Kyou Kara Maou Fan Fiction ❯ Working out the Paradox ❯ Part 11 ( Chapter 11 )

 

Hello Serena1985,

Yup, Yuuri and Wolfram, they both are being stupid. Especially Wolfram… Doing such a stupid thing like going to Kyota while engaged to the king…and then staying in his house for hell knows how long and then announcing that Kyota is free to court him… Ah…headaches…this going to bring some headaches…

 

Hello HopelesslyEscaflowne,

I'm glad you like the personality shifts in our young characters. It's about time they matured.

The chapter length is perfect? I wonder what you really mean by that. Is this the length itself or the place where I cut off the chapter at the end of it?

Oh, I don't feel the need to rush. I doubt anyone can make me rush. You see, the reason why I write this fanfic, like all others of mine, is I myself. I write the fic so that I'd like it to read. And I'm a quite difficult person to please concerning reading, heh

Thanks for your nice review and the compliments, I really do my best, and I'm glad you like the fic so far.

 

 

 

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 think I will.

 

A/N 1: I hate Greta; she is nonexistent in this story, and Yuuri has never adopted her.

A/N 2: 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 11

 

Yuuri half sat, half lay at the table in his and Yozak's room. He was tightly wrapped in his cloak, his chin resting on his hands, his look cast somewhere far through the window where the winds were tearing the trees and tossing the rain about. It was the third day now, that he and Yozak were residing in the tavern without moving any further.

 

A day before, Yozak, Yuuri and Yozak's friends traveled five miles to the spot of the sluiced out bridge to see if there was any progress on the building of a new bridge and to look if they could help any. Instead of the old bridge, about half a mile from where it used to be, on the high slopes, they found several logs, people from nearby villages and some other travelers like themselves preparing timber and planks to at least make a temporary suspension bridge.

 

They also joined the works on the new bridge, but it didn't last long - in the afternoon, the winds became too strong, and the rain was acridly beating upon them. The people on both sides of the river conferred, decided to continue the work on the suspension bridge in their sheds and then gather later, when the weather would be better, to hang it and drifted away.

 

Today was no good for working either, so they just sat in the tavern. Yozak and his two friends went downstairs to play poker, and Yuuri, feeling down, stayed in the room to brood. And so he watched the weather going nuts behind the window and scratched his head from time to time.

 

Yuuri had tried out various remedies recommended by the innkeeper and his wife, but nothing had worked. Well, maybe the count of the louses in his hair had lessened but it seemed they had become even more vicious and resistant. Yuuri couldn't wait to get back home, to Earth, and get rid of all those annoying bugs. He hoped that there were other ways than to shave his head bald as the innkeeper had suggested as the last resort. That is, if he didn't go bald after re-dyeing his hair from black to brown so many times.

 

Yuuri jerked in his seat and turned around as the door behind him flew open, and Armano burst in. Yozak and Kadira followed him with resigned looks on their faces. Yozak, after Yuuri turned to glare at him, waved his hands in front of his chest as if telling that it was not his idea and he had nothing to do with it.

 

“So,” Armano grabbed the free chair that stood next to the made bed. He shook Yozak's clothes off it and tossed them farther onto the bed then pushed the chair over and sat down next to Yuuri. It all happened so fast that Yuuri was only able to blink at the brown-haired man's face.

 

“I see you two have only one bed,” Armano grinned at Yuuri's quite gob-smacked face. “Nice.”

 

“Hello, Armano,” Yuuri leaned his head on his palm. “And what rejoicing news are you bringing today?”

 

“So young and already sarcastic…” Armano tsked, reclining back into his chair comfortably. “Actually I thought you must be very lonely sitting in this small box,” he drew a circle with his hand.

 

“More likely being bored yourself,” Kadira snickered. As there were no more chairs, he and Yozak sat down on the bed.

 

Armano ignored the comment. His attention came back to Yuuri. “I thought I'd talk you into playing poker or at least finishing telling whom Annissina had been doing “it” with.”

 

Yuuri painted red. He raised his head and leaned back into his chair too. From Yuuri's defensive pose seeing that he really was getting to the boy, Armano grinned contently. “So is she really interested only in women or was it you who didn't manage to catch her interest?”

 

“Quit pestering the child,” Kadira's voice wafted from the bed where he and Yozak were already dealing the cards. Armano sighed and quieted down. He turned to look at the playing men.

 

“I'm not a child!” Yuuri frowned, a thought that Armano and Kadira were like a wild dog and its owner crossing his mind.

 

“Yeah, he's sixteen already,” Yozak nodded at his cards. “Whatever that means…”

 

“Sixteen? What weird counting is that?” Armano wondered. “Well, I thought you were older; still jailbait.” Armano winked at Yuuri when Yuuri sent him a piercing glare. “And what element did you make contract with? If you were able to make it at all...”

 

“Armano,” Kadira's calm voice wafted from the side, “I wouldn't blame the kid if after some five or so years he'd find you and just lop your head off…”

 

“Seriously? And you wouldn't even try defending me?”

 

“Nope. If anything, I'd help him.”

 

“I love you.”

 

“Idiot.”

 

“So…” Armano turned to Yuuri again. “What element do you wield? I'd expect fire… You're bristling so nicely that I can almost see sparks flying around…”

 

“It's louses, louses…” Yozak muttered under his breath.

 

“Will you leave me in peace if I tell you?” Yuuri sighed.

 

“Yes.”

 

“He's lying,” Kadira said, brushing his lavender ponytail behind his back. Trying to guess Yozak's next move, he looked at the backs of Yozak's cards.

 

“Then I'm not telling you anything.”

 

“Poor thing, so you didn't manage to make any contract…?” Armano winced in dubious distress. “How about air? That one is pretty easy to master. Didn't you at least manage to master air?”

 

“How could I get rid of you?” Yuuri wondered, inspecting his nails. “Oh, I know, I'll throw you out of the window, or even better - drown you. There's plenty of water around, after all…”

 

“Is he always that short-tempered?” Armano turned to Yozak who was scowling after having lost to Kadira who was putting a gold coin into his pocket.

 

“He's not short-tempered,” Kadira answered instead of Yozak. “It's you - you're unbearable. Again?” he looked at Yozak who was mixing the cards. “Two coins this time,” he said to Yozak, who nodded.

 

“You probably can't wait until you see your Wolfram again…” Armano sighed dreamily. “I wish I were that young and controlled by hormones…” he clasped his hands, trying for a greater drama.

 

“Mentally you are even younger than this kid, and there's nothing in your brain except hormones, anyway. I don't get what you are complaining about …” Kadira said.

 

“Seriously - I love you,” Armano told Kadira who just rolled his eyes and sighed. “Yozak said Wolfram is pretty. What does he look like?” Armano came back to pestering Yuuri.

 

“Blond, he's blond,” Yuuri sighed, resigned, realizing that if he started bickering over that “pretty”, it would be even worse. “With big green eyes.”

 

“Is his hair long?”

 

“Not really… But not that short either…”

 

“Damn, I love it when they are long-haired…” Armano put his elbows on the table, leaning his head on his palm.

 

Yuuri shrugged. He groaned inwardly when an excited look appeared on Armano's face. He could bet he knew what the lecher wanted to ask about.

 

“So have you two done “it”?”

 

Kill me, someone, Yuuri thought. “Not your business.”

 

“Still virgin?” Armano chuckled. “How romantic! Are you waiting until the marriage?”

 

“Marriage my ass,” Yozak mumbled under his breath.

 

“But seriously, I think one has to run wild while one can…” Armano frowned.

 

“Run, run off with my head,” Yuuri groaned, burying his fingers in his currently brown hair.

 

“Damn! And you won again!” Yozak yelled, throwing the cards onto the bed. The cards sprayed all over the bed and around it on the floor. He started fumbling with his sack of money.

 

“You know that it's pointless to play with Kadira,” Armano sighed. “He knows your move before you know it. Why do you think I chose pestering this kid,” with his head he motioned at Yuuri, “over playing cards…? The previous time he left me bare-assed…”

 

“It didn't seem to me you had been complaining…” sapphire eyes settled on Armano with such intensity that it made Armano's breath quicken and the hair on his nape rise up.

 

“Isn't your money communal?” Yozak asked, ignoring the innuendo and the suddenly charged atmosphere between the two.

 

“It usually is, but he seems to enjoy having me at his mercy from time to time…” Armano shivered at the darkened blue that swept over him.

 

Yuuri, scratching his head furiously, looked from the brown-haired man to the lavender-haired one. He frowned. “Get a damn room.”

 

Kadira motioned with his head to the door, and Armano stood up so quickly that the chair almost toppled over. “Going with us?” Armano turned to Yozak who was mixing cards and mourning his loss.

 

“Not this time,” Yozak shook his head, declining.

 

Wide-eyed, Yuuri stared at Yozak.

 

“You sure?” Armano's brow rose in surprise.

 

“Absolutely,” Yozak winked at him.

 

“But…”

 

“Leave the guy in peace,” Kadira grabbed Armano by his collar and dragged him out of the room.

 

After the door closed, Yuuri still was staring at Yozak.

 

“What?” Yozak put the cards aside. “I mean, what, Your majesty?”

 

Yuuri coughed. “Well, if you've refused because of me… Seriously, I don't mind if you go…” he coughed again, his face turning pinkish.

 

“Nah, I'll pass,” Yozak shook his head. “The previous time Conrad almost kicked my teeth out.”

 

Yuuri's jaw stuck, and his mouth didn't close for several seconds. So he had been right! Hell, he had been right! Yozak and Conrad indeed were lovers or at least… “And how is it with Adalbert?” Yuuri stammered out after a minute.

 

“Huh?”

 

“Adalbert. You know, the one with big sword…” Yuuri threw his hands in exasperation.

 

Yozak burst out laughing. He gave Yuuri a funny look then just shook his head. He muttered something to himself under his nose and laughed again.

 

“There are weird things going on in His Majesty's head…” he chuckled.

 

XXXXX

 

Musing, Wolfram watched the white foamy liquid that he spat out from his mouth churning in the small bowl. He had been wrong - Yuuri had brought something useful from his world after all: toothpaste and toothbrushes, and also ballpoint pens.

 

Almost a year ago he walked in on Yuuri while he was brushing his teeth. Well, of course he knew what Yuuri was doing, but he had never seen anything like that small brush or that white dough-thing. He remembered Yuuri was laughing and trying to push him away while he was trying to smell Yuuri's mouth. The next time Yuuri and Murata came over, Yuuri was carrying a big box with toothbrushes and toothpaste. He dispensed them to all wishing. Annissina quickly took the lead and started producing her own toothpaste called The Paste for Brushing Teeth. Wolfram wasn't that sure if anyone had ever bought even one tube, but he knew for sure that, after again becoming Annissina's guinea-pigs, Gunter and Gwendal had been walking around with their teeth blue for three days.

 

Wolfram spat saliva and the paste into the bowl and started rinsing his mouth. It had been quite strange to get used to the minty taste but now it had become his daily ritual to brush his teeth twice.

 

After finishing dressing, Wolfram sat down on the corner of his bed and looked around for his book. It was a bit too early for breakfast. However, after taking the book in his hands, he simply continued to gaze at its cover.

 

Yesterday, after Kyota had left, he had been silently sitting in his bed and staring at the heavy wooden door Kyota had just closed behind himself. He felt like shit for doing this to his friend, for using him, for babbling about Yuuri and crying like a baby. And after masturbating he felt even worse: dirty, ashamed and completely humiliated. He could only guess how he had made Kyota feel. He had been so angry at himself then. Nobody had ever played such a role in his life, nobody had ever cared about him so much, like Kyota did, and how was he repaying him for that? - There he was, ignoring and hurting his friend and pining after some man who hadn't ever looked at his side since he came to Shin Makoku. Idiocy.

 

He was going to marry Kyota. There was no need in hurting them both further. If he could make Kyota happy, he was ready to do so, wanted to do so. It would take time to forget Yuuri, to get used to the idea but he thought he could manage that. Kyota was worth so much more…

 

Wolfram groaned, hiding his face in his palms. Kyota didn't need his pity. Kyota wouldn't accept it. But maybe with time… Hell, whom was he kidding? - He couldn't do it.

 

Wolfram's head shot up at the sound of knocking on his door.

 

“Morning,” Kyota stuck his head in after Wolfram's voice let him in. “Just thought we could get breakfast earlier. - I thought about seeing my grandmother, I mean the mother of Edohi. It's really nice there. It's not for long, just for one day. We'd be back tomorrow evening,” Kyota spilled quickly.

 

Wolfram nodded and stood up; the journey was a perfect opportunity to have a word with Kyota.

 

XXXXX

 

It was the fourth day at the tavern, and Yuuri with Yozak, Armano and Kadira rode back to the place where the bridge had been washed out. The weather still wasn't that good - it was drizzling and there were sporadic wind gusts passing them from time to time and tearing at their cloaks.

 

Back at the spot they found people trying to fasten the suspension bridge. It was already tied to the two high poles on their side of the bank and the other end was tied to a long rope that in turn was fastened to an arrow.

 

The four rode a bit aside to watch the progress. The first shot was into the water, not that far away from the opposite slope. After getting the rope and the arrow out of the water, the people changed the rope into a dry one and tried again. This time the arrow reached the opposite slope and stuck into the ground. The people from the other side withdrew it from the muddy earth and started drawing the rope, soon the suspension bridge beginning to cross the precipice.

 

“Well, the horses won't be able to pass over it…” Yozak sighed. “As soon as the weather is better we are going to travel those additional thirty miles to get to the other side.”

 

“Well, it seems the weather getting better,” Kadira nodded. “Slowly, but steadily.” He grabbed the reins and braced himself against a sudden gust of wind. The next gust was so strong that it almost threw him off the saddle. Kadira turned around at a loud yelp at his side where Yuuri had hit the ground on his backside.

 

Their heads turned to the other side of the river where shouts and screams were heard. Yuuri wasn't really sure what happened but the restless running around and screaming that had also started on their side was making him panicky.

 

“The wind blew the damn bridge, the man's leg got entangled in the rope, somebody tried to hold him down, and then they all went after and were dragged down into the river!” Armano, who had seen the entire thing happening, shouted to Yozak and Kadira who ran after him to the slope to help the others to drag the bridge out of the water. “There were three or four men!”

 

“Yozak, Armano, let's tie the rope to this end of the bridge and fasten it to our horses!” Kadira shouted after giving a look at the situation.

 

Yuuri scurried to the slope, to the side where one could see down the slope, and where several people had gathered and shouted the regulations to the ones who were pulling the bridge up, but, as there was not enough muscle, soon everybody joined in pulling the bridge up. In the river, two men were holding onto the bridge, the third still being washed by the stream, going up and under the water. If people didn't hurry, he was going to drown or be washed away, which very likely would result in the same.

 

With a swift thought, Yuuri dropped to his knees and called on his water element. For a moment all running and sounds ceased at once, only the brawling river and rain that was scraping against the trees, the ground and the clothes being heard. Transfixed, people stared at three water dragons that rose from above the slope.

 

“Let go of the bridge, I'll raise you up!” Yuuri shouted down to the terrified men who were staring at the dragons. Mentally, Yuuri commanded one of the dragons to raise the man entangled in the rope up to keep him above water level. “C'mon, let go of the bridge! I promise I'll catch you!” For a second, Yuuri wondered how high he would be able to raise the water level in the river if the need arose. But then one man let go of the bridge, and Yuuri's dragon wrapped around him. Steadily, the dragon rose to the very edge of the slope and let the man drop to the ground. Yuuri turned back to the river again. The second man, seeing how his companion was successfully dragged up, let go of the bridge without further encouragements.

 

After the second man was dragged up, Yuuri puzzled his head over what he should do with the one that had the rope entangled around his leg then called on the air element to raise the entire bridge while, at the same time, his water dragon raised the unconscious man.

 

Yozak sprung away as after Yuuri's sharp gesture the logs next to him flared up. “Get the men here!” Yozak shouted to dumbfounded people who were simply staring at Yuuri, frozen. Yozak looked up at the sky which had suddenly stopped raining. “Why the hell didn't you do that earlier?” he grunted while dragging the unconscious man to the fire. On his way, the man started coughing and vomiting water. Yozak started peeling the man's clothes off.

 

“I didn't really think I was able to…” Yuuri scratched his head. He plopped onto the ground, the water dragons behind him bursting into separate water drops with a loud pop and falling back into the river. “It seems that using several elements at once is…confusing…” he breathed out. He wasn't tired but his head felt a little dizzy. For some time he watched people hustling around the three wet men.

 

“Would it work if I spread the healing majutsu on them?” Yuuri asked Yozak.

 

“Not really,” Yozak shook his head. “They aren't hurt, just cold; fire is the best you could have done.” Yozak raised his head to look at Yuuri, and his gaze locked on him. “Your hair's still long. And it's black at the top of your head…and half washed out from all this water; and your clothes are turning brown from the running color…”

 

Yuuri tugged at his long hair. “It's fine. I'm still using some of the power to prevent the rain.” Remembering Wolfram, Yuuri burst into flames to dry his clothes up. He swore loudly as his cloak caught fire. “Wolfram is really better at this,” he said, tossing the cloak away from him and making it rain on it.

 

“I suppose he's talking about Wolfram von Bielefeld…?” Armano softly asked the closest person to him who happened to be Yozak.

 

“Yep.”

 

“Why the hell didn't you say that the kid is the king?!” Armano hissed at him silently. “THE KING!” he threw his arms around in the air. “Fucking gods above! I have been fucking around with THE KING! You want my head lopped off?!” he screamed at Yozak hysterically. His look fell on Kadira who was still looking at Yuuri. “Snap out of it! He's THE KING!” he threw his hands again.

 

Kadira rolled his sapphire eyes. “Well, there aren't that many people named `Yuuri' and `Wolfram' and who are fiancés…”

 

Armano stared at him. “You mean you knew?” he stammered out after a minute.

 

“Presumed,” Kadira shrugged.

 

“And you let me mess around with the kid?!”

 

“I hoped His Majesty would knock something into your head or out of it, but His Majesty appeared to be even more patient than me,” Kadira grinned at Armano. “The king must be used to dealing with idiots…”

 

“What if I'm sentenced to death?!” Armano groaned.

 

“And you're still talking like I'm not here…” Yuuri remarked calmly while inspecting his still a little steaming coat. “Be calm, I'm not going to sentence anyone to death.” Frowning, Yuuri stuck his fingers through the burnt hole in his cloak and wiggled them. The cloak was ruined.

 

“Your Majesty, let me buy You a new cloak!” Armano suggested eagerly.

 

“Fine,” Yuuri nodded. “That will teach you not to be that annoying.”

 

“Your Majesty,” Yozak sighed, “actually when a king lets someone to buy or present him something, it's an honor, and not punishment…”

 

“I hate you, Yozak,” Armano glared.

 

Yozak shrugged.

 

XXXXX

 

The four riders were approaching a village. It was raining. Yozak was trying to glare a hole through Yuuri's new cloak. Ignoring him, Yuuri only wrapped himself in the cloak tighter. It was not as expensive as the previous one he had, but had been almost enough to leave Armano bare-assed.

 

“Listen, I refuse to meddle with the weather anymore!” Yuuri snorted at Yozak. “It's no good when people meddle with nature!”

 

“Yeah, that Global Warming might attack us! Is he really powerful?” Armano turned to Yuuri. He had turned into a completely new man after getting to know that Yuuri was his king.

 

Yuuri slapped himself on his forehead. “How many times do I have to tell you that it's not a man!? The Global Warming is a process! A happening! A phenomenon!”

 

“A phhgh… A phemonemo… A phenonemo…”

 

“A phenomenon, dammit!” Yuuri growled.

 

“Ah, so it's that Pheno-meno-n we have to be afraid of! Is he a ranger or does he wield a sword? What element does he control?”

 

“I'll sentence you to death if you don't shut up right now!”

 

Armano closed his mouth, slowed his horse down and sided with Yozak. “His Majesty is really grumpy today…” he muttered. “Are you sure we will be able to beat that Global Warming off if he attacks us?”

 

“Have not a clue,” Yozak shrugged and urged his horse forward to catch up with Yuuri. “But it must be bad if His Majesty worries over him so much…”

 

They had left the tavern early in the morning, a day after the happening by the river. Yuuri couldn't stand all that trembling and bowing around him and had simply used his powers to bring the four of them to the other side of the river. Before using the air element to move them all across the river, he had practiced on carrying logs around. It would have been much easier if he simply used his water element he was used to and had quite mastered, but then they would have gotten wet. Still, already during the real thing, Yuuri had almost dropped Yozak's horse off the stream of air he had created.

 

Now, they were heading back to Blood Pledge Castle. Relatively, because it was still long way to go and they'd have to stay in many taverns before reaching it. It was slowly darkening. Yuuri had noticed that besides the horrible weather, the days became shorter. Autumn was coming.

 

It had been drizzling all day long, the weather only getting worse, and Yozak had tried to talk Yuuri into using his powers to work on some better weather. They had been bickering about that the entire time, Yuuri wishing he'd left Yozak back in the tavern; Armano was also driving him crazy with all that overly sudden solicitude. He had claimed, several times, that he wasn't going to execute Armano, but the guy refused to believe him it seemed. Kadira was fine - the man was silent, did as told and didn't cause any trouble, only that his eerie sapphire look was…he wouldn't be able to tell what the man was thinking even if his life depended on it. Yuuri's non-stop itching head and the thoughts about parasites sucking his blood out, didn't rejoice him either. All in all, when the evening drew closer, Yuuri was about to kill someone.

 

He didn't get a chance, though.

 

Ignoring the strong wind and rain, Yuuri, wishing to get somewhere warm and get something to eat as soon as possible, was moving first, his faithful horse urged by the same thought. Suddenly, lightning struck right in front of his horse. Yuuri didn't even have time to react. Later everything happened like it was in slow motion: Yuuri just managed to let out a scream as he was tossed off his horse's back. The trees, mud and separate rain droplets rushed past his wide eyes as he fell down the slope and into the hollow underneath it. He heard the shouts somewhere above him, his legs and right thigh caught up on the rand of the slope, he rolled over, tried to grab on some grass, it slid and tore beneath his fingers, and he fell further. Then his body was caught somewhere on the brim again and he rolled, rolled and rolled on the muddy surface until half conscious, with a loud splash of water that sprayed everywhere around him, hit the ground with his back.

 

Wiping and blinking his mud splattered eyes, Yuuri fought his shock down, caught his breath and checked for broken bones. Miraculously, it seemed that there was nothing broken. His head was hurting in the place he had hit while falling, but it didn't feel like it was too bad.

 

Yuuri looked around. It was deadly dark, the only source of light wafting from high above his head. Feeling the rain falling on his face, all soaked through and chilled to the bone, Yuuri couldn't help cursing. Then, interested in a weird noise that didn't sound like echo repeating his curses, he raised his head to see something rolling off the high slope. The thing was making weird yelping and wincing sounds.

 

Yuuri's eyes widened as he suddenly realized the thing was going to hit him. He tried to scramble to his feet quickly but it was too late, and the thing smashed into him with such force that it knocked him back onto his back.

 

Dazed, Yuuri opened his eyes again. He could hardly breathe, the air being knocked out of his lungs, his chest being pressed.

 

“Kyota…?” the bundle on top of Yuuri winced.

 

Yuuri continued to stare at the heavy burden on top of him. He knew that voice.

 

“Anyone…?” the burden with a male's voice started moving, pushed himself up Yuuri's chest and looked around.

 

“Wolfram?” Yuuri finally managed to stutter.

 

A loud startled squeak followed Yuuri's words, the bundle jerking in unexpectedness to find out that the pool of mud underneath him was speaking. The fire element was summoned, and a flare of light flashed. The two boys stared at each other's muddy faces in the feeble light.

 

“Yuuri…?” Wolfram mumbled, completely disarrayed.

 

“Wolfram…?”

 

“Yuuri?”

 

“Wolfram?”

 

“What the fuck?” Wolfram broke the chain first.

 

TBC