Will-o'-the-Wisp, KKM, for stagesoflove
Title: Will-o'-the-Wisp
Author: Ellie Biel
Fandom: Kyou Kara Maou
Characters/pairing: Yuuri Shibuya/Wolfram von Bielefeld
Rating: PG
Notes: Written for stagesoflove, Five Elements: Air
"Yuuri!"
Yuuri Shibuya had stolen a number of bases and he knew when he needed to put on a burst of speed. He pumped his arms, leaning forward as if that might help lend wings to his feet and help him escape the wrath of one very disgruntled Wolfram von Bielefeld.
He'd nearly gotten away with it this time, too.
He didn't know how Wolfram always seemed to find him. It wasn't as if he were bugged, such technology not existing in Shin Makoku (and although he wouldn't put anything past Anissina, he doubted he would have gotten this far if Wolfram were armed with any such maryoku-powered device), but for someone who could sleep through a marching band of shrieking monkeys during a hurricane and an earthquake, Wolfram seemed to have no problem waking up at the most inopportune moments.
He had just a little further, and then he'd be home free - or he would have been if someone hadn't put a wall in his path.
"No!" he shouted in frustration, whipping around in time to see Wolfram barreling toward him.
They landed in a tangle of limbs. All the air was knocked from Yuuri's lungs and he blinked up at green eyes blazing into his.
"Where do you think you're going?" Wolfram panted.
"Nowhere, now," Yuuri grumbled. "And your sword is digging into my hip."
"Wimp," Wolfram scoffed, and he made no move to shift his position. If anything, Yuuri would swear he was leaning on him more heavily. "It is my duty to-"
"Protect me. Make sure I'm not cheating. Keep me safe from myself and from all the single citizens of the kingdom."
"I don't trust you around the married ones, either."
"Fine. You caught me. Mind getting off me now?"
Wolfram looked like he very much minded, but he rolled to his side, leaving his arm draped lazily over Yuuri's stomach. "You shouldn't be wandering around alone. Knowing you, you'd probably get kidnapped and worry that they weren't dressed warmly enough."
"It's the middle of the summer," Yuuri said tiredly. "And I just want to be able to go out and enjoy myself before Günter drags me back into the library and makes me study." He adopted his best puppy dog expression. "You know what it's like, being stuck inside studying when you should be outside practicing your swordsmanship."
If he thought it was going to sway Wolfram he was dead wrong, because Wolfram was in his face again, nose to nose with Yuuri. "How do you know that? Did Konrad tell you that?"
"Because I was th-" Yuuri swallowed.
Wolfram's weight was gone and he slowly stood up, holding out a hand to help Yuuri to his feet. His breathing was heavy, Yuuri noted, and he was visibly upset.
"I don't remember," he said. "You were there and I don't remember you."
"I don't know if I was really there," Yuuri said, feeling more miserable now than he had when he realized his hopes of sneaking out of the castle had been dashed. "I mean, it was like I was a ghost, only I wasn't all the time, and then Julia brought me..."
Wolfram was walking away now, his shoulders straight and back erect, and yet looking less prideful than Yuuri had ever seen. Yuuri had to jog to catch up with him.
"Wolfram," he said, placing a hand consolingly on his shoulder.
Wolfram stopped in his tracks and grabbed Yuuri's wrist. "At least I'll know you're not going anywhere," he said. "Come to bed where I can protect you. It is my duty after all."
Yuuri was tempted to brush Wolfram's hair out of his eyes, but he kept his hand at his side. The hall was cool, but the air between them was warm, and then the warmth was gone as Wolfram resumed his strident pace, dragging Yuuri along with him.
He shouldn't have noticed, but Wolfram didn't call him "wimp" the rest of the night.