Disclaimer: I don't own Kyou Kara Maoh!

No profit made from this fanfic.

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Thank you a lot to SweetHeaven for your review. Once again, it was really nice to write about the entirety of every chapter. That kind of reminds me of old good times, when the fandom was actually active.

Thanks to Fuuka95, too :)

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14. Bonfire

It was slightly raining in the baseball field. Yuuri plodded towards the centre, coughing with restrained worry. He adjusted, as he was feeling uncomfortable, his hood on top of his skull. He squinted his eyes. She was there, her red car parked not far away from the benches, rain splatting hard on its rooftop. Arms crossed, she didn't see him coming towards her, immediately. Then, startling, she looked at her left and her face lit up.

She smiled, and Yuuri only nodded at her, in acknowledgement. When there was enough distance between them, which still allowed them to hear one another, the young man stopped in his track as she faced him, pulling her damp hair behind her ears.

"Hi Hana."

"Hi Yuuri," she looked nervous like him, and her smile even seemed strained as though she hadn't been able to sleep at night. "H...how are you?"

"I'm fine, thanks...What about you?"

"I'm fine, too, thank you...So, what have you done lately?"

Yuuri shrugged. He looked away.

"The usual things: school, baseball, hanging out a little with the band, and helping Wolfram to adjust to Japan."

"Aw, I see...Is Wolfram loving here? He looked a bit nervous at the party."

Yuuri nodded.

"Why have you called me, Hana?"

Her eyes widened a little, at Yuuri's slight cold tone. He didn't mean it but the fact was...his feelings towards had freshened a lot these last days; he had been thinking hard about what he had done with her, and now that he was taking great measures to build his relationship with Wolfram...his past behaviour disgusted him. However while he had been internally beating himself for the way he had treated Wolfram, his fiancé, he didn't dislike her, nor did he feel insensitive to her own struggles...if she felt remorses, too.

She lost her smile, fidgeting with her fingers, pulling at her long hair, rubbing her upper arms.

"I've broken up with Mikari."

"...I know it."

"Yes, of course, he told you. He's your friend after all."

She swallowed her saliva, checking the ground, before daring to look at Yuuri again.

"It wasn't really easy, Yuuri...I didn't mean to hurt him. I told him I was sorry I...led him on. But I just couldn't do it any more. I couldn't...I couldn't succeed in loving him...the way I...Well, I..."

This new face she was showing of herself, this new sensitivity that she allowed herself to reveal only increased Yuuri's sorrow for her.

"I love you, Yuuri...And I wanted to know if you had any consideration for me." She dared to lock her eyes on his. "I wanted to know if you...had ever felt the same towards me. I can't stop thinking about it, actually."

Yuuri unconsciously stepped back, feeling cornered by her question, his discomfort augmenting as he tore his eyes away from her. He gained back his countenance and said:

"You know, Hana...maybe sometime ago I might have considered being with you. There were instants when I would think of you and me together, like...really together. Dating, playing, having walks by ourselves, holding hands. From all the women I have met in my life, I've always thought you were the perfect one. In more than one occasion, I have been completely enthralled by you. You amazed me. Sometimes, only being next to you, feeling your eyes on me, knowing that you would care about me...I felt like the luckiest man on Earth. I thought I may have started to feel...to feel something for you. I didn't know if this was simple infatuation or..." He shut his mouth, and bit his lips. After a short instant, he went on:

"But you chose my friend...and the way both of us behaved his back was awful. We disrespected Mikari in a way we should never have. I know alcohol messes with a lot of people...But if you really wanted me...You would have chosen me. That night."

Hana's eyes started to show signs of tears. But nothing streamed down as she stepped forward.

"...Yuuri...I wish I didn't do that, with him...I've always known the mistake I made that night...I knew this was a farce... But...I was feeling so bad towards Mikari. From the first second, he wanted to be with me so much, and I just couldn't get myself to tell him it was only one night. I would wake up, he would be there with breakfast, flowers; he would tell me sweet words...He would repeat, always and always, that he loved me...

Truth be told Yuuri. I like him, a lot, but, but," she stuttered, ashamed: "as a friend only...My feelings for him stop here. The instant I saw you, since I got to know you better the day after the night we met, I fell in love with you. I couldn't keep lying to myself any more. No matter how ridiculous it might sound, whenever I was with him, it felt like I was betraying myself and...you."

Yuuri let her words sink in his mind. I fell in love with you. He dropped his gaze, inspiring a long short of air quietly.

"Yuuri, please, tell me. Do you love me, too?...Do you think both of us can start something?"

"How can you ask that while my friend is still grieving about your relationship?" He frowned, gulped down his saliva, thinking hard and closing his eyes as he tried to find the best words. "He still loves you. I've known him for years, and never have I seen him like this with a girl until you met. How do you think he's going to feel if I ever dated you? Do you think, regardless of whatever attraction I have felt towards you, that I don't treasure him as a friend?"

Hana didn't know what to answer as shame raised within her. She wrapped her cold arms around her. She sniffed, trying to maintain her composure in front of the only man who had made her knees shake.

"I'm sorry...I had to tell you. At least, you've been honest with me. I hope one day you'll be able to return my feelings...I thought you and I...I don't know what I thought but you're the first man I've loved so much. If I hadn't been with Mikari...Would you have been with me, Yuuri? At least, answer me that."

A silence settled between the pair. It only made Hana's confusion over Yuuri's real feelings towards her more cruel and threatening. Could she hope or had she been wrong all this time?

"I have feelings for someone else, Hana," Yuuri announced calmly. "And...they're the most important person in my life. I've always known that I felt something for them, but it's only lately I've realized I want to be with this person for the rest of my life. I will never betray this person. I'm sorry."

The world opened underneath Hana's feet. Stupefaction hit her hard like tons of brick. She stared at Yuuri, her wide open eyes completely dumbfounded. Her chest started to pump as she was trying to resist the shock. Little by little, tears rolled down her cheeks but she tried not to show the wound Yuuri's words caused within her, no matter how hard it felt.

Yuuri looked down.

He wanted to go home, but he didn't know if he could let her drive, in such a state. She suddenly threw her arms around his neck and stared intensely into his eyes before leaning forward. Without warning, she gave him a kiss. Stunned like he had never been, Yuuri placed his hands on her shoulders to push her away. However, she stopped their kiss before he could do it, and without a word or a look at him, headed for her car, heartbroken.

Yuuri watched her leave.

XXX

As he was standing in front of the mirror, the bathroom still fuming from his hot evening bath, Yuuri wiped the trace of lipstick on his mouth with a wet cotton. His gestures were automatic as though belonging to a robot. He pressed the cotton harder on his lips, imitating the strength she had applied when she had kissed him.

The kiss she had given left a deep impression on him, not because he shared her feelings...but because it was a kiss. The only time he really had experienced kissing was when Shinou had possessed Wolfram's body and he had felt his lips on his.

In any case, in both cases, there had been no real love in those poor experiences. Every time, he had been sort of...taken advantage of. No matter how much Wolfram had wanted to experience with Yuuri, the blond had always restrained himself. So Shinou, knowing the limits that Wolfram had imposed on himself not to scare Yuuri, had acted on his own like a brat and gave Yuuri his first kiss. Now Hana, too, had kissed him without knowing whether this was what Yuuri really wanted.

He shook his head. At least, in spite of all the thoughts that were provoking havoc in his head...his mind had found back some sort of peace.

As he refreshed himself more, some knocks on the door brought him back to reality. The door opened and Wolfram was standing by the threshold. They shared a glance as Yuuri looked at his reflection.

"Are you done? Your parents have finished cooking."

"Yeah, I'm coming."

And then, a memory came back to Yuuri. He spun around to face him. Before he could even open his mouth, Wolfram shook his head quickly.

"I know, you don't need to tell me. I've seen it all when you entered the house. Don't apologize, I know you didn't do anything wrong...She did."

Yuuri just stared at him. Wolfram smiled before tilting his head.

"Come on, food is going to get cold."

XXX

Bonfires were lightning the sea side in such a surreal way that it gave the students who came to Yuuri's friends' party the impression to float in between two worlds. Yuuri and his team mates had just won a match against another school and now the celebration of their victory could be heard from afar, as if they wanted to spread their triumph.

On tables, Kitamura with the help of others had laid down huge pizzas and soft drinks. People were serving themselves, and after taking pieces too, Yuuri and Wolfram went to seat near Hinagashi and Valérie, on sheets covering the sand. The girls vocally spoke about their project of a road trip along Japan since Valérie, being French, longed to see more of the country.

"...And you, Wolfram, what do you want to visit?"

Wolfram thought for a while, frowning as he rolled his soda can between his hands.

"Mmh... I wanted to visit a ryokan. I've heard Japanese traditional inns were really refined."

They talked some more, as they watched others dancing a bit drunk. They laughed as some people started to do the fools and fight playfully.

"Hey guys," Takeshi said as he waved at them, "come on, we're all doing a sprint running! The first one to arrive at the green boats is the winner! Look we've all put some bills in Laurent's hat; 1000 yens. Who wants to win them?"

"Me!" Kitamura and the girls exclaimed with good humour, raising to their feet with difficulty. They sprang so suddenly, that the boys remained stunned a few seconds before running after them. Wolfram stood up, too, to join the game, rolling up his sleeves. A mazoku never waits behind in competitions. A yank at his hand made him look at Yuuri with surprise, cancelling all his plans of winning the race.

"Yuuri...What...?"

"Let them run...Come here, instead."

He was smiling, his black eyes piercing Wolfram. The blond nodded. He kept silence as Yuuri led him towards a particularly remote bonfire. They contemplated it. Calmness had come back, and the laughters and the noise of their comrades only seemed like a far lulling sound. Their fingers reached, interlaced, and held.

They just remained there, without speaking for a while, only savouring the peacefulness of the moment. Wolfram blinked at the fire, even if he felt no discomfort at its presence. On the contrary, his power awoke in his fingers, like small jolts of electricity.

"What are you thinking about, Yuuri?"

Yuuri smiled at him.

"I'm not thinking...Maybe a little, of Shin Makoku actually. But," he shook his head as he scratched his jet black hair, "I don't want to bother about it tonight."

Wolfram would have been the one to press him about their kingdom, mostly since Conrad's return. Nonetheless, he could see the tranquillity on Yuuri's face, a tranquillity that the king had not displayed for a long time. Wolfram chose to shut his mouth about their country and the matters that his big brother was carrying on his shoulders, nearly all alone, in order to allow Yuuri some peace. By consequence, he nodded compliantly, as Yuuri added:

"I feel sort of rested for the first time in a long time."

"Great. You needed that."

Yuuri didn't answer immediately as he blinked his eyes against the dryness that the near fire elicited.

"Do you know what I need, too?"

"No. Tell me."

Yuuri faced Wolfram and brought his hands to Wolfram's roundish oval visage, cupping it.

Wolfram's heart started to race crazy as he noticed the glint into Yuuri's eyes, and at the sudden change of the situation.

Yuuri leaned forward, his black hair brushing against Wolfram's golden locks and their lips meeting in a deep kiss.

Shyly, even though sensing Wolfram's deep surprise and increasing anxiety, Yuuri opened his mouth, his tongue against the blond's lips until their exchange deepened. Closing his eyes strongly, Wolfram allowed the painful love and lust that he had held back for so long to take over his being. He returned the strength of the kiss with much fervour, his heart pounding madly in his chest.

Time seemed to have stopped as if only the both of them existed, here in this place and hour.

Wrapping his arms around Yuuri's neck, sort of assured that he would not be rejected, he offered him all the love he had within, and making sure that this man was his, and his only. He thought he was about to die of sweetness, overwhelming tenderness when Yuuri returned the embrace, pressing Wolfram against his chest. He felt Yuuri's hands massaging his back before his arms held him in a tight hug.

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Kisses, he had always expected them since that special night. Yet, the words Yuuri said in a murmur, he had never hoped for them...or at least, not so soon.

"Wolfram...I think I really love you. I've never been in love until I knew you."

What Yuuri might have really said to Hana, for the memories still lingered around, this declaration was the only balm to Wolfram's wounded heart.

X

EDIT 04/22/2016: This story is discontinued. No more chapters.