To Turn the Other Cheek; part six
Title: To Turn the Other Cheek
Author: Niko
Rating: R
Pairing: YurixWolfram
Genre: Angst/Romance
Chapters: 6/?
Comments: End of series spoilers. Beta read by Karyx. Cross posted to kkm_wolframfans
“Yuri!”
The king blinked his eyes blearily, sleep still clinging to his eyelashes and making it difficult to see. In an instant, a solid shove to his side sent him flailing off the edge of his large bed and down onto the hard floor below. Groaning and rubbing at his backside, Yuri sat up, glaring daggers at the bed’s remaining occupant.
“Wolfram, what do you think you’re doing? Ah!” Yuri ducked as his black formal garments came sailing down over his head. He pulled them down into his arms, his annoyance growing. “Wolfram!”
“You have to get up and go back downstairs! They’ll probably send somebody up here any minute now and you can’t let them find you like this.”
Yuri frowned again at his clothes. “I’d really rather stay in bed. I’m tired.”
“Wimp. I did all the work, if anyone should be tired it’s me.”
“Don’t call me a wimp!” Yuri smiled a bit, deciding it best to obey his blonde haired friend as he slowly began to figure out the pieces of his suit from the mass of black thrown at him. “I don’t see why you’re in such a hurry. Conrad already knows about what happened before so it’s not such a secret if he walks in anyway.”
“What if it isn’t Conrad they send to find you? What if it’s Gwendel or Gunter or my mother?”
Yuri could not fathom any human or mazoku being able to dress faster than him at that instant. He cast nervous glances at the door as he pulled on his clothes haphazardly. When he was dressed, he let out a large sigh before dropping back on his bed. “I’m so glad,” he exclaimed, turning his head to see if Wolfram had managed to get dressed yet himself.
Wolfram sat on the edge of his bed, watching him, still completely nude from their activities earlier.
“Wolfram, hurry up, someone might come in!”
The blonde smiled a bit and just climbed back into the bed and settled in between the sheets.
Yuri stared at him for a minute, not sure what exactly his friend thought he was doing. “Wolfram?”
“I’m tired, Yuri. You go on without me.”
The king’s jaw dropped. “Are you serious? You just kicked me out of bed! You can’t sleep yet if I can’t.”
Wolfram waved his hand dismissively and curled up under the comforter.
Yuri frowned. “What did I do to deserve this?”
“You’re the Maou is what,” the lump in the bed explained. “If we leave at the same time, people might guess we’ve been together the whole time and wonder what we were up to.”
“I see. Why can’t you ever just be nice and say that in the first place?” Yuri stood, adjusting the deep purple sash across his shoulders. “You’re worried about my reputation. Next time, why don’t you just say that rather than push me out of the bed? I’d have gotten up and dressed just the same. I don’t want anyone thinking badly of either of us.”
Wolfram sighed and peeked out at his king with a serious expression. “You told Conrad?”
“Oh...yeah. Don’t get mad or anything, though. You left. I needed to talk to someone and, really, who else was there to talk to? Murata’d just make fun of me.”
“What’d he have to say?”
Yuri rubbed the back of his neck. “Um...pretty much that he wasn’t all that happy about it. Not that I blame him. It was pretty stupid of us.”
“Do you mind explaining to me then why I was riding your dick less than an hour ago?”
The king turned scarlet. “That doesn’t mean it was the right thing to do. Just the...the fun thing to do I guess. I don’t know.” Yuri turned away from the bed. “I mean, you’re right. It’s different when you’re with someone else rather than when you’re alone. And I guess I’m no better than the guys at school I used to think were pigs because I kept thinking about it when you were gone. So, I guess, you know...thank you. For offering.”
“Of course, your highness.”
Yuri winced and looked back at his friend. “Wolfram, don’t start calling me that again. It’s like there’s a barrier between us when you do. Even if I am your king, you’re my friend first and as my friend, you should just call me Yuri.”
“Your guests are waiting. Yuri. You should go downstairs now.”
Yuri shook his head and sat back on the bed. He was getting nowhere at this rate, but he refused to walk out just yet. “I’m not going until you’re not mad at me.”
“Who said I was mad at you? Stop being such a wimpy king and take care of your obligations,” Wolfram instructed, looking furiously at the black haired man.
“You’re leaving tomorrow. Can you please just humor me and tell me what’s wrong?”
Wolfram threw a pillow at him.
“I didn’t say I thought the sex was bad! I meant it was a bad idea to do it! I like it just fine,” Yuri shouted, throwing up his arms in defense. “It’s just that you’re a guy and we can’t keep doing this.”
“You’re the one who keeps bringing it up. I’m just trying to sleep.”
Yuri paused. “That’s true but...I thought that’s what you were so grumpy about.”
“If I’m grumpy, it’s because you won’t let me sleep!” Wolfram pushed Yuri from the bed again and crawled over to the edge to glare down at him. “Now go downstairs. I’ll still be here when you’ve thanked your guests and it’s all over.”
“You’ll...be in here?” Yuri looked up at him in surprise. He smiled and stood back up, straightening his sash again.
“You asked me to stay till morning. I assume you meant in here with you.”
The king nodded. “Yeah, that’s fine. We’ll have plenty of time to talk and catch up on things then.”
“Good.” Wolfram yawned and resumed his position under the blankets. “And shut the door behind you.”
“I know. See you later.” Yuri smiled and did as instructed, walking quietly to the door and making sure to pull it closed as soundlessly as possible as he stood in the hallway. He leaned his back against the door for a minute, basking in the odd glow that surrounded him. It was more than just a post sex high, though it admittedly gave him an added bounce to his step. Wolfram was acting like his old self again, something Yuri had missed a great deal. Being called a wimp again had been the best birthday present ever.
He was only a couple feet down the hall when Gunter rounded the corner with a worried expression on his pale face. His expression changed instantly as he smiled upon his king and ran to him, embracing him strongly with a warriors grip.
“Your majesty, I was worried you’d been swept away by that bold Lady Emily. How happy I am to find you here on your own. I should have realized earlier that you had stepped out. Was it too warm? The music too loud? Oh, your majesty, if there is anything wrong with the ceremony or something I can do to make it more to your liking please let me know.”
Yuri smiled and patted him on the back. “Don’t worry so much, Gunter. It’s wonderful. I’m having a great time.”
The platinum blonde gave a content sigh as he clasped his hands in joy. “I’m so glad. Some of the banners hanging from the arches seemed a little too far to the left and I could not have lived with myself had you noticed and had your entire evening ruined.”
Yuri laughed a little, never surprised by how seriously his friend took such small details. It was sweet, if not a little disconcerting. It seemed a lot of his subjects took his pleasure into a great deal of consideration. “It never crossed my mind.”
Gunter smiled and began walking back to the festivities with his king in tow. “You seem to be in excellent spirits, tonight. It truly is rewarding to see such a genuine look of happiness on your handsome face.”
“Ah, well, it really has been a perfect night.” Yuri cast a glance back at his bedroom door before it passed out of sight. “So, which one is Lady Emily again?”
“The rather stunningly beautiful and well spoken of lady that was brought to you last week. You’ll remember she had several private attendants who went in before her and you remarked that it seemed more like a wedding precession than a formal greeting.”
The king thought back and smirked a bit. It had been quite a sight to see the rows of lovely young woman lining up to present the Lady. Gunter was right, though: she was stunningly beautiful. That such lovely women to be interested in him was a thought he found hard to get used to. The Lady Emily was half human and half mazoku, like himself. It had been her land’s selling point in the deal. Her auburn hair was heavily curled and it seemed to Yuri that she would look very much like Greta’s mother were they to stand next to each other. It was for that reason he’d extended the invitation to the party, he recalled. He felt bad for not spending more time with her.
“Has she left already, then? I guess if you thought that she might be with me, then she’s been missing for a while.”
Gunter gave a curt nod. “I believe the Lady Emily has retired for the night. Many of your foreign guests are still in assembly, but a few who had not intended to stay with us till the morning have departed.”
“I guess it was rather rude of me to disappear like that.” Yuri sighed. “I am pretty sleepy though, Gunter. Would it be alright if I walked around for a bit and then turned in?”
“Quite alright. Though I do believe Conrad was looking for you earlier. Perhaps you should speak with him once we return.”
“Alright. Thank you, Gunter.” Yuri quickened his pace, not one to make Conrad wait longer than necessary.
The great hall was still busy with people dancing and mingling when they arrived. Yuri could feel his pulse quicken with the excitement in the room. Everyone was happy and having a wonderful time. This was what he enjoyed most about being the Maou: having the power to restore peace and happiness to all who were willing to work towards it. All things considered, this had the possibility of being the best day of his life.
“Yuri.”
The king turned and smiled at Conrad as he came to stand beside him. “Hey. Gunter said you were looking for me.”
Conrad nodded and gestured towards the balcony behind them. “If you’d follow me, I’d rather we speak in private.”
Interest piqued, Yuri gave a worried frown to his friend. “Is everything alright?”
“Perfectly, sir. It’s more a personal matter, is all.”
Yuri gave an affirmative nod and hurried to the balcony at Conrad’s side. With the drapes half down the merriment seemed much further away than just behind the tasseled cloth. The stars were lovely though, sparkling unlike anything Yuri had seen on earth. He took a moment to find his own constellation then turned his attention to the matter at hand.
Conrad’s face was downcast and shadowed, making his normally lively and smiling face look sinister and grim.
“What’s the matter, Conrad?”
The patriot paused, hand resting on the hilt of his sword. “Yuri...were you any other man, I would strike you.”
“...What?”
“I saw you leave with him.”
Yuri’s stomach twisted into a knot.
“I waited outside the door in case you two should fight. I know what you were doing. ”
“Conrad.... ” Yuri swallowed hard, unable to form words suddenly.
“As I understand it, he is not good enough to be your husband but he is good enough to be your whore?”
“Conrad! That’s not it at all!” Sweat dripped from his brow. “I’m not that kind of person, you know that. He was just...it was his idea. That doesn’t excuse it, but when he said it, it sounded like a good idea and the next thing I knew....” Yuri blushed slightly. “We didn’t plan this. It just happened. And he’s acting a lot more normal now, so I think it made him happy.”
“No, Yuri. Even if he did offer you his body, along with that he has offered his heart. You can’t accept one and not the other, no matter what he may say to the contrary.” Conrad’s fist clenched with restraint. “What would make him happy is to be married to you. This is a shallow substitution. If he can’t see that, then it is your responsibility to turn him away for his own good.”
Yuri stared unblinking at his companion, frightened of many things that seemed to come at him from the dark. “Conrad, if I turn him away, he’ll be unhappy. He’ll hate me and he might never come back.”
“Every victory has its sacrifices. You have your freedom now. The sacrifice was him.”
“It shouldn’t have to be that way.” Yuri’s voice was frantic, as he scratched at his mind for some sort of solution, something he hadn’t noticed before that could make everything alright again. “I never meant for it to be like this. Please believe me, Conrad. I care a lot about Wolfram. I’ll talk to him, I promise. Tonight. This won’t happen again.”
Conrad shook his head. “Don’t make that sort of promise to me. What is important to me is my brother’s welfare. Given events, I think perhaps Gwendel was right to let him go. If it’s best he leave here, then that’s as it should be.”
Yuri shook his head. “Conrad....”
“I’m sorry, your highness. This does not compromise my feelings for you as our sovereign. This matter is personal and just happens to involve you and my family. I will not let it affect my service to you.” Conrad gave a small bow then exited the balcony to the noisy celebration.
For a moment, the laughter inside filtered out louder than before, mocking the king in his silence, then withdrew as the drapes fell back to obscure most of the archway. The night no longer seemed crisp and lovely and the stars seemed dull and boring in their heavenly abode.
Alone in the darkness, Yuri wept.
Author: Niko
Rating: R
Pairing: YurixWolfram
Genre: Angst/Romance
Chapters: 6/?
Comments: End of series spoilers. Beta read by Karyx. Cross posted to kkm_wolframfans
“Yuri!”
The king blinked his eyes blearily, sleep still clinging to his eyelashes and making it difficult to see. In an instant, a solid shove to his side sent him flailing off the edge of his large bed and down onto the hard floor below. Groaning and rubbing at his backside, Yuri sat up, glaring daggers at the bed’s remaining occupant.
“Wolfram, what do you think you’re doing? Ah!” Yuri ducked as his black formal garments came sailing down over his head. He pulled them down into his arms, his annoyance growing. “Wolfram!”
“You have to get up and go back downstairs! They’ll probably send somebody up here any minute now and you can’t let them find you like this.”
Yuri frowned again at his clothes. “I’d really rather stay in bed. I’m tired.”
“Wimp. I did all the work, if anyone should be tired it’s me.”
“Don’t call me a wimp!” Yuri smiled a bit, deciding it best to obey his blonde haired friend as he slowly began to figure out the pieces of his suit from the mass of black thrown at him. “I don’t see why you’re in such a hurry. Conrad already knows about what happened before so it’s not such a secret if he walks in anyway.”
“What if it isn’t Conrad they send to find you? What if it’s Gwendel or Gunter or my mother?”
Yuri could not fathom any human or mazoku being able to dress faster than him at that instant. He cast nervous glances at the door as he pulled on his clothes haphazardly. When he was dressed, he let out a large sigh before dropping back on his bed. “I’m so glad,” he exclaimed, turning his head to see if Wolfram had managed to get dressed yet himself.
Wolfram sat on the edge of his bed, watching him, still completely nude from their activities earlier.
“Wolfram, hurry up, someone might come in!”
The blonde smiled a bit and just climbed back into the bed and settled in between the sheets.
Yuri stared at him for a minute, not sure what exactly his friend thought he was doing. “Wolfram?”
“I’m tired, Yuri. You go on without me.”
The king’s jaw dropped. “Are you serious? You just kicked me out of bed! You can’t sleep yet if I can’t.”
Wolfram waved his hand dismissively and curled up under the comforter.
Yuri frowned. “What did I do to deserve this?”
“You’re the Maou is what,” the lump in the bed explained. “If we leave at the same time, people might guess we’ve been together the whole time and wonder what we were up to.”
“I see. Why can’t you ever just be nice and say that in the first place?” Yuri stood, adjusting the deep purple sash across his shoulders. “You’re worried about my reputation. Next time, why don’t you just say that rather than push me out of the bed? I’d have gotten up and dressed just the same. I don’t want anyone thinking badly of either of us.”
Wolfram sighed and peeked out at his king with a serious expression. “You told Conrad?”
“Oh...yeah. Don’t get mad or anything, though. You left. I needed to talk to someone and, really, who else was there to talk to? Murata’d just make fun of me.”
“What’d he have to say?”
Yuri rubbed the back of his neck. “Um...pretty much that he wasn’t all that happy about it. Not that I blame him. It was pretty stupid of us.”
“Do you mind explaining to me then why I was riding your dick less than an hour ago?”
The king turned scarlet. “That doesn’t mean it was the right thing to do. Just the...the fun thing to do I guess. I don’t know.” Yuri turned away from the bed. “I mean, you’re right. It’s different when you’re with someone else rather than when you’re alone. And I guess I’m no better than the guys at school I used to think were pigs because I kept thinking about it when you were gone. So, I guess, you know...thank you. For offering.”
“Of course, your highness.”
Yuri winced and looked back at his friend. “Wolfram, don’t start calling me that again. It’s like there’s a barrier between us when you do. Even if I am your king, you’re my friend first and as my friend, you should just call me Yuri.”
“Your guests are waiting. Yuri. You should go downstairs now.”
Yuri shook his head and sat back on the bed. He was getting nowhere at this rate, but he refused to walk out just yet. “I’m not going until you’re not mad at me.”
“Who said I was mad at you? Stop being such a wimpy king and take care of your obligations,” Wolfram instructed, looking furiously at the black haired man.
“You’re leaving tomorrow. Can you please just humor me and tell me what’s wrong?”
Wolfram threw a pillow at him.
“I didn’t say I thought the sex was bad! I meant it was a bad idea to do it! I like it just fine,” Yuri shouted, throwing up his arms in defense. “It’s just that you’re a guy and we can’t keep doing this.”
“You’re the one who keeps bringing it up. I’m just trying to sleep.”
Yuri paused. “That’s true but...I thought that’s what you were so grumpy about.”
“If I’m grumpy, it’s because you won’t let me sleep!” Wolfram pushed Yuri from the bed again and crawled over to the edge to glare down at him. “Now go downstairs. I’ll still be here when you’ve thanked your guests and it’s all over.”
“You’ll...be in here?” Yuri looked up at him in surprise. He smiled and stood back up, straightening his sash again.
“You asked me to stay till morning. I assume you meant in here with you.”
The king nodded. “Yeah, that’s fine. We’ll have plenty of time to talk and catch up on things then.”
“Good.” Wolfram yawned and resumed his position under the blankets. “And shut the door behind you.”
“I know. See you later.” Yuri smiled and did as instructed, walking quietly to the door and making sure to pull it closed as soundlessly as possible as he stood in the hallway. He leaned his back against the door for a minute, basking in the odd glow that surrounded him. It was more than just a post sex high, though it admittedly gave him an added bounce to his step. Wolfram was acting like his old self again, something Yuri had missed a great deal. Being called a wimp again had been the best birthday present ever.
He was only a couple feet down the hall when Gunter rounded the corner with a worried expression on his pale face. His expression changed instantly as he smiled upon his king and ran to him, embracing him strongly with a warriors grip.
“Your majesty, I was worried you’d been swept away by that bold Lady Emily. How happy I am to find you here on your own. I should have realized earlier that you had stepped out. Was it too warm? The music too loud? Oh, your majesty, if there is anything wrong with the ceremony or something I can do to make it more to your liking please let me know.”
Yuri smiled and patted him on the back. “Don’t worry so much, Gunter. It’s wonderful. I’m having a great time.”
The platinum blonde gave a content sigh as he clasped his hands in joy. “I’m so glad. Some of the banners hanging from the arches seemed a little too far to the left and I could not have lived with myself had you noticed and had your entire evening ruined.”
Yuri laughed a little, never surprised by how seriously his friend took such small details. It was sweet, if not a little disconcerting. It seemed a lot of his subjects took his pleasure into a great deal of consideration. “It never crossed my mind.”
Gunter smiled and began walking back to the festivities with his king in tow. “You seem to be in excellent spirits, tonight. It truly is rewarding to see such a genuine look of happiness on your handsome face.”
“Ah, well, it really has been a perfect night.” Yuri cast a glance back at his bedroom door before it passed out of sight. “So, which one is Lady Emily again?”
“The rather stunningly beautiful and well spoken of lady that was brought to you last week. You’ll remember she had several private attendants who went in before her and you remarked that it seemed more like a wedding precession than a formal greeting.”
The king thought back and smirked a bit. It had been quite a sight to see the rows of lovely young woman lining up to present the Lady. Gunter was right, though: she was stunningly beautiful. That such lovely women to be interested in him was a thought he found hard to get used to. The Lady Emily was half human and half mazoku, like himself. It had been her land’s selling point in the deal. Her auburn hair was heavily curled and it seemed to Yuri that she would look very much like Greta’s mother were they to stand next to each other. It was for that reason he’d extended the invitation to the party, he recalled. He felt bad for not spending more time with her.
“Has she left already, then? I guess if you thought that she might be with me, then she’s been missing for a while.”
Gunter gave a curt nod. “I believe the Lady Emily has retired for the night. Many of your foreign guests are still in assembly, but a few who had not intended to stay with us till the morning have departed.”
“I guess it was rather rude of me to disappear like that.” Yuri sighed. “I am pretty sleepy though, Gunter. Would it be alright if I walked around for a bit and then turned in?”
“Quite alright. Though I do believe Conrad was looking for you earlier. Perhaps you should speak with him once we return.”
“Alright. Thank you, Gunter.” Yuri quickened his pace, not one to make Conrad wait longer than necessary.
The great hall was still busy with people dancing and mingling when they arrived. Yuri could feel his pulse quicken with the excitement in the room. Everyone was happy and having a wonderful time. This was what he enjoyed most about being the Maou: having the power to restore peace and happiness to all who were willing to work towards it. All things considered, this had the possibility of being the best day of his life.
“Yuri.”
The king turned and smiled at Conrad as he came to stand beside him. “Hey. Gunter said you were looking for me.”
Conrad nodded and gestured towards the balcony behind them. “If you’d follow me, I’d rather we speak in private.”
Interest piqued, Yuri gave a worried frown to his friend. “Is everything alright?”
“Perfectly, sir. It’s more a personal matter, is all.”
Yuri gave an affirmative nod and hurried to the balcony at Conrad’s side. With the drapes half down the merriment seemed much further away than just behind the tasseled cloth. The stars were lovely though, sparkling unlike anything Yuri had seen on earth. He took a moment to find his own constellation then turned his attention to the matter at hand.
Conrad’s face was downcast and shadowed, making his normally lively and smiling face look sinister and grim.
“What’s the matter, Conrad?”
The patriot paused, hand resting on the hilt of his sword. “Yuri...were you any other man, I would strike you.”
“...What?”
“I saw you leave with him.”
Yuri’s stomach twisted into a knot.
“I waited outside the door in case you two should fight. I know what you were doing. ”
“Conrad.... ” Yuri swallowed hard, unable to form words suddenly.
“As I understand it, he is not good enough to be your husband but he is good enough to be your whore?”
“Conrad! That’s not it at all!” Sweat dripped from his brow. “I’m not that kind of person, you know that. He was just...it was his idea. That doesn’t excuse it, but when he said it, it sounded like a good idea and the next thing I knew....” Yuri blushed slightly. “We didn’t plan this. It just happened. And he’s acting a lot more normal now, so I think it made him happy.”
“No, Yuri. Even if he did offer you his body, along with that he has offered his heart. You can’t accept one and not the other, no matter what he may say to the contrary.” Conrad’s fist clenched with restraint. “What would make him happy is to be married to you. This is a shallow substitution. If he can’t see that, then it is your responsibility to turn him away for his own good.”
Yuri stared unblinking at his companion, frightened of many things that seemed to come at him from the dark. “Conrad, if I turn him away, he’ll be unhappy. He’ll hate me and he might never come back.”
“Every victory has its sacrifices. You have your freedom now. The sacrifice was him.”
“It shouldn’t have to be that way.” Yuri’s voice was frantic, as he scratched at his mind for some sort of solution, something he hadn’t noticed before that could make everything alright again. “I never meant for it to be like this. Please believe me, Conrad. I care a lot about Wolfram. I’ll talk to him, I promise. Tonight. This won’t happen again.”
Conrad shook his head. “Don’t make that sort of promise to me. What is important to me is my brother’s welfare. Given events, I think perhaps Gwendel was right to let him go. If it’s best he leave here, then that’s as it should be.”
Yuri shook his head. “Conrad....”
“I’m sorry, your highness. This does not compromise my feelings for you as our sovereign. This matter is personal and just happens to involve you and my family. I will not let it affect my service to you.” Conrad gave a small bow then exited the balcony to the noisy celebration.
For a moment, the laughter inside filtered out louder than before, mocking the king in his silence, then withdrew as the drapes fell back to obscure most of the archway. The night no longer seemed crisp and lovely and the stars seemed dull and boring in their heavenly abode.
Alone in the darkness, Yuri wept.