Requiem
by Vanessa S. Quest

A/N: Anyone who has NOT seen episode 80, do so long before reading this, then take in a few deep breaths so you don't faint from the awesome, and then proceed to fanfic. For the record, I don't know if that's how it'll stay, but as of now I am far too happy to let the prospective doom of 81 to kill this buzz. (I think I'm happiest because all the Yuuram flamers just have to swallow their pride for this ounce of canon. Hazah! And now here we go…)

Holding a letter, Yuri's hands were shaking, he couldn't believe it. He rushed to Gunter. "Gunter! I need you to read something for me!"

Yuri wrapped his arms around Conrad, hugging him as his first form of adult affections. In the course of his sixteen years of life not once had it ever felt this free or good. Though now back in Shin Makoku Yuri thought he'd spend time with his friends, Wolfram took it away with quite a few things. At first he was surprised and even a bit upset when Gunter started reading the equivalent to a run-away letter. The selfish brat really did run away, and on his big birthday-party coming to age… well, his really big, important ceremony. He couldn't say the letter made him happy when he got to the bottom of it though.

"Read that again…" Yuri stated to Gunter in shock. He encroached his retainer.

"I willingly dissolve my engagement to Maoh Shibuya Yuri."

"…Again, I don't think I caught that right…"

"I willingly dissolve my engagement to Maoh Shibuya Yuri."

"…What's that…?"

Conrad put a hand on Yuri's shoulder, "I believe you're heard it correctly, now Yuri-heika."

Yuri whipped around to look at Conrad, then blush. "It has to be a mistake… I mean, that is a written affidavit! That holds up in legal court… No, it has to be wrong!"

"You thought you misread it before asking Gunter to read it, there is no doubting the authenticity of it, either."

"So I'm free… I mean, I'm REALLY free?"

Conrad nodded. Yuri flung his arms around Conrad a second time. He had never been the 'lucky' sort, so this kind of wind-fall… He tightened his arms around Conrad, he was sure had he been near Gunter he'd have hugged him, and instantly regretted it as he'd immediately be squeezed to death in the man's vice-grip. He couldn't say he disliked this particular target of affection though.

"…Conrad, I love you."



The brunette patted Yuri on the back, he knew this wasn't a rebound, and that Yuri had to know that as an adult certain things held more weight, and yet even if he thought Yuri was making a mistake, he'd let this one play in his favor, knowing he'd never leave a Dear John letter.

"Oh gods, I'm actually free!" Yuri was glowing, suddenly he turned and planted his lips on Conrad's, surprising the soldier immensely. He pulled back from the older half-mazoku before hugging him again.

Was this what it was like to be reprieved from prison? For an innocent man to get to leave? Yuri smiled happily. He really did have a chance for new beginnings now!

The End… or the Beginning? THANK YOU EPISODE 80! XD