ANTHOLOGY Time

Mirror, Mirror

(Part 2 of 2)

~o0o~

There was a small family gathering in the garden the following morning, which Lady Cheri had prepared in celebration of the king's safe return to Blood Pledge Castle. It was there that Wolfram saw Yuuri again, and one look at him made Wolfram feel extremely guilty. The king looked like he hadn't slept at all.

Yozak – who had grown in appearance, but obviously not in mentality – immediately seized upon his and Yuuri's obvious drowsiness, and started cracking jokes about them being too "busy" last night to even bother to sleep.

As Wolfram yawned for what seemed to be the tenth time, the spy said impishly, "You really missed each other, didn't you?"

Wolfram blushed and stuttered angrily, "W-what are you talking about?!"

"Oh, you know," Yozak said, winking.

Wolfram opened his mouth to retort, but Yuuri interceded before he could do so, "No, he doesn't. We were both so tired last night, weren't we, Wolfram?"

Wolfram turned, if possible, even redder. There was a challenging gleam in Yuuri's eyes, something that he was not entirely used to seeing, and he did not know how to react to that. Mercifully, Murata chose the moment to make his entrance, shifting all the unwanted attention to himself.

"Your Eminence!" cried Lady Cheri. "I'm so glad you could come."

"Thank you for inviting me," said Murata with a smile. "But I can't really stay for long. I just need to borrow Lord vo—er—His Majesty for a moment." He added as Yuuri rose from his chair, "Not you, Shibuya. Your husband."

Wolfram nearly jumped from his seat. Yuuri raised his eyebrow at him, silently questioning his reaction.

"We'll be right back," said Murata, looking so pleased with himself for some reason. Together, they strode out to the far side of the garden, and as soon as they were out of earshot, he eagerly explained, "We've found a way to send you back."

"Really?" Wolfram asked, brightening up. "When? Can I go now?"

"Er, no. It's not that easy."

Wolfram's face fell. "Oh."

Murata's eyes gleamed, and he asked, pushing his glasses farther up the bridge of his nose, "Why are you so eager to leave? Aren't you enjoying yourself, even just a little bit? I thought that you'd like the Shibuya you see right now."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

The sage's expression was deceptively innocent. "Well, Shibuya and you…didn't you…sleep together?"

The effect of that statement was instantaneous. All the blood in Wolfram's body seemed to rush up to his face, and forgetting his manners, he grabbed Murata by the collar, and yelled, "Like I would let something like that happen! This is your fault! You've got to get me out of he—!"

"Shh!" Murata interrupted sternly. "Calm down, will you?"

Wolfram immediately backed down, realizing that he had attracted the attention of everyone back in the table. He purposefully avoided meeting Yuuri's eyes, but he could feel them on him just the same.

"Stop saying things like that," Wolfram grumbled after a pause. "You're as bad as Yozak."

"If you wish…" said Murata. "I didn't mean to offend you, though. I merely thought that you'd be very happy with the way Shibuya acts towards you now…but far from it, you look miserable…"

"Because I don't know him," Wolfram said despondently. "I don't know any of them."

"He's the same. They're the same people," said the sage simply. "We're the same people."

Wolfram shook his head. "No. Everyone's changed." He looked back at the table – at his brothers, his mother, Yozak, Greta… He added sadly, "I don't belong here."

"Well," said Murata, "that's what I wanted to hear."

"Huh?"

"Let me put it this way," answered the sage. "Why were you here in the first place? Shinou thinks that the Demon Mirror did play a part, but more importantly, it was your own feelings that triggered the Mirror's powers to bring you here."

"My own feelings?" echoed Wolfram. "What do you mean by that?"

The sage regarded him curiously. "Do you remember your exact thoughts and feelings that precise moment when you picked up the Mirror?"

Wolfram struggled to remember. "Well…I was angry."

"And?"

"And…" He sighed, reluctant to tell the truth. "I was…hurt."

"What else?" asked Murata, scrutinizing him carefully. "What exactly were you thinking?"

"I...I wanted to get away. Just to get away."

"And did you think or wish for anything with regard to your relationship with Shibuya?"

Wolfram's cheeks reddened. He did wish for something of that sort, for Yuuri to notice him, for his fiancé to return his feelings. He asked in understanding, "You think I did this to myself? You think I wanted to be here?"

The sage nodded. "Perhaps at some inner, unacknowledged part of you, you wanted this so badly that the Mirror enabled you to jump through time. And thus, to return to your own time, you must want to get back so badly, too."

Wolfram snorted. That wouldn't be too hard. He said confidently, "I think I could manage that."

Oddly enough, Murata did not share his optimism. "If you're so sure you can pull it off…"

"I am."

"Fine," said the sage. "Then be at the Treasure Room tomorrow night."

"Oh," Wolfram remarked, surprised. "Tomorrow?"

"You seem unhappy with that," Murata observed. "I thought you wanted to leave immediately?"

"It's not that…I just thought, from the way you spoke earlier, that it would take longer."

"It has to be tomorrow. Don't you remember the day tomorrow?"

Wolfram did, and his eyes widened with comprehension. "It's the same day as that ball ten years ago!"

"Correct. The Spring Ball. The day you broke the Demon Mirror." The sage gave him a meaningful look. "There's another ball tomorrow night."

Wolfram could hardly contain his excitement, but at the same time, there was an inexplicable feeling of sadness there too. "So what do I do?"

Wolfram listened attentively as Murata outlined the plan for tomorrow, and so intent was he in taking in the details that he failed to notice that all throughout their conversation, Yuuri was still observing them, black eyes narrowed suspiciously.

The Demon King had not taken his eyes off them for even one second.

~o0o~

"What did Murata want?"

Wolfram jumped at the voice. He had just entered the bedroom, thinking that it was unoccupied. He remembered hearing earlier that Yuuri had a meeting at this very hour, so he assumed that it was safe to return and pass the time here. He quickly realized that it was a bad decision.

"What did Murata want?" repeated Yuuri. He was standing by the window, creating quite an impressive profile against the waning light of the sun. It was nearly nighttime. Wolfram had successfully avoided being alone with the Demon King – or any of his immediate family members for that matter – since breakfast that morning, but now, he could see that there was no hope of escape.

Yuuri was angry. He could feel it.

Wolfram answered cautiously, "It was nothing."

Yuuri did not say anything. He held out a hand to him, beckoning him closer. Wolfram could not do anything but obey, but he stopped a foot away from the king, fists clenched into tight balls.

"Wolf," said Yuuri softly, seeming to notice his defensiveness, "What's going on?"

Wolfram meant to say 'nothing' but he was sure Yuuri wouldn't believe him. Instead, he answered, "It's not anything important—"

"Wolfram," Yuuri cut off firmly, stepping forward, reducing what little space remained between them. "I know something's wrong, and I'm really at the edge of my rope here. What aren't you telling me?"

"You're over-thinking it, Yuuri," said Wolfram with an unconvincing smile. "Everything's fine, okay?"

"Fine?" Yuuri echoed skeptically, lifting a hand to cup his face, frowning when Wolfram involuntarily flinched at the contact. "Then why have you been avoiding me?"

"I haven't," lied Wolfram

Yuuri ignored his answer, asking, "Why have you been acting strangely?"

"I…" It was useless to lie. Wolfram retreated.

"And why," asked Yuuri, advancing, an ominous shadow hovering over his features, "won't you let me touch you?"

Wolfram stopped to consider the question. "You're touching me."

"You know what I mean," Yuuri growled.

"I…I…i-it's n-not like that…" he stammered, blushing to the tips of his hair. "I…I j-just…"

"Just what?"

"It's not that easy to explain!"

Yuuri glowered at him. "Try me. I'm not stupid, Wolf. You think I don't see what you're doing? You're avoiding me! You don't want to be with me! You're shutting me out!"

"I didn't mean to do that—!"

"You didn't mean to?" the king repeated incredulously. "Then what on earth is your problem?"

"You don't understand! I'm not—!"

"Not what?!"

"I'm not your husband!" Wolfram finally blurted out. "I'm not him!"

The silence that followed was deafening. Yuuri seemed to be struggling with whether or not to believe him. Then his eyes narrowed dangerously. "Then who are you?"

Wolfram did not know if he should feel relieved that the king seemed to believe him. "I'm—" he began, but the words were stuck in his throat as Yuuri advanced some more, his body surrounded with a threatening glow.

"What have you done with Wolfram?" the king demanded furiously. Wolfram had never seen him this angry before, and for a second, he could not decide whether he should feel flattered at the king's obvious concern, or afraid for his own life. "Speak!" Yuuri ordered. "What have you done to him?!"

"It's not like that!" Wolfram cried in frustration. "I'm still him. It's just…"

"Just what?!"

"I'm…not…"

"NOT WHAT?!" the king roared.

"I'm not from this time!" Wolfram roared back.

Yuuri slowed down, confused at his explanation. Wolfram seized his moment of hesitation and started to explain. He was sure that Murata and Shinou would not agree with this, but he felt trapped enough as it was.

Looking straight into Yuuri's eyes, he began to tell him everything.

~o0o~

"So you broke the Demon Mirror and woke up here minutes later?" asked Yuuri. He had calmed down, but he was still pacing the floor restlessly, as though he was having trouble absorbing the improbability of Wolfram's situation.

Wolfram sat down at the edge of the bed, tucking his legs beneath him. "Well yes. You…you believe me, don't you?"

Yuuri stopped to stare at him. "I'm not sure, considering that the Demon Mirror is—"

"—still in excellent condition," supplied Wolfram. "Yes, I know. His Eminence told me. Shinou said that it's proof that I was able to return."

"So that means that you returned before you broke it?" said Yuuri, eyes clouding over, as if he was remembering something from a long time ago. "Oh…I guess that would explain it." He looked at Wolfram with a wistful expression. "I remember that night. We fought, didn't we?"

Wolfram nodded.

"And then we…we ended our engagement."

"You ended it," corrected Wolfram.

"You agreed to it," countered Yuuri. Then he suddenly laughed. "Oh god! You must've been so confused, arriving here and finding out that we were married! Was that why you pushed me away, yesterday, at the closet?"

"What else could I have done?" Wolfram said defensively.

"And last night," said Yuuri, "when you said you can't do it—?"

"Because it didn't feel right!" Wolfram snapped. "Technically, we haven't had…we didn't…we haven't done anything of that sort before!"

Silence. Wolfram was slowly turning red again, but he noted with some satisfaction that Yuuri seemed a little embarrassed too.

"I must have seemed so forward, haven't I?" Yuuri said after a while, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

"Worse," said Wolfram, looking at the abashed king reproachfully. "You were so…lecherous. It was so…strange."

"Okay, I deserve that," conceded Yuuri. "But in my defense, I was away for three weeks. I missed Wolf—I mean—you." He grinned at Wolfram. "So…do Shinou and Murata have a plan?"

"I'm going back tomorrow," Wolfram said with a twinge of regret.

"Is that what you discussed with Murata earlier?"

"Yes," he confirmed. "He also said that when I came here, I overrode the consciousness of the future me. So I – or the Wolfram in this time – will probably resurface after I've returned to my time, but he will have no memories of these past two days."

Yuuri nodded. "That makes sense. So…what now, time traveler? You have exactly a day left here in the future. What would you like to do?"

Wolfram blinked. "Do?

Yuuri plopped down next to him. "This is a rare chance, you know. This doesn't happen to just anybody."

"But His Eminence said that I'm not supposed to know so much about the future," protested Wolfram.

"I'm not going to tell you anything that might affect the past," said Yuuri. "But we can't just stay here and stare at each other, right? And you can't keep avoiding me. Everyone's already thinking that we're separating or something." He frowned and looked at him accusingly. "Even I thought that you were planning to leave me."

"I would never," Wolfram said before he could stop himself. His face burned. "Er…I mean…"

"I know," said Yuuri simply, smiling at him. "You've always been so stubborn. Remember that time when Murata and I were searching for the Forbidden Boxes and you tracked me down…?"

"I would have come to you sooner if I knew exactly where you were," asserted Wolfram.

"Yeah, I know that." Yuuri regarded him affectionately. "Hey, you remember that time…"

And they spent the entire night talking about the past.

~o0o~

The next day passed by so quickly for Wolfram's liking.

He woke up alone an hour before sunrise, finding a note on the pillow beside his. "Went out with Conrad," it read, "Be right back. Wait for me, okay?" Wolfram smiled. Yuuri's handwriting had improved. He must have finally taken Gunter's lessons on demon calligraphy seriously.

Wide-awake now, Wolfram sat up, fingering the note for a few moments before deciding that he couldn't wait for Yuuri to come back. Eagerly, he got out of bed and got dressed.

He had no idea where Yuuri could have possibly gone, but guessing that the king must be out jogging again, Wolfram went straight to the courtyard. He found that he was right about the place, but wrong about the activity. Yuuri and Conrad weren't jogging; they were sparring.

Wolfram stopped a distance away to observe them. So much had changed, he thought after a while, watching as Yuuri parried and attacked, making it look so effortless to go against an accomplished swordsman like Conrad. Wolfram felt something stir within him, and after a moment of soul-searching, he realized that he was jealous. Not the usual Yuuri-is-spending-more-time-with-Conrad jealousy, but rather more of a bitter feeling at the fact that Yuuri – wimpy, weak-willed Yuuri who could not even ride a horse before – seemed to have developed into a much better warrior than him. Looking at the king now, Wolfram had to wonder whether he would ever catch up.

"Wolfram!"

Wolfram gave a start. Someone had crept up behind him, hooking an arm on his elbow. A smiling face behind a curtain of long, wavy brown hair looked up at him.

"G-Greta…" Wolfram gasped.

"Where have you been the other day?" Greta asked, pouting slightly. "We were supposed to visit Madam Miranda for our fitting. She's been asking where you were. And then at breakfast yesterday, you were—"

Wolfram had no idea who Madam Miranda was, or what they were supposed to be fitting for, and soon after, he lost the rest of his daughter's statement as he began to marvel at how much the girl had grown in the past nine or ten years. He stood rigidly, not knowing how to respond to any of Greta's questions. His lack of reaction might have been suspicious, but Greta failed to notice, for a second later, Gunter – who did not seem to have aged a day – came running towards them.

"Wolfram! Where have you been?" the man screeched. "You were supposed to meet the minstrel yesterday afternoon! And I need your approval on the—"

Same grating voice. Same annoying vibe. If Wolfram weren't so nervous, he would have thrown a fireball at the panicking man right then, just to shut him up.

Thankfully, he needn't have to resort to that. Yuuri had finally noticed them, and had immediately made his way to Wolfram's side.

Wolfram glanced at the king, half in irritation, and half in helplessness. Yuuri grinned. "Sorry everyone," he said with his usual cheerfulness, "but Wolf's mine for the day."

Greta and Gunter grumbled their displeasure, but it was not as if they could, or would, override the king's wishes. The only one who looked mildly approving was Conrad, who seemed content that all appeared to be well now between the king and his husband. He caught Wolfram's eye, and with a satisfied smile, he ushered both Greta and Gunter away.

"Whew," said Yuuri when they were finally alone, "that was close…Did you tell them anything?"

Wolfram shook his head. "What was the fitting that Greta was talking about?"

"For what you were both going to wear, I think," answered Yuuri. "For the ball."

"And those things that Gunter wanted from me?"

Yuuri waved his hand dismissively. "Probably just a bunch of things that you volunteered to do."

"And shouldn't I be doing them?" Wolfram asked, his infallible sense of duty rising to the fore. "If I promised to do something, it would be embarrassing if I don't follow through—what?" He uttered the last word self-consciously, for Yuuri was smiling indulgently at him.

"Nothing," said the king, lips still quirking with amusement. "I'd forgotten how…responsible…you could be at times. Now, you're less fussy about following rules and sticking to tradition and other things like that."

"I am?" asked Wolfram in slight surprise. "Must be your influence."

"Must be," Yuuri agreed. Then looking at him apologetically, he added, "So…I guess you're stuck with me for the day."

"Guess so," said Wolfram, shrugging. Deep inside though, he felt that out of all the possibilities that this future world could offer him, there was nothing more appealing than – to use the demon king's word – 'being stuck' with Yuuri for an entire day. But he wasn't about to tell him that.

Instead, Wolfram said, hiding a smile, "Shall we get going then? Yuuri?"

Yuuri took a moment to answer. The king was just standing there, staring at him, and the look on his face was just like the one he had on the other day, mere moments before he kissed Wolfram.

Wolfram flared up, shouting to mask his discomfiture, "What are you looking at, wimp?!"

The Yuuri he knew would have immediately cowered at his tone, but this Yuuri only laughed at him and reached for his elbow to pull him closer.

"Hey!" Wolfram objected. No matter how much he secretly enjoyed Yuuri's advances, he wasn't about to do anything so intimate with the king in a very public area. "I don't—"

Wolfram didn't get to finish his protest. Yuuri quickly leaned forward, but against Wolfram's expectations, the boy merely brushed the hair away from his eyes and gave him a brief and chaste kiss on the forehead. Yuuri was smiling when he pulled back.

"Don't worry," he promised. "I'll be on my best behavior."

The memory of the other night, when Yuuri had tried to make love to him, set Wolfram's cheeks aflame. "Wimp!" he muttered grumpily, turning his face away, "You better not try anything…"

"I give you my word," Yuuri answered solemnly. Then he laughed. "Besides, you're so innocent. It's cute."

Wolfram immediately took offense at being labeled 'innocent' and 'cute' – terms which were more suited for small, furry animals and young children, and certainly not for a soldier like him! He scowled. "I'm not."

Yuuri grinned but did not answer.

"I'm not!" Wolfram repeated hotly. "Hey, Yuuri!"

Yuuri merely chuckled and again said nothing, but his silence said more than words can ever say.

~o0o~

That evening, after Yuuri was done with all his duties, he and Wolfram returned to their bedroom in order to get ready for the Spring Ball. Wolfram wasn't really sure if he should be attending at all, but Murata had instructed him to be there, saying that it was important for him to be at that same place he had been at ten years ago.

It felt almost the same to him, save for the fact that Yuuri was seated at the bed, watching him fix himself in front of the mirror. Ten years ago, Yuuri had immediately fled from the room the moment that Wolfram entered, complaining that he should get changed somewhere else. But ten years later, Yuuri was still here, looking at him as though he was the only person in the world.

"What?" he asked after a second, catching Yuuri's eye from his reflection on the mirror.

Yuuri was suddenly behind him, whispering, "You're beautiful."

Wolfram watched himself in the mirror, helplessly noting the blood rising up to his face. Yuuri placed his arms around him, squeezing him gently, resting his chin on Wolfram's shoulder.

"Er…Yuuri…?" He meant to remind the boy that he had promised not to try anything inappropriate, but Wolfram's mind was blank for some reason.

"I'd like to kiss you," Yuuri offered before Wolfram could say anything. He sounded like he was asking for permission.

Wolfram felt himself shaking to his own erratic heartbeat. He always had something to say to everything, but now, he couldn't even form a single phrase, much less a single word…

"You're trembling," Yuuri observed, holding him tighter. He said lightly, "It's fine if you say no…"

Wolfram bit his lip. He knew he could decline, but…he didn't really want to. Softly, almost inaudibly, he said, "I don't mind…"

He strived to appear casual, but in the end, he only sounded scared. Yuuri held him for a few more seconds. And then he turned him around and kissed him.

~o0o~

The ball was almost the same as Wolfram remembered. There were a lot of people, girls mostly. Maybe out fishing for a rich nobleman to marry, Wolfram thought viciously. They all flocked around Yuuri.

Wolfram watched Yuuri being led away by his throng of admirers, and for a moment, he almost followed them. Then he remembered that he should be looking for Murata. He found the sage waiting impatiently by the door of the ballroom.

"You told him," the sage accused, right off the bat. "You told Shibuya the truth."

"I didn't have any choice," said Wolfram irately. "He…I mean…I had to tell him."

Thankfully, Murata did not press for the details, but he said warningly, "So how do you feel now?"

"What?"

"Do you still want to go back?"

Wolfram considered that for a second. Yesterday, he would have given an eye and a limb just so he could return to his time, but right now…

"You don't," said Murata flatly, examining his face. "That was what I was afraid of."

Wolfram argued, "What's wrong with that? Can't I decide not to go back? Can't I decide to just stay here?"

The sage gave him a bleak look. "That's the thing – you can't. Your presence here has already disturbed the balance of time itself. You don't belong here, Lord von Bielefeld."

He had been making that argument for the past days, but now that it was being used against him, Wolfram felt irrationally angry. "Yuuri wants me to stay. I'm sure he'd let me."

"He would," agreed the sage, "but you would be requiring a great sacrifice on his part. Shibuya would have to start all over again with his relationship with you. You, who do not have memories of the intervening years, will not understand him as much as he does you. That's ten years of lost memories of the times you and Shibuya spent together."

"But—"

"Lord von Bielefeld," said Murata sternly. "You have to return and live your life. You can't take a shortcut just because it would be more convenient."

Wolfram deflated. "I…I just…" He groaned unhappily and blurted out, "I just wanted Yuuri to like me. Maybe even love me. This Yuuri…he…he likes me. He wants to be with me. He watches me. He listens to me. He doesn't run away from me. He cares about me. The Yuuri I know isn't like that."

"But he will be," said Murata. "Eventually. He'll grow up and realize his feelings for you, and before you know it, he'll propose again." He smiled knowingly. "Intentionally, this time. You honestly don't want to miss any of that, do you?"

Wolfram shook his head, suddenly feeling lost and confused, like a little child. He understood what the sage was telling him, and he wanted to believe, to hope, but well…things had never been easy between Yuuri and him.

"Cheer up," said Murata. "We have an hour left before the appointed time. Meet me in the Treasure Room later, alright?"

"Can't I come with you now?" Wolfram asked. "It's not like I have anything more to do here."

"I wouldn't be sure about that," the sage said, winking, nodding his head towards the center of the ballroom. Yuuri had just extricated himself from his admirers and was making his way towards him.

"Are you sure I should stay?" asked Wolfram uncertainly. "I might not want to return after being with him again…"

"Well," said Murata, smiling that inscrutable smile of his, "I'm sure you'll figure something out."

~o0o~

Yuuri spent the next hour with him.

It was a strange experience. Yuuri led him first to the middle of the dance floor, humming softly to himself as they twirled lazily to the music, and for the longest moment, they did not speak. Then he said, "This is just like ten years ago, isn't it?"

Wolfram scoffed. "You weren't dancing with me ten years ago."

"What exactly was I doing then?"

"Chatting up a girl."

Yuuri laughed. "Was I? Yes, I remember. What was her name again? Serena?" His eyes twinkled mischievously. "How could I have forgotten her? You made her cry, right?"

"Ha, ha," said Wolfram acidly. "I didn't do anything."

"Yeah, right," snorted Yuuri, directing them away from the crowd, right into a secluded balcony. "You might not know it, but you're quite frightening when you're angry or jealous. Or both." He shook his head in mock sorrow. "Poor girl never stood a chance."

"Stop talking like I mistreated her," Wolfram said irritably, disentangling himself from the king. "She shouldn't have been flirting with an engaged man to start with."

"Particularly one engaged to you?" Yuuri added slyly. Wolfram blushed. He looked away to hide his face, but Yuuri gently took him back in his arms, lifting his chin up. "Relax. I was just teasing you."

Wolfram gave him a questioning look. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"How did you feel about me then? And how do you feel about me now?"

Yuuri wagged a finger at him. "I can't answer the first one. You'd have to ask me – or the past me. As for the second…well, isn't it obvious? I love you."

Wolfram's heart beat a little faster. The orchestra had struck up a new piece, and smiling, Yuuri took his hand and led him into another dance. They stayed like that in comfortable silence, swaying to the faint, familiar melodies until Wolfram realized that it was probably time to go.

"You need to leave already?" Yuuri guessed when he had stopped to stare at the skies above them.

Wolfram nodded, although he didn't know whether this would work, as his primary feelings at the moment were of staying beside this man, who had just professed his love for him, forever.

He stared at Yuuri. "I…I want…" I want to stay.

He was glad that he did not finish the statement. It was embarrassing enough, as it was. But all the same, Yuuri seemed to know what he had intended to say. He smiled, but this time, it was a rueful, reproachful smile. "You have to go, Wolf."

Wolfram tried not to look so hurt, but he must have failed, for Yuuri quickly tightened his arms around him, whispering, "Don't get me wrong. I'd love to have you forever…but you must understand that back in your time, I'm also waiting." He added playfully, "And I'd hate to keep myself waiting."

He was determined not to laugh, but a chuckle escaped his lips just the same. "Wimp," he muttered.

Yuuri laughed with him. "I'll walk you out."

Hand in hand, they made their way through the crowd, out the ballroom, and right in front of the door of the Treasure Room.

"Do you want me to go in with you?" Yuuri asked.

Wolfram had thought about that, but he decided against it in the end. He should want to go back to his own time, and having Yuuri there with him might make the process impossible. "No," he answered. "Er…can I ask you one last question?"

Yuuri shrugged. "Why not?"

"How did I get you to fall for me?"

It was amazing that he had managed to ask that question without burning up, but it was something that he'd been wondering all night long. He stood patiently, waiting.

Yuuri's eyes were sparkling, but Wolfram didn't know what to make of that. "Nothing," the king finally answered. "You did nothing."

"What?"

Yuuri shook his head at him, indicating that he wouldn't be answering any more questions. Instead, he leaned down and kissed Wolfram one final time. "When you get back," Yuuri breathed against his cheek, "please, be patient with me."

"What…?" Wolfram asked, uncomprehending, mind still reeling from the kiss.

But Yuuri did not answer. He opened the door for him and wordlessly beckoned him to enter.

~o0o~

Murata and Shinou were waiting for him.

It was not a grandiose affair, traveling back in time. Wolfram was just asked to hold the Demon Mirror and think back to that night ten years ago. He did as he was told, willing himself to forget the feel of Yuuri's lips against his, assuring himself that this was the right thing to do.

Just like that night ten years ago, the Demon Mirror shone a bright yellow when he touched it. Wolfram braced himself, listening closely to Murata's instructions. And then just like before, Wolfram began to shine too.

He thought back to that night ten years ago. Yuuri dancing with that girl. Him lurking in a corner, nursing his seventh glass of wine, resentfully watching his fiancé from a distance. The light began to dim, as the thought of never going back to that reality started to run through his mind.

"Lord von Bielefeld," Murata called out warningly.

Wolfram struggled to think of the reasons why he should return. What did Yuuri – the Yuuri in this time – just tell him?

"…but you must understand that back in your time, I'm also waiting."

Will Yuuri really be waiting for him? But he won't even know that he had been gone, right? Won't Wolfram go back right before he broke the Demon Mirror?

"The past is filled with sorrows," came Murata's voice out of the blue. "But this future happened because you made it so. Do not be afraid to go back."

"I'm not afraid," Wolfram quickly denied.

"Prove it," Murata challenged.

Wolfram held onto the Mirror, thinking, wondering, waiting…

A second later, he was gone.

~o0o~

"Maybe we should end this now."

He heard Yuuri's voice and he immediately knew that he was back. With a great effort, Wolfram tried to reorient himself with his surroundings. He remembered this. He knew what he had told Yuuri.

"Fine. Have it your way. It's what you've always wanted, isn't it?" Wolfram thought the words sounded rehearsed. He must have looked so apathetic, his expression so inconsistent with what he had just uttered.

"Wolf…" Yuuri began, stepping towards him, arms raised in a consoling manner. This time, Wolfram did not cut him off. He did not step away. He did not wave his arms angrily.

He did not break the Demon Mirror.

"It's okay," he said wearily, allowing Yuuri to pat him awkwardly in the shoulder. "I guess…it's for the best…"

"Wait a second. Are you actually…agreeing?" Yuuri said, half-incredulous, half-relieved.

Wolfram shrugged. "If it's for the best…" He glanced at the treasure chest beside him. The Demon Mirror was set on top of it, looking misleadingly like just another bowl. "Go back to the ballroom, Yuuri. They must be looking for you."

The Demon King hesitated. "But…what about you?"

"I'm really tired." He smiled at the word. "I think I'll go to back to my room."

"O-okay," said Yuuri, looking like he could not believe that this was all the reaction he was getting. "I'll see you, then?"

"Tomorrow," Wolfram answered.

"And you're really…fine?"

Wolfram did his best to smile. "I'll get over it."

"Oh." Yuuri looked disturbed. "Wolf…I'm really sorry…"

"Go back, Yuuri. I'm alright."

Yuuri still looked confused, but confronted with the earnest expression on Wolfram's face, he finally nodded and left. After the king was gone, Wolfram picked up the Demon Mirror and toyed with it for a moment. The temptation to let go of it and send it crashing to the ground was still there, but in the end, he stopped himself. Sighing, he returned the Mirror inside the safety of the large, metal chest.

Taking one last look at the Mirror, Wolfram closed the chest and secured the lock.

~o0o~

The dissolution of the Demon King's engagement with Lord Wolfram von Bielefeld took the kingdom by surprise. Nobody knew what exactly happened, but it was rumored that the separation was due to the Demon King's newly-found affections for a certain Lady Serena, who had apparently captured the young king's attention during the Spring Ball.

To his credit, Lord Wolfram took the dissolution gallantly, with none of the fiery tantrums that those around him had predicted. Instead, the young lord left Blood Pledge Castle for a few months, and rumor had it that he actually spent the time travelling across the various territories of the Demon Kingdom.

The Demon King's affair with Lady Serena fizzled out after a few weeks, and after Lord Wolfram's departure, the king spent most of his time studying with Lord von Christ or practicing swordplay with Lord Weller. He was also seen less and less in Blood Pledge Castle, and from a conversation overheard between Lord von Voltaire and Lord Weller, it appeared that the king was spending all his free moments back in the other world. It was as though he was waiting for the time to pass more quickly.

Eight months had passed, and it was only then that Lord Wolfram returned to the castle. The Demon King welcomed him eagerly, and everyone – his advisors, his friends, and even his servants – breathed a little easier. Everybody knew what a wreck the king had been during Lord Wolfram's absence.

Contrary to everyone's expectations, however, the two did not renew their engagement. They did become close friends, and had remained so for the next two years, during which both had separate affairs of their own.

The Demon King was linked to quite a number of people, mostly females, but the relationships – if one ever progressed beyond friendship – never lasted for long. In contrast, Lord Wolfram was only ever involved with one person – a minor nobleman that he met in one of his travels – and although they lasted for much longer than anyone expected, the two parted amicably in the end.

Much later, during the yearly Spring Ball, the Demon King surprised Lord Wolfram by asking him to dance. The king led his former fiancé, his dear friend, and the man he now realized he loved, to the middle of the dance floor. It was there that the Demon King, embarrassed and unsure of himself, but also determined to do what he had set out to do, slapped Lord Wolfram across the cheek. Then blushing, he got on his knee and asked the fire demon to marry him.

Lord Wolfram seemed much too surprised to react, but upon the prodding of his brothers, his overjoyed mother, and the entire populace, he smiled and nodded his acquiescence. They retired to the balcony an hour later, where they shared their first kiss and talked in length about the future.

They were married a year later, in a solemn and traditional affair that was the talk of the entire kingdom for many years to come. After the wedding ceremony, a celebration ball was conducted at the castle, where human and demon dignitaries mingled with one another – a first for a land that was once riddled with racial disputes.

Amid the enthusiastic crowd, the newly-weds surveyed everything with contentment.

"I'm glad that's over," said the Demon King to his husband. He drew him closer and planted a kiss on his hair. "But I wish we could already leave…"

"I know," answered Lord Wolfram. "But we have to cater to the guests."

"Somebody else can do that," said the king, and before his husband could argue, he had called out to Murata, who just happened to be nearby, refilling his glass of wine.

"I'll try," said the sage readily when the king told him of his wish. "But I'm not certain that I could distract everyone. They'll surely be looking for the two of you."

Lord Wolfram smiled and told him slyly, "Oh, you'll figure something out." And laughing happily, the couple sneaked out of the room.

~o0o~

The Demon Mirror stayed hidden for many years, and despite having knowledge and first-hand experience of its power, the king and his husband never once thought about using it.

The Demon King had almost forgotten about it…until one day, seven years later, he came back from a diplomatic mission and found his husband acting very strangely…

And we come full circle.

~o0o~

Wolfram woke up in the Treasure Room, confused and a bit dazed, having no memory of how he had ended up in the floor, being stared down at by a most unlikely trio – Shinou, the Great Sage, and the Demon King.

The king smiled down at him. "Welcome back, Wolf."

"What…happened…?" he asked, trying to stand up.

Yuuri said, "You honestly don't remember?"

It took a while, but the comprehension soon dawned in Wolfram's eyes. "This…this was the day, was it? So that really happened? I…remember but I wasn't sure at all if I had just dreamed all of that…"

Yuuri helped him up. "Well, it did happen. Why didn't you ever tell me about this?"

"You wouldn't have believed me," said Wolfram. He added, glancing at Murata and Shinou for confirmation, "Besides, you wouldn't let me, right?"

Shinou nodded. Murata smiled, glasses gleaming in the darkness.

"Well I'm glad that's over," said Yuuri, drawing his husband close, taking in the scent of his hair. "I'm so happy you're back."

Wolfram smirked. "The past me gave you a hard time?"

"A little," Yuuri replied, laughing. "I missed you."

"Ahem," interrupted Murata before Wolfram could respond. "You two better return to the ballroom. We'll clean up." The couple obeyed, walking hand in hand out the room. As the door closed behind the two, Murata picked up the Demon Mirror and turned to Shinou. "So, what shall we do with this thing?"

"Leave it here," answered Shinou.

"I think we should put it in a safer place," Murata disagreed. "Some other person could find this and—"

"Leave it here," Shinou repeated.

Murata eyed his companion suspiciously. "Shinou, you…"

Shinou smiled. "I had fun."

Murata groaned, but his expression was more amused than infuriated. "To draw pleasure from such a situation…you have strange preferences, you know that?"

"What was that human quote about birds of the same feather…?" Shinou trailed off suggestively.

"Fine." Murata shrugged, eyes straying to the door. "But to tell you the truth…" he chuckled to himself, "…I had fun, too."

~o0o~

There is little left to be said about the events that took place next.

Despite Shinou's suggestion, Murata arranged for the Demon Mirror to be transferred to another location, where it would hopefully stay safely out of sight, out of reach of any person. But as previous events had just shown, accidents happen all the time, and despite all precautions, somebody else discovered the Mirror and picked it up, unaware of its power…

…and to make a long story short, the Demon Mirror was broken for a second time.

But that's a story for another day.

~o0o~

END

~o0o~

A/N: Anthology – as the name suggests – will be (or at least, I hope it will be) a collection of short stories utilizing the different characters in the KKM universe. Mirror, Mirror is the first story.

The premise of this story is nothing new – a person dissatisfied with his life suddenly found himself at a time and place where his deepest desire appeared to have come true. I remember a movie I'd watched a long, long time ago, where the heroine travels to a world inside a magic mirror, finding a happier, more carefree version of the life she had been living on the other side. I wanted a KKM story like that, but with a lighter, feel-good-ish feel to it, and so this story eventually came about. I thought it would have made an interesting multi-chaptered story, but I decided against starting another one, seeing that I already have two WIP stories that I needed to finish. (Yes, I haven't forgotten those.)

I have taken a few liberties with some information contained in this story, particularly those dealing with the Demon Mirror's history. Wolfram explained it better (and more accurately) in an episode in Season 3, but try as I may, I couldn't find that particular episode, so I had to make things up as I go.

Looking back at the story, I thought that there isn't really much depth in it, which I realized was the downside of making it a one-shot (or two-shot?). But I thought it made a satisfying read nonetheless, which should hopefully make up for its lack of complexity.

Thanks for reading!