Author Notes: This chapter is a little shorter than the previous, but I didn't want to make it to long so I'm saving the next part for chapter eight. I'm also going to re-vamp the first few chapters because I have finally seen the ending of the series! Yay! It actually made me feel a bit sad because everyone says that there isn't going to be another series, so I suppose we'll never truly see Wolfie and Yuuri get together, ne? Oh well... So keep your eyes open for the re-vamped chapters within the next few weeks. I hope you all enjoy chapter seven!! And thank you to everyone who has reviewed, I don't have time to answer them individually right now but I'll be sure to address them in the next chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own Kyou Kara Moah nor any of these characters! Though I'd love to knock some sense into Yuuri...
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Open Heart
Chapter 7
Yuuri sat on the edge of the bed, trying to remove his boots. Trying being the key word because he couldn't seem to focus his attention on anything while Wolfram glared at him from across the room. The blond soldier sat quietly in a chair located on the other side of the small room. The room was only big enough to fit a twin sized bed and a small desk near the one window, supporting a single chair that Wolfram now occupied.
The young king could understand Wolfram's dislike in this situation. He couldn't image how awkward this had to be for the blond, considering everything. Finally breaking from the glare, Yuuri proceeded to remove his boots. He was looking forward to getting some sleep after the long carriage ride. The next day wouldn't be any better, if what Conrad stated was true. Yuuri couldn't image another two days of traveling in that cramped box, perhaps tomorrow he could accompany Conrad on horse back instead.
Placing his boots near the foot of the bed, he let his eyes venture over to the blond to wince slightly at the vicious glare that met him. Was Wolfram angry at him? A small frown made its way to his lips as he studied the blond for a moment.
"Find something interesting!?" Yup, Wolfram was definitely angry. Yuuri gave a small sigh before standing. He would have to end this before it got ugly, and after such a tedious day, the young king wasn't quite sure if he could contain his emotions.
"You can have the bed; I'll get an extra blanket and sleep on the floor." He stated calmly, forcing a small smile upon his lips before heading out the door, leaving no time for the blond to argue. He knew that it was better in some instances to just give up, let the other be the victor.
Barefoot, Yuuri made his way down the hall, pondering slightly if Conrad had already gone to bed or if he was still down stairs enjoying a bowl of that mysterious stew. Upon reaching the banister, Yuuri heard a door open from behind him. Turning, he was met with Wolfram, standing a few feet behind, his hand placed upon his hip. The demon gave an annoyed sigh before closing the distance and moving past Yuuri.
"Hey, wait! What are you doing?" Yuuri questioned, deciding it would be best to follow the blond. Green eyes peeked over his shoulder, a bit of annoyance in them but not the venom they had held a few minutes ago.
"Do you actually think I would let a wimp like you walk around this place by yourself?" Wolfram gave a small 'humph' noise before he turned to walk down the stairs leading to the lower level. Yuuri stopped for a second at the top of the stairs, his eyes slightly wide at what the blond had referred to him.
"You called me a wimp…" Yuuri uttered causing Wolfram to turn and look back up at him. Wolfram had called him a wimp a few times since he had returned, but behind the voice there was anger if not a bit of hurt. Yet this time, it had been said casually, enduring almost. It reminded Yuuri of how Wolfram used to say it, back before he had left for earth.
"Well, you are what you are." Wolfram proclaimed calmly, arching an eyebrow as a large smile spread across Yuuri's face. "And you seem to be happy about this...figures." The prince turned on his heel to continue his pursuit down the staircase. Yuuri didn't say anything, not even to argue the fact that he had pretty much agreed with Wolfram, instead the young king followed the soldier down the stairs to find an extra set of blankets.
After about thirty minutes later, and a lot of questioning, the two of them returned to their room empty handed. The tavern had no extra blankets, the owner stating that the blankets they had in the room were the only set they were going to get. Yuuri gave a small sigh as he collapsed into the chair by the window. He glanced to the night sky and frowned when he noticed no stars and that the sky was much darker than usual. It was going to rain. He could feel it. Rain usually meant the temperature lowered a few degrees, and it was already a bit chilly.
"We'll share the bed." Yuuri's eyes shot toward the blond who was sitting upon the edge of the bed, removing his own boots.
"What..?" He questioned, feeling his heart pound inside of his chest. Share a bed? Sure, they had done that before, but the circumstances had been different. They had been engaged! Yuuri quickly shook his head, placing a shaky smile upon his face. "Don't worry about it; I'm fine on the floor!" He proclaimed happily. Stern emerald eyes turned to him, a scowl appearing on his pink lips.
"I don't want to deal with a sick king all the way to Chivron. Things will be difficult enough while you accompany me on this journey. The last thing we need is for your weak human body to fall ill to the cold." Yuuri winced slightly at the cold words and watched as the blond removed his belt and jacket, placing them on one of the wooden poles of the bed. Pulling back the covers, Wolfram laid down, turning his back to Yuuri.
Suddenly, Yuuri wanted to be anywhere but there in the room. He turned his eyes away from the bed and to the window once again. The dark shadows of the trees outside waved their branches in the gusts of wind. Yuuri silently thought about the upcoming day and wondered if the weather would prevent them from making any progress to the Northern port. Giving a small sigh, Yuuri stood and approached his belongings. He removed the contact case and proceeded to take out the brown lenses, letting a few tears fall from his aggravated eyes.
The young king glanced up at the bed and watched the rise and fall of the blanket with Wolfram's breathing. Was he already asleep? Yuuri placed the container back into his small traveling bag and rubbed at his eyes before standing. Just for one moment, Yuuri had believed that he had made some progress with the prince. He had thought that Wolfram was slowly letting him back into his heart. He had been wrong. Was he just fooling himself into thinking that he could convince Wolfram to return with him to Blood Pledge? Had he let himself be filled with empty hope?
Blowing out the wick to the oil lamp that rested on the night stand next to the bed, Yuuri silently removed his own belt and over shirt. He crawled into rough blankets, resting his head upon the pillow that smelled of old cotton. The bed was hard and lumpy, the cotton inside probably far past the due date to be replaced. Yuuri turned on his side, letting his back press against the blonds, the bed far too small to allow any personal space. He knew that he had a limited amount of time to persuade the prince into returning, and as he heard the rain begin to fall outside, Yuuri felt even more disconnected from Wolfram than he had for the past few weeks.
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Wolfram curled further into himself, trying desperately to get away from the constant touch of Yuuri's back on his. But the wall he was pressed against enabled him to do so. This was not fair and the blond was silently cursing a certain brown-haired brother. He knew that Conrart had done this on purpose, what other motive could he have had to place them into the same room? Was the man insane? Or did he just have a death wish for their king? The blond bit his lip to keep from growling at the thought of his brother plotting against him.
Wolfram's breath caught in his throat as he felt Yuuri shift against him, pressing their backs closer together. The prince squeezed his eyes shut at the warmth from the other person, fighting the need to bury himself into it. This was cruel and unjust. There was no reason at all that Yuuri couldn't have shared a room with Conrart and that only angered Wolfram further. Perhaps he should just sleep on the floor; demons were not as easily prone to sickness as humans were. Besides, he had his fire element to keep him warm.
"You awake Wolfram?" The voice was a whisper, barely audible for the prince to register that Yuuri had even spoken. Wolfram felt his shoulders tense at the question, telling himself to keep silent and let the man think he was asleep.
"Yes…because you can't seem to keep still…" Wolfram grumbled, deciding that if Yuuri had asked that question he probably already knew he was awake. He felt the other stiffen a bit then the bed shifted and the presence of Yuuri against him was gone. Wolfram looked over his shoulder to see the young king sitting on the edge of the bed, his head bowed slightly.
The room was dark so he couldn't see what expression the Maoh held upon his face, he could only make out the dark silhouette. Slowly, Wolfram sat up as well, keeping his gaze upon Yuuri. He let a moment of silence pass, waiting for him to say something or to dismiss the whole ordeal and lie back down. In the darkness, he wasn't able to see the other's shoulder's tremble slightly.
"Go back to sleep, I'll move to the floor." Wolfram stated firmly, pulling the blankets off his body to move off the bed.
"I was wondering if we could just talk." Wolfram froze at the trembling words. Wolfram moved closer to the dark silhouette, flinging his legs over the edge of the bed to sit next to the young king. The blond bit his bottom lip when Yuuri inched away from him.
"What do you want to talk about at this hour, Heika?" Wolfram questioned, trying to keep his annoyance at bay as well as his concern. Yuuri turned toward Wolfram, giving a small smile the other couldn't see.
"You know, you can call me Yuuri..." Wolfram gave a small sigh at the familiar request. He knew he could call the other by his name, it just didn't seem right. What special privilege did he have to refer to his king in such an informal way? "I just think Heika is odd. I mean, I'm just me, Yuuri, you know? It would be like me calling you lord all the time." A sadistic smirk found its way to the blond's lips at that statement.
"But I wouldn't mind if you called me your lord." Wolfram laughed as Yuuri shoved him slightly in the shoulder, causing him to fall back onto the bed. "Get used to Heika, it is what people will call you for the rest of your life." The blond stated calmly, pushing himself up onto his elbows, watching as the dark silhouette watched him.
"Yea, I know, but that doesn't mean that I want you to call me that." A flash of lightning temporarily lit the room, causing both men to look to the window. The storm outside roared with sudden awareness, the rain pounding against the window. Another flash of lightning filled the room with light before it faded, leaving the sound of the cracking thunder to echo against the walls.
"Just great..." Wolfram grumbled, pulling himself up to a sitting position. Yuuri turned to face the blond lost in the darkness. "Now the roads will be extremely hard to travel." This was just what they needed, dangerous roads that would take twice as long to travel. Hopefully the storm would go south instead of north, allowing the upper roads to remain dry and decent.
"Well, at least we're in here and not out there." Yuuri reasoned, giving a small laugh. Wolfram sighed, but a smile appeared on his lips none the less. The blond was always amazed on how optimistic Yuuri could stay, even during the most unruly situations.
"Yes, I suppose." Wolfram sighed, fighting a yawn that threatened to arise. "But what did you want to talk about?" He heard Yuuri take a deep breath at the reminder of why they were up so late. His eyes were beginning to adjust to the darkness and he could see a little bit more detail upon the young king, especially the troubled expression he held on his face. Whatever Yuuri wanted to talk about, Wolfram decided he wouldn't like it.
"I just wanted to ask you a question, thats all." The blond rose an eyebrow at the sheepish laugh that followed Yuuri's statement.
"Alright, ask." The laughter stopped immediately, followed by a deep sigh. Another flash of lightning lit the room, giving a brief view of Yuuri's downcast eyes and him chewing on his bottom lip. "If your to much of a wimp to ask than you shouldn't have woken me up in the first place." Wolfram grumbled, feeling a bit annoyed at the young king's procrastination.
"It isn't an easy question!" Yuuri explained in his defense, before turning away from the blond sitting next to him. Wolfram let the moment pass in silence, deciding it would probably be best if he gave Yuuri time to conjure up the courage to ask his question. "I guess, I just wanted to ask if there was any chance of us being like we used to be."
It was Wolfram's turn to cast his eyes downward, studying the thick material of the blanket he sat upon. He knew what Yuuri was asking. He was asking if there was any chance of them becoming friends or companions like they once were. After all, that was the only way Yuuri had ever seen Wolfram as, a friend. Nothing more, and nothing less. The blond found himself not wanting to answer the question for he had been asking himself that for many years. Could he give Yuuri another chance, but this time around as a friend? Could he let go of the past and let go of the love that he still knew was there? Could he forgive Yuuri?
"No." He felt black eyes turn to him, searching him in the darkness. Wolfram kept his eyes hidden behind his hair as his hands clenched the fabric of the blanket. Perhaps it was unfair, perhaps it was cruel and selfish, but Wolfram wanted nothing from Yuuri. He didn't want friendship, he didn't want a companion from Yuuri, all the blond needed was for Yuuri to be his King. That was all Wolfram would ever ask from the black haired man. Anything more would only continue to break his already shattered heart.
"Oh." The blond winced at the hurt he heard behind that single word. It would hurt, it would hurt for many more years. Yuuri had always considered Wolfram to be one of his closest friends and for the young prince to deny him that friendship...Wolfram knew what it felt like to be denied something. Especially something you desired with all of your heart. "I suppose thats fair." Green eyes snapped over to Yuuri who was once again starring at his hands.
"Nothing is fair." Wolfram murmured, trying not to let his feelings reflect through his voice. The young king gave a small laugh and the blond watched as he shrugged his shoulders.
"I suppose not, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to fight." Yuuri turned to look at Wolfram then, his eyes glowing, despite the darkness that surrounded them. What Wolfram saw burning behind those eyes caused him to gasp, behind those black depths he saw a promise. Something the blond couldn't quiet comprehend, but it sent chills down his spine. Those eyes were telling him something, screaming at him and despite how hard he listened, he couldn't hear what they said.
"W-we should get to bed..." The blond prince whispered, turning away from those black eyes and crawling underneath the covers, pressing himself up against the wall once again. It was going to be a very long night.
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"There is no time to waste! We must continue to move, Weller!" Yuuri flinched slightly as Wolfram growled at his brother, who was standing at their door in the young hours of the morning. The soldier had come and gently rose them from their slumber with news concerning the evening storm.
To get to the Northern port, there was a river that they needed to cross, which usually was no big deal. Conrad had explained that due to the excessive amount of rain the previous evening, the river had swollen almost three time's its original size, leaving them temporarily unable to cross due to safety precautions. However, a certain blond mazoku was having none of it. After Conrad had informed the dire state and stated that traveling would come to a halt at the inn until further notice, the blond's calm had deteriorated. Which, unfortunately for Yuuri, meant a lot of screaming.
"Wolfram, I understand your concern, but we must think of everyone's safety first and foremost." Conrad tried to explain, sounding reasonable to the young king who was sitting on the edge of the bed while Wolfram paced the room clad only in his black pants. Yuuri couldn't help but physically wince at the glare the blond sent to his brother, who stayed completely collected. Yuuri silently pondered over how Conrad could stay so calm with Wolfram yelling at him like that, if it had been Yuuri in the soldier's place, he knew he'd be running away by now.
"Do you think I do not know that?" Wolfram growled, crossing his arms over his chest, "There must be another way, even if it is slightly longer then this quicker route! As long as we continue to travel." Conrad let out a small sigh before looking over to Yuuri with a sympathetic look. Yuuri tilted his head in question, why was he looking at him like that? It wasn't as if the blond's fury was being focused upon him.
"There are several other ways to get to the Northern Port, however, they are all unpredictable and dangerous. We do not know the conditions of these roads or who travels them. It would be best to just wait until the river calms to cross." Conrad tried to explain, his voice was calm but Yuuri could hear the annoyance underneath the casual tone. Wolfram uncrossed his hands and placed them upon his hips, obviously not liking the words his brother had spoken.
"You are aware that I am expected in two weeks, Weller." The other soldier nodded his head to confirm, placing his own hand upon his waist waiting for the blond to continue. "If we do not arrive within this period of time, then it will be considered a physical blow to the country of Chivron. We must utilize the resources that are presented to us and not let any obstacles detain us!"
Yuuri gave a small sigh before falling onto his back, losing interest in the argument. He knew it could go on for hours when concerning Wolfram's pride and Conrad's stern nature. He had to agree with his god-father on his point though, considering all things. If they go into unmarked territory, Yuuri couldn't even begin to imagine what type of dangerous situations they would find themselves in. Besides, if they stayed at the tavern for a few more days it would allow Yuuri time to digest the events of last night.
His chest tightened slightly at the remembrance of the prior evening's discussion with the blond prince. His reply to Yuuri's question still echoing strongly inside the young man's head. It had hurt, but he had expected it to a certain degree. It only went to prove to Yuuri that he had a lot to do to repair the broken bridge between the two. He would have to work hard if he truly wanted Wolfram back into his life. A frown set upon the young king's lips, he was going to fight for Wolfram's friendship and trust. He wasn't going to give up because that would just prove everyone right. It would prove that Yuuri was weak and irresponsible. He would fix the damage he had disposed upon everyone.
"Heika!" Yuuri jumped out of his mental train of thought to look up into a pair of anger green eyes. He felt his cheeks warm when he realized that both pairs of eyes were on him. Wolfram gave an aggravated sigh before pointing an accusing finger in his direction. "You haven't been paying any attention to any of this, have you?!" Yuuri let a sheepish smile spread across his lips, no use denying it if it was true, right?
"Sorry Wolfram, I got distracted by something..." This only proved to anger the blond further. Conrad took a step into the room to prevent the blond from exploding at the young king.
"Wolfram wanted to know what you wanted to do, Heika." Yuuri gave a small sigh at the kind voice, there they went again, calling him Heika. Perhaps he should just give up on trying to have people call him by his name, it appeared to be a losing battle.
"What I wanted to do?" Yuuri repeated, glancing over to Wolfram who now stood at the side of the bed, arms crossed. "With what?"
"I'm going to kill him..." Wolfram growled, heading toward Yuuri with his hand already outstretched. Yuuri quickly scrambled out of the way of the angered blond and proceeded to the safety of Conrad's side.
"Concerning the Northern Port." Conrad explained, letting a small smile of amusement cross his lips when he realized Yuuri was hiding behind him. "If we should proceed despite the dangers of the other roads or if we should wait until the river calms to take the bridge."
Yuuri glanced over to his god-father, then back to Wolfram who stood a few feet away, annoyance clearly written upon his face with a large scowl. Just great, he knew the reasonable answer to that question. It dealt with the whole process of actually waiting, but the look Wolfram was sending him sent chills down his back. Did he truly want to face the blond if he decided to stay at the tavern and wait things out? He could only imagine the evenings to come, a clear mental images of a certain blond demon holding a pillow over his face late at night made the young king wince. No, Yuuri did not want to be responsible for that, but nor did he want to make a poor decision. Why did these type of decisions always tend to fall upon his shoulders?
"Well...?" Wolfram pushed, shifting his weight to one leg. How dangerous could one road actually be? And it wasn't as if they had never met danger before. There had been countless situations where they had befallen ill fate but had survived. What would the difference be? Beside, it could prove to be interesting.
"I suppose we can take the other route." Yuuri stated, straightening himself when he saw the triumphant smirk come to Wolfram's lips. Conrad gave a small sigh, letting the situation slide for now. He gave a small nod, stating that he'd go ahead and prepare the men, then he turned and exited the small room.
Yuuri gave a small sigh and slowly turned to see Wolfram staring at him. His nerves started to tingle as their eyes held onto one other, daring the other to turn away first. It was Yuuri who broke the connection, shuddering slightly as if the room had dropped a few degrees in temperature. Yuuri shook his head slightly to get the feeling to leave before he went to his clothes that were folded neatly on the chair at the single table. He supposed the only thing to do now was to get ready, head down stairs for some breakfast and see if Conrad need ed any help with anything.
Pulling on the brown shirt from the previous day, Yuuri tied the strings at the collar before tucking the material into the dark brown pants he had worn to bed. The young king gave a small sigh as he realized it would be another long day inside that dreadful carriage. Yuuri wrapped the leather belt around his waist and picked up Morgif, who "ooed" at him before he strapped the sword to his waist. As he pulled on his boots, the auburn haired king glanced outside, the sky was still dark from heavy ran clouds and the trees motioned back and forth in the gusts of strong wind. Perhaps it would be better to just stay at the tavern for now.
"Are you just going to sit there all day?" Yuuri's eyes shot up to an already dressed Wolfram, watching him with hand upon his waist. Yuuri gave a small smile before he pulled on his other boot and stood. All he needed to do now was put the contacts back in, which was never easy.
"I just need to put the contacts in, so go on ahead. I'll be there in a little bit." Yuuri watched as the blond demon eyed him cautiously before turning and exiting the room. A small sigh escaped his lips as he made his way to his traveling back, fishing out the containers that held the brown lenses.
"I hope everything goes well..." Yuuri thought out loud as he tried to put the first contact it. The last thing everyone needed was another mess upon their hands. But the prickling on the back of his neck told the young king that this trip wasn't going to go as smooth as he hoped.
