Wolfram knew he should be paying more attention to the ground he was running across. The woodland path was far from clear and he'd already stumbled a couple times. But he couldn't stop trying to stare through Weller's shoulder where he knew Yuuri's head rested.

He'd stabbed the leader of the raiders through the heart without hesitation when Yuuri crumbled. There had been just enough time for Wolfram to think that Yuuri would be disappointed in him for that as he knelt down, but then the amount of blood that had already pooled around Yuuri's head registered. Black eyes were unfocused and in a heartstopping moment, Wolfram watched the light fade from them..

He'd never known such agony before. He'd screamed for Conrart because it never mattered how much he pushed the man away, his brother always managed to make things better when they mattered. And he needed this to be better. Yuuri couldn't be…

"He's dead!" He'd sobbed as Conrart made it to him. "He's dead!"

Conrart kept his attention on Yuuri, fingers going to the side of his neck and a hand resting on his chest. "He's alive," Wolfram's chest seized up with relief. "But we need to get him to the healer. Now." He pulled off his coat, bundling it up and carefully pressing it to the back of Yuuri's head as he scooped him up. "Yosak!"

"Got it!" the red head replied from somewhere else in the battlefield.

Then Conrart took off running, leaving Wolfram scrambling to follow.

Yuuri was alive, but for how long? He couldn't stop the scene playing out over and over again. Yuuri shouting his name, spinning around to see him crumble as the leader's followthrough finished, plunging his sword-

"Wolf…"

Wolfram blinked and black eyes were peeking out from behind Weller's shoulder. Yuuri was awake, and seeing him, and Wolfram wanted to cry with relief. "Wolf…" He was reaching out to him, and Wolfram tried to pick up his pace enough to take his hand, but Yuuri's eyes were already slipping closed again and his arm went limp.

Watching Vensa work felt agonizingly slow, and Yuuri's face was scrunched up in pain the whole time. There was a nasty gash just above the base of his skull and Vensa was having to sew it closed like a tear in a shirt. Yuuri kept making these pained little cries even though he didn't seem to be conscious and each one stabbed at Wolfram's chest.

Vensa at last declared herself finished and that they should make Yuuri as comfortable as possible, Wolfram immediately stepped forward, cutting off Weller who had also started to move.

"I've got him!" he shouted, dropping to his knees beside Yuuri and glaring up at Weller, daring him to try and take Yuuri from him.

"Wolfram-" Weller started, looking frustrated.

Wolfram shook his head with conviction. "He reached out to me! Not you!" Weller had had Yuuri, was taking him to safety. But, for once, Yuuri had reached for him instead.

Weller was quiet for a moment and Wolfram hated how his eyes seemed to study him, judge him. "... Alright." He finally relented softly. "Let me know if you need anything."

"I can take care of my own Fiance!"

Weller just sighed and backed away.

Despite his bold declaration, however, Wolfram felt at a loss looking down at his King. Yuuri seemed small and fragile in a way he never had before. His face was still creased with a frown, but it was still better then how he'd looked when Vensa was working on him. The back of his shirt was covered in blood and Wolfram decided that was the best place to start.

Wolfram could feel Weller's eyes on him as he got up and headed to Yuuri's bag to dig out a spare shirt. It made him tense and feel like he was being scrutinized. He had no doubt that Weller would protect Yuuri from anything, even Wolfram. But he would prove to him, and anyone else, that he could take care of Yuuri. Yuuri had reached out to him, afterall.

A spare rag and bowl of water had him back at Yuuri's side. Lifting him enough to remove his shirt was terrifying, since Wolfram was so scared of hurting him even more. And they were so similar in size that it felt cumbersome. Leaning Yuuri against his own chest seemed to work the best and Wolfram was finally able to move on to washing the dried blood from Yuuri's back. He washed as close to the bandages as he dared, but retreated when Yuuri made a small, pained noise. "Sh, it's okay." he whispered, not sure if it was for Yuuri's benefit or his own. Once the fresh shirt was on, he carefully laid Yuuri down so his cheek was resting on his lap. "You're not allowed to do anything like that again, got it?" he told him as he gently pet his cheek with the back of his fingers. Yuuri shifted a bit closer and it was the first he'd moved on his own (outside of pained expressions) since they had reached camp. The frown faded and Wolfram felt like that was proof he had done a good job. Wolfram looked up to give Weller an 'I told you so' look, but the man was reading a slip of paper, one of Yozak's birds resting on his shoulder. Well, fine. The fact that he wasn't watching Wolfram like a hawk anymore must mean he agreed that Wolfram was handling it.

Yuuri was asleep now. Properly asleep, not just passed out from pain. He'd been awake briefly and Wolfram had had to explain where they were and why. He seemed to have forgotten the entire trip! And then Yuuri had voluntarily snuggled up against Wolfram, and had even been happy when Wolfram had wrapped an arm around him. He knew Yuuri had wanted him over Conrart!

This time Weller was watching when Wolfram looked up to catch his eye. Wolfram gave him a smirk and gently pulled Yuuri a bit closer, reveling in the feeling when Yuuri shifted more into him. Infuriatingly, though, Weller just raised a calm eyebrow at him before returning to his conversation with another soldier. Whatever. He didn't need a reaction. He had Yuuri.

Weller carrying Yuuri back to Hilvera had irked Wolfram. It felt like a point in the other man's favor in a competition for Yuuri's attention. A competition Wolfram felt like he was constantly in, with everyone else being his opponent. And the object of his desire being one of the ficklest creatures on the planet.

"What exactly is it you're wanting from me?!"

What did he want?! Seriously?! How could Yuuri possibly not know by now? Wolfram did not excel at being subtle, and he certainly hadn't been trying to be. Was Yuuri just rubbing it in Wolfram's face? That the one thing Wolfram really wanted was the one thing Yuuri refused to give him? How dare he. He couldn't take this anymore, he was going to explode.

"Wolfram…"

'Wolf…' a hand reaching for him over Conrart's shoulder.

Wolfram stopped at the few steps he'd taken, fists clenched tight as he resisted the urge to set something on fire. How dare Yuuri step in to take a killing blow for him, but then talk to some town floozy like they were the most important person in the world? He didn't even remember her name! But, still, Yuuri had reached for him. Had wanted him, even if it was just in that moment. And Wolfram had promised. Promised himself, Yuuri, Weller, freaking Shinou himself, that he'd be the one to take care of Yuuri. Even now, Yuuri had called his name as he had walked away.

With a growl of frustration, he turned back and grabbed Yuuri's hand. "Come on, wimp." he said, tugging him after Marilein, the town girl. "Let's get you sat down before you fall over."

And people called him spoiled. Yet here was Yuuri, having said the things he said and done the things he'd done and yet he still wanted to know why. What Wolfram wanted to know was why he had to be in love with such an idiot.

The 'the best dinner Hilvera has to offer' apparently included a rowdy town party that Wolfram found annoying more than anything else. It didn't feel like anything worth celebrating had happened. They had nearly lost Yuuri in a conflict Wolfram thought the village should have handled themselves. It certainly hadn't needed a King's involvement.

It was obvious that the tavern was bothering Yuuri. But the villagers just returned his forced smile with their own jovial ones and moved on. But Yuuri seemed determined to bear it for some reason, even though he didn't seem able to eat the food offered. That, at least, Wolfram could empathize with, if Yuuri's comment about Wolfram's seasickness was anything to go by.

When the first person patted Yuuri on the back, Wolfram made to stand in outrage but a firm hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"They meant no harm." Weller said into his ear. Wolfram angrily pulled his shoulder out from underneath his hand. "Making a scene would only upset Yuuri more."

Wolfram wanted to disagree, judging by the pained expression Yuuri wore. But then he forced a smile back onto his face, turning to accept the praise. What was wrong with him? Didn't he know he was allowed to tell people to leave him alone?

A nasty voice in the back of his head said that that explained why he had let Wolfram hang around so long.

The next person to approach didn't even notice Wolfram's death glare, so when they dared to repeat what the first man had done, he growled. Now the guy jerked back startled, finally taking the daggers Wolfram was glaring at him. He staggered back and Wolfram's glare followed him all the way back to his seat. Yuuri hadn't even been able to plaster a smile on after that one. Wolfram took this as permission to growl in warning at anyone else who seemed to have a similar idea, even going as far as to put his hand on his sword if they still tried to approach. A decent portion of the room were sending him fearful looks by the time the message seemed to get across, but Wolfram didn't care. They should fear him, especially if they were hurting Yuuri.

"Lord von Bielfield," Vensa had slipped into the seat on his otherside. "I have some medicine for His Majesty's pain, but he really should eat something before he takes it." she said, offering the small wrapped lump to Wolfram. "It should dissolve under his tongue."

"Thank you, Vensa." He said sincerely, accepting the wad and putting it in his pocket. The girl gave him a smile before slipping off to wherever she had come from. Eyeing the spread on the table in front of him, Wolfram ladled some soup into a bowl. Soup was something he could usually manage when sailing.

Yuuri was just staring blankly at the plate in front of him. Not even his forced smile remained and he looked exhausted. "Here," Wolfram said, pushing the plate out of the way with the bowl. Yuuri looked up at him with unfocused eyes and it made something in Wolfram's gut clench. It was far too close to the blank stare he'd had after being hit. "It should be easy enough to keep down. And, if it does come back up… well, at least it's already liquid." Yuuri made a face at that that nearly pulled a smile from Wolfram. "Look," he sighed, "Just try and get some of it down and we'll go to bed, okay?"

Yuuri seemed to perk up a bit at that idea and obediently started digging in. That did make Wolfram smile and he had the sudden urge to pet the hair that wasn't covered in bandages. Would Yuuri let him, in this state? He was just raising his hand to try when the music changed. This song seemed to be more interactive as people began clapping and stomping. The sudden shift in volume was enough to make even Wolfram's head twinge.

Yuuri had dropped his spoon, hand clutching at his head instead. Wolfram couldn't see his expression, he was so curled in on himself, but he could imagine it.

Marilein was approaching with an oblivious smile, some sort of flower crown in her hands, already raised to put it on Yuuri. Wolfram stood, grabbing her wrist before she could even get close. He wanted no one touching Yuuri's head. "We're done." he said with a forceful growl, pushing her back a step before releasing her. "Goodnight."

Her eyes had gone wide, but finally someone in this idiotic town seem to realize Yuuri was not okay. "I'm sorry, I hadn't realized- please, use my home for the night!" she said, digging a key out from a pocket. "It's nothing fancy, but there's two warm beds upstairs. Use whatever you need. I'll stay with my father."

Wolfram gave her a suspicious look, but a pained whine from Yuuri made him accept the offered key. "Thank you." he managed before turning his attention fully to Yuuri. "Come on," he said, gently lifting Yuuri from the chair. One black eye peeked at him before closing again and Yuuri leaned into Wolfram's hold.

Weller stopped him before he could get to the door, which was annoying because if the drumming beat was bothering Wolfram, it had to be hell for Yuuri. "Where are you going?"

"Marilein's offered up her house. I'm going to get him into bed there."

Weller nodded. They were all familiar with the house since it's where they had been briefed when they arrived. "I'll set up a proper guard outside."

Wolfram gave him a nod and went to move again.

"And Wolfram," Weller waited for him to look back at him. "Be sure to be a gentleman."

Wolfram scoffed in insult. "What do you take me for?!" he said with a glare before leading Yuuri out of the tavern.

Yuuri sagged against him and for a moment Wolfram was worried he'd passed out again. But he was still putting one foot in front of the other, just refusing to open his eyes. That was alright, Wolfram could see for both of them. He guided them across the small square and up into the house. Yuuri's steps had gotten more clumsy as they went, and now that they were standing at the foot of a staircase…

"Er, do you think you can handle stairs?"

He watched Yuuri cautiously open his eyes, then make a face at the stairs and close them again with a groan. Wolfram thought he was dropping his head onto his shoulder, but Yuuri curled into him even more and ended up right against his neck.

Wolfram froze with a surprise squawk. Weller's reminder to be a gentleman popped into his mind and he wished he could burn it away. He cleared his throat, trying to put the sensation of his Yuuri pressed against his neck into a box. He'd revisit it later. "There aren't any bedrooms on the ground floor, though."

"Don't care." Yuuri mumbled, his breath ghosting over Wolfram's throat. "Too much."

Wolfram huffed as he felt his cheeks heat up. Too much he says as if he wasn't the one being far too much right now. Wolfram really wanted this to be more than just Yuuri being out of it. Still, the problem at hand. He might be able to carry Yuuri up the stairs, but he wasn't confident enough in it to risk dropping him and hurting him more. The couch would have to do. Yuuri seemed content enough to move with him, even if walking was a bit more awkward in this position. He let himself be guided down onto the couch, Wolfram carefully arranging Yuuri's arm to pillow his head, but as soon as Wolfram started to stand, he let out a groan.

"What? What's wrong?" he asked, momentarily worried he hadn't been gentle enough and bumped Yuuri's head.

One black eye opened to look at him as he tried to gauge if the wound had bumped anything. "Cold."

Wolfram frowned at that. It wasn't hot here, but he definitely didn't think it was cold. "It's really not. But I'll stoke the fire." there was another groan and the eye closed again. Wolfram sighed, not really sure what to do with that reaction. "Do you think you'll throw up?"

There was a pause, and even with his eyes closed Wolfram recognized Yuuri's thinking expression. "Maybe, if I sit up."

"I'll find a bucket." he said with another sigh, starting toward the kitchen. He had plenty of experience being sick himself, but he wasn't sure he'd ever had to help someone else through it.

Yuuri's hand shot out faster than Wolfram thought he was capable of moving in his current state, grabbing onto the pant leg above Wolfram's thigh. He could only stare in surprise at Yuuri's now open eyes.

"Just…" Yuuri looked so lost, it made Wolfram's heart clench. "Don't leave?"

Wolf's chest warmed at the request and he squatted down to lock eyes with him better. He wasn't sure how that could be an actual fear. Wolfram never wanted to leave Yuuri's side. "You're going to be okay, Yuuri." he soothed, starting to reach out to cup his cheek before remembering the medicine Vensa had given him and fishing it out. "Say 'ah'!" he teased after unwrapping it and explaining. To his shock, instead of glaring or blushing and refusing, Yuuri just opened his mouth.

Wolfram froze in surprise, staring at the wet, pink tongue waiting expectantly for him. Wolfram gulped as Conrart's voice echoed the word 'gentleman' through his head again. But, Yuuri wanted him to feed it to him. Surely it couldn't be bad to give him what he wanted? His hand seemed to be moving on it's own, and he only remembered at the last moment what Vensa had specified and breathed "She said under your tongue, Yuuri."

The lightest blush finally dusted Yuuri's cheeks, but his tongue obediently lifted. Wolfram felt his own cheeks heat as he carefully placed the medicine into Yuuri's mouth. The other man's teeth lightly scraped the pads of his fingers and his tongue brushed his fingertips when Wolfram was just slightly too slow to pull his hand back. He was suddenly struck by the idea of what it might feel like to have Yuuri capture his fingers in that perfect mouth and-

Yuuri raised an eyebrow at him and the expression was so Conrart it had the word 'Gentleman' bouncing around his head again. Clearing his throat, he forcibly shoved that into the same box as Yuuri pressing into his neck and stood up. "I'm going to go find a bucket."

Yuuri made another sound, almost panicked, and Wolfram had to fight down the urge to just scoop him into his arms. Instead he gave the top of Yuuri's head the lightest of touches and promised to come right back. The grip on his pant leg released and Wolfram headed into the kitchen to try and get ahold of himself. Maybe Weller had been more warranted in giving the warning then Wolfram wanted to admit. But Yuuri was hard to resist normally, let alone when he seemed to want to cling to Wolfram so desperately!

But, Yuuri wasn't acting normally. And it was highly likely that he'd be mortified when he was back to his usual self. That put a sour taste in Wolfram's mouth and he snatched the bucket from under the wash basin and headed back to the living room.

Yuuri's eyes were closed again, his breathing soft and even. He looked so beautiful, even with the bandages wrapped around his temples. Wolfram set the bucket down by his head as quietly as possible and debated taking the opportunity to trace his features but decided not to risk waking him.

Yuuri had said he was cold, and the arm he had used to grab Wolfram before was clutched to his chest now, his legs curled up a bit. He'd raise the fire, then run up stairs and find some blankets. Calling up the fire was easy enough, especially with the flickering embers still present. Still, the power spreading from his fingertips was like an old friend and calmed him down more than anything else probably could. As he took a moment to just breath and watch the fire grow, he felt eyes on him. No one had come in, so he turned back to Yuuri to see his King watching him intently. "I thought you fell asleep."

Yuuri shrugged one shoulder. His eyes seemed clearer than they had since before entering the tavern and they tracked him as he came back to sit by the couch. "How was the medicine?"

Yurri blinked and Wolfram wondered if he had misjudged the clarity of his eyes. "Sorry, what?"

He sighed. "Is the medicine gone?"

Yuuri looked thoughtful and a bulge in his cheek gave away that he was exploring his own mouth and- that thought was going into the box, too. "Seems to be."

"Good. Do you feel any better?"

"Mmm… Pain doesn't seem as bad. That might just be because it's quiet and I'm not moving." he said before tucking his arm even closer to himself. "Still kind of cold, though."

That made Wolfram frown. It was definitely warmer in here with the fire higher. He shouldn't still be cold. "You don't feel warm." he said, pressing the back of his hand to his forehead. "Vensa said there shouldn't be a chance of infection but-" Yuuri's eyes had closed. "Are you asleep again?" he asked, pulling his hand back.

Yuuri groaned, opening his eyes again. "No. You're warm."

Wolfram huffed at that. He was being impossible and now he was sure he had been wrong about his level of awareness. "Are you awake enough for me to ask you something?"

"Probably?" Yuuri replied, not sounding all that sure.

Wolfram sighed and looked down at the floor. This was stupid. He shouldn't be bothering, but... "You reached for me." he said softly, feeling far more vulnerable than he thought he should.

"Huh?"

Wolfram huffed in annoyance, raising his head to half heartedly glare at him. He shouldn't be bothering. Yuuri wasn't even following, probably didn't ever remember. "When we were running for camp. Conrad had you. But, but you reached for me. Why? Was- Was I the one you wanted or…"

Yuuri's eyes had gone distant, making Wolfram wonder what he was seeing. "You were scared." he finally whispered.

"Oh, is that all?" So he thought he looked weak? Tried to make some attempt to protect him? That sounded like something Yuuri would do, even when he was bleeding to death from a head wound.

A hand closed around his sleeve, making him blink and look down at it. "You were really scared." Yuuri said so meaningfully Wolfram had to look back up at him. He wasn't sure if his eyes were clear or not, but they were bright. So bright that he had to double check that his pupils hadn't become slits. "If you're that scared, there must be something to be scared of. So… So I was scared. And I didn't want you left behind. I was scared, and I wanted you with me."

He had wanted him. Yuuri had wanted him. Scared and in pain and already in Weller's arms, he had wanted Wolfram. Yuuri's eyes were locked on his, and he wanted to kiss him, so badly. He could feel himself moving forward, and Yuuri wasn't pulling away. Just watching him with the same bright eyes. Wolfram was close enough to feel Yuuri's quickened breaths across his face-

-Gentleman-

He dodged to the right at the last moment, instead burying his face into Yuuri's neck. Had he really just passed up a chance to kiss Yuuri, where he might have actually kissed him back? He was such an idiot. And he was going to kill Weller for doing this to him.

"W-what…?" Yuuri asked, confused and- was he projecting or did he sound disappointed?

"You did it to me." Wolfram mumbled, glad Yuuri couldn't see his face because he knew it was red. "Only fair."

Yuuri fell quiet, and just when Wolfram thought he fell asleep again, the hand holding his sleeve flattened out and creeped up and across his shoulders. Then Yuuri pulled at him with the same, sleepy strength Greta used to try and get one more bedtime story. "You're warm."

That startled a laugh from Wolfram. "And you're cold?" there was another tug and Wolfram just couldn't deny him. He gently maneuvered Yuuri, being extra cautious with his head, until there was enough room for him to squeeze onto the couch as well. Their bodies slotted together perfectly and Yuuri melted into him, arm snaking over Wolfram's side to hug him close.

Many of the thoughts he had after Yuuri fell into a deep sleep weren't very gentlemanly. But, before he drifted off himself, he spent most of the time admiring Yuuri's happy, relaxed smile.