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Chapter Text

"Welcome back, heika" Conrad greeted his fiancé in his usual flirtatious way, but Wolfram held himself back from stomping over there in rage. He was close to his eighty-third year and would, thus, be a more calm and mature man. Like brother Gwendal.

"...Call me Yuuri! You're the one who named me after all!~" Oh Shinou, that's it. Wolfram was going to put an end to this right now.

"Wimp!" I marched over to Weller and Yuuri at a soldier's pace, time was of the essence. After all, it had only taken Yuuri a day to end up eloped with big brother.

"Wolf!" He was smiling, oblivious as usual, with water wet dewy skin and clothes clinging tight with moisture. "You're here too!" Hmph!? .....ah, so the wimp hadn't noticed my presence at all whilst clinging to Conrad eh?

"Wolf??W-what are you doing!?" His Majesty flailed around in panic. I moved even closer to him, ran my eyes down from his wet hair to his shivering arms. Shin Mokoko was cold this time of the year.

Trying to seem nonchalant, I unclasped my cloak and dropped it on top of Yuuri's head.

" Wolf? "

" I hear wimps catch colds easily "

I stood and walked away quickly, in the correct direction of course. My face was burning, but by Shinou! I should have said something cooler!

" Heika, we really should get going. Gunter will cry" I saw Weller gently push a strangely frozen Yuuri into action. Our eyes caught and he smiled at me, eyes saying " I'm proud of you". Hmph. As if I required praise.

Taking care of his Majesty was my duty.

"Wolfram! Wait up, why did you even come here if you were just going walk ahead by yourself?" I heard his footsteps catch up to mine, and turned around, prepared to give him a good talking to, but the irritation left as quick as it had come.

Yuuri was smiling again, wrapped up in my cloak, silky black hair fluttering with the gentle breeze.

I found myself returning his smile. Yuuri seemed surprised, but his grin soon widened in response.

" What? Lord Bielefeld seems awful moody today~"

Protecting that wimp's smile....

" Wolfram! Seriously! Stop zoning out ~!"

Chapter Text

Yuuri awoke slowly, regaining conscious after what felt like days, he found his body slow and sluggish. He could not summon enough strength to sit up, and after attempting to figure out what sort of place he was being kept in, he found that he was still in the predicament of being unable to see.

"Ah, you're awake?" The voice belonged to Sara. After their confrontation in the underground tunnels, a few of Small Shimaron's soldiers had unexpectedly come charging in. And now Yuuri Shibuya the 27th Maou of The Great Demon Kingdom was in Small Shimaron's custody.

"Urgh...What do you want? And will you finally give me some water!?" He was fully conscious now, and painfully aware of the condition his body was in after almost a week without drinking. Come to think of it....how was he still alive!? Did being a mazoku mean he had mutant powers? Like how Conrad re-grew(?) his lost arm!?

" Oh my, aren't you greedy. I already gave you lots to drink. Wouldn't want you to die now that I've finally got my hands on you."

Oh...that explains it, but how..." I don't remember drinking anything . Oh wait, never mind, I must have sleep drunken it. I really was very thirsty after all." To think that he'd even attacked Sara over it, even if the guy had deceived him and mentally tortured him and, come to think of it, maybe even sexually harassed him..! But still, it was against Yuuri's nature to strike out against someone like that.  His morals really must be rotting.

"No" Sara seemed to have moved closer in the time Yuuri was lost in self reflection. He now sat on the soft bed with silky feeling sheets Yuuri was laid out on.  Small Shimaron was turning out more hospitable than expected.

" You were dead asleep, so I had to feed it down your throat in a manner that's a bit more intimate"  King Saralegi then swooped then and forced his tongue into Yuuri's mouth. Yuuri, stiff with shock, made no move to resist until the foreign tongue had left, as soon as it had entered.

"SE-SEXUAL HARASSMENT!"

" oh Yuuri, there's no ' sexual harassment ' between master and pet."

" Master and pet!? "

"Didn't I already reveal my plans to you, Yuuri? Hmm for my cute pet who's so forgetful, let me repeat: I'm going to destroy Shin Makoku and keep the double black king as my pet. Ah~ just one  more task left on my list, since I've already got you~ "

No way. He was serious about that? This guy talked about genocide and forceful imprisonment like he was a super mom discussing house chores. No way. No way could he believe Sara's words - it'd be too scary. It would be Sara was INSANE and Yuuri had doomed himself and his kingdom by trusting him.

" Don't even joke, a super scary and powerful demon ( Gwendal) and a super bishie all-rounder (Gunter) will never let you destroy the kingdom. Just go ahead and try." Yuuri was hardly ever in Shin Makoku anyways, something he definitely should work on as a king come to think of,  so if taking out Yuuri was part of Sara's plan  ' Down with Demon Kingdom! Disappear!', he was sadly mistaken.

" Hm of course my measly little country wouldn't be able to measure up to 'The Great Demon Kingdom' , ah, but how about if Shin Makoku was to wage war on all the human territories. I wonder, would they be able to survive another all out war like that?"

" Th-that...what would you get out of that!? What would that even achieve? Humans and demons will both suffer! In any case, Shin Makoku will never  go to war. I guarantee it! "

I had said it enough times that the people around me are probably sick of hearing it, 'I'm a pacifist! I will never allow war!' , but I wonder if Wolfram and the others would stick by it in my absence.

"Ooh~ You guarantee it? Yuuri, you're not in a position to guarantee anything at the moment , you know that right? You're in my clutches now, any influence you hope to play on the events yet to unfold depends on entirely on how well you please me."

I feel his fingers gently slide through my hair, then grabbing it roughly, pulling so that my neck cranes back with the force behind it. It hurts, but not enough for me to cry out. Despite the rough treatment, his voice still maintains that light playful quality I had admired not too long ago.

" If you cling to me, beg me saying 'Please! Don't harm my country, I'll do anything ', then maybe......maybe  I'll just settle for keeping you instead."

His touch gentles, before he finally releases me and moves away. Sara's actions and words, more and more, they're getting difficult for me to understand, but at the same time, I can feel my body breaking out in goosebumps, as if my instincts sense something my mind cannot yet make itself comprehend.

Chapter Text

Wolfram Von Bielefelt, despite having just stepped foot onto Seisakoku, the land said to have the richest concentration of hojutsu, felt as strong as he'd ever felt on demon territory. Gunter's creepy protection technique, which had felt more like he was being put under a curse, had proved effective.

Though he still felt vaguely out of sorts, having his maryoku sealed off, it was low ranked on the list of things he was willing to do in order to get Yuuri back home to Shin Makoku.

" Your Excellency! Awaiting your orders sir!" Dakascos gave a brief salute.

They had finally reached the country Yuuri was supposed to be in, but pinpointing his location in a country as large as Seisakoku could prove to be extremely difficult. Wolfram once again cursed himself for leaving that wimp alone with that snake Sara. And that traitor Weller. And that always joking around fellow Gurrier!

" It would be best to split up into smaller units. Available information placed his Majesty at the palace, his whereabouts henceforth remain unknown but we will conduct the search with that location as our point of reference." Logically, Yuuri shouldn't be that far from the palace, having been placed there not too long ago, but he had the resourceful spy Josak with him, so it'd be best to take extra precaution.

" Captain Sizemore and Dakascos, with me." I motion to the soldiers mentioned to follow me as I prepare to walk away, before addressing the rest of the soldiers.

" Gisella will split the rest of you into groups. Make haste." Lord Bielefelt said simply before immediately walking off with his two chosen companions marching after him like military ducklings.

He would find his Majesty, and this time, he would drag that busybody wimp back to Shin Makoku by his cute wimpy ear.

************************************************

Conrad could not help but feel that something was very definitely wrong. He had reunited with Hazel and her companions, and they were en route to the underground tunnel's 'exit', as Hazel had put it.

Yuuri was with Gurrier, he should be safe. Even with that crafty king Saralegi around, Conrad trusted in Josak's capabilities. Yuuri would be fine.

But he could not help but feel that something was very very wrong.

Hazel, noticing Conrad's brooding, urged her horse closer to his.

" Captain, that little brother is with that muscles guy right? You really worry like a big brother, he'll be okay. You're going to have him back in your sight again real soon."

As soon as the words had left her mouth, like a spell summoning misfortune, aggressive voices yelling and the furious galloping of horses could be heard from directly ahead of them.

The people in their group were all quick witted and experienced, so had already tried to rush back in the opposite direction as soon as they became aware of trouble. But found that the hostile group was closing in on them from all directions. They were surrounded.

" Bandits! " Conrad could hear Hazel yelling from a distance away, and felt a still familiar rage rise up in him. These lowlifes were keeping him away from his Majesty, who had already been stuck in some dirty cave tunnel for five days now.

Yuuri, who had already been hurt so much whilst under Conrad's guard, what was he going through right now?. He had to get to him. He would destroy all that stood in his way.

Panicked shouts could be heard all around, the sand disturbed by horses making frantic movements was swirling around like thick dust obscuring visibility, making the scene look like a gritty painting of war.

He looked around and saw that many of Hazel's companions had been detained. Despite the heat, Conrad felt cold as he tightened his grip on his sword and prepared for bloodshed, for that was the only way he was getting out alive whilst faced with so many opponents.

" It-ITS A PRINCE ON A WHITE HORSE! "

Huh!? Hazel's shocking statement had effectively snapped Conrad's concentration , and he could not help but instinctively follow Hazel's outstretched hand and pointing finger towards three figures riding towards them at full speed in a classic Shin Makoku cavalry formation. The figure at the very front had golden blond hair shining like a beacon in the bright sunlight, and when he got closer Conrad finally recognized him as ...

"Wolfram !?"

" Conrad!?"

Wolfram Von Bielefelt, who was indeed a prince, and literally on a white horse, shifted his gaze frantically around Conrad with furrowed brows as if trying to find something he could not believe he had missed.

He looked as if he wanted to say something desperately, but was interrupted by attacking bandits that had seemingly got over their shock at the intervention.
Conrad joined wolfram and the other soldiers in formation, and they automatically engaged most of the bandits, keeping them away from the others.

Through dodging and deflecting strikes, Conrad could not help but glance around for his brother in concern. But was shocked when he saw Wolfram fighting as if he was the only one in motion and his enemies merely wooden targets awaiting destruction. Huh? What exactly had happened with him while Conrad was away?

The people they were fighting against, though aggressive, seemed to not be as proficient at sword work as they were in intimidation, and were defeated sooner than expected.

Conrad glanced at Wolfram, who was wiping blood off his sword with a deep frown that reminded Conrad of their eldest brother. Lord Weller hadn't properly seen his youngest brother in a long time, and was amazed at how much Wolfram seemed to have grown up. Even his skill with the sword...Wolram had fought as if his enemies were moving in slow motion. And come to think of it, they were in Seisako, how exactly had his bother managed to step foot on this land? Conrad had so many questions.

Wolfram sheathed his sword and caught Conrad's gaze. The questions could wait, right now Conrad knew, the most important thing on both their minds was...

" Where's Yuuri?"
" Yuuri is.."

They both paused. Wolfram who seemed to have finally lost his temper snapped out in a rush.

" Tell me where Yuuri is right now, Weller! We know you, Josak and Yuuri all fled the Emperor's palace together, what happened after that? Why are you alone? What have you done with Josak and his Majesty? I didn't fully believe it, but don't tell me you really are a traitor !?"

" Calm down Wolfram. "

" Don't tell me to calm down! Where - is - my - fiance ?" The last statement was pushed out through gritted teeth.

" We were going to where his Majesty is before we were attacked. Just follow us, I'll fill you in on everything that has happened after we get to Yuuri."

Wolfram regained his temper with visible effort, and left without a word, heading back to where his soldiers were tending to their horses.

" Fi-fiance? Captain, this angry prince is that little brother's boyfriend ? "

Conrad had to suppress the hysterical giggle that almost burst out his throat. Imagining how Yuuri would react to Hazel having said that brought a helpless smile to his face.

Your Majesty...we will soon be with you.

Chapter Text

They reached the underground tunnel's exit by the afternoon, only a bit behind schedule because of the bandit attack. They had settled their horses and were now in the process of getting the ropes ready to hike down the cliff around the tunnel.

The sun was still high in the sky and the heat was close to being unbearable. Conrad was not much affected because of his training, but he knew Yuuri must be dieing of thirst.

Maybe even literally, Conrad thought with dread, if there was no water source in the tunnels.

He spotted Wolfram, who had been getting more and more impatient the closer they got to the tunnels, and now seemed ready to jump off the cliff if the ropes didn't get knotted right now.

" Wolfram, get water skins and cloaks ready. Three of them. " Conrad said as he took his own cloak off, and tied a harness around his waist, getting ready to climb down.

No answer.

"Wolfram? " Conrad turned back to where he'd last seen his little brother, finding nothing but thin air.

" Um ...he already climbed down Your Ex-uh..sir." Dakascos, replied, having no idea on how to address Lord Weller now that he'd come back from the dead, betrayed their king, yet now seemed to be working for the Maou again. The nobility sure did have some extreme mood swings.

" Oh my, I guess I should have seen this coming." Conrad muttered to himself with a smile.

" Dakascos, you get the water and the cloaks ready then." He ordered quickly before moving to follow Wolfram.

Once he reached the opening to the tunnel though, he came to the startling scene of his little brother shaking a weak and bloodied Jozak by the collar of his ragged tunic.

" YOU!..you let that snake take off with Yuuri!?You..!" Wolfram seemed to have run out of words, or most likely, could not find any suitable enough to express his anger.

" Wolfram, that's enough. Josak, where is his Majesty and King Saralegi?"

" Thats..I don't know. There was an incident. I got caved in, surprised I survived really. But those two were long gone by the time I dug myself out."

"No! I was supposed to hold onto him this time, escort him back home safely! Why does he keep..!?"

Josak couldn't seem to keep up his usual laid back appearance, either from injury and malnutrition or due to the seriousness of the situation.

"I apologize. I failed to protect his Majesty."

" Now is not the time for that Gurrier. We need to figure out what happened. Yuuri maybe a wimp but he is not so helpless as to be over powered and taken by that twiggy king." Lord Bielefelt bit out, seemingly recovering from the edge of a mental breakdown.

" Jozak, how long exactly did it take you to get back on track after the cave in?"

"Not long Captain, my biceps aren't just for decoration you know."

"Right, so that means they couldn't just have gotten out and took off by themselves. The dessert heat and their malnourished state wouldn't have allowed them to get far. Not without horses anyways."

"Wait, his Majesty the Maou's search party.." Jozak motioned towards Wolfram. " ..managed to get here. What if- what if the king of Dai Shimaron's search party managed to get here before you guys? "

There was a moment of silence as they all froze in horror. Jozak had blurted out the worst and, considering circumstances, most plausible scenario that could have occurred.

"...Jozak, are any of your pigeons still alive?"

"Ah..no, Captain." He seemed sad and a bit guilty. Conrad didn't want to know.

" I'll see if we can use the Kohi." Wolfram had already started climbing back up.

" Will you be able to climb up by yourself, Jozak?"

"Of course. But if we're going by the assumption that young master's been taken away by Dai Shimaron, shouldn't the three of us quietly go rescue him ourselves? Waiting for Gwendel to send troops would take time and I doubt young master would want us to be hostile under any circumstances." Conrad was relieved, his friend couldn't be that injured if he could still talk so avidly while climbing. He didn't even seem out of breath.

" I'm aware. Though I still think Gwendal should be made aware of what's going on, or what we believe is going on anyways. In any case, if it turns out that some of the fleet sent out to find his Majesty happens to be close to Dai Shimaron, we can request surveillance to avoid having to gather information once we arrive."

" Oh~ So it'll be a quick grab and go eh? "

"Hm." Conrad pulled himself over the edge, then offered a hand to his injured friend.

" Captain, I have to say I'm surprised. You seem so calm, and here I thought you'd turn into a wild beast and go on a rampage at the thought of his Majesty in so much danger."

" Ah well, he has been getting into a lot of trouble lately right? I might have gotten used to it." Conrad offered a vague smile.

He could see his brother up ahead with Sizemore and Dakascos, body language screaming agitation, before going ram rod straight, turning and approaching Conrad and Jozak.

"Lord Weller. Gurrier. " Wolfram addressed them with a tone of voice his brother hadn't ever heard from him before. His voice sounded strange - as if he was both consumed by anger and a step away from falling apart.

" Your Excellency, any luck with the kohi? "

" Shut up Gurrier." Wolfram muttered before focusing on Conrad with solemn, dead eyes.

" They want us back in Shin Makoku. Word has spread that the Maou Yuuri Heika is dead."

For a single fragile moment, Conrad's entire world stopped. Then

" No way! Did that brat forget we were there while he blurted out his entire scheme to the young master !?"

" Wh-WHAT!?" Wolfram, leaving shock and grief behind for righteous fury at Gurrier's odd reaction to Yuuri's supposed death, snapped out.

" Oh my, Wolfram, that must have been a shock. We now have strong reason to believe that not only is Yuuri alive, he's also definitely captured by Dai Shimaron."

" Again. What?"

" When Captain, young master and I figured out that bratty king's naughty scheme he sang out all the details like a proud, evil little bird. "

"Yes, and he clearly said something along the lines of 'Yuuri, I planned on spreading word of your death and keeping you as my pet.' "

" P-p-p-pet!?" If his maryoku wasn't sealed off, steam would be coming out from Wolfram's ears.

" Conrad! We must head off to Dai Shimaron immediately. Utmost hate - I meant haste. Utmost HASTE. That fellow Saralegui is clearly INSANE. We need to get Yuuri away from that snake ...eugh!"

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~Five Days Later~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Lord Von Bielefelt stared incredulously at the hideously frilly ...thing in Gurrier's muscled arms.

"No."

"Aw come on your Excellency, this is for his Majesty's sake. Aren't you a soldier? You promised to serve your Maou and your country didn't you? " The cross dressing spy seemed much too amused. It was testing Wolfram's temper.

He scowled briefly at the pink and green colored frilly maid dress Gurrier was waving about too close to his face , then snatched it in one sharp angry movement. Pink and green. FRILLS. Who even designed these things? Eugh.

'That wimp better be grateful for this' Wolfram thought to himself as he haphazardly pulled the large dress over his uniform and stumbled on after Gurrier. The dress was sized for the spy and overflowed past Wolfram's feet.

They had arrived in Dai Shimaron just yesterday, but with the information provided by the Shin Makoku soldiers they'd stationed there ahead of time, they had already mapped the best escape route from Saralegui's castle and the main city.

Wolfram and Gurrier were to infiltrate the castle ( as cute maids apparently) and get Yuuri, whilst Conrad and the other soldiers kept the horses ready and their escape route clear of Dai Shimaron's soldiers.

"We'll be splitting up at the end of this hall to look for Heika. Whoever finds him first will immediately head out to Conrad, the one left behind will have to quietly head out by themselves by taking advantage of the ensuing commotion and join the rest of the party at the harbor. "

"It sounds efficient but how are we supposed to find Yuuri by just wandering around in this huge place?"

"By wandering around quickly." With that Gurrier turned the corner and left Wolfram to head out in the opposite direction.

Taking the 'quickly' to heart, Lord Von Bielefelt started marching down hallways, rotating his eyes in all directions, making sure to clutch at the skirts of his puffy maid dress to keep himself from tripping. He also made sure to swish a duster at nothing in particular at planned intervals to keep up his cover.

The other servants watched the new 'girl' in admiration, thinking that with that kind of militant dedication in trying to spot 'dust', she'd be climbing the ranks in no time.

Just as he was tiring of this routine, gunter's cursed amulet lifted of its own accord from around his neck, paused midair and made strange movements as if it was a dog sniffing out a hunt, then started dragging him along at its cursed pace.

HUH!?

Gunter's cursed guidance seemed to come attached with side effects alongside the sealing off of his maryoku. Gunter's hair follicles from the amulet seemed to grab onto and slow down his opponents movements, greatly advancing his sword skills. It also served as a flexible shield of sorts, protecting his body from lethal hits. Now, it seemed to be leading him to...Yuuri?

Where else would a piece of Gunter's soul be leading him to with such enthusiasm? Wolfram had to admit, the man did seem magnetically attracted to his fiancé.

Distracted by his thoughts whilst getting dragged along urgently by the energetic gunter amulet, Wolfram inevitably found himself crashing into another body with great force. They both crashed down onto the ground with a loud thump.

The body he had fallen on was thin yet soft, and felt strangely familiar.

"Are you alright? " muttered a dearly familiar voice in a foreign monotone.

Wolfram felt something he could not put to words, something that made his chest constrict painfully, yet brought with it a sense of peace he hadn't realized he'd lost until it returned, warming his bones and harmonizing the pieces of him that had until just then been working separately in rigid movement.

He lifted himself up stiffly on his elbows and opened eyes that had instinctively closed on impact, and gazed down at the eyes staring blankly up at him. Eyes darker and more beautiful than anything Wolfram could dream up in a fantasy were staring up at him from a face even cuter than he remembered. Distinct jet black hair was fanned out on the ground.

" Yuuri"

The figure on the ground...Yuuri, who had been lying on the ground strangely motionless, face a blank mask whilst he waited for Wolfram to get off of him, finally scrunched up his brows in confusion.

"...Wolf?"

Chapter Text

"...Wolf?"

"Of course it's me, wimp. Don't tell me you forgot the face of your fiancé already."

" Okay, you're definitely you." Yuuri muttered, not without a smile.

" Wow Yuuri, calm down. Don't be too happy to see me."

" I'm definitely happy to see you."

"Yeah , yeah. I'm imagining how you'd greet Weller if he was here instead."

"Now is so not the time to get jealous, Wolf. Aren't you supposed to be rescuing me right now?"

" Apologies your Majesty, it's been a long time. I must be suffering withdrawal from your wimpy presence."

Wolfram reluctantly separated from Yuuri and picked himself up from the floor, pulling Yuuri up with him.

"Since you're so eager to be rescued..."

He'd just been about to explain the plan to Yuuri when he stopped, still holding onto Yuuri's wrist.

" Wolf?"

Grabbing Yuuri's other wrist as well, he held them both together and pulled up his sleeves.

"They hurt you?" He growled.

Yuuri tried to free his arms. " Let go, we should get out of here first. It'd be stupid if you got captured trying to help me escape."

But Wolfram couldn't move. He stared at the deep angry red abrasions lining his king's wrists.

He let go of Yuuri's wrists, his hands moving as if by their own will, and grabbed him by the collar.

Yuuri was dressed in soft pristine white. The get up he had on looked like a carbon copy of the outfits the king of Dai Shimaron himself dressed in, if slightly plainer. Wolfram wanted to rip it off.

" Where else are you injured? "

Yuuri didn't answer. His eyes had taken on the cold edge that Wolfram wasn't used to seeing except for when Ue-sama was in charge. But the hands he placed on top of Wolfram's own, still clutching his collar, were gentle.

" We need to leave."

"...Yuuuuuuuuuuri~! Break time's over, pet ~"

They both startled.

The familiar, sickeningly chirpy voice sounded close by. Sure enough, he could hear light footstep from around the corner at the end of the hallways.

Yuuri's eyes had widened, as if in panic. " Wolfram, please, we really need to leave." Yuuri pulled both their hands away from his neck, but kept a hold of Wolfram's hand, squeezing tight.

"Come on! Lead the way."

He felt like he was missing something, an important cue. But he could not focus, that voice and Yuuri's reaction to it had served as fuel to the flames of Wolfram's already burning anger.

The footsteps sounded closer now. Saralegui was close to discovering them. Wolfram wanted him to.

By the sounds of it, he was alone. Feeling secure in his own castle.

Wolfram clenched his right hand into a fist. That snake Sara, he would...

" Wolfram!" Yuuri whispered urgently, he'd been tugging at his left hand frantically. "Th-this is an order, take me away from here. Now."

"Tsk!"

"Yuuuuuuuuuuuuri ~ Huh? What do you two maids think you're doing?"

Sensing that they'd run out of time, Wolfram, regaining his rationale, had acted quickly. He pulled off the pink bonnet from atop his head and shoved it down onto Yuuri's, covering his distinguishing dark hair. He had then pushed him against the wall, trying to cover as much of his body as he could with his own.

" Honestly, that's inappropriate. Don't you have work?" The chirpy quality to Saralegui's voice was replaced with a chillingly hard edge.

Wolfram grit his teeth. He could feel Yuuri's body trembling against his.

The king of Dai Shimaron, who'd been approaching them, stopped halfway. " Ugh. I have more important things to be doing right now. I'm letting this go for now, but I better not catch sight of this disgusting scene again."

Wolfram could hear his footsteps again, this time getting fainter and fainter. He felt Yuuri's sigh of relief against his cheeks. They waited until they couldn't hear the footsteps at all anymore, before finally moving away from the wall.

" Ugh that fellow really is completely insane ...Yuuri? Are you okay?"

Yuuri's head was hung low, his shoulders shaking with each hitching breath.

" Yuuri?"

" Haha..hahahahaha! Wolfram, are you dressed as a cute maid? Yo-Yozak would be so proud."

Wolfram felt his hackles rising." Ugh! This maid is actually a prince here to save you, so shut up before I decide to throw in a kiss too."

" You keep mentioning a rescue, yet I'm still just as kidnapped as before you showed up."

"That's because...wait. Yuuri, how come you only just noticed how I'm dressed?"

No answer.

"Your eyesight...?"

"It's not something that's been done to me." Yuuri replied before Wolfram could ask, grabbing his hand.

"Now really, let's get out of here already geez."

" As his Majesty wishes." Wolfram sighed, squeezing the hand in his.

"Honestly Young Master, I feel a bit unsatisfied. I was expecting a mighty fight with an army, at least, in order to get you back. This green house country really made it too easy."

"...Yozak!?"

His Majesty squinted up, reminding Wolfram of the near sighted Lady Gyllenhaal at council meetings.

"You're alive!?" Yuuri was still trying to locate Gurrier, without success.

Wolfram sighed. 'If only he'd save such a reaction for his fiancé.'

" Here I am Young master~ Ohoho as if a few measly rocks can keep Gurrier down!" Gurrier said, getting closer so that Yuuri's outstretched hands could finally reach him.

" My poor Young Master, what have those dogs done to you that even your eyesight got damaged? Gurrier should go on a killing spree!"

" It's okay Yozak...it's fine. It's enough that you're alive. I'm happy."

"Then don't sound like you're about to cry, wimp."

"I-I'm not! I wouldn't cry in front of you guys, you don't have to worry."

" ...and what's with you hugging another man while your fiancé is right here huh!?"

" Right..." Abruptly, Yuuri walked over to Wolfram, arms outstretched, a look of deep concentration on his face.

"Wh-what?" Yuuri was patting at his left shoulder now, frowning as if in indecision.

Then all at once, Wolfram found himself with an armful of wimpy Maou.

"Guh!?.." He could feel his face heating, flushing dark red with embarrassment and something else.

"Thank you, for finding me." The words whispered in his ear came accompanied with a cool breath, sending shivers down his spine.

"I-it w-was nothing." Wolfram clutched at the air around Yuuri's body, not knowing what to do with his hands.

He spotted Gurrier over Yuuri's shoulders, comically mouthing something at him.

'Huh?' Wolfram frowned. Gurrier gave him a look, then wrapped his own arms around himself.

Oh!

Slowly, Wolfram unclenched his fingers, trying to get his shaky sweaty hands to co-operate enough to hug Yuuri back.

But the Maou was already moving away." I wonder when Conrad and the other will be back."

Wolfram felt his shoulders slump, the arms he'd let fall to his sides twitching.

Gurrier caught his gaze, expressing both sympathy and amusement. " I don't know, but the Captain sure is missing out."

The Royal Guard had foiled their original plan, running smack into Conrad's party. The ensuing chaos had ensured Yuuri, Wolfram and Gurrier getting out undetected, but they were now at a stalemate.

They were on a Shin Makoku ship ready to take them back home, but none of them wanted to leave Conrad and the other soldiers behind.

"Your Exellency" Gurrier was now looking down at the port from the ship's deck. " ...We have a problem."

" What's going on? I can hear something.."

"Yuuri." Wolfram joined Gurrier, taking stock of the situation." Get inside the cabin and lock the door. You can't be discovered with us."

Facing the 'Merchant Ship' that in fact belonged to Shin Makoku's naval forces was King Saralegui himself, backed up by his Royal Guard, with a seemingly unconscious Lord Conrart Weller bound and gagged at his feet.

"No! Tell me what's...!"

" Heeeeeeeeey~! That indignant cry of protest just now was really familiar! I think you guys have something that belongs to me."

Chapter Text

He woke up feeling uncomfortably warm, his limbs heavy with it. Some primitive instinct urged him to move, to make sure he was a creature alive instead of a hot and heavy left over bit of conscious thought.

He couldn't even twitch the tips of his fingers.

Was he dead? Was he still asleep?

To test both theories, he focused on lifting his eyelids, a task that seemed impossible now in its difficulty compared to how intuitive his immediate memory assured him it should be.

With concentrated effort, he just about managed to get his eyelashes to flutter against cheeks that felt fever hot. But there it was - tangible proof of his existence.

" Are you finally awake? This game is no fun if you're unconscious. "

A tickle of silk against his cheek, the smell of sweet breath, someone whispering hot against his ear.

"Yuuri"

Sara

He tried to speak, to demand 'What have you done to me?', because it was obvious now. He had collected enough sobriety to put together that it should not be this strenuous - to move, to think. The state he was in right now was not natural, grasping with slippery fingers at what should flow obediently towards him.

" Ngh" His attempt at speech was pitiful.

He couldn't hear it, but he was sure Sara must be laughing at him.

Fingers carded through his hair now, sweeping his fringe up and to the left of his damp forehead.

" Sshh, it's no use trying. The only thing you should be capable of right now is sensing and-"

He could feel the mattress shift as another weight joined his on the feather soft mattress.

"-feeling." Soft hands were crawling under his clothes, sliding up the knobby bones of his spine.

No

" Your vassals must have warned you about accepting food and drink from strangers right? "

The water. He drugged the water.

" Ah but you know, if you really don't want to play..."

His shirt was being removed, pulled away, his limp limbs unable to administer resistance even as his mind screamed in horrified protest.

He was turned over, made to lie on his back, as the other straddled his waist, weight so light that it didn't make sense that he be unable to throw him off.

"- then let your other self take charge. The drug traps your body, and you can't use maryoku here, but isn't your other self really capable? He should be able to protect you somehow."

The hands wandering his bared flesh started to curl around his neck, squeezing tight. He could still breath, but feeling the hands against his throat with each gulp of air made his stomach twist and nausea ache in his chest.

" Unless~ You want this. Aren't you just as eager for the games I have in mind?"

Yuuri felt tears leak out the corners of his eyes, a person like Sara would surely see them as a sign of weakness - of defeat, but he couldn't help it. It hurt, he was scared. He couldn't feel another presence besides his own. He couldn't hear the woman's gentle voice, a sign that he could let go and that everything would be fixed by the time he woke up. Why? Wasn't this a situation like life and death? He was drugged, his clothes were being removed, he had no idea what game Sara was playing at but all implications led to a direction he was desperately trying to block his mind from. Why-

"Yuuri"

-was he being betrayed?

"Yuuri"

"Yuuri!"

Wolfram was shaking him by the shoulders.

" Are you alright?

Startled into awareness, he found himself huddled into a corner of the ship's deck, arms hugging his knees to his chest.

When he received no answer, Wolfram continued, voice rising in concerned anger.

" What was with that reaction just now? How exactly have those humans been treating you!?"

Yuuri lowered his head to rest against his knees, trying to shut out the questions he didn't want to answer, the memories he wished he could forget, the small army gathered around their little ship - the devil and his demons here to drag him back to hell.

Wolf's voice lowered, gentled, as if sensing his thoughts. " You don't have to look like that, Yuuri. I'm not like that laid back fellow, I'm a guy that crossed half the world, even wearing something as grotesque as Gunter's amulet, to find you. I'm not going to let you be taken away again, got it? "

Yozak, the aforementioned 'laid back fellow' piped in " That's right, that's right. They managed to snag the Captain somehow, but they've also made this Gurrier serious. They're as good as dead now, haha!"

" It's almost sun down! Have you people decided yet? Will it be Yuuri for your safe passage away with Lord Weller here, or are my men going to have to use some distasteful force? " The voice was loud and even, he must be using a megaphone or something.

" Shut up! " Wolf hollered back.

" Hahahaha! I remember you, Yuuri's friend, the one who managed to survive an arrow to the chest and a sinking ship eh? I admit you have spirit, but-"

" I said SHUT UP! Stop speaking of his Majesty so casually! I'm more than his friend, I'm his fiancé! And after Yuuri's back home safe I swear I'll-"

" Fiancé? Ah what was it - Wolf? You have no idea how much Yuuri ..."

Yuuri stood up abruptly, moving into the King of Dai Shimeron's view, who mercifully stopped from finishing his statement.

He really didn't want to do this, he'd rather sooner die than do this, but he couldn't let himself be selfish.

" Let Conrad and the others go. I'll come back."

" Your Majesty!"

"Yuuri!"

"Good choice! I'll send someone up to get you right away~! Make sure to keep those feisty vassals of yours to behave themselves."

He felt his arm being grabbed forcefully, Wolfram's voice was a low angry growl." What is going on in that wimpy little head of yours, Yuuri? What do you think you're doing right now !?

" They have Conrad! He must be seriously injured if he allowed himself to be over powered like that, what if he's lost his arm again? Or even his leg? If I can guarantee all of your safety, no matter what it is, I'll do it. I'm not just going to let you guys...for me..What kind of person do you think I am?"

"You're Yuuri, I know exactly who you are, that's why we never really had any other option. Gurrier?"

Huh?

"Your Excellency, leave it to me."

He could hear the sound of a sword being removed from its sheath.

" Don't worry Young Master, I'm sure you know by now, but the Captain is notoriously skilled at playing dead. After I free him, these small fry are as good as dead. The two of us, especially together, won't be killed off this easily. "

He heard Yozak's thudding footsteps as he took off on a run, and the whoosh of air that told him that his friend had jumped off the ship's deck, probably literally landing in the enemy's lap.

He knew that Yozak and Conrad were really strong, together, they could be called something like a 'Killer Combo', but they were still mortal, and anyone could be worn down by numbers. They didn't even know if Conrad could still fight.

The effect of Yozak's reckless attack could be heard from bellow.

" What!? Are they really this stupid!?"

" ARGH!"

"Your Majesty! We need to get you out of here!"

The clang of mettle as swords struck was so loud he could hear it all the way up on the ship's deck, hear it over the panicked shouts of the guards as Yozak finally got to go on his killing spree. It was a sound he could never get used to, no matter how many times he was forced to hear it.

He curled his hands into tight fists, his nails biting into the flesh. He wished now, more than ever, that he could see, that his sight which had been taken away without cause or reason would return to him. He wanted to see for himself how Conrad was, if he was now up and fighting alongside Yozak. If his friends were winning or dieing.

" Wolfram! What are you doing!? Take his Majesty away right now!"

Conrad!

" No! We're not going to leave you and Yozak here! We're all going to leave this place together. "

But even as he said this he was being grabbed by the hand, being forcefully dragged away from the deck.

" No! Wolf! Don't do this - are you really fine with leaving your big brother like this !?" He struggled against Wolfram's hold, fighting against his friend with all the strength he could manage to summon up.

Wolfram didn't understand, they couldn't leave Conrad and Yozak in Dai Shimarron, at worst they'd be killed, but even if they weren't, that place-that place-

Wolfram tightened his hold, not even slowing down. The mazoku was stronger than he appeared, a fact he had proven to Yuuri time and again now, and with Yuuri himself weakened by days of hunger and imprisonment, he found that he could not stop Wolf no matter how hard he struggled. It made him want to fight harder.

" Yuuri! Just stop- Weller and that guy survived Lutenberg, this is nothing to them. Have trust in them, they'll be alright."

"Th-then why are we leaving them? If they're going to win then we can wait a bit! We can leave together!"

"Argh! Use that head of yours to think for once! We don't know when reinforcements will be sent here, or if they'll bring weapons to damage the ship! By staying here, we would only hinder Weller and Gurrier . Two people can escape hastily, and with Yozak's skills - easily. But four people and a ship is quite a bit more difficult, you understand? "

Wolfram, who hadn't stopped once saying all that, pushed Yuuri down to sit down on something soft. The vague dark outline of it suggested that it was a narrow bed.

" Now shut up and stay here, please? I'm being kind and trusting by not tying you up, even if it would be for your own good right now. "

Wolfram left before Yuuri could reply, the sound of a door being shut serving as 'goodbye'.

It was oddly silent here, he couldn't hear the fight - the clanging metal sound of cold blades, the gruff shouts of pain and anger. It was deceitfully peaceful.

Wolfram was right, as usual, what could he do even if he stayed? He couldn't even protect himself, and with his eyes like this he must be even more of a burden than usual.

He put his palms against his eyes, they felt dry and itchy, they were probably red. He'd been too afraid to consume the food and drink offered, only caving in when his survival instincts won over the sense in his head. He was tired, he couldn't remember what it felt like to not have pain constantly throbbing through his body, to not have the dull ache ever present in the back of his mind. It kept him up at night ( or was the pain the result of him not sleeping?), no matter how much he yearned for sleep to claim him, to offer freedom from reality but for a night.

He rubbed his eyes again, laying down on the bed. He was so tired. He couldn't tell if the ship was moving, if Wolfram really was taking them away to safety. Who's to say that right this moment Wolfram and the others weren't dead, killed while Yuuri was in here, in this deceitfully peaceful place, throwing himself a pity part. They could be coming for Yuuri right now. Sara could be coming for him right now.

He was so tired.

He grabbed the feather pillow from under his head and moved it so that it covered his face, and focused his hearing. If it sounded like their ship was under attack, if he heard something like Wolfram's dieing words.

He would do what he had to.

Any place he went to after that would have his friends waiting for him, he wouldn't be alone, and he would be far far far away from the king of Dai Shimmaron, who's beauty housed sadistic cruelty , and whose hands had caused the most pain he'd ever felt in his sixteen years, without inflicting a single wound.

Chapter Text

The morning sun was unobscured by dark clouds, clear sky looking down on the open sea reflecting blue. An opportune northern breeze carried forth Shin Makoku's vessel in gentle rocking motions that might be soothing to some, but were the cause of a certain someone's sick now polluting the blameless oceanic ecosystem.

" Blegh, I should have joined the Royal Navy. Who could have predicted I'd be constantly drifting away from blessed demon land tracking down a busybody fiance ugh." Lord Bielefeld mourned, wiping his mouth of the latest bout of spew.

He took a moment to gather up the strength he had left, the rest having been drained away to sea like the discharge from his sickness, the sweat from his worries, the blood from battle - cutting down the last lingering trace of fools trying to take his majesty away.

He put that strength to his slumped shoulders, straightening them up rigidly along with the rest of his body. Yuuri had lost his sight, but he had never needed that to see into hearts. And to reassure Yuuri, Wolfram had to first fool his own heart, a treachery in steps - mind, body, soul.

Slowly pushing the door to Captain's cabin open, he found the Maou sleeping like a log - stiff body lying straight atop the covers, face hidden from view under a down feather pillow, arms crossed over his chest, fingers clenched above the breakable barrier shielding his soft heart.

" Where are we? " Yuuri's muffled voice broke the silence

" How long have you been awake?"

" Heh don't answer a question with a question." Then, softly. " I haven't been able to sleep for a long time now, but who knows when I'll finally be able to wake up."

Wolfram pulled the pillow away, uncovering Yuuri's face." What's with hiding your face first thing in the morning? Are you finally getting conscious of me as a man? "

Wolfram threw the cushion away, plopping himself down on the narrow space besides Yuuri's body on the bed. He hadn't slept that night, caught up first in steering the ship away with his meager sailing knowledge, then washing away blood and parts of human flesh that were once men. His Majesty was sensitive to the stench of suffering.

" Maybe." Yuuri replied, quiet and vague, turning so that he was laying on his side now, wordlessly creating space for Wolfram on the narrow bed built for one.

The familiar warmth against his back was enough to lull him into pleasant lethargy, Wolfram found himself nuzzling the softness pressed under his cheek.

He was startled out of this state of almost sleep by the feel of Yuuri's shoulders shaking against his own, the abrupt giggles escaping his throat were a surprise to both. " Hah, I remember how - how you could never get out of bed until at least one cup of red tea! And I - I actually thought you'd come to wake me up right now! You just wanted to switch to a comfier bed huh? This is bad Wolfram, I've really lost sight of your character. Haha! Get it? 'Lost sight'. Hah."

The shaking stopped, Yuuri's sudden mirth lost as abruptly as it had materialized. They say that humans can only go so long without sleep, for demons that 'so long' is just slightly longer. Wolfram observed the deep dark lining the underside of Yuuri's eyes in concern. He'd really rather avoid having to knock Yuuri out for his own good. Putting aside his high status, Yuuri was his fiance.

Wolfram senses kept twinging, as if there was a detail escaping his notice, latched onto only the very edge of his vision.

Something was off.

The immediate jeopardy had passed, Yuuri was safe, within touching distance, yet still he seemed so far away, still under a nameless formless threat Wolfram couldn't see nor put a name to, let alone strike down with his sword.

His once peachy cheeks and glowing skin, vibrant as if kissed by the sun, were now a stark lifeless white, framed by over long tendrils of glossy black hair far better groomed than what Wolfram was used to seeing on his fiance.

Yuuri didn't look like Yuuri anymore.

The appearance, the words he spoke, the clothes. All combined muffled his image of Yuuri, much the same as the sound of his voice when he'd spoken through the cushion on his face. A pitch and tone memorized by heart made difficult to detect by an interference that should not be there. But unlike the pillow which had been easy to lift away, he could not touch, hear, think, feel this problem - could only sense it with the same trusted instinct that had urged him run in time to catch Yuuri before he fell, the very same instinct that thrust his sword forth in protection before Wolfram himself could process Yuuri and Danger.

" Wolf, did you already fall asleep? "

" No, humor is just something you don't posses wimp. Now sleep. Your eyes look like Greta traced them with black marker."

" Hey! Like Mr-I'm-growing-into-future-Gwendal has any right to comment on humor. And isn't it daylight already? My eyesight may be bad, but I'm not completely blind yet - I can still see brightness and dull shapes."

" So? You've been troubled sleeping without me by your side right? " Wolfram reached out, pulling and rearranging until Yuuri was placed firmly in his arms, face resting in the crook of his neck, an arm sprawled over Wolfram's chest and another pressed in the meager space between their bodies." Just -" He squeezed his arms tighter around him." - just for while, forget the past, don't worry about the future, and just trust me. Place your trust in me and relax."

" That is not why - ah never mind." He felt the brush of warm air against his skin as Yuuri sighed, " I don't understand why -" The words were muttered softly, almost a whisper." - did you hypnotize me with your words? Another mazoku side talent of yours like the healing? It shouldn't feel this comfortable being held in another man's arms."

" Hey, hey am I just any man? I'm your fiancé. Don't you dare cuddle up to anyone else!" Wolfram remarked heatedly, mind immediately flashing to Weller.

Yuuri made no reply. There was a moment of complete silence. Wolfram guessed that Yuuri must have (blessedly) fallen asleep, but then felt the arm that had been lying sprawled against his chest move, shift - and just like that he was being hugged back, fingers clenching the material of the blue uniform he hadn't thought to remove.

" Yuuri?"

" You said to trust you right?" He whispered, the words mumbled foggy and thick, as if spoken through the haze of a dream. " I already do. You always find me. Just when I've lost all strength, all hope, you - somehow - you're always there when I need you."

Yuuri's words were starting to slur, pouring out like water through a blocked faucet, slow and sluggish.

" So, Wolf, as the person I trust the most, as the one whose honestly is kinder than any lie, promise me. I need you to promise..."

" What? If it's for you of course I -" Wolfram cut himself off.

His Majesty was snuggling peacefully against Wolfram's shoulder, soft cheek squished adorably against the bony surface, lips parted - he must have nodded off literally mid sentence. Heh.

"You're lucky you're so damn cute, Yuuri. A high-maintenance wimp like you would never have managed to entrap a guy like me otherwise." Wolfram muttered quietly, hiding his pink cheeks against Yuuri's soft hair.

Chapter Text

Thunder. The sound of heavy footsteps thudding against wet wood. Wolfram awoke instantly.

His first instinct was to check on Yuuri - still sound asleep. Good. His fiance needed rest to recover.

He carefully got out of bed and grabbed his sword, unsheathing it softly as he crept out the cabin on light feet. He made sure to lock the door behind him, sliding the key into the room through the minuscule space in between the edge of the door and the floor.

The deck was slippery wet, water falling from the sky in thick rivulets in assault by the sudden rainstorm. Grey clouds obscured the light from the moon and stars, turning the night sky near pitch black. The curtain of falling rain augmented the already low visibility - Wolfram could hardly see anything but the assortment of floating lights spread around the deck near the gunwale.

Pirates?

The thudding footfalls, so loud they could be heard over the roaring storm, were heavy but not synchronized like they would have been with soldiers.

He tried to count the glowing lights, tried to estimate and organize and plan in the little time he had before he'd be outnumbered in battle. He told himself to be calm but his palms were sweating, he could see yet more lights floating over to the ship as if appearing from midair, though he knew, rationally, that most likely there was a gangplank connecting their ship to whatever vessel these intruders rode.

Without his notice, his free hand had taken a hold of gunter's amulet in a desperate grip, he found himself mouthing the mantra Gunter had told him to use if he ever found himself in dire need: "Gun gun gun gun gun." He felt ridiculous, but there was just him and a thin wooden door standing between a defenselessly sleeping Yuuri and an entourage of unknown entities that just kept multiplying the longer he stood observing. He'd throw pride away if there was even a slight chance Gunter's stupid curse could pull through for them.

"Hey." He called out, marching over to the lights with forced determination. " I really dislike seeing hairy men in short skirts - huh?"

They weren't pirates.

" Er - I'm sure most people don't, young sir." said a kindly looking gentle-man, gold framed spectacles glinting in the light from lantern he held aloft.

A group of young people were grouped around the man, all holding glowing lanterns as they gazed upon Wolfram's approaching figure with concerned frowns. He could now see the vessel they were boarding his from - a bit smaller than Shin Makoku's, and nothing at all like what he'd been imagining ( a vast gloomy vessel filled with rowdy felons).

" Why does he have that out?" He heard a woman's voice whisper.

" Yes, right, what are you fellows doing intruding on someone's ship like this? Explain." Regardless of their non threatening appearance, he couldn't let his guard down easily.

" Er, well, - " It was the man with the spectacles again. " - you see, this storm really is quite bad, and we happened to catch sight of your vessel. It quite large, but, so bare. Er - shouldn't you have more staff? Anyways, that is to say - "

" We were concerned." A youth next to the old man said nonchalantly, thankfully cutting off the nonsensical rambling.

"Yes." Confirmed the old man.

" So all of you had to step on eh? " Wolfram waved at their large party, not quite buying it.

" Well - we're a curious bunch by nature. Allow me to introduce myself! I'm a meteorologist, and these young people here are the thirsty young minds under my guidance. " The bespectacled man proclaimed proudly.

" Fine. Everything is fine. Now go back to your own ship."

" But sir! It appears you are the only person atop this large craft. Surely one man cannot sail through this storm, and er our prediction stands that it will only get quite a lot more turbulent. "

It was true. The thick material of his uniform was soaked through, he could feel the cold of the water up to his ankles, and still the rain showed no signs of slowing down. But could he trust this man? These people?

There was a crack of thunder, lightning illuminating the dark sky for a single lingering moment.

Never mind later, he had to think of their survival for now. And in this moment, staying on this ship in these conditions meant certain death. They would crash or they would drown. There was always the chance that Yuuri would be taken back to his world, but he couldn't risk it.

" So? What do you propose? "

" Well, we'd like to invite you to join us and our crew. Another set of hands certainly wouldn't hurt, and well- our conscience certainly would not allow us to leave you here to perish! "

" I see. But I'm not alone - my fiance is travelling with me. "

"Ah! So this was a romantic journey? Oh my, how passionate ~" A flamboyantly cheerful voice called out.

Wolfram could not see the entirety of the people gathered around, it was too dark and he had to strain his eyes through the water dripping down his eyelashes to even just make out the man standing directly in front of him holding a lit lantern.

" No wonder this grand ship is so bare! I say, young sir, if this was your pre-wedding honeymoon you have the most rotten luck. "

Hah. He didn't know the half of it.

" Never mind that, where are you fellows headed to anyhow? "

" Oh! To a most splendid location indeed! Dai Shimmaron. "

" He said that this person was his fiancé, but - isn't this too suspicious? "

Yuuri stirred into consciousness, the persistent murmurs assaulting his ears a thousand times more effective than the dingy alarm clock he had back home on earth.

" I know right? He's got that person totally covered from head to toe, and what's more he's even unconscious ! Isn't he just smuggling this guy? "

Smuggling ? Human trafficking ?! What were these guys even talking about ? And where was Wolfram?!

Yuuri was now instantly awake, awareness crashing down on him like a bucket of ice cold water. Wolf. Where was Wolf!?

He felt around uselessly with his hands, common sense abandoning him in his growing anxiety. It's not like Wolf was a pin he dropped on the ground.

" Look! He's moving, he must have woken up. I've been dieing to check him out. A person that has that handsome prince charming looking guy so enraptured must be an ultra beauty. "

" Definitely. My cleavage makes men at least look when I try my techniques on them, but that guy just went 'Hmph!' at me like I was vermin."

He could hear the voices closer now. They must be approaching him. Yuuri pulled the cloth around himself tighter.

" Hey, but didn't that guy say to leave his fiancé alone? What if he comes back !? He doesn't seem like the type to be forgiving towards women. " The hesitant one whimpered. Yuuri was sure now that they'd been talking about Wolfram.

Tsk. What exactly happened while he was out? These women didn't seem to know Wolf's identity, so they were most probably human. He couldn't let them see his appearance.

" Eeeh~ He's up with that blabber mouth professor of ours! He definitely won't be able to escape until daybreak hehe." The confident gleeful voice had come from right in front of him. He felt cold sweat sliding down his back. He didn't know anything at all about the people they were with , but if Wolf and him were discovered as demons ...

" Hello! Prince Charming's fiance ~ We just wanna be friends ! " He felt her tug gently at the hood of his cloak. Yuuri clutched at it tighter in response.

" Hey don't be this way. " The young woman's gentle tugging had turned insistent.

" He doesn't seem to want to - Raina, I think we should just leave him alone."

" Nonsense! He's just- " A forceful tug. " - shy!" More ferocious tugging. " Help me get this thing off him!"

There was a loud, put upon sigh. As if the person was used to, and resigned to, her friend's troublesome actions.

" Excuse me for this mr fiance." Tugging girl's calmer companion stated, before she too joined in on the effort to uncloak the undercover Mazoku.

No matter how strongly he fought, two against one was really unfair, and soon Yuuri found his grip slipping. The cloth slipping out of his sweaty grip.

" Argh!" The girl, Raina, screamed as she fell back, pulling Yuuri's cloak with her.

" Oh my...black?" The girl's companion, still standing, and so the first to catch sight of Yuuri, said in wonder.

" Ouch. Huh? What are you - oh my."

Yuuri squeezed his eyes close, but it was probably too late, when the cloak had been flung away from hs face, the shock of sudden brightness had made his eyes widen instinctively. There was nothing more to be done. They knew now - they knew he was a demon. A double black.

" How - HOW CUTE !" The girls screamed in tangent

Huh!?

Where were the harsh words and hard rocks? His first encounter with humans in this world had left a scar.

" Oh my, I've never seen a person's hair and eyes this color before. He's probably one of a kind, right? "

" This is must be what men call a rare beauty. Indeed, a prince's fiance really has to be on another level. "

" Prince? You must mean Wolfram right? " Yuuri wondered if he looked as gob smacked as he felt. What was up with these girls? They hadn't been the only humans he'd encountered that seemed to share the weird sense of aesthetic Mazoku had, but their reactions were the tamest. He automatically thought back to Flyn and ... - in his experience in this world - Shin Makoku was the only place where he wasn't treated like a controversial rare object as soon as his identity was exposed.

" Yup! How did you two meet? You must have met really young if you're already engaged at this age. Childhood sweethearts? "

" Er.."

" No! Who cares about that! First tell me, how did you get a stuck up guy like that wrapped around your fingers like that? Your techniques! Share your techniques ! "

Yuuri suddenly felt like an 'Onee - sama' with annoying little sisters. He had assumed Wolfram must be popular , what with his angelic good looks, but experiencing it firsthand felt - odd. Almost - almost like jealousy - though it couldn't be. Because he didn't feel anything towards this girl, in fact, feeling oddly hostile, he wanted to say something ridiculous like ' Don't look at married men!" .

Which was ridiculous. Wolfram and him weren't married. And they never would be.

Something must have showed on his face, because the one with the gentle voice hurriedly spoke over her fussy friend. " Ah! Of course she wouldn't - wait. " Her voice switched from flustered to concerned in an instant.

" What's that around your throat? It looks painful..."

Yuuri felt as if he was a gun who's trigger had been pressed, and just like that, all the feelings he'd done well to suppress inside himself threatened to explode out with a bang.

He had to forget, because it was necessary to do so. He didn't know if Conrad and Yozak had made it out safe. He didn't know how his country was doing in his absence, with something like rumors of his death spreading around. He still didn't know what disastrous plan that evil bastard had hatched up. On the list of things he had to focus on, on the list of things that were important right now - stopping to lick his still fresh wounds - to piece together the scrambled pieces of himself - were scratched out in pitch dark ink, the words an undetected scrawl.

He had to forget, had to let the exposed raw red of his flesh scab hard and rough. And yet a single trace of naive sympathy from a stranger was enough to bring a sting to his eyes and a lump to the back of his throat.

" Don't tell me...that prince?" Raina questioned, voice layered with shock and discomfort.

" NO!" He hadn't meant to shout, but them thinking that way about Wolf - he felt a sting of guilt over having let the possibility even enter their minds.

" No. Haha I'm just always - always rushing into things without thinking. Wolfram and the others, this time, they couldn't get me out before I had to face the consequences of my actions. "

Yuuri smiled wide, trying to ease the girls that were now so quiet, a heavy contradiction to their chaotic brightness from a moment ago.

He got no response, and the smile he'd plastered on twitched before eventually falling away. Why did he even try? Why even now -

" What on - !?" Wolf was here.

" Gah!" The girls screamed in unison. Whatever amount of time Wolf had been with these people seemed enough for them to be aware of the Former Lord Brat's explosive temper.

Wolfram marched over to his fiance, completely ignoring the girls now cowering in each other's arms and announced nonchalantly " Get out."

The girls, as if waiting for him to say just that, flew out the door without a backwards glance. Fickle concern and interest over Yuuri forgotten.

Wolfram's attention never strayed from Yuuri, who's despondent frown and blank eyes stirred an ever familiar worry in him.

" Are you ok? " He asked, for what must be the millionth time.

" Don't you ever get sick of saying that? " I wish there was never a need to.

" Do you? "

" No. It's - reassuring." Yuuri's reply came a beat later, vague as he always was nowadays.

" You're getting good at dodging questions, your Majesty. I wonder if I'll have to stop calling you a rookie one day. "

" Hah. Please, I can't even imagine. " That had pushed a smile out of Yuuri. Success.

Wolfram wished he could stop here. Continue the lighthearted banter and try for more smiles out of Yuuri. Maybe even a laugh. But they were pressed for time, and by the tightness he could see on Yuuri's face even as the smile lingered, he knew Yuuri felt it too.

" Your Majesty."

" Lord Bielefeld." Yuuri never could sound serious referring to him by his title.

" We need to find a way off this ship."

Later. Later. It was a promise.

" What do you mean? And I meant to ask - who were those people from before? I can't imagine you taking on stowaways."

" Blegh - as if I would. It's unfortunate but we're the stowaways - in a sense. There was a storm. The humans on this ship seem stupid but harmless so I let them take us in, but that's beside the point."

" Gah - what? - where was I? How on earth did I sleep through all of that !? And Wolf! How can you call our saviors bad names ! "

Wolfram tried to suppress a sudden smile. Yuuri sounded like himself again. " Shut up, wimp! Let me finish! As I said, thats besides the point. They're going to take us right back to Dai Shimarron. Yuuri, we need to get off this thing. " Wolfram coughed, continuing. " Now, considering as we're in the middle of the sea with no means of communication or allies. Two minds being put to task would be better than one, even if one of them belongs to a wimp like you. Now - lets brainstorm. "

" No."

" ...Excuse me? "

" No. Dai Shimarron - that is exactly where I want to go right now. "

What!? His Yuuri - his fiance - wanted to go back to that bastard's kingdom!? Why? How?

Stockholm Syndrome!?

Wolfram cursed himself. He was the cause of this. He had taken too long in getting Yuuri back. And now - and now -

" Conrad and Yozak are still...we left them there because we had to. But no one would expect that we'd head straight back right. This is great! We can get your brother and Yozak back no problem. It could be like a spy mission, ne? " Recent case of blindness or not, Yuuri's puppy dog eyes were as lethal as ever on Wolfram's heart.

He found himself nodding before the words were even out of his mouth. " ..I - I guess. But you stick to me like glue! Got it, wimp!? Actually no, that never works on you - I'm gonna tie you to me by the wrist!"

As suddenly as the words had left his mouth, his fiance's face drained of all color. For a moment Yuuri had had almost been like his usual self, but he could see him closing up again. Face turning to stone - eyes blank as if he wasn't all there.

" Was it something I said? " He couldn't help but ask meekly.

There was a minuscule shrug. " No."

Argh! Back to the monosyllabic and vague answers! He was back to square one.

He had always had a short temper. Even now there was the urge to shake him. Scream at him. Grab at him and demand that he tell him everything, including why he was being so - so - un-Yuuri like.

His frustrations were brewing, right underneath the difficultly constructed calm of his composure. Frustration at himself, at his brothers, at the situations that kept on piling up one after another - and most of all at Yuuri - who was right there but not really and such an attractive target and it'd be so easy - like a flash his mind jumped to when he'd first found Yuuri.

The angry red marks around his wrist.

The fist he'd been subconsciously clenching came loose. He dropped heavily besides a curled up Yuuri and tried to grab his hand. Yuuri flinched away at the contact, then seemed immediately apologetic.

" Ah! I'm sorry - I - " His lips wobbled until he pressed them tight together. Unable to finish the sentence.

What has been done to you? That's affecting you like this? That you can't even say?

" OK."

" Huh? 'Ok' what? "

" We're going to Dai Shimmaron. No conditions. " Wolfram declared simply, wrapping a bold arm around Yuuri. He half expected Yuuri to flinch away again, but was surprised when he leaned into the touch instead, snuggling in until his face was hidden against Wolfram's chest.

So that I can beat that snake until he fixes whatever he's done to you.

Conrad sighed, leaning against the suspiciously pristine walls of King Saralegi's dungeon, and tried to blank out the loud snores of his slumbering companion.

" At least his Majesty is safe. Him and Wolfram must be half way to Shin Makoku by now. " He smiled, unaware of the surprise reunion in the near future.

Chapter Text

Yuuri Shibuya had always quietly held romantic notions in regards to his 'first time'. In all his sixteen years of existence, he hadn't so much as watched a single scene of porn, shyly rejecting whenever a friend offered to let him borrow a 'special video'.

It wasn't that he didn't have those-kinds-of-thoughts, but it was just that whenever his mind strayed and thought of a girl in a sexual manner - he felt guilty. He felt embarrassed. It felt wrong. As if he was doing something that was dirty and disrespectful.

So like any healthy teenage boy, he took care of his problems in the routine shower, but, maybe like teenage boys that belonged to the fifth percentile of their kind - he indulged in fantasies of a shy romance. A cute girl who'd look good in a baseball jersey, they would hang out and go on dates - turning like into love- and then maybe one day - when they were both ready -

But there had been no cute girl. There hadn't been a girl involved at all. No love. It had hurt. It was shameful. It was dirty. The memory of which he wished to erase yet was forever stuck in the forefront of his mind - linking taste touch smell to muscle memory that once triggered left him a shaking useless mess.

Of course it had hurt, it had been his first time ever let alone with a man, and the other had been careless and selfish - a brat that lacked moth empathy and experience. Absurdly, the pain meant nothing, nor the discomfort, they had both been muddled and dulled by vague unwanted pleasure. The most painful part had been the betrayal. The disregard to his will. The disrespect. The humiliation. The useless anger and frustration - of struggling with everything you have and losing. The powerlessness. The fear.

" You'll always remember your first time." Words he'd always heard said with fond nostalgia. The words that were now his curse. Because he was sure. He would always remember. He wished he could forget.

" Yuuri, hurry up and eat. You're starting to look like you're part of the Kohi tribe."

" Haha - I would if you were feeding me actual food." said Yuuri, carefully sniffing a spoonful of what tasted like a cross between fermented beans and cement.

Wolfram let out a frustrated huff. " We-are-on-a-ship! And it's not one of Shin Makoku's royal vessels or even a merchant boat this time. Accept reality. This is all that you're getting."

Yuuri grit his teeth, and continued on with the strangely difficult task of moving spoon to mouth. Truthfully, he didn't care about the taste. After days spent in constant hunger, his desperate stomach would settle for just about anything. His slow movements hadn't been him being picky- rather, it was more like his hand eye coronation was currently screwed but he'd rather listen to Wolf nag than be fed by him.

There was silence between them. Wolfram seemed to have had enough of nagging Yuuri (shocking). And Yuuri found his entire concentration focused on eating without embarrassing himself.

"Eekh" The sludgy spoonful of oatmeal he'd aimed at his mouth was now splattered across his cheek. He felt a hot flash of shame.

Damn it

Why was he so useless? Even this - he couldn't -

The spoon, that was still clenched tight in his hands, was gently pulled away. Soft finger tips were wiping at is mouth.

" Heh. Cute. "

'What?' Yuuri's mantra of self deprecation was cut off by the blond prince's latest shocking statement.

" You know I've noticed you find the oddest time to flirt, Yuuri." Wolf continued, seemingly totally immersed in his delusion. " But, well, we are fiances. We can't let the romance die before we've even been married eh?"

There was an odd tone to Wolf's voice. Something about it seemed gentle - a trait that was strangely characteristic of the Brat Prince. " So say 'Aah', Yuuri. You want your fiance to feed you, right? Acting all cute and clumsy like that, heh. "

There was a hand sliding down his hair to his face, light patting at the skin before lifting away. " Come on. Before it gets cold. "

Yuuri let himself be fed. Something that should have felt shameful(it wasn't like he was a child), but instead made him feel secure. Like he was being cared for.

He had suppressed it all till now. All alone without his allies, without his sight, without even his maryoku - the only Maou like thing about him - he had endured every hardship, every consequence of his foolishly meddlesome actions, without a single tear.

Yet this simple gesture. A (maybe) misguided gesture of care had him swallowing back the sudden thickness to his throat. The stinging in his eyes. The painful stab in his chest that made him want to let it all out. It was painful keeping it in.

Wolf was with him. He wasn't alone.

He wasn't alone.

The truth he had known for days now was finally felt, and before he could stop himself the first sob was hacking painfully at his throat. The first gush of waterworks and snot spilling down his face in the beginnings of a truly ugly cry.

" Yuuri!" Wolf sounded alarmed.

Yuuri didn't blame him at all. He'd be embarrassed to death if it hadn't feel so good.

He just clenched his eyes tight as the tears leaked out, hitching and gasping through the sobs that wracked his chest. He hadn't cried like this since he was a child. It was physically painful. It was liberating. He never wanted to stop.

" Yuuri!"

Wolf's voice held a troubled urgency he couldn't ignore though, and so slowly and reluctantly Yuuri opened rapidly swelling eyes to the sight (sight) of brilliant emerald orbs. The color of a deep soothing lake, exactly as he remembered in the treasured heart of his memories.

"Wolfram"

He breathed out, scarcely believing the sight( sight!). Tears forgotten, everything, for a moment, forgotten, as he reacquainted himself to the image of the man he hadn't seen since forever ago.

Wolf was as beautiful as ever, golden haired like a prince straight out of a fantastical fairytale. His image as brilliant as an angel's, dulling everything else in his surroundings. Yuuri could never, would never, measure up to a guy like that. But the familiar insecurity wasn't there - instead he felt elated. Relieved. Wolfram still looked like himself - for all that he had changed since last they met. His angelic appearance was still the same. For some reason, that fact was enough to bring a genuine smile to Yuuri's lips.

" You don't look like Gwendal! "

" - Well, apologies for the disappointment, Your Majesty.", Wolfram was still staring at him with worried eyes, but the severe frown of his handsome brows had smoothed out, " But we are brothers after all. Perhaps in a few decades."

" Please, don't even joke. "

It was weird. He couldn't stop smiling, looking at Wolf, he couldn't help but feel at ease.

The pretty boy's serious face had brightened as soon as Yuuri had smiled, and now the two were just staring at each other, grinning like idiots. Lost in a feeling that could not be named nor understood.

" Your eyesight is back? "

" Yup~ Maybe it was the food? "

" Wimp! That can't be how it works. You don't go blind due to lack of nutrition. "

" Eeeeh, does it matter? I can finally see again!" Yuuri exclaimed, still caught up in exuberance.

He chased the surroundings with his newly restored eyes, noting the well furnished cabin with it's rotting wooden walls. The large ornamental looking round table with a dusty looking gold embroidered cover, covered with stacks of old books and scattered parchment paper. The blond Adelbert slumbering on a large armchair in the corner -

Wait.

He swung his eyes back - zeroing in on the ridiculously unbelievable imagery assaulting his newly retained sense of vision.

Yuuri rubbed his eyes, then widened them for good measure.

Yet the scene did not change - there was Adelbert. The Mazoku who had made clear his hatred for Yuuri since day one. The anti-Conrad. The scary American Footballer.

What was he doing here?

" Wolf - I don't think my vision came back right." He turned to face a strangely silent Wolfram. Were they not seeing the same thing? " I'm pretty sure I'm delusional. I'm seeing things that shouldn't be there. "

" Er - " Now Yuuri was hearing things as well, surely he hadn't just heard the ever articulate Lord Von Bielefeld with the painfully sharp tongue utter something so plebian as an 'Er'.

"- if you're referring to Von Grantz, then I'm afraid I must inform you that he is not a figment of Your Majesty's wimpy imagination. He's present in reality.", Wolfram let out a put upon sigh, " Unfortunately."

Yuuri honestly didn't know what to say. He just stared at Wolf, with what must be quite a stupid expression. But Wolfram, for his part, avoided Yuuri's gaze, looking up at a corner of the low ceiling, crossing his arms and frowning. Looking absurdly like he was simultaneously channeling both his older brothers.

" I found him aboard while you were unconscious." He admitted, " I would have thrown the traitor off board myself, Yuuri. But if we plan on going back to hostile ground we shall need allies. And at the moment, that shall have to do. "

" That doesn't like the way you speak of him Lord Brat. " A terrifyingly familiar voice ground out.

A shiver ran up Yuuri's spine.

Adalbert was awake.

Yuuri couldn't help but freeze at the sound of his voice. Their last chilling encounter still fresh in his mind.

" Shut up! That attitude's going to get your excessive muscles sliced off and thrown into the sea!"

Omg

Yuuri stared at Wolf in horror, who was in turn glaring at Adelbert as if he was an annoying pest circling the air. Ready to squash if he bore even a tiny bit more trouble.

Yuuri glanced warily at Adelbert. There was no Conrad here to keep him in check. No Yozak. Why was Wolf always so stupidly confident?

His eyes caught Adalbert's for a moment, before he hurriedly looked away. Subconsciously inching closer to Wolfram, until he found himself pressed against him shoulder to shoulder. Barely managing to catch his fingers before they clutched at Wolf's sleeve like a frightened shoujo manga school girl.

Look at yourself, Yuuri. Ever the wimp.

" It's been a long time, boy."

I wish it stayed that way!

He heard the heavy sound of footsteps. Adelbert was approaching them. They were going to get killed. He felt sure of it. Wolfram was wrong. Whatever he was thinking - whatever he was planning - he was wrong. Adelbert would definitely kill him if given the opportunity. Which seemed an awful lot like now.

He finally made himself look straight into his enemy's eyes. If Adalbert just took a single step forward, he'd be invading his personal space.

" Brat against Brat. Our world's politics really have become a joke. " He chuckled, the expression on his face anything but mirthful. " I heard you got captured, boy. You didn't get hurt, right?"

Adelbert outstretched his palm towards Yuuri's face, the gesture oddly gentle, especially considering who it was from. Yuuri's body flinched away instinctively.

But it seemed that there was no reason to. Because even before Yuuri had moved away, a blue uniformed arm was thrust out in front of him. The sound of a deadly blade being slid out of it's sheath sharp in the air.

" Extract that rude and presumptuous hand back away from His Majesty before it's gone forever. "

That's right.

He shouldn't have been afraid.

"Didn't I tell you? There's nothing delicate about Lord Von Bielefeld."

He wasn't alone anymore.

Wolf was by his side.

" Promise me - you have to promise - "

That you'll never lose me again.