Chapter 14

It's GwendalXGunter-time again! :D Aw yeah!

Gunter chuckled softly as the king, now with his chemise buttoned the right way, and his husband disappeared around the corner, mingling with the wedding party guests again.

„I think I know what these two were doing," he laughed, a sheepish grin on his face.

„I think I don't want to know," Gwendal responded, frowning as always. He really didn't want to know what kind of things his brother was doing with his boyfriend in their room.

But his attention was quickly drawn at the white-haired counselor again, as the latter leaned back to the wall, sighing heavily. Yet, he was not smiling any more.

„Still bothered by the same thing, Gunter?"

„Uhm, kind of. But you don't have to worry about me."

Gwendal raised an eyebrow, remembering that episode from a few hours ago. „We should join the party again." That will surely cheer him up.

Another sigh. „Okay, well then."

„And by the way, try to laugh again," the dark-haired mazoku added.

„That's coming from the right person," Gunter winked, one edge of his lips twitching upwards again. With that, he turned on his heel and strode down the hallway, with a reassuring glance at the other one after the first steps. Gwendal followed him quickly.

A few hours later, night had come upon the company in the castle hall.

Gunter was watching the few people who were still dancing. A lot, mostly politicians and royals from other countries, had already departed or gone to sleep. Only the people living in Blood Pledge Castle were still here. He took another sip of his wine. He had had several glasses throughout the day, and he knew it was enough already.

He decided to drink less.

Gwendal sat by his side, as he had done all the time, when there wasn't any young lady around whom he was supposed to dance with. And that had been several. He was in great demand, and Gunter had no reason to question the reason why. Just a look at his friend was enough.

The adjutant knew that the dark-haired mazoku wasn't one for dancing, and the wrinkle between his eyebrows was getting deeper during the evening, though he was polite enough to not dismiss anybody. A true gentleman, as always, at least - or especially - towards the ladies.

Gunter raised his glass again, looking into the deep red wine.

He noticed something from the corner of his eyes. The glimpse of shimmering glass in the light of the candles. Gwendal had raised his glass as well, holding it towards him.

„Cheers," the white-haired man responded, clinking their glasses.

He took a good mouthful and enjoyed the heavy taste of sweet grapes. The wine was excellent, but that made it just the more dangerous.

The next song finished and the band started with a very slow ballad. More couples were leaving the dancing area and excusing themselves to Yuri and Conrad to disappear through the door.

Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. As he turned his head, he recognized it as Gwendal's.

„A dance, Lord von Kleist?" the dark-haired man with the piercing blue eyes, which were now glancing amused, asked. His lips twitched slightly upwards.

„Why do you...?" Gunter responded, puzzled. He gave the other one an irritated look.

„No one asked you for a dance today. It would be sad to not use such an opportunity and not dance at all at the king's wedding party."

The counselor felt his cheeks getting hot. He was surely blushing, and he tried to blame the wine for that.

„I'd love to," he managed to answer. He wondered how the man had sensed his uneasiness and the reason for it.

Gwendal got to his feet and held his hand towards the white-haired mazoku, who grabbed it thankfully. After leading him to the stage, they began to dance slowly, stepping carefully from one foot onto the other. He hadn't danced for years, Gunter realized. But here, led by Gwendal, he felt not that unsure about it.

Looking over the tall mazoku's shoulder, he could see Yuri and Conrad, dancing as well, tightly embraced, the king's head at his husband's chest. He had to be pretty sleepy by now, for it had been a long and enduring day for both of them. Though, Conrad was still holding him due, and noticing the couple beside them, he shot an impish smile at his former teacher.

Gunter quickly looked away to hide his again blushing face.

„What's up?", Gwendal asked. They turned around during the dance, and he also noticed his younger brother's smirk. „Oh, I see."

The counselor looked up into the dark-haired mazoku's face, just to find the usual wrinkle there. Though, Gwendal looked different today. Somehow. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but that also might be because of the alcohol clouding his mind.

Either way, he felt good the way he was. Right there, in Gwendal's arms.

As for Gunter, the song finished way too early and as they returned to their table, it was only them, the royal couple, and Wolfram with Murata left. Everyone else had already gone to bed by now. As it was late at night, they decided to spend a little more time with each other, sit down at a table to talk the day over before falling into their beds. The joyful, laid-back atmosphere did the rest.

Yuri was almost asleep on Conrad's shoulder, his eyes closed with a little smile on his face. Wolfram also looked tired. Murata on the other side was full of energy and obviously happy. Gunter still wondered why - the great sage had always in a good temper, but today he was even more cheerful then else. He couldn't even guess or think about it. He felt like his brain had shut down by now.

The wine had got him tired as well, and again, he finished the next glass of it. He heard the compliments for the organization of the wedding, how everything went well and so on, but all he could do was nod wearily. His head was so heavy...

The last thing he saw was Gwendal's face above his, asking something he didn't understand, for whatever reasons. Then his eyes fell shut, leaving him in darkness.

Gunter woke by a bright ray of sunlight and the piercing headache it caused as he opened his eyes.

Adjusting to the light, he blinked a few times. He realized he was not laying in his own bed. This blanked didn't smell familiar, and yet it reminded him of something... or somebody. He decided to think about that later, he was way to occupied with trying to calm his rumoring stomach.

The room was also not his own, he noticed. It was plain and tidy, everything was on its place and a basket filled with knitting wool and needles was standing on a table by the window. Shelves stuffed with knitted animals were covering the walls.

And someone was breathing beside him.

It cost him quite an effort to roll around, ignoring his pulsating headache, to look at the person at his side. Dark grey hair was floating all over the pillows and the unclothed back, and he could spot a tall, broad body under the sheets covering it. Gwendal. He closed his eyes and tried to calm down.

Wait... what happened last night?

His eyes snapped wide open. The wedding. The wine. Too much wine. He remembered nothing after passing out at the table last night. He covered his face with his hands. What have I done, for Shinou's sake?

He couldn't do anything at the moment. He was too dizzy to stand up and his head was too heavy and aching to come to a clear thought. As Gunter looked at the bedside table, he noticed a glass of water – and a very dry feeling in his mouth.

He emptied it at once before laying back down, closing his eyes to calm his circulatory. He had no choice but to wait for Gwendal to wake. Another painful glance at the sun told the white-haired man that it had to be early morning. Usually, they all were awake by now, but today was special, as the wedding had been the day before. There were more people who surely preferred sleeping late.

Gunter turned around again so he wouldn't have to face the sun every time he opened his eyes. But laying that way, he looked at the dark-haired mazoku beside him, every time he opened his eyes.

So he just decided to keep them shut, waiting for the other one to wake. He didn't want to do that, Gwendal had surely been very tired as well yesterday.

He breathed in and out slowly, his mouth felt dry again. But the glass of water was empty and he wasn't able to stand up. Anyways, his muscles seemed to refuse any order given to them by his brain. He lay on the bed, feeling numb, unable to move a finger.

The counselor lost track over the time passing by, when suddenly he felt the body at his side move around, and his eyes snapped open again. Piercing, indigo eyes met his own.

„Good morning, Gunter," he was greeted by that typical, deep voice.

„Good...-" his own voice broke, refusing his duty, due to his still dry mouth. He cleared his throat again. „Good morning," he finally managed to cough.

Gwendal turned around wordlessly to reach for a bottle of water that had apparently stood beside his side of the bed. Gunter took it gratefully, taking several gulps of the cold, refreshing liquid.

„Better?"

„Yes, way better. But now I have to ask a favor of you, just one question... can you tell me what happened last night?" he asked the dark man, afraid of what he might hear. The mazoku noticed his shaking voice just well.

„You had too much wine," Gwendal answered, his lips drawn to an amused smirk.

„I came that far by my own," Gunter just answered plainly. „I meant... have I done anything – uhm, strange?"

„You collapsed at the table, and I didn't know whether you were okay or not. After Gisela checked you and told me that you're fine, just the alcohol and that you needed to rest, I took you here to watch over you for the night. I couldn't leave you alone. And you were very... clingy."

„Clingy?" Oh, please don't tell me... What have I done, for God's sake?

„You just wouldn't let go of me as I carried you to my room, that's all. Nothing more happened, so you can calm down," Gwendal winked, still that amused grin on his face.

Gunter couldn't prevent a relieved sigh from escaping his throat. „I thought it was worse..."

"You are very funny when you're drunk, you know," the other one chuckled, watching the white-haired man amusedly as he stared shocked at him. The look on the adjutant's face was priceless. Gwendal decided that he hadn't lied about the happenings of last night.

It wasn't the whole truth, though. But he wouldn't tell Gunter.

Cliffhanger! I always wanted to do this one time xD

Well then, what do you think Gunter has done? ;) Do you want to know? Then please review!