Trial of Fire
By: AstroKender
Fandom: Kyou Kara Maou
Pairings: Yuuri/Wolfram
Warnings: Rated T for light violence angst, and adult situations.
Spoilers: Murata Ken's identity.
Notes: Sorry for the long delay. Two year olds are not patient enough to let mommy write. Some plot sewed in here, along with some lovely patches of Yuuramness.
Chapter Three
The two boys made their appearance in the dining hall a short time later, sporting fresh clothes, damp hair and twin stains of red hovering across their cheeks. The others had already started into their meals so the two hurriedly slipped into chairs across from one another and began eating, their eyes focused entirely on their plates.
The only conversation that passed between Yuuri and Wolfram was a whispered request for the salt or to pass the basket of rolls. But --while silent-- they gave out the impression that they both were exchanging a novels worth of words with the sneaking glances and shy smiles that were shot across the table. This was definitely not the explosive dinner atmosphere the others were used to.
Cheri, most accustomed to the ways of love, giggled delightedly behind her napkin, causing Gunter to look over at her in confusion; a look that Greta, sitting across from him, shared. Gwendel sent a dark frown down the table, before continuing his conversation with Anissa. The redhead herself didn't seem to notice anything amiss as she was buried up to her elbows in maps and charts, trying to update Gwendel while maneuvering a forkful of filleted beef to her mouth. Conrad, sitting beside Yuuri, merely smiled to himself before sending his younger half-brother a mischievous wink, causing Wolfram to blush and send a dark glare back at him.
"One moment Anissa…" Gwendel spoke up suddenly, his deep voice stopping all movement in the room. "His majesty should hear this too."
Yuuri squirmed under the sudden onset of many sets of eyes. "Can't it wait till after dinner?" he asked reluctantly. Good news never seemed to grace this dining table.
Gwendel just stared at him.
A bead of sweat formed atop Yuuri's brow. "Eheheheh… I'm all ears, Anissa…."
The stunning yet eccentric scientist gracefully got to her feet as she shuffled her papers into a manageable pile. Flipping her ponytail over her shoulder, the redhead stared at the young Maou with serious eyes. Yuuri swallowed in dread.
"Recent information has caused me to believe that the volcano eruption yesterday was not an isolated incident."
"What?" Wolfram exclaimed. "But you said—"
"I know what I said!" Anissa scowled delicately. "And this is what I'm saying now. This will happen again. I need more time to determine exactly where, but anywhere along the range of the Schuld Mountains could become a potential deathtrap."
Yuuri shot to his feet. "We have to warn everyone."
"And just who would we warn?" Gwendel scoffed. "The entire eastern edge of New Mazoku? That would just incite unnecessary panic."
"But people could be killed!" Yuuri cried.
"Your Highness…." Conrad murmured, placing his hand upon Yuuri's shoulder: both restraining and comforting all at once. "Gwendel does not speak from cruelty. If we attempted to prematurely evacuate everyone near the mountain range, the results could cause more injuries than the possible—"
"Imminent." Anissa broke in.
Conrad shot her a look. "—eruption."
Gwendel sighed and his shoulders slumped a fraction, showing that he didn't like the recent turn of events any more than the rest of them. All through dinner he hadn't even touched the food on his plate. Giving the older Mazoku a sympathetic look, Anissa piped in with some additional information.
"If the storm caused by the—ah, little Maou incident yesterday—"
Yuuri winced at the reproachful rumble of thunder.
"--Continues with this strength, any eruption of minimal to average intensity is sure to quickly halted before causing too much destruction." Anissa finished in a rush, before falling back into her chair and gulping down her glass of wine.
Greta, almost lost in the discussion of adult things that children weren't meant to listen to or understand, rose her voice to call out across the table the question that was silently floating through everyone else's minds.
"What if it's a big explosion?"
Anissa stared levelly at some point between Yuuri and Conrad's shoulders.
"Then we had better hope that we can learn where it will happen before it's too late."
UOAMAOU
The rest of dinner passed in awkward silence as Cheri announced that any more such talk about disasters and destruction was banned from the dinner table. Yuuri once again stared down at his plate, though this time the smile was absent from his face and he seemed to be pushing his food around on his plate more than actually eating it. Wolfram had given up all pretense of eating entirely, choosing instead to stare with worried eyes at his fiancé.
Yuuri finally opened his mouth to speak as dessert was brought to the table. But his only words were to ask to be excused from the table. The dark-haired boy left before anyone had the mind to protest. Wolfram rose from his seat seconds later, heading for the door without a word.
Wiping his mouth with his napkin, Conrad quickly excused himself and hurried after the blond, leaving the rest of the dinner party to stare at each other with worried frowns.
"Wolfam, wait!" Conrad's long legs swiftly caught up to the shorter stride of his younger brother.
Wolfram didn't even spare the other man a glance. "What is it, Weller?" the blond muttered distractedly.
Conrad's eyes narrowed and he suddenly halted in his tracks. "So we're back to Weller now?" he observed grimly.
Wolfram stopped cold, but didn't turn around. "I'm sorry." He sighed. "But Yuuri—"
"He'll be fine. I know you two have grown close." Conrad stated gently as he approached the young prince for the second time. The half-human's hand lifted to rest lightly on Wolfram's shoulders. "And you should be there to support him, I agree."
Wolfram's head cocked to the side slightly, indicating that he was listening.
"But," Conrad spoke slowly and clearly. "You two have yet to wed. Until you both officially exchange your vows, you should be sure to exercise caution when you are alone with his majesty. Perhaps you should consider sleeping in separate rooms?"
Conrad felt Wolfram's shoulder stiffen under his grip. "You want me to stay away from Yuuri?" he asked coldly, his voice clipped.
"No, I just want you to remember your position."
"And what position is that?" Wolfram growled out, jerking from his brother's grasp. "I am the Maou's fiancé. It is perfectly acceptable for us to be together."
"It's forbidden to be intimate with the Maou until you are wed."
"I know that!" the blond snapped, his face flaming. "What kind of floozy do you take me for that I would give myself up so wantonly?"
Conrad smiled and rested his hand atop Wolfram's soft crown of hair. "You are a Mazoku in love, and that is a more than acceptable in my eyes. But our laws are not so kind. I didn't set out to upset you, Wolfram. I just don't want to see you get hurt."
"I thank you for your concern but I'm more than capable of restraining my baser urges, as if it were even an issue." Wolfram scuffed his boot along the floor irritably. Conrad smiled and moved his arm down until he had his brother in a half-embrace.
"Don't worry," he whispered mischievously into the blond's ear. "He loves you too."
"Oh, shut up…" Wolfram scowled, even as his face turned pink. Conrad's arm tightened playfully across his shoulders. "Grr…" Wolfram growled as his tried to squirm away. "Let go of me! Conrad!"
"There," After a final, brotherly squeeze, Conrad mercifully let his captive go. "That wasn't so hard was it?"
"You're an ass, Weller." Wolfram growled as he fitfully straightened his uniform.
Conrad gave a light laugh.
"I love you too."
UOAMAOU
Wolfram cast yet another sideways glance in Yuuri's direction. The Maou had already changed into his nightclothes, though he had yet to retire to the bed. Instead the dark haired boy sat slumped over on a small stool near the windowsill, as he stared broodingly out at the rainy and unforgiving sky. Wolfram sighed softly and pulled his pink nightgown from the dresser. The blond took a steadying breath.
"Would you like to be alone tonight?" he asked, bunching the blush-colored material protectively against his chest. "I wouldn't get mad, if that's what you're thinking."
Yuuri jerked slightly, as if his thoughts had been far away. The young king turned confused eyes towards his fiancé. "Huh?"
"Well," Wolfram admitted gruffly as he looked at some point above the other boy's head. "Maybe I'd be a little mad."
Yuuri's brain eventually provided the earlier part of the conversation as Wolfram stood before him, more tense and on edge than usual. Although he tried his best to hide it. It seemed that the blond was holding his breath, waiting for the words that would toss him out like last week's laundry. Really, Wolfram had to be one of the most insecure people Yuuri knew.
"I don't know…" the dark-haired boy began, his voice drawled out contemplatively.
Wolfram's eyes trailed hesitantly down to meet Yuuri's own. Yuuri gave him a warm, reassuring smile, the kind that Wolfram had only recently seen directed his way. The blond clutched his nightgown tighter.
"Even though you kick like a wild colt," Yuuri teased. "I think it'd be weird if you weren't here with me." He answered earnestly.
Wolfram quickly smothered his own smile with a noncommittal grunt. "Fine. I'll just go change then." He announced before disappearing swiftly behind the dressing screen.
When Wolfram emerged --clad in fluttering waves of linen and lace—Yuuri had already turned down the bed and was sitting comfortably on it. The dark-haired boy gave Wolfram a lop-sided smile before patting the empty space next to him. Wolfram's heart did a little flip-flop at the invitation.
Blushing to his roots, the blond swiftly padded across the plush carpet and slid between the covers, pulling the comforter protectively up to his nose. Maybe this was what Conrad was talking about. Could Yuuri really be biding his time, ready to ravish him as soon as his guard was down? Yuuri's head bent closer to Wolfram's own and the noble squeaked in alarm.
Yuuri's breath ghosted the other boy's face as his lips came down to claim Wolfram's forehead in a light peck.
"Goodnight, Wolfram." Yuuri murmured, before quickly retreating to his own side of the bed, safely ensconced in his covers in a manner quite similar to the blond. The two lay staring up at the ceiling as an awkward silence drifted over them.
"Uh, Yuuri?" Wolfram began, after a few minutes of listening to each other breathe.
Yuuri stiffened and nervously turned to face his intended. "Y-yes?" Dark eyes stared at the other's lips, transfixed.
"You left the candles lit." Wolfram deadpanned.
"Oops!" Yuuri sat up, a blush staining endearingly across his nose.
Shifting to his knees, Yuuri leaned carefully over Wolfram, fumbling for the extinguisher that lay on the blond's nightstand. Unconsciously, Yuuri gazed between his arms to see Wolfram staring up at him; his eyes soft and his face tinged the same pink as his nightgown. Wolfram hesitatingly lowered his covers as he licked his lips nervously.
Yuuri panicked. His finger's closing about the candle snuffer's thin metal, Yuuri jerked quickly backwards, accidentally pulling a large bottle along with it.
"Ahh! Yuuri!" Wolfram cried as he was suddenly doused in cold liquid. The odd smelling fluid quickly soaked into the blond's clothing as well as the bedcovers around him.
"Crap." Yuuri muttered as he swiftly attempted to right the bottle. Too late though, as all the contents had already emptied onto his irate fiancé. "I'm sorry Wolfram."
"You better hope this washes out. This is my favorite nightgown, you idiot!" Wolfram seethed as he tried to scrub the oily stuff off with a corner of the blanket.
"I said I was sorry." Yuuri muttered. "What is this stuff, anyway? This wasn't here before."
Yuuri turned the bottle around in his hands, revealing a small, white piece of paper. "Hey, a note!"
"Let me see." Wolfram quickly yanked the parchment away. Green eyes scanned quickly across the page. The blond's face paled, and Yuuri felt an overwhelming sense of dread. Snatching the note away, the dark-haired boy hurriedly scanned the contents.
'To my Dearest Wolf,
Congratulations finally snaring the Maou's affection. I just knew that a son as beautiful as me would have no problem reeling in the men. Please enjoy this special gift --it's very potent if you catch my meaning.
Love, Mama'"Oh, shit…." Yuuri breathed out, using a word his mother would no doubt slap him for. The oil's scent had hit him fully now, causing a squirming feeling to take life in his stomach. Dark eyes rose to meet Wolfram's fearfully.
"Damn you, Mother…" Wolfram mumbled out, his eyes already glazing over.
UOAMAOU
"What are you so pleased about?" Gwendel muttered as Cheri giggled to herself for what had to be the fifth time.
"Nothing, nothing…." Cheri beamed as she spun the stem of her wineglass.
Gwendel stared at her suspiciously before turning back to gaze out the window, where the storm still ravaged on. Shaking his head, the grim-faced Mazoku wearily dropped his guard. Hand splaying across the window's cool glass, he stared at his mother's reflection.
"If this kingdom is to survive, our Maou is going to have to grow up. Snap decisions like yesterday is only going to get himself—and others—hurt. He's got to learn to look at the greater picture."
"King Yuuri is ruled by his heart, not his head, Gwendel. That is not necessarily a bad thing." Cheri chastised lightly.
Gwendel scowled. "I feel uneasy letting our future rest on the shoulders of a boy. He needs to grow up and be a man already, someone who can actually lead this country."
The tall noble turned around as his mother's husky chuckles. Raising his eyebrow, Gwendel watched Cheri lift her wineglass in a silent toast.
"Gwendel, dear. Those were my thoughts exactly."
UOAMAOU
Outside, the raging storm suddenly stopped.