[ficlet] [oneshot] Cat Nap
Title: Cat Nap
Fandom: Kyou Kara Maou
Characters/Pairings: Yozak/Murata
Genre: Gen/Introspective
Word Count: 890
Notes: Written for kkm_challenge round 14 theme, "Yozak x ?". I thought about expanding it, but I'm not sure it has anywhere else to go. I've missed writing Yozak, though. I will have to do more of it in the future.
Yozak had been looking for Lady Cecilie, but wound up finding His Highness, instead.
The search had begun in all the usual places: her rooms, the baths, the gardens, the dining hall, and even the maid's quarters as a last resort. Lasagna had mentioned she had seen the former Maou in the library earlier that afternoon. Yozak had followed this lead simply because it was so completely unlikely that it was, in fact, worth investigating. The sun had begun to sink toward the horizon by the time he had arrived, bathing the room in strips of red light that magnified all the shadows.
A pile of books and a burnt-out candle proved someone had been there, though Yozak caught no scent of the lady's tell-tale perfume. He didn't completely rule out the possibility of her still being there, as he wove through the shelves toward the back of the room. No corners unturned, or whatever it was the kiddo liked to say.
Yozak stepped out from one section -- zoology, if memory served -- and stopped short. Three chairs had been pushed into a row up against the wall, providing a narrow sort-of bed for the youth laid out on them. One arm was bent over his eyes, shading them from the light that poured in from the far window. The second hung gracelessly off the side of the chairs, fingertips just touching the glasses that had undoubtedly fallen from them. The normally gold-colored trim on the uniform had bleached to something colorless by the sunlight, but it rose and fell with each deep, steady breath.
Unusual, and highly amusing, for the kid they hailed for his intelligence to go dead to the world in so open a place. Yozak had taken no pains to quiet his steps or his movement as he had moved through the library, he'd even called out for Lady Cecilie upon entering; yet none of it seemed to make a dent in His Highness' sleep. Something unsettling in that.
Almost a shame to wake him, Yozak supposed as he moved closer, watching closely for some sort of acknowledgment. Receiving none, he prodded at the youth's hand with his foot, mindful of the glasses. "Highness?"
The Sage sighed softly, muttering something unintelligible, and quieted again. Yozak snorted and rubbed the back of his neck. If it were the kiddo, or even Conrad's little brother, he'd have no problem just picking them up and throwing them over his shoulder. The castle had no shortage of beds, benches or couches that would suit better than a row of wooden chairs. Plus, the disorientation in waking up in a place different from where they'd started would have been fun to watch.
Somehow, though, he hesitated doing anything of the sort to His Highness. At least, not when the lines around his mouth that always seemed to tight had eased, the guard completely down. He nudged the dangling hand again, a little harder. "Hey, Highness," he called, louder than before.
The hand not currently being almost-kicked twitched a little, and the pattern of the Sage's breath changed. A single, long breath that held for a heartbeat, before being let out. Slowly, His Highness pulled himself back to the waking world. The arm over his eyes drew away gingerly, as if favoring muscles that had grown content, or even fallen asleep themselves. Yozak got a glimpse of long eyelashes fluttering against a pale cheek before Murata opened his eyes. Even without the benefit of his glasses, the dark eyes sharpened and focused with surprising ease. An equally dark eyebrow arched in an unspoken question, that Yozak interpreted as "what the hell do you want?", only with slightly more tact.
Shooting the youth a sympathetic grin, Yozak shrugged. "You have a bed, Highness."
The lines returned to their usual tension, and Murata's dangling hand groped for his glasses. Yozak shifted his foot back so he could get to them. "How mean, Yozak," Murata replied lightly. "You'd make me go all the way back to the Shrine just for a cat nap."
Yozak had seen dead cats sleeping lighter than Murata had been, but he held his tongue. For now. "Well, you're gonna need exercise after sitting in the library all day."
"And now you're calling me fat?" His Highness succeeded in finding his glasses, and then began the slow process of sitting up. He winced more than once, and Yozak shook his head. Kid was worse than Conrad, and Yozak had never, ever thought that was possible.
"Wouldn't think of it, Highness," he replied good-naturedly. "But one can never be too careful." He smirked. "Once you lose your girlish figure, it's all over."
Murata paused and turned his glasses over in one hand. If Yozak didn't know better, he would have sworn he'd seen a contemplative frown pass over the Sage's mouth. But he knew better.
Of course he did.
Whatever the expression had been wiped cleanly away as Murata put his glasses on and grinned up at him. "Well, then, I should thank you for looking out for me so well."
The back of his hand came up and rested against the Sage's cheek, just briefly; His Highness' eyes widened, then closed just as quickly. In the half second before he opened them, Yozak reclaimed his hand. "No problem at all."
Fandom: Kyou Kara Maou
Characters/Pairings: Yozak/Murata
Genre: Gen/Introspective
Word Count: 890
Notes: Written for kkm_challenge round 14 theme, "Yozak x ?". I thought about expanding it, but I'm not sure it has anywhere else to go. I've missed writing Yozak, though. I will have to do more of it in the future.
Yozak had been looking for Lady Cecilie, but wound up finding His Highness, instead.
The search had begun in all the usual places: her rooms, the baths, the gardens, the dining hall, and even the maid's quarters as a last resort. Lasagna had mentioned she had seen the former Maou in the library earlier that afternoon. Yozak had followed this lead simply because it was so completely unlikely that it was, in fact, worth investigating. The sun had begun to sink toward the horizon by the time he had arrived, bathing the room in strips of red light that magnified all the shadows.
A pile of books and a burnt-out candle proved someone had been there, though Yozak caught no scent of the lady's tell-tale perfume. He didn't completely rule out the possibility of her still being there, as he wove through the shelves toward the back of the room. No corners unturned, or whatever it was the kiddo liked to say.
Yozak stepped out from one section -- zoology, if memory served -- and stopped short. Three chairs had been pushed into a row up against the wall, providing a narrow sort-of bed for the youth laid out on them. One arm was bent over his eyes, shading them from the light that poured in from the far window. The second hung gracelessly off the side of the chairs, fingertips just touching the glasses that had undoubtedly fallen from them. The normally gold-colored trim on the uniform had bleached to something colorless by the sunlight, but it rose and fell with each deep, steady breath.
Unusual, and highly amusing, for the kid they hailed for his intelligence to go dead to the world in so open a place. Yozak had taken no pains to quiet his steps or his movement as he had moved through the library, he'd even called out for Lady Cecilie upon entering; yet none of it seemed to make a dent in His Highness' sleep. Something unsettling in that.
Almost a shame to wake him, Yozak supposed as he moved closer, watching closely for some sort of acknowledgment. Receiving none, he prodded at the youth's hand with his foot, mindful of the glasses. "Highness?"
The Sage sighed softly, muttering something unintelligible, and quieted again. Yozak snorted and rubbed the back of his neck. If it were the kiddo, or even Conrad's little brother, he'd have no problem just picking them up and throwing them over his shoulder. The castle had no shortage of beds, benches or couches that would suit better than a row of wooden chairs. Plus, the disorientation in waking up in a place different from where they'd started would have been fun to watch.
Somehow, though, he hesitated doing anything of the sort to His Highness. At least, not when the lines around his mouth that always seemed to tight had eased, the guard completely down. He nudged the dangling hand again, a little harder. "Hey, Highness," he called, louder than before.
The hand not currently being almost-kicked twitched a little, and the pattern of the Sage's breath changed. A single, long breath that held for a heartbeat, before being let out. Slowly, His Highness pulled himself back to the waking world. The arm over his eyes drew away gingerly, as if favoring muscles that had grown content, or even fallen asleep themselves. Yozak got a glimpse of long eyelashes fluttering against a pale cheek before Murata opened his eyes. Even without the benefit of his glasses, the dark eyes sharpened and focused with surprising ease. An equally dark eyebrow arched in an unspoken question, that Yozak interpreted as "what the hell do you want?", only with slightly more tact.
Shooting the youth a sympathetic grin, Yozak shrugged. "You have a bed, Highness."
The lines returned to their usual tension, and Murata's dangling hand groped for his glasses. Yozak shifted his foot back so he could get to them. "How mean, Yozak," Murata replied lightly. "You'd make me go all the way back to the Shrine just for a cat nap."
Yozak had seen dead cats sleeping lighter than Murata had been, but he held his tongue. For now. "Well, you're gonna need exercise after sitting in the library all day."
"And now you're calling me fat?" His Highness succeeded in finding his glasses, and then began the slow process of sitting up. He winced more than once, and Yozak shook his head. Kid was worse than Conrad, and Yozak had never, ever thought that was possible.
"Wouldn't think of it, Highness," he replied good-naturedly. "But one can never be too careful." He smirked. "Once you lose your girlish figure, it's all over."
Murata paused and turned his glasses over in one hand. If Yozak didn't know better, he would have sworn he'd seen a contemplative frown pass over the Sage's mouth. But he knew better.
Of course he did.
Whatever the expression had been wiped cleanly away as Murata put his glasses on and grinned up at him. "Well, then, I should thank you for looking out for me so well."
The back of his hand came up and rested against the Sage's cheek, just briefly; His Highness' eyes widened, then closed just as quickly. In the half second before he opened them, Yozak reclaimed his hand. "No problem at all."