Yuuri had caught him drawing twice in as many days. There was pretty much never enough downtime on their excursions where he didn't feel the need to watch Yuuri like a hawk, so he rarely sketched when they were out. But with such big stretches of the journey with Yuuri asleep and Wolfram having nothing to do, and with an image stuck in his mind's eye, he had decided to take advantage of the opportunity.

He was regretting it, now, with Yuuri asking to let him see. He'd give Yuuri anything, but after he had been so dismissive of Wolfram's painting, he had avoided doing anything art related around him. But now he was asking to see Wolfram's silly little sketches so earnestly…

"Fine. Come here. But you're not allowed to say anything." He said, deciding to just show him what he'd been working on. He was more embarrassed about drawing in general than he was about drawing Yuuri. If Yuuri thought it was weird, it was his own fault for asking.

Yuuri looked like an excited kid being given a gift as he scrambled to sit beside him. Wolfram shook his head at him but lowered the book so he could see and Yuuri gasped.

"Wolfram-"

"I said don't say anything!"

"This is amazing." And then he was pulling the book from Wolfram's stunned hands. His voice sounded similar to when he got excited talking about his 'baseball' and it was over Wolfram's silly sketches? "You really drew this? And while in a bumpy cart, too? When was this from?" Yuuri looked up at him and his eyes were so bright with excitement and awe that Wolfram did not know what to do with it.

"It's… when you first opened your eyes, after you hit your head yesterday." he said, feeling dazed by Yuuri's enthusiasm over something he had made.

Yuuri looked back at the drawing with a thoughtful expression. "Can I see more?"

"You said just one!" he exclaimed, feeling his face heat more than it already was.

"I know! But this is so good, Wolfram!" Yuuri praised, looking up at him again. His sincerity felt like a spotlight and Wolfram was struggling to think in the face of it. "Really! I didn't know you were this good! Can I please see more?"

Wolfram swallowed hard. How could he possibly say no to that? "You're not allowed to just flip through it." he said, pulling the sketchbook back and angling it so Yuuri couldn't see it as he started searching for something he'd be comfortable with showing him. This book had an almost embarrassing amount of Yuuri sketches and he didn't feel like starting up a discussion on why Yuuri was his favorite subject to draw. Greta was a safe enough topic, and he found a spread of random people from the castle he had done one day while bored. He could feel the force of Yuuri's curiosity as he sorted through the book, but when he turned it back to him, his face lit up.

"Greta!" Yuuri practically cheered. His obvious love for their daughter made Wolfram feel warm. "Wow. Seriously, Wolfram, this is really good."

"Thanks," he managed, slowly adjusting to the praise Yuuri was heaping onto him. He flipped to the next page he had picked. The way Yuuri breathed out 'Wolf' like these simple sketches he'd done while bored were the most amazing thing he'd ever seen made Wolfram feel lightheaded. He turned to the spread he was probably the most proud of in the whole book and watched Yuuri's eyes warm at the sight of Greta reading.

"How come I haven't caught you doing these before?"

Wolfram shrugged. "I usually only do it when you've gone back to Earth. Or are busy with Gwendel and Gunter." he said, his thumb tracing over Greta's adorable little face. "I usually bring a book with me, but we rarely have the time for me to do anything with it."

"I love them," Yuuri breathed and Wolfram lost any breath he'd had in his lungs at the statement. Yuuri loved them? Loved something he had created?

"R-really?" he managed after a moment. "You hated my painting."

"I didn't hate it." Yuuri said, and Wolfram still didn't believe him. "I just didn't get it. I still don't think I do, sorry. These are amazing, though." he said, looking back up to Wolfram's face with such an earnest look. "Can I watch you?"

"Wha-!" Wolfram sputtered, trying to picture drawing Yuuri's face with Yuuri actively watching and not even being able to fathom it. "N-not drawing you!"

"Ok." Yuuri said with an easy shrug, like he wasn't making Wolfram internally panic. "Something else, then? Oh! Can you draw me you?"

Wolfram wrinkled his nose at the idea. He'd done it before, as part of his lessons, but he didn't really like examining his own face that much. It just started looking more and more like his mother's to him. "That's too hard to do without a mirror." He said, because it was also the truth. "Believe it or not, I'm not vain enough to stare at myself for hours for no reason."

Yuuri smirked, eyes darkening a bit in a way that was still new to Wolfram. "But you stare at me that much?"

Wolfram's blush flared. Yuuri had no idea how much of his face Wolfram had memorized. How many times he had drawn him, even expressions Wolfram had only imagined. He wasn't ashamed of that. Yuuri was the love of his life and his Fiance, but-

- I don't know if I'll ever be okay with it, honestly. -

If he brought up the engagement now, it might ruin the moment. Might make Yuuri revert back early, and he wanted to spend as much time with him like this as possible.

Yuuri broke his internal turmoil by nudging him with his shoulder and chuckling. "So something else, then."

Wolfram felt tension drain away as he flipped the sketchbook to a fresh page and propped it against his knee again. "Like what?"

"I dunno. One of the horses?"

"Animals can be annoying." Wolfram muttered, mostly to himself as he looked out the back of the cart to take in one of the horses behind them. As he got to work, Yuuri rested his head on his shoulder. Despite feeling like he still had his normal level of focus, Yuuri's presence was a steady constant that had a fluttery feeling hanging in his stomach.

Yuuri never went this long without talking, though, so once he had the linework down he asked "Did you go back to sleep?"

"Mm-mm." Yuuri's cheek rubbed against Wolfram's shoulder as he shook his head. "Keep going! It looks really good."

Wolfram felt a blush rise again. He didn't think he'd ever been praised this much by anyone, let alone Yuuri. And especially on something other than his looks. "Is this actually enjoyable to you or are you just that bored?" he said, still having trouble wrapping his mind around someone caring so much about his stupid little sketchs. "We can do something else."

"No, I like it!" Yuuri insisted, tilting his head back and looking up at Wolfram through his eyelashes. "Unless it's bothering you… I've never watched someone draw before. It's really cool."

The fluttery feeling in his stomach grew stronger. "It- it doesn't bother me." he said softly. Focusing on the drawing was easier than thinking about the way this whole thing made him feel, but still he said, "No one's ever watched me like this. I guess my teachers did, when I first started as a kid, but even they'd just eventually check on my progress. Mother likes to see them, and I show Gwendel sometimes, but…"

"You don't show them to other people?" Yuuri filled in. "But, why? They're so good."

"They're just sketches. They're practice for real art."

"That doesn't sound fair to them at all." Yuuri said, sounding offended. "They're beautiful, Wolf. They're already art."

Wolfram shook his head. "Art is always big paintings and things for people to stand around and admire." he said, thinking of all the large scale paintings that adorned the walls of Blood Pledge Castle as well as the castles in both Voltaire and Bielefeld territories. They had always been what he had aspired to when he was younger. "And lots of people can do realism. There's nothing special about that."

Yuuri was shifting, taking Wolfram's chin between his fingers and turning his head from the paper to lock eyes with him. "If that's what your teachers told you, they sound stupid." he said, his eyes bright with convinction. "These drawings are special to you and they're special to me. That's more than enough to make them art."

Wolfram could only stare at him in wonder for a moment. Yuuri clearly saw him not considering the sketches art as a grave injustice and it made Wolfram's head spin. "Okay," Wolfram finally breathed, licking his lips and noticing how Yuuri's gaze turned a shade darker. "If the King declares them art, they must be art."

That made Yuuri break out in a smile that warmed Wolfram's chest. Then he ran his thumb over Wolfram's bottom lip before letting go and any other thought seemed to leave his head. Had Yuuri wanted to kiss him, just then? Why didn't he? Instead he was snuggling back into Wolfram's side, returning his cheek to his shoulder. Was he being a tease on purpose? Had Wolfram just imagined the whole thing? In the end he just cleared his throat, deciding to shove it into the overflowing mental box of things to be examined and thought about later and went back to the drawing.

Like everything he did for Yuuri, Wolfram felt a drive to give the drawing his all, even if it was just a simple sketch of a horse. That and, the longer he worked at it, the longer he could enjoy Yuuri's happy, quiet presence on his shoulder. Yuuri liked watching him create things… It was a surprisingly heady feeling. "If I work at it anymore, I think I'll ruin it."

"It's gorgeous." Yuuri said from his shoulder, making Wolfram's cheeks heat up again. "Thank you for letting me watch."

"Mm." Wolfram sounded. "Do you want to keep it?" He had done it specifically for him, afterall.

"Can I?" Yuuri said with such excitement that it made his stomach do a backflip. "I don't have a safe way to transport it, though. It'll get all wrinkled."

"It's just a horse drawing- ow!" Wolfram flinched back from where Yuuri had pinched his arm. "What was that for?!"

"Quit talking down your work." Yuuri said sternly. "It's amazing and you did it for me. So it's not 'just' a horse drawing. Keep it safe for me till we get back to the castle?"

Despite the annoyance at being pinched, warmth still spread through him. Yuuri cared that much about something he had created. Had sat there and watched him bring it to life. Years of comments from other people told him the sketches were just practice for bigger and better things, but… His King had declared them Art. A small smile crept onto his face as he closed the sketchbook, promising to take care of the drawing for him and convincing Yuuri to return his bag. Then he finally wrapped his arms around Yuuri again, feeling so thankful for him and not knowing how to express it. He was saved from having to even try, though, since Yuuri's breathing quickly evened out in a tell tale sign of sleep.

Wolfram had to laugh a bit at that. Leave it to Yuuri to rock the very foundations of his beliefs and then go immediately to sleep.

A feeling of dread kept growing the later it became. Wolfram tried his best to ignore it, push it away and enjoy what time he had left with Yuuri. But the cold thing in his stomach kept pointing out all the liberties he had been taking the last few days and whispering about how much he would regret the consequences. Normal Yuuri didn't even want to share a bed with him. And Wolfram had gone and put his fingers in his mouth and boldly talked about sexual fantasies last night. Yuuri had been flirting back with him since then, but would that be another thing Yuuri would blame him for once he was healed? No matter how much he tried to just enjoy being with Yuuri now, it felt like there was a quickly emptying hour glass hanging above his head. By lunchtime tomorrow, this would all be over.

Wolfram still fed Yuuri his medicine, since his black eyes had lit up with excitement when he'd pulled it out and he didn't have the heart to say no. Still, he tried to be as chaste about it as possible. Maybe he could make up for last night and Yuuri wouldn't be as upset with him when he went back to normal.

This Yuuri, however, wasn't having it. "Just- Stop!" Yuuri said, grabbing both Wolfram's shoulders and giving them a shake. "Stop… bracing for me to hurt you! I hate it. It's like the first day in the cart. You just looked so resigned to me changing my mind, even though you'd be hurt if I did!"

"In all fairness," Wolfram said, remembering how guilty Yuuri had looked, tugging on his arm. "You did warn me."

"That wasn't about this!" Yuuri shouted, eyes burning with a righteous anger that was usually reserved for people doing something terrible. He shoved Wolfram hard enough that he fell back, barely catching himself on his elbows and he stared up at him in shock. He had fought with Yuuri countless times. Even when he was this riled up about some cause or another, it was rare for him to actually be physical with Wolfram. It tended to be the other way around, if at all, when Wolfram would get to worked up trying to get his point across.

"That was about me probably getting anxious about public displays of affection, not me suddenly deciding that I hate you, or whatever you've decided is going to happen! I don't want you to be hurt by anyone, least of all me, and I definitely don't want you to just lay down and accept it!"

Just lay down and accept it? Is that what he thought he was doing?! He felt anger rising in him and he let it. Let it burn away the jumble of other emotions that had been trying to suffocate him all evening. "What else am I supposed to do, Yuuri?!" He had desperately been trying to salvage this situation so he hopefully wouldn't lose Yuuri completely! "I can't say no to you. Even if I could, then you'd be hurt! There's no good outcome here!"

"You can listen to me, you idiot!" Yuuri said, throwing his arms out wide in frustration. "I want to be with you! There's no evidence to support that that's suddenly going to change once my head is healed. If anything, there's evidence to show the opposite. I know I can't prove it to you right now, but I'm going to! I just need you to have not already given up!"

Yuuri's words sounded like a siren's song and Wolfram wanted to believe it so badly. But the cold serpent coiled tighter around his stomach and he looked away. Yuuri always pulled away, eventually. He had always tried to enjoy the few moments in between, let them be enough. But the harder Wolfram pushed and tried, the harder Yuuri always pulled away. And he had pushed and tried so hard these last few days…

-You don't deserve him anyway. You're nothing but a pretty face-

"Do you really think so low of yourself that it's impossible to believe I'd want you, after all of this? That I could only recognize your feelings as being real when I have brain damage?" Yuuri's voice was pitched low, sounding like a reprimand and it felt like a knife to Wolfram's chest, like he knew of Wolfram's worst thoughts. He wanted Yuuri to stop. If he didn't- if he didn't then all those emotions he had tried to burn up would come pouring out and Wolfram couldn't stand the thought of facing them.

Instead, Yuuri was pushing forward until he was suspended over Wolfram's sprawled body. He grabbed his chin and made him face him. This was forceful and still angry. Nothing like the gentle way Yuuri had taken his chin between his fingers earlier. Then he started to glow, pupils becoming slits as he spoke. The same voice that had made his most serious declarations and abolished the most egregious actions of his opponents. "You are not worthless, Wolfram von Bielefeld."

Wolfram was pretty sure his heart had stopped functioning. He'd only had to face the full force of the Maoh head on once before, and that had been in punishment for letting his anger get out of control. Now it seemed to be for letting his self doubt cloud his oath to listen to his King.

"Even when I was an ass to you, I still wanted you by my side. Still depended on you. The only thing that's changed is that I've realized what an idiot I've been. Nothing about tomorrow is going to make that realization go away. Do you understand?"

He hadn't lied when he told Yuuri his mind had thought over instances of his transformations in different contexts after the fact. The way he was talking right now was much more Yuuri, just with the voice and power of the Maoh. Wolfram wasn't sure what was happening, but he finally felt his heart start to beat again, now racing to make up for lost time. He couldn't make himself speak, so he nodded instead. If Yuuri felt that strongly, strong enough to be outraged enough to become the Maoh… surely it couldn't be as bad as Wolfram built it up to be.

If the Maoh said he wanted him, surely a healed brain wouldn't change that, right?

"And I want you to know," Yuuri, the Maoh, whichever or both continued, pulling Wolfram out of his thoughts. "The only reason I'm not kissing you right now is because, when I do, I want to be sure you believe it."

Wolfram felt his face turn red, but then Yuuri's eyes were closing, the glow fading as he collapsed on top of him. Wolfram was too stunned to do much more than make sure he didn't slide off his chest and risk hitting his head.

Had- had that really just happened? There was a ringing silence that Wolfram slowly realized was from all sound of the camp ceasing.

"Wolfram?" Weller called, sounding like he was just outside the tent.

It took a couple tries before Wolfram managed to make his voice work. "We're okay. He- he's asleep, now."

"And are you alright?"

Wolfram swallowed hard. "I'm… I'm okay, Conrart." He said quietly. "I wasn't listening to him." He said, feeling a smile creep onto his face despite his still racing heart. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of Yuuri's head. "How dare I."

Conrart was quiet for a moment. Sounds of camp gradually started picking back up again. "Alright. Do you need anything?"

Wolfram shook his head even though Conrart couldn't see. "We're okay." He said again, petting the black hair that wasn't held down by bandages. "I'll- I'll let you know if it changes?"

He could hear the smile in Conrart's voice. "Thank you. I'll leave His Majesty to you, then."

Wolfram smiled, feeling a swell of pride fill him. He wasn't sure he deserved it, since he'd just angered Yuuri into Maoh mode, but he couldn't help it. He heard Conrart walk away and held Yuuri close for a long while, trying to will the adrenaline out of his system. The weight of his love on his chest was a comfort and he found himself trailing his fingers up and down Yuuri's back even though he knew his fiancé was too deep in sleep to feel it. It was more for Wolfram's peace of mind, anyway.

As the camp started to quiet down and his heart was finally back to a normal rhythm, Wolfram gently removed Yuuri's jacket and settled him on his side while he dressed down himself. Finally he laid down next to him, replacing the bundle of blankets he'd used to pillow Yuuri's head with his own arm and took advantage of Yuuri's post-Maoh sleep to trace his features with his fingertips.

He was so heartbreakingly beautiful. And, maybe, Wolfram would actually be lucky enough to have him. He was still nervous about tomorrow, but he was hopeful now, too. Yuuri-Maoh had said he wanted to kiss him so he'd believe it…

Despite himself, he couldn't stop replaying how he'd said that, and the way he'd said his name. He was making himself an entirely different kind of excited that probably wouldn't be appropriate to take care of even if experience told him nothing was likely to wake Yuuri in this state. It certainly didn't sound like the gentlemanly thing to do. It took a bit, but he finally felt confident that those thoughts were shoved into the now battered mental box.

Wolfram pulled Yuuri against him. Yuuri wasn't as responsive in this state as he was when he was sleeping normally. No happy little sleep sounds as he instinctively snuggled closer to Wolfram. But that was okay. Wolfram was confident now that this, at least, was allowed. "I love you, Yuuri." He whispered, pressing a kiss to his forehead before closing his eyes and letting sleep claim him.

Yuuri's words were lost on the Raiders. They had laughed in the King's face before charging. Wolfram had pulled Yuuri behind him as Conrart had rushed forward to engage. The wimp hadn't even bothered bringing a normal sword with him, let alone Morgif who could help make up for the King's lack of skill. So Wolfram hadn't rushed into the fray since Yuuri's safety was far more important. The battle was chaotic, though, and enough Raiders made it past Conrart that Wolfram was still kept busy. Doing enough to only debilitate was honestly more difficult than just slaying them, but it was Yuuri's will.

"Wolfram, lookout!"

Wolfram spun, the dread already gripping him.

-No no no no-

Yuuri seemed to hang in the air as the Raider leader finished his follow through.

-He didn't want to see this.-

Then Yuuri crumbled like paper and Wolfram surged forward with a scream, sword stabbing up under the bulky man's ribs at just the right angle to pierce his heart, even as he laughed. The laughter continued as Wolfram pulled the sword free.

-No, don't look, don't look, he didn't want to see- -

Wolfram collapsed to his knees. Yuuri was laying in an ocean of his own blood, staring up at him with blank eyes. "How… could you…"

-No, that wasn't- he hadn't- -

"CONRART!" Wolfram screamed, but when he looked up, his brother stood there, glaring at him with open hatred.

His brown uniform was gone, instead he wore the blood soaked armor he had returned from Luttenberg in. "Trusting him to you was a mistake. You were never worthy of Yuuri."

"No!" Wolfram pleaded. "Save him! Please!" He looked back down, but Yuuri's eyes were empty and dead. "NO! Yuuri, come back! Please come back!" He reached for his Fiance, but where he touched crumbled to dust. "YUURI!"

The laughing grew louder around him and a cold, sourceless voice said "You didn't deserve him. Who would even want a spoiled child like you? Death must be a release."

"Yuuri!" Wolfram begged through sobs, desperately trying to hold him even though his body continued to crumble as if it was made of sand. "Come back!"

A hand grabbed his shoulder as the last of Yuuri's face dissolved into nothing. Wolfram was jerked around roughly and then he was hanging in the air, the Maoh's hands around his throat. "Y-Yuuri!" He gasped, but there was nothing of Yuuri in the Maoh's furious face.

"You have allowed my vessel to perish!" The Maoh's voice boomed.

"Bring him back," Wolfram begged through choked sobs. "Please- I'll do anything!"

Black slitted eyes narrowed. "You shall perish as well." He declared, hand tightening.

Wolfram tried to keep begging for Yuuri's life, but he could no longer breath-

Wolfram woke with a strangled gasp, jerking up into a sitting position, hand going to his throat but there was nothing there. The tent came into focus and he frantically looked down to find Yuuri peacefully sleeping, though his head was now at an odd angle without Wolfram's arm as a pillow. "Yuuri," he breathed, but it came out as more of a sob. He hesitated to touch him, fearful he'd crumble away again.

Wolfram held his hand in front of Yuuri's face, letting his rhythmic, soft breaths slowly push the dream away. He was alive. Yuuri was alive. Wolfram repeated it to himself like a mantra, watching the rise and fall of Yuuri's chest. Finally he lightly touched Yuuri's neck, fingers finding the spot Conrart had checked once he was sure Yuuri wouldn't crumble. His pulse was strong and steady and Wolfram laid back down pressing his forehead to Yuuri's so he could feel Yuuri's breath mix with his own. He kept his fingers pressed against his neck, letting the rhythm of Yuuri's heart comfort him. He hadn't failed him completely. His love was still here. Still breathing. Still wanting him near.

Green eyes drifted closed again eventually, but that same, cold laughter was waiting for him, a pressure around his throat-

Wolfram jerked himself back awake. He had never had dreams like these in his adult life. Even as a child when dreams of fighting and his brothers' dying would send him running to his mother's arms, he didn't remember them being so persistent. He wished he could wake Yuuri, selfishly ask for comfort. But there was no waking him after a Maoh episode until his body was ready for it.

Wolfram pulled Yuuri close, trying to still take comfort from his unresponsive form. It did help, but the longer he held him, the more sleep pulled at him. Wolfram couldn't take anymore dreams and eventually rolled away from Yuuri. For once he was the one putting space between them.

As the sky began to lighten outside, Wolfram watched with mild fascination at the way the shadows changed on Yuuri's face. Sounds of camp beginning to wake started to come through the tent walls. Wolfram was just starting to wonder if the Maoh episode was enough to keep Yuuri knocked out for days when the King's face scrunched up in a tell tale sign of waking. Wolfram quietly watched as life seemed to fill Yuuri again. The absolute inertness Yuuri entered after becoming the Maoh was always a bit unnerving, but watching him come to had always been fascinating to Wolfram. Even though it always meant he was about to pull away from his hold.

Black eyes opened with a frown and Yuuri immediately jumped at seeing him. "Gah! Jesus, Wolfram."

Wolfram's eyes narrowed, happy to at last have a distraction. "You went Maoh on me."

"Is that why you're not cuddling me right now?"

The pouty, almost insulted tone made something fluttering Wolfram's chest. So different from every other time he'd woken. "You're obnoxious!" He said, tiredly burying a hand into his own hair.

"You're not allowed to be mad at me. You deserved it."

"Mad isn't the right word." Wolfram said, rolling onto his back. Yuuri's angry glare was just enough to remind Wolfram of the Maoh in his dream. "I can't believe you went Maoh on me!" Surely that was to blame for him being added to his dream? "That has to be cheating somehow."

"I tried talking to you about it, but you refused to listen! And I wasn't trying to go Maoh, I was just trying to make you believe me." Yuuri sounded angry, like he was picking up the fight from last night again. "And something must be wrong, because you're not even touching me. Do you still not-"

"I was holding you, earlier." Wolfram interrupted. Yuuri thinking he didn't want to hold him would never be acceptable and Wolfram didn't have the energy to revisit an argument Yuuri had already won. "We just… ended up this way by the time you woke up."

Yuuri lifted himself up on his elbows and Wolfram avoided looking at him, already feeling shame for fearing something as childish as bad dreams enough to not hold Yuuri.

"Have you not slept?"

"I did. Technically. For a bit once I finally calmed down after facing you in Maoh mode."

"What do you mean, technically?"

Wolfram shrugged, avoiding looking Yuuri in the eye. "It just... wasn't very restful."

Yuuri frowned. "Was it a nightmare?"

Wolfram finally looked back at him, startled. "How did you-?"

"You had one the night before. I was able to make it go away."

"What? How?"

Yuuri shrugged. "Laying on you." Wolfram's jaw dropped. He had noticed the change in their positions that morning, but had been too happy about it to think about it too much. Yuuri had consciously decided to position them that way? Even though he had freaked out about the same position less than 24 hours before? "Was it about me getting hurt? You said my name, before…"

Wolfram looked away from him again, a feeling of shame returning. "Kind of. It started with what actually happened, but then it just got worse and worse…"

"What time do you think it is?"

Wolfram blinked several times, taking a minute to steer his mind away from the dream. He finally looked back up at Yuuri. The leftover anger seemed to be gone at least. "Early, but I'm pretty sure I heard someone starting breakfast already."

Yuuri deflated a bit before sitting up and reaching for his shoes. "So there's no time for you to nap now. I'll take down the tent this time. You go get food and then you can nap in the cart."

There was an authority to his voice but Wolfram still bucked at it, sitting up quickly as well. "What? No, I'm fine, I can do it. Besides, you're injured." Did he think he was too weak to care for him just because of some stupid dreams?

"I feel fine today. Don't even have a headache." Yuuri said as he put his jacket back on.

"But-"

"I'm not letting you win this time, Wolf." Yuuri said, turning back to him and cupping his cheek. Wolfram felt himself melt at the touch, soaking in the comfort he had been longing for all night. Yuuri gave him such a warm smile that made Wolfram never wanted to move again. "I'm sure you're capable of forcing yourself, but you don't have to. I can handle a tent. And I'm allowed to take care of you."

"But it's my job to take care of you." He replied, knowing he was being petulant and not caring.

Yuuri's smile grew as if Wolfram's childishness was something to be cherished. "It's our job to take care of each other," he said warmly. Wolfram wanted to hold his hand in place and curl up into that gentle, caring warmth that was shining from Yuuri's black eyes and never worry about anything else ever again. "Now," Yuuri said, petting his cheek with his thumb and it felt a bit like a bubble breaking with an inaudible pop. "Are you going to let me or do I have to start dishing out official orders?"

Wolfram worked up a glare because it felt expected but couldn't keep it up long. "Fine. You can have your way. And people call me spoiled." He was rewarded with a grin and the hand on his cheek pulling him forward. Yuuri pressed his lips to Wolfram's forehead and Wolfram felt his breath leave him. Then the King was pulling away, happily starting to fold up the blankets and Wolfram immediately missed the closeness. If he protested more, would Yuuri come back? Continue to convince him with gentle touches and chaste kisses? Wolfram shook his head and started getting dressed. Weariness was making him unusually soft hearted. But, still… "Yuuri?" Wolfram silently cursed himself for how… needy he sounded, but pressed on anyway. "Did you mean what you said last night? About us having a bond?" He refused to look back at Yuuri, not wanting him to see how desperate his hope was.

"I don't know if it's magical or actually has anything to do with you feeling warmer to me." Yuuri replied. "But we definitely have a bond and it's definitely gotten stronger these last few days."

"Was it there even before you got hurt?"

"Definitely. You're my best friend, Wolf." There was that word again- "I know it's not as much as you've wanted to be, but it's still important. Even if I still wasn't interested in trying to be more, now, I wouldn't want to hurt my best friend."

Wolfram finished tugging on his boot and finally turned to him, wanting to see his expression. "But, you do want to try being more?"

"Duh. Or else I wouldn't have been so angry with you last night." he gave him a dopey grin, but his eyes were so warm and sincere that Wolfram thought he could really believe him.

Feeling reassured once again, his thoughts drifted back to Maoh/Yuuri's parting words and he couldn't help but feel excited about the prospect again. "So, you meant what you said before you passed out, then?" The more he had ran through it, the clearer it became that the speech pattern had been all Yuuri. The Maoh always had a more elegant, long winded way of speaking.

"Hm?" Yuuri asked, looking back at the blankets. It was such an obvious bluff that it made Wolfram smirk and crawl closer.

"About kissing me." Yuuri wasn't blushing, which Wolfram found fascinating. His love had started playing along with him, flirting back and even winning a couple rounds of this game they were developing. But he was still prone to turning as red as a lava carp when things turned intimate. It was all still very new and it thrilled Wolfram to no end.

"Sorry, You know I don't remember things from Maoh form well." It was a bold face lie in this case, and Wolfram was close enough to see the corners of Yuuri's mouth twitch as he fought back a smile.

Wolfram wanted to kiss him. Lick into his mouth and push him back into the blankets, dig his hands under Yuuri's layers until he found flesh and drag his hands up Yuuri's chest. "I've almost kissed you," he said, voice thick with his longing. "So many times."

Yuuri turned to him then, their faces so close he could feel his breath mixing with his own. "Why didn't you?"

Wolfram sighed, actively trying not to scowl as Conrart's warning popped into his mind again. "It didn't seem like the gentlemanly thing to do, when you were so out of it."

"I would have let you." His voice was quiet but not breathy, black eyes not darkened with new found lust. It was just a statement of fact.

"I know." Because he did. It's what had made the forced restraint so torturous.

That, of all things, finally drew a blush from Yuuri and Wolfram realized there was still so much he didn't know about how Yuuri's mind worked. His King reached up and buried his fingers in his hair and it felt so right and nice. Intimate. "Once my head's healed. And you can't doubt it anymore. Okay?"

Wolfram couldn't help but lick his lips in anticipation. He wanted it now, was so very tempted to just lean in and take it. But, despite Yuuri's multiple and convincing assurances, there was still a small cold spot in the pit of his stomach that he just couldn't shake. He wanted to know for sure that his first kiss with Yuuri was real. "Just a few hours, then, yeah?"

"Yeah…" and now his eyes were darkening. There was a heat building between them the longer they stayed so close. Wolfram felt his breath quickening, sure his eyes must be at least as dark as Yuuri's with how badly he wanted it-

Something banged out in camp and it was like a spell breaking. Wolfram sat back and Yuuri leaned away, sucking in a deep breath.

Wolfram swallowed hard, forcing his breathing to even out. "You're really not going to let me take down the tent?"

Yuuri gave him a brief, thankful look before putting on a grin. "Nope!" he said with an excessive amount of cheer. "And, if you don't hurry up, I'm going to make you let me dress you, too."

Wolfram smirked even as he obediently returned to getting dressed. "You say that like it'd be a punishment." he said, relishing at the light blush that reappeared on Yuuri's cheeks but also the mischievous glint that sparked in his eyes.

"Wouldn't you rather I be taking it off of you?"

Wolfram made an embarrassing sound, hand completely missing his jacket's arm hole as the image bloomed in his mind, complete with Yuuri kissing down his neck, their legs intertwined…

Once he was able to blink out of the fantasy, it was to see Yuuri wearing the most victorious grin. Oh. Once they were more settled into this new kind of intimacy they were starting, Wolfram was going to make him regret his wins.

Yuuri had shooed him away from the tent to get breakfast a short while later. Conrart raised a questioning eyebrow at him as he grabbed two egg sandwiches but Wolfram gave him a small smile and a head shake. They were okay. Better than okay. In a few hours, he'd be kissing Yuuri! Conrart returned his small smile and gave him a nod before returning his attention to Yozak. That filled him with a fluttery bit of pride. He was still entrusting Yuuri to him.

He was honestly surprised the tent was even down by the time he wandered back to his King. Down, but it looked like he'd just crumpled it up and was attempting to shove it back into the travel bag. "That looks atrocious." Wolfram informed him flatly

"Well, it's not like it has to stay in there long."

They headed back to the cart with a companionable air. Even with how charged things had felt between them earlier, Yuuri didn't seem awkward about it at all and Wolfram reveled in it. Would this become their new baseline? With flirtation taking the place of Yuuri's protests and then more charged, intimate moments in private? Even as Wolfram's heart longed for it, the cold spot in his stomach stirred. Wolfram frowned at the feeling, stuffing what was left of his sandwich into his mouth in hopes that it might make the feeling leave.

Yuuri made a show of tucking him in and it made Wolfram feel so warm and taken care of that even the cold spot in his stomach disappeared.

"You're ridiculous." he said fondly.

"You love it."

"I do."

Yuuri blushed and Wolfram felt like it was a point in his favor. This competition was so much better than the one for Yuuri's attention he had been trapped in for so long. It was the closest he'd come to telling Yuuri that he loved him without Yuuri freaking out. When he requested head scratches, Yuuri complied and Wolfram felt himself melt against him. Both his mother and Conrart used to do this for him when he was younger, to calm him down or help him get to sleep. It invoked the same feelings when Yuuri did it. A feeling of safety, love and comfort.

He hadn't even registered falling asleep until Yuuri was waking him. Unfortunately, the cold, slimy thing in his stomach had returned and seemed to be growing the closer they crept to the Shrine. By the time the Sage had come out to greet them, Wolfram felt like he was choking on it. He grabbed Yuuri before he could leave the cart, desperate for more reassurances. Or to say goodbye if this really was it. But, Yuuri would be upset if he tried to do that. "...You're kissing me when you come back out, right?"

Yuuri smiled and leaned in, making Wolfram's eyes go wide as he watched him. Had he decided to just do it now?! But then his lips were pressing against the tip of his nose and a flood of butterflies were suddenly battling the cold, slimy serpent for space in his stomach. "Definitely." Yuuri said with the same kind of determination he had when he was confident a plan would work. And then he was gone, following Murata into the temple.

Wolfram sat there a bit shell shocked for a moment before slowly climbing out of the cart as well. Yuuri was going to come back and kiss him, he told the cold feeling firmly and the increase of butterflies seemed to help push it away. He wanted to be standing, and not have to waste time on Yuuri having to climb back into the cart. He wanted to go into the temple courtyard to wait. Surely the priestesses would let him. But having his first kiss with Yuuri on holy ground felt like a strange concept for some reason.

"Everything alright, Wolfram?"

He turned and gave his brother another smile. "Mm. What are the chances Brother won't immediately shut Yuuri away in an office when we get back?"

Conrart's expression was amused. "Small. You have your own duties to catch up on, as well." He reminded.

Wolfram sighed. It was true. He needed to check in with his troop and catch up on the news from Bielefeld territory. He was already missing the casual free time the cart ride had allowed them. Still, they'd be alone in their bed tonight. Yuuri wouldn't need medicine anymore, but Wolfram was sure he could find something else to feed him-

"MURATA N-" Yuuri's voice rang out.

Wolfram whirled around in time to see two sets of legs disappear into the fountain.

There was a strange ringing in his ears as he continued to stare. He'd seen Yuuri get whisked away enough times that there wasn't really any hope that he'd pop back up like it had just been a bout of clumsiness. The butterflies had disappeared as if they had been made of smoke and that horrible cold feeling seemed to be filling him. Snaking up and wrapping tightly around his throat until it could whisper in his ear.

-He left you.-

No. Yuuri had been so sure nothing would change! He always said he didn't have any control over leaving.

-But Murata always seems to. And he had called out to him.-

No.

-He didn't want to see you again.-

No. No. He was supposed to come back out, wrap Wolfram in his arms and-

-He hates you. You were right all along.-

"Wolfram!" Conrart was forcibly turning him away from the shrine, face creased in worry. Had he been trying to talk to him?

"He left." Wolfram said, voice sounding small and young even to his own ears. He felt tears stinging his eyes and then Conrart was pulling him against him, hugging him tight.

Wolfram hadn't allowed such a gesture in years, but now he was so very tempted to accept the comfort. But he could feel sobs building up in his throat and he wouldn't break down here, in front of soldiers and shrine maidens alike. He took a large, steadying breath before pushing Conrart away. The man let him, his arms falling back to his sides. "We should get back to the castle and inform Brother." His voice sounded more normal, if a bit hollow. Wolfram turned, refusing to look at the cart and instead going to untether Peaches from the other horse they'd had her following. Ao gave a huff from where he was tethered nearby and Wolfram gave his nose a gentle pat. "He's always leaving you too, huh?" he whispered, pressing his forehead briefly to the beautiful black horse's snout before climbing up onto Peaches. "Let's go home, girl."