The morning sun was unobscured by dark clouds, clear sky looking down on the open sea reflecting blue. An opportune northern breeze carried forth Shin Makoku's vessel in gentle rocking motions that might be soothing to some, but were the cause of a certain someone's sick now polluting the blameless oceanic ecosystem.
" Blegh, I should have joined the Royal Navy. Who could have predicted I'd be constantly drifting away from blessed demon land tracking down a busybody fiance ugh." Lord Bielefeld mourned, wiping his mouth of the latest bout of spew.
He took a moment to gather up the strength he had left, the rest having been drained away to sea like the discharge from his sickness, the sweat from his worries, the blood from battle - cutting down the last lingering trace of fools trying to take his majesty away.
He put that strength to his slumped shoulders, straightening them up rigidly along with the rest of his body. Yuuri had lost his sight, but he had never needed that to see into hearts. And to reassure Yuuri, Wolfram had to first fool his own heart, a treachery in steps - mind, body, soul.
Slowly pushing the door to Captain's cabin open, he found the Maou sleeping like a log - stiff body lying straight atop the covers, face hidden from view under a down feather pillow, arms crossed over his chest, fingers clenched above the breakable barrier shielding his soft heart.
" Where are we? " Yuuri's muffled voice broke the silence
" How long have you been awake?"
" Heh don't answer a question with a question." Then, softly." I haven't been asleep for a long time now, but who knows when I'll finally be able to wake up."
Wolfram pulled the pillow away, uncovering Yuuri's face." What's with hiding your face first thing in the morning? Are you finally getting conscious of me as a man? "
Wolfram threw the cushion away, plopping himself down on the narrow space besides Yuuri's body on the bed. He hadn't slept that night, caught up first in steering the ship away with his meager sailing knowledge, then washing away blood and parts of human flesh that were once men. His Majesty was sensitive to the stench of suffering.
" Maybe." Yuuri replied, quiet and vague, turning so that he was laying on his side now, wordlessly creating space for Wolfram on the narrow bed built for one.
The familiar warmth against his back was enough to lull him into pleasant lethargy, Wolfram found himself nuzzling the softness pressed under his cheek.
He was startled out of this state of almost sleep by the feel of Yuuri's shoulders shaking against his own, the abrupt giggles escaping his throat were a surprise to both. " Hah, I remember how - how you could never get out of bed until at least one cup of red tea! And I - I actually thought you'd come to wake me up right now! You just wanted to switch to a comfier bed huh? This is bad Wolfram, I've really lost sight of your character. Haha! Get it? 'Lost sight'. Hah."
The shaking stopped, Yuuri's sudden mirth lost as abruptly as it had materialized. They say that humans can only go so long without sleep, for demons that 'so long' is just slightly longer. Wolfram observed the deep dark lining the underside of Yuuri's eyes in concern. He'd really rather avoid having to knock Yuuri out for his own good. Putting aside his high status, Yuuri was his fiance.
Wolfram senses kept twinging, as if there was a detail escaping his notice, latched onto only the very edge of his vision.
Something was off.
The immediate jeopardy had passed, Yuuri was safe, within touching distance, yet still he seemed so far away, still under a nameless formless threat Wolfram couldn't see nor put a name to, let alone strike down with his sword.
His peachy cheeks and glowing skin, vibrant as if kissed by the sun, were now a stark lifeless white, framed by over long tendrils of glossy black hair far better groomed than what Wolfram was used to seeing on his fiance.
Yuuri didn't look like Yuuri anymore.
The appearance, the words he spoke, the clothes. All combined muffled his image of Yuuri, much the same as the sound of his voice when he'd spoken through the cushion on his face. A pitch and tone memorized by heart made difficult to detect by an interference that should not be there. But unlike the pillow which had been easy to lift away, he could not touch, hear, think, feel this problem - could only sense it with the same trusted instinct that had urged him run in time to catch Yuuri before he fell, the very same instinct that thrust his sword forth in protection before Wolfram himself could process Yuuri and Danger.
" Wolf, did you already fall asleep? "
" No, humor is just something you don't posses wimp. Now sleep. Your eyes look like Greta traced them with black marker."
" Hey! Like Mr-I'm-growing-into-future-Gwendal has any right to comment on humor. And isn't it daylight already? My eyesight may be bad, but I'm not completely blind yet - I can still see brightness and dull shapes."
" So? You've been troubled sleeping without me by your side right? " Wolfram reached out, pulling and rearranging until Yuuri was placed firmly in his arms, face resting in the crook of his neck, an arm sprawled over Wolfram's chest and another pressed in the meager space between their bodies." Just -" He squeezed his arms tighter around him." - just for while, forget the past, don't worry about the future, and just trust me. Place your trust in me and relax."
" That is not why - ah never mind." He felt the brush of warm air against his skin as Yuuri sighed, " I don't understand why -" The words were muttered softly, almost a whisper." - did you hypnotize me with your words? Another mazoku side talent of yours like the healing? It shouldn't feel this comfortable being held in another man's arms."
" Hey, hey am I just any man? I'm your fiancé. Don't you dare cuddle up to anyone else!" Wolfram remarked heatedly, mind immediately flashing to Weller.
Yuuri made no reply. There was a moment of complete silence. Wolfram guessed that Yuuri must have (blessedly) fallen asleep, but then felt the arm that had been lying sprawled against his chest move, shift - and just like that he was being hugged back, fingers clenching the material of the blue uniform he hadn't thought to remove.
" Yuuri?"
" You said to trust you right?" He whispered, the words mumbled foggy and thick, as if spoken through the haze of a dream. " I already do. You always find me. Just when I've lost all strength, all hope, you - somehow - you're always there when I need you."
Yuuri's words were starting to slur, pouring out like water through a blocked faucet, slow and sluggish.
" So, Wolf, as the person I trust the most, as the one whose honestly is kinder than any lie, promise me. I need you to promise..."
" What? If it's for you of course I -" Wolfram cut himself off.
His Majesty was snuggling peacefully against Wolfram's shoulder, soft cheek squished adorably against the bony surface, lips parted - he must have nodded off literally mid sentence. Heh.
"You're lucky you're so damn cute, Yuuri. A high-maintenance wimp like you would never have managed to entrap a guy like me otherwise." Wolfram muttered quietly, hiding his pink cheeks against Yuuri's soft hair.
Author's note: Exams are over - this witch is back to spreading wolfyuu muhahhaha.
The next chapter is going to be posted TOMORROW. Originally this was going to be one huge chapter, but I decided to post separately because I think the ending here contrasts nicely with how chp 5 ended~ So the rest of the story will continue in chp 7, this one just self indulgent fluff. Also would you like me to be more wordy/less wordy, any suggestions on writing PLS GIMME!
PS: From now on, I will be posting updates weekly, if not sooner. Goal - finish fic before next semester. Cause I want to start a new fic LOL. Pls encourage me through reviews~