Trial of Fire
By: AstroKender
Fandom: Kyou Kara Maou
Pairings: Future Yuuri/Wolfram
Warnings: Rated T for light violence angst, and adult situations.
Spoilers: Murata Ken's identity.
Notes: Unusually mopey Wolfram in this chapter, followed by cavity inducing mush. Apologies for the swiftness of this chapter's turnaround, but it's all in purpose of advancing the plot. I hope I kept it believable.
Chapter Two
The sudden crack of thunder jerked Yuuri awake with a gasp. Sitting up quickly, the dark-haired boy fisted his bed-covers in confusion. How had he gotten back to the castle? What happened to the village? Where was Conrad? Yuuri wracked his brain, trying to recall memories that were no more substantial than the wind that was rattling his windows.
He had turned into the Maou again, somehow preventing the rush of lava from reaching the humans' village. But this wasn't his first emergence from unconsciousness. Yuuri was almost positive he had woken up once before, when the sky was still dark and the onslaught of wind and rain stung his face.
Yuuri remembered looking up into clear blue eyes; remembered being reassured by a ready smile.
But he also remembered moving quickly, as if desperate to get somewhere. Galloping hooves thundered in his ears. He remembered looking over and seeing a grim expression on Conrad's face; remembered him clutching a slight form protectively against the rain.
Yuuri remembered seeing blond hair plastered against a corpse-white face; remembered a deep well of panic, before darkness swept him under once more.
Rubbing his face, Yuuri frantically dispelled the images. Jumping out of a disturbingly empty bed, the dark-haired boy darted towards the door and out of the room, his bare feet slapping across the stone floor. A cold ache clutched at his chest, urging him faster, down the stairs and past a dozen hallways. To a door accented by a strip of thick carpet. A door of which behind often contained a desk loaded with a pile of paperwork and deceptively stern face.
No one looked up as Yuuri burst through the door. Gunter shot a quick look of relief Yuuri's way, before turning his eyes grimly back to the towering man in the center of the room. Gwendel's frown merely deepened as he faced two figures sitting rigidly before the patch of floor where he paced. Taking a deep breath, the dark-haired man continued the dressing down he had apparently been in the midst of.
"It was foolish to go off to a human village without the proper amount of back up."
"I was following his Majesty's orders." Conrad spoke softly.
"His Majesty is the King, of course. But you are his protector. It is your job to see that he is safe from harm. A job in which you failed miserably yesterday. If Yozak hadn't been in the area…."
Conrad bowed his head repentantly. "It will not happen again." He said.
Gwendel stared at him for a long moment. "See that it doesn't." He motioned to the half-blood that he was free to go, but Conrad chose not to move. Giving an almost inaudible sigh, Gwendel turned his wrath to the figure sitting one seat over.
"And you," he began, pointing his finger out accusingly as his voice—if possible—got even harsher. "Just what did you think you were doing?" he demanded.
"Wolfram was only trying to rescue his Majesty—" Conrad began, after his younger brother chose to remain silent.
"Shut up!" Gwendel commanded without looking away from the blond boy slumping under his stare. "Do you have a death wish?"
Wolfram still refused to speak. Eyes narrowing, Gwendel's palm suddenly arced down in a stinging slap against the boy's right cheek. "Answer me!"
Yuuri's eyes widened and he quickly stepped forward in protest, only to find Gunter materialized at his side, a restraining hand on his shoulder. Biting his lip, the dark-haired boy turned to watch the rest of the scene unfold.
"Well?" Gwendel was crossing his arms expectantly.
"No, Brother…" Wolfram's whisper was almost swallowed by the storm still raging outside.
" 'No' what?"
"I do not wish to die…." Wolfram's voice was slightly louder now and more firm, but it still betrayed him by cracking. Hearing him, Yuuri's fists clenched reflexively.
Gwendel's face softened slightly, letting slip the pent-up worry their little adventure must have caused. "Good." He sighed wearily.
"May I go now?" Wolfram asked quietly, his head still bowed.
The dark-haired man looked as if he were searching for some reason to protest, but in the end simply nodded his head. "Go get yourself cleaned up." He ordered.
"Yes, Brother."
Yuuri quickly dredged up a friendly smile for the blonde as he rose from his seat, but to his shock, Wolfram did not even look at him as he passed by. Eyes down, the young aristocrat merely mumbled a pardon as he pushed between Yuuri and Gunter. He walked through the still open door and silently disappeared down the hall.
Yuuri turned to follow him, but was halted by a voice that had the force of solid steel.
"Just where do you think you're going?"
Yuuri turned towards Gwendel, a nervous smile wavering across his face. "I'm sorry I interrupted anything, I'll just be on my way now—"
"SIT."
Yuuri's shoulders slumped as he trudged over to the seat Wolfram had just recently vacated. He supposed it was a given that he was going to be yelled at too. Sighing heavily, the dark-haired boy sent a pleading glance Conrad's way, silently asking him to do what he --for the moment—could not.
Conrad smiled at him kindly, easily erasing some of Yuuri's worry. "I will go talk to him." He whispered conspiratorially, before excusing himself and hastily leaving the room.
Yuuri's answering smile soon faded as the towering figure before him irritably cleared his throat. Staring up at Gwendel with what he hoped was a properly contrite expression; he prepared himself for a brutal tongue-lashing.
Though, all through the older nobleman's tirade, Yuuri's mind couldn't help but wander to a certain blond and the hollow look he had glimpse in those down-turned eyes.
uoamaou
It was nearly an hour later before Yuuri was free to venture the halls once more. Conrad had been leaning casually against the wall across from the door to Gwendel's office and straightened when he saw Yuuri walk through.
"He's going though a bit of self-recrimination at the moment." Conrad said softly. Yuuri didn't need to ask who 'he' was. "He's currently in the baths, if you wish to go to him."
Yuuri shifted restlessly, his mind clouded with indecision. Part of him thought it best to give the young noble his privacy, while the other half just desperately wanted to talk with Wolfram, which was unusual in itself considering his record of avoiding the brash prince. But the parting look on the blond's face twisted something in Yuuri's gut, and the dark-haired boy found himself needing to make sure his friend was okay.
"Thanks, Conrad." Yuuri spoke gratefully as he turned towards the direction of the royal baths.
"Yuuri!" Conrad's hand darted out, stopping further progress.
Yuuri looked questioningly up into the soldier's eyes, seeing them shadowed and unsure. Conrad searched Yuuri's face silently for a long moment before breaking into a small smile, apparently finding what it was he sought.
"Good luck." He said simply.
Nodding, the king was soon jogging down the hall at a measured pace quite different from the mad dash down the corridor just a short time earlier. Past the wide-eyed figure of Anissa and the whispering trio of maids, past the main hall and down the left corridor, where tendrils of steam and the ever-present scent of perfume lingered.
Sliding across the moisture-slick floor, Yuuri nearly plowed into the wall before halting himself. Yuuri quickly tried to even out his breathing as he braced himself to enter what could quite possibly be the lion's den. There was a great possibility that Wolfram didn't even want to see him and the Maou had to prepare to dodge whatever flying projectiles might be in the blond's reach.
"Who's there?" A harsh voice demanded.
And so the lion roars, Yuuri thought to himself nervously.
"Ah. It's me." Yuuri called out awkwardly.
Silence greeted his announcement.
"I'm, uh…I'm coming in, okay?"
Stepping through the heavily beaded curtain, Yuuri paused to let his eyes adjust to the dim candlelight. The first thing he picked out from the darkness was Wolfram's pale form, half-submerged in the steaming water. The blond's back was towards him, glowing like some sort of ghost. As Yuuri watched, the young prince scrubbed frantically at his eyes.
"What do you want?" Wolfram muttered, his voice unnaturally thick.
"I came to see how you were." Yuuri told him earnestly, feeling that if he beat around the subject, Wolfram would immediately send him away.
"Well as you can see I'm fine." The blond muttered bitterly, still choosing not to turn around.
Yuuri stepped closer, slowly, as one would approach a bird about to take flight. The dark-haired boy stopped only when his feet reached the lip of the bath. Looking around the room, Yuuri rubbed his arm absently. He felt nervous, in this intimate atmosphere. Yuuri's eyes kept darting back to the slender figure in the midst of the water.
"Are you really?" He asked finally.
"I'm worthless!" Wolfram burst out suddenly, unable to hold it in any longer. "A complete failure." The blond slapped the water angrily; sending ripples bouncing across the previously glasslike surface.
"What?" Yuuri's eyes widened. "Why?"
Wolfram's shoulders drooped as he attempted to sink himself deeper in the water. "I couldn't save you." He murmured. "I wasn't strong enough."
"Wolfram…"
Two glistening drops of liquid fell from the blond's face to merge with the gleaming water in the pool below. Another handful of other drops soon followed, committing suicide as they were swallowed up by the bath. Even amid the steam, it was easy to discern the telltale shaking of Wolfram's shoulders.
Seeing the normally feisty boy so forlorn broke something within Yuuri. Something that had held him back time after time, at every little show of affection from the blond. But he just couldn't hold back this time. The awkwardness of being engaged against his will, to a boy that was as domineering as he was beautiful; all of that didn't matter this time. The only thing that concerned Yuuri right now was the fact that one of his friends…one of his best friends…maybe even more than a friend….
Before he knew it, Yuuri was in the water—still fully clothed—wrapping his arms around Wolfram in a tight embrace that he couldn't have loosened even had he wanted to.
Wolfram's head craned around to stare at him, his green eyes wide with shock. "Yu-yuuri?" the blond stuttered, his pale face flushing as if with fever.
"You idiot. I was so damn worried about you…" Yuuri mumbled brokenly against Wolfram's shoulder, his eyes squeezed tightly shut. "I thought—I thought…."
"Yuuri…" Wolfram's cloudy expression cleared and he finally let himself relax, melting back into the Maou's embrace.
"I'm sorry—" Wolfram began, but he was quickly hushed as Yuuri's arms tightened.
How long the two stood like that, neither knew, only that time seemed to stand still for a short eternity as water and steam and warmth surrounded them. Yuuri felt himself nuzzling Wolfram's shoulder as his hands traced the length of the slender boy's arms. How does a boy with such a sharp tongue keep the rest of his body as soft as silk?
Except for his hands, Yuuri discovered as he entwined his fingers in Wolfram's own. The blond's hands were heavily callused from many hours of welding a sword, proving, for all his soft appearances, the boy was still a soldier. Yuuri buried his head in the crook of Wolfram's neck; slowly breathing in the scent that constantly haunted his pillows.
A small part of Yuuri wondered why he hadn't done this long ago; why had he let his prejudices keep him from getting too close to someone who so obviously cared so much about him? The rest of Yuuri was just basking in the feeling of finally feeling at home in such a strange and upside down world.
Wolfram slowly turned about in his fiancé's relaxed embrace. Staring into Yuuri's dark eyes, the nobleman struggled for something to say. Yuuri gazed at the blond's too pale face—darkened only by the blooming bruise across the right cheek—and at the wide eyes surrounded by dark shadows and tinged red from tears. At that moment Yuuri couldn't think of one woman more beautiful than the ethereal figure in his arms.
His hand lifted of its own violation, tracing the blue stain across the aristocrat's jaw. As if hypnotized, Yuuri's face bent closer to the other's --his eyes still open-- until their lips touched.
There were no fireworks to mark the giving away of his first kiss. No fanfare holy music played. But the slightly blurry face in front of his almost seemed to glow with happiness and Yuuri discovered—much to his own surprise—that that itself felt better than any game winning grand slam homerun.
Yuuri smiled into the kiss when he finally felt Wolfram's arms rise up to return his embrace. He was slowly opening his mouth to deepen the kiss when a familiar voice called out from the bath's entrance.
"Your Majesty, dinner is ready to be served." Gunter announced from behind the shield of the beaded curtain.
Yuuri jumped backwards as if burned, suddenly realizing whom he was holding, and at what stage of undress said individual was. With a squawk, Wolfram fell face first into the water. Yuuri winced. Oh, how he was going to get it for that one.
"Your Majesty?" Gunter called out. "Do you require any assistance?"
"No, Gunter." Yuuri called out quickly, patting his choking and sputtering fiancé on the back. "I'll be there shortly."
"Are you sure, Your Majesty? Because if you need someone to scrub your back, I would happily volunteer for the job." Gunter practically sang the words out.
"NO!" Yuuri shouted out, staring worriedly at Wolfram's ever-reddening face. "Er, thanks anyway."
"Very well, Your Majesty." Gunter's voice was tinged with disappointment before the sounds of departing footsteps echoed down the hall.
Yuuri gave Wolfram an embarrassed smile as he scratched at the back of his head. "I—"
With a frightening war cry, the blonde suddenly attacked. Yuuri found himself dunked under the water, small hands as strong as steel bobbing his head up and down like the morning wash.
After a long minute he was yanked back up and, just when he could breath again, he found his mouth crushed against a pliant and hungry set of lips that seemed intent on devouring him. But just as Yuuri resigned himself to enjoying the attack, the blond suddenly jerked back. Yuuri grumbled and tried to pull the boy back, but Wolfram would have none of it.
"What's wrong?" Yuuri blinked in confusion, his cheeks an adorable shade of red.
"We should get out." Wolfram muttered, quickly tugging him to the edge of the bath.
"But why?" Yuuri resisted. He hadn't enjoyed a bath so much since….
Realization dawned on him. Seeing the look Wolfram nodded.
"Right. And if you think I'm gonna let you get flushed away back to your world at this point, you've got another thing coming." He threatened. Yuuri gulped reflexively and quickly waded across the bath.
"Maybe you're right." Yuuri stated as he trudged soggily up the submerged steps. "Baths like this could be dangerous.
Catching sight of Wolfram's nude form as the blond dug around for a towel, Yuuri swallowed again.
"Very dangerous…" he murmured.
uoamaou
'Dear mom,' Yuuri wrote in his head.
'Guess what? You son (me, that is) just found out he's gay. Well, not gay, gay but… well, I like this boy. Well, actually I'm engaged to him. Heh, I guess you'll get to see me in that wedding dress after all. Although my intended has as much a penchant for crossdressing as you, so perhaps I could convince him—'
"Don't tell me you're going to dinner like that." Wolfram demanded, breaking into Yuuri's mental ramblings.
Yuuri looked at Wolfram—now fully clothed—and down at himself, standing in dripping wet pajamas. The dark-haired boy laughed at himself. How silly he probably looked!
"I don't suppose you can help me sneak back to my room?" Yuuri grinned cheekily as he realized they would have to pass the dining hall in order to return to his bedroom, where his only spare clothes awaited.
Wolfram arched a delicate eyebrow. "You're the one who never thinks before he acts." Turning his back, the blonde passed his fingers through his wet hair in a vain effort to remove the tangles. "This should be a good lesson for you." He tossed back in a superior voice.
"Oh really…?" Yuuri growled. The nerve! Chuckling darkly, the dark-haired boy quickly crept up behind his over-confident fiancé and wrapped his arms firmly around the other's middle.
"Eww, Yuuri! You're wet! I—hey! What are you doing? Put me down! Put me down this instant or I swear Yuuri I'll—"
SPLASH.
"YUURI!"
uoamaou
"What was that?" Gunter's head shot up as he stared about the dining hall.
Conrad smiled behind his wineglass. "I wonder…" he murmured.
UOAMAOU