I'll Keep You Warm

by Kioko Yasu

After Yuuri receives a nasty head wound, Wolfram steps up to take care of him.

2. I'll Keep You Warm 2

"Well, this is interesting."

Yuuri groaned at the voice and did his best to hide his face in the warmth beneath him.

"I'm honestly surprised Wolfram hasn't rolled them both onto the floor." That was Conrad's voice, but it sounded amused, so Yuuri desperately grabbed at the sleep that was steadily drifting away from him. "Come on, they'll both be upset if they wake up to you staring."

"Fine, fine." Yozak. That was the other voice. The sound of feet and then the door closing sent a small throb through his head.

Yuuri groaned, the last of his blissful warm sleep leaving him. He blinked his eyes open, taking in the small living room. The windows were small enough that the sunlight coming through wasn't blinding, at least. He could hear a strange, rhythmic sound that Yuuri slowly realized matched the rise and fall his head seemed to be doing. Or rather, what his head was laying on. Lifting his head revealed a sleeping Wolfram, sprawled out on the couch beneath him.

Yuuri stared at this sight blankly for a moment before his brain suddenly started working faster than it probably had the last couple days. He was suddenly hyper-aware of every place they were touching (everywhere, they were touching EVERYWHERE) and scrambling to get up. "GAH!" Yuuri shouted as his injury decided to make itself known by shooting near debilitating pain through his head, like a lightning strike directly to his brain but longer.

Wolfram jerked awake, which felt a bit awkward since at this point Yuuri had ended up sitting on the man's feet. He looked around, panicked for a moment before seeing Yuuri holding his head and sitting up. "Yuuri? What's wrong?"

"I- how?" he asked, taking one hand away from his head to wave down the length of the couch.

Wolfram's hands stopped, hovering like they had been about to grab his arms. "How what?"

"How- this!" Yuuri said, waving frantically between them. He couldn't think properly. Whatever speed that had come to him had been swallowed by the pain. He just knew he was overwhelmed and embarrassed.

"I-" Yuuri wasn't looking at his face, but Wolfram's hands dropped and his voice took on a hurt tone. "You're the one that practically dragged me onto the couch with you."

Now that he said it, Yuuri started to remember. Their talk about running from the fight that had caused his injury, then Wolfram being weird but so, so warm, and falling into sleep feeling warm and safe and- "They saw us." he groaned instead, pushing that memory away because it was making him feel a whole different sort of dizzy and he couldn't take that right now.

"Who?"

"Conrad and Yozak!"

"So?"

"What do you mean 'so'?!"

Wolfram scoffed. "You're also the one that didn't want to go upstairs to a room, remember? And so what if they saw? I'm your fiance!"

Yuuri groaned deeper, running the hands that had been pressing against his temples down his face. He didn't need this headache on top of the one he already had.

He could feel the glare Wolfram was giving him. He yanked his feet out from underneath Yuuri so fast Yuuri had to grab the back of the couch to not fall off. Wolfram had scooped up the bucket and was starting to stomp away. "Don't be mad."

"How exactly am I not supposed to be mad, Yuuri?" Wolfram demanded as he whirled back around. Oh. Looking at his face made the yelling even worse. He was more than mad, he was hurt. "You act disgusted by me any time I bring up the fact that I'm your fiance."

"I'm not disgusted-"

"Which you proposed to me, by the way!"

"By a misunderstanding!"

"Arg!" Wolfram shouted, throwing his hand up in the air, the bucket flailing wildly. Yuuri half expected it to go up in flames. "Last night," Wolfram said, using the bucket to point at him suddenly, green eyes blazing intensely. Yuuri's mind unhelpfully supplied him with an image of Wolfram's calm, neutral expression lit by fire light to compare the expression too."You asked what it was that I wanted from you. You remember that?"

Yuuri gulped and risked a small nod. The throb of pain felt strangely earned this time. He did remember, mostly for Wolfram coming back and helping him even though he had clearly still been mad at him.

"What I want, Yuuri, is for you to want me." He said, jerking the bucket back toward his chest. "And- and if you can't then- then at least stop making me feel special then turning around and make me feel- worthless!"

Yuuri's eyes widened. "You aren't worthless, Wolfram!"

"Shut up! I don't need your stupid-"

"No!" Yuuri said, scrambling to his feet even though a stab of pain threatened to send him crashing back down. "You aren't worthless! And you shouldn't let me or anyone else make you feel that way! You're my friend-" The force of Wolfram's glare choked off whatever else he'd been about to say.

"Fuck you." a detached part of Yuuri wondered if that had always been a Demon Tribe curse word, or if the weird translation spell in his brain just needed a powerful enough equivalent to what Wolfram had actually just said. Wolfram stormed toward the front door, throwing the bucket down as he went. Yuuri winced at the clatter and again at the slamming of the door. The room immediately felt colder without the other man there.

Yuuri stood staring at the door for several long minutes, head throbbing. Was he hoping Wolfram would come back? Stomp back in like he had last night and take his hand? Why would that even be a thing he wanted? Then the door knob turned and Yuuri's heart seemed to stop with the sudden force of his hope. But then it was Conrad coming through the door and Yuuri had never been so disappointed to see him.

"Everything okay?" Conrad asked with a raised eyebrow that seemed to say he already knew the answer.

Yuuri slowly lowered himself back onto the couch. It was strange that the splitting headache seemed to be the easiest part of his mind to deal with, right now. "...I think I really made him mad this time."

"It… did seem that way, yes." Conrad confessed, coming around to sit on the couch as well and offered Yuuri a plate with bacon and eggs on it.

Yuuri didn't think he had much of an appetite, but he accepted the plate anyway, picking up a piece of bacon and nibbling at it. "Did he say anything to you?"

Conrad's lips thinned in a way that said he had, but he wasn't about to repeat it.

Yuuri groaned, remembering at the last second not to let the back of his head fall back against the hardwood along the top of the couch. Maybe he was starting to get a hang of this head injury thing.

"Eat." Conrad instructed gently.

Yuuri sighed but took a bigger bite of the bacon, not really tasting it. Which was a shame because, well, bacon. "How come you haven't been around lately?"

Conrad raised an eyebrow again. "I certainly have been around."

"Well, yeah, but not, like, actively."

Conrad was quiet for a moment. "I didn't seem to be the one you wanted."

Yuuri's eyes widened and he made a squawking sound. Conrad held up a hand, even though Yuuri wasn't even sure if the sound had been in protest or not.

"You seemed to definitively want Wolfram to take care of you. He was more than willing to do so, and seemed to be doing a good job. I saw no reason to intervene."

Yuuri looked down at his plate, feeling even less like eating it. "He was. Doing a good job, I mean."

"Did you no longer wish for him to take care of you?"

"No, it wasn't that. We just- fought over the stupid engagement thing. Again."

Conrad was quiet for another moment. "It may be a stupid misunderstanding to you, Yuuri, but it is something Wolfram takes very seriously."

"I know that!" he said, looking back up at him and almost wishing he hadn't. He did know Wolfram took it seriously. It was why he refused to call the whole thing off. And it wasn't something Conrad ever spoke on, but now it felt very much like he was giving Yuuri some sort of reprimand.

"And it's something that he cares very much about, because he has come to care about you. Very much. I can't imagine it feels very good for someone you care about to be so very dismissive of something that matters that much to you."

Yuuri squirmed under Conrad's gaze before finally giving up and looking back down at his plate. He was usually the one giving lectures on empathy. It felt strange to be receiving one of his own.

"It would be one thing if you only rebuffed him. And you have, many times. But I don't think any of us took your actions the last few days as a rebuttal."

"B-but I-!" Yuuri sputtled, looking up again. "It wasn't- I donno, approval of wanting to marry him! I've never even thought of a guy like that!" he said, waving his half eaten bacon around for emphasis.

Conrad rested an elbow on the arm of the couch and his cheek against his loosely curled fingers. "Is Wolfram just a 'guy' though? Or is he a friend you've grown very close to?"

Yuuri stopped, arm slowly lowering and he took another bite of his bacon without much conscious thought. He hadn't ever thought of it that way. It was kind of hard to see the difference, especially with his head still throbbing. As he sat there staring at the floor in front of the couch, remembering how Wolfram had been blushing after Yuuri had let him feed him the medicine from his fingers, remembering how gentle Wolfram had been in all their interactions last night - that did seem to strike a cord with him. More than him just randomly developing feelings for a guy. "Still wouldn't mean I want to get married, though." he grumbled.

"Then that seems to be more the conversation you should be having with him, rather then calling the engagement 'stupid'."

"That isn't what I said to him."

"Maybe not this time."

Yuuri winced at that. "I told him he wasn't worthless. That he was my friend."

"Why would that be something you needed to tell him?" Conrad asked, sounding genuinely curious.

Yuuri's stomach did an uncomfortable flip. "He… he said I made him feel special, then turned around and made him feel worthless." he confessed quietly.

Conrad gave a hum of acknowledgement and Yuuri waited for more but it didn't come. "What?" He asked, looking up at Conrad's carefully blanked face. "No words of wisdom for me on that?" he asked before angrily stuffing the last of the bacon into his mouth.

"No. I think it's best if you figure this one out on your own."

"You're no help at all." Yuuri sighed, angrily stabbing at the eggs with a fork. He had meant what he said. He didn't think Wolfram was worthless, and he was his friend. He might not be sure what else they were, if anything, but they were friends. "I still don't know why he got that mad." he complained between mouthfuls of egg. "He isn't worthless! And I don't think anyone, especially me, should have the power to make him feel that way!"

Conrad sighed through his nose, lips pulled in a thin line before he seemed to give up. "But you apparently do have that power, Yuuri." he said, bringing his fingers up to rub the bridge of his nose. Yuuri had frozen mid-bite. "So if you don't want him to feel that way, you need to wield that power responsibly."

"I- I didn't ask for that power." Yuuri said, voice sounding small, even to his own ears.

"And you didn't ask to be king. But you're doing a pretty good job at being that."

Yuuri snorted. He had more than enough doubts on that. But he had Conrad, Murata, Gwendal, Gunther, Wolfram, and everyone else there to make sure he didn't screw up too badly as king. He was on his own with Wolfram.

"It also sounds like you have the power to make him feel special, too." Conrad reminded as he stood. "Come on. That should be enough to satisfy Vensa. Let's get you something for your head."

Yuuri sighed but carefully stood. Going outside meant seeing Wolfram and he still didn't know what to say. However, the blonde was nowhere in sight as his eyes slowly adjusted to the sunlight. Yozak and the rest of their company were a ways off, prepping horses that had been left at the village. He hadn't been angry enough to leave without them?

"Good morning, Your Majesty!" The girl from last night, he never had figured out her name, greeted as she approached. "I hope you slept well!"

"Oh! Yeah, I did, actually." he said, his cheeks heating up a bit at the memory of being so warm and comfortable and why he had been so warm and comfortable. "Thanks."

"We've handed over our cart for you. I'm afraid we only have the one, and it's not in the best shape. I wish we had something closer to a carriage or something to give you!"

"I can't take your town's only wagon!" Yuuri protested, waving his hands in front of himself. "You'll need that, surely!"

"It's the least we can do! You saved our town, Your Majesty."

"I didn't really do much." At least from the sounds of it. He'd just made the Raiders angry and then got whacked in the head.

"Besides, he said you wouldn't be able to handle riding a horse with your injuries."

It had been several days' ride here from the castle, and the prospect of riding a horse for several days with a throbbing head didn't sound appealing, but… "Still, it's your only cart- wait, who said?"

"Lord von Bielefeld! He's paid us for it. Enough to build an even better cart. Maybe even two. He's already getting it ready." she said, pointing over her shoulder down the road.

Yuuri perked up at that. "Wolfram is? Sorry, I need to talk to him. Thank you very much for your generosity."

"No, thank you-oh!"

Yuuri had already taken off. The dizziness seemed absent for the moment so he took advantage of that to speed walk as fast as he dared in the direction the girl had pointed. It wasn't long before he could see the blonde head of his friend poking out above the sides of the wagon. "Wolfram!"

The man paused before shooting him a withering glare. "What."

Yuuri flinched but pressed forward, even though he still wasn't sure what to say once he reached the back of the wagon. Wolfram seemed to be spreading out several layers of blankets. Was this all just for him? Wolfram was so furious with him, yet he was still taking care of him? "Thank you. For the cart."

"Whatever." he said, throwing what looked like a sack you filled with potatoes toward the front of the cart. It bounced in a decidedly not potato-like way. "A wimp like you wouldn't last an hour on horse in your condition."

Yuuri felt like he was floundering. "But- what if I want to ride with you?"

Wolfram sent him a look that was equal parts suspicious and angry. "Why? You can't even walk for an hour without cradling your head."

"That's not exactly true. It was the dizziness that was the main issue yesterday. And that doesn't seem to be that bad today. Besides, you'd be steering, so I know I'll be safe!"

His gaze shifted back to primarily anger as he climbed down off the cart. "Maybe I don't want to ride with you."

That stung more than it had a right to. "Wolfram," he said, grabbing his wrist. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry for- making you feel that way." Announcing to everyone that Wolfram was feeling worthless didn't sound like it'd help anything.

Wolfram yanked out of his grip and it made something tighten in Yuuri's chest. "All the time, Yuuri." He hissed. "You make me feel like that all the time."

"What?" he asked, feeling his stomach drop. "I- how? What can I do to stop it?"

Wolfram gave a humorous laugh as he began adjusting the saddle on his horse. "When you flirt with people constantly."

"But I don't!"

"You never listen to me."

"I do so!"

"You aren't even listening right now!"

Yuuri closed his mouth so fast his teeth clacked together like a Boney.

"Everytime you freak out over us just touching. Everytime you look down on our engagement. Everytime you run away from me because I'm just so terrible to be around. Whenever you run off and put yourself in dangerous situations," he aggressively tightened a strap, making the horse whinny in protest. Wolfram took a deep breath as he loosened it again and patted the horse's flank in apology. "Without even listening to my warnings or suggestions. Just- all the time."

Yuuri came to stand beside him. Wolfram was refusing to look at him, instead fussing with bits of the saddle that Yuuri was pretty sure didn't actually do anything. "I'm sorry." he said sincerely. "I never meant to make you feel that way." he tentatively reached up to touch his arm. When he didn't pull away, he pushed forward. "I still don't know how comfortable I am with the whole engagement thing." he confessed, and squeezed his arm when he felt Wolfram tense. "I don't like that it was so sudden and unintentional, and before I even knew you. I don't know if I'll ever be okay with it, honestly. But- but I'll do better. With all of it. I promise."

Wolfram gave him a long sideways look, but most of the anger seemed to have melted away. Finally he heaved a sigh and turned a bit to face him. "You really want to ride with me?"

Yuuri looked at the horse apprehensively. It didn't sound like a pleasant experience, but it still seemed preferable to riding alone in the wagon. "Yeah."

"Not with Conrad? Or someone else? Vensa?"

"Vensa?" he said, looking back to him in surprise. "Why her? Cause she's a girl?" Wolfram just glared at him in reply. "No. I want to ride with you."

"Why?"

Yuuri sighed. "I don't know, Wolfram. My head is pounding and I don't think I have the capacity to think clearly enough to give you the answers you want."

"So you want to because you're not thinking straight?"

Yuuri snorted. "Thinking straight. Kinda, maybe." Wolfram's eyes narrowed and he realized he didn't get the joke. "Come on," he pleaded, tugging on his arm. "I'm not trying to make you mad, I swear. Let me ride with you. Please?"

"You're awfully good at it for not trying." Wolfram muttered, gently pulling his arm away so he could unhook his horse's saddle bags and toss them into the cart. "Fine." he said, swinging up into the saddle before making space in front of him. "Come on."

Yuuri tilted his head. "I usually ride behind you, though."

"I don't trust you not to pass out and fall off." he replied, tapping the saddle in front of him. "This way I can hold onto you. Take it or leave it."

Yuuri smiled and clambered onto the horse. He still wasn't nearly as graceful as Wolfram, and it didn't help that he couldn't swing his leg back. An elbow ended up in Wolfram's side by accident but he took it with minimal grumbling. Once he was up, his head gave a particularly large throb in protest. "Ow…"

Wolfram sighed out more grumbles before pulling Yuuri back against his chest. "We're too close in height. I have to be able to see over your shoulder." Yuuri found he couldn't complain as he finally felt blissfully warm again. He hadn't even realized he was cold. And, with Wolfram resting his chin on his shoulder, he could rest his head against Wolfram's without aggravating his injury. It was actually quite cozy.

The sound of hoofbeats was the only warning they had before Conrad was sidling up to them. Yuuri looked over to him a bit nervously, wondering what the older man thought of them already making up. Conrad gave nothing away, though, just held something out to him. "Your Majesty."

Before Yuuri could even reach for it. Wolfram snatched it up and held it in front of Yuuri's face. "Say 'Ah'."

Yuuri felt his face turn red as he realized it was the same medicine as last night. He was also realizing the rest of their entourage had joined them "W-wolfram…" he whined, hopefully soft enough only the blonde could hear.

Wolfram huffed, but Yuuri wasn't sure what emotion it was signalling. But his hand shifted to hold the wad so that Yuuri could pick it up instead.

They had started moving by the time the medicine had finished dissolving. So far, the slow pace wasn't too bad, but he knew they'd pick it up once they hit the wider road. "You know, you can be a bit much, sometimes." Yuuri said. It didn't have to be loud, since he was basically leaning against Wolfram's ear.

"Me?!" Wolfram hissed back incredulously.

"Yes, you." He replied at his best attempt at prim and haughty. "But you put up with me being an idiot all the time, so I guess I can manage."

There was a long pause from Wolfram. "Are you insulting me right now? I honestly can't tell."

"I'm not trying to."

"What does that mean?"

"I'm just… informing you. Letting you know. You can be overwhelming sometimes. I make you mad without meaning to and you overwhelm me without meaning to."

"Oh." Another long pause. "I'm not sure what to do with that. Does that medicine make you drunk or something?"

"Heck if I know." he shrugged before snuggling back into him and closing his eyes.

---

Yuuri was pretty sure he dozed off for a while. He wasn't sure how he could still be tired since he'd just woken up, but Wolfram was too warm against his back for him to care.

At some point, though, his head must have tilted back, making his wound collide with Wolfram's shoulder. Yuuri jerked forward, cursing as blinding pain exploded through his head.

The horse whinnied and an arm wrapped around his chest, but if the horse had jerked or he'd been falling, Yuuri was in too much pain to tell. "Whoa, easy." He wasn't sure if Wolfram was talking to him or the horse. "Yuuri? What's wrong?"

"Bumped it." He managed to ground out. The pain was receding, but it was slow and from such an extreme that he was worried his breakfast might make a reappearance.

A hand on the top of his head gently pushed him forward against the arm holding him in place. Yuuri didn't have the energy to resist and it wasn't like it was making him feel any worse.

"I don't think it's bleeding again." Wolfram said after a moment. "Do you want Vensa to check it?"

"No, I was just dumb." Yuuri said, the pain inching closer to a tolerable level. The hand on the top of his head was guiding him back against Wolfram's chest. The fingers buried in his hair rubbed his scalp a bit and Yuuri couldn't tell if it helped or hurt but thought it might be nice in better circumstances.

"Let's take a break." Wolfram suggested.

"No, it's fine!" Yuuri protested. He felt Wolfram sigh against his back. "I don't want to hold us up. We haven't even been going that long."

"We're a few hours from Hilvera now." Wolfram assured. "It's fine, Yuuri. You're the king. If you need a break we can take a break."

"It's fine, it's getting better. "

"Maybe, but we aren't even moving and your face is all scrunched up in pain."

Yuuri immediately tried to school his expression and opened his eyes to prove his point. His vision swam so wildly he wasn't even sure what he was seeing. His hands reached for the horse's mane to steady himself but it didn't seem to be where he thought it was and the arm around his chest tightened to keep him upright. "Gonna puke." He managed to warn as he felt his stomach finally rebel.

Wolfram's leg was underneath his, guiding it up and over the horse's head and then they were sliding off the side. Their feet hit the ground but Yuuri's legs wouldn't hold him. He was half kneeling, half hanging from Wolfram's hold as he started to be sick. Then he wasn't aware of anything for a moment aside from the incredible pain in his head and the burning in his throat.

Gentle circles being rubbed into his back was the first thing that came back to him. There was a hand on his forehead, holding him steady as he coughed on nothing now. Then Wolfram's voice, whispering in his ear. It was another heartbeat or two before he could make out the words.

"It's okay, Yuuri. I have you. It's alright. You'll be okay."

Yuuri tried to spit out some of the horrible taste left in his mouth before collapsing toward the sound of Wolfram's voice. The hands on him instantly shifted to catch him and he was pulled against a familiar warmth.

"Sh, I've got you."

And Yuuri believed him, letting Wolfram take all his weight as he prayed for the pain in his head to fade.

"Your Majesty?" Vensa's worried voice reached him but he wasn't willing to risk opening his eyes again, or really bother responding at all.

"Give him more of the medicine." Wolfram demanded, and the shift from the whispered reassurances made Yuuri wince, even if the demand wasn't being made of him.

"It's too soon to give him more, and he shouldn't have it on an empty stomach. But I'll see what else I can do. Let's move him to the wagon."

He was moved and it was unpleasant. Especially when he could tell he had been separated from Wolfram's warmth for it, but he couldn't manage much more than a whimper in protest. He was laid on something hard but with softer things overtop.

"Wolf…" he managed, blindly reaching out.

A warm hand wrapped around his. "I'm right here, Yuuri."

Yuuri whimpered and tried to pull him closer. Wolfram didn't make the pain go away, but his warmth made it more bearable. His hand seemed to be all he was being given at the moment though, so he hugged it to his chest.

Conversation was happening around him, but trying to follow it made his head hurt more so he didn't try. They must have removed his bandages because there was suddenly air touching the back of his head. It made him shiver and hug Wolfram's arm tighter. His hand pressed flat against Yuuri's chest and started rubbing small circles into him. Yuuri focused on that, and the warmth that was slowly seeping into him from the gesture, rather than what was going on around him or the amount of pain he was in.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but the circles had stopped and Wolfram's voice cut through the fog Yuuri seemed to be floating in.

"Yuuri, can you hear me?" Yuuri made a small noise in his throat in reply. Words seemed far too big to manage right now. "I need you to open your eyes for me, Yuuri."

Yuuri squeezed his eyes shut tighter in protest, remembering what happened last time he'd opened them.

"Come on, Yuuri," Wolfram said, rubbing a couple more circles into his chest. Yuuri was hopeful he'd keep going but he didn't. Someone else said something and Wolfram's voice took on a note of fear as he said, "Please, Yuuri. I need you to open your eyes. Just a little bit. Please."

He didn't want Wolfram to be afraid. If Wolfram needed it, Yuuri could brave it. Slowly, he cracked one eye open the tiniest bit. Everything was blurry but not wildly swimming like before. He could make out the yellow blob that was Wolfram's hair, with someone else sitting beside him. He wanted to know if Wolfram looked as scared as he sounded so he slowly opened both eyes and struggled to make them focus. Eventually, the details of Wolfram's face became clear and Yuuri was glad to see he looked more relieved than afraid.

"There you are." Wolfram said with a sigh and a warm smile.

"Hi." His voice sounded strangely hoarse. How much time had passed? Had he been making noise without realizing it?

"Your Majesty?"

Yuuri had to blink a few times before his eyes would move from Wolfram to the person next to him. Vensa.

"You had us worried there. You weren't responding to us. Can you tell me how you feel?"

"Hurts." He said, gesturing to his head without actually letting go of Wolfram's arm. "But… I think it's going down? Slow, but… the light doesn't hurt much, at least."

"That's good." Vensa nodded and Wolfram gave his chest another small rub in reward. "Anything else?"

Yuuri took a moment to push past the pain in his head to assess the rest of him. It felt like his head had been rebandaged. His stomach no longer felt queasy, but, "My mouth feels gross. And I'm cold."

Vensa and Wolfram shared a look at that and he wondered if Wolf had shared all the other times he'd complained of the same thing.

"Well, I'm sure we can get you some extra blankets." Yuuri looked down, not willing to admit out loud that Wolfram seemed to be the best remedy and instead tightened his hold on his arm. Wolfram rubbed his chest once and he hoped it was a reassurance. "If you think you can sit up," Vensa continued, "We can have you try some water. That should clear out the taste."

Yuuri groaned at the prospect of moving. Vensa gave a small laugh. "Take your time. I'll see if I can gather something that will be easy on your stomach." She said before climbing off the cart.

Yuuri looked back up at Wolfram, hoping he wasn't upset that Yuuri hadn't voiced his desire for Wolfram to be the one to keep him warm.

Wolfram raised an eyebrow at him. "Uh huh. And why do you look so guilty, huh?"

Yuuri winced, looking down again. He gently tugged on his arm before looking back up at him hopeful.

Wolfram's expression softened and he sighed. "We're just in an open cart, Yuuri. You aren't going to change your mind and blame me again for everyone seeing?"

Yuuri bit his lip, trying to think through that honestly. It probably shouldn't matter. He was already hugging Wolfram's arm, had been for who knows how long. They certainly hadn't been spaced out on the horse, and had basically been cuddling out in the open at the base camp. It was pretty obvious that cuddling with Wolfram was something he wanted right now. Why was the fact that other people might see the deciding factor?

His head was still throbbing worse than it ever had in his life and trying to work through this right now wasn't helping the pain go away. But if he wasn't careful about this, he could hurt Wolfram, and he didn't deserve that just because Yuuri was in pain.

"I won't blame you." He finally promised, raising one hand to his head.

"But you might change your mind?"

Yuuri bit his lip harder and looked back up at him. Wolfram didn't look mad, just cautious and… resigned? That was worse than being angry. Like he knew Yuuri was likely to hurt him again but knew he was going to give in anyway. "I want you now." He whispered. Wolfram's face seemed to crumble and Yuuri wondered if he was accidentally being cruel. But then Wolfram was moving and Yuuri had to close his eyes as Wolfram lifted him.

They ended up with Wolfram leaning against the back of the wagon with Yuuri across his lap and head on his shoulder. Then he wrapped a blanket around them. "There- now they'll only see our heads. Is that better?"

Yuuri stared at him, unable to express the gratitude the attempt filled him with, even though he didn't think it solved whatever his real issue was. Still, he resolved to not be the first to pull away, no matter how uncomfortable having an audience might make him.

Wolfram rationed him a few sips of water from his own waterskin, making him wait in-between to see if it was going to come back up. Vensa dropped off some bread that was almost the consistency of a cracker and then the group headed off again. Aside from the initial lurch and a bad bump here or there, it was a lot smoother than the horse.

Wolfram picked up one of the smaller pieces of bread and held it up to him after a bit. "Ah?"

Yuuri gave him an exasperated pleading look. He already felt like he was significantly stretching his comfort levels and Wolfram was still pushing for more?

He received a considering look in return before Wolfram pulled the blanket over both their heads. "What about now?"

"Why the sudden obsession with feeding me?" He asked, unable to stop a smile at the silliness of staring at Wolfram through the heavily diffused light of the blanket.

Wolfram shrugged the shoulder Yuuri wasn't resting against. "You let me do it once and I liked it. I'm trying to figure out the formula."

Yuuri felt his cheeks heat at the casual admittance that Wolfram had enjoyed feeding him. It made something flutter in his stomach. "Me being too exhausted to argue about your weirdness, as far as I can tell."

"Hm. How tired are you right now?"

That drew a laugh from Yuuri. He dropped his head onto Wolfram's shoulder and decided to humor him by opening his mouth.

What he could still see of Wolfram's face lit up and the bread was soon between his teeth. It wasn't as intimate as the medicine had been, but the smile he could make out on Wolfram's face made him feel warm inside. "You are still weird," he said around the mouthful. "For the record."

"You're supposed to be too tired to argue!" Wolfram protested, but the smile was still in place as he nudged his face with the bread. "And don't talk with your mouth full! It's unbecoming of the Demon King."

Yuuri pulled back enough that he could stick his tongue out at him. Wolfram's smile widened and turned into a full on grin when Yuuri swallowed his mouthful and opened for another bite.

There were much, much worse things that he would be willing to do to make Wolfram von Bielefeld feel special, Yuuri decided.