Chapter Sixteen -Take a rest
Maou knows that Urushihara can only take so much and so he carefully leads him up the stairs. It is quieter upstairs in the bedroom.
So while he has a supporting arm around his waist and helps him up the stairs, Maou makes the surprising discovery of how much he likes to do this and how good it feels. This was never the case when he did this to anyone else - not even Ashiya, and he's his closest confidant.
"Fuck." On the last step, Urushihara suddenly stops. "I forgot to count."
It takes Maou a moment to realize what he means. Involuntarily, he tightens his grip a little and then gets him over the last step before answering.
"That's no problem. You don't need to count anymore, I'm here for you, I'll help you."
Urushihara gasps because he is not convinced, but Maou is not discouraged at all, on the contrary.
"We are only here for five days. There's no reason for you to fill your smart brain," he tapped Urushihara's forehead teasingly, "with so much new ballast. Not when you've got me. You're here to relax, so relax and trust me."
Urushihara shook his head doubtfully but said nothing. When Maou is as enthusiastic as he is now, one can either get carried away like Ashiya always does or step aside, wait and watch as he himself prefers. It is simply useless to stop Maou when he has something in mind.
Maou interprets his silence as agreement and enthusiastically leads him into the bedroom.
"It's quite small up here, there is only one hallway with only one door leading out of it.
Behind it is our room."
Triumphantly, he pushes the door back with his foot and leads his general over the threshold.
"This is really just a closet and a bed. But the bed is huge, because I could comfortably fit into it in my true form, and there would still be room for my two favorite generals."
"Ashiya and Chiho? " Urushihara asks innocently.
Maou pauses briefly.
"Idiot," he says while hugging him tightly. "I mean you and Ashiya, of course. Chiho ... tsk. ... really, dude... " he takes Urushihara's hand and puts it on a door in the wall. "And here is our bathroom. It's not as big as the one downstairs and only has a shower, but it's all ours."
But just as Urushihara is about to touch the smooth wood, Maou pulls him further towards the bed.
"Maou, I have to remember this."
"No, you don't have to," it comes back cheerfully. "From today on, I am your eyes. Come with me, I have to show you the bed, you will be thrilled."
Urushihara just sighed quietly.
Under his feet, he feels a smooth wooden floor that creaks softly. It is warm, indicating underfloor heating. On his face he feels the warmth of the sun's rays, so there must be at least one window facing southwest or west.
But he can't think about that because he already hears the creaking of a mattress and then Maou pulls him onto the bed. And soon he is lying on the side and Maou is lying behind him and has wrapped his arms around him.
"Ahem...Maou? "
"Lemme," Maou murmurs, burying his face even deeper in Urushihara's dark purple hair and then planting a small kiss on his neck while he holds him even tighter in his arms.
"It's all about body heat."
Urushihara doesn't believe a word, but he doesn't complain, feeling exhausted and worn out. Physically, of course, but also emotionally. And now that the heavy burden of his secret is no longer on him, he can finally let himself go. It feels good to just be and not have to hide behind masks.
It feels too good, and immediately the fear bubbles to the surface again: is this real? Or is it just another hallucination?
"Do you feel cold?" Maou asks him at this moment and damn, he can feel his lips on his cheek and smell the green tea on his breath, he can feel his warm body behind him and the safety of his arms - too many details for a hallucination, isn't it?
"Do you need a blanket? "
Urushihara shakes his head because Mauu is warm enough to penetrate even his bones. And somehow, this is frightening because Maou's warmth and affection belonged to everyone else - except him. In the demon world, he was never more than a useful ally to Maou, and while Maou formed respectful or even friendly bonds with everyone around him, their relationship always remained polite and distant.
And here in Japan, Maou even went one step further by suddenly accepting former mortal enemies like Emilia Justina into his circle of friends - while he was forgotten.
And after he forced his way back into the fold and acted like a demon - for which the Demon King punished him - he was no longer even treated as a useful ally, but as an annoying evil, and finally even as a useless parasite - which made him act the same way.
And then he became blind and useless, and now that this has come out, why is Maou suddenly so nice to him? It doesn't feel like it's just out of pity.
And while Urushihara's thoughts continue to go down these dark paths, Maou's go in a completely different direction.
First of all, he wonders about himself. It is not in his nature to lie around as long as he is not injured, sick or asleep. He always has to be active - even if it is just reading a manga.
But now, all of a sudden, this inner turmoil is gone, and it is enough for him to lie here and hold his general in his arms.
His very first general.
At this thought, Maou's lips form a proud smile. The most powerful demon of his time, the one all others feared. His power was only surpassed by his laziness, for he never started a fight unless it was necessary. The only thing greater than his laziness was and is his curiosity. It was only out of curiosity that he joined Maou and it was only out of curiosity that he followed his plans and orders. And if he did not like an order because he thought it was stupid, then he told Maou directly and refused.
And for that, Maou admired him even then.
And now, what he feels for him goes far beyond admiration.
Maou inhales deeply, drawing Urushihara's scent deep into his lungs and snuggling up even closer to him, which is wonderful.
He could lie like that forever.
Urushihara makes a small noise.
"Oh, that's right," Maou pauses worried. "You don't like that. Excuse me, am I too clingy?"
Urushihara shakes his head slightly and underlines it by putting his hands on Maou's and keeping them where they are: on his body.
Maou grins in relief, hugs him tighter and presses a kiss on his neck.
He is so happy that Urushihara allows all these caresses and closeness and maybe his general feels the same?
Suddenly, a slight tremor runs through the small body in his arms, followed by a short, rough cough.
"Are you all right?" Maou asks scared and worried. "Does it hurt?"
Urushihara shakes his head. At the moment, the cough is just annoying, but it does not hurt and if he is lucky, it will not worsen.
"Shall I get you some tea or warm milk with honey?"
Again, Urushihara shakes his head and grabs Maou's forearms to show him that he should stay.
Maou hugs him contentedly and kisses his neck again. Yes, he really enjoys it.
"Please forgive me for being such a horrible person. That will change from now on, I promise you."
"I will remind you," Urushihara mumbles, sounding not very convinced to Maou's great disappointment.
But he can't blame him.
Maou closes his eyes and lets himself fall into it for a moment, and soon after, he knows exactly what he has to do.
It is time for him to stop ducking. After all, he came here to take the opportunity to tell Chiho that he will never feel more than friendship for her. And even if he never intended to show his feelings so openly, he will not hide any longer. After all the tragedy, this is finally the opportunity!
Carefully, he reaches for one of Urushihara's hands and clasps their fingers together.
"I will prove to Alas that she is wrong," he murmurs.
"Hm?" it comes back questioningly from Urushihara.
"I was just thinking out loud," Maou answers quickly, kissing his neck and then embracing him very tightly.
Urushihara shudders inwardly. Not that he finds these little caresses repulsive, quite the opposite - and that is his problem.
Maybe this is just something his stressed brain is pretending?
But he's just too tired to think about it, so he takes the path of least resistance and just lets himself fall into Maou's warmth and closeness and all the beautiful, fluffy feelings it brings up in him.