GENTLE FIRE

Author's Notes: (Aqua Alta)

Second chapter…. Dunno, I just seem to like this fic….

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own KKM.

CHAPTER 2: ROUGH, BUT GENTLE

"Aw, I have never seen Wolfram sleeping so peacefully like this!"

Yuuri woke up to the squeal, feeling more comfortable and warm than ever. Something—no, makes it someone—was holding her from behind her. A pair of strong arms was wrapped around her waist, and they were clad in blue sleeves.

Blue sleeves. Blue uniform. Then instinct took over the rest.

Yuuri jumped out of the bed in a flash, blushing heavily. "Why…? How…!"

Celi smiled down at her. "First day of engagement was spent in the fiancé's room. Oh, I hope Wolfram does not act too fast for your taste, Yuuri-heka! That boy is always a rash one!" the lady giggled. "Wolfram usually gets violent when sleeping and takes all territories as his, but this time..., oh my! It is a good thing that I told the maid not to prepare Wolfram's room when he didn't return after going for you, heka! Seems that he does not need any room again now. See you at breakfast!" Then, the lady disappeared through the door before the girl had a chance to say something.

Wolfram stirred, his thoughts still clouded with sleep. "Wimp…," he whispered. Yuuri turned at him reluctantly, and then found out that he still had his eyes closed. Yet the next sentence made her blush even more.

"…you smell like roses…."

Yuuri climbed up to the bed again, shaking the boy softly. "Hey," she called. "Wake up."

It didn't work, so she tried once more. And yet she had not succeeded.

"Wolfram!" she called, shaking harder. "WAKE. UP!"

Emerald eyes fluttered open. "Wha…Yuuri? What the hell are you doing on my bed, and in my room?"

Yuuri frowned. It seemed that Wolfram tended to be delusional before the sleep finally was wiped away from his mind COMPLETELY. She knew, since her mother had the same habit too. One cure was available right now, and she took that choice immediately.

"THIS IS MY ROOM AND I AM THE ONE WHO IS SUPPOSED TO ASK THAT!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. Not only that technique relieved stress, but it also served its other intention well.

Wolfram sat up straight immediately, a frown on his brows. "You were the one who used me as a crying pillow and you rewarded me by shouting at my face? How grateful," he said, sarcasm dripping from every syllable.

Yuuri blushed. She knew that Wolfram was right. "I just wanted to wake you up," she mumbled. "Sorry, I guess."

There was a sigh and a mumble that sounded very much like, "I wanna go to sleep again…." Then the prince departed to sleep once again.

Sighing heavily, Yuuri made her way toward the bath.

XXX

Yuuri loved the bath. It was huge, filled with warm water in the right temperature for her taste, and it was better than any onsen. The water today was scented with lavender, and she immediately grew attached to the soothing scent. She slipped into the water, the liquid going up to her chin.

One thing that she did not like from the bath was that there was not much privacy. The door of the bath lacked something: a lock.

And, unfortunately, it seemed that Wolfram had decided to take a bath in the king's/queen's bath that day.

Yuuri head immediately snapped toward the entrance when she heard the door being opened and closed again. She padded away from the door, mostly in fright and shock. "Who…who is that?" she asked timidly, unable to see in the thick steam coming from the hot water. "I am taking a bath right now, so please leave."

Then a voice asked back, "Yuuri? Is that you?"

Once again, Yuuri blushed, more than five shades of red this time. "Yes, Wolfram," she replied. "Leave, will you?"

From Wolfram's tone, she knew that he was rolling his eyes. "Come on, we are already engaged. I want to take a bath NOW. It is not like I want to see a wimp's body. Besides, the steam is too thick."

Yuuri was about to protest, but there was a splash, signing that Wolfram was already in the bath. From her previous experience (which was very little but served well), she knew it was impossible to get him out of the bath once he had stepped in.

Therefore, she simply swam away from the boy, completely forgetting that the bath was round, until she crashed onto the boy's back.

Now she was blushing more than ten shades of red, and even Wolfram was blushing too. But, hey, who won't?

She backed away immediately, as if shocked by electricity. "Nice body," Wolfram mumbled, more jokingly. But she splashed water to him, nevertheless.

"Sorry," she mumbled, still hot on the face.

"Nah, it doesn't matter, does it? We are engaged," Wolfram said, emphasizing on the word 'engaged' only to annoy her even more. Yuuri winced. Then he pulled her closer toward him, her back facing him. "I'll wash your back."

Yuuri was about to swim away as fast as she could, but a hand gripped her shoulder tightly, while another hand started to scrub her back underwater with a sponge. Yuuri could not help but feeling self-conscious, her heart thumping ten times harder and faster than normal. She had to admit that Wolfram looked very attractive, and what kind of girl would not die to be in her position? Most girls in her world would do ANYTHING.

"Wimp, I'm getting bored with you silent all the time. Talk, will you?"

"Uh…." Yuuri racked her brain, then said, not truly realizing what she was saying, "How can you be so different sometimes?"

"What do you mean?" Wolfram asked, right when the sponge slipped off from his grip. "Oops," he said, catching the water-filled sponge halfway in the water. He caressed Yuuri's back carelessly, as if it was the most normal thing to do. When Yuuri shivered under his touch despite of the hot water, he snorted, "Wimp. Hey, answer my question!"

"Nothing," Yuuri mumbled. "It's just…sometimes you are very rough, but sometimes you are very gentle," she said, half-aware of the reality. Wolfram's caresses had soothing and calming effects on her.

Wolfram continued scrubbing her back, occasionally caressing it with bare fingers. "Am I?" he asked lazily. "Well, you are my fiancé after all. That's my responsibility."

Yuuri's heart stiffened at the statement. "That engagement is a mistake. It's okay if you do not want to be responsible for me," she said matter-of-factly.

Wolfram discarded his sponge, putting it down on the edge of the bath. Then he started massaging Yuuri's back slowly and lightly, and Yuuri could not help but stifle a moan. The massage was great.

"It's just…it's fun to tease a wimp like you…."

Yuuri smiled a little. She just met this guy yesterday, and already she was engaged to him and having him scrubbing and massaging her back. Scratch previous 'most girls would die'. Make it 'all girls definitely would die'.

"Thank you," she whispered, blushing slightly. She heard only a snort, but it was enough.

Perhaps having a fiancé was not THAT bad.

XXX

Breakfast went as usual. Gwendal seemed to be troubled, though, and later Yuuri found out that he was being Anissina's guinea pig again. Yuuri simply laughed and told the red-haired girl to give Gwendal occasional breaks, but she doubted that Anissina would obey that.

Lady Celi was going out in her free-love journey again today, and suddenly Yuuri realized that she was kinda lonely. Gunter was off, doing the paperwork for her. Gwendal was busy with Anissina, and it seemed her only companion was her new fiancé.

Unfortunately, her fiancé was nowhere to be found.

Sighing, she walked toward the garden, enjoying the scene. She was too absorbed with the unusual plants that grew on that land that she did not notice where she was going. Soon enough, but far enough from the castle and the field where the soldiers trained that her voice would not reach them, she tripped over a stone and sprained her ankle.

Wincing with every movement, she tried to stand up. Her ankle gave away, and she fell down on the soft earth.

'Great,' she thought bitterly as raindrops start to fall onto the soil. She was soaked within minutes, and with the thunder roaring, she did not dare to move further away from her spot.

The dress she wore was thin, too thin to protect her from the cold of the rain. Soon she was sneezing, arms hugging her knees. Her throat was dry, and she knew she was going to catch a fever very soon.

The fever came very soon, too soon for her liking. Her vision was blurred, and her head felt heavy. She was ready to slip off from the reality when a voice called from far away.

"YUURI! YUURI!"

She looked up, croaking weakly. "Wolfram?"

Sure it was her so-called fiancé, running in the rain toward her, blonde tresses drenched and eyes tired. It seemed that he had been searching quite long under the rain, judging by a few scratches he had on his customary blue uniform. Yuuri could not help but feeling relieved at the sight of him.

Within minutes, the boy was already kneeling beside her. "Wimp! Moron! What are you doing at here?" he scolded, though worries flashed briefly in his tone.

"I was walking around," Yuuri rasped in reply. "Then I sprained my ankle."

"The castle is in panic," Wolfram told her, an arm already supporting her back. "I have to bring you to Gisela."

"I'm sorry, Wolfram," she said weakly. "Guess that I am really not good enough to be the Maou."

"Don't talk. Keep still," Wolfram ordered. She did as what he told. Then, in the next second, Wolfram scooped her up into his arms, carrying her bridal style toward the castle.

"Thanks Shinou that you are very light," Wolfram complained. "Or I would have to bring Weller-kyo first."

"See," Yuuri mumbled, completely unaware of reality now. "You are rough on the words, but always with gentle acts."

Right when Yuuri slipped into fever-induced sleep, a tinge of red colored Wolfram's pale cheeks.

XXX

Yuuri woke up with Wolfram sleeping at her side, his head on his arms, which were resting at the edge of her bed in the hospital wing. He was sitting on a chair and seemed to have fallen asleep without getting back to his—THEIR, actually—room.

Yuuri stroke his head, just like what he had done on their first meeting. Two days and she was getting quite attached with the boy. What would happen next?

Finding that his hair was as soft and silky as what she always thought, she combed it with her fingers, copying his previous action. It was a nice feeling, having him near. His face when he slept was even almost innocent and peaceful, just like a normal teenage boy.

'He is eighty two, Yuuri. Control yourself.'

Then again, Wolfram looked very young. And delicate.

The sun was shining through the windows. Yuuri opened her mouth and sang softly, afraid to wake her only companion up.

Accidents do happen, and strangely I don't mind to get into one

Especially if it leads into a happiness I have not found yet

Just like this one, I think, as I stroke your hair

Though I still have not known whether this will lead to happiness or not

Misunderstandings do happen, but I don't mind to get into one

Especially if it leads me to a meeting with someone I have never known

Just like this one, I think, as I caress your cheeks

Though I still have not known whether this is meant to be or not

You are rough but gentle, a soldier yet also a prince

Warm and understanding, even though prideful and stubborn

Your words are harsh and mean, yet you always act caringly

Showing that deep beneath, you truly care for me

What can I do besides blushing and saying thank you?

Is this feeling real? Do I want this?

But though you give an impression of a rude and arrogant one

Your caresses are always soft and so gentle

That's you, I think; rough, but gentle

All people do have regrets, but I don't regret this one

Since this moment has led me into a world I did not know before

And destiny is being rewritten with this moment in time

Though everything is still confusing, one day I will surely understand

You are rough but gentle, a soldier yet also a prince

Warm and understanding, even though prideful and stubborn

Your words are harsh and mean, yet you always act caringly

Showing that deep beneath, you truly care for me

What can I do besides blushing and saying thank you?

Is this feeling real? Do I want this?

But though you give an impression of a rude and arrogant one

Your caresses are always soft and so gentle

That's you, I think; rough, but gentle

You are rough but gentle, a soldier yet also a prince

Warm and understanding, even though prideful and stubborn

But though you give an impression of a rude and arrogant one

Your caresses are always soft and so gentle

That's you, I think; rough, but gentle

Rough, but gentle…

XXX

There you go. What do you think? BTW, the song is mine, and it's called 'Rough, But Gentle'. I wrote it for this fic. I know that it's so cheesy and this chapter is rather absurd. Like it or not? Review, please!