Wolfram tried to open his eyes, but felt like they were glued together. His body would not move. Every limb and muscle felt stiff and weak. How long has he been sleeping the blond wondered. The blond was finally able to open his eyes. Unable to move the rest of his body just yet, the blond turned his head and looked directly into the slumbering face of his black hair king. Wolfram's heart reached out to the black hair boy, faint traces of tears still remained on his face. Wolfram couldn't help but noticed Yuuri's face look slimmer and paler than normal. The boy looked worn. Dark circles have formed under the king's eyes. Wolfram frowned seeing Yuuri's handsome face marred by exhaustion and grief. The blond struggled to lift his hand up to stroke the face of the slumbering boy next to him. Yuuri lean into the touch, which brought a smile to the blonde's face. Even in his sleep, Yuuri recognized Wolfram's gentle caresses. Wolfram continued to stroke Yuuri's face. Yuuri thought he was imagining things when he felt the familiar touch of the blond. When the caresses continued, Yuuri's heart almost leaped out of his chest. The black hair king pried open his eyes to be greeted with the most beautiful sight he could have ever imagined; Wolfram's brilliant emerald orbs looking directly at him.

"Hi there handsome, glad you're awake."

Yuuri sat up, looking down at the blond. Yuuri couldn't even speak. He was afraid that the whole thing was just a dream. With trembling hands, Yuuri brought then down to cup the blonde's porcelain face. Yuuri hesitantly closed the small gap between them and gently kissed the soft pink lips in front of him.

Please, if this is dream, don't let me wake up.

After several tender moments, Yuuri parted from the blond. Tears of joy and relief fell down the king's face. Wolfram reached up to wipe the tears away, only to be greeted with more tears. The blond could clearly see that Yuuri had not been taken care of himself. He swore once he could move, he will give the entire castle a good talking to for letting Yuuri deteriorate like he has. Yuuri pulled Wolfram up to embrace the boy. The blond had to swallow down a sharp pain in his abdomen when Yuuri suddenly jolted him from the bed. Yuuri was holding onto Wolfram for dear life. The black hair boy muffled incoherent words to the blond. The blond pulled slightly away from the black hair boy and looked directly into those midnight black eyes, and with a gently smile tried to reassure his king that he was back.

"Yuuri, this is real. I'm back. Don't cry anymore. I will be with you always. I'm sorry for leaving you alone. It won't happen again."

Yuuri again pulled the blond boy closer to him. Wildly shaking his head.

"No Wolfram, you have nothing to apologize for. I'm just glad you are awake. Please don't do that again. Please don't put yourself in danger anymore. You mean more to me than everything put together. This is the second time I let this happen to you. I can't take it anymore. Please Wolfram, be selfish and protect yourself from now on."

"Yuuri, I don't understand."

"You don't need to understand. Right now I just want to hold you. Please let me hold you. I don't want to wake up from this dream."

"It's not a dream Yuuri."

Yuuri still couldn't fully believe that Wolfram was awake. It didn't matter if it was a dream or not, Yuuri has Wolfram snuggle securely in his arms. Both boys, drifted off to sleep together.

"Its' not a dream Yuuri."

Yuuri jolted from his slumber. Instantly the black hair boy looked over to the slumbering blond.

"So, it was a dream."

The blonde's eyes started to flutter open once again.

"How many times do I have to tell you, it's not a dream, and don't go crying on me again, Wimp."

For the first time in a long time, Yuuri face let up with a genuine smile that reached into his eyes. Wolfram's heart skipped a beat, its been so long, how he has missed that smile. Yuuri lowered himself down towards the blond and passionately kissed his soft lips. Even in both of their weaken states, their bodies responded on it's own accord.

"Papa Wolfram!"

Yuuri and Wolfram stopped their exploration on each other once their little girl appeared. Conrad, Gwendal, Cheri, Gunter, Murata, and Gisela followed close behind. Greta almost pushed Yuuri aside in order to hug the blond. Cheri was next, capturing Wolfram in a suffocating hug. Gwendal, Conrad, Gunter, stood by with relief and amusement in their eyes watching the antics of the princess and the ex-queen.

"Lady Cheri, I think Wolfram is about to pass out again."

"Oh my."

Cheri quickly released her strangle hold on the blond. Yuuri looked at Wolfram with concern, only to be greeted with a gentle smile to assure Yuuri he was fine. Gisela examined the blond prince. The wound the Wolfram has sustained has closed up nicely. With a couple of days of bed rest, the blond should be as good as new. There seems to be no lasting effect of the hosenki in his system. Everyone was relieved with the news.

Conrad walked up to the two boys and couldn't help but ruffled their hair. Conrad received a death glare from the blond.

"Welcome back."

The death glared immediately subsided. Gwendal stood stoically at his spot. Wolfram turned to look at his elder brother only to receive a slight nod from the man. Wolfram gave his stoic brother a understanding nod in return.

"I believe these two need some time alone. Why don't we leave for now?"

"I want to stay, Grandma Cheri, but I understand."

Greta bounced over to Wolfram once again and gave him and Yuuri a peak on the cheeks before exited the room.

"Oh, Heika, it's not time yet. You both need to recuperate first."

"Shibuya, there is plenty of time for other things later."

Both boys blushed instantly at Gisela and Murata's statements. Once the door closed, Wolfram let out a soft chuckle.

"Why are you laughing Wolfram?"

"At you Wimp. We are old enough to do whatever we want. Yet here you are blushing like a child. It's not that we haven't come close multiple times already. A wimp is always a wimp."

"Hey, you were blushing as much as I was. So does that make you a child and a wimp as well?"

"Never, that title belongs solely to you."

"Its been a long time hasn't it, Wolf, since we spoke to each other like this. I forgot how fun it was to banter with you."

"Don't you dear forget it."

The two boys sat in comfortable silence for a while just enjoying each other's warmth and closeness, until Yuuri broke the silence between them.

"Wolf, I love you. I miss you so much these last few weeks. I thought I lost you forever. No matter what I did or say, you wouldn't wake up. I was beginning to lose hope that you will ever wake up again. Thank goodness you woke up, otherwise, I wouldn't know how to continue living."

"Yuuri, that's enough. Stop saying things like that. You are the Maou, Shin Makoku and everyone needs you. Your life is more important than anyone one of us. Because you are the Maou, you will have a heavier burden to carry on your shoulders. No matter what happens, Yuuri you must always stay strong. You cannot let yourself fall like you did. There will times that my life will be in danger again. You cannot stop functioning just because I'm hurt or not around. I don't want to see you give up, no matter what the situation is. You are the hope of this kingdom. Do not fail her and her people."

"Wolf, you don't understand."

"I understand completely. When I woke up yesterday. I saw how weak you became. I almost didn't recognize you. Have you looked at yourself lately in the mirror? Your clothes are practically hanging off of you. When was the last time you had a decent meal. Yuuri, I never meant to be your weakness. But somehow it ended up this way. Because of me, you neglected your duties. You worried your love ones around you.

You became a shell of yourself. Your life does not revolve around me."

"Wolf, be quiet for a second. You were never my weakness. You are the one person that gives me strength. All these years, I practice my sword skills so you will acknowledge me as your equal. I sit through Gunter's lesson so I can become as knowledgeable as you are. But no matter what I do, you are always one step ahead of me. So I try my hardest to reach your level, to stand on equal footing to you. You motivate me to become smarter, stronger, and more loving. Without you here, I wouldn't have anyone to chase after; I wouldn't have someone whom to prove myself to; someone to be proud of me."

"Yuuri."

"You said earlier that I have a kingdom to protect. That is true, but without you, nothing matters to me. No matter how hard I tried, nothings matters without you. I'm so stupid, it took me almost losing you a second time around to realize why I pushed you away."

"Why is that Yuuri?"

"This is going to sound really stupid. I was protecting myself."

"Protecting yourself?"

"Yes, it wasn't that I was afraid of you hurting me. It was more like I was afraid of losing you. When your heart was taken from you years ago, I almost went insane. The pain I felt seeing you lifeless was unbearable. I couldn't think properly. It took every will power I had to leave your side. But because I had a duty to the kingdom I manage to pry myself away from you. My heart screamed in so much pain leaving you alone. But in the end it all worked out, but because of that incident, I became afraid. I never wanted to feel such agony again. That is why, over these last couple of years, not matter how close we got, I could not give myself fully to you. I knew if I were to ever lose you again, I would not survive. I know I am selfish, but that was the only way I could protect myself."

"Do you still feel the same way now."

"No, I thought by not giving myself fully to you, I gave myself a lifeline. I was so wrong. When I saw Alger Klaus stabbing you with his sword, I went insane and killed him and was about to kill the rest of the mercenaries. Luckily you stopped me in time. I knew then, my life has been connected to yours for years. For the longest time, I denied myself what I truly wanted because I was afraid to lose myself. I came up with this silly notion in my head, that by not being with you physically meant I can carry on even if you are not here by my side. The last couple weeks only showed me otherwise. I need you more than anyone else. You have the power to make or break me, Wolfram."

"Yuuri, you shouldn't put me above everything."

"How could I not, you are the one holding my heart in your hands. Promise me that you will not put yourself in harms way again because not only your life is in danger but mine as well."

"Yuuri, you are asking the impossible of me."

"I know, how about this. Let me protect you from now on."

The blond nodded.

Over the next couple of days, both boys became stronger. Yuuri began to eat properly again. Getting a scolding once in a while from the blond prince for letting his Greek god body wastes away. Yuuri promised to not do that again as long as the blond promised to keep himself safe. The blond was able to get up begin his daily training once again. Things were almost back to normal.

Yuuri was in the study catching up on all his paperwork that has piled up. The black hair king only grunted and moaned when looking at the paperwork.

"The faster your finish these, the more time you get to spend with Wolfram."

"I know, Gunter. You know, two people are better than one."

Wolfram hasn't step foot into their room since that incident. Wolfram hesitantly pushed the door open and entered. The blond prince felt an intense rage burning inside of him. Images of Yuuri and Adelinda once again invaded his mind. Unlike previous times, Wolfram did not suppress the anger inside of him. He let the anger build into a fireball in the palm of his hands. The fireball grew and grew with his rage. Finally Wolfram flung the burning sphere onto the bed and instantly burned it to ashes. Wolfram was not done just yet. He let out several smaller spheres. Once done, the room was nothing more than blackened ashes. The maids and guards were alerted to the scene. Wolfram only rolled his eyes at the scrambling help. Conrad showed up and looked at Wolfram.

"You finally did it."

Wolfram only smirked. Out of nowhere, the black hair king rushed to the scene.

"Wolfram, now where are we going to sleep now?"

"Well, for now my room. Oh, since that room is destroyed, I want a bigger room to be built for us. See to it Yuuri."

Yuuri gave Conrad a pleading look. Conrad nodded. Yuuri ran after his blond hoping that all his anger has finally been burned away just like that room.

"Wolfram wait. Are you happy now?"

"Not quite. I have someone else to get rid of. I think she already stayed passed her welcome."

"Wolf…."

"Lady Klaus, I see that you are packing. Are you going somewhere?"

"Lord Bielefield, please don't patronize me. You know that I am no longer welcome here."

"I didn't say anything to that extent."

"Once I am done I will be heading back to the water channels to help rebuild what my father destroyed. You should be happy now."

"You are right, I am happy you are finally out of my life. You should have never come here. Your presence here has troubled everyone lives. To tell you the truth, I would be glad to never see you again."

"Wolf…"

"Stop it Yuuri, if she remains here, I will never be able to move on."

"Adelinda, I'm sorry, I will have the guard ready a carriage for you."

"Thank you Heika."

"Lady Klaus, Ludwig is still waiting for you. Consider it."

"Goodbye Lord Bielefield."

Thank goodness that girl is gone.