A/N: I'm obsessing over Wolfram's voice. Well, it's not literally his but anyway… I got this idea stuck on my head that it won't leave me until I do something about it, so here it is! I'm putting this up as a likely gift to all those who have read and reviewed my other fanfiction, "Meant to be". You're all so wonderful that no words would ever be enough to express my gratitude, not even this. T-T

Warning(s): Shounen-ai or boy-and-boy relationship. This is Yuuram, for goodness' sake, and just for that particular reason, this fiction's rating is "T", just to be safe. OOC as well, again to be safe. XD I truly appreciate the comments I had received about the characters not being OOC in my stories, but I'll still put it up as a warning because one can never be too sure. Thank you, though! You know yourselves. ;D Assuming, of course, that someone is actually reading this, or else I'm obviously ranting for no reason. XD

Disclaimer: Kyou Kara Maou and its characters belong to Tomo Takabayashi. However, this story and its plot rightfully belong to yours truly.

Enjoy reading!

A SINGING WOLF

If mere words are not enough, then I'll sing it for you.

"A singing Wolf?" was Yuuri's incredulous remark after Murata's equally disbelieving suggestion.

It was that time of the year again, wherein Shin Makoku held a festival that catered to the entire population, humans and demons alike. Naturally, said festivity had been made possible by the present Maou's unprejudiced regime, and it was a celebration that spelled of peace, camaraderie, and enjoyment.

After the… unexpected incident that had occurred the year before – courtesy of none other than His Majesty, Shinou – Yuuri had made it a point to keep the Love Machine and the Demon Mirror sealed deep within the castle treasury. Even after a whole year, he still felt uncannily mortified with that particular confrontation with Wolfram. It was not that he was disgusted with the gesture; he simply found it inappropriate, especially for a straight, Japanese, teenage guy such as him. At least, that was what he wanted to believe.

He had long given up denying to himself that the kiss actually felt good. But all hell would freeze over before he dared admit that to anyone else.

And so, after another year, Yuuri found himself in a meeting held by Anissina, who was this year's festival's facilitator, listening to the Great Sage's proposal about his accidental fiancé singing in a contest.

Absurd? Yes. Yuuri completely thought so. Who the hell would want to listen to a labile and positively dangerous flame wielder? And did Wolfram even know how to sing in the first place? Murata apparently needed to have his brain checked, Yuuri mused. He was becoming exceedingly knowledgeable that his own brain could not even handle the pressure.

"Shibuya, weren't you listening?" Murata questioned back at him in that typical manner that he reprimanded the young king. "This is a contest, Shibuya. A contest! Even if it is just for fun, we still need to present our best as the host country. It's sort of like a code of respect to our visitors," he explained while wagging his index finger at Yuuri. "Of all the individuals present in this room, Lord von Bielefeld has the most acceptable experience in singing." An expression of understanding then flashed across the sage's features as he added, "Don't tell me you haven't heard him sing even once?"

"As I was saying," Yuuri grinned idiotically at him, "a singing Wolf?" Somehow, his poor, peanut of a brain was having trouble processing that littlest bit of information.

Wolfram gave him a neat blow to the back of his head in exasperation.

"What was that for!" was the young king's pained retort as the blond glowered intensely back at him, his emerald eyes bright with animosity.

"Are you saying that you don't trust my talent?" Wolfram snapped and to his dismay, Yuuri only acted more incredulous and idiotic than he initially had. It was all the blond could do not to strangle his fiancé to death, and as it was, he only strangled him to the point of "near-death".

"W-What— t-talent?" gasped Yuuri as he struggled to free himself from the blond's crushing hold. "I didn't even know that you could sing!" Wolfram's hold on him only tightened after his remark and Yuuri was positive that he was going to die at any moment. Fortunately, Gunter was there to pry him off of the enraged blond, only to suffocate him more under his possessive embrace.

"Really, Wolfram," the advisor said, "you don't know your limits! You—"

"You didn't know that Sir von Bielefeld can sing, Shibuya?" Murata interrupted before Gunter could launch into his histrionic tirade. The man scowled at him in turn.

Yuuri, albeit hyperventilating, replied with a strained "Of course not," to which all eyes in the room turned to the now fidgeting blond.

"W-What?" snapped Wolfram as he tried to glare back at them. Tried to, mind you; he was having quite a difficult time hiding the blush now painting his face. "Do I look like I just sing whenever I want to?" he added, his voice taking a higher note and his lips curling into a childish pout.

"Well," muttered Conrad as his lips curved into a playful smile, "you did love to sing when we were young, regardless of the time and place. Isn't that right, Gwendal?"

The first son groaned and raised a hand to massage his throbbing temple. "I still don't understand why you are all having this meeting here in my office." He sent a glare at Anissina who simply grinned at him in reply. "But yes, that is a fact."

"Brother!"

"Oh, but they are correct, aren't they, Wolfram?" said Anissina. "You used to sing those songs that Lady Cheri composed, and I must say, you do have talent. Although if you would just let me, I could make a device that would help you—"

"And so as I was saying," Gwendal groaned again, effectively silencing Anissina, "why are you here in my office?"

"But Gwendal, where else do you expect us to stay?" Anissina replied with mock innocence and incredulity. The first son heaved out a helpless sigh and gave up his argument.

"That aside," Murata continued as he chuckled nervously. "You really haven't heard him sing, Shibuya?"

"How many times do you have to ask me that, Murata?" Yuuri replied wryly. "No, I haven't. And it's not like I'm the only one who hadn't heard him sing. Am I?" he added uncertainly at the looks that the others were giving him.

"Well," the sage started, "his brothers most definitely have heard him sing before, and Lady von Karbelnikoff, as well. I'm not sure about Lord von Christ…" Murata glanced at the royal advisor, who cleared his throat and nodded his answer. "That settles it, then."

"How about you, Murata?" asked Yuuri, a trickle of dread and… something starting to fill his chest.

"I have heard him, too, when he was with Greta. Ne, Greta?" Murata asked and the child beamed back at him.

"Greta had heard Wolfram sing for so many times already," Greta chirped, to which Wolfram blushed further. "He's really good, Yuuri!"

Yuuri's only reply was a silent "Oh," as that something ultimately filled his chest. As he glanced at Wolfram, then at the others, and then back at the blond, he finally recognized what that something was.

It was jealousy.

How come they have heard him sing while I haven't? Yuuri thought as he scowled, feeling betrayed. It was senseless and childish, yes, but that was how he presently felt. How come Wolfram never sang when he was around? Did he deem him undeserving? He was his fiancé, was he not?

"Fine," Yuuri found himself saying before he realized it. But he was too… hurt to be able to rationalize. It was strange even for him because he was not one to care about being left out before. But somehow, not knowing something about the blond frustrated him, as it had a couple of times before already, and what better way to relieve his frustration than to express it? "Wolfram will sing," he snapped. "I just hope the festival would still be in one piece after his performance."

His reaction must have truly been unexpected, because the others were looking at him with such flabbergasted expressions that even he started to doubt his own response. Wolfram, however, turned out to be more insulted by this than he was surprised.

"What. Did. You. Say. You. Stupid. Wimp!" Wolfram grinded the words out through his teeth as flames appeared at the tip of his fingers. Before he could torch his pathetic fiancé, however, Murata and Gunter had positioned themselves between them.

"Wolfram, you are not to raise your hand against the Maou!"

"I know you're jealous, Shibuya, but there's no need to sign your own death wish!"

"Who said I was jealous?" Yuuri retorted, as he stomped his foot like a child having a tantrum, at the same time that Wolfram said, "I can do what I want! And why would he be jealous? Yuuri never got jealous because of me!"

Murata and Gunter were having a difficult time trying to appease the two until Conrad intervened. "Calm down, you two," he said as he held both lad's shoulders firmly. "We still need to decide, and we have to decide correctly," he added when Yuuri gave him a somewhat disapproving look.

"And that we must," Anissina suddenly stated and the tension between the two dissipated at the least. Her demeanor when she continued, however, proved to be more sinister than the feud of a mere second ago. "I have such a brilliant idea." At that, Gwendal coughed all of a sudden, and Anissina threw him a reproachful look. "Oh, shush, Gwendal." She then approached the two fuming individuals, a peculiar glint in her cerulean eyes. "Now, Wolfram, Heika," said Anissina. "Why don't we settle this argument in a more organized fashion?"

"And what organized fashion might that be, Anissina?" was Conrad's uncertain question as he observed the other apprehensively.

"Oh, that is simple, Conrad," Anissina replied. "We'll settle this with a bet."

"A bet?" was the single remark that resounded in the room.

"Sou… a bet," Anissina repeated. "It will be about Wolfram winning or losing the contest. If Wolfram wins," she paused momentarily for effect and smirked at Wolfram, "we'll arrange the royal wedding immediately after the festival."

"What!" said both Yuuri and Wolfram, all intents to argue with one another disappearing completely.

"And if Wolfram loses," Anissina continued, "Yuuri-heika may have the privilege to cancel the engagement."

"WHAT!" repeated both lads, though their voices were a pitch higher and their tone evidently louder than before. Apparently, having their engagement dissolved proved more alarming than being married to each other. Strangely, even Yuuri had the same horror-stricken expression on his face as Wolfram did, to which Conrad and Murata shared knowing looks with each other.

Really, it was very obvious that it was a wonder why the young king still had not noticed it.

When Yuuri began to sputter incoherent excuses at Anissina's proposition, Wolfram suddenly grabbed him by the collar of his uniform and spat, right at his face, "I'm going to win."

The young king's rant immediately ceased as his dark gaze crashed into Wolfram's emerald ones, the determination in those pools of evergreen as pure as an untainted diamond. And Yuuri felt something stir in him. He knew he was supposed to retort and say that he will win their bet instead. But the thought of their engagement being annulled unsettled him greatly that he found himself wishing that Wolfram would indeed win, despite how strange that thought was.

He ultimately fell silent when Wolfram added, "I'll make it so that you will never be able to doubt me again." Then the blond stormed from the room and left the young king to gawk foolishly at the space he had vacated. And Yuuri wanted to hit himself.

Ever since that moment a year ago, Yuuri had felt something change in him, but he never paid it much heed. To put it more specifically, he never paid Wolfram much heed. He had tried to avoid the blond as often as possible, for he felt unease in the blond's presence. But that did not stop him from yearning for the blond's company when he was alone.

Yes, he yearned.

And now he felt like a moron after what Wolfram had said. You will never be able to doubt me again… That simply meant that the blond had been greatly affected by his avoidance, despite the way that he acted otherwise. And since Wolfram would never want to consider the painful idea that Yuuri felt absolutely nothing towards him, he settled to wallowing in his self-pity, thinking that his affection for the young king simply was not enough.

Hence, Wolfram would try to win, to prove to him that he was wrong. And believe him; Yuuri already knew that he had been a complete fool.

At that last thought, Yuuri left the room in a daze, with Greta following behind him.

"I think you might have overdone it, Lady von Karbelnikoff," said Murata as he watched the young king leave the room.

Anissina merely smiled at him, a cunning expression on her face. "Please, Your Highness," she said. "I simply gave Wolfram a boost in his confidence, which would surely help him win. Everyone wants that, no? Even His Majesty," she added with a sly smirk drawn on her lips, and Murata grinned.

"You're right about that," he said. "You are definitely right about that."

The indistinct rustle of papers was the only sound in the spacious room as Wolfram rummaged through his old treasure chest. In it were his old toys when he was younger, along with a huge sketchpad that contained his doodles and failed attempts at art. Underneath all of those was a small, worn envelope. Inside was a compilation of the songs that his mother had written for him when he was younger, and despite the fact that he would never dare admit to anyone that he treasured it the most, he did.

"That stupid, cheating wimp," Wolfram grumbled to himself as he flipped through the aged sheets of paper, the words on them barely legible.

His brothers were not lying when they said that he loved to sing, however unmanly that might seem. He sang when he was alone in the bath, when he felt overjoyed, and when he lulled Greta to sleep. But somehow, he could never bring himself to sing in front of Yuuri.

It was not that he did not want to. In fact, he did, because Cecilie once taught him that emotions may be expressed more sincerely through a song. He did not know if that was true for he had never once tried it, well, at least not with love. Yes, he sang for his mother before, and he sang for Greta, but that was different. Yuuri was different. And Wolfram wanted to know, even for just once, how it felt to sing for the person that you treasured the most.

Perhaps he was simply nervous, anxious that Yuuri would reject him just as the young king had done earlier. Nevertheless, he was not going to lose the gamble that Anissina had instigated. He was going to win and prove himself to Yuuri.

Slowly, he raised his hand and traced a perfectly manicured finger against the curve of his lips. It was ridiculous, Wolfram knew, but even after a long period of time he could still remember the feel of Yuuri's lips on his. Regardless of how unprecedented and untimely that event was, it still happened, and even though he had been possessed by Shinou, he was still aware of every single moment of that incident.

It was bliss for him of course, he was even mightily grateful to Shinou. The things he would give to be able to experience that again, regardless of how painfully obvious it was that Yuuri felt otherwise. No matter, Wolfram thought as he resumed his search through the tattered pages. He would soon prove his worth to Yuuri.

Finally, he found the song he was searching for and he smiled. The words were still comprehensible, even though the ink was pronouncedly faded, and eventually, Wolfram found himself singing to an absent tune. He had loved this song when he was younger, and as he sang it now, he realized that nothing had actually changed. This particular song had a blasé yet convivial beat to it, the notes and rises in pitch in perfect synch with his alto, and it was really easy to sing. It was very simple, yes, but the meaning behind its words was what made it special for Wolfram.

Before, he had asked his mother as to why she had written the song as she did, and Cecilie only replied with a loving pat on his cheek and a simple "It's for love." At that time, the blond had not understood what his characteristically amorous mother meant, but now he did.

Wolfram now understood that this song was meant for none other than Yuuri, for the very simple reason that "it's for love".

With the delicate lyric paper in his hand, Wolfram stood up to ascertain that his door was locked. He was going to perform perfectly, and what other way to achieve that than to practice? It would be perfect; the song would be perfect. Then maybe – just maybe – Yuuri might finally be able to see him for who he truly was.

Yuuri was both in a state of panic and anticipation.

After a seemingly long week, it was finally the day of the contest. The contest that would now determine just how his pathetic, supposedly straight, single life would turn out was but a minute away from beginning. He was drowning in severe anxiety for he was completely clueless as to how this event would turn out. More than once had he tried to listen to Wolfram practice, but the blond seemed to have really put a tracking device on him as he had claimed before because no matter what effort Yuuri did, he could never catch even a single rhythmical note from his fiancé's lips. It brought further frustration on the part of the young king, as well as intense jealousy against his peers. He was even jealous of Gwendal!

Slapping a hand on his forehead and dragging it down across his face, Yuuri groaned for the hundredth time. He knew completely well that he had no sensible reason to be feeling such envy. At least, that was what he thought. And he also knew completely well that he should be wishing for Wolfram to lose, not the other way around. But as it was, he was wishing for him to win instead!

That was it. If he stayed for another second he would collapse from over-exertion of his poor, littlest mind.

As he motioned to stand up however, he felt someone's gaze literally burning into his back. He need not turn around to know who it was from because it was most definitely from Wolfram. True to that fact, Yuuri found the blond lurking by the side of the makeshift platform, an indescribable expression in his impeccable features. Yet those bright emerald eyes were telling Yuuri one thing and one thing only.

This is for you.

Yuuri felt something stir inside him again and found himself staring back at Wolfram with a peculiar longing in his chest. Wolfram was really serious about this, Yuuri decided. And so, despite the moron that he had intended to be (and probably still was), the young king decided to stay.

"Were you planning on bolting, Shibuya?" asked Murata as Yuuri sat back down beside him. He had been anticipating for the young king to just get up and run away all of a sudden, and he found it amusing that Yuuri resumed his seat.

"Shut up, Murata," the young king groaned back at him in reply. "But you know what, I was actually about to," he added before glancing at his friend, who had a strange grin plastered on his face.

Before Yuuri could question Murata's expression however, an overly loud and dramatic music erupted from the stage and the audience literally jumped from their seats. Well, that certainly was one way to catch the people's attention…

After a short introduction from the emcee, who was none other than Anissina, the contest finally began. Yuuri was appalled by the sheer number of contestants who had signed up for the contest: there were more or less 36 contenders, one from each country, and Wolfram was the last one to perform.

As the contestants sang one after another – wait, was that Yozak? – Yuuri felt his heart beat incredulously hard against his chest at the implied countdown. He did not care anymore if the participants performed like howling hyenas or make-belief rock stars; he was too nervous and excited to actually notice anyone else.

Finally, after almost three long hours – although it felt quite short for Yuuri – it was Wolfram's turn to take the stage.

There was collective applause from the audience as Anissina announced Wolfram's name, but Yuuri could not do anything else but to grip his seat and pray to any god out there that he would make it out of this alive. His heart was thumping fiercely in his chest that it was a wonder why he still had not gone into cardiac arrest. His breathing positively hitched when Wolfram took the stage, and Yuuri felt like a pervert for gawking at his fiancé in such a… perverted manner. The only thing missing was the drool on his chin, and he was supposedly straight!

Wolfram, to Yuuri's surprise, was wearing fitted, aqua blue jeans and a plain white, long-sleeved shirt, with the shirt unbuttoned at the front, no less. A simple attire, yes, but it accentuated the elegantly lean and lithe figure of the blond perfectly along with his impossibly emerald eyes, and the overall effect made Wolfram appear like a sun-kissed angel that had somehow lost his way to heaven and had come to grace them with his presence instead.

In Layman's terms, Wolfram was presently downright hot.

Apparently, the rest of the audience shared the same perceptions as Yuuri did, for they were all gaping at Wolfram in a more or less similar fashion, male and female alike. Yuuri felt an uncanny urge to go up the stage and snatch Wolfram away from their view, with a remark of "He's mine!" no less. So much for being straight.

He snapped out of this train of thinking though when the music started, and it was only then that Yuuri noticed that there was actually a band on the stage. This proved just how preoccupied he had been that he had not even noticed that the music to which the contestants sang to were performed by an actual band – it was not like they had CD players and amplifiers here in Shin Makoku, did they?

Wolfram's music started out as a light rhythm: a steady beat from the drums, a sound rhythm from the guitar, and a distinct tune from what was supposed to be a synthesizer back on Earth (probably yet another invention of Anissina). But as light as it was, it already got the audience bobbing their head and tapping their feet in accordance. Even Wolfram was lightly swaying to the music, but his emerald gaze was set on none other than Yuuri, and Yuuri's on him.

He opened his mouth, took a deep breath, and sang.

Every time your lips speak about the future,

Your voice reflects the color of a jewel…

As Wolfram began to sing the first few lyrics of the song, Yuuri tuned everything else out completely. He did not have to force himself to do so, because he automatically did the moment that Wolfram's melodious voice reached his ears. How come he had not heard him sing before? And how come he even doubted that Wolfram could sing? He practically lost half of his life for missing out on the blond's exquisite singing voice. When Wolfram uttered the next few lines, Yuuri found himself paying attention to the actual song instead…

Like a knight getting down from a white horse,

I swear to protect you to the end and to be by your side always…

Wolfram kept his gaze on Yuuri as he sang, his lake-colored eyes filled with pure affection and reverence, and Yuuri felt that something stir inside him again though at that moment it was positively thrashing inside his chest. Those words were exactly what Wolfram had told him before, as a soldier to his king, and Yuuri knew just how deep their meaning was.

Surely, if I had better words, I'd tightly make you feel touched.

I long for a ship that goes sliding across the blue sky,

Your burning cheeks that I dream of and your hair are shining…

It was indeed for him, Yuuri realized. The song was truly for him, and Wolfram was singing it in a way that would express his true feelings. If mere words are not enough, then I'll sing it for you. How come Yuuri had been so insensitive to him? And how was it that he had been as blind as to not notice his own feelings?

With white sails that open to the western wind,

To an endless adventure, I'd like to travel with you…

As Wolfram continued to sing, Yuuri finally realized what that nameless emotion welling inside him actually was. It was ironic that with all of his efforts to ignore it and deny that possibility, it never left him. Or to put it more specifically, he never let go of it. And Yuuri knew that there was something significant that he needed to do.

So when Wolfram momentarily closed his eyes through the last chorus, despite Murata's obvious protests, Yuuri took that chance to leave. When the blond opened his eyes again, the young king's seat was already empty.

"That ungrateful wimp!" screamed Wolfram into the microphone all of a sudden, his demeanor screaming utmost rage. Not even bothering to finish his song, Wolfram abruptly left the stage lest he torched it in his fury, and the audience exclaimed in dismay. Stomping down the steps leading to the backstage, he cursed and grumbled about how ungrateful his pathetic fiancé was. And to think that he dedicated his song entirely for him!

"That wretched, good-for-nothing, pathetic, unappreciative, dense, insensitive—" Wolfram paused mid-rant however when he saw the same pathetic wimp leading against one of the platform's posts, seemingly (and most unbelievably) waiting for him.

"Wolf," Yuuri said as he approached the fuming blond with that typical, goofy grin on his face.

Wolfram snapped. "You lousy excuse for a fiancé!" he screeched, an evident shade of pink dusting his puffed up cheeks. "Why the hell did you leave while I was still singing, you ungrateful wimp! Wasn't it obvious that the song was for you? That I was singing it for you? Are you really that dense!" Wolfram bellowed and Yuuri grew scared that he would somehow burst a vein in his rage.

"I know, I know," the young king supplied as he tried to appease the agitated blond. He had heard Wolfram's scream when he realized that the young king had left the audience, and he had noticed how hurt the blond had sounded. There was a distinct throbbing on his chest when he saw the tears welling in the blond's emerald eyes, and he reached out a hand to gently wipe those tears away. Wolfram seemed to calm down with the gesture, although his chest was still positively heaving from what Yuuri guessed to be the blond's effort to not cry.

"If you didn't like it then you should have just said so from the beginning," Wolfram said in such a small voice that Yuuri felt such a strong urge to just gather the blond in his arms and never let go. But there was something else that he needed to do before that, and he must push through with it while he still had the courage to do so. Or else he was going to regret it for the rest of his life. Of that, Yuuri was certain.

"I know, Wolf," the young king replied, his hand still holding Wolfram's cheek. "And I liked it, I really did. The song was great, your voice was beautiful, and everything was amazing. It was even perfect," he added and relief flooded Wolfram's impossibly beautiful face.

With a smug expression, the blond said, "Well, of course it was. I'm not that pathetic to offer you something imperfect."

Yuuri nodded. "You're absolutely right. That's why…" He took another step closer to the blond, their faces a mere inch away, and smiled at how Wolfram's eyes had comically widened. With a deep, steadying breath, he whispered "Thank you," and brought his and Wolfram's lips together in the most passionate kiss he could ever give.

Wolfram's eyes immediately flew shut the moment he felt Yuuri's lips on his, his heart literally jumping in his chest in pure, unadulterated joy. He did it; he was able to express his feelings through his song, and his wish was granted. He had expected the kiss to be just as how it had been a year before, but this was different. It was completely different that no words could possibly express how he felt at the moment.

This was Yuuri's song for him.

When they pulled back, an overly self-satisfied expression painted Wolfram's face and he said, "I win."

"Win what?"

"Anissina's bet," he answered while flicking a finger at Yuuri's forehead. "This still counts as my win." It took Yuuri a moment to understand exactly what his fiancé was talking about, before he muttered a small "Oh," and gave Wolfram's exposed neck a small peck. He still looked too hot for his own good.

"Sure, Wolf." Another kiss.

"And I didn't get to finish my song because of you."

"Guess not." Yuuri gave him another chaste kiss on his jaw that Wolfram could not help but shudder. The young king looked back at him with that goofy grin on his lips, but Wolfram noticed something else swimming in those midnight orbs. He felt Yuuri's arms on his waist before the young king pulled him close, saying, "Sing for me again?"

Yuuri never needed to ask as Wolfram sealed their lips together again in an entirely different and most special melody.

A/N: And there you have it! XD Wolfram's voice is a charm that I could not even think of anything else than to finish this story. And it's a one-shot, yes. :D The song was "Owaranai Bouken" from Kyou Kara Maou! Character Song Series Vol. 3 – Lord Wolfram von Bielefeld. The moment I read the English translation I was all, "This is for Yuuri! This is definitely for Yuuri!" and so, this fic. XD Haha. Quite spontaneous, isn't it? ;D

This one's on a lighter note than Meant, apparently, so I hope it made you smile instead. Tell me, pretty please? A review won't kill you, I promise, so please spare me even just one! XD

Thanks for reading!