Warning: Once I do not own these characters or the anime. Which is probably a good thing, since I'm still not sure what "child appropriate means".
Thanks to everyone for reviewing. I've decided that I won't take longer than two weeks to post a new chapter, three for the very difficult ones.
In this chapter I wanted to begin to set-up what Yuuri's and Wolfram's relationship is like, so it's fairly innocent. The next chapter brings a bit more angst and smut.
Please Read and Review! \(^_^)
On any other day, Yuuri would be overjoyed to have gotten out his paperwork early, especially when Gwendal was scowling over the (rather artistic) ink stain on the carpet. However, after Yuuri's attempt at an improvised ink plot test (he thought it looked like a lick of flame), he was quickly expelled to practice his next least favorite activity: maryoku practice.
No matter how much patience Yuuri had learned through his ordeal with the White Crows, there was only so much time he could spend staring at a bowl of water before he wanted to either destroy it or drink it.
Yuuri knew that he needed to do something to the water in the bowl. Gunter had specifically told him to concentrate and imagine the liquid spinning and then rising over the clay rim.
What he couldn't figure out was how he was supposed to concentrate when he was watering the grass with his sweat while sitting shirtless in the shade. He was staring so hard at the bowl, that he imagined the little black kittens (it was Gwendal's bowl) chasing each other. Yuuri violently released all of his frustration in a single breath that propelled him onto his back in the grass.
I understand but…whatever happened to a King being more about commitment to the position than whether or not he could use maryok? Well, if they can rescind—
"Whimp, you're hopeless. How can the boy who defeated evil incarnate twice, be defeated by a bowl?" a very familiar voice spoke from somewhere up and to his right.
Yuuri slowly opened his eyes, which he hadn't realized he had closed, to stare/glare weakly at the blond boy standing over him. The sun was peeking through the tree for the sole purpose of sending Wolfram's flaxen hair alight or maybe just to emphasize that despite the oppressive heat, the boy formerly known as Prince was fully clothed and unruffled. Damn fire user, I bet he could survive if I threw him in a volcano. Mmmm, that would definitely stop him from sneering.
"We'll it was full earlier," Yuuri was briefly inclined to allow Wolfram to believe that he had made some progress with the exercise when he saw an arched brow; his general honesty won out. "I think some of it just evaporated." The small quirk of rosy lips brought all of Yuuri's frustration back, "How long have been standing there anyway?"
A light flush to pale cheeks hinted at just how long that might have been. "Well, Conrad as other duties and couldn't be here, so I decided to take over watching you. And besides, I have come to help you practice." With a dignified pout and a bit of shuffling, Wolfram sat down facing Yuuri.
Yuuri sat up to attention, all past frustration fled at the mention of assistance. He paused though when he remembered something that Gunter had mentioned, "I thought the person helping me train my maryoku had to be of a similar or complementary element?"
"Did you just recite that from what he told you?" Yuuri blushed. "At least you pay attention to Gunter some of the time. He's right, it is easier to be taught by someone you have an affinity with. It's hard to find water users, so Gunter whose element is air would have been a better choice. Where is he anyway?"
"Anisina found him and dragged him away for an experiment." Yuuri decided not to mention that the reason Gunter was caught so unawares was because of the massive nosebleed he received after Yuuri removed his shirt.
"It doesn't matter. I can at least coach you through the basics. Staring at a bowl is not going to get you anywhere," Wolfram said while moving to take off his coat and cravat and fold them neatly next to Yuuri's crumpled shirt and jacket. He settled himself between Yuuri and the kitten cup, their knees a hair's width apart.
Eyes like the bottom of clear summer lake, Yuuri thought as he met Wolfram's eyes across the short space. The moment stretched a beat too long as they settled to accommodate each other on the grass. Yuuri rarely considered Wolfram so intently, and Wolfram was almost frozen under that regard. Wolfram blinked when he realized he was holding his breath and the spell was broken. "And the first step is…" Yuuri said with a nervous twitch to his otherwise goofy smile.
Wolfram blinked again, he hadn't quite thought that far ahead. When Gwendal asked him to assist Yuuri, his primary concern had been to get out of the office. All of the elemental users he worked with already knew how to control and summon their maryoku, Wolfram merely coached on finesse. Yuuri has in all things seemed to be special and Wolfram would need a different approach. He had been planning to- decided on a course of action once he arrived, but he got distracted by the sight of Yuuri shirtless.
And it had become quite the view. Yuuri had promised to increase the time he spent sword training so that the suicidal missions he liked to run off on would be less so, and his efforts were showing in eye-catching muscle definition. Offering assistance had given him the chance to enjoy Yuuri's lightly gleaming muscles from a closer distance. This particular distance—inches apart and knees almost touching to the point he could feel the heat of Yuuri's body, a heat which warmed his skin more than the sun on his back—was doing horrible things to Wolfram's concentration.
It was true that as a fire user, Wolfram's particular training would not be of much use, but the principal should at least be the same. "Well…first you have to find the space inside your spirit where the element is attached, and then you must nudge it awake." It was instinctive to all elemental users to reach for that part of themselves, like wiggling your toes or clenching your fist. But, by the wrinkled brow and slight pout on Yuuri's face, he hadn't quite gotten the memo. Oh, but he is quite cute like that. "You do it every time you summon the Maou spirit. We think that if you can do it in small amounts, you won't have to change to access the spirit."
Now, Yuuri did remember that conversation. Apparently, the spirit comes forth to control the power that he should've been training to use to for decades. The spirit that takes over him is what happens when his own essence combines with his powers in such a way that it pulls knowledge from his previous incarnations. In his heightened emotional state, his soul would intuitively nudge the hub of power whether or not Yuuri had knowledge of what he was doing. The 'Maou' was Yuuri past, present, and future; and once Yuuri could access that power intentionally and control it the 'Maou' would no longer need to manifest. At least that's what he garnered from a very, very long lecture from both Murata and Gunter.
"I've only done it on purpose the one time I fought Janus, and the few times I've done some basic healing. It's just much easier to do things when I'm in danger."
"Your powers will automatically come to you when you are in most need of them, or get very upset. But you can find your core with breathing exercises too, you have to focus within and draw them out." Wolfram was a little unsure of this as he was too impatient to finish this part of his training and went straight to throwing fireballs; patience was not his strength.
Yuuri just couldn't help but think he heard something similar on an episode of Dragon Ball, and vaguely wondered if anyone ever told Vegeta to do Lamaze. Wolfram must've have noted the skepticism on Yuuri's face, for he flushed and looked about to go on a mini tirade. "Alright, how do I start," Yuuri said to break the chain reaction of furry. He is cute when he gets flustered like that though, as long as fireballs don't come after.
Sadly, foresight was also not one of Wolfram's fortes. "First, you need to start by closing your eyes and breathing deeply, and clearing your mind." Wolfram face began to resemble Gwendal's as he tried to reach for something specific in his murky memory. The men in his brigade had all known to contact their elements before he met them, Wolfram was pulling most of this from 50 year old memories, and most of those involved something about trying to sneak candy from the castle kitchens.
"I could never sit still long enough to mediate you know, I always want to itch," Yuuri immediately began to pivot on his butt like a skinny tree in a fickle wind. "What are you a child? Even the new recruits can do something so simple! Just close your damn eyes already."
"Alright, alright." With a sigh, Yuuri settled into lotus position with the middle finger and thumb of either hand touching over his knees. "Now, start clearing your mind of useless things," Wolfram said in the caressing tones that he reserved for Yuuri and Greta, "and continue to inhale and exhale slowly."
Yuuri began to notice a slight tingle in his nose that foretold of itchiness. "All you need to do is follow the breath out your body, and don't fidget. I could always get Gwendal out here you know."
Yuuri winced, and took his first deep breath. He followed it, and it led him to Wolfram. He thought about how the breeze would ruffle the golden waves of his hair, and how Wolfram had given up brushing it out his eyes. "That's it you need to relax," the soothing tenor of Wolfram's voice became a bed of feathers.
Wolfram watched as Yuuri slowly fell into a trance; he could not seem to remember what came after the breathing practice as his eyes were drawn to Yuuri's face. Yuuri watching was always distracting. He only knew that if he moved just a little closer he could get a whiff of the scent he had imagined in Gwendal's office. Just like now as he watched a bead of sweat trace the line of Yuuri's nose, then it fell to pursed lips, and was quickly licked away by a flash of pink tongue.
A sudden overwhelming jealously came over him as that bead of sweat got to touch a place he had only imagined. Wolfram wasn't sure if he mimicked the gesture, nor was he sure exactly when he leaned closer.
But really, it was just a little more and he could follow the tongue back into the other boy's mouth.
Yes, Wolfram thought, "Just a little more."
"And then what?" The sound of Yuuri's voice shocked Wolfram from his trance. And he met dark eyes from across a space so small he could dark lashes. "Wolfram?" It took Wolfram a moment to remember the question, and another to wonder what it was in reference to.
Ah, yes that. Wolfram pulled back with a blush. "Well, once you go into the trance, the power within will begin to reach out to you. You just have to grasp it." Wolfram was still close enough to see something vaguely like fear flint across Yuuri's eyes before they closed off again to smile.
"I thought I felt something. Maybe we can try again next time?" The smile creased Yuuri's mouth but never quite reached his eyes. For a moment, Wolfram thought that Yuuri had caught on to his less than innocent intentions, but Yuuri had not pulled back after his concentration was broken. No, that empty smile that was becoming more common (Yuuri watching was quite useful) was about something else entirely.
"Sure we will. Is something the matter, Yuuri?" Wolfram watched intently, but Yuuri merely blinked in genuine surprise at the question.
"No, why would there be?"
"You've just seemed a little off lately." Yuuri frowned and bit his lip in what was probably to be denial, but Wolfram never found out for certain.
"Shinuya! Lord von Bielefeld! I've been looking everywhere for you." Murata ran up to them with a boisterous wave. Wolfram cursed the Great Sage for his consistently suspicious timing.
"Oi, Murata! What are you doing leaving the temple in this heat?" Yuuri for one was glad for the distraction, even though Murata rarely left the temple for casual hellos despite his laid back attitude.
"I wanted to see how your practice was going. And the temple maidens wanted me to fix a door or something and I decided that horse ride would be more weather appropriate." Murata gave what he must have thought of has charming smile, and Yuuri just grunted as he rose to shake his hand.
Wolfram stood and gave a brief bow. He wanted to stay by Yuuri's side to finish their conversation, but realized that Murata was probably not merely making a social call. The Great Sage was filled with the double motives.
"I'll see you later Yuuri. Don't forget that Gwendal will want you back at some point, with his bowl."
Yuuri tried not to pout and failed miserably before he nodded his consent. "I'll see you at dinner Wolfram."
"See you later Your Highness," Wolfram bows and walked off. He would leave them alone and speak to Yuuri tonight in their room. Besides he was sweaty and still needed to check on his men.