I Saw You
Title: I Saw You
Characters/Pairings: Gwendal, Yozak
Word Count: 241
Rating: G
Warning: mild spoilers for episode 47
Notes: Originally written for kkm_challenge's Round 24: Provided Title and posted here on November 23, 2008. Voted first runner-up.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or recognizable elements of Kyou Kara Maou. No copyright infringement is intended and no profit is being made.
“You don’t have to stay here, you know.”
Yozak glanced up from the armor he was polishing. “Are you implying that I should leave, Your Excellency?” His tone was pleasant, but the challenge was plain in his eyes.
Gwendal’s frown deepened. “No. I just don’t understand why you chose to stay.” Yozak shrugged and turned his gaze back to the armor.
Gwendal paced restlessly in the confines of the small armory as he continued, “The war is over. The other soldiers from your battalion have returned home. Conrart is in some other world and only Shinou knows when he’ll return.” He stopped to stare at Yozak, “What is there to keep you here?”
Yozak looked up at the older man, a slight smile tugging at one corner of his mouth. “You’re asking the wrong question. Instead of asking why I would stay, consider why I came here in the first place.”
One of Gwendal’s eyebrows ticked upwards but he held his tongue, waiting for the other man to continue.
“I remember very clearly the first time you came to the village. I’d never seen such honest outrage from a full-blood that half-bloods were treated differently. And you didn’t stop at outrage, you’ve actually worked to make this country one where people like me can live without being afraid of everyone around us.”
Yozak smiled, “I could go back to the village but farming’s never suited me. I’ll be more useful here.”
Characters/Pairings: Gwendal, Yozak
Word Count: 241
Rating: G
Warning: mild spoilers for episode 47
Notes: Originally written for kkm_challenge's Round 24: Provided Title and posted here on November 23, 2008. Voted first runner-up.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or recognizable elements of Kyou Kara Maou. No copyright infringement is intended and no profit is being made.
“You don’t have to stay here, you know.”
Yozak glanced up from the armor he was polishing. “Are you implying that I should leave, Your Excellency?” His tone was pleasant, but the challenge was plain in his eyes.
Gwendal’s frown deepened. “No. I just don’t understand why you chose to stay.” Yozak shrugged and turned his gaze back to the armor.
Gwendal paced restlessly in the confines of the small armory as he continued, “The war is over. The other soldiers from your battalion have returned home. Conrart is in some other world and only Shinou knows when he’ll return.” He stopped to stare at Yozak, “What is there to keep you here?”
Yozak looked up at the older man, a slight smile tugging at one corner of his mouth. “You’re asking the wrong question. Instead of asking why I would stay, consider why I came here in the first place.”
One of Gwendal’s eyebrows ticked upwards but he held his tongue, waiting for the other man to continue.
“I remember very clearly the first time you came to the village. I’d never seen such honest outrage from a full-blood that half-bloods were treated differently. And you didn’t stop at outrage, you’ve actually worked to make this country one where people like me can live without being afraid of everyone around us.”
Yozak smiled, “I could go back to the village but farming’s never suited me. I’ll be more useful here.”