SAPPHIRE WATER, RUBY FIRE

Author's Note:

At last! Blame school for the late updating! This one is OOC, so I'll just give you an early warning. Mostly ConGre and YuuRam.

Disclaimer: Don't own KKM.

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IMPORTANT NOTICE:

For those who don't understand Maou and Shin'ou's conversation in the previous chapter:

Shin'ou wishes to live again, while the Maou wants to have a body of his own. Shin'ou can grant Maou's wish, but with a price. To live again, Shin'ou needs a body, and Maou have to provide that. Shin'ou's first choice has been Yuuri, but some of the Maou's maryoku is still left in Yuuri's body in the form of a shield, therefore disabling Shin'ou from owning it. Shin'ou wishes for a body of someone that is loved, since the strongest person is someone that is loved the most, and Yuuri is loved passionately by Wolfram and many others. Finally, Shin'ou turns his eyes to Wolfram, who is loved by his family and Yuuri. However, since Yuuri has not realized his feelings yet to Wolfram, Maou's job is to make Yuuri jealous and realize his feelings toward the blonde. In exchange, the Maou gets a body of his own. Meanwhile, it turns out that Yuuri's barrier can be broken if the boy releases his whole power, and the only way to wake that power is if he loses someone the most important to him, in this case Wolfram. Shin'ou then tricks the Maou into a blood-pact that can't be broken. The pact says that if Maou fails in putting Yuuri and Wolfram together, the Maou will have to kill Wolfram in order to awaken Yuuri's power. What both Shin'ou and Maou do not anticipate is for the Maou to fall in love with Wolfram and rebel against Shin'ou. However, in order to prevent the alternative and killing Wolfram from happening, all the Maou can do, and has to do, is to sacrifice his own feelings….

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NOTE:

Songs to hear: Right Here Waiting (Richard Marx) for ConGre part and Perfect World (Simple Plan) for YuuRam part.

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CHAPTER 7: THREE LITTLE WORDS

She had enough of waiting. Three years it had been, and the feeling she had felt that time…the feeling she could not comprehend…now seemed so clear, right in front of her very eyes. It was crystal clear, the sound of her heart pounding, the desperate yearning in her chest, the need to stay in his embrace….

His embrace was warm as ever. She sobbed into his chest, "Uncle Conrad…, I…. Actually, I…. I like you! So much!"

There. She had said it, the three little words.

Now the rest was left to the hands of Fate.

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He cradled her, rocking her back and forth, letting silence claim the whole room, save for her occasional sobs. Her words pounded on his brain, his mind and heart trying to register what in Shin'ou's name was happening. How was he supposed to react? A confession from a thirteen-year-old human girl?

"Greta," he finally said, inhaling deeply for what might come, words hesitant yet comforting. "Are you sure about what you just said?"

A nod. Small, yet determined. Without even a single trace of hesitation.

For a fleeting moment, his hope soared higher than what he normally allowed.

He exhaled, then inhaled again. Even a trained soldier like Conrart Weller would never be prepared for this. Especially if the said soldier was more than one hundred and twenty years old and the said girl was thirteen years old. And even more especially if the said soldier was practically (though informally) the girl's uncle.

"What do you mean by 'like', Greta?" he asked the girl in his arms warmly, still not letting go the girl from his strong embrace. "Tell me."

Demanding. That was how to describe his previous tone. It surprised him, considering he never acted like that. Never that wanting. Never showing his desire.

Yet it seemed that whatever composure he had simply crumbled away in front of those big, warm chocolate eyes.

Greta buried herself deeper into his embrace, as if seeking something that she herself could not comprehend, and he tightened his grip on the girl. "I like you," Greta whispered, barely heard. "So much. Much more than anything."

His soft gaze turned stern when he heard that. He pushed the girl away, enough only to stare into Greta's teary eyes. "Of course I like you too, Greta," he started slowly, hesitantly, searching for signs, any sign, in those chocolate depth. "But I want to ask: what does that 'like' mean?"

Greta's eyes wavered. "Just like what Wolfram feels for Yuuri," she said, voice soft yet never hesitant. "Just like what Yuuri feels for Wolfram, even though Yuuri has not realized it yet…. Just like what they feel for each other…."

He froze upon hearing that. His voice was strained when he spoke again, "Greta, you must have mistaken your affection with paternal love." Tears welled up in Greta's eyes again, and he wiped the stray tears away tenderly. He sighed deeply. "Greta, it isn't as if I didn't take you seriously. However…."

Greta's next words caused his own to falter on the tip of his tongue. "It's not paternal love!" the girl said, shaking her head furiously. "It is different from what I feel toward Yuuri and Wolfram! Very different! I am…I am sure of that!"

The hurt and pain in the girl's voice was clear now, echoing through the whole room, a portrait of long hidden feelings and despair. His heart pounded painfully against his ribcage, and he took in a deep breath. Was that voice echoing her pain? Or his?

"Greta," he said, voice seriously yet this time with tone laced with hope. "Do you know what the name of the feeling is?"

Another shy nod. He waited for an answer.

He needed to hear a sentence before he could assure himself.

"It's…love…," Greta whispered, eyes downcast, unable to look at him in the eyes. "True love..., not paternal love…."

A sob, then a hesitant sentence from the reddish brown haired girl, "I…I love you…."

That was it, the sentence he had been waiting for long, the mild desire he had kept inside, the affection that he had been restraining…. The lock he head secured inside now clicked open, as if its key had been found, fitted in, and turned. Now he was unable to stop that door from swinging open wide, letting the girl in, letting al the sides and feelings he had been hiding, everything that none had seen, to be seen by this particular little girl….

He tilted her chin up gently, warm brown eyes capturing her own. A small, genuine smile spread on his lips. There was no use of going too fast. He had waited for years, and another wait would mean nothing to him. Slowly, he leaned in, kissing her forehead tenderly, with so much affection that Greta could do nothing but blush. Conrad broke their contact and stood up, offering a hand. "Shall this humble knight escort you to your room, my Princess?" he asked softly, smile as warm as sunlight.

She blushed again, accepting the hand. "Will you sing me a lullaby again, Uncle Conrad?" she asked timidly.

"Anything for you, my Princess," the man replied lightly, leading her out of the music room, toward her own room.

And with that, he started to sing.

"Sing to me and call my name

I'll come straightaway and hold you tight

When you cry, I'll wipe your tears away

And take your pain as mine

Hum a melody and greet me now

I'll smile straightaway and embrace you

When you laugh, I'll smile with you

And bring more joy to you

I tell you now, I love you

Don't let go of my hand

I'll protect you throughout the time

I never pass a second without thinking of you

So please tell me that you love me too

Tell me what to do, and I'll

Cross a million oceans now and then

For you, I will cry and laugh

Be it my oath forever

I tell you now, I love you

Don't let go of my hand

I'll protect you throughout the time

I never pass a second without thinking of you

So please tell me that you love me too

I never pass a second without thinking of you

So please tell me…

I love you…

Don't let go of my hand

I'll protect you throughout the time

I never pass a second without thinking of you

So please tell me that you love me too

Please tell me that you love me too

Since I never pass a second without thinking of you…."

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"Yuuri?"

He turned with a yelp, surprised when he heard the soft voice calling out his name. He knew that voice, yet the tone was not right.

"…Wolfram…," he said, letting the name roll off his tongue, savoring how easily he could say it, how it felt…fitting. "Why are you awake?"

Wolfram simply stared back at him, emerald green eyes gleaming beneath the moonlight, the light giving them a silvery layer. "I can't sleep," the blonde admitted, dropping his gaze to the ground.

Yuuri frowned. The reply was uncharacteristic for Wolfram. Soft, vulnerable, somehow filled with pain. Where did the proud mazoku soldier go to? He left his position on the balcony, walking slowly toward the bed. Wolfram watched him in passive silence, the wind ruffling his golden tresses.

He sat right next to where the prince lay, onyx black eyes boring into those mesmerizing emerald depths. "Are you okay?" he asked, tone soft and genuine concern in his eyes, keeping his gaze on the pale blonde.

Wolfram averted his eyes, his bangs sliding and shading his eyes. "I'm fine."

Yuuri found the blonde's hand, and gripped it tightly, almost as if the blonde next to him was about to disappear any moment, any second. 'Which he might,' he added somberly, wincing when he felt how cold Wolfram's hand was.

"Your hand is cold," he said, trying to earn at least a sign of the return of Wolfram's temper. Yet when the prince looked up at him, those green orbs were glistening with unshed tears.

Panic flooded his heart. "Wolf?" he asked cautiously, somehow aware of the pain devouring the other boy's heart down. "What's wrong?"

It was unnerving and unbearable, seeing Wolfram like that. Fragile, just like a piece of glass. So brittle that he looked he might shatter in any second. 'Is this figure what Wolfram hides all along?' he pondered, unconsciously tightening his grip on the blonde's hand. 'What Masato means by 'fragile'?'

Wolfram buried his head into Yuuri's torso, hands clutching on his pajama shirt. Slowly, slightly hesitant, he wrapped his arms around the slightly smaller boy. Even the blonde's body was cold, causing him to tighten his grip even more. A choked sob emitted from the boy in his embrace, and he stiffened.

'What should I do?'

Nearing to exasperation, he opened his mouth and began to sing.

The second song he sang that night, only for Wolfram.

"Don't cry, 'cause I am here next to you

Don't weep, 'cause I am here for you

Smile that usual smile of yours

And I'll surely smile to you in return

Tell me what's wrong immediately

Tell me what's bothering your mind

'Cause I know now that your heart is brittle

Miss your arrogant smirk so much

Don't worry, 'cause I won't let you go

I swear I won't let you down

Trust me, 'cause I've got something

Something I've been wondering upon

Whether it's true or not

Three little words to tell you

"I love you"

Can't believe I did not realize it

From the very beginning

Even now I still have my doubts

But I just wanna see you

Look at me and you'll see

I hope you can understand

What I've been trying to tell you

No need for words right now

Don't worry, 'cause I won't let you go

I swear I won't let you down

Trust me, 'cause I've got something

Something I've been wondering upon

Whether it's true or not

Three little words to tell you

"I love you"

Can't let you go, 'cause I love you

Can't let you down, 'cause I love you

Doubts don't get in my way

'Cause I love you…

I tell you what…

Don't worry, 'cause I won't let you go

I swear I won't let you down

Trust me, 'cause I've got something

Something I've been wondering upon

Whether it's true or not

Three little words to tell you

"I love you"…."

By then, he was cradling Wolfram, rocking the boy back and forth. Slowly, he released the blonde, who retreated a little, green eyes looking into his onyx black eyes, pleading, yearning, longing….

For what?

That pain, that anguish in those orbs, those tears…. All he wanted to do was to wipe them away completely.

His heart was beating faster and faster, the desire growing, expanding, filling his whole chest. Burning, a fire within him, nearly unbearable….

He whispered, simply for the sake of hearing the name from his tongue, "Wolfram…."

He cupped the blonde's cheeks, feeling his own growing hot. But his thoughts were clouded an hazy, with no space to think about trivial things.

He leaned in, savoring the feeling of Wolfram's breath on his face, warm, inviting, somehow shy and filled with hidden pain….

Pain he wanted to erase.

He pulled Wolfram closer, nearly rough in his actions, crushing their lips together in a soft, tender, and chaste kiss.

Words were no longer needed.

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There. Strange? Bad? Awful? I leave all the comments and critics to you! Yay or nay? Review! Next chapter will e up next week.

Aqua Alta