Chapter Warnings: None
Author's Notes: Hurray for a relatively quick update! Thank you everyone for the 265 reviews! Your support is very much appreciated!
About 4-5 chapters to go, I think. I haven't written the rest of this fanfic out so it could depend...I might end up waffling on for some chapters (i.e. Yuuri keeps thinking about a LOT of things) and then I might end up with 20 chapters by the end.
And now I bring you my longest chapter yet!
Disclaimer: I own NOTHING! (Except this fanfic?)
Proposition: the act of offering or suggesting something to be considered, accepted, adopted, or done.
– In The Face Of Anger –
Chapter Eleven: The Proposition
It was as if slowly, slowly – but still at a 'too soon' pace – I was coming to a steady realisation about myself and a certain someone. That certain someone, of course, was Wolfram. That's right... The guy who was arrogant, bratty, a total snob, and yet the most intriguing and beautiful person I've ever met in my life.
With my forehead pressed hard against the palms of my hands, I sat, hunched, on the steps leading down towards the courtyard. To be honest, I really felt like hitting myself.
I took a long, steady breath in and exhaled as I tried to collect my thoughts and put them together in some order that made sense. Okay...
You know what? This was all Murata's fault! This whole thing!
I glared at his smiling, wistful face that I conjured up in my head. Stupid, stupid Murata! Why'd you have to go and make things more complicated than what they were supposed to be?
It was bad enough that I had to be engaged to a guy in the first place. Murata didn't have to put the idea in my head to get closer to him.
I almost growled to myself in frustration. That jerk! He totally had other motives behind his actions that day: "Try and get to know him a little better." Pfft, and by that you actually meant, "Hey! Shibuya! Why don't you develop some weirdly close bond with the guy and see where it takes you?"
I could kill him. Damn him for making things more complicated.
Actually, what the heck am I talking about? I don't think 'complicated' is the right word. At least, not when it comes to the relationship between Wolfram and I. Things were great, honestly – I've never been happier with the guy, and he seems to be a lot less cranky than usual. But the issue lies in the fact that other things have changed between us.
The holding hands. The way-too-friendly embraces. Hell, the skipping off into the sunset with flowers placed tenderly – maybe even lovingly – behind our ears is SO not the kinda thing guys do with other guys! It's not normal! This stuff goes way beyond the 'bonds of mateship'!
Where the hell does that put us? It makes my head spin just thinking about it. I mean, sure, I like the guy a lot...the whole 'pretty boy' thing he's got going on is kinda attractive, too...but beyond friendship, I have no clue what I'm supposed to do.
I don't know what's happening between Wolfram and I. Well...actually, I do, but admitting it is just...just...
I gulped deeply. Come on, Shibuya, man up! Man up, you idiot! You should, like...I dunno...eat a spoonful of cement and just harden up! This is no time for pussy-footing around!
Despite my self-motivating inner monologue, I remained in the same hunched position, only now I was fighting back the urge to sulk and pout.
I hugged my knees tighter to my chest, mulling things over and over and over.
All I know is that there was nothing close between us prior to this whole 'Getting-To-Know-Wolfram-So-That-He-Stops-Trying-To-Kill-Me-For-No-Apparent-Reason'. He followed me around because I technically forced him into remaining engaged to me.
I blinked twice. Why did that make me feel sad?
I paused, then lifted my head, staring at the light plummeting down from the sun. That sunlight...it reminded me...
"Finally, I caught you!"
On the brink of despair...on the very brink of life and death and absolute despair...
"Then I'll fall with you."
"Wolfram..." I said his name, but it was so quiet that not even I heard it very clearly. I felt it, though – the way his name rolled off my tongue and passed through my lips. My hand had unconsciously reached to cover the left side of my chest, as if trying to suppress the rapid beating of my heart.
Nothing could stop it. My heart quickened its pace at the mere thought of that moment...of him... I could feel my cheeks tingling from the pace and strength of my heart. Every single beat meant something. Every single one. The strength of its pulsations echoed all the way up into my ears, making me almost dizzy with the sensation.
The castle courtyard faded far, far away as I immersed myself in my memories. Memories of him and of us.
Wolfram von Bielefeld, a stranger at the time, looking down at me with a scowl on his face. Wolfram von Bielefeld, whose face showed nothing but rage when my palm first made contact with his left cheek. Wolfram von Bielefeld who took me to a nearby village because I was worried about Conrad and the others, and the possibility of casualties.
I sighed. Wolfram and I fell through the floorboards and discovered a mass amount of Bear Bees, which he aptly named 'our children'.
Wolfram came and rescued me from falling off the edge of the cliff, despite having to travel all the way into human lands just to do so. Wolfram had done so many things for me. Conrad and the others had bailed me out plenty of time before, and so had Wolfram. But, for whatever reason, the times where Wolfram rescued me meant more to me now than ever before.
I don't know why he means so much to me. But he does. He just does.
I rubbed my forehead, attempting to ease the tension that was painfully developing. Murata's scheme has really complicated things for Wolfram and I. Well, more for me, I guess.
Suddenly, Wolfram's voice began to echo inside my skull:
"I have to follow you around because you're my fiancé!"
"Yuuri, you're my fiancé!"
"My fiancé!"
And all of a sudden, a cold, unsettling feeling completely snaked itself around my heart, constricting it so hard that I could hear my blood – mixed in with fear and insecurity – pulsing in my ears.
The engagement. The very basis of Wolfram's feelings for me.
If I took that away, would he suddenly stop being 'in love' with me? Maybe...
But then, does that mean he doesn't like me as much as he says? He says it so confidently in front of me and the others. How can a person express their love for another so boldly?
Is it all false?
I bit my bottom lip, troubled by my sudden thoughts. Paranoia settled into my mind, and I couldn't stop the sudden onslaught of insecurities and confusion.
I thought I had worked it all out. To come to some sort of conclusion with my feelings was hard enough, but...what if it doesn't matter? What if Wolfram doesn't actually care about me?
I honestly never thought that he cared about me all that much. Maybe as a friend and as his ' fiancé', but not as...a lover.
And now I had no idea what to do. I could search and search and absolutely pry my brain until I could work out some vague concept of 'the truth'. But, when it comes to Wolfram, I may never know what lurks inside his mind; what feelings are true in his heart.
"Wolfram..."
"Yuuri! You're such a wimp!"
"Hey there, Shibuya!" The familiar voice of Ken Murata suddenly jerked me back into reality, terrifying me at the suddenness.
"Wha-? Murata!" I breathed in rapidly to calm myself down, which earned an odd look from my companion.
"Err, you okay? Thinking about something...?" He trailed off, which allowed me the chance to shake my head quickly.
"N-Not really! Just spacing out! You know me, ha!" I tugged at the hair on the back of my head agitatedly, which Murata easily understood as a sign of nervousness. I could almost read the 'You-Are-So-Hiding-Something-From-Me' look. Damn him and his silent accusations.
After a startling and enthusiastic greeting, we fell into an awkward sort of silence. We hadn't, after all, spoken to each other until he graciously informed me that he and Ulrike were prohibiting me from seeing my family ever again. I wasn't sure if I was ready to talk to him when I honestly wanted to throttle him and the 800-year-old maiden.
In saying that, however, the guy knew me pretty well - he knew that I was still seething, and yet he approached me. Obviously it must be something important or something that would appeal to me.
"Nice sunny weather we're having, eh?" I said lamely, tapping my fingers along my knees, staring directly at the ground.
"Well, it is Summer," He agreed, his tone revealing nothing. Then he turned to me and said, "Shibuya, have you come up with any alternative to what Ulrike and I have proposed?"
His question took me by surprise, and then the horrible feeling of knowing my birthday was rapidly approaching appeared within me. I hadn't really thought about this whole thing for weeks. I had been too focused on Wolfram to even care about anything else, despite how important the whole thing was.
I didn't know what to say to him, so I simply replied, "No."
Murata sighed audibly, allowing his chin to rest on his hand. I turned to face him more fully, suddenly aware of his seriousness. "Erm, why do you ask? Did you think of something?"
Murata remained silent for a short while, as if he was internally weighing up the options. He moved to look me straight in the eye. "I have, as a matter of fact," He told me quietly, "But I haven't mentioned it to Ulrike. I haven't mentioned it to anyone."
A small wave of relief washed over me at his words, but a sudden burst of curiosity took hold. Why hadn't he discussed this with Ulrike? Would she not approve? Or...what? "Why haven't you told anyone...?"
"Because my idea is a bit...well..." He trailed off mysteriously, lacing his fingers together thoughtfully, a solemn expression forming on his face. "Do you want to hear it?" He inquired, slightly hesitant. He didn't answer my question.
"Well, yeah! Absolutely!" I said enthusiastically. "Surely any alternative would be better!"
"Maybe," Murata responded ominously, which caused my curiosity to heighten. He took another moment to pause, sighed one more, and said, "The other option is to officially declare to the nation that you have chosen an individual to rule on your behalf while you're on Earth. This individual can't be anyone," He added before I could interrupt gleefully, "For instance, both Sir on Voltaire and Sir von Christ are not appropriate candidates."
"But why not?" I asked confusedly. They had taken care of the castle just fine when I had gone off on adventures with Conrad and Wolfram, so why...?
"Because I don't believe there is an adequate reason to declare them to be." At my perplexed expression he continued, "The country is well aware that they have fulfilled your responsibilities on your behalf while you've been off bringing peace to the rest of the Kingdom. I don't believe they expect them to continue doing so for no legitimate reason."
"I don't understand. By declaring them as being, well, the official...whatever...then doesn't that give them a legitimate reason?"
"But what's the legitimate reason behind giving them such powers?" Murata's gaze was hiding something, and I really couldn't work out what it was. "They are Aristocrats, but that's it. Sir von Spitzveg was granted such powers not because he was an Aristocrat, but because he was the former Maou's brother. Neither Sir von Voltaire or Sir von Christ, or any other Aristocrat for that matter, should be granted such irrefutable powers for no reason other than 'because you said so'. No, there needs to be more," His voice began to fade, becoming quieter and quieter until I had to lean in to hear him. "The celebration should unite the nation."
"Well, yeah, I figured-"
"Shibuya." His expression was stony. "I think you should make Sir von Bielefeld the Second-In-Charge."
I looked at him strangely. "Wolfram? Why him? Isn't his situation the same as Gwendal and-"
"No. It's different," He said to my baffled face. "He's your fiancé. At present, he holds a certain amount of power, but if he become your spouse..."
"My WHAT?"
"Shibuya, let me finish-"
"Murata, no!" I found myself shouting, outraged by the very suggestion. "I'm not going to use Wolfram like that! You're not supposed to get married for political reasons!"
"Considering that in this world political marriages are very common, maybe you should-"
"No! Murata, just...no!" I said finally when he opened his mouth to speak again. "I'm not doing that. I refuse to use Wolfram like that!"
"A wedding ceremony would be sure to unite the whole nation," Murata tried to explain, but I could barely hear him over the sound of my boiling blood. "And through marriage, he would be granted political powers almost equivalent to your own. No one could question the legitimacy of his rule. You would be allowed to return to Earth! Sir von Bielefeld would obviously have the guidance of his brothers, too!"
"Murata, I think I see what you're getting at, but I just won't do it," I said firmly, my fists clenched. I was on my feet now, even though I don't remember getting up. "It's not right to do that to a person. I...I won't do it. What's more, I'll only be sixteen! Don't you think that's a little young?"
Murata stared at me blankly for several moments, watching me breathe rapidly from my sudden angry outburst. After a minute or so, I slowly lowered myself back to the steps, sitting beside him and staring ahead resolutely.
I couldn't do it. Not if I wasn't ready, not if it was for the wrong reasons, and...especially not if Wolfram didn't genuinely have feelings for me.
Suddenly, Murata chuckled lightly to himself, causing me to look at him bemusedly. "I expected this reaction, to be honest. I thought I'd try anyway."
"You're crazy to think that I might say yes," I muttered heatedly.
"I know!" He cried a little too enthusiastically.
We sat silently together for a long while afterwards. My anger eventually vanished and was replaced with some form of contentment. It was nice to sit with Murata and just dwell in our own personal thoughts sometimes. Unfortunately for me, however...it also brought on a series of thoughts and insecurities I had forgotten before Murata had shown up.
That is, namely, the problem with my blonde-haired fiancé.
"So, you won't do it because you think you're abusing Wolfram's feelings?" I glanced at Murata, who didn't look at me, but a small smile was apparent. "I'm not saying I disagree. He cares about you, so it's not right for you to take advantage of that. Not to mention that you have no interest in men, so..."
"It's not that."
I felt Murata's eyes on me, but I had buried my face into my knees, sighing loudly. "It's not about the whole interest in men. It's about Wolfram's feelings, true, but not in the way you described them."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. It's more about, well...if he hasn't got a genuine interest in me, then he shouldn't have to, well...marry me in the first place. Hell, he shouldn't even have to be engaged to me!"
"Shibuya, what on earth are you talking about?" Murata said incredulously. "What do you mean 'no genuine interest'? You think the guy doesn't honestly care about you?"
I suddenly sat upright, causing Murata to flinch slightly. I turned to him, and all my confusion and anxieties must have reflected in my eyes, because Murata's mouth fell open slightly when he saw my expression. "Maybe he doesn't. Maybe he just doesn't. Maybe it's because we're engaged, and it's just in his possessive, prideful nature to pretend we're a happy, engaged couple or something..."
"You're losing it."
"I am not!" I cried definitely, a sickening feeling starting to develop in my chest. "Would it surprise you that he only does it out of pride? That he does it just because we're engaged and I'm the King?"
"Shibuya, I would be totally flabbergasted," He informed me earnestly. "I'd be shocked; I'd be amazed! How could you believe something like that?" He paused, analysing my distressed face. "I thought his feelings for you were obvious."
"I don't think so..." I trailed off miserably, bowing my head slightly so I was no longer looking him in the eyes. "Murata, I..."
"Why are you so worked up? Why do his feelings suddenly matter to you so much?"
He finally asked it. It stung to hear the second part of the question - "suddenly", as if to imply I hadn't given a crap in the past. And maybe I hadn't, but now...but now...
"I...I just..." I wanted to hit myself. Again. Why was I being such a wimp?
"Shibuya...?"
"I don't know, Murata!" I exclaimed in frustration. "I don't know why it matters so much, or why he matters so much, but...that's the way it is. That's the way it is now, and maybe I was just too stupid to realise that that's the way it's always been!"
I couldn't say it. I just couldn't say it.
Wait, what am I trying to say...?
"Shibuya, I..." And then he remained silent for several minutes, allowing me to calm myself. I inhaled deeply until my breath steadied and my urge to hit something – namely myself – died away. I felt so incredibly frustrated at that moment.
I kept my gaze averted from his but he continued to watch me, expecting me to say something else. Occasionally I glanced out of the corner of my eye to try and read his expression, and all I saw was a face of deep contemplation. What thoughts are swirling around your head, Murata? What conclusions are you deducing?
Suddenly, he stood up and brushed off his backside to clear any dirt. "I'm gonna leave you to it."
"Wha-? Really?" I said, trying to conceal my distress. "Wait, Murata-!"
"Think about my suggestion," He ordered pleasantly, offering me a vague smile. "It may be your only other option."
As he walked away, I considered two things: His suggestion, and his use of the word 'may'.
Hours later, once the sun had set and dinner had been devoured, I trumped to my room heavily. My arms hung low by my sides, defeated.
I felt so stupid and hopeless. Why did things always seem to be so damn difficult? Well, considering I'm the King of a great nation, that could be one of the reasons...
The hallways seemed to be getting longer. The journey to my room seemed to take hours and hours, even though it usually takes me about five minutes. Maybe it was the fact that my feet were dragging and I was moving at the same pace as a tortoise. Or maybe someone had magically extended the hallways specifically to grate on my nerves.
An eternity later, I turned the doorknob to my room and pushed the door forward.
The first thing I saw was Wolfram, the guy who occupied every one of my thoughts these days.
He looked at me in the eyes and silently acknowledged my presence.
"Wolfram..."
"Yes, Yuuri?" He replied.
I think I love you.
"It's nothing."
My response didn't seem to please him in the slightest, and he faced me more fully with his hands placed firmly on his hips. "What are you hiding from me, Yuuri?" He demanded seriously, his face bearing a frown.
I smiled a little at his irritated stance. "As I said, it's nothing," I told him quietly, which only seemed to annoy him more.
"I can tell you're concealing something from me! Quit being such a wimp!"
"I don't know if I can..." I sighed audibly, which earned a look of bewilderment.
"You don't know if...what...?"
"If I can quit being a wimp," I finished with a sad laugh, and I took several more steps into the room, approaching my side of the bed. My pajamas were folded neatly beside my pillow, and I scooped them into my arms and headed towards the small bathroom attached to our room.
Wolfram followed me but I didn't mind at all. "Yuuri!"
"I'm gonna have a bath," I informed him tiredly, opening the bathroom door to allow both myself and Wolfram into the room.
He continued to pry as the bath filled with hot water, and once I thought it was full enough, I stripped and slid into the water, releasing a joyous sigh as the warmth soothed my tense body.
"Yuuri!" Wolfram said angrily, "Stop ignoring me!"
"Sorry," I offered meekly, looking at him from the side. The rest of my body was completely submersed in the water, my aches fading into the steam. "I really needed this."
Wolfram pushed his bottom lip out as he glared at me. "Yuuri, I am your fiancé, and I don't appreciate your lack of respect! It's...it's just completely inappropriate! You shouldn't be so-"
He really was the most beautiful boy I had ever seen. No matter how many beautiful demons surrounded me, he always seemed to be a level above the rest. His beauty was angelic and his face was unbelievably perfect, as if carved out of marble. His golden hair reminded me of sunlight and his eyes reminded me of a lovely, blue-green lake.
"Yuuri! Are you not listening to me? Again, you ignore me! You inconsiderate wimp! Damn you!"
Even as he shouted at me, I still couldn't help but feel taken by him. His anger and his outbursts seemed to be...almost...cute. In a scary kind of way, of course. What a weird thought – Wolfram, when angry, should never be considered cute; he should be considered dangerous.
Could the steam be affecting my brain...?
I came back to reality to see his face flushed with fury and his eyes shining with energy and emotion. Seeing his expression and still noting his ever-present beauty, my feelings suddenly took a downwards turn; sadness entered my heart of its own accord. It was so unexpected that there was nothing I could do to conceal it from Wolfram, although admittedly I was never good at hiding my emotions.
"What's wrong?" Wolfram inquired, looking confused. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I..." I looked at him and saw more than his physical appearance. I could see the beauty within – like a rose, it had just been concealed by thorns. Namely, his anger and jealousy. "Wolfram, I...need..."
"What do you need?"
I sat up in the bath, slid over towards the side where Wolfram was kneeling, and wrapped my arms around his body. At first he didn't seem impressed because I was soaked and I was wetting his uniform, but he quickly returned the embrace. I was thankful for this, because otherwise it would have felt even more awkward.
I tightened my grip on him. It was almost desperate, this hug – I didn't want to let go. Who'd have thought I could want him to hold me? And who'd have thought that I would initiate these kinds of affections?
"Yuuri...?" Wolfram's voice was quiet, his previous frustrations turning into astonishment. He held on tighter as I clung to him.
"I..."
I sensed a frown form on Wolfram's features. "Wimp. Say what you want to say."
"I don't know how to," I told him miserably.
"What do you mean you don't know how to? With words!"
"It's not that simple!" I buried my face into his neck and spoke in a muffled voice, "I don't know how to say it 'cause I don't know what to say."
And it was genuinely true. Even if I had come to my own sloppy conclusions, I couldn't decide on what I should say to him. Do I tell him how...I feel...or, do I ask him how he feels about me? Do I want to know?
I sighed. If he does have deeper feelings for me, then where does that put us? Do we 'go out' or something? Do we do dinner dates and picnics? Is that how courting works in this world? Or do we declare a date for the wedding? Do we just skip the whole courting thing since we're already engaged? I don't know if I want to rush into something like that when I'm still really, really confused!
Damn it! And with Murata's idea still fresh in my mind, all I can think of is that if we did get married, I'd be able to use that for my own selfish reasons.
Actually, what if I did confess my feelings for Wolfram? Would he automatically say, "I love you, too" and that would be it? What if he said that out of...I dunno...pride? Politeness? What if he said it just because we were engaged and he took my confession as a complete acceptance of the engagement? Would we get married and I wouldn't even know if Wolfram's feelings were true? Heck, I don't want to get married yet anyway!
Now I really, really don't know what to do. I held Wolfram tighter.
"Yuuri, what's wrong?" He asked again, but he sounded more concerned than exasperated. "You're acting strange."
"I know... Sorry," I said embarrassedly, leaning out of his embrace and sinking back into the warm water. Somehow his arms were more soothing. "Stress is making me act kinda funny," I informed him tiredly, looking up at his puzzled face. I noted the large wet patch on his uniform from where I had been and added another, "Sorry."
Wolfram sighed loudly and crossed his arms impatiently. I smiled at him as he looked at me, unimpressed. "You shouldn't leave important decisions to the last minute," He reprimanded seriously. Naturally he assumed I'm worried about my coming-of-age ceremony. "Your birthday is less than a month away and you really should make a decision soon. You shouldn't have to make a rash decision the night before."
Somehow his words sounded so foreshadowing...
I gazed into his vibrant green eyes, remembering how those eyes were able to turn my grey world into something far more exquisite.
I wonder if love lurks behind those irises...behind that face so full of anger...
I shook my head, clearing my thoughts and returning to reality again. "I'll try not to be so irresponsible." I added, "Even though I usually am."
Wolfram nodded approvingly. "Good. The Kingdom doesn't need an irresponsible Maou."
"I know, I know...but unfortunately, they seem to have gotten one," I said sheepishly, laughing humourlessly.
Wolfram's eyes narrowed. "Don't say that, Yuuri. As the King, you should be more confident in yourself. Anyway," He began, allowing his hand to slide into the water, "The water is turning cold. You should get dressed and come to bed."
As he said this, an idea popped into my head. "Hey, not yet! Why don't we put more hot water in the tub and you can join me?"
Wolfram looked bewildered but I did note the flush across his cheeks. "This bath isn't as big as our normal one..." He trailed off uncertainly.
I beamed at him enthusiastically. "That's fine! I guess that means we waste less water, right? Come on! It's not like you're dressed for bed yet, anyway." He seemed to be very surprised by my request and remained frozen in his position beside me. "Look, you can even scrub my back if you want!" I smiled at him, but suddenly he looked suspicious.
"What are you planning?" He demanded with a scowl.
I blinked back at him innocently. "Well, a bath. For us. Don't you want to?"
"It's not that I don't want to," He admitted, his eyes still locked on my face, as if he was searching obsessively for any sinister intent. "But, as I said before, you're acting very strange. You don't usually make requests like this, Yuuri. Even though you should, considering I am your fiancé," He said with an almost proud tone.
I offered him a shrug. "I know." I looked at him pleadingly, "Come on!"
It didn't take much to convince him. Soon enough he had shed his own clothing and slid into the tub, muttering to himself about how small it was. It wasn't, in reality – it was about the same size as a square, indoor spa bath back on Earth. In comparison to my large private bath, however, it wouldn't even be a sixth of the size...
Wolfram's eyelids slid shut as he allowed himself to become more comfortable in the bath. I watched him quietly as the steam wafted between us. The tips of his hair and his bangs stuck to his neck and face due to the dampness.
Despite his beauty, he was still a guy; his chest was completely flat and his muscles added to his masculinity.
I smiled at his gentle facial features. I wouldn't call his face girly but I wouldn't call it manly, either. You'd describe his face as being beautiful and the rest of his body as manly, I suppose. All-in-all, he is a really handsome sort of guy.
I didn't fight my blush that crept on at my thoughts, but I had to wonder...why do I have these kinds of thoughts now? I've always known that he was a very good-looking demon, but to actually be attracted by his appearance, considering he is a guy...well...it was a little different...
"Yuuri," He addressed me firmly, his eyes opening again. "Scrub my back," was the order.
I gave him an odd look. "I thought you wanted to scrub my back," I said confusedly.
"Yes, but it isn't always about you, even if you are the King," He explained, and then offered me a loufa determinedly. "Consider it a privilege, Yuuri, since I am your fiancé."
"Yeah, my fiancé...right..." I let out a sigh but accepted the sponge willingly enough. Wolfram moved closer to me and, once seated in front of me, he turned around to expose his back out of the water. His back looked as clean as anything, but I started softly scrubbing anyway.
I couldn't help but gulp nervously. As I scrubbed, my other hand unconsciously snuck out from beneath the water and touched his naked shoulder. His skin was undeniably soft, as I expected. Even though he trains almost as much as Conrad does, his skin hadn't turned tough from the work. My hands had calluses all over them from baseball, yet his skin was completely smooth and supple. I couldn't help but feel a little envious.
Being so close, his scent entered my nose and I gave a deep inhale, smiling to myself. He always had a nice fragrance.
I looked at his toned back and found myself mesmerised by it. I followed the contours of his muscles and my fingers followed my gaze. I hadn't realised I was so distracted by his appearance that I had stopped scrubbing, and Wolfram was now glancing at me irritably. "What are you doing?"
I suddenly blushed hotly. "Ehhh, nothing at all!" I squeaked embarrassedly. "Sorry. I was daydreaming."
"About what?" He asked immediately, suspicion evident on his face.
"Er, well...that is..." Instead of replying I resumed scrubbing his back, focusing all of my intention on the task and ignoring the frustrated look he was giving me. Eventually he 'hmph'ed crossly and turned his head to face the opposite wall again. I sighed internally, relieved.
A few minutes passed before I paused again and continued contemplating how perfect he was. Moments later, Wolfram turned all the way around to face me, but he didn't ask why I had stopped. Instead, he gave me a tired stare and said, "I don't think I have the energy to scrub your back, Yuuri." His eyes were half-lidded and drowsy.
I chuckled lightly. "That's okay! I don't mind. I can do it myself, anyway." I stared at his pupils, which had grown larger because his eyes were half-closed. Blushingly, I admitted that they were very...very...entrancing. And kinda hot.
Wolfram nodded, and then suddenly he slumped forward and his face landed on my shoulder and his bare chest was pressed again my own.
The blush on my face grew hotter and hotter. The water, which had now become lukewarm, was not the cause for the sudden heat rushing to the rest of my body.
Wait, wait...! What the-? I shouldn't be getting this excited! I should not be getting this-ahh!
The heat from my face rushed downwards and I almost flailed due to my sudden anxiety. Our proximity is too intense! We...we're naked, damn it! And the guy has basically draped himself all over me! What on earth is he doing? He shouldn't be doing stuff like this! And what's more, this shouldn't be doing such...such things to my body!
I gave several large gulps and tried to calm myself down, but the closeness was becoming too intense.
I was about to throw him off in alarm, but then I heard his quiet, even breathing, and I realised that he had fallen into a light doze. I listened to his breaths and we gradually fell in sync.
After several minutes, this meditative breathing eventually allowed the heat in my body to fade away, and all I was left with was the handsome, blonde prince in my arms.
I looked down at his crown of blonde curls and brushed his bangs from his forehead. A sleeping angel, I mused to myself. Where was this cheesy stuff coming from, anyway?
How bizarre things had become. It has always been my philosophy to love and understand everyone (My mother's influence), even your enemies. Because of this philosophy, I've always treated everyone equally and cared about everyone I've ever met: My parents, my brother, my godfather, my friends, my school mates, the people of Shin Makoku, and hell, even random people I talk to on buses and in the streets.
But now something has changed in me. I've come to understand Wolfram so very well, and I guess that means I've come to care about him so very much. I never wanted to treat anyone differently or above anyone else, but...well, maybe it's because I'm crushing on him, but he's the only person I think about these days. It makes me kinda guilty to feel like this since I know how much my family, Conrad, Günter and everyone else cares about me, but, well...he seems to mean so much more than anyone else does.
I gazed at the top of his head for a little while longer, musing to myself, and then bravely I pressed my lips against his forehead. He stirred a little (Which caused my heart to quicken in panic) but he did not wake up. I couldn't help but laugh a little to myself.
"Wolfram," I murmured quietly. "The boy I was engaged to at fifteen-years-old as a result of a severe misunderstanding." I rubbed my hand up and down his arm and smiled to myself. "The hot-headed spoilt brat who never takes 'no' for an answer; the boy who has sworn to protect me and is always passionate about being my fiancé..."
The boy who means so much to me in a way that is different to everyone else.
That is you, Wolfram.
Author's Notes: What I've noticed about Yuuri's thought pattern in this fic is that it's gone from Anime!Yuuri to Novel!Yuuri. To anyone who has read the novels, would you agree? He seems to talk about Wolf's looks and such a lot more, he thinks about things a lot more, and he's less of a douche bag in general. XD
On another note, does anyone else think that Yuuri's fears are realistic – the whole 'Wolf-Isn't-Actually-In-Love-With-Him' thing? I think it is but I would like some feedback!
Anyway...
REVIEW!