…. Age Fifteen

Lord Wolfram von Bielefeld had challenged Lord Emil von Gyllenhaal to a duel.

And he wasn't answering his fucking phone.

Yuuri ran out of the meeting he'd had to attend in Rochefort Territory as soon as he'd shaken the last important person's hand. He'd never been more annoyed by his guardian's thoroughness in security as he waited for the fastest jet available to be cleared. He had to get Voltaire Territory's capital before the declared 6:00 pm start time.

"Why won't he answer?!" Yuuri growled, glaring at his phone screen. It wasn't going immediately to voicemail. Was he just letting it ring?!

"Shibuya, calm down."

Yuuri glanced over at his friend and immediately felt guilty. He was pretty sure Murata was holding Yuuri's powers back so that his turmoil of emotions wouldn't knock them out of the sky. Murata had his eyes closed and there was a crease in his forehead.

"Sorry," he murmured, looking back down at his phone and at least attempting to reign in his emotions. "I just..."

"You're just freaking out over your lover boy." Murata said, sounding like he was rolling his eyes even though they were closed. "Do you not trust him to take care of himself?"

Yuuri scowled. It wasn't that. It wasn't! Wolf was the Youngest Maryoku Wielder Ever and well on his way to being the strongest. Even Conrad praised his swordsmanship these days. Rumor was Gyllenhaal was pretty good with a sword, but Yuuri was sure Wolf had to be better.

"I don't like that he's not answering me." Maybe if he could just talk to him, all these anxious emotions would calm. "He's still an apprentice and he's challenged a Representative to a duel. I can't stand Gyllenhaal either, but what would make Wolf do that?!"

Murata sighed. "He's been swatting Lord von Gyllenhaal away for years now. Maybe he finally snapped."

That made Yuuri grind his teeth. Gyllenhaal had been up in arms since Yuuri had 'beaten' him to Courting Wolf, as if the man had ever even had a chance. He'd heard about the comments he still made toward Wolfram, and those were the ones other people could hear. Wolfram never told him what the man said himself, insisting he could take care of himself the one time Yuuri had tried to demand it from him. He hadn't bothered asking Wolf about the rumors of gifts sent to the Bielefeld Estate. Emil was apparently incapable of taking a hint, and the fact that he was willing to go up against the soon-to-be-crowned King in his vain attempts to gain Wolfram's affections made Yuuri want to explode. Yuuri never thought himself better than others due to his position. He also didn't tend to think of himself as possessive. But Gyllenhaal mixing subtle rebellion against Yuuri's position as King with his relationship with Wolfram, caused a very unique kind of rage to form in Yuuri's chest.

One that he was filled with now.

Wolfram could kick Emil's ass 10 ways to Sunday, but the fact that he had to at all…

"Shibuya, you seriously need to stop it." Murata said with an edge to his voice. "We'll be there soon enough."

Yuuri sighed and started bouncing his legs, hoping to get some of his overwhelming energy out that way as he typed on his phone.

[Wolfram von Bielefeld we are having words over this.]

[Why won't you answer?]

[That's seriously worrying me more than anything else, you jerk.]

[Wolfram!]

The little marker of 'read' wasn't even appearing. Did he even have his phone?!

[I'll be there soon.]

A storm started kicking up as soon as they landed. Or maybe it was him kicking it up? A glance at Murata told Yuuri the other teen was exhausted and had probably given up restraining Yuuri's power now that they were on the ground. He'd have to find a way to make it up to him later. The drive to the Voltaire Estate was excruciating and Yuuri jumped from the car before it had even come to a full stop.

"YUURI!" Conrad shouted, sounding uncharacteristically stern, but Yuuri paid him no mind as he charged into the mansion.

He'd never been there before, and no one seemed to be around. There was a tug in his right hand that he didn't even bother trying to question that seemed to be guiding him and then he was in the backyard, the crowd parting before him with an eruption of whispers.

"-and then you'll see you should be mine!"

Yuuri couldn't see the slimy git's face as he finished talking, since Gyllenhaal's back was to him, but Wolf just looked bored despite his fighting stance. Yuuri didn't think his boyfriend had seen him. He wasn't stupid enough to take his attention off of an opponent, even one as idiotic as Emil.

"Shibuya," Murata gasped and Yuuri felt him half collapse against his shoulder. "Shinou's left boot, I'm seriously going to murder you if you don't kill me first."

Yuuri ignored him completely aside from letting him lean his weight against him as he recovered his breath. Wolfram was replying.

"This duel has absolutely nothing to do with any of that. I really should get around to sending your family formal condolences for your complete blindness. It must be such a hardship for them." Wolfram tightened his hold on his sword hilt. "Now, are we going to fight or are you trying to bore me to death with your useless babble?"

Gyllenhaal's back tensed before he charged Wolfram was a cry of frustration. Wolfram easily danced to the side, lazily parrying his swing one handed. Gyllenhaal swiveled to face him, slashing at him again and again, face a mask of rage. All of which Wolfram turned aside as if they were nothing.

"I thought this guy was supposed to be good with a sword." Murata said with a frown, apparently having caught his breath enough to commentate.

"I think Wolf must have hit a nerve."

Murata's eyes narrowed behind his glasses. "He should be careful. He's playing with fire."

Yuuri couldn't help but smirk at that. "That's what he does, Murata."

"You back your words with such weakness, Gyllenhaal?" Wolfram said, dancing in to slice at his opponent's arm. A line of red bloomed from the cut in the man's sleeve. Then he hopped back, out of range of Gyllenhaal's angry swipe. "If you're going to spout treason, you could at least be man enough to back it up properly."

Something cold settled into Yuuri's gut.

"Treason? Bah! I spoke nothing but the truth!"

"He insulted me, didn't he?" Yuuri asked Murata quietly. "That's why Wolf challenged him."

Murata shook his head. "My sources didn't hear the conversation leading up to the challenge. I don't think anyone was close enough to."

"Of course. Gyllenhaal wouldn't want anyone else to hear him spout his garbage." Yuuri growled and thunder boomed overhead. "But then what is he doing taunting Wolf with it?"

"Probably the same thing he's been trying to do for years now, Shibuya."

"Even he can't be that stupid, surely?"

"I mean…" Murata said, waving his arm toward the duel.

Wolfram was clearly just toying with the man at this point, ducking in to slash long red lines on different parts of his body, then either parrying easily or moving out of Gyllenhaal's range entirely. He could have ended this at his opponent's first charge, but it was clear Wolfram wanted to humiliate the man.

Gyllenhaal hissed as Wolfram opened a wound along his thigh and his retaliation swing actually managed to push Wolf back a few paces. The man took a deep breath and Wolfram's green eyes narrowed, his other hand coming up to grip his sword properly at last. Gyllenhaal's next charge was much more methodical, actually putting Wolf on the defensive. He was still holding him off, but the lazing toying dance was done. Apparently Emil had finally gotten a handle on his anger.

Had Wolf pushed the man to this point on purpose? Yuuri wouldn't be surprised if that was the case. Wolf would want to prove he could beat Emil von Gyllenhaal properly.

As the man continued to push Wolfram back along the battle area, it was clear by his expression that Gyllenhaal was getting cocky again.

Wolf smirked. "You think far too much of yourself." Then he was swinging, taking back the offensive, strikes ringing much louder against Gyllenhaal's sword then the other man's attacks had. The other's smirk turned startled as he was pushed backwards, arms having to move fast to block Wolf's heavy blows. If he didn't he was likely to lose an appendage.

At last, in a move that was so fast it was difficult to track, Wolfram sent the other man's sword flying and knocked him onto his backside, Wolf's sword pointing at his chest.

"Surrender."

Gyllenhaal growled and Yuuri could feel the shift in energy. He hadn't even realized he started forward until he felt Murata's arm across his chest.

"Lord von Bielefeld would not take kindly to your help, Shibuya."

Yuuri didn't much care what Wolfram took kindly to as long as he was safe, but the spikes of earth were already shooting up from the ground and Wolfram had jumped away. And he had to keep jumping as large, jagged bits of rock continued to erupt wherever he touched down. The fire in those bright green eyes kept getting brighter and brighter until Wolfram let out an enraged shout. The fireball blinding in it's sudden appearance before it was hurtling toward the rocky forest separating the two opponents, exploding it like a bomb. Yuuri quickly raised a wind barrier to protect the onlookers, but neither man on the field seemed to notice.

"Do you not know who I am?!" Wolfram demanded as he stalked forward. Gyllenhaal was making a scrambling attempt to retrieve his sword but another fireball right in front of him sent him flying backwards. "You think you can beat me with Maryoku?!" The blast had slammed Gyllenhaal against one of his own stone pillars and Wolfram pinned him there with a sword to his chest and a fireball in his freehand. "Surrender!"

"You have no right!" Gyllenhaal growled through his teeth.

"No right to do what, exactly?"

"To deny me!"

Green eyes narrowed as the sword tip pressed into the leather vest the man was wearing. "I have every right, actually. Surrender!"

Gyllenhaal just continued to glare up at him, jaw clenched tight.

"Are you really so pathetic that you cannot admit a clear defeat?" Wolfram asked, lip curling up a bit in a disgusted sneer.

"I refuse!"

"Refusing doesn't change the fact that you've been bested." Wolfram said, leaning forward enough that the sword tip had surely pierced the leather. When Gyllenhaal still did not yield, the flames flickered out of his free hand and the fist slammed into Gyllenhaal's face. There was a crack as his head hit stone and he was knocked out cold. "Arrogant ass." Wolf muttered, shaking out his fist as he resheathed his sword.

Now that it was over, rain fell in a heavy sheet, sending the onlookers scurrying for cover with startled cries.

Wolfram froze, looking up at the sky first before immediately finding his king. "Yuuri!" he gasped, green eyes going wide as he started scurrying over the rubble of Gyllenhaal's earth spikes to get to him. "What are you doing here?!"

"You weren't answering your phone." Yuuri replied, pulling his boyfriend into a hug as soon as he was close enough.

"Sure," Murata said with a roll of his eyes. "You two talk it out in the rain. I'm going to go find a towel. And then a bed."

"Sorry," Wolf said against his shoulder. "Gwen confiscated it to try and punish me for challenging the asshat."

Someone was rushing out to check on Gyllenhaal but Yuuri didn't pay them much mind. "What were you thinking?!"

Wolfram pulled back enough to frown at him. "I was thinking I was tired of his nonsense and that he finally needed to be knocked off his high horse."

"You could have gotten hurt!"

"I knew I'd win." Wolf said, pulling his arms back to cross them. "He's always all talk."

"It still wasn't a risk you needed to take for me."

"It wasn't for you!"

"So he didn't say something insulting about me that set you off?"

Green eyes looked away. "... It wasn't just for you."

"Wolf-"

"No!" his eyes were back to being locked with his, burning bright again. "I was well within my right to challenge him, no matter what you and big brother say! I won, and with the way he acted, there is nothing about the duel that will reflect badly on me. And he deserved it, Yuuri!"

Yuuri sighed. The adrenaline was starting to wear off and was being replaced by exhaustion from his unintentional power usage. "I was just really, really worried about you. I know you can take care of yourself. I know that. But, you weren't answering your phone and…"

"And you panicked?" Wolf supplied, face softening.

"...A bit, yeah." Yuuri admitted, shoulders slumping even as he rubbed the back of his head bashfully. "Sorry."

"I'm sorry I worried you." Wolfram said, stepping back into him and pulling him into a brief kiss. Yuuri felt his cheeks heat despite the cold of the rain. Sure, everyone had run for cover, but there was sure to still be eyes on them. But did they even matter? He and Wolf had officially been courting for almost a year now. Let everyone see.

"You were amazing, by the way," Yuuri breathed as soon as Wolf pulled back enough.

"Were you here for the whole thing?"

"Got here just as Gyllenhaal finished his monologue."

"Ugh." Wolfram scowled. "He still seems to think he has some kind of chance with me. That level of denial cannot be healthy. Never once has he had a chance with me. I'm *taken.*"

"Taken and Treasured." Yuuri said, unable to help a cheesy smile as he pulled Wolfram close again, kissing his rain-soaked cheek.

"I better me." Wolfram said with a bit of a laugh. "Come on, we should get you out of the rain." he said, taking Yuuri's hand and dragging him back toward the mansion. "I can't believe you're really here! I can give you a proper tour and everything!"

That would have to wait, though, as maids fretted over them being drenched and insisting they change before they catch cold. And then they both had to sit through a lengthy lecture from Conrad. By the time all that was done, Yuuri could barely keep his eyes open, so Wolfram smuggled them away to his room. It was fairly similar to Wolf's room at the suite, and the bed was just as comfy. The blonde laid with him even though he didn't seem tired himself. But sleeping in Wolfram's arms was the best possible way to sleep.

"Hey, Wolf?" he mumbled sleepily. "If you ever decide you need to duel someone again, can you make sure I hear about it from you first next time?"

"Deal." Wolf said, dropping a kiss on the top of his head. "Go to sleep. I love you."

"I love you too."