Story Notes: I'm thinking this story will be completed within around 10 Chapters (more or less) while The Future Favors the Bold will take a lot longer, so I'm doing the art for that one first while I get this story done. (I'm also still writing up TFFtB as well just not as fast paced). And the flash backs I mentioned in the first chapter note of this fic will be making an important appearance soon, revealing more about Wolfram's past courtship with Markel.
Answer to Bbnov's review: Yes, Yuuri DOES find out just how far Wolfram's past courtship with Markel went (physically and emotionally), and so will you, maybe even BEFORE he does. ;P
This chapter is kind of an interlude, getting more of Yuuri's POV before we dive back into the plot. After all, Yuuri needs to be ready for this fight!
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The Most Feared Future
Chapter Four
"Shibuya." Murata announced himself shortly, stalking into the Maō's office briskly, his eyes slightly wild behind the lenses of his glasses. "I think you should take the afternoon off."
Yūri put his pen down slowly, looking to Gwendal for permission. Gwendal scowled at the Great Sage, meeting Murata's stare before bowing him head with respect.
"If your Grace insists than his Majesty can pass on his duties for the rest of the day." Gwendal agreed grudgingly. Yūri leaped up out of his seat and followed Murata, who was all ready stalking out again.
"Murata, what's going on?" Yūri questioned worriedly. His friend was acting very peculiar and the double black Maō didn't like it.
"It seems Lord von Radford is more charming than I had predicted. The reason we returned is happening right under your nose, I can't have you stuck behind your desk when your fiancé needs you close."
"Wolfram? He needs me? Is he in trouble?"
"Yes, Lord von Bielefeld needs you. And no, he isn't in trouble. Not yet, anyway. But he might become in trouble if you don't interfere with his consorting with Markel von Radford."
"'Consorting'? What's that supposed to mean?" Yūri demanded, stopping in his tracks.
Murata halted in the middle of the hallway leading to the communion bathroom in the wing conserved for the ten Aristocratic families, his face flushed with outrage on his friend's behalf and his glasses gleaming dangerously. "It means, Shibuya, there is a rumor that your fiancé was propositioned in the quad to wash his old boyfriend's back half an hour ago and neither of them have been seen since."
Yūri felt his blood run cold. "Old boyfriend?" He'd suspected but the knowledge that it was true was very, very unsettling.
"If I were you, Shibuya, I wouldn't let my fiancé out of my sight today." Murata warned.
Yūri nodded his head slowly then determinedly pushed in front of Murata and into the bathroom. The stream was thick inside, Yūri could barely see two steps in front of him but he didn't slow down, stomping a path through the thin clouds of white feeling the heat of the room prickle his skin under his clothes, within seconds he was sweating.
He heard the slosh of water before he could make out the source of the sweltering mist. He saw the dark blue of his arch rival first and then the golden tan of his muscular body.
Yūri really hated this guy.
"Your Majesty?" Markel asked in surprise, his smooth voice lilting up at the end of Yūri's title. The blue-eyed Mazoku sat up from his reclined position, giving his King his full attention. "May I be so bold as to ask what you're doing here?"
Yūri's eyes quickly scanned the water but his fiancé was nowhere in sight. "Where is Wolfram? I… I want to talk to him about something."
"Oh." Markel swam forward guiltily, eyes quickly sweeping the water too before smiling up at Yūri. "He insisted he bathe in your private bathroom as it is his privilege. If your Majesty can't find him there then I don't know where he is."
"Oh." Yūri parroted, sagging slowly with relief. Still, he glared around at the heavy air filled room. "Why is it so steamy in here, anyway?"
Markel appeared as though he was restraining himself from laughing at Yūri's question. "I am a fire mage so I enjoy a higher temperature for my baths than those without an affinity for fire can usually stand. I'm surprised your Majesty doesn't know this as Wolfram is a fire mage and enjoys his baths the same."
"I know what kind of mage Wolfram is." Yūri snapped before he could dampen his temper. "It's just… when we bathe together the water's at a temperature I like…"
"I'm surprised Wolfram never complained about being cold." Markel said, slowly.
Yūri bristled. "I'm pretty sure Wolfram reacts badly to being too overheated. I'm not sure how that works but he needs to take cool baths sometimes. He's hot enough without your too hot baths."
"I'm not arguing with you there." Markel smirked.
Yūri gaped at the handsome fire mage in his too hot and steam bath, before he shook off the whole weird atmosphere and stomped out in search for Wolfram.
He hoped against hope he'd find him in their private bathroom.
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"Yūri!"
He halted on his hurry to get to the Maō's bathroom before his fiancé could move on without them talking first. He turned to see Conrad's kind brown eyes as he jogged to where Yūri stood further down the hallway.
"Conrad, can't it wait? I'm a little preoccupied right now." Yūri said as gently as he could, while looking over his shoulder at the closed door at the end of the hall.
Conrad gave him a confused look but smiled his usual smile. "I heard that you had some time off, so I figured you'd want to play catch?"
"Oh." Yūri replied, distracted. "Maybe later? I just, right now I need to find Wolfram." He took two steps backwards towards the still closed door.
"Why?" Conrad asked, confused. "If it's not urgent than you should let Wolfram spend time with his old friend."
Yūri stopped cold, his chest squeezing tight causing his breath to wheeze. He slowly looked back at his godfather, betrayed. "Why would you say that?" he whispered.
Conrad softened his stance, his gaze sadder than the double black had ever seen. "Yūri, you should know that Gwendal has agreed to Radford's proposal for his son and Wolfram to rekindle their courtship."
The Maō felt his heart lodge in his throat, his chest a hollow cavity without it. He felt his every breath as ice filling his lungs. "Why?"
Conrad heaved a deep sigh. "Yūri… Wolfram has a chance for happiness. Wolfram loved Markel once, and Markel has never forgotten Wolfram. This could be the answer to all our problems."
"What problems?" Yūri asked numbly.
Conrad hesitated before reaching out to touch his godson's shoulder, trying to offer some comfort from what he had to voice. "You think we don't hear your discontent with the situation, but we do, we just couldn't do anything until now. Günter was the one to recall Wolfram's first and only courtship, and Gwendal wrote to Lord von Radford a few months after your coronation."
"So long ago?" Yūri wondered, his eyes staring off over his godfather's shoulder, lost in his drowning thoughts.
"Yes, well, Markel was still deployed and enjoying his exploits across the seas. It's only since Markel returned home that he answered Gwendal's letter, requesting a chance to settle with Wolfram like was planned before the war changed everything. This meeting was arranged to see if they both still feel as they once did." Conrad explained as carefully as he was able under his godson's guarded gaze.
"And… you hope that they do… feel the same way?" Yūri questioned, his eyes shut to the answer he knew would come.
Conrad closed his own eyes, resolved. "Yes… I hope for the happiness of both my brother and you… even though your happiness will be separate."
Yūri shook his head as bitter tears filled his eyes, he couldn't speak, so resumed his march towards the door at the end of the long hall. His shoes thudded dully on the red carpet as he gained momentum, blinking the mist of tears from his sight and swallowing down his pain. He didn't want Wolfram to see him upset.
When he reached the door, he pushed inside the Maō's bathroom, letting the heat of the steam dry his face and give his skin an excuse to be so flushed. He peered through the thin curtain of white to see the huge stone bath and the water inside flat and undisturbed.
Wolfram was already gone.
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Outside, the bright and sunny spring morning turned to afternoon and the blue sky dimmed the slightest hue with the distant grey of impending clouds.
A warning that rain was coming.
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The disillusioned double-black had meandered around for while, not knowing where to begin looking for his wayward fiancé and questioning himself if he even wanted to, now that he knew the people closest to him has orchestrated this whole thing.
If everybody thought this was the best for Wolfram and himself… then was he really in any position to question them, when he didn't even know how he felt or what he wanted?
"If you really believe that then all is already lost, Shibuya."
Yūri startled at the sudden reappearance of the Great Sage, leaning against the window looking down into the quad from the second story, his face in shadow.
"Did you know Gwendal arranged for Wolfram's ex to come here, and that it was Günter who came up with the plan, and even Conrad is onboard with it?" Yūri demanded.
Murata hesitated and Yūri glared hard at his best friend, his feelings of betrayal projected through the unearthly gleam in his black eyes. Murata uncrossed his arms and raised his hands in an appeasing gesture.
"Your anger is better directed at those who still oppose you, Shibuya. I want only to prevent you from losing what you doubt you need and hold dear. Would you have come if I'd told you the plot of the people who love you? Are you not doubting your own feelings because of it now?" The wise man reasoned.
Yūri drew his frustration inwards and looked away, unable to deny the truth when confronted with it. Murata lowered his hands and sighed deeply.
"I cannot help you if you will not fight what is about to happen." Murata admitted.
"How should I know if I even should fight for something if I'm not even sure it's for the best?" Yūri spat. "Conrad's right. They're all right! I've done nothing but complain about the engagement and ignore my feelings for Wolfram! How can I be sure of anything when our whole relationship is based on a misunderstanding?"
Murata stepped forward urgently, causing Yūri to tense in his defense. "Because you admit there are feelings to ignore, Shibuya. You said, 'my feelings for Wolfram' and not 'Wolfram's feelings for me'. There is something worth fighting for if only you'd have the courage to try. You do feel something for your fiancé no matter how it all started. Are you really going to just let him go without ever realizing what it is you're losing? Can you live your life without knowing for certain that letting go was worth it?" Murata said, passionately his whole body leaning closer towards the confused and troubled Maō.
No wonder your mate is looking elsewhere when you're too weak to fight for his love.
Yūri startled at the powerful voice sounding inside his throbbing head. What do you want? Yūri questioned, bitter and on the defensive now. This doesn't concern you. This is between me and Wolfram… and Markel, I suppose…
Your words are as weak as your will. The Maō spirit insulted him. You can never hope to hold on to a mate so strong as our Wolf with a heart as dubious as yours.
Our Wolf? Yūri wondered at, the endearment leaping out at him amongst all the invective. Our Wolf? Our? Since when is Wolf ours?
Since the beginning. The Maō spirit told him, resolute. Yūri felt something then, warmth spreading outward from his chest and belly like soft touches in front of a roaring fire, the tendrils slowly reaching throughout his whole body chasing away the cold, and for the first time Yūri actually believed it.
The feeling was so certain… it had to be the truth… right?
"Shibuya?" Murata's voice came from far away and Yūri blinked to see him standing close, Yūri became aware of his body heat although they weren't touching. Yūri shook his head to clear the lingering fog.
"Sorry. But, yeah… I think you're right." He decided, the certainty finally taking root and becoming as real as the solid stone floor beneath his suddenly steady feet. Yūri nodded once and faced his best friend head on with his eyes shining brightly with the blaze warming him from the inside.
Murata blinked at him as if he could see it too.
Yūri beamed and grabbed the shunned Sage's hand to begin the trek outside.
"Come on, Murata. We've got a mission: Operation Love Spy!"
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...To Be Continued...
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The whole of this plot will take place over the course of 24 hours, so Yuuri just has himself one really, really long day. ^_^
I hope you're enjoying the plot so far? A lot more is to come before the very end!