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Winter's Folly |
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by Aimless
Stupid, stupid, stupid, Yuri thought to himself as he lay flat on his back in the mud. His little trip had seemed like such a good idea at the time. Greta’s birthday was coming up and he recalled seeing an adorable doll in a little village shop. It was only a couple of hours ride along very well patrolled roads. The king thought nothing of sneaking out and bribing one of the grooms to saddle his horse.
It should have been such a simple errand and Yuri was positively itching to get out of the palace and out from under the watchful eye of Gunter. He really did love his advisor dearly but the man had a smothering attitude where the young king was concerned. So it was with a sigh of relief that had Yuri smiling when he successfully left the city. His deep black hair was covered with a knitted cap that had been a gift from the regent Gwendal. Plus he wore the hated brown contact lenses to cover his licorice colored eyes. This was needed so he could move about unmolested by the general populace.
It hadn’t been a bad day for a ride. Ok so it was a bit cloudy and the slight breeze made Yuri wish he’d dressed a little warmer. But hey he’d been in a hurry to get out of the stifling palace. The young King pulled his light cloak more firmly around his shoulders and flexed his bare hands around the horse’s reins. It appeared he’d lost his gloves again since they were not in the inner pocket of his cloak. Yuri rolled his eyes imagining the lecture he would get from his fiancée.
A little more than two years as Maou and Yuri still did not know what to think of his relationship with the prickly blond. They slept in the same bed together and he’d woken up on more than one occasion with Wolfram wrapped around him like Yuri was his own personal teddy bear. That darned indecent pink frilly nighty that the blond insisted on wearing too made it hard not to stare as it frequently slipped off one pale shoulder. Not to mention that it had a habit of riding up at night as Wolf tossed and turned in the huge bed. More than once Yuri got a glimpse of a lean thigh or rounded buttock. It totally freaked the King out and sent him fleeing from his own bed to sleep on the hideously uncomfortable but decorative sofa in his suite.
It was inevitable too that certain things happened to his young body when he had a warm and squirming blond practically lying on him as he slept. That too would send him dashing into the bathing room cheeks flushed with embarrassment. He didn’t even like guys! Even with this world’s acceptance of same sex couples Yuri could not get over the stigma of having a male as his betrothed. To break the engagement would have been politically disastrous. It would weaken his position as a ruler in the eyes of the other nobles and send them rushing to find him a replacement. Heirs were also not a problem because Mazokou were a long lived race and with Yuri now tapping into the power that was his birthright he could now claim the same racial traits. Greta had also been officially named as his daughter and formally adopted so technically he did have an heir. Her future children, if she married one of the demon race, would also get the gift of longevity.
So he was effectively stuck and was expected to marry on his upcoming eighteenth birthday. That was enough to send him racing back to his home planet but he could not abandon the people he’d grown to love. It wasn’t as if he did not like Wolfram…but it scared him spitless to have feelings for another guy. Yuri had never thought much one way or the other about sex and dating when he’d been just a normal high school student. His life revolved around baseball and his dreams of a sports scholarship. Plus he was kinda thought of as a geek and never really had the opportunity to interact much with the fairer sex.
When he was named Maou suddenly he had a jealous fiancée and young eligible women flocked to his side. Even Cherie flirted with him and sent him running in terror. His life had become hideously complicated. Even his chief advisor looked at the young king as if he wanted to devour him whole. Yuri would have to be an idiot not to see the way Gunter looked at him sometimes. Although it did not happen so much anymore and Yuri still could not believe that moody, bad tempered and fierce Gwendal had a soft spot for the silver haired fop. Of course Gunter was oblivious and Yuri only found out through sheer accident.
He’d gone into Gwendal’s office late one afternoon to get some papers signed only to find the man snoozing at his desk. Yuri had been surprised and could not risk sneaking into the room to gawk at a totally relaxed regent. He looked so much younger and innocent as he slept. Yuri also got a great shock when he looked at the paper under Gwendal’s lax hand. Written in purple ink was a poem, a love poem to Gunter. Yuri’s eyes widened comically and he hastily backed out of the room. He did not want to face the man’s wrath should he wake and find the King snooping. Yuri really wished Gwendal would tell Gunter how he felt. It was kind of sad to see how alone the man really was. Plus the King had gotten quite good at people watching the two years he’d been ruler and learned a lot by just watching those around him. So it was easy to see why Gunter no longer followed Yuri like a lost puppy. He spent his time mooning over the gruff, taciturn Regent. Neither one being aware of how the other felt…Yuri got a lot of amusement out of watching them avoid confronting their feelings.
But then who was he to pass judgment when his own personal life was a soap opera of epic proportions. Deep down where Yuri vowed never to delve too deeply he really did care for the green eyed enigma that was Wolfram. He would also not admit even under torture that most of the embarrassing dreams he was prone to lately had but one star, that being his current fiancée.
And now he would be the butt of the blonds taunting for rushing off alone and getting himself into this mess. The ground was cold and the damp from the mud was seeping into his clothing so Yuri sat up dizzily and looked for his horse. It was no where to be found and truthfully he did not have a clue to where he was either. He’d left the road on the way back from his little shopping excursion to avoid a group of rough looking men loitering on the path a couple of miles outside of the village where he’d bought the doll. He did not want to risk a confrontation especially since he still did not have control over his powers.
The overgrown path he’d chosen paralleled the main road and just as Yuri was about to return to that thoroughfare his horse had spooked a flock of small birds. This in turn terrified the normally placid beast. It took off through the dense woods and it was all the young King could do to stay in the saddle. That is until a low hanging branch proved to be his demise. He hit it with a painful oomph and got knocked to the ground gasping for air. Yuri then decided that the best course of action would be to just lie there until the world stopped spinning and he could breathe again. He had no idea where he was or how long he had desperately clung to the frightened horse.
This had seemed like a good idea at the time but the mud puddle was making his teeth chatter. It had started to drizzle and the temperature seemed to be dropping. Yuri sat up and took stock of his well being. He seemed ok aside from various aches and pains but his true predicament came when he staggered to his feet and put weight on his left foot. Searing pain shot up his leg and he collapsed back to the ground. He’d well and truly done it this time and as he sat with his head in his hands Yuri bemoaned his fate and allowed a few tears of self pity trickle down his cheeks.
The young King roused out of his bout of poor me when the first few pellets of sleet peppered the top of his head. It was getting cold quickly and what clouds he could see through the winter bare canopy of trees looked dark and dismal. A storm was brewing and it seemed to be a nasty one. Yuri had to find shelter or risk freezing. Cursing himself for a fool Yuri grabbed the rough bark of the tree he was leaning against and pulled himself to his feet. He tried not to put too much weight on his fiercely aching ankle as he set off in a direction he hoped would lead him back to the road.
The wind whipped the sleety rain into every nook and cranny of his clothing. Not even his light cloak helped cut the chill as it clung to him damply. The ground became slippery and the branches ice coated as the storm worsened. The woods creaked and groaned and the young man fought to stay on his feet. It did not take long for the fading light and the treacherous ground to take their toll. Yuri stumbled and when he tried to regain his balance the limb he grabbed snapped under the weight of his hand. His cry of surprise was swallowed up by the storm as he fell down a slight embankment.
The King lay in a sodden heap in a pile of old leaves and tried to calm his heaving breath. He felt so stupid for sneaking out on his own and it might just prove to be the death of him. If he managed to survive Gwendal and Wolfram would kill him. What would hurt more was the disappointment he would see in Conrad’s eyes. He tried so hard to be adult and in charge and yet he had left the castle like a delinquent teen. He had to prove to everyone that wasn’t a whiny wimp.
Yuri closed his eyes and tried to summon the power that dwelled within him right below the surface. It was the power that made him Maou. With it he could get the strength to save himself. The King concentrated with all his might and finally hit the ground with his fist in frustration. It was no good…he could not call forth his alter ego. Damn his control and damn it for deserting him.
Yuri’s legs were numb with cold and his hair was caked with ice. His knitted cap had been scraped off by a tree limb during his wild ride through the forest. Out of desperation he looked around for any type of shelter. Yuri squinted into the gloom and spied a dark place between some jumbled boulders at the base of the slope he’d fallen down. There appeared to be an opening. Yuri prayed it was deep enough to give him some cover from the icy deluge.
Not having the strength to stand the king crawled to the opening and apprehensively looked inside. It would be just his luck to find a vicious animal inside. Although at this point Yuri would consider sharing he was so cold. Fate seemed to be smiling on him when he could detect no occupants. Gratefully he crawled inside and ended up a good five feet in before he came up against a solid rock wall. The floor was littered with dry leaves and it was such a relief to get out of the wind. It wasn’t much warmer inside and Yuri’s clothes were still soaked but he had nothing else to keep him warm. Shivering he drew his cloak tightly around his body and stared out into the storm.
His teeth were chattering so loud that it could be heard over the moaning wind and creaking trees. The sleet made a hissing noise as it coated everything in the forest. Yuri felt so isolated and alone. It was if he was the only one left on this world and the weather made the woods take on an almost surreal quality. There was nothing else to do but curl up as tightly as possible and look out into the gathering gloom. Eventually the king’s shivering stopped and a kind of curious numbness set in. With the numbness came a feeling of calm lassitude and Yuri became drowsy. His eyes drifted shut and he slumped against the cave wall.
As the ice built on the trees the branches hung down weighted by their heavy load and soon sharp popping noises could be heard as they gave way under the strain. The sudden noise startled the young man awake and he blinked groggily in the now dark little niche. Yuri had no idea how much time had passed and could not even see his hand in front of his face. He thanked Shinou that he could still feel his fingers since they had been tucked inside his tunic. He gave his toes and experimental wiggle and groaned at the pins and needles. Other than that he really didn’t feel cold at all which should have been somewhat alarming. The king just could not bring himself to care. His head seemed to be stuffed with cotton and it was hard to think. It was tempting to just curl up and go back to sleep.
His inner voice which sounded a lot like his fiancée shouted at him to stop being such a bloody wimp and to stay awake. After all he didn’t want to die out here did he? Yuri pinched himself hard and yelped at the stinging sensation. The slight pain helped him to focus and try to wake up. He hoped that enough time had passed and that his absence had been noticed. Yuri wanted to go home to his nice soft warm bed and he would not have even minded sharing. Wolfram was always so warm and soft as he slept. It was so unlike his cold prickly demeanor which was how he usually appeared to everyone else. Yuri and those closest to the blond knew better though. Wolfram had a heart as big as his ego and one only had to watch him with Greta to see it shine through. It was a look that the young king had caught on his fiancée’s face from time to time as he watched Yuri.
It actually hurt to think that Yuri might not see Wolf’s deep emerald eyes or hear his scathing voice. The thought that he missed his fiancée more that Conrad or even Greta startled him terribly. It was not just a case of familiarity. True he had gotten used to his fiancée’s possessiveness and jealous tendencies but it went deeper than that. As time passed and they became more comfortable in each other’s presence Yuri had actually gotten to know the bad tempered blond. He learned that his indifference and tantrums actually covered up a lot of insecurities. Wolfram had been a deeply lonely man and after their accidental espousal he had something to cling to. He had, almost to the point of smothering the young king. Their late night pillow talks had worn down Wolfram’s defenses and let Yuri see what a vulnerable person he really was. Of course this was vehemently denied in the light of day but still it made Yuri like him even more. Was it love? The King had no idea and the thought of actually acting on any of his nighttime fantasies scared him silly. Although the young, available vulture like women waiting for his favor scared him even more. Wolfram he could handle but a gaggle of vapid royalty chasers he couldn’t.
Now he wouldn’t even get to explore his newly understood epiphany. Yuri’s stupidity would most likely cost him his life. He was so tired and his arms and legs were numb and unresponsive. The King just wanted to close his eyes and give in to his weariness. It should have occurred to Yuri that this was an extraordinarily bad idea but his mind became muddled and his eyes drooped closed.
“Wolfram…” Yuri murmured as he succumbed to the cold and curled onto his side.
He drifted somewhere between awareness and total unconsciousness. Yuri’s mind conjured all manner of hazy shapes and indistinct voices. One figure gradually became clearer and approached him from out of the mist. She was a delicate silver haired young woman with kind eyes. Yuri recognized her…it was the person who gave up her soul so he could be Maou.
“J…Julia?” Yuri murmured.
“Yes Yuri and you must listen to me. You have to hang on. They are searching for you right now.” The soft ethereal voice pleaded with him.
“Mmm…tired. Can’t…want to sleep.” Then he started to drift away again.
“YURI! Wake up! You have to listen. Use the healing power…use it to keep yourself warm. Concentrate!” The woman held out her hand.
Yuri wearily raised his own hand and shakily grasped hers. He sighed as a small rush of warmth spread up his arm. Then she was gone. The Maou huddled in his cloak and curled in a miserable ball. The spell helped to keep him alive but he was too weak to do much more than that. Even with the small boost of energy was almost not enough to keep Yuri awake and before long his eyelids were drooping and he was in danger of falling asleep.
“Yuuuuuurrrriiii… Yuri! Where are you?” Came a loud voice from somewhere outside.
“Wolf?” The Maou whispered. He was too out of it to do more and besides Yuri figured he was imagining it anyway.
Yuri heard a scraping noise from the entrance of the little niche. His confused mind figured it was some sort of wild animal and he shrank back against the rock wall whimpering.
“Yuri? Is that you?”
The young Maou uncovered his head and blinked at the vision in front of him. His fiancée crouched in the small space looking at him with a mix of worry and relief written plainly on his face. It was the most beautiful sight Yuri had ever laid eyes on.
“W…Wolf? So c…cold. Help me.” Yuri was too exhausted to move.
“Thank Shinou we found you. Hang on and we’ll take you home.” Wolfram turned away and crawled back to the entrance.
“No! D…don’t leave me! Please.” Yuri tried to crawl after the blond but his arms and legs were too stiff and unresponsive.
“Conrad! He’s in here! I need your help.” Wolf yelled and then returned to his fiancée’s side. He was startled to see Yuri in tears. Wolfram took off his heavy fur lined cloak and draped it over his distraught liege.
“Y…you left me.” Yuri sniffled.
“Wimp I was coming right back. What are you doing way out here? Do you have any idea how worried we were? What in Shinou were you thinking? When your horse came back without you…I…I.” Unable to voice what he was feeling Wolf gathered Yuri into his arms and hugged him fiercely. He was so cold and it shocked the blond that Yuri had managed to survive so long in soaked clothing.
For once Yuri did not try and pull away. He was so glad Wolf had found him. He just sank into the comfort and accepted the barely felt brush of lips against his forehead. All he wanted to do was hang on to his fiancée and sleep.
“Yuri stay awake. Just until we get you home. Wimp.” Wolf said fondly as he brushed his fiancée’s damp hair away from his big brown eyes.
“Mmmm warm. Stay with me?” Yuri smiled still a bit muddled from the cold.
Wolf was startled at this cuddly version of his fiancée. He figured it was from the cold and knew that Yuri would go back to being polite but frustratingly standoffish as soon as he was better.
The trip back to Blood Pledge Castle was a total blur for the young king. He remembered Conrad picking him up and taking him to their waiting horses. There was a brief argument when Wolfram refused to let Yuri ride back with anyone else. He was placed on the horse in front of Wolfram and his cloak covered them both. As the king started to thaw out painful shivers wracked his slender form. He shuddered in Wolf’s arms and clung to the blond.
A huge fuss was made when he returned to the castle. He was spared from Gwendal’s lecture and Gunter’s frantic fluttering when Wolf yelled at them to leave Yuri in peace. For once the king was grateful for Wolfram’s overprotective demeanor.
Yuri was hustled off to the bathing chambers where he was cleaned up and Giesela was there to treat his injuries, His ankle wasn’t broken just badly sprained. It was wrapped tightly but the numerous scrapes and cuts needed to be disinfected. To Wolfram’s shock Yuri still stubbornly held onto him. The King was completely out of it from the concoctions the healer had poured down his throat. Wolf was not sure how to take the constant petting of Yuri’s fingers on his arms and chest. It made certain inappropriate urges surface that he squelched quickly. After all this affection would not last and Wolfram refused to get his hopes up when they had been dashed so many times in the past. The blond had resigned himself to a marriage in name only for the sake of the kingdom.
Finally clean, medicated and decked out in his warmest pajamas Yuri was tucked into his bed and told to stay there under dire penalties if he wandered off again. The huge bed was cold despite the heavy coverings and Yuri had never felt so alone. He watched Wolfram add more wood to the fireplace and prod it back up to a roaring blaze. The blond turned to his fiancée and the wistful expression on his face as he looked at the drowsy king made Yuri realize how shabbily Wolfram had been treated. By denying his feelings for the blond the king had hurt him deeply. Even though the thought of admitting how he felt and the consequences after scared him still Yuri could not let Wolf leave without trying to give him a bit of hope.
Wolfram had stopped sleeping in Yuri’s bed a few months ago. It had become obvious that Yuri was not comfortable with him there. After he tended to the fire there was really no reason to stay. He turned and went to the door when a softly voiced protest stopped him.
“Wolf? Stay with me?” Yuri bit his lip in uncertainty when Wolfram turned around with a slight frown marring his perfect features.
The blond sighed and knew he could not say no. “All right Yuri. I’ll stay.” Wolfram walked over to the bed and sat in one of the plush chairs. He would linger until the king fell asleep.
Yuri fought to keep his eyes open. He didn’t want Wolfram sitting in the chair. He wanted the blond next to him in bed. He wanted to curl up to that warmth and wrap his arms around the man he had wronged so much by ignoring his feelings in the past. It was time to make amends and go forward with their relationship. Even though it caused a mild panic attack Yuri was determined to show wolf how he felt.
“No stay with me in this bed. Our bed.” Yuri waited breathlessly for a reply. He could tell by the widening of Wolf’s emerald green eyes that he did not miss the implication of those words.
“Wha… what are you saying Yuri? I don’t want to misunderstand. I couldn’t take it if…” Wolfram looked at his fiancée apprehensively. It would be cruel for him to get his hopes up just to have misconstrued the situation.
“I want to be more than friends. It’s scary but all I could think of when I was lost was how much I missed you. I have missed you Wolf. I didn’t want you to leave me but I was too cowardly to admit my feelings. Please just sleep in here with me tonight. I’m cold and I want to be held like you did on the way home.” Yuri watched an incredulous smile bloom on the blonds face. It was an expression he had not seen in a long time.
Wolfram nodded, too choked up to speak. He shed his uniform and Yuri looked at him for the first time as something to be desired. By the time Wolf had stripped down to his bikini briefs Yuri was blushing. He was glad when Wolfram reached into the back of the wardrobe and slipped the pink night gown over his head. The thoughts and feelings assaulting the young king were all so raw and new that he did not know what to do with them. Wolf got into bed and lay there on his back. There was a good three feet between them and Yuri knew he was waiting for him to make the first move. Happily and with little trepidation the Maou scooted closer and carefully wrapped his arms around the blond and laid his head on Wolf’s chest.
Wolfram almost forgot to breathe when Yuri snuggled up to him. He had wanted this acceptance for so long that he almost believed it was a dream. But no the cold feet that touched his calves were quite real.
“Yuri what? What should we do?” Wolfram felt as if he was treading on eggshells. He was afraid of doing the wrong thing and ruining the moment.
“Just hold me and sleep. Anything…anything else we’ll have to take one step at a time. I have no idea what I’m doing or how far…em…well I just want to take it slowly. Ok?” Yuri smiled and looked up at his fiancée when Wolf’s arms enclosed his slender body.
“Can...can I kiss you goodnight?” Wolf asked softly. He’d wanted to very badly and could not resist asking.
“All right.” The request did not come as too much of a surprise and not quite sure how to go about it Yuri looked up expectantly.
Wolfram leaned his head down and pressed his lips to Yuri’s. As kisses went it was innocent and sweet. Yuri actually thought it quite nice and when Wolf lifted his head all together too brief as well. He was not disgusted and the slight press of Wolf’s mouth on his caused tingles to spread throughout his body. Yuri blinked up at the blond sleepily as long elegant fingers stroked through his disheveled mahogany hair.
“G’night Wolf and I’m glad you’re here with me.” Yuri whispered sleepily and laid his head back down on Wolf’s chest. The beating of his heart a comforting noise as he drifted off to sleep.
“Goodnight my King. I love you and hope you can tell me the same someday soon.” Finally at peace for the first time in over a year Wolfram too fell into a blissfully untroubled slumber.