmm! Come listen in on the story! It's about a Princess who kisses a flying frog to turn it into a handsome prince!"
A grunt was heard coming from the very familiar figure laying next to them on the king sized bed. It was the figure of a man with shiny blonde hair and beautiful emerald green eyes.
' A beautiful face too...EHHHH! Yuuri get a hold of yourself! Wolfram's a guy...ahhh but actually from this profile, he looks more handsome and did he get a new shampoo? I could've sworn his hair wasn't that shiny...huh...UWAHHHH what's wrong with my head!'
"Wolframmmm...," Yuuri called, trying to block out his train of thoughts on his close friend and comrade. "Greta really wants you to hear the story as well."
Another groan but this time the figure shifted to reveal his face clearly under the dim lights.
'Ehhh...seriously what a bishounen.' Yuuri thought.
"Al...wight...Gr-greta...I'm...listen-ing." Wolfram managed to say between yawns. Both Yuuri and Greta looked at each other.
"Boy Wolfram you sure seem tired. What have you been doing? Huh...come to think of it I didn't really see you around today...eto...but I guess it was because Gunter wanted me to study the..."
Wolfram shook his head groggily. "I was training all day, that's why I'm tired."
Yuuri eyed him carefully. "Ehhh...why do you need to train all day Wolfram?"
"Wolfram, you shouldn't train too hard...," Greta added, concern evident in her voice. Wolfram smiled as he placed his hand on her tiny shoulder.
"I'm fine, ne? No need to worry about me." He said it to Greta but Yuuri didn't miss the quick glance he gave to him.
The boy with black eyes and hair continued to eye Wolfram worriedly despite knowing that the glance was to give him signal that he shouldn't worry either.
'Demo...why is he training so hard? Now that I think about it this isn't the first time I've seen him this tired at the end of the day.'
"You really should take it easy Wolfram." Despite Yuuri's good intentions, Wolfram waved off the lecture with a snort.
"So what's this story then, Yuuri? You can't keep Greta waiting." The blonde boy said petulantly, now being completely awake. Greta being the kid she is was easily distracted from the topic of Wolfram's training by the prospect of having her story read finished. The excitement on his daughter's face prompted Yuuri to continue with the tale, making a mental note to confront Wolfram again after Greta's asleep.
Yuuri continued reading. By the end of the story, Greta was sound asleep and Wolfram looked ready to pass out. Yuuri set aside the book before facing Wolfram yet again. The soldier was already burying himself in the sheets, not even bothering to change into the night gowns he was so fond of.
'Okay. Definitely overworking himself.' Yuuri thought.
"Oii Wolfram," Yuuri called which was enough to make sleepy emerald eyes face him.
'Hmmm...maybe I should talk to him about this in the morning...he looks so tired...but...'
He knew Wolfram very well. Wolfram is as stubborn as he is beau-handsome. He knew if he broached the subject when Wolfram was fully awake, he won't get any answers from him. Wolfram's pride won't allow him to tell him to take it easy with training.
"Well wimp, what is it?" Wolfram offered to say when it became clear Yuuri wasn't going to speak up anytime soon.
"Don't call me a wimp!" Yuuri couldn't help but say. However he was careful to be quiet, he didn't really want Greta to wake up. "Anyway why are you training so hard? I mean...there really is no point, ne? Soushu got defeated, Janus's soul lives inside Murata, Ranjeel got dethroned from the crown of Big Shimaron and Sara finally managed to get to see his mom again. So you see there's no more threats at the moment. You don't need to work your butt off. Not that I'm saying training isn't goo-"
"Idiot," Wolfram breathed. "It doesn't matter if there are no threats at the moment. I want to be prepared for any possible attacks on you. I want to be able to protect you."
"Wolfram...," Yuuri muttered. It wasn't the first time Wolfram's been saying these kinds of things. Actually...Wolfram's been declaring stuff like this for a while now. He also had to admit...Wolfram was less...contrary to him these days. Whatever decision he made, Wolfram had never objected to it not like how he was in the beginning. Even when Sara betrayed him and him deciding to trust Sara anyway, he...
"Yuuri, do you really trust Sara?...Very well, I trust you Yuuri. You don't have to worry. I'll be here by your side should he betray you again. You don't have to worry..."
'Ehhh...what an embarrassing thing to say...,"said his inner voice. He didn't even realize he was blushing.
"What are you blushing about? It's...it's a woman isn't it! You adulterous leech!" Wolfram would have leaped at him if it weren't for Greta sleeping soundlessly in between them. Still Yuuri shielded his face out of reflex.
"Eh, eh no I wasn't thinking anything like that Wolfram...it's just...you...," he stopped halfway, trying to gather his thoughts. "You...well...you've sort of changed...I mean you're more compliant to the fact that I drag you everywhere, and you never seem to hesitate to follow my orders...and..."
'Huh...actually now that I've examined it, Wolfram's really changed. He's...how do I put it...he's...'
"...you're...less...well..." He paused, and Wolfram waited. "Well, selfish."
Wolfram tried to not laugh, he really did try to...but he couldn't help but chuckle quietly.
"Is that a bad thing?" he asked.
The chuckling ceased when Yuuri started eyeing him worriedly. The Demon King shook his head. "No...it's just...well...why?"
Wolfram cocked an eyebrow as black eyes met his own emerald ones, before he looked away.
"Wolfram...?"
"Isn't it obvious Yuuri." Sitting up on the bed with his back facing his fiancé, he continued on, "I care about you. You're...very important to...m-me...and the whole Kingdom...no...you're very important to a lot more people Yuuri. That's why...that's why...I can't see you get hurt. When you passed out after rescuing Janus's soul...I-I thought I'd lost you...so I wanted to train...and...get stronger so I can always defend you."
He was done babbling his explanation but it surprised him that he didn't get an immediate response from the Demon King. He nearly jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning his head ever so slightly, he could see Yuuri's soft smile clearly.
"Arigatou Wolfram. I really appreciate you taking care of me."
The smile Wolfram returned was, in Yuuri's opinion, the most beautiful smile he'd ever seen in his life. And for the first time ever, he didn't mind admitting it to anyone.