Disclaimer: I don't own Kyou Kara Maou!

Moonlight

Droplets of water fell from the sky above. Puddles formed in the dented roads; they reflected horses passing by one by one. Those horses and their passengers were headed home in the dead of night, the moon serving as their guide. Though, it wasn't easy for the moon above them was covered with cotton-like, dark clouds, making everything dim. Completely unprepared for the weather, they tried to hurry off to the castle to get their well deserved rest and shelter from the rain. Their leader was ahead of his men. His white steed gracefully galloped away in the speed of light without any signs of tiring or slowing down. Behind their leader was a line of subordinates and a few couple of soldiers.

Within minutes, Wolfram had reached the castle gates and dismounted from his steed and patiently waited for his subordinates. He took a second to look up at the sky, letting the rain continue to fall upon him. By the time he look at the gate, her saw his troops entering. One of them took the reins of his steed and he knew there was nothing left to do but has a late night bath and get some sleep.

The blond passed through one hallway to another. The hallways were pitch-black and none of the torches were lit. He summoned a small fireball and didn't bother taking one torch with him. Through some opened windows the gales came in and he felt a chill go down his spine. Being soaking wet in a weather like this wasn't what he had in mind. He had to look away from the windows whenever he heard the thunder and would end up getting small glimpses of lightning. He looked around to see if anyone saw him slightly cower away from the thunder and lightning. He knew such cowardly actions would feed gossips for weeks. He took another turn and stopped in front of two great doors he saw. Slowly, he peeked to see if anyone else was in it. Steam greeted him as it gracefully escaped the room. A smile settled on his face and he entered the baths. He stripped down from head to toe, cautiously eyeing the door every time he removed a piece of clothing. No one would want anyone walking in private moments, just like this one. He placed the soaked clothes on the hamper, which was near the door, and his boots beside it.

"This is one of the benefits of taking the night shift... I can get the baths all to myself-without a whining wimp to complain on every single act of kindness I offer him." Wolfram mumbled as he immediately slipped into the warm waters the baths offered freely.

He shook his head with a smile intact. Even with all the patrolling, chasing and commanding he did earlier that day, his mind would always find time to fit in a thought or two about the double-black. He hadn't the slightest idea what kind of spell the wimp put on him. He loved it as much as it bothered him...

He let a few minutes slip through fingers before doing the usual bathroom rituals. After rinsing his hair, he spotted some folded white items nearby. He stepped out the pool and dried himself with a towel. A white robe was also available which he used to cover his form. A smaller towel was beside the spot he got the robe; he placed it onto his head like a turban. He was grateful those items were readied for especially for him. For a second, he had the image of running towards the same room Yuri was using, soaking wet and humiliating himself, just to get himself dry.

Staying in a warm place like he was in at the moment a little longer was the best notion in his mind. He hated the storm. Despite his hatred for it he knew he had to go out of the place which seemed to be the safest place to be. It was in the baths you wouldn't hear a thing of the outside world. It was made that way... It was made to be one of the most carefree places in the castle.

The blond sighed and said farewell to the warmth the baths had offered freely to face the harsh weather conditions outside the walls of his temporary comfort zone. He took a step outside to see the surroundings. The hallways were still dark and the rain seemed to increase its intensity. He took another one and closed the door behind him. The only way to get to the royal chambers was to toughen up and ignore the occasional flashes of lightning and the petrifying sounds of thunder. He summoned a small ball of fire and began his way to the chambers.

Without a second's thought, he opened the door and let himself in. He let the ball vanish, thinking he wouldn't need it any longer. With a bored look in his face, he stared at the carpeted floor and let thoughts entertain him.

"I wonder how Yuri is... I bet he's still up, working on paperwork."

Seeing that the light the moon provided wasn't enough, he summoned a fireball. He knelt beside the bed where the night table was. In the first drawer was a candle stick; he opened it and dug in hand into the depths of the drawer in search for the candle stick. Upon finding it, he lit its tip and let the fire hovering above his palm disappear. He closed the drawer and, without looking, opened the drawer below it. There a figure on the bed... He could get himself to look away. The figure just lay there as it slept. A smile settled on the blond's lips as he reached for the double-black's cheek to caress it.

It was a bold move and he didn't care... The wimp's cute and there was nothing he could do about it.

"I thought you'd still be up to make up for the paperwork you weren't able to do the other day." Wolfram whispered as quietly as he could. "I guess that doesn't matter; it's better to see you in bed rather than on your desk, hard at work till early morning."

He took his time caressing the cheek with his thumb as he kept the candle away from the bed, knowing it may catch fire. He stopped when Yuri groaned lightly. A chuckle escaped his lips and retracted to his previous position. With the aid of his candle, he peered into the drawer. There was a purpose for the candle being in the drawer, anyway. It wasn't, and it will never be, wise to reach into that particular drawer blindly; there was a dagger in it. He reached for his nightgown and underwear. Afterwards, placed the candle atop of the night table to dress himself with it.

A faint blush spread across the blond's face; he couldn't possibly dress in front of Yuri...even if the other was fast asleep. He spun around an unclothed himself, slipped the loose nightwear on and knelt in front of the night table once more. He was about to close the drawer shut when he spotted something that wasn't supposed to be there...or wasn't there before, is a more appropriate way of putting it.

"Who could've put it there?" Wolfram said to no one in particular.

He picked it up and cautiously checked his surroundings.

The rain had turned into a gentle drizzle; the dark clouds that was covering the moon had parted and allowed the moon to shed some gentle moonlight to slightly brighten the surroundings.

It brought some relief to the blond. He took a look at the envelope and flipped it over to see the details.

"That's odd... Who would send me a letter and place in a drawer?" Wolfram thought as he flipped the envelope once more and opened it. "Placing it on top of the table would've been more noticeable and easier to do."

Wolfram took the candle on the night table and sat on the floor, leaning onto the side of the bed where Yuri was facing.

The envelope contained a single page of parchment. The eager reader opened it instantly.

My Dearest Fiancé,

Yes, I mean you, Wolfram. Before anything else, yes, it's me, Yuri. No, I wasn't abducted, drugged or cast under a spell by some from some distant land. There are just some things you don't know about. I know what you're thinking; but, I DID NOT CHEAT ON YOU! And besides, why would you think I'd have the nerve to even think of doing such a thing! Anyways, I wanted you to know that you are one of the most important people in my life. Being able to make this letter meant I stopped wimping out on you...well, at least, a bit. I know it's been a while and that neither of us could admit openly what we feel for each other. The thing is, I don't know what's right anymore and the only thing I know is that following what my heart's shouting is the best thing to do.

I can't tell you everything in this letter. There's another one. Though, I'm not so sure if you noticed the other letter first than this one. Anyways, I'm holding the other letter. Yes, I'm holding it in my sleep.

-Yuri

Wolfram didn't know what to believe. He didn't know if was being tricked and being made a fool or if his fiancé meant what he said. He wanted to wake the wimp and shake him till he comes to his senses. He was shaking; rage was welling within him and the letter he was holding was getting creases from getting held so tightly.

"What did he mean about my being one of the most important people in his life? I didn't get any sort of special treatment from him!" Wolfram's mind began a train of thoughts. "Why couldn't he tell me what he felt? Was I unapproachable? Was he that much of a wimp not to spill it out already? Why waste another piece of paper when it was perfectly fine using this one?"

He snapped out from his rage and placed the candle on the table. Holding it could mean trouble for the whole castle-the whole floor, at the least. He kneeled beside the side of the bed Yuri was facing. The first letter was placed beside the candle while the envelope remained on the floor.

There it was; another envelope was found. Emerald green eyes stared at the object within Yuri's embrace.

The sky darkened with dark, puffy clouds covering the moon. The only source of light left was the candle Wolfram had placed on top of the table.

The blond reached for the envelope; he didn't want to wake the double-black up before having read the second letter. Only one thing is for certain; if Yuri was, indeed, playing a trick on him, he would make sure that the double-black would wish he didn't. Knowing how unpredictable his fiancé's sleeping patterns were, he took extra caution in trying to pull the envelope. He targeted the lower half of the envelope and pulled gently, only pausing to see if the other was disturbed in any way. He sighed in relief after taking the envelope without waking up his fiancé.

The envelope didn't state for whom the letter was for; it was obvious.

Wolfram took the candle and repositioned himself into a sitting one. One hand removed the content of the envelope and flipped the piece of parchment open.

My dearest Wolfram,

I'm sorry for making you read in a different paper. I was afraid someone else might get the other one and read it. I'm sorry for being so wimpy... I just can't bring myself to actually someone else about what I feel. Do you still remember the time when we found bearbees in the guest wing? You know, at the time, my only goal was getting you your own room. I didn't like the thought of sharing a room with anyone. The first time I saw you lying on my bed was kind of traumatic for me. At the time, I found it hard to believe that there would actually be a man willing enough to dress in a night gown to make me feel comfortable in the very least. I ignored the fact we were fiancés and went on with life, thinking it was okay. Breaking the engagement never crossed my mind... That's because I didn't take it seriously. Slowly, I began understanding things. I understood the reason for your hatred towards the humans. I understood the reason for each and every war in our history... I understood why you hadn't stopped chasing me... Remember the time we were affected by the Miasma? I guess that was an eye-opener for me. You remained by my side, even though you doubted me, you kept on following me. At the time, acceptance was the hardest thing I was facing. It may not be what it looked like, but that was what's been bothering me. The situation at hand was just making me bothered more about my responsibilities. When the avalanche came, I didn't know what to do...Then, it came to me. I needed to protect you. I didn't want to lose you. I guess the Maou knew that and helped just in time. Oh, how could I forget the time Shinou took the ability of your heart? I couldn't get myself together; I was just pretending to be strong. I knowing how useless I was at the time made me want to exchange my life for yours. Again, it was an eye-opener. I knew that I loved you and that there was no helping it. My heart chipped a piece each second I looked at your seemingly dead body. I really thought I was going to lose you. No one could tell how broken I was in those dark days. You have no idea how happy I was to see you well after Soushu was defeated. When I found out that I had to leave...well, let's just say it was my choice-my way of stopping myself from hurting you. I loved you, yes, that's true...but it was still hard for me to accept it in front of your face; I had to keep it in. Days, weeks and months passed and each day was filled with everyday adventures; there was never a day dull with you with me. Wolfram, I want this engagement to end... I love you and if you could face and tell me that you feel the same, I wouldn't mind marrying you the very day you read this letter. I'm sorry didn't hear what you've read straight from my lips, but you needn't worry about that. You can ask me to say it right in front of your face. I love you, Wolfram. If only you knew the kind of thoughts my mind had been coming up with every time I wake up in the morning without you by my side.

With lots of love,

Yuri

The thunder came rolling in as Wolfram sat there like a statue. Lightning cut through the curtains and the strong wind was enough to extinguish the candle light. As Wolfram began to get back to his senses, another flash of lightning came which made him flinch, letting the candlestick fall to the ground and roll off to the other side of the room.

At the sound of the candle stick dropping, the double-black's eyelids flew open. His reflexes caused him to sit up and look over the source of the sound. Instead of pinpointing the location of the candle, he found a blonde all curled up on the floor, leaning over to the night table as the figure shook. Concerned eyes focused on the figure and the owner's body had the urge to move closer the shaking figure. Kneeling, he made an effort to wrap his arms around the blonde.

"W-wimp," Wolfram yelped as he quickly turned his attention to the peering double-black.

Yuri withdrew himself before his roommate struggled for he could fall face flat on the floor with a single rash move. A cheeky smile spread across his face as he watched the other slowly get up and immediately throw himself into his unsuspecting body when a flash of lightning almost hit the blonde. He fell backwards due to the force with his frightened fiancé on top of him, making it hard to breathe.

Acting upon reflexes, Wolfram let his hands feel the soft bed and find a way to maneuver himself off his fiancé. His hands and knees were preventing the double-black from making a move and his face was so close to the other's as well.

"Wolfram, would it be alright if you to get off me?" Yuri stated with a smile. "I can't move and I don't mind if you would let one thing lead to another; if you know what I mean."

The blond immediately let his body collapse beside his fiancé. After doing so, he faced the double-black without caring how flushed he looked. His fiancé shifted his head to the direction where he was lying down. His green eyes studied the features his fiancé possessed. He stared deeply into those black eyes to see if he can really tell what's inside the other's heart or maybe even his soul.

"Say it."

"What do you want me to say?" Yuri asked teasingly; oh, he knew what exactly the blond was talking about.

Wolfram didn't reply for he knew that Yuri knew what he wanted. He stared with determination written all over his face. There was no way he'd let this pass, especially since he's close persuading his fiancé into being vocal about his feelings for him. His expression lightened up when the double-black inched closer to him and wrapped his arms around him. The action surprised him a little but the warmth it brought him erased his doubts.

"I love you, Wolfram." Yuri whispered with a smile. "I'm glad that you've spent even a fraction of your time read those letters. I know, I know...I'm a wimp; I'm your wimp and you're my spoiled prince. I don't own you and I'm aware of that. If you think that I don't deserve you, that it's all too late, then you can push me away and leave. I can't tell you what you should feel. You can be angry with me and beat me up, but please understand...I didn't want to hurt you. Yell and complain; I don't care. I love you...but, it's still up to you if you still think that I'll be that man you're going to spend the rest of your life with."

"Wolfram, you made a promise you wouldn't cry. You promised you wouldn't be this emotional!" Wolfram thought as he let his tears get the best of him as he let his own arms wrap around the lad embracing him. "Don't act like a cry baby in front of him!"

Yuri took it as a sign of hope. He held the blonde in his arms tighter as if saying he wouldn't let go. He loved the blonde; if it was only possible to cling to him forever, he'd do it. He knew his limits. If it's a no, then it's a no. He wouldn't push himself to him; that wasn't love anymore if he did.

"This isn't a joke, is it, Yuri?" Wolfram fought hard in avoiding his voice to break. "You're serious about this."

It was more of a question than a statement. He wanted to push the double-black away and give him a good yelling session, a session the wimp will never forget, with a matching walk-out scenario. He also had another option in mind; he wanted to keep on clinging and talk things through. It was tempting...it was tempting choosing the first option and see the sort of expression the double-black would wear. As evil as it seemed, in a way, it's a sensible feeling for a person to have.

"Do you think this is the time to joke around?" Yuri whispered to his fiancé's ear. "I'm serious about this; that, I can assure you. I love you and I'm willing to make something of this almost non-existent engagement. I'm ready; I want to know, Wolfram...if you'd still like to be my fiancé. Waiting must've been tough, knowing that you wouldn't usually have the patience of a saint. I know that. And, I'm sorry."

Yuri wasn't going to cry about this. For once, he had a firm decision of making through this one like a man. He wasn't going to let a single drop fall. He practiced it for so long. A single teardrop would ruin it all.

"What if I said no, would you cry?" Wolfram asked, whispering as he let those years of held-back tears fall freely. "Would you beg for me to stay? If I said yes, would you make that decision worth it? Would I know how a Yuri Shibuya loves a person?"

"Just tell me." Yuri started rubbing circles on the blond's back. "Life isn't a script you can simple read the lines and actions one has to say. Let's see what happens."

Wolfram pushed Yuri gently; he had to look at those black eyes before deciding on it. He removed the tears that were hindering him from having a clearer image of his beloved king. Those kind eyes were looking at him, expecting an answer right then and there.

"I didn't know someone as wimpy as I could make a proud Von Bielefeld cry like this." The double-black teased a bit and kissed the blond's forehead.

He watched his fiancé's eyebrow raise and twitch before flashing a smile. He couldn't help it; he was simply grabbing the opportunity. It's like hitting two birds with one stone. The first bird was annoying the blonde which usually gives him the opportunity to gaze at that one of a kind face of an angel...demon that even Shinou couldn't match. Yes, it may lead to serious physical injuries but he is willing to take the risk. It also meant the blond was listening and cared about the things he said; having a sensitive spoiled brat as a fiancé was a far better option than an uncaring numb person to be with. The second bird was lightening up the atmosphere. He didn't want Wolfram to feel the weight of his decision.

"Is that all you have to say?" His fiancé fumed as the other got hold of his ear and twisted it in the most painful way imaginable. "We were talking about our future here, you dog! Can't you take this seriously?"

"Wolfram, that hurts! Let go!" Yuri pleaded quietly and the moment his offended ear was released from its tormentor, he caressed it and pouted. "All I wanted was to make things lighter for you."

"I don't think enraging me is a proper way of 'making things lighter' as you put it." Wolfram retorted, still annoyed at the approach his fiancé had resorted to, and crossed his arms. "Don't be so insensitive next time."

Yuri watched his fuming roommate cool down with a smile of his face. It took a few minutes for the double-black to think it was safe to speak.

"You don't have to decide now."

"I know," Wolfram drew himself closer to the double-black and caught the other's unsuspecting lips for a second. "All I can say is that I permit you to start showing your love, or in other words, court me. Though, I have one condition. You have to let me court you as well. I want things to be clear between us. We have the same gender. We will have equal rights, understood?"

"You didn't have to ask."

"Good to know we're on the same page. Besides that, I'm curious."

Green eyes looked straight into black ones with a smile gracing his face. The double-black could only guess what was going the other's head right at that moment. His own curiosity gnawed at him slowly; he wanted to know.

"What are you curious about?"

"So, you're curious too." A chuckle was heard from the blond. "I'm interested to know how does a Yuri Shibuya love someone...not a boy, not a girl, but as a person. I guess I had to repeat myself. Weren't you listening? I guess you simply too preoccupied with the hidden joy on making the tough Wolfram Von Bielefeld cry. Tell the truth, you liked the scene of tears falling from my eyes, didn't you?"

"Would you believe me if I said I didn't have any intention of making you cry?"

"I'll let you assume what you think is my answer."

The blond shifted and leaned back to his roommate, making sure the said roommate has his arms around him. He listened to the weather outside. The rain continued to pour down, though not as harsh as it did moments ago. The clouds weren't as thick as they were when he was going back from his shift. Moonlight was pouring in as his eyes fluttered until they decided to close in preparation of a good night's sleep.

"Would you mind pulling up the blanket?" Wolfram asked, feeling the warmth his roommate was giving; apparently, that warmth wasn't enough. "I'm feeling a bit cold. I don't think you've worn night gowns before."

The double-black kissed the blond's covered shoulder before placing the blanket on them. Once covered, he held Wolfram close and watched the other fall asleep as moonlight made the other's face seem like an angel. He smiled content with the outcome of this confession.

Gently, the double-black's eyelids covered tired eyes and joined his sleeping fiancé into the land of dreams with moonlight shining down of them and a new day to look forward to.

A/N: Okay, it's been months, maybe a year, since I've posted something. I very, very, very sorry about that. I tried (still am) typing/writing, but I end up being too preoccupied by school work or too tired doing school work (I usually sleep at 11 pm/12 am/1 am/2 am because of the never-ending homework/presentations/quizzes that are due the following days. [I should wake up at 5 am]) I couldn't guarantee a story/chapter will be published/finished soon. I'm sorry about that too. Hopefully this will make up for the months of unintentional inactivity... Feedback will be very much appreciated!