Kyou Kara Maou Fan Fiction ❯ Working out the Paradox ❯ Part 8 ( Chapter 8 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
Hello Serena1985, thanks for your nice review.
Disclaimer: I don't own Kyou Kara Maou! I'm not making any money.
Warnings: Yaoi (male x male), Yuuri x Wolfram.
Summary: Ehhh… I think the title should speak for itself. The main goal of this fic is to make a completely straight guy fall in love with a boy… Will I reach that goal? - I don't know that yet.
A/N 1: I hate Greta; she is nonexistent in this story, and Yuuri has never adopted her.
A/N 2: At the end of the chapter, Yuuri and Wolfram are staying not in the same town.
A/N 3: beta-read by punkin02. Check out her gallery on y!Gallery: http://yaoi.y-gallery.net/user/punkin02/
Working out the Paradox
by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com)
Part 8
Kyota watched sleeping Wolfram's face. The blonde looked like an angel while asleep. Long, dark eyelashes rested against soft skin. Several blonde locks were falling over the closed eyes, the full lips open a little as if expecting a good-morning kiss. Although, Kyota remembered Wolfram's promises to break his nose if he dared.
The sensual picture ruined, Kyota leaned away from Wolfram. With a heavy sigh, he sat down on the chair next to the blonde's bed. And he still couldn't figure out what Yuuri had to get the prince's attention like he had. Wolfram had never been fascinated by power, so there must have been something else…
He thought his king a fool. Half of the kingdom was swooning after Wolfram von Bielefeld, and Yuuri had rejected him. Of course he knew he was being influenced by his feelings toward the blonde to think like that, but Yuuri's excuse… The king was an idiot - to refuse Wolfram because he was male…
It hurt him to see Wolfram pining after another man but things were how they were. A week had passed since Yuuri had left, and Wolfram's sad eyes and half-hearted smiles were hurting him more than the thought of Wolfram wanting another man. This was what had become of him during those years he had been trying to win Wolfram's heart… Yes, Wolfram had been right - he was a fool.
Wolfram shifted in the bed and muttered something. After several seconds his eyelashes fluttered, and he yawned loudly. His emerald eyes widened after noticing Kyota at his side.
“Huh?” Wolfram blinked at him.
“Good morning to you too,” Kyota chuckled.
Wolfram rubbed his face then sat up in the bed. He yawned again. “Did something happen? Why are you in my room?”
Kyota shook his head. “No, nothing's happened. I just felt like it. Actually I have a suggestion for you.”
Interested, Wolfram looked at him. Kyota felt his heart uplift - after Yuuri had left, Wolfram hardly showed interest in anything.
“Let's go to Delam? My brother misses you too,” he added before Wolfram could start protesting. “How long has it been since you visited us? And…I can't see you so depressed…”
To Kyota's surprise Wolfram didn't protest. The blonde nodded and gave him a bright smile. The next thing he knew he was in the blonde's firm hug.
“It's wonderful to wake up to something like this!” the prince said. “Thank you!”
Smiling, Kyota returned the hug. “My pleasure, Wolfram. Had I known, I would have suggested this long ago…”
XXXXX
Wolfram turned around to look at the receding towers of the castle through a small window at the back of the carriage. He had said that he'd come back after a month. Probably. He wasn't that sure about that. There was nothing he needed to do or anyone who would wait for him. He had lived with his mother from the day he had been born, but why that was… True, he loved his mother and his brothers, but they all had their lives, and he was thinking what he should do with his.
Practically, he didn't fulfill any role at all in the castle, and his title was empty. Only a word. He was only a soldier and very young and inexperienced at that. He was thinking that maybe he needed to go back to his father, to his county and finally do something useful. But he couldn't stand his father and was sure that they would start bickering over this and that as soon as he set his foot in his father's castle. His father was pretty much the same as him, only five times worse. He couldn't understand how his mother and his father could have… Actually he didn't like thinking about that, but it was clear that it had been only a one nightstand or something… Must have been.
Wolfram turned his face away from the small window and looked at Kyota, who was sitting on the seat opposite him. Kyota was giving him a slightly concerned look, so he smiled reassuringly. Kyota was probably the only close friend he had. There was Yuuri, of course, but that was a bit different, and right now he didn't want to think about that.
Kyota's mother, Katarina, was a very close friend of Cecilie's. After her first husband had died in the war, most of her time she had spent together with Cecilie in Blood Pledge Castle. Soon Kyota was born, and after two years he followed. They had spent their childhood together. Some time later, Kyota's brother, Arisu, was born. Then Katarina's brother died, and, as he had no wife or children, she came back and overtook the county and her brother's work.
Wolfram wasn't sure how their friendship had turned into this strange relationship, but after some time of playing hide-and-seek, building sand castles and running around while playing war and heroes with wooden swords, he had noticed Kyota's gaze linger longer on him, the other boy blushing after their eyes met. Kyota matured faster than him, and he was still quite clueless when one day the older boy pressed their lips together. After he just stared at Kyota, confused, his friend blushed fiercely and stammered something apologetic. Scared by his reaction, Kyota had avoided him for several days.
Not understanding the situation, he had asked his mother what it was all about and why Kyota was sulking in his room. Now, so many years later, it made Wolfram chuckle and blush at his incomprehension. He had been rather naive as a child. He remembered sitting on his mother's knees wide-eyed, his face burning while she was explaining the whole thing with birds and bees. He could remember he felt a little sick and excited at the same time, so many of his questions finally getting answers.
His hair on end, panicking, he had jumped off his mother's knees before she came to the middle of the story about her and his father spending a night together, scurried to his room and locked his door.
Kyota came to him in the evening, very likely urged by Cecilie. It was then the first time they kissed. He was curious; Kyota was in love. It was awkward at first as neither of them had kissed anyone before. He wasn't sure what he should do with Kyota's tongue in his mouth or if it should be in his mouth at all. Kyota seemed to be very excited, so he just went with it. He remembered becoming a little dizzy, Kyota's hands touching his bare skin under his shirt.
They didn't do anything more than kissing. Kyota knew that he needed a couple of years to catch up with him. Kyota had been a horny teenager who thought only about sex, and he had still been more interested in flying kites and whittling. Kyota had given him time, instead of using his naiveté. And he had always respected Kyota for that. And he knew that Kyota had always regretted that. The time Kyota gave him had made him realize that he didn't love Kyota. He liked Kyota, that was true, but Kyota was paying for more than he was able to give to Kyota. He wouldn't have minded sharing several nights or even months with Kyota in bed, but he knew that Kyota was expecting more, and it would only hurt them both later. They had talked, Kyota begging to give him a chance, but he had refused.
Would it have been different otherwise? He didn't know. Maybe he'd have fallen in love with Kyota with time. Maybe, but he doubted - usually it went the opposite way. And then Kyota went away with his mother and brother after his uncle died. His mother married again, and they saw each other only from time to time.
Wolfram yelped as his head hit the sideboard of the carriage. He had dozed off. Wolfram's eyes turned to glare at Kyota in the darkness, who was chuckling at his misfortune.
“I think I'd prefer riding a horse to this…” Wolfram muttered, rubbing his forehead.
“Not four days straight,” Kyota chuckled again.
Wolfram ruffled through his blond locks again to search for bumps but the only one was that from earlier when he had fallen off the horse during the attack. It was still tingling if he made sudden movements, like jumping or shaking his head, but it was getting better.
Wolfram wasn't that sure if it was such a good idea to spend that much time in a closed space with Kyota. He knew Kyota would never give up on him, and it was rather…weird and maybe a little disturbing. They had been best friends once, but later it just turned out… Kyota's gazes were hot against his skin and made him squirm. He wondered what it would feel like to have Yuuri look at him like that.
Wolfram frowned at the thought and turned his head to the door with a small window to look at the passing scenery. It was darkening already, but it was lighter outside than in the carriage. Kyota said that they were going to stay at an inn that was still several kilometers away. He didn't stay at inns very often and hoped that this one wouldn't be too bad. Sometimes it was better to sleep in a tent or in a carriage. Actually they had enough of a place here. Kyota could sleep on his seat opposite him and he could sleep on his. It would be hard of course, but he had slept worse and wasn't that picky anymore.
“Wolfram?”
“Umm?” Wolfram turned around, his green eyes concentrating on Kyota.
“How was all that army able to breach the border unnoticed?” Kyota asked the question he had been dying to have an answer to.
Wolfram sighed and leaned back on the end of the carriage. “It's a taboo subject.” He groaned inwardly at the look of excitement that appeared on Kyota's face. Kyota was the same as him, and Kyota knew perfectly well that he was going to tell him.
“They used…I don't actually know what to call it…it's not really magic,” Wolfram started, resigned. “It's an old transportation method and it's nasty - one needs to kill about thirty people. Well, that depends on their age,” he nodded at Kyota's disgusted face.
“Then one needs to get the bodies in a circle. The souls that are leaving the bodies urge the gate to open. There are several skilled persons who can manipulate those gates. If you enter the gate and are skilled enough to control the flow, you can transfer yourself to any place you wish.”
Kyota was silent for some time. “I have never heard of it before,” he muttered after a while. “Where did you hear about it?” he asked.
“From Gunter. He said he had witnessed it once. I wasn't bold enough to ask for details…” Wolfram said, shuddering. “I'd never use it anyway.”
“Neither would I. It's disgusting,” Kyota snorted. “They say that everything is allowed in a war, but seriously… To kill your comrades that…”
“Nobody says it has to be comrades. They might have simply taken anyone. Like outlaws or criminals and killed them like this instead of hanging them...” Wolfram said. “But yeah, it just feels wrong and creepy.”
“Let's not talk about this,” Kyota motioned at the almost completely dark window. “Soon we'll reach the inn and I don't want us to spoil our appetite,” he closed the subject.
“You think there will be something edible? You really are an optimist,” Wolfram laughed at his friend.
Kyota shook his head, smiling. “Actually I stayed in this inn last time I traveled home. And the food was nowhere as bad as you expect it to be. And if it's really bad we have taken enough food with us. It's not like I'd ever let you starve,” he winked, chuckling.
Wolfram only rolled his eyes and turned his head back to the dark window. Actually he couldn't see anything except his own hazy reflection on the window. Sighing, he turned back. He startled as Kyota snapped his fingers to lighten the carriage.
Kyota cocked his head to his shoulder. “You've become rather jumpy…” The fire in his hand flared higher.
Wolfram shrugged. There weren't that many Mazokus who controlled fire. Besides himself and Kyota, he knew only two others, and one of them was Kyota's mother, another Elisabeth. The contract with fire, like with any other element, depended on one's character. Already by the chosen element one was able to tell much about the person wielding the power.
But the rarest was that of water that required to have a fluid and lively character. Always changing, always running, never stopping, always ready. Able to grant life and kill in one go. It required having a quite paradoxical character and understanding about life. And Yuuri had that. Besides Yuuri's endless naivety, there was that iron core inside him that knew that some things had to be done.
But Yuuri was growing, learning and shedding that layer of naivety. And that was happening very fast, unbelievably fast and it scared people around him. It wasn't helping the situation that recently Yuuri had to annihilate an army on his own. In Wolfram's eyes it was all very simple: Yuuri was at a stage where his mind had to catch up with his raging hormones, where Yuuri was breaching the line of childhood and entering puberty. Maybe to others it happened faster than to Yuuri, but Yuuri's life took a dramatic turn after he had entered Shin Makoku, and then confusion, hesitation from Yuuri's side followed. Now Yuuri was catching up with himself.
But fire was able to kill and save lives, too. And earth produced nourishing and earthquakes that killed. Was Yuuri that special? Was he? It all depended on how well one was able to feel his element. Not many after making the contract were able to ascend high enough to be able control it masterfully.
Wolfram's eyes rose from the small fireball in Kyota's palms to the window as the carriage halted. There were some lights seen through it. They had arrived.
Wolfram ignored Kyota's hand that the older boy held out to him to help him out from the carriage. The prince jumped down off the step to the ground and looked around. They were in the center of the town. As it was drizzling and late, it was empty, only the lights seen in several windows.
The inn was big, three floors above the ground. Differently from what Wolfram had feared, it looked presentable enough. The voices and noise were outspreading through the walls to the outside.
While most of Kyota's suite was taking care of the horses and the carriage, Wolfram and three Wolfram's bodyguards followed Kyota into the inn. After opening the door they were hit by a whim of hot damp air, their noses scrunching at the smell of alcohol and mixed various food smells that were not appetizing at all.
Kyota sent one of his servants to make arrangements for the night then took Wolfram to the farthest corner of the inn and seated the blonde there. It was not only because of the smells floating around - it was also because the two of them were getting curious looks. Wolfram stood out everywhere, and he himself got enough attention. The two of them were making quite a pair.
Wolfram wanted to send one of his bodyguards to ask what was on the menu today, but Kyota held him up by saying that it was either some kind of soup with sheep or pork, some fried potatoes and boiled or fried eggs. Then Wolfram settled on fried potatoes and fried eggs. He also ordered a mug of tea. He didn't want to risk eating anything else and upsetting his stomach.
Kyota complimented the prince's choice. He himself ordered soup, fried eggs and potatoes.
Kyota's soup arrived first. Both boys took a very close look at the swimming chunks of meat in it. The smell was weird. Kyota turned to his suite that was sitting at the next table and waiting for their meals to arrive.
“Anyone want to try it out?” Kyota asked.
The men's wary looks lowered to the bowl of steaming soup in front of their landlord. They proceeded with staring at it for several seconds.
“Give me that,” Wolfram rolled his eyes, and from across the table grabbed the spoon from Kyota's hand and pushed the bowl over to himself. He quickly dipped the spoon and, not leaving himself a chance to change his mind, shoveled some of the liquid and floating morsels into his mouth.
Kyota watched the prince's face. He had expected it to drain from color, and maybe it did, but in that half light of candles and kerosene lamps it was hard to tell. Wolfram chewed then swallowed.
“It's fine. Stinks a bit, but the taste is bearable,” the blonde said. He pushed the bowl back over to Kyota. “It's with pork.”
“Your boldness impressed me,” Kyota said smiling. He took the spoon in his hand. “I doubt you'd have done that several years ago…” he started eating.
The blonde gave him a puzzled look then shrugged. Soon his and Kyota's fried eggs arrived and he dug in.
After Wolfram had approved the soup, Wolfram's three bodyguards and several of Kyota's men ordered it. Soon the inn was drowning in the slurping and chewing of hungry men. After the hunger and thirst was a little quenched, friendly chitchats and laughter started.
Kyota grinned at the blonde opposite him who was leaning on the backrest of his chair, almost purring after having filled his stomach with warm meal and a glass of wine Kyota had ordered for him. Wolfram had that look on his face that was telling that Wolfram felt relaxed and comfortable.
Kyota looked around in search for his servant who had arranged the rooms for them. Wolfram was going to fall asleep on him.
Wolfram noticed Kyota's searching look and shook his head. “Let's stay here for a bit longer? Can I get some more wine?”
Kyota's dark brow rose but he didn't comment on anything. “Of course you can,” he nodded and sent one of his men to get them more drinks. “But don't overdo it or otherwise you won't be able to travel further. You don't feel that well in carriages and getting your head dizzy and pounding isn't a wise thing to do,” he said to Wolfram.
“Yes, mommy,” Wolfram chuckled. “Actually carriages don't bother me anymore. After endlessly being on ships, carriages are no longer a problem.”
“On ships?” Kyota's blue eyes widened. “You can't set a foot on a ship without feeling sick…” He turned to his servant who had brought the drinks.
“Uh-huh,” Wolfram nodded, taking the mug Kyota had held out to him. He sipped slowly. Frowning at the taste, but swallowing, he nodded again. “I have been stalking Yuuri it seems. Things I used to do for him… Ships, boats, rafts…” he shivered. “Several years ago I would have never thought that I'd willingly set my foot on anything that is floating above water…”
“He was dragging you around on ships?” Kyota's eyes darkened.
Wolfram shook his head in denial, laughing. “No, the opposite - he'd have preferred that I wouldn't have followed him. It was my own choice,” his voice turned bitter at the end.
“Wolfram, let's not talk about Yuuri, okay?” Kyota frowned. “I hate it when you talk fondly about other men, and in addition to that it makes you depressed.”
Wolfram chuckled. “Always straightforward.”
“Aren't you, too?” Kyota rolled his eyes, taking a sip from his mug.
“You know what the real problem is?” Wolfram asked after a minute of silence between them. He continued after Kyota gave him a questioning look, “We are too alike. I have never ceased to wonder how it had worked out for you… In my case… You know that saying: “opposites attract”? I think I felt the need to supplement myself with something, and you… We are too similar.”
“In other words you say that there's nothing you could take from me?” Kyota sipped his wine. “Aren't you being selfish, Wolfram?”
“Hmmm…” Wolfram wondered. “Probably,” he nodded. “But, if you accuse me of being selfish… Wouldn't your feelings towards me make you a narcissist?”
Silently, Kyota looked at the very bottom of his mug. “Wolfram, where's that delicate flower I left behind when I went to Delam?” he raised his striking blue eyes to the blonde.
“It had withered away,” Wolfram said.
XXXXX
It was more than a week after Yuuri left the castle. He and Yozak were riding down a sloppy path, Yozak leading the way, and Yuuri following, the third horse trailing after Yuuri, its reins fastened to Yuuri's saddle knob. It was darkening already. The drizzling weather and angry sky were threatening to turn into a serious storm. The two of them were hoping to soon come across a tavern or at least some friendly hut and spend the night there.
“Now, tell me, who was that idiot who thought that loafing around in the country during the rain season was a good idea?” Yuuri asked.
Yozak turned around to look at Yuuri. “You, Your Majesty,” he replyed, grinning.
“That was a rhetorical question,” Yuuri frowned at him, raising his finger to emphasize his words. “You are not supposed to answer that when your king is asking.” Then Yuuri chuckled. “I think a new population of louses has just been born in my hair,” he sighed, scratching his head. “And all those bugs in the last tavern we stayed… There was quite a bunch of them in my mattress… I think that now my skin is as holey as a colander…
“No, seriously, where have you seen an idiot who goes off hell knows where instead of comfortably sitting in a castle and lying in his king-sized bed? This is a rhetorical question again,” Yuuri raised his finger when Yozak opened his mouth.
“Yozak?”
“Ummm? I mean, what Your Majesty?”
“Your hair is much longer than mine, and you never tie it up… Can it be that I got louses from you?”
“Ummm…” Yozak shrugged. “Might be,” he scratched his head furiously. “But I got used to them long ago. I think that what we have is not louses but some skin complaint we caught in that pre-last tavern…”
“You surely are enjoying this…”
“I just see it as a small nice round trip,” Yozak grinned, scratching his head.
Yuuri sighed. True, the first six days were fun. He was excited about the trip, he loved riding, the weather was wonderful, they cooked and ate the food they themselves hunted; well, Yozak hunted for them. They spent nights in a tent they would set for themselves. They met many interesting people, he saw many fascinating places. The scenery was wonderful - so many places untouched by people, faring and existing as they existed thousands of years ago.
They would stop by the rivers and lakes several times to bathe and enjoy the sun, and he was happy. Almost. At first his mind just took a needed rest and simply shut down on all problems he needed to solve. He was pushing all thoughts in the back of his mind. But, as said, several days passed and with such a great amount of time on his hands, the only thing that was left to him was to think.
And then came rain. It was wet and unpleasant and gray and dreary. They rode through the day and stayed in the inns during nights. The inns were fun and okay, except that the food was horrible and he got sick several times after trying it. He wasn't used to such food like fried radish, boiled carrots and the rest of that weird stuff with some fat chunks of sheep floating in his bowl.
There was also the factor of sleeping in the inns and taverns. Some of them were really…shabby, and now he was paying the price for it.
Yuuri reached under his hood to scratch his head again. After having furiously scratched his head for ten minutes nonstop, he had finally decided. Fuck pride, everyone knew that he was a wimp, anyway. He simply wanted a hot bath and normal food.
“Yozak, we are going home,” Yuuri said.
Yozak let out a loud laugh that was caught and carried around the trees and up the hill by rising winds. Yozak completely agreed with Yuuri, but it was dark and they had to spend the night somewhere. Yozak rose in his saddle to take a better look around, but he couldn't see any signs of life. From his previous wanderings he could remember that there should be a town somewhere near, but he wasn't exactly sure where and how much was left to it.
Yuuri yelped as a lightening seemed to strike just next to them. The startled horse trampled in place, and it took several minutes to Yuuri to calm it down. The wind picked up, and several minutes later it started to rain down heavily.
Yuuri and Yozak wrapped themselves tighter in their cloaks and pulled their hoods down so that only their chins were seen.
It was completely dark after a couple of hours, the rain pelting down unmercifully, and the two riders shivering in cold. Yozak was already thinking about setting up the tent, but then, in far distance, noticed a small twinkle. After riding further, the twinkle turned into many lights in windows. They had approached a town.
TBC