Wolfram woke up the following morning with his mind clear and focused. His plan had been formed in the course of the previous evening, brewed overnight and now he just had to follow it through.
And it started at breakfast.
"I think I won't go to the match today," he announced casually when they were all finished.
There was an astonished silence. Yuuri stared at his fiancé with a genuinely shocked expression, while Conrart and Shori merely raised questioning eyebrows.
"Really, Wolf?" Yuuri asked, clearly baffled. "Are… are you sure?"
"Quite sure, Yuuri. As you know I don't really care about baseball. I'll stay and help your mother, if that's all right," Wolfram continued smoothly.
"Oh, Wolf-chan, how wonderful!" Jennifer said excitedly and beamed.
Yuuri still looked confused and a little worried.
"Wolf, I'm sorry if you were bored yesterday, but you really don't have to stay with my mom-"
"Yuu-chan! Mama is hurt!" Jennifer exclaimed cutting Yuuri off mid-sentence.
"No, it's really okay, Yuuri," Wolfram assured him. "You go and have fun. I'll be fine here."
Wolfram could see that Yuuri wasn't really convinced, but he gave up trying to persuade Wolfram to come to the game rather easily. Wolfram suspected gloomily, that Yuuri was secretly glad to be rid of him for a day and the thought almost made him forget his plan. But it would all be worth it in the end. It had to be.
When Murata came to pick Yuuri and Conrart up, Wolfram followed them to the doorway. Just as they were leaving he caught Conrart's sleeve and told him to look after Yuuri. Wolfram knew that his brother didn't really need to be told that, but it was in fact a slightly different message that he was trying to convey. Conrart flashed his trademark smile and Wolfram knew that he had been understood. Conrart would watch over Yuuri like he always did, but today also like Wolfram always did. Sometimes no one understands you like your family.
Yuuri smiled and waved a little on his way out and Wolfram watched him go with mixed feelings. He always felt that it was profoundly wrong somehow whenever they were apart, but this time it was essential to his plan. And now, with phase one of his plan successfully accomplished, it was time to start phase two.
Wolfram waited until both Shoma and Shori had left for work and then consulted Jennifer. It wasn't hard at all to get Yuuri's mother in on his scheme; in fact her excitement could be heard all over the neighbourhood. (Wolfram was actually nervous for a while, that Yuuri might have heard his mother's reaction and come back to investigate.) Thankfully she lowered her volume after a while and begun bustling around excitedly like a busy bearbee. In less than ten minutes they were out of the house and headed for the shopping mall.
They returned many, many hours later with many, many shopping bags and very large grins. Jennifer started making dinner, while Wolfram went upstairs to change into his new clothes. When he came down again Jennifer shook the neighbourhood with another very loud squeal of delight.
"Oh, Wolf-chan! You look lovely!" she exclaimed grabbing her camera and taking a snapshot. "Yuu-chan will be so surprised!"
Wolfram looked down modestly.
"Do you think he'll like it?" he asked, a little uncertainly.
"Of course he will!" Jennifer assured and Wolfram smiled at her. "They should be home soon. Why don't you go meet them outside?"
Wolfram nodded and with one last confident glance in the mirror he stepped outside. Yuuri wouldn't know what hit him.
The day so far had made into Yuuri's top ten ranking of the best days of his life. The weather had been lovely, he hadn't had to worry about his kingdom or sign a single sheet of paper, and he had spent the day with his best friend and his godfather, watching a sport he loved without any conflicts or distractions.
Perfect day.
Well, nearly perfect.
Yuuri did feel slightly guilty for having had such a good time without Wolfram, despite that it had been kind of refreshing to be away from the blonde for a bit. But still, it probably wouldn't hurt to be extra attentive to Wolfram for the rest of the day. If he could end the day with a peaceful evening with Wolfram, the day would truly be perfect.
Yuuri smiled a little at that thought as he walked home alongside his friends.
"What's that smile for?" Murata asked noticing Yuuri's dreamy look.
"Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about Wolfram," Yuuri replied and immediately felt embarrassed.
Murata let out a little laugh, Conrad smiled gently and Yuuri blushed.
"Can't be away from your prince even for a day, Shibuya?" Murata teased. "It's sweet, really. You're like a husband coming home to his wife!"
Yuuri's blush turned crimson.
"I am not! Wolf isn't my wife!"
"Not yet," Murata said with a twinkle.
"He wouldn't be that even if we were married. He's a boy, remember?" Yuuri pointed out and hastened his steps, inwardly cursing his big mouth.
"Semantics, Shibuya. Besides, he'd make a very pretty wife, don't you think?" Murata continued mischievously.
"The fact that he's good-looking-"
"And by 'good-looking' you mean 'really really pretty'," Murata cut in.
"Fine! The fact that he's pretty doesn't make him a woman," Yuuri said exasperatedly. This conversation had turned really uncomfortable. Fortunately they were almost home. "Besides, I wouldn't want-"
Yuuri trailed of as his eyes landed on the person standing in front of his house. He stopped in his tracks and dimly registered that Conrad and Murata had done the same. He blinked. Then he blinked again.
"Welcome home, Yuuri," the stunning creature in front of him said and that made Yuuri snap out of his trance.
"W-Wolfram?" Yuuri sputtered. "Is that… is that you?!"
The creature rolled her – his eyes.
"Yes, of course it's me," Wolfram said innocently. "Do you like it?" he asked and turned around a little coyly.
Yuuri opened and closed his mouth a few times trying to think something coherent to say.
"It's a dress!" he finally managed. "A pink dress!"
"I know what it is, wimp! I asked, if you liked it."
"And what have you done with your hair?" Yuuri asked his voice getting pitchy.
"Oh these?" Wolfram said fingering the long golden tresses that flowed down his shoulders and back. "They're called 'extensions', I think."
"And those shoes!" Yuuri squeaked lowering his gaze. "They can't be comfortable!"
"They aren't," Wolfram admitted shifting his weight from one high-heeled foot to the other. "But they're pretty, don't you think?"
"And...and are you wearing make-up?!" Yuuri's voice was now so high-pitched that it set the neighbours dog howling.
"What? Oh, you mean this paint on my face? Your mother wanted to do that. She said it would 'enhance my features' or something."
Before Yuuri could think of an appropriate response, Murata stepped forward smiling widely.
"Well, I think you look ravishing, dear von Bielefeld," he said with a smirk and bowed towards Wolfram a little.
"Murata!" Yuuri snapped, but Wolfram looked pleased and nodded his thanks.
"What? He does, you know," Murata said innocently.
"Mother would be so proud," Conrad said with a smile.
"Not you too, Conrad!" Yuuri cried, but Wolfram beamed at his brother before turning his expectant eyes back to Yuuri.
"Wolf, what-" was a far as Yuuri got, before Shori suddenly appeared on the scene.
"Hey, what's this commotion?" Shori asked, before his eyes also landed on Wolfram-in-a-pink-dress.
Yuuri watched with growing alarm as his brother's eyes sort of glazed over as he took in Wolfram's new attire.
"Excuse me, miss," Shori said staring at Wolfram dreamily. "I don't think we have been properly introduced. My name is Shori Shibuya."
"Shori, that's-" Yuuri began, but Murata poked him in the ribs.
"Forgive my brothers lack of manners, miss," Shori continued suavely stepping in front of now quite speechless Wolfram and bowing to him. "May I?" he asked and took hold of Wolfram's hand, apparently intending to kiss it.
Something snapped inside Yuuri's head.
"That's it!" he almost roared, grabbed Wolfram's hand from Shori's grasp and dragged the blonde unceremoniously inside. "Upstairs, now!"
Wolfram was so bewildered, that he didn't argue and allowed himself to be led up the stairs and into Yuuri's room. Yuuri could just hear Shori's horrified "That was Wolfram?!" before he slammed the door shut behind them.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Yuuri demanded his voice shaking slightly.
Wolfram looked confused.
"Yuuri, calm down. I'm sorry, but I had no idea that your brother would rea—"
"Leave Shori out of this," Yuuri cut in. "I meant, what were you thinking dressing yourself in… in all that?" he continued, gesturing at Wolfram's clothes.
"What's wrong with it?" Wolfram asked. "Your mother thought it looked good."
Yuuri closed his eyes and drew a few frustrated breaths. His mother. Of course.
"So, Mom bought the dress for you and asked you to wear it?" he asked, calming a little.
"Yes, she bought it," Wolfram confirmed, "because I asked her to."
Yuuri's eyes went wide.
"You're not serious, are you?" Yuuri asked. "Do you… do you like dressing up as a girl?"
"It's not a question of what I like," Wolfram replied. "I thought you would like it!"
"Me?" Yuuri said, getting more and more confused. "Why would you think that?"
"Because this way we could go out as a couple and no one would—"
"What?!" Yuuri shrieked, his voice rising an octave higher again. "You will not leave this house again looking like that, do you understand me?!"
Wolfram stared at his fiancé, colour rising quickly to his cheeks.
"And why the hell not?" he lashed back, getting angry. "You said yourself that things would be all right if I were a girl!"
"You're not a girl!"
"They wouldn't know that, you wimp!"
"But I would!" Yuuri yelled, "And I don't want you to look like something that you're not!"
That silenced Wolfram for a while.
"I don't understand, Yuuri," he finally said slumping down on the bed. "Why do I always do the wrong thing, when I try to please you?"
Wolfram sounded so broken, that Yuuri's anger died and turned into guilt in an instant.
"Look, Wolf, I'm sorry I yelled at you," he said, sitting down next to his fiancé. "But I did mean what I said. I don't want you to try to be anyone or anything else than you are, especially not for my sake."
"But… I'm not good enough," Wolfram whispered sadly, staring down at his lap.
"Who told you that? Of course you are!" Yuuri said firmly.
Wolfram shook his head slightly, his lower lip trembling. Yuuri was suddenly afraid, that the demon boy was about to cry.
"You are!" Yuuri insisted and used his right hand to gently turn Wolfram's face towards him. "Wolf, I just want you to be you. Believe me, I do."
Wolfram's eyes were impossibly green and large, Yuuri noted as he stared right into them. Had they always been that green?
"Why?" Wolfram croaked, seemingly unable to look away. He looked more open and vulnerable that Yuuri ever remembered seeing him look before.
"Because I like you," Yuuri said simply and smiled, "just as you are."
Yuuri heard Wolfram's breath hitch and suddenly he was very aware, that the blonde's face was only a few inches away from his own. Wolfram still looked at him with those enormous eyes and Yuuri felt his smile slipping away. He felt strangely light-headed; like nothing in the world mattered, except those huge green emeralds.
There was a knock on the door and both boys jumped.
"Are you two still alive in there?" Murata called from the other side of the door. "Mama says dinner is ready."
"We'll be right there!" Yuuri called back.
"Oh, no rush. Just finish up whatever it is that you were doing," Murata replied and apparently left.
Wolfram sighed.
"I suppose I should change then," he said quietly. "Oh well, these shoes are murder."
Yuuri smiled at him.
"But they are pretty. And the dress is pretty too. It's a shame, really. You would make a very pretty girl."
"So you did think I was pretty?" Wolfram asked, with a note of surprise.
"Well, yes, of course I did. But I also think… I think you look even better as a boy," Yuuri said quickly, eyes fixed on his shoes.
"Um… thank you," Wolfram said and blushed.
Yuuri cleared his throat and rose from the bed a little awkwardly. It was then that he spotted a little parcel on top of his drawer.
"Hey, what's this?" he asked picking up the thing. It was a flat pink box and it felt light in his hand.
Wolfram blinked and rose from the bed as well.
"I don't know," he said coming to examine the package. "It wasn't there this morning."
"Mom must have left it," Yuuri said. "Oh, here's a card."
Yuuri held up a small card and read aloud: "To Wolf-chan. I wish for you to have pleasant dreams in this house. This should help. Mama Jennifer.' Well, it's from Mom all right. And it's for you," Yuuri said handing the box to Wolfram.
Wolfram took the present with a strange expression and opened it very carefully. He stared at the contents for a moment and then pulled out a lovely pastel green silk nightgown. The design was rather similar to the pink gown Wolfram wore at home except that it had less frills and exquisite embroidery at the front. It also lacked the bands and sashes; instead it had three emerald green buttons to hold the front of the gown closed.
"That's… that's lovely!" Yuuri exclaimed staring at the gown.
Wolfram nodded his eyes shimmering.
"It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," he whispered. "She must have bought it while I was trying on some of the other clothes."
Wolfram sighed and tore his eyes away from the lovely fabric.
"Your mother is so kind, but I can't keep this."
"Why not?" Yuuri asked exceedingly puzzled. "You obviously like it."
Wolfram's green eyes turned to look at him with evident surprise.
"Because of what you just said, of course," Wolfram said. "This is a rather effeminate piece of clothing after all."
Yuuri took the gown from Wolfram and fitted it against the blonde.
"I don't think it looks anything near as girly as the ones you have at home," Yuuri said with a grin. "Keep it, Wolf. It suits you."
Wolfram nodded with a small smile and held the nightgown tenderly.
"See you in a bit," Yuuri said and left to give Wolfram some privacy.
Wolfram came down a moment later looking like his usual self, which seemed to disappoint both Yuuri's mother and Murata. Shori seemed very nervous around Wolfram for the rest of the evening, and that bothered Yuuri more than he cared to admit.
Murata was going home after dinner and Yuuri walked him to the door, while the other's cleared the table.
"We won't be seeing your future wife in a dress again, I gather?" Murata remarked lightly.
"I don't think so. I told him, that he doesn't have to pretend anything he's not because of me," Yuuri explained firmly.
Murata cocked an eyebrow.
"Is that the only reason?"
"What do you mean?" Yuuri asked, puzzled.
"Simply that I have eyes, Shibuya. And so does Shori and every other man in Japan. Wolfram looked drop-dead gorgeous in that dress. If he'd gone out on the town looking like he did, he would've attracted men like moths to a flame. And you would have had to beat them all up for touching your little wife," Murata said his eyes twinkling.
"That's ridiculous!" Yuuri vehemently denied.
Murata shrugged and winked.
"Whatever you say, Shibuya," he said turning around. "See you tomorrow!"
Yuuri returned inside with confused and mixed feelings. He tried to discard Murata's words, but they kept returning to him for the rest of the night.