FIC: Valentine's Day the Insensitive Way
Placing this here for archive purposes.
Title: Valentine's Day the Insensitive Way
Author: batty_gal/Tetra26
Rating: Wolfram/Yuuri
Fandom: Kyou Kara Maou
Pairing: Wolfram/Yuuri
Word Count: 7190
Fic Type: Humor
Summary: Wolfram learns of Valentine's Day from Murata and decides to make Yuuri chocolates. Yuuri finds out in advance, and intentionally does something insensitive as a result. Written for the kkm_wolframfans Valentine's Day challenge.
Valentine's Day the Insensitive Way
“So Wolfram, what will you be doing for Yuuri for Valentine's Day? It is only three days away,” Murata said, watching as Wolfram stoically stared outside through the blinds where Yuuri was talking to a young girl.
After Wolfram had nearly worked himself to death for reason known only to himself, he had suddenly collapsed from exhaustion right in front of Blood Pledge Castle a few weeks back. Yuuri had insisted that he take a break from everything - going as far as drugging and dragging an unconscious Wolfram off to Earth after Wolfram insisted that he would take his vacation at his Uncle Waltorana's place. Wolfram had not been amused to wake up in Shouri's bed, especially since his fiancé's brother had chosen that time to visit home and get in it.
Shouri had not been amused by it either, and he and Wolfram had screamed a duet with each other in Yuuri's ears for a good hour.
“Valentine's Day? What is that?” Wolfram asked, turning away from watching Yuuri to Murata.
“Valentine's Day is essentially a day for lovers. On this day, girls give guys chocolates and gifts out of love or friendship. Then, a month later on White Day, the guys return the gesture.”
“I am not a girl, why would I do anything for this holiday?” Wolfram asked, simply.
“No, you are not - but in other places, it doesn't matter who gives the gifts - only that they give their loved ones something special.”
“I see, so I should give Yuuri something on this day?” Wolfram asked, thinking about the potential reactions Yuuri might have to a gift from him. The idea of Yuuri being happy and perhaps hugging him brought a smile to his own face.
“Well, you see, it's a bit more complicated than that,” Murata said.
“What do you mean?”
“Sit down, and I'll tell you all about it,” Murata said, flopping down on the couch and patting the cushion beside him.
Two days later, Yuuri entered his home, his body tired and sore after a rather intense game of baseball.
The first thing he noticed upon entering was a delightful scent of vanilla and cinnamon and other wonderful things, which pleased him. It meant his mother was probably making something delicious - and he grinned in anticipation of eating whatever it was.
“Yuuri, quit standing there looking immensely stupid, and shut the front door,” Shouri said, bringing him out of his fantasy of eating his mother's cakes and pies.
Shouri was forever ruining something for him.
“And. Why are you still here?” Yuuri grumbled, shutting the door. He was still unamused by Shouri suddenly coming home and getting into bed with Wolfram, and causing such a scene. Just remembering the headache he had from being yelled at by the two made his previous delight turn to grumpiness.
“They are still fixing the heater at my new place,” Shouri said, rolling his eyes. “So, you're stuck with me for a few more days.”
“Great,” Yuuri said, rolling his own eyes. More days of his brother following him around, criticizing his every move, and insisting he call him “big brother”.
He brushed past Shouri, intent on going into the kitchen and seeing what his mother was cooking that smelled so very good. He could practically feel himself salivating.
“I would not go in there if I were you,” Shouri said, casually.
“Why not?” Yuuri asked. “I want to see what mom is making.”
“Wolfram is in there,” Shouri said.
“And?”
“And Wolfram's making chocolates.”
“Why in the world would Wolfram be making chocolate?” Yuuri asked, confused.
“Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. Why else?” Shouri replied.
It took all of two seconds for Yuuri to go from confusion to absolute panic mode.
“So I would stay out of there, because he'll probably yell at you if you see his chocolates in advance,” Shouri continued, oblivious to Yuuri's state.
Wolfram is making me chocolates, Wolfram is making me chocolates, Wolfram is making me chocolates, Yuuri's mind repeated. Just how was he supposed to deal with Wolfram giving him handmade chocolates?
Yuuri imagined Wolfram, doing his best to look nervous and cute, presenting a gift bag filled with chocolates.
Please accept my feelings, cutesy-Wolfram said, in his imagination.
“Lucky you, though,” Shouri continued. “I wish there was someone that would give me handmade chocolates.”
Maybe, but if you were me you would not want them from Wolfram! Yuuri wanted to yell. What was he supposed to do when Wolfram presented him chocolates? What reaction was he supposed to give? Or, rather, what reaction would he give that would not upset Wolfram?
He most certainly could not accept any handmade chocolates or any feelings that came along with them. He wasn't ready to accept those feelings from Wolfram.
His mind went further went down the list of things he could do to head off such a situation, and finally settled on one such thing. Wolfram would probably be angry, but this way he would not have to reject him flat out. This way, he could laugh off anything Wolfram tried to give him as being invalid. A pitiful excuse, but an excuse nevertheless.
“Wait, where are you going?” Shouri asked.
“I have to run to the store right quick,” Yuuri lied, reopening the door he had only closed moments prior. “Do not tell Wolfram I know what he's up to, alright?”
“Fine,” Shouri said.
Yuuri practically sprinted out of the house, leaving his brother standing there with a look of sheer confusion on his face.
By the time Wolfram woke up on Valentine's Day morning, Yuuri had already left the house for school - much to his chagrin. He had wanted to give Yuuri his chocolates early, before anyone else attempted to give him any. Murata had warned him that there would be plenty of girls at Yuuri's school probably giving him chocolate, and had talked him out of his rage over the matter.
Murata had assured him that Yuuri held no interest in anyone at school, which put him at ease a bit. Wolfram had gathered up the courage to ask Murata if Yuuri was interested in him, but the answer he received was... unsatisfactory.
Murata simply did not know - or so he said to Wolfram. Wolfram wondered if he were lying, and whether or not he was lying because Yuuri was interested and he wanted Yuuri to tell it himself, or Yuuri was not interested, and he wanted to spare Wolfram's feelings.
Either way, Wolfram was determined to get an answer out of Yuuri somehow that day - and hopefully it would be one that he wanted to hear.
And so, he nervously sat in Yuuri's room during his school hours, alternating between biting his nails down to the quick and daydreaming about the outcome of asking Yuuri to accept his feelings. Besides those two actions, he felt an unease that simply would not go away.
It was two whole hours after Yuuri should have returned home from school, and Wolfram's nerves were further frayed. Every sound he heard, real or imagined, put him on edge. When Shouri had come into the house an hour prior, Wolfram had rushed downstairs - bag of chocolates in hand - to meet who he thought was Yuuri, and had been sorely disappointed when it had not been him.
He berated himself for his actions, his nerves, and everything else.
Wolfram felt he should not feel this way. It was just a bag of chocolates, not - for example - official marriage papers. He did not like being nervous, he did not like feeling so uneasy that it almost felt the equivalent of being seasick on a ship. He did not like worrying about how Yuuri would react to him.
It simply was not in character for him to be that way.
He did not understand it. He was not sure he wanted to understand it, even. He would have preferred tossing the bag into the trash, and forgetting about the ridiculous holiday that wasn't even a part of his culture. However, on the off chance that Yuuri was expecting or maybe even wanting him to do something for him on the holiday, he decided to move forth with the idea.
Maybe, just maybe, they would move forward in their relationship on that day as well.
“You want to what?” Murata asked Yuuri.
“I want to spend the night over your house tonight,” Yuuri said. “Please. I can't go home today.”
“Wait, why? Is something wrong at your house?” Murata asked, tilting his head to the side.
“Wolfram made me some chocolates yesterday afternoon. He is intending on giving them to me today when I get home. I simply can't accept them!” Yuuri said.
Murata blinked once. Then, he rapidly blinked twice. He had not been that stunned in quite some time. He was certain that Yuuri had feelings for Wolfram. He would have bet his soul on it.
And yet, here Yuuri was - intent on avoiding anything that could propel his and Wolfram's relationship forward.
“Yuuri, why not go home and accept?” Murata said.
“I can't accept his feelings! I won't accept them!” Yuuri insisted.
“What? Why? You know how he feels about you, and I am sure that you feel the same way-”
“There's someone else,” Yuuri cut him off.
“What? What do you mean. You have someone else? Who? I've never seen you show any interest in anyone other than-”
“Well there is, I have a girlfriend.”
“You're lying.”
“I am not, and I am going to tell Wolfram I have one if you can't do this for me.”
“You would risk bodily harm by lying to him. Why?”
“Because, I can't accept his feelings.”
“Now, or ever?”
“I do not know, but most certainly not now! I just don' t know what I feel - and I don't want to accept any feelings from him until I understand what I feel.”
Murata could not conjure any words that could express what he felt, but he sure could recognize the feelings.
Sheer guilt.
Had he not told Wolfram about the holiday and pushed him into making chocolates for Yuuri, nothing of the sort would have happened. It would have just been another day to them - another day of Yuuri denying his feelings and Wolfram waiting on him to stop denying them.
Now, events had been put into motion that could mess up everything - events that he had caused by meddling.
He had to do some damage control.
“Sure, you can stay the night here - but promise me you won't follow through with lying about having a girlfriend to Wolfram. Ever,” Murata said.
“I promise,” Yuuri said, sighing in relief.
“Fine, you'll call your mother and tell her you're staying the night at my house?”
“I am going to call her later and let her know. She won't mind. Thanks, Murata! I'll go get my things, and meet you at the front of the school,” Yuuri said.
“Yeah, yeah,” Murata said, waving him away and pondering what to do about the entire situation.
By the end of dinner, Yuuri still hadn't shown up at home - and Wolfram was less worried about the whole Valentine's Day thing, and more worried about whether or not Yuuri was alright.
“Are you sure he didn't have practice today?” Wolfram once again asked Yuuri's mother, Jennifer.
“I am certain, and even if they did this weather would have caused them to end it hours ago,” Jennifer said. “My Yuuri probably had something to do and forgot to tell me. I swear that boy can be so very flighty at times, just like his father.”
Yuuri's father, Shouma, laughed nervously - and Wolfram suspected that it was not because he agreed with Jennifer, but because he thought that Jennifer was the flighty one.
The phone rang, and it took all of Wolfram's willpower not to be the one to jump up and answer it. Instead, he clutched at the table while Jennifer got up to answer.
“Hello?” she said, answering on the third ring.
Wolfram bit his lip as he watched her expression.
“Yes, he's here, hold on,” she said. She took the phone away from her ear and held it against her chest. “Shouri, it's for you.”
“Who is it?” Shouri said, as Wolfram sighed in disappointment.
“Some girl.”
“Really?” Shouri said, getting up from the table.
Wolfram had hoped the phone call was from Yuuri, and had been sorely disappointed. His shoulders slumped as Shouri took the phone into the living room, and Jennifer came back to sit down at the table.
“Wolfram, I am sure Yuuri will be home soon,” she said, practically reading his thoughts. “Then, you can give him your chocolates.”
“I hope so,” he said, quietly.
It was ten when the phone rang again, and this time Jennifer - worried about where her youngest son was - picked up on the first ring.
“Hello?” she asked, watching as Wolfram got up from the his position on the sofa. He had not moved from the spot since dinner.
“Mother, it's me,” she heard Yuuri say on the other line.
“Yuuri! Thank goodness you're alright. We started to worry about you!” she said, relieved. She noticed that Wolfram looked relieved as well, and could not help winking at him. She received one of his rare smiles in return.
“I am fine. Listen, I am going to spend the night over Murata's tonight,” Yuuri said.
“Wait, what?” she said, disbelievingly.
“I said, I am going to spend the night over Murata's tonight,” Yuuri repeated.
“Why?” she asked.
“I just... want to stay over his house tonight, is all,” Yuuri said.
Jennifer could tell when her sons were avoiding issues, and this time was no different. Yuuri was avoiding something.
Or someone.
She looked over at Wolfram, who was hanging onto her every word, and suddenly she had her answer. Somehow, Yuuri must have found out that Wolfram had made him chocolates, and was avoiding coming home.
She did not like - or appreciate - the position she had been put in by her son when she came to realize that it was her that would have to break it to Wolfram that Yuuri would not be home to accept his gift.
Or his feelings.
However, what could she do? She could not force her son to have feelings for - or even acknowledge his feelings for - someone. Nor would she want to. Still, she was disappointed that Yuuri would pull this sort of stunt in order to avoid doing so - and part of her wanted to put her parental foot down and demand he come home.
“I'll see you then,” she said, ultimately.
“Thanks, mom,” Yuuri said, hanging up.
Before she could even hang up, Wolfram was firing questions at her.
“Is Yuuri alright? Where is he? Is he coming him now? I was so worried,” Wolfram said.
“Yuuri's over at Murata's house, and he's going to spend the night over there,” she said. She walked over to Wolfram, and gently squeezed his shoulder. “Come into the kitchen, I'll make us some tea before we turn in for the night.”
It was twenty minutes after eleven when Shouri - who had left three hours prior right after dinner for a movie date with a female classmate - came sauntering back in the house. The first thing he noticed was Wolfram, who was sitting in the very same spot he had been in when he had left out that afternoon.
“I thought you would be in bed by now,” Shouri said. He noticed that the gift bag that Wolfram had been holding since early that afternoon was in Wolfram's lap, and started to worry. “Yuuri hasn't come home yet?”
“Yuuri is spending the night over Murata's,” Wolfram said, quietly.
“I see,” Shouri said.
He was about to turn around and leave Wolfram there, when it dawned on him.
Wolfram hadn't been able to give Yuuri his chocolates, because Yuuri had not been there to receive them - possibly on purpose. He then thought back, and promptly wanted to kick himself.
Had he not spoiled it and told Yuuri what Wolfram had been up to, Yuuri would not have had a chance to pull such a stunt.
Shouri felt an inch tall, and completely guilty.
“I still have my father's car keys, I can take you over there so that you can give that bag to him,” Shouri offered, suddenly. He did not know what came over him to say such a thing, but it was already out there. Yuuri would be put on the spot if he took Wolfram over there, but it would serve him right. Well that, and Shouri would not feel as guilty if Wolfram at least got the chance to give them to Yuuri. “Come on, we can be there in ten minutes-”
“No,” Wolfram said, shaking his head. “It's fine. If he wanted something from me, he would have been here to receive it.”
“Wait, he probably doesn't know-” Shouri started to lie.
“I've sat here since I found out he was staying the night over there, and I've put it all together. Somehow, he found out I was going to give him something for this holiday, and he decided the best way to accept my feelings was to not give me a chance to offer them to him.”
“Wolfram-”
“I am tired of loving your brother,” Wolfram said. “I almost worked myself to death so that I could dampen these feelings, and it didn't help. I even tried dating someone else behind his back, just to see if I could force him out of my system. I only ended up hurting that person because I could not love him back.”
“Wolfram-” Shouri tried, again.
“Happy Valentine's Day, Shouri,” Wolfram said, getting up and walking towards him. He held out the bag that contained Yuuri's chocolates. “I do not have any feelings to give you, but there's some tasty chocolate in the bag,” he joked.
Shouri could not bring himself to say anything else, and simply took the bag from Wolfram's hand.
“Goodnight,” Wolfram said, turning away from him.
Shouri watched as he walked out of the living room, mentally cursing himself for being unable to offer any comforting words.
At sixteen minutes until twelve o'clock, Yuuri was still wide awake. Every time another minute passed by on the clock, he became even more uneasy.
And felt even more guilty.
He paid little attention when Murata, who had taken a phone call, finally came back into the bedroom.
“Are you going to stare at that clock until midnight?” Murata asked Yuuri.
“Valentine's Day is almost over,” Yuuri said.
“So? Didn't you decide not to celebrate the holiday? Or am I imagining that you're spending the night at my house and avoiding Wolfram?”
“Oh, shut up,” Yuuri grumbled.
“Tomorrow, you are so going to get yelled at,” Murata said.
“I know. Boy, do I know.”
“Well, that is, unless Wolfram decides that you aren't worth his time anymore.”
“Do you really think that Wolfram would suddenly stop being interested in me?”
“I think if you ignore him enough, he will. And this might very well count as enough to him.”
Yuuri sat silently, not wanting to continue the line of conversation.
“Of course, if that is what you want - for him to stop - then you should not be concerned if this is the time that will make it so,” Murata said, shrugging. “Eventually, one of you were going to crack.”
“What do you mean by that?” Yuuri asked.
“What I mean is, either he were going to give you up or you were going to give in to him.”
“I told him plenty of times I wasn't interested, and he still never gave up on me,” Yuuri said. “Why would it make a difference now?”
“Because he has actively been trying to give you up for quite some time now,” Murata said.
“How do you figure that?”
“Well, he has cut you a lot of slack lately. He hasn't yelled at you for cheating in quite some time. And, he hasn't been under you, watching your every move anymore. How else could he have managed to nearly work himself to death?”
“I can't return his feelings solely because he has them for me, though,” Yuuri said.
“Oh? So you do not love him?”
“No!”
“Well then, why are we even discussing the matter? Why are you still up, staring at that clock, and regretting what you did today? Why are you so worried about his reaction to you tomorrow?”
“Because I do not want to hurt him.”
“Eventually, you were going to have to. When he pushes away from you, you always pull him back. And when he pulls you toward him, you push him away. It's frustrating to him. It's frustrating to you. It's frustrating to me and everyone else that is watching it.”
“What am I supposed to do? What can I do?”
“Grow a spine, and tell him what you really feel for him. How about that? That way you both can move on, for better or for worse, together or apart. Or, you can wait and see if tomorrow - after he puts two and two together and understands the real reason why you didn't come home - he'll finally decide that you do not want him.
“He'll decide that I do not want him? Don't you mean he'll realize it?”
“How can he realize you do not want him, when you haven't realized whether or not you do yourself? Sometimes, I think you intentionally miss the points people make. But, you know what? I can't even get mad at you. This is all my fault for even bringing up Valentine's Day to him.”
“Wait, you're the one that told him about this holiday? I could kill-”
“There's nothing you could do to me that could make me feel any worse than I already do,” Murata admitted. “I could probably sit here and tell myself that I told him about it so that you two would finally move forth, but that would probably just be me lying to myself.”
“What do you mean?” Yuuri asked, yet again.
“What I mean is, I think I unwittingly tried to sabotage your relationship with him.”
“Why would you do such a thing?”
“Out of jealousy, I suppose. I guess I wanted to hurt him.”
“Hurt Wolfram? Why?”
“Because he caught the eye of someone I am interested in.”
“Murata, do not tell me you're-” Yuuri started, easing off of the bed.
“No, not you,” Murata said.
“Then who? Who's eye has he caught?” Yuuri practically demanded to know.
“Oh, it doesn't matter now, does it?” Murata said, blushing.
“It does, tell me who!” Yuuri whined.
“I... I can't. It's far too embarrassing.”
“Tell me, please!”
“Shouri. It's Shouri.”
“Wait, you like Shouri?” Yuuri questioned, before the big issue hit him. “Wait, Shouri likes Wolfram?!”
“Yes,” Murata said, sadly. “He's been captivated by him for quite some time. Though, tonight he might finally get his chance.”
“What? What do you mean he'll finally get his chance?”
“Think about it, Shibuya,” Murata said, closing his eyes. “Wolfram is there, possibly hurting over you - maybe even crying over those chocolates you would not take from him. Shouri comes in, sees him hurting, and offers him comfort. He wipes away a tear, and then his hand oh so gently starts to caress Wolfram's cheek. Wolfram leans into his touch ever so slightly. They lock eyes. Then, Shouri leans down slowly, and they lock lips. Finally, Shouri leads Wolfram to his bedroom-”
Murata suddenly heard a loud slamming of a door, and opened his eyes.
“Shouri had better play his part well,” Murata said, recalling the phone conversation that Shouri had with him over Wolfram's comments not too long ago.
Yuuri sprinted, down the sidewalk, through various people's backyards, ignoring the rain and the cold in a desperate effort to get home. Even if he did not make it before midnight, he had to get there before Shouri took advantage of Wolfram.
Not that he thought Wolfram would even allow it, but there was no telling how far he had pushed him that night - and he did not want to take any chances.
He reached his doorway at three minutes till midnight, quickly jamming his key into the lock and letting himself in. He headed straight toward his room, tossing off his rain-soaked hat and jacket in the process.
Upon opening the door, he was met with a sight that dismayed him.
Wolfram was there on the bed, asleep. However, Shouri was also there - sitting in Yuuri's chair and staring lovingly at Wolfram as he slept - and twirling his hair around his fingers.
“Shouri, what are you doing?” Yuuri asked, startling his brother.
“Nothing! Nothing at all, I just came in to check on him. He looked sick earlier,” Shouri said, quickly. He yanked his hand away from Wolfram's hair, a guilty look on his face. “I thought you were spending the night at your friend's house?”
“I changed my mind,” Yuuri said. “Why are you in here?”
“As I said, he looked sick. And, he felt hot.”
“Shouri, he's a fire mazoku. Of course he's going to feel hot.”
“Oh. Guess I'll be going then,” Shouri said, getting up.
Yuuri glanced at the clock in his room. He had wasted a minute gawking at Shouri's actions. He walked over to the bed, and knelt down beside it. “Wolfram, wake up,” he said, gently shaking him.
“Why are you waking him up? I told you he might be sick. Anything you have to say to him can wait until tomorrow.”
“How about you leave and not worry about anything I have to say to him?” Yuuri said, glaring at his brother.
“Fine, fine. I'll go. I already got what I wanted from him anyway,” Shouri said, smirking as he left the room.
Yuuri did not want to know what it was that Shouri had gotten from Wolfram, but at the same time he could not stop thinking about it. Or, Murata's descriptions of what could have happened between the two due to his insensitive actions that day.
“Wolfram, wake up,” Yuuri said, shaking Wolfram harder.
“Huh, what?” Wolfram asked, as Yuuri shook him awake.
“Wolfram, I need to talk to you,” Yuuri said.
“What do you want?” Wolfram mumbled, sleepily.
“Happy Valentine's Day, Wolfram,” Yuuri said.
Wolfram's sleep-addled brain tried to take in whether or not he was dreaming that Yuuri was there wishing him a happy Valentine's Day. His vision was blurred, which came down as a plus on the dreaming side, but Yuuri's hand gripping his thigh told his brain otherwise.
He blinked in an attempt to clear his vision, and noted that Yuuri had a very serious - and very guilty - look on his face.
“Happy Valentine's Day, Wolfram,” Yuuri repeated. “I am sorry that I am just now getting home, but I am here and I am ready to accept what you have for me.”
So it wasn't a dream after all.
Wolfram glanced at the clock, and a few seconds after he laid eyes on it, it turned midnight. Leave it up to Yuuri to do things at the absolute last minute.
However, Wolfram was not sure if he wanted to even go there with Yuuri. Just less than an hour prior, he had finally written Yuuri off as a lost cause. Every time he did so, Yuuri did something that gave him some sort of hope that he actually had a chance, and brought him back toward him. Wolfram knew that he could not get over Yuuri as long as he took every action of Yuuri's to mean that he was interested.
“Happy Valentine's Day, Yuuri,” he said. “I do not have anything for you, though.”
“You don't?” Yuuri asked, confused.
“No.”
“Oh. I see. I thought that you had made me some chocolates,” Yuuri said, laughing nervously.
“I did, but when I thought you were not coming home, I gave them to Shouri,” Wolfram said.
“What! You gave them to him?! That is why he was so self-satisfied when walking out of here?” Yuuri said, his expression horrified.
“Yuuri, it's just chocolate, after all. It was more the sentiment behind it that I was interested in. But, I guess it doesn't matter anymore,” Wolfram said.
“What do you mean it doesn't matter anymore?”
“Well, you planned an elaborate scheme just to not receive those sentiments, so I got rid of them as well as the chocolates. Now if you'll excuse me, I am tired.”
He closed his eyes and turned back over, fluffing up Yuuri's pillow in the process. He was determined, this time, to stick to his plan of getting Yuuri out of his system. When he got back to Shin Makoku, he would make it official. And, he would go out on a date. This time, he was determined to date until he found the one - even if it would be emulating his mother's behavior.
“Don't give up on me, Wolfram,” Yuuri said, quietly.
Wolfram's eyes shot open. Surely, he had not heard right?
“I know I've been stringing you along for quite some time now, but I do not mean to. It's just... I want to make sure of what I feel before I make any real move.”
“Yuuri, we've been doing this dance for almost two years now-”
“I know, and I am sorry for extending it this long! Murata said something earlier that really helped open my eyes a bit, and it made me realize something.”
“What's that?” Wolfram asked, curiously.
“That if I really, truly did not feel something for you, I would not do some of the things I do. Running after you when you ended our engagement. Asking you to continue sleeping with me when you finally wanted to stop. Finding reasons to be around you when you're trying to avoid me after all the times when I tried to avoid you. Bringing you here when you wanted to spend your vacation with your Uncle.”
“Yuuri, after tonight, I realize that I will be fine with us just being friends. If you are telling me all of these things because you believe that I will no longer be your friend if we never have a romantic relationship, stop now. I'll always be your friend, either way. It's just, I would need a little time away from you in order to deal with these other feelings.”
“That puts me at ease, but I am still not sure if it's friendship or something else that I am feeling. I am just confused,” Yuuri said.
“Then that makes the two of us. You are confused what you are feeling for me, and I am confused as to whether I want to wait for you or start pursuing other options.”
“Like Shouri? You can't be interested in him!” Yuuri said.
“Why would you think I was interested in Shouri?” Wolfram said, sitting up and turning to face where Yuuri was still kneeling beside the bed. He scooted to the end of the bed, planting each of his legs on opposing sides of Yuuri.
“You gave him your chocolate!”
“After you didn't bother to show up and get it!”
“You could have saved it and gave it to me the next day!”
“If I didn't give it to you on Valentine's Day, it was meaningless! I would not have given it to you late whether or not I gave it to Shouri! And that's probably what you planned, wasn't it? Angry Wolfram giving you the chocolates a day late, and you laughing off his feelings with an 'it doesn't count because it's not Valentine's Day'. That was it, wasn't it?”
“I- I would have rather you thrown it away than given it to him!” Yuuri said, looking far guiltier at Wolfram's accusation - which let him know that he was absolutely right.
“And be wasteful? What a wimpy thing to even consider, just as expected from a wimp who can't even determine whether or not he's in love.”
“Love?! I am not trying to determine if I am in love, I am trying to determine if I like you more than I already like you! No one said anything about love! That is a completely different thing, not alike at all! I would know the difference between the two even if I can't determine anything else!” Yuuri rambled, blushing profusely.
“Fine, you can't determine whether or not you are in like, then. Whatever. Either way, derailing argument aside, I still do not know where we should go from here, Yuuri,” Wolfram said, seriously. “Not too long ago, I told your brother that I am tired of loving you. And, I am. I do not think I want to hang on anymore.”
“Wolfram-”
“Yuuri, I am not saying this in an attempt to force you into making a decision. I am honestly not sure any more. I think that, maybe, we should both try dating other people. I think that if it were meant for us to be together, you would already be sure about your feelings.”
“Wolf-”
Suddenly, on sheer impulse, Wolfram closed his eyes, leaned forward, and captured Yuuri's lips with his own. He didn't deepen the kiss, nor did he exert more than a light force on Yuuri's mouth. He simply pressed his lips there and held the kiss.
Seconds later, he opened his eyes and pulled away. Yuuri's eyes were squeezed shut, as if he had forced himself not to break away from the kiss and run out of the room - possibly to vomit.
Wolfram noted the expression, and was ready to finally accept that Yuuri would never be able to feel the same as he did, when the oddest thing happened.
Yuuri opened his eyes, and licked his lips. Wolfram watched as Yuuri's facial expressions shifted from confusion, to curiosity, and - finally - to amusement.
Wolfram himself did not feel amusement, however, when Yuuri started to laugh.
“What is so funny?” he demanded, utterly annoyed that Yuuri chose that moment to find humor in something.
“Wolfram, nothing, it's nothing,” Yuuri said, still laughing. “I can't believe it!”
“What, that I kissed you? Why? What's to laugh at?” he asked, defensively.
“I was afraid that, regardless of my feelings for you, I would not be able to do things like kiss you. I thought that I would not like it, because you were another guy. It took you actually kissing me before I finally realized that I am okay with it. That I am okay with us!”
“You mean, all this time you've been unsure of what you felt because you didn't think that you would like kissing me?” Wolfram asked, eyebrow twitching.
“Yeah, isn't that stupid of me? I mean, I knew I liked you, but I didn't think I would be able to follow through on that like,” Yuuri said, oblivious to Wolfram's growing anger. “That was my biggest hang up.”
“So, do we get to move forward in our relationship, or are you going to have to determine whether or not you can have sex with me first? Because, eventually, I am going to want sex too.”
Yuuri abruptly stopped laughing. “What?”
“Or, maybe we should just do it right now in order to find out?” Wolfram said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Drop your pants, and turn around.”
“Wait, now, it's too soon for that!” Yuuri said, scooting away.
“Yuuri, you wimp! You coward! You idiot!” Wolfram finally blew up. “You've been leading me on all this time because you were not sure you could kiss me or not?! I should roast your ass! I should deep fry your torso! I should sauté your entrails and present them to Liesel for lunch!”
“Wolfram, no need to get angry! I am sorry! Look, how about we discuss the rest of this tomorrow? You get some rest, and I'll sleep in the living room tonight so that you can be comfortable-”
“I should barbecue you and donate your carcass to hungry children! I should flame broil your eyeballs and let Günter use them in his potions! I should sear your toes and serve them to Stoffel over a bed of rice! I should slow-cook your fingers and-”
Wolfram was shut up when Yuuri took the initiative and kissed him.
Yuuri's kiss was forceful, rough, unsure of itself, and - surprisingly - needy. This time, their kiss lasted longer as the both of them adjusted to the feel of each other's lips, teasing and tasting each other's mouths in the process. When Yuuri opened his mouth, Wolfram took the opportunity to deepen the kiss.
Somehow, Wolfram ended up on the floor where Yuuri was - kneeling in the same position as Yuuri in front of him. He was unsure as to whether he dropped down there, or if Yuuri pulled him down - losing track of his actions just as he lost track of the time they spent at it. They continued the dance of tongues, until Wolfram attempted to push Yuuri on his back.
Then, as suddenly as it had started, Yuuri pushed him away, and practically catapulted to the other side of the room.
Wolfram did not ask him why he stopped, because he knew the reason. It was his turn to laugh. “Feels like you won't have any problems with any other things, either!” he said, gleefully.
“Shut up,” Yuuri moaned, in embarrassment.
“I think you probably should sleep on the couch tonight, after all,” Wolfram said. “I think you are so very petrified at the idea of sleeping with me.”
“Wolfram, leave the horrible jokes up to Conrad, please?” Yuuri groaned, burying his face in his palm.
“If that is what you wood have me to do!”
“I'll be leaving now... goodnight, Wolfram,” Yuuri said, getting up off the floor. He grabbed a pillow off his bed, held it against his lap, and backed out of the room.
“Goodnight, Yuuri. I didn't mean to make this so hard for you.”
Still groaning at Wolfram's spot-on imitation of his brother, Yuuri exited into the hallway, closed the door, and leaned against it. It was a little after one, and he and Wolfram had been kissing for quite some time.
Still, it was nice that something had came out of Valentine's Day, even if he had come close to screwing it up forever between himself and Wolfram. And all because he had been scared that he would not be able to get intimate with him.
He looked down at the spot where his pants were horribly tight at. Well, there went that theory. Now, it was a matter of taking it slow and seeing where this thing between them would go now that it was out there.
But first, however, he had a score to settle.
After the state of affairs in his pants were finally at ease, he walked over to his brother's door, and knocked.
Just as he suspected, Shouri was wide awake.
“Come in, Yuuri,” Shouri said.
“How did you know it was me,” he asked, after opening the door and walking in. As usual, Shouri was at his computer.
“Who else is going to come in my room at one in the morning, possibly to confront me over some perceived feelings I may - but do not - have about their fiancé?”
“So, you really have no feelings for Wolfram?”
“Nope.”
“Then why were you staring at him like that, and playing with his hair?”
“Because your friend called me and let me know that you were on the way home, so I figured I would give a good show. Of course, this was after I called him and let him know about Wolfram giving me your chocolates and giving up on you.”
“Then that means that Murata's whole talk to me was a ruse? And he isn't interested in you? You two just had to pull something on me!” Yuuri whined.
“Like you have room to talk! I helped save your relationship when I do not approve of it in the first place!”
“Like I care whether or not you approve.”
“Like I care whether or not you care whether or not I approve.”
“You-”
“Your chocolates are in that bag over there,” Shouri said. “If things hadn't turned out so well between you two, I really would have eaten them.”
“They're mine!” Yuuri said, snatching the bag off his desk “And how did you know things went well between us?”
“Because Wolfram is loud, and as much as you complain about him being loud, you are loud as well,” Shouri said. “They say spouses who shout at each other last longer together. In that case, I think you two will be together forever.”
“Very funny,” Yuuri said, rummaging around in the bag for his chocolate. He brought one of them up, and read the writing.
“Roses are red, violets are blue, you're a wimpy coward, why do I love you?” he read, out loud. “I should not have expected anything else from someone like Wolfram.”
As he happily bit down into the piece of chocolate, Yuuri admitted to himself yet another of his feelings about Wolfram.
He would not want his Wolfram to be any other way.
Title: Valentine's Day the Insensitive Way
Author: batty_gal/Tetra26
Rating: Wolfram/Yuuri
Fandom: Kyou Kara Maou
Pairing: Wolfram/Yuuri
Word Count: 7190
Fic Type: Humor
Summary: Wolfram learns of Valentine's Day from Murata and decides to make Yuuri chocolates. Yuuri finds out in advance, and intentionally does something insensitive as a result. Written for the kkm_wolframfans Valentine's Day challenge.
Valentine's Day the Insensitive Way
“So Wolfram, what will you be doing for Yuuri for Valentine's Day? It is only three days away,” Murata said, watching as Wolfram stoically stared outside through the blinds where Yuuri was talking to a young girl.
After Wolfram had nearly worked himself to death for reason known only to himself, he had suddenly collapsed from exhaustion right in front of Blood Pledge Castle a few weeks back. Yuuri had insisted that he take a break from everything - going as far as drugging and dragging an unconscious Wolfram off to Earth after Wolfram insisted that he would take his vacation at his Uncle Waltorana's place. Wolfram had not been amused to wake up in Shouri's bed, especially since his fiancé's brother had chosen that time to visit home and get in it.
Shouri had not been amused by it either, and he and Wolfram had screamed a duet with each other in Yuuri's ears for a good hour.
“Valentine's Day? What is that?” Wolfram asked, turning away from watching Yuuri to Murata.
“Valentine's Day is essentially a day for lovers. On this day, girls give guys chocolates and gifts out of love or friendship. Then, a month later on White Day, the guys return the gesture.”
“I am not a girl, why would I do anything for this holiday?” Wolfram asked, simply.
“No, you are not - but in other places, it doesn't matter who gives the gifts - only that they give their loved ones something special.”
“I see, so I should give Yuuri something on this day?” Wolfram asked, thinking about the potential reactions Yuuri might have to a gift from him. The idea of Yuuri being happy and perhaps hugging him brought a smile to his own face.
“Well, you see, it's a bit more complicated than that,” Murata said.
“What do you mean?”
“Sit down, and I'll tell you all about it,” Murata said, flopping down on the couch and patting the cushion beside him.
Two days later, Yuuri entered his home, his body tired and sore after a rather intense game of baseball.
The first thing he noticed upon entering was a delightful scent of vanilla and cinnamon and other wonderful things, which pleased him. It meant his mother was probably making something delicious - and he grinned in anticipation of eating whatever it was.
“Yuuri, quit standing there looking immensely stupid, and shut the front door,” Shouri said, bringing him out of his fantasy of eating his mother's cakes and pies.
Shouri was forever ruining something for him.
“And. Why are you still here?” Yuuri grumbled, shutting the door. He was still unamused by Shouri suddenly coming home and getting into bed with Wolfram, and causing such a scene. Just remembering the headache he had from being yelled at by the two made his previous delight turn to grumpiness.
“They are still fixing the heater at my new place,” Shouri said, rolling his eyes. “So, you're stuck with me for a few more days.”
“Great,” Yuuri said, rolling his own eyes. More days of his brother following him around, criticizing his every move, and insisting he call him “big brother”.
He brushed past Shouri, intent on going into the kitchen and seeing what his mother was cooking that smelled so very good. He could practically feel himself salivating.
“I would not go in there if I were you,” Shouri said, casually.
“Why not?” Yuuri asked. “I want to see what mom is making.”
“Wolfram is in there,” Shouri said.
“And?”
“And Wolfram's making chocolates.”
“Why in the world would Wolfram be making chocolate?” Yuuri asked, confused.
“Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. Why else?” Shouri replied.
It took all of two seconds for Yuuri to go from confusion to absolute panic mode.
“So I would stay out of there, because he'll probably yell at you if you see his chocolates in advance,” Shouri continued, oblivious to Yuuri's state.
Wolfram is making me chocolates, Wolfram is making me chocolates, Wolfram is making me chocolates, Yuuri's mind repeated. Just how was he supposed to deal with Wolfram giving him handmade chocolates?
Yuuri imagined Wolfram, doing his best to look nervous and cute, presenting a gift bag filled with chocolates.
Please accept my feelings, cutesy-Wolfram said, in his imagination.
“Lucky you, though,” Shouri continued. “I wish there was someone that would give me handmade chocolates.”
Maybe, but if you were me you would not want them from Wolfram! Yuuri wanted to yell. What was he supposed to do when Wolfram presented him chocolates? What reaction was he supposed to give? Or, rather, what reaction would he give that would not upset Wolfram?
He most certainly could not accept any handmade chocolates or any feelings that came along with them. He wasn't ready to accept those feelings from Wolfram.
His mind went further went down the list of things he could do to head off such a situation, and finally settled on one such thing. Wolfram would probably be angry, but this way he would not have to reject him flat out. This way, he could laugh off anything Wolfram tried to give him as being invalid. A pitiful excuse, but an excuse nevertheless.
“Wait, where are you going?” Shouri asked.
“I have to run to the store right quick,” Yuuri lied, reopening the door he had only closed moments prior. “Do not tell Wolfram I know what he's up to, alright?”
“Fine,” Shouri said.
Yuuri practically sprinted out of the house, leaving his brother standing there with a look of sheer confusion on his face.
By the time Wolfram woke up on Valentine's Day morning, Yuuri had already left the house for school - much to his chagrin. He had wanted to give Yuuri his chocolates early, before anyone else attempted to give him any. Murata had warned him that there would be plenty of girls at Yuuri's school probably giving him chocolate, and had talked him out of his rage over the matter.
Murata had assured him that Yuuri held no interest in anyone at school, which put him at ease a bit. Wolfram had gathered up the courage to ask Murata if Yuuri was interested in him, but the answer he received was... unsatisfactory.
Murata simply did not know - or so he said to Wolfram. Wolfram wondered if he were lying, and whether or not he was lying because Yuuri was interested and he wanted Yuuri to tell it himself, or Yuuri was not interested, and he wanted to spare Wolfram's feelings.
Either way, Wolfram was determined to get an answer out of Yuuri somehow that day - and hopefully it would be one that he wanted to hear.
And so, he nervously sat in Yuuri's room during his school hours, alternating between biting his nails down to the quick and daydreaming about the outcome of asking Yuuri to accept his feelings. Besides those two actions, he felt an unease that simply would not go away.
It was two whole hours after Yuuri should have returned home from school, and Wolfram's nerves were further frayed. Every sound he heard, real or imagined, put him on edge. When Shouri had come into the house an hour prior, Wolfram had rushed downstairs - bag of chocolates in hand - to meet who he thought was Yuuri, and had been sorely disappointed when it had not been him.
He berated himself for his actions, his nerves, and everything else.
Wolfram felt he should not feel this way. It was just a bag of chocolates, not - for example - official marriage papers. He did not like being nervous, he did not like feeling so uneasy that it almost felt the equivalent of being seasick on a ship. He did not like worrying about how Yuuri would react to him.
It simply was not in character for him to be that way.
He did not understand it. He was not sure he wanted to understand it, even. He would have preferred tossing the bag into the trash, and forgetting about the ridiculous holiday that wasn't even a part of his culture. However, on the off chance that Yuuri was expecting or maybe even wanting him to do something for him on the holiday, he decided to move forth with the idea.
Maybe, just maybe, they would move forward in their relationship on that day as well.
“You want to what?” Murata asked Yuuri.
“I want to spend the night over your house tonight,” Yuuri said. “Please. I can't go home today.”
“Wait, why? Is something wrong at your house?” Murata asked, tilting his head to the side.
“Wolfram made me some chocolates yesterday afternoon. He is intending on giving them to me today when I get home. I simply can't accept them!” Yuuri said.
Murata blinked once. Then, he rapidly blinked twice. He had not been that stunned in quite some time. He was certain that Yuuri had feelings for Wolfram. He would have bet his soul on it.
And yet, here Yuuri was - intent on avoiding anything that could propel his and Wolfram's relationship forward.
“Yuuri, why not go home and accept?” Murata said.
“I can't accept his feelings! I won't accept them!” Yuuri insisted.
“What? Why? You know how he feels about you, and I am sure that you feel the same way-”
“There's someone else,” Yuuri cut him off.
“What? What do you mean. You have someone else? Who? I've never seen you show any interest in anyone other than-”
“Well there is, I have a girlfriend.”
“You're lying.”
“I am not, and I am going to tell Wolfram I have one if you can't do this for me.”
“You would risk bodily harm by lying to him. Why?”
“Because, I can't accept his feelings.”
“Now, or ever?”
“I do not know, but most certainly not now! I just don' t know what I feel - and I don't want to accept any feelings from him until I understand what I feel.”
Murata could not conjure any words that could express what he felt, but he sure could recognize the feelings.
Sheer guilt.
Had he not told Wolfram about the holiday and pushed him into making chocolates for Yuuri, nothing of the sort would have happened. It would have just been another day to them - another day of Yuuri denying his feelings and Wolfram waiting on him to stop denying them.
Now, events had been put into motion that could mess up everything - events that he had caused by meddling.
He had to do some damage control.
“Sure, you can stay the night here - but promise me you won't follow through with lying about having a girlfriend to Wolfram. Ever,” Murata said.
“I promise,” Yuuri said, sighing in relief.
“Fine, you'll call your mother and tell her you're staying the night at my house?”
“I am going to call her later and let her know. She won't mind. Thanks, Murata! I'll go get my things, and meet you at the front of the school,” Yuuri said.
“Yeah, yeah,” Murata said, waving him away and pondering what to do about the entire situation.
By the end of dinner, Yuuri still hadn't shown up at home - and Wolfram was less worried about the whole Valentine's Day thing, and more worried about whether or not Yuuri was alright.
“Are you sure he didn't have practice today?” Wolfram once again asked Yuuri's mother, Jennifer.
“I am certain, and even if they did this weather would have caused them to end it hours ago,” Jennifer said. “My Yuuri probably had something to do and forgot to tell me. I swear that boy can be so very flighty at times, just like his father.”
Yuuri's father, Shouma, laughed nervously - and Wolfram suspected that it was not because he agreed with Jennifer, but because he thought that Jennifer was the flighty one.
The phone rang, and it took all of Wolfram's willpower not to be the one to jump up and answer it. Instead, he clutched at the table while Jennifer got up to answer.
“Hello?” she said, answering on the third ring.
Wolfram bit his lip as he watched her expression.
“Yes, he's here, hold on,” she said. She took the phone away from her ear and held it against her chest. “Shouri, it's for you.”
“Who is it?” Shouri said, as Wolfram sighed in disappointment.
“Some girl.”
“Really?” Shouri said, getting up from the table.
Wolfram had hoped the phone call was from Yuuri, and had been sorely disappointed. His shoulders slumped as Shouri took the phone into the living room, and Jennifer came back to sit down at the table.
“Wolfram, I am sure Yuuri will be home soon,” she said, practically reading his thoughts. “Then, you can give him your chocolates.”
“I hope so,” he said, quietly.
It was ten when the phone rang again, and this time Jennifer - worried about where her youngest son was - picked up on the first ring.
“Hello?” she asked, watching as Wolfram got up from the his position on the sofa. He had not moved from the spot since dinner.
“Mother, it's me,” she heard Yuuri say on the other line.
“Yuuri! Thank goodness you're alright. We started to worry about you!” she said, relieved. She noticed that Wolfram looked relieved as well, and could not help winking at him. She received one of his rare smiles in return.
“I am fine. Listen, I am going to spend the night over Murata's tonight,” Yuuri said.
“Wait, what?” she said, disbelievingly.
“I said, I am going to spend the night over Murata's tonight,” Yuuri repeated.
“Why?” she asked.
“I just... want to stay over his house tonight, is all,” Yuuri said.
Jennifer could tell when her sons were avoiding issues, and this time was no different. Yuuri was avoiding something.
Or someone.
She looked over at Wolfram, who was hanging onto her every word, and suddenly she had her answer. Somehow, Yuuri must have found out that Wolfram had made him chocolates, and was avoiding coming home.
She did not like - or appreciate - the position she had been put in by her son when she came to realize that it was her that would have to break it to Wolfram that Yuuri would not be home to accept his gift.
Or his feelings.
However, what could she do? She could not force her son to have feelings for - or even acknowledge his feelings for - someone. Nor would she want to. Still, she was disappointed that Yuuri would pull this sort of stunt in order to avoid doing so - and part of her wanted to put her parental foot down and demand he come home.
“I'll see you then,” she said, ultimately.
“Thanks, mom,” Yuuri said, hanging up.
Before she could even hang up, Wolfram was firing questions at her.
“Is Yuuri alright? Where is he? Is he coming him now? I was so worried,” Wolfram said.
“Yuuri's over at Murata's house, and he's going to spend the night over there,” she said. She walked over to Wolfram, and gently squeezed his shoulder. “Come into the kitchen, I'll make us some tea before we turn in for the night.”
It was twenty minutes after eleven when Shouri - who had left three hours prior right after dinner for a movie date with a female classmate - came sauntering back in the house. The first thing he noticed was Wolfram, who was sitting in the very same spot he had been in when he had left out that afternoon.
“I thought you would be in bed by now,” Shouri said. He noticed that the gift bag that Wolfram had been holding since early that afternoon was in Wolfram's lap, and started to worry. “Yuuri hasn't come home yet?”
“Yuuri is spending the night over Murata's,” Wolfram said, quietly.
“I see,” Shouri said.
He was about to turn around and leave Wolfram there, when it dawned on him.
Wolfram hadn't been able to give Yuuri his chocolates, because Yuuri had not been there to receive them - possibly on purpose. He then thought back, and promptly wanted to kick himself.
Had he not spoiled it and told Yuuri what Wolfram had been up to, Yuuri would not have had a chance to pull such a stunt.
Shouri felt an inch tall, and completely guilty.
“I still have my father's car keys, I can take you over there so that you can give that bag to him,” Shouri offered, suddenly. He did not know what came over him to say such a thing, but it was already out there. Yuuri would be put on the spot if he took Wolfram over there, but it would serve him right. Well that, and Shouri would not feel as guilty if Wolfram at least got the chance to give them to Yuuri. “Come on, we can be there in ten minutes-”
“No,” Wolfram said, shaking his head. “It's fine. If he wanted something from me, he would have been here to receive it.”
“Wait, he probably doesn't know-” Shouri started to lie.
“I've sat here since I found out he was staying the night over there, and I've put it all together. Somehow, he found out I was going to give him something for this holiday, and he decided the best way to accept my feelings was to not give me a chance to offer them to him.”
“Wolfram-”
“I am tired of loving your brother,” Wolfram said. “I almost worked myself to death so that I could dampen these feelings, and it didn't help. I even tried dating someone else behind his back, just to see if I could force him out of my system. I only ended up hurting that person because I could not love him back.”
“Wolfram-” Shouri tried, again.
“Happy Valentine's Day, Shouri,” Wolfram said, getting up and walking towards him. He held out the bag that contained Yuuri's chocolates. “I do not have any feelings to give you, but there's some tasty chocolate in the bag,” he joked.
Shouri could not bring himself to say anything else, and simply took the bag from Wolfram's hand.
“Goodnight,” Wolfram said, turning away from him.
Shouri watched as he walked out of the living room, mentally cursing himself for being unable to offer any comforting words.
At sixteen minutes until twelve o'clock, Yuuri was still wide awake. Every time another minute passed by on the clock, he became even more uneasy.
And felt even more guilty.
He paid little attention when Murata, who had taken a phone call, finally came back into the bedroom.
“Are you going to stare at that clock until midnight?” Murata asked Yuuri.
“Valentine's Day is almost over,” Yuuri said.
“So? Didn't you decide not to celebrate the holiday? Or am I imagining that you're spending the night at my house and avoiding Wolfram?”
“Oh, shut up,” Yuuri grumbled.
“Tomorrow, you are so going to get yelled at,” Murata said.
“I know. Boy, do I know.”
“Well, that is, unless Wolfram decides that you aren't worth his time anymore.”
“Do you really think that Wolfram would suddenly stop being interested in me?”
“I think if you ignore him enough, he will. And this might very well count as enough to him.”
Yuuri sat silently, not wanting to continue the line of conversation.
“Of course, if that is what you want - for him to stop - then you should not be concerned if this is the time that will make it so,” Murata said, shrugging. “Eventually, one of you were going to crack.”
“What do you mean by that?” Yuuri asked.
“What I mean is, either he were going to give you up or you were going to give in to him.”
“I told him plenty of times I wasn't interested, and he still never gave up on me,” Yuuri said. “Why would it make a difference now?”
“Because he has actively been trying to give you up for quite some time now,” Murata said.
“How do you figure that?”
“Well, he has cut you a lot of slack lately. He hasn't yelled at you for cheating in quite some time. And, he hasn't been under you, watching your every move anymore. How else could he have managed to nearly work himself to death?”
“I can't return his feelings solely because he has them for me, though,” Yuuri said.
“Oh? So you do not love him?”
“No!”
“Well then, why are we even discussing the matter? Why are you still up, staring at that clock, and regretting what you did today? Why are you so worried about his reaction to you tomorrow?”
“Because I do not want to hurt him.”
“Eventually, you were going to have to. When he pushes away from you, you always pull him back. And when he pulls you toward him, you push him away. It's frustrating to him. It's frustrating to you. It's frustrating to me and everyone else that is watching it.”
“What am I supposed to do? What can I do?”
“Grow a spine, and tell him what you really feel for him. How about that? That way you both can move on, for better or for worse, together or apart. Or, you can wait and see if tomorrow - after he puts two and two together and understands the real reason why you didn't come home - he'll finally decide that you do not want him.
“He'll decide that I do not want him? Don't you mean he'll realize it?”
“How can he realize you do not want him, when you haven't realized whether or not you do yourself? Sometimes, I think you intentionally miss the points people make. But, you know what? I can't even get mad at you. This is all my fault for even bringing up Valentine's Day to him.”
“Wait, you're the one that told him about this holiday? I could kill-”
“There's nothing you could do to me that could make me feel any worse than I already do,” Murata admitted. “I could probably sit here and tell myself that I told him about it so that you two would finally move forth, but that would probably just be me lying to myself.”
“What do you mean?” Yuuri asked, yet again.
“What I mean is, I think I unwittingly tried to sabotage your relationship with him.”
“Why would you do such a thing?”
“Out of jealousy, I suppose. I guess I wanted to hurt him.”
“Hurt Wolfram? Why?”
“Because he caught the eye of someone I am interested in.”
“Murata, do not tell me you're-” Yuuri started, easing off of the bed.
“No, not you,” Murata said.
“Then who? Who's eye has he caught?” Yuuri practically demanded to know.
“Oh, it doesn't matter now, does it?” Murata said, blushing.
“It does, tell me who!” Yuuri whined.
“I... I can't. It's far too embarrassing.”
“Tell me, please!”
“Shouri. It's Shouri.”
“Wait, you like Shouri?” Yuuri questioned, before the big issue hit him. “Wait, Shouri likes Wolfram?!”
“Yes,” Murata said, sadly. “He's been captivated by him for quite some time. Though, tonight he might finally get his chance.”
“What? What do you mean he'll finally get his chance?”
“Think about it, Shibuya,” Murata said, closing his eyes. “Wolfram is there, possibly hurting over you - maybe even crying over those chocolates you would not take from him. Shouri comes in, sees him hurting, and offers him comfort. He wipes away a tear, and then his hand oh so gently starts to caress Wolfram's cheek. Wolfram leans into his touch ever so slightly. They lock eyes. Then, Shouri leans down slowly, and they lock lips. Finally, Shouri leads Wolfram to his bedroom-”
Murata suddenly heard a loud slamming of a door, and opened his eyes.
“Shouri had better play his part well,” Murata said, recalling the phone conversation that Shouri had with him over Wolfram's comments not too long ago.
Yuuri sprinted, down the sidewalk, through various people's backyards, ignoring the rain and the cold in a desperate effort to get home. Even if he did not make it before midnight, he had to get there before Shouri took advantage of Wolfram.
Not that he thought Wolfram would even allow it, but there was no telling how far he had pushed him that night - and he did not want to take any chances.
He reached his doorway at three minutes till midnight, quickly jamming his key into the lock and letting himself in. He headed straight toward his room, tossing off his rain-soaked hat and jacket in the process.
Upon opening the door, he was met with a sight that dismayed him.
Wolfram was there on the bed, asleep. However, Shouri was also there - sitting in Yuuri's chair and staring lovingly at Wolfram as he slept - and twirling his hair around his fingers.
“Shouri, what are you doing?” Yuuri asked, startling his brother.
“Nothing! Nothing at all, I just came in to check on him. He looked sick earlier,” Shouri said, quickly. He yanked his hand away from Wolfram's hair, a guilty look on his face. “I thought you were spending the night at your friend's house?”
“I changed my mind,” Yuuri said. “Why are you in here?”
“As I said, he looked sick. And, he felt hot.”
“Shouri, he's a fire mazoku. Of course he's going to feel hot.”
“Oh. Guess I'll be going then,” Shouri said, getting up.
Yuuri glanced at the clock in his room. He had wasted a minute gawking at Shouri's actions. He walked over to the bed, and knelt down beside it. “Wolfram, wake up,” he said, gently shaking him.
“Why are you waking him up? I told you he might be sick. Anything you have to say to him can wait until tomorrow.”
“How about you leave and not worry about anything I have to say to him?” Yuuri said, glaring at his brother.
“Fine, fine. I'll go. I already got what I wanted from him anyway,” Shouri said, smirking as he left the room.
Yuuri did not want to know what it was that Shouri had gotten from Wolfram, but at the same time he could not stop thinking about it. Or, Murata's descriptions of what could have happened between the two due to his insensitive actions that day.
“Wolfram, wake up,” Yuuri said, shaking Wolfram harder.
“Huh, what?” Wolfram asked, as Yuuri shook him awake.
“Wolfram, I need to talk to you,” Yuuri said.
“What do you want?” Wolfram mumbled, sleepily.
“Happy Valentine's Day, Wolfram,” Yuuri said.
Wolfram's sleep-addled brain tried to take in whether or not he was dreaming that Yuuri was there wishing him a happy Valentine's Day. His vision was blurred, which came down as a plus on the dreaming side, but Yuuri's hand gripping his thigh told his brain otherwise.
He blinked in an attempt to clear his vision, and noted that Yuuri had a very serious - and very guilty - look on his face.
“Happy Valentine's Day, Wolfram,” Yuuri repeated. “I am sorry that I am just now getting home, but I am here and I am ready to accept what you have for me.”
So it wasn't a dream after all.
Wolfram glanced at the clock, and a few seconds after he laid eyes on it, it turned midnight. Leave it up to Yuuri to do things at the absolute last minute.
However, Wolfram was not sure if he wanted to even go there with Yuuri. Just less than an hour prior, he had finally written Yuuri off as a lost cause. Every time he did so, Yuuri did something that gave him some sort of hope that he actually had a chance, and brought him back toward him. Wolfram knew that he could not get over Yuuri as long as he took every action of Yuuri's to mean that he was interested.
“Happy Valentine's Day, Yuuri,” he said. “I do not have anything for you, though.”
“You don't?” Yuuri asked, confused.
“No.”
“Oh. I see. I thought that you had made me some chocolates,” Yuuri said, laughing nervously.
“I did, but when I thought you were not coming home, I gave them to Shouri,” Wolfram said.
“What! You gave them to him?! That is why he was so self-satisfied when walking out of here?” Yuuri said, his expression horrified.
“Yuuri, it's just chocolate, after all. It was more the sentiment behind it that I was interested in. But, I guess it doesn't matter anymore,” Wolfram said.
“What do you mean it doesn't matter anymore?”
“Well, you planned an elaborate scheme just to not receive those sentiments, so I got rid of them as well as the chocolates. Now if you'll excuse me, I am tired.”
He closed his eyes and turned back over, fluffing up Yuuri's pillow in the process. He was determined, this time, to stick to his plan of getting Yuuri out of his system. When he got back to Shin Makoku, he would make it official. And, he would go out on a date. This time, he was determined to date until he found the one - even if it would be emulating his mother's behavior.
“Don't give up on me, Wolfram,” Yuuri said, quietly.
Wolfram's eyes shot open. Surely, he had not heard right?
“I know I've been stringing you along for quite some time now, but I do not mean to. It's just... I want to make sure of what I feel before I make any real move.”
“Yuuri, we've been doing this dance for almost two years now-”
“I know, and I am sorry for extending it this long! Murata said something earlier that really helped open my eyes a bit, and it made me realize something.”
“What's that?” Wolfram asked, curiously.
“That if I really, truly did not feel something for you, I would not do some of the things I do. Running after you when you ended our engagement. Asking you to continue sleeping with me when you finally wanted to stop. Finding reasons to be around you when you're trying to avoid me after all the times when I tried to avoid you. Bringing you here when you wanted to spend your vacation with your Uncle.”
“Yuuri, after tonight, I realize that I will be fine with us just being friends. If you are telling me all of these things because you believe that I will no longer be your friend if we never have a romantic relationship, stop now. I'll always be your friend, either way. It's just, I would need a little time away from you in order to deal with these other feelings.”
“That puts me at ease, but I am still not sure if it's friendship or something else that I am feeling. I am just confused,” Yuuri said.
“Then that makes the two of us. You are confused what you are feeling for me, and I am confused as to whether I want to wait for you or start pursuing other options.”
“Like Shouri? You can't be interested in him!” Yuuri said.
“Why would you think I was interested in Shouri?” Wolfram said, sitting up and turning to face where Yuuri was still kneeling beside the bed. He scooted to the end of the bed, planting each of his legs on opposing sides of Yuuri.
“You gave him your chocolate!”
“After you didn't bother to show up and get it!”
“You could have saved it and gave it to me the next day!”
“If I didn't give it to you on Valentine's Day, it was meaningless! I would not have given it to you late whether or not I gave it to Shouri! And that's probably what you planned, wasn't it? Angry Wolfram giving you the chocolates a day late, and you laughing off his feelings with an 'it doesn't count because it's not Valentine's Day'. That was it, wasn't it?”
“I- I would have rather you thrown it away than given it to him!” Yuuri said, looking far guiltier at Wolfram's accusation - which let him know that he was absolutely right.
“And be wasteful? What a wimpy thing to even consider, just as expected from a wimp who can't even determine whether or not he's in love.”
“Love?! I am not trying to determine if I am in love, I am trying to determine if I like you more than I already like you! No one said anything about love! That is a completely different thing, not alike at all! I would know the difference between the two even if I can't determine anything else!” Yuuri rambled, blushing profusely.
“Fine, you can't determine whether or not you are in like, then. Whatever. Either way, derailing argument aside, I still do not know where we should go from here, Yuuri,” Wolfram said, seriously. “Not too long ago, I told your brother that I am tired of loving you. And, I am. I do not think I want to hang on anymore.”
“Wolfram-”
“Yuuri, I am not saying this in an attempt to force you into making a decision. I am honestly not sure any more. I think that, maybe, we should both try dating other people. I think that if it were meant for us to be together, you would already be sure about your feelings.”
“Wolf-”
Suddenly, on sheer impulse, Wolfram closed his eyes, leaned forward, and captured Yuuri's lips with his own. He didn't deepen the kiss, nor did he exert more than a light force on Yuuri's mouth. He simply pressed his lips there and held the kiss.
Seconds later, he opened his eyes and pulled away. Yuuri's eyes were squeezed shut, as if he had forced himself not to break away from the kiss and run out of the room - possibly to vomit.
Wolfram noted the expression, and was ready to finally accept that Yuuri would never be able to feel the same as he did, when the oddest thing happened.
Yuuri opened his eyes, and licked his lips. Wolfram watched as Yuuri's facial expressions shifted from confusion, to curiosity, and - finally - to amusement.
Wolfram himself did not feel amusement, however, when Yuuri started to laugh.
“What is so funny?” he demanded, utterly annoyed that Yuuri chose that moment to find humor in something.
“Wolfram, nothing, it's nothing,” Yuuri said, still laughing. “I can't believe it!”
“What, that I kissed you? Why? What's to laugh at?” he asked, defensively.
“I was afraid that, regardless of my feelings for you, I would not be able to do things like kiss you. I thought that I would not like it, because you were another guy. It took you actually kissing me before I finally realized that I am okay with it. That I am okay with us!”
“You mean, all this time you've been unsure of what you felt because you didn't think that you would like kissing me?” Wolfram asked, eyebrow twitching.
“Yeah, isn't that stupid of me? I mean, I knew I liked you, but I didn't think I would be able to follow through on that like,” Yuuri said, oblivious to Wolfram's growing anger. “That was my biggest hang up.”
“So, do we get to move forward in our relationship, or are you going to have to determine whether or not you can have sex with me first? Because, eventually, I am going to want sex too.”
Yuuri abruptly stopped laughing. “What?”
“Or, maybe we should just do it right now in order to find out?” Wolfram said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Drop your pants, and turn around.”
“Wait, now, it's too soon for that!” Yuuri said, scooting away.
“Yuuri, you wimp! You coward! You idiot!” Wolfram finally blew up. “You've been leading me on all this time because you were not sure you could kiss me or not?! I should roast your ass! I should deep fry your torso! I should sauté your entrails and present them to Liesel for lunch!”
“Wolfram, no need to get angry! I am sorry! Look, how about we discuss the rest of this tomorrow? You get some rest, and I'll sleep in the living room tonight so that you can be comfortable-”
“I should barbecue you and donate your carcass to hungry children! I should flame broil your eyeballs and let Günter use them in his potions! I should sear your toes and serve them to Stoffel over a bed of rice! I should slow-cook your fingers and-”
Wolfram was shut up when Yuuri took the initiative and kissed him.
Yuuri's kiss was forceful, rough, unsure of itself, and - surprisingly - needy. This time, their kiss lasted longer as the both of them adjusted to the feel of each other's lips, teasing and tasting each other's mouths in the process. When Yuuri opened his mouth, Wolfram took the opportunity to deepen the kiss.
Somehow, Wolfram ended up on the floor where Yuuri was - kneeling in the same position as Yuuri in front of him. He was unsure as to whether he dropped down there, or if Yuuri pulled him down - losing track of his actions just as he lost track of the time they spent at it. They continued the dance of tongues, until Wolfram attempted to push Yuuri on his back.
Then, as suddenly as it had started, Yuuri pushed him away, and practically catapulted to the other side of the room.
Wolfram did not ask him why he stopped, because he knew the reason. It was his turn to laugh. “Feels like you won't have any problems with any other things, either!” he said, gleefully.
“Shut up,” Yuuri moaned, in embarrassment.
“I think you probably should sleep on the couch tonight, after all,” Wolfram said. “I think you are so very petrified at the idea of sleeping with me.”
“Wolfram, leave the horrible jokes up to Conrad, please?” Yuuri groaned, burying his face in his palm.
“If that is what you wood have me to do!”
“I'll be leaving now... goodnight, Wolfram,” Yuuri said, getting up off the floor. He grabbed a pillow off his bed, held it against his lap, and backed out of the room.
“Goodnight, Yuuri. I didn't mean to make this so hard for you.”
Still groaning at Wolfram's spot-on imitation of his brother, Yuuri exited into the hallway, closed the door, and leaned against it. It was a little after one, and he and Wolfram had been kissing for quite some time.
Still, it was nice that something had came out of Valentine's Day, even if he had come close to screwing it up forever between himself and Wolfram. And all because he had been scared that he would not be able to get intimate with him.
He looked down at the spot where his pants were horribly tight at. Well, there went that theory. Now, it was a matter of taking it slow and seeing where this thing between them would go now that it was out there.
But first, however, he had a score to settle.
After the state of affairs in his pants were finally at ease, he walked over to his brother's door, and knocked.
Just as he suspected, Shouri was wide awake.
“Come in, Yuuri,” Shouri said.
“How did you know it was me,” he asked, after opening the door and walking in. As usual, Shouri was at his computer.
“Who else is going to come in my room at one in the morning, possibly to confront me over some perceived feelings I may - but do not - have about their fiancé?”
“So, you really have no feelings for Wolfram?”
“Nope.”
“Then why were you staring at him like that, and playing with his hair?”
“Because your friend called me and let me know that you were on the way home, so I figured I would give a good show. Of course, this was after I called him and let him know about Wolfram giving me your chocolates and giving up on you.”
“Then that means that Murata's whole talk to me was a ruse? And he isn't interested in you? You two just had to pull something on me!” Yuuri whined.
“Like you have room to talk! I helped save your relationship when I do not approve of it in the first place!”
“Like I care whether or not you approve.”
“Like I care whether or not you care whether or not I approve.”
“You-”
“Your chocolates are in that bag over there,” Shouri said. “If things hadn't turned out so well between you two, I really would have eaten them.”
“They're mine!” Yuuri said, snatching the bag off his desk “And how did you know things went well between us?”
“Because Wolfram is loud, and as much as you complain about him being loud, you are loud as well,” Shouri said. “They say spouses who shout at each other last longer together. In that case, I think you two will be together forever.”
“Very funny,” Yuuri said, rummaging around in the bag for his chocolate. He brought one of them up, and read the writing.
“Roses are red, violets are blue, you're a wimpy coward, why do I love you?” he read, out loud. “I should not have expected anything else from someone like Wolfram.”
As he happily bit down into the piece of chocolate, Yuuri admitted to himself yet another of his feelings about Wolfram.
He would not want his Wolfram to be any other way.