Self Restraint

Conrad awoke earlier than he normally would have, by about half an hour. Taking quite a bit of care in his appearance, he dressed himself in his neat uniform, his white tunic unmarred or tinged despite the age of the garb, his brown-tan over-shirt buttoned and laying in perfect place. After he put on his polished shoes and sword, scabbard facing forward, parallel to his navel, he moved to the lavatory to complete his grooming rituals, polishing his teeth with as much meticulous detail as he had given his shoes.

His hair, unlike after his horse-rides with Yuuri, now fell perfectly, each knowing just how to lie on his head to give a clean sheen. Now satisfied with his appearance, he left his suite, still ahead of his morning by half an hour. He knew he would require that time to reclaim his self-restraint.

Seldom to be a dreamer, Conrad had awoken in the morning after a rather vivid one. Typically, Conrad would not really recall his dreams, and those that he did usually focused on one particular soul, he used to say it had been one person, but over time the images of Julia were becoming that of Yuuri's. In Big Chimeron, those dreams had signaled him to upcoming danger almost as if Conrad's Mazoku-lineage gave him the gift of second-sight, but maybe that was just due to how in tune his soul was to Yuuri's.

This morning, however, the dream he had, though revolving around Yuuri, was not a signal of any unforeseen danger. Well, maybe that wasn't completely true. He supposed that he, as a wicked adult attempting to corrupt Yuuri, could be seen as the looming threat. He shook his head, annoyed at his own adult motives and definition of corruption when it came to the spritely youth. Shinou-sama, did he know what he was doing was wrong, but he also knew, knew with the essence of his being, that no one else was as in-tune with that soul than his own. No, Yuuri's soul and his were meant to be together, and as his adult thoughts of what exactly together should mean had awoken him with a start, he knew that bit of energy needed to be burned. After all, those reproachful thoughts were not the same thoughts Yuuri had when the teen insisted upon their closeness.

Proximity, which Conrad had always adored, had become more of an endurance challenge as of late. Ever after coming back from his travels under the wrong colors, after he saw the life of two people he absolutely loved fall away, no, after that he knew that staying close really must be his punishment.

After all, he could only be close, he could never touch. He could never touch, taste, attach to that soul, and as each day drew past that urge to grasp him and lock them both away from the worlds… he shook his head, that was not the line of thought to pursue, he wanted to calm these thoughts not empower them.

Conrad raked his fingers through his hair, going to the training grounds wound up being a wonderful idea, he found Yozak there with a stupid, tired expression on his face. The brunette smirked, the redhead had just woken up apparently, he could tell by the way Yozak looked stupefied, those eyes glossy, mouth gaping as he yawned and scratched, but he did give the man credit for being able to tuck and roll- dressed for the day in what had to be only three minutes prep-time.

"Yozak, good morning." Conrad addressed from a ways away.

"Oh, Captain, good morning you're here more promptly than usual." Yozak smirked, the stupid look now gone.

"Ah, I decided to start the morning out a little earlier today. And yourself, you're also out here earlier than normal. Did you also have wicked thoughts?"

Yozak laughed at his friend, "Ha, like I have to work my wicked thoughts off, Captain. I'm not as responsible of an adult as you are."

Conrad perked his eyebrow, smirking back to the redhead. "All the same, you are still up early. Would you care to spar, now that you know of my condition?"

"Condition, you mean dilemma! I've already told you, a condition is when there's something wrong with you, a dilemma is just something wrong, something you can fix." Yozak shrugged his shoulders, he drew his sword once done with his pose. "But, saying we're both so energetic this morning, let's do some 'adult' exercises."

Conrad laughed, "Adult? Sparring isn't really…"

Yozak moved the blade down, Conrad blocked it and pushed him back, smiling as the metal clenched against the metal of his allies' blade, "Well, the boyo seems to think of war as a thing of the past, and if that means the children get to grow up without knowing it…"

He retracted his blade, positioning himself a step back before making another approach, training with the captain was a great way to hone his own skills, Yozak was probably one of the top ten swordsmen in Shin Makoku, Gunter and Gwendel also gracing that list, as did Adelbert and Hube.

"So, what did the boyo do to have you so energetic this morning?" Yozak said, panting after several more thrusts and downward blows with his blade.

The brunette forced Yozak back with a shoulder-shove, "Not helping, Yozak."

"Ah, but you never verbalize. How do you expect the ladies to fall for you if you're stony?"

"I don't need any ladies." Conrad mentioned, his voice still even, not showing a hint of fatigue even as the array of steel flew about the two in their spar, well, he knew he wasn't truly pushing himself, it was still early and he had a long day ahead, as always.

"Oh, that's right. Hey, does that mean you've admitted who you need?" Yozak winked, that caused Conrad to punish him with an extra push of strength in his blade as he crashed it down, well, really it was an angled blow toward Yozak's gut, the redhead's blade reverberated as he blocked. "Ah, that stung. Really, no one's around, talk to me Conrad. And not through the blade."

"Ah, but you translate it so well."

Yozak noticed Conrad's smile reaching his eyes, glad the brunette was enjoying himself. "Well, I am fantastic."

"Oh, modest too." Conrad mentioned, rolling his eyes, he put a little more energy in his attack, they both noticed the attention of some guards forming, probably at first coming to investigate what they could have confused as a true fight. Not to either's surprise, their sparring typically took the appearance of something far more intense than what most did to simply practice. They stayed, however, out of admiration.

Yozak sighed, and could tell Conrad's metal was doing the same, "Aw, and you were about to open up. Boo." Yozak took a leap back, ending the spar at that.

Taking the same cue, Conrad withdrew his blade, sheathing it as he continued to look down, with a sense of calm.

Yozak slung his elbow onto Conrad's shoulder, winking and giving the thumb's up to the guards.

"Nothing to see here so go back to your posts." Conrad stated, still in a zen-like calm, the hint of a soft smile giving away some of his relieved mood.

The crowd dispersed, "Yuuri-heika should be waking soon, I should go."

"Ah, of course. Captain, should I get into the habit of waking up earlier for a bit more then?" Yozak made mentions, he already knew the answer, or so he thought. After all, Conrad's blade was honest.

"For a little while more, yes, I think that's about right."

"Conrad, you know I'm cheering for you." Yozak squinted his eyes closed, giving Conrad a large, toothy smile, "You should win in everything you do, Captain."

"Ha, is that supposed to be a love-confession, Yozak?" The brunette teased.

"For who? But I can't say you whisking a particular someone away wouldn't be good for me. Then I'd be the most eligible bachelor at the bar, and I would love to see the wedding." Yozak winked, "Besides, you two would be so happy, and I think I would love to see both of you that happy, wouldn't you?"

Conrad sighed, "If I thought I could sustain it, yes. But, really, I don't think I can."

Yozak's eyes turned serious, opening wide in surprise. "That… that's why you think it's…" He looked at Conrad, "You think because of…" He looked around, "Tonight. Tonight we drink! You owe me after making me wake up early."

Conrad nodded, "Alright, alright I understand."

As promised, the day did drag long, was it just him or was Wolfram becoming more bratty with his age? The blond had decided that ushering Yuuri away from everyone and to the art room was his imperative as the maoh's fiancé, much to Yuuri's own protests. He mentioned something about being stuck with Wolfram in such a bad mood, but Wolfram dragged him, even as Yuuri tried to clutch the walls and tapestries looking like an indignant cat, which made it slightly worthwhile to see.

Wolfram had been in a particularly sour mood after coming back from some chore that took him to Shinou's temple.

The blond really did take after their mother with his passion, too bad he was just as childish, and perhaps the biggest shame was that he was an annoying kid.

Conrad had convinced himself, after a very long time, and council with his older brother, and yes even Gunter, that Yuuri and Wolfram's engagement was a bad idea.

The white-haired man's solution to the problem baffled him, but when he realized that meant Gwendel also approved the idea, or more accurately disapproved of the engagement, Gunter's outlandish amounts of flirtation simply stopped affecting Conrad. He knew Gunter loved Gwendel, and that von Christ was a horrible, shameless flirt with anything he labeled cute. He also knew Gwendel wasn't much better, he mused, when it came to things the man labeled as cute… though the pair appeared to not use the same label-gun.

Conrad decided it was alright that his older brother didn't also secretly pine for Yuuri, and he knew that his own feelings, though the others may or may not have known, had nothing to do with why they were opposed to Yuuri and Wolfram.

It appeared to be due to Wolfram's possessive, bratty attitude. It was entertaining knowing he was not the only one who thought that. And though he adored his little brother, it was assuring to know that someone other than he thought along the same lines.

When Anissina had burst in, insisting on using Gwendel and Gunter, Conrad decided to check on Yuuri, finding that his 'senses' were informing him danger was near, that also translated to his personal survival mechanisms told him it was safer not being in that room with Anissina, and Yuuri had been stuck alone with Wolfram for a while now.

Surely Yuuri wouldn't oppose being rescued at the moment, Conrad mused.

"I have come here with a request for an invention that could revolutionize the world!" Anissina started, pulling out a helmet with large pink hearts, cutesy baby-seal faces, and other things that she knew would strike Gwendel, stunning him long enough for her to strike.

Gwendel's eyes wobbled at the adorable glossy-eyed icon before his sympathetic responses started to pump his blood with adrenalin, alas, too late. The red-haired demon already had the helmet on his head and was fastening it shut.

"Gunter don't you dare leave." Her voice was a slightly lower tone, not outside of her octave, but it was laced with an authoritative command Gunter was loath to betray, much to his chagrin.

Conrad had snuck out, Gwendel realized, while most people would be resentful about being abandoned, to Gwendel, he was just happy his younger brother would survive, even if he did fall here. Really, was it weird to be relieved by that? He was a bit upset that the man he loved was still stuck beside him, however.

"Wolfram requested I make a machine, Maryoku-Powered-True-Love-kun, that can be used to show two people in love. Apparently the young prince is getting tired of Yuuri playing hard to get."

Gwendel bowed his head, a migraine already forming, "What does this have to do with Gunter and I?"

"Well, obviously I have to test it to see if it works. Gunter is, no doubt, your true love am I wrong?"

"No, he is." Gwendel sighed apologetically, there really was no way to get Gunter out without hurting the man's feelings, and between having a splitting headache of his own, or an angry lover than leads to a splitting headache… well, he'd just take the one with the lower collateral damage.

Gunter smiled at Gwendel, ardor in his eyes.

"Why would Wolfram require this though?" Gwendel commented, if it was anyone but Gwendel, it could have been perceived as an indignant complaint, but, well Gwendel just couldn't do that, now could he? Well, Gunter couldn't picture him as able to.

"Apparently, Shinou-sama had summoned his eminence and Ulrich, they conferred and then openly opposed the wedding. Wolfram is convinced that since Shinou-sama sent Cheri-sama on a mission of free love, that if he proved how much Yuuri and he loved each other that he simply could change their minds."

Anissina smirked, "The council will be held tomorrow, so long as this is ready. So, boys, we'll be pulling an all-nighter if need be."

Gwendel groaned, even Gunter realized that as a complaintive sigh.

Yuuri felt like this was the end, he knew it. This had to be the feeling right before death.

It was awful, his eyes were welling up, he couldn't move, and Wolfram, how could he! How could he take the spot near the window to use those horrible-smelling paints! It wasn't fair. Yuuri closed his eyes, saying his silent goodbyes, what he wished he had had the time to do in life, suddenly he appeared.

He always did this, his brave, dashing knight Sir Weller had finally come to save him.

Yuuri's smile beamed. "Conrad!" He immediately clamped his hands over his mouth and nose, the waft of the horrible smell hit his mouth, it was the worst!

Yuuri's pallor was green as Conrad took in the sight, trying not to snigger at the no-doubted pain Yuuri's poor senses were assaulted with. It wasn't a surprise to anyone that Yuuri hated the smell of that damn paint. Everyone did, that's why there was an art room at the end of a long wing of castle used strictly for storing unimportant things, that and it was all the easier to drown out Wolfram's fits by encouraging him to 'go paint' and 'share his art with the world' whatever that meant. The blond was just full of himself enough to buy the lines, too.

"Ah, Yuuri-heika, you are late for your lessons. I must insist that you come with me." Conrad bowed, Yuuri looked back at Wolfram then Conrad, then Wolfram.

He could practically read Yuuri's expression, it asked what lessons?! and if these had anything to do with Gunter. Yuuri looked back at Wolfram, holding his face still, "Sorry Wolfram, I have to go if they've sent out the cavalry…" Yuuri mentioned, feigning remorse. After a polite three seconds, he started to run from the room to pant in the air he had missed for so long.

Conrad followed behind him, "Yuuri," he bowed, "have you recovered yet?"

Yuuri nodded twice, from stooped over, head level to his knees, hands firmly planted on the said knees. "Oi, I don't really have to go to any lessons, do I?" He looked like he was pleading, as if he had to endure another torture session.

Conrad covered his fist to his mouth, hiding a slight laugh, "Well, if you don't want to practice your swordsmanship…"

Yuuri's eyes lit up, "You're going to let me practice with you? Really?"

Conrad nodded his head once, "If you would like. Though, it is an impromptu session, I thought it would allow for more personal of a lesson." Conrad said, the little voice in the back of his head made him well aware of just what perverted thoughts he was subjecting himself with, but complimenting him on his honest lie. After all, it was impromptu, he didn't have to show Yuuri on the guards, or vice-versa, but, well the voice was a nag. Consciences always seemed to be such drags.

Yuuri was staring up at him, starry-eyed, nodding fervently with his fists close to his chest as if guarding his heart from leaping from his chest.

It shocked Conrad, for a moment, just how cute Yuuri looked like that.

And, within only a matter of minutes, Yuuri was in and out of his room, changed into slightly less confining clothes and equipped with Morgif and the sheath.

When Conrad went to the training grounds, he wasn't surprised to see Yozak 'sleeping' on a tree branch, no, Yozak was having his good old time spying on the castle staff, making sure people who said they were one thing didn't pick up another.

He supposed that rationalized his childhood friend spying on him, after all a loyal bodyguard playing lover was no good, wasn't it? He just had to make sure that he would behave, but frankly Yozak was more of a boost to his conscience, and was welcome for it.

Each time Yuuri made a forward advance, Conrad could just picture his own sort of forward advance. He could see Yuuri, topless, underneath him, panting as their bodies came closer, he focused his eyes to return his attention to reality to address the maoh.

"That was a strong advance, much better, but you need to watch your footing." He mentioned, demonstrating as he pushed Yuuri onto his back with a shoulder, both of their blades still clashing until Yuuri hit earth.

Conrad pointed his blade downward, extending a hand to Yuuri, Yuuri grabbed it, blushing. Some dust had settled upon his sweaty cheek, producing a streak as Yuuri wiped his face with the cuff of his sleeve.

He took in a few deep breaths, then smiled back to Conrad, he took two steps back, then returned Morgif to the proper position. Conrad smiled, his eyes squinted close together, though open, his lips curved upward, making Yuuri's heart flutter.

Conrad used Yuuri's distracted state to make an attack, his black eyes shot wide as he moved Morgif to clash against Conrad's blade, the strength made him stumble backwards. He tried to get back his balance though with little effect, Conrad reached out his hand, grabbing Yuuri's forearm, pulling him back to his footing, or would have had he not given just a little extra tug, sending Yuuri into his chest, he smiled down at Yuuri.

"Are you alright, Heika?"

Yuuri blushed, pulling backward to look up at Conrad before averting his eyes and letting off a nervous laugh, Conrad was just too handsome for Yuuri to take. Wait! No, he couldn't think that.

"It's Yuuri." He finally let out, he took in a few extra breaths, they had been doing this for thirty minutes, and frankly, with the vast difference between the skill levels, it felt more like hours, physically at least, it was never enough time with Conrad as far as Yuuri was concerned, though.

"Yuuri, you look very winded." Conrad mentioned.

Yuuri plopped back down to the ground, he tilted his head back, "Really, you think?" He laughed wryly, looking back up at Conrad, "It's because you're so good."

Funny, Conrad's 'sub'-conscious sexual thoughts had finished a sentence almost exactly like it, Conrad was all too aware that his subconscious was rather conscious.

"Shall we take a break then? You could clean up for dinner." Conrad added smoothly, score another for his perverted thought-bank.

"Oi, come with me." Yuuri said, thinking that was a wonderful idea.

Conrad's eyes widened a mere few millimeters before getting themselves back under control, they had shared baths in bathhouses before, honestly he already knew what Yuuri looked like naked very intimately, but still, he was just glad he didn't suffer the same affliction as Gunter to sprouting nose-bleeds when too much blood rushed to his own face.

He knew he should make an excuse to bow out, really, he had to think of something, his lips started moving so he presumed he had decided what to say, "But of course, Yuuri-heika."

His inner conscience kicked him, as physically as it could, he ignored the nagging pang in his own mind.

What he thought would be a difficult battle with his sex-drive seemed to stay rather muted. Well, that didn't surprise him too much either, after all it was hardly like he'd throw the youth down to … he decided finishing that sentence would damage the cause as he kept those thoughts in check.

Yuuri and he continued making mundane conversations, sharing the going-ons of the castle, gossip, information about the others, in short meaningful yet meaningless small talk.

To anyone stuck listening in, they'd be clawing their hairs out, bored if uninterested, or annoyed at the length of the subject and the depth of the details, but to Conrad and Yuuri, it was bliss.

Conrad loved spending time with Yuuri, loved to see how the maoh interpreted things, how pure and how different he saw events. Sometimes the interpretations were far more accurate then one would expect, at others they were so naïve it reminded Conrad why he, as an advisor, had to make sure Yuuri didn't eat anything strangers handed to him like he was some child.

Yuuri leaned back, relaxed, his knotted muscles melting with the heat, "Oh this is fantastic, this is terrific, haaa!" He sighed verbally as he stretched his back, the length of his line as he craned forward was, to Conrad, an intrinsic beauty, a piece of art to be studied and engraved into his mind.

The image carving into his memories, and yes, perverted thoughts. He managed to keep all of these thoughts in check, though, for the sake of Yuuri's innocence or for his own selfish desires to never compromise this bond, it didn't really matter to him why so long as the thoughts just chose to behave.

"Conrad, have you ever had sex with another man?"

And with that, his resolve blanched, he turned to face Yuuri, shocked, hoping Yuuri didn't misread it as appall. It was just genuine surprise, was Yuuri showing curiosity, if so for whom? Or did he just want to keep conversation, did he suspect something, "Ahem, dinner should be ready soon." He decided playing it off like he hadn't heard might be the easiest way to address the question for now.

Oh, for now, a phrase that served him so well. For now he wouldn't bring up wanting to do naughty things to someone so many years his junior, for now he would postpone questions about the birds and bees, for now he would just stay as a well behaved guard dog sentinel.

"Oi, Conrad? Did you hear me? I asked if you…"

Conrad turned to disarm Yuuri with a brilliant smile, hoping to cut into Yuuri's resolve, "Yes Heika?"

Yuuri blushed, looking down, he looked back up, "it's Yuuri."

"Ah, sorry, yes Yuuri?"

"I asked if you've had sex with another man before." Yuuri turned his eyes away, not able to lock on to Conrad's wonderful brown ones, "I mean, I'm sure you've had sex, but, I don't know, are you straight? Bisexual, I mean, I'm sure you aren't gay-gay, but…" Yuuri didn't feel like adding in the 'after all, Julia' but he knew he had thought it.

"Would my answer change how you saw me?" Conrad mentioned, in a smooth way, damage control was a specialty.

Yuuri turned to look back up at him, "No, I mean, I couldn't imagine… well if you…" Yuuri shook his head, "No, no that's not what to say… I mean, do you have experience! I meant to ask if you have experience?"

"You mean with anal sex?" Conrad added, the timbre in his voice was not amiss, he reminded himself mentally 'down boy, down' thinking to both his sex drive and well, his additional sex drive.

Yuuri nodded, turning red in such cute of a manner.

"I do not see how that would be relevant, Yuuri-heika." Conrad mentioned, high-hoping he wasn't hurting Yuuri's feelings. "Why do you want to know such a thing, Yuuri?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Yuuri turned to look at anything far, far away. He was really embarrassed, but he had started it. "I'm a …guy… so, if I know you have experience… I mean…"

"You mean?" He wondered if Yuuri was asking for advice on how to perform such an act, because if that was the case, Conrad was about to be a born-again virgin.

"I mean, in Shin Makoku, I'm sure you do things at different ages… so I must seem too young to be asking but… I'm not jail-bate here am I? I mean, I am the maoh and everyone seems to throw themselves at me, so I thought that that wasn't the problem…"

"Jail-bate? Well, maybe…" Conrad hissed internally, telling himself that certain things really shouldn't be shared, especially with Yuuri, especially now. Especially those things that were parts to his reasons why he had to put distance up for now. Because for now did not mean for later or forever.

"Then I… but I want to know, ne, Conrad please tell me! You haven't… with Yozak, or someone… Have you?"

Conrad shot his eye at Yuuri, Yuuri was looking at him, almost jealously, "…With Yozak?" He couldn't help but laugh once, "…No… ha, ha, no, definitely not with Yozak. I'd never, with such a close friend."

And then Yuuri fell silent, completely shut down. Conrad cocked his head to the side, "Yuuri-heika? Are you alright?" He didn't really see what was so detrimental in his not having literally screwed his best friend, had he misstated it?

It hit him like a ton of bricks:

"Was Julia his girlfriend?"

"More like his most precious friend."

"Ah, I didn't mean to say…" He couldn't finish the sentence, what if he did? What that implied to the teenage vessel would be equally as damaging to his cause, he couldn't risk Yuuri suddenly distrusting him or putting up distance, not just as a friend but as Conrad's over-all role as body guard, he couldn't allow for that sort of dilemma. "Yuuri, are you really upset that I haven't fallen for him? May I assure you, my feelings for him are not one-sided… you see, neither of us have any inkling of romance toward the other."

"So, you mean that…" Yuuri looked back at him, determined, "Conrad, how did you really feel about Julia?"

"She was one of the most important people in my life." His resolve was steady, he made sure to end the sentence there, rather then blurting out that Yuuri was between tied and having taken the lead, lest he confuse the teen with his burdensome emotional baggage.

Yuuri sighed, frustrated. "You know, I'm getting hungry. You think dinner is done yet?" Yuuri said, done with the subject for now.

"Yes, I'm sure it is. Shall we go then?"

"Might as well, but you didn't answer, have you?"

"Yuuri, would you ask Yozak the same thing?" He realized if anyone else could be used for 'brotherly' advice, Yozak would be the distanced second-place, but still the second-place for embarrassing things like this, and in fact, in some cases Yozak would probably get asked things Yuuri couldn't bring up to even Conradhimself. "Oh? Now you're the one not answering me." Conrad smiled, success, sweet, sweet success.

"You'd have told Wolfram though, wouldn't you have?" Yuuri sighed, "It's no good, huh? Because I'm partly her you can't say guy stuff, huh? No, forget it. To dinner, dinner!" Yuuri returned an overly enthused smile.

Conrad let out a relieved sigh, after all, this would hold, for now.

Dinner was a very sparse crowd, being Wolfram, Conrad, Cheri and Yuuri. Wolfram seemed irked, Yuuri seemed a bit withdrawn, unsure of what he could exactly say, a bit more embarrassed for what he had said to Conrad in the baths, Cheri looked at her two sons as if she was acutely aware of their conditions.

Conrad couldn't particularly take Yuuri being so ill at ease.

What to do, ask about Wolfram? It's not as though he particularly wanted to witness an explosion. Inform the others' of Anissina's presence, and hence the other retainers' absence? They probably already knew, well, Yuuri wouldn't approach then even if he didn't know. His poor brother, no reprieve. Comment on Yuuri, compliment him maybe? Conrad decided, "Yuuri's swordsmanship has improved, his deflections are becoming much stronger than before."

Yuuri continued to eat, a bit quietly, blushing slightly, flustered at whether he should seem happy or not.

"Wolfy, how is the portrait coming?" Cheri asked, taking her son's lead. Her good little Conrad, he was a good man.

Yuuri turned to look up at Wolfram, who seemed indignant, "Spectacularly, of course. After all, I am a master painter."

"So that's what you call it…" Yuuri muttered under his breath, waving his hand he added, "Nothing, nothing…" he hoped no one heard it, but Conrad's soft lift to one side of his face produced just the slightest smirk of pleasure. "Aha ha, ha… so, where are the others?"

Oh, so he was using a scapegoat now, hmm? Conrad smiled, "Anissina required their company."

"…I'll mourn their passing." Yuuri mentioned, bowing his head. "Oi, Conrad, does Shinou's temple do that? Offer up prayer…? Well, I guess they do, to Shinou, right?"

"They don't need it!" Wolfram harrumphed with more attitude than Yuuri anticipated. "Especially not their prayer!" His eyes narrowed.

"…Wolfram?" Conrad was unsure why Wolfram seemed pained.

Gwendel, in a very fatigued manner as much as he hid it, entered the dining hall, Gunter behind him, smiling with his hands clutching each other at his heart, he seemed to be glowing.

"Brother?" Wolfram glanced at his oldest brother, he looked like death slightly warmed over.

He gave Wolfram a bit of a warranted dirty look, but to most that was his normal face, so no one really caught it.

"I'm so glad you two are alright!" Yuuri mentioned, smiling back at them, "Conrad always did say you were resilient, though."

Conrad sat at the table in the guards' quarters, Yozak across the table with two bottles of strong liquor. "So, you were saying earlier, before we were interrupted…?" Yozak mentioned, filling up the glass of his miserable looking friend.

"His age, right now our relationship is the equivalent of his hero-worshipping me."

"And you, as a very bad adult lapping up the attention, yes, yes I'm aware of your bull-shit reason number two. Oh, and before you give the bull-shit number one, may I just pass on this bit of information to you: Shinou and the Great Sage have forbade their wedding. And may I say, I love that dress!"

Conrad rose an eyebrow at that, "That dress?"

Yozak smirked, "Ah, to be a young Shinou maiden… though, his eminence might have spotted me." He winked, well, Ken had given him the dress to snoop around, so he supposed that meant he had permission, and that Ken liked to see him in a dress, but really, who could resist? He was adorable. He took another hearty swig.

Conrad covered his face, not sure he really wanted to test his imagination. "I'm sure it looked wonderful. Today, Yuuri asked me if we fucked." He added to the small talk, this time getting the redhead to choke for a moment.

"…Wh-what? The boyo…?" Yozak swallowed what he had managed to not spray, thanks to his own fast hand. He tried not, but failed, to suppress his laugh. "Oh, so you want to romp with me now, to burn that morning energy? Yeah? No thanks, you know my type."

"Drag queen soldier?" Conrad teased.

"Ha-ha very funny, so, what did you tell him?"

"Obviously that we did not. That I'd never with such a close friend, and then he clammed up. Oh, but he did keep his mind on asking if I'd ever slept with another man. Insistently asking if I did."

"And you told him…?"

"What do you think I told him, Yozak? Honestly, it isn't something I can tell someone like him. At least one of us has some sense of shame."

"Yeah, I know, and pride. You're almost as bad as Wolfram. Poor Heika, he was probably trying to convince you to ravish him."

Conrad's face was growing pinker the drunker he became. "Yozak, you're not helping now."

"Oh? Why? Am I strengthening your impish little resolve? I'm telling you, I think he loves you." Yozak flipped his hair, "When are you going to make your move, when you're 200? He's not going to be able to wait forever. Ha, so tell me, how did he ask you about us?" Yozak batted his eyelashes at Conrad, pretending he was a flirtatious woman, something he did frequently.

"Well, after sword-practice, he had me accompany him to the bath, after he was ready to get out he asked."

Yozak blinked.

"You mean he asked who you'd fucked in the past while naked, asking if you had to experience, while naked and you thought it was for you to what? For input?"

"The thought had crossed my mind." He admitted, lowering his head and sighing.

"You can be so dense with things like romance. Oh man…" Yozak sighed, "I think that is, I think you just told me the most idiotic thing you've ever done in your life. He really did want you to do him, and you picked on him. Stupid captain."

"Oh yes, because misreading that situation would have been fine, if it were the inverse? Of course I had to play it safe."

"Right… so, now that you have zero excuses, you're going to tell him, right?"

"Not right now."

"…" Yozak glared.

"Well, drunken confessions really would be inappropriate, think of my image if nothing else. I will tell him, tomorrow, I think."

Yozak tapped the bottle to Conrad's cup, "I'll drink to that, so do I need to wake up early tomorrow, still?"

Conrad nodded once, "Yes, to work of the calories you've put on by emptying that, think of your girlish figure, think of your dress."

Yozak smirked. "Oh, captain, you do care!"

Conrad shirked, "Ah you know what they say about misery and company."

Leaning back into his chair, Yozak added, "And hangovers." He pulled out two large containers of water, tossing one over to his friend. "Bottoms up, here's to tomorrow."

Conrad approached Yuuri's room, last night's conversation in mind, when he heard the teenager's voice squeak then yelp.

"Knock it off! Hey! Stop it! Get off!"

Conrad looked at the door, hand going to his piece, he pushed the door open, "Yuuri-heika!"

His hand moved from the sword as he diverted his eyes, "Ah, my apologies." He reached for the door, fishing so he didn't have to look back in on… that.

"Conrad! Don't just stand there! Help me! Your brother's being crazier than usual!"

Relenting, Conrad entered the room, closing the door behind him. He walked up to Yuuri and Wolfram, separating the two.

Wolfram growled as he was forced to separate from Yuuri's side, where he was attempting to re-button Yuuri's white tunic. Today, Yuuri got to wear a different outfit, apparently through Wolfram's insistence.

Wearing large quantities of white near Wolfram always made Yuuri worried, he really got the image of a bride.

"We have to go to the temple, so he should look his best, don't you think so too, Conrad?"

"Yuuri looks his best when he is most at ease, Wolfram." Conrad mentioned, handing Yuuri the next part of his outfit. Apparently, Yuuri was being seen to so far as to help him dress, of the raven-haired teen had to simply love that. Just as much as he'd no-doubt enjoy having his teeth drilled, without Novocain.

Yuuri looked down, blushing, "You both do realize I can get dressed all by myself, see, this is me, the competent maoh… now please stop looking at me until I exit the room fully dressed!"

Bowing, Conrad added, "Of course, Heika." He pulled Wolfram out by the form of a guiding hand on the shoulder, a guiding hand with a firm grasp on the optic nerve reminding his kid brother he would be following him, painlessly or otherwise.

Wolfram turned, "Fine. I still have to get ready, myself."

No sooner then the door was closed then Yuuri was worming his way out of the awful, uncomfortable garb, choosing instead, a different outfit. No, not a school uniform either! He put on a white dress-shirt and a blue light-weight vest, black pants, black belt, white socks, black loafers, and a light-weight black jacket. That should be enough black to keep Gunter quiet and to drive out any horrible thoughts of wedding-bells. He shivered it was just so… He added a black wrist-band, then pulled his necklace on with great care.

Inside the great center of the temple, he could see Murata Ken speaking calmly to Wolfram who was waving something around that looked like a feminine crown that seven-year-old Earth girls would wear while watching their princess animes. It was horribly girly and the more he looked at it, the less pleased Yuuri seemed.

Murata glanced over, noticing Yuuri, smiling he turned away from Wolfram then went to meet Yuuri.

"Shibuya! How are you doing?" His smile seemed remarkably honest and carefree. "Ah, so, has Wolfram told you why you're here today?" His eyes dart to the side as he whispered, "He's trying to marry you."

Yuuri's hand reflexively reached the height of his face, his palm pointing outward, elbow running parallel to his own shoulder. "Gh! I knew that was why he wanted me to wear so much white!"

Murata smirked, Yuuri turned to look up at his counter-part who was wearing more white than even Gunter donned daily. Maybe it was some priestly thing?

"Where's Conrad?" Murata eyes squinted as he smiled, glasses shining. "He did escort you I presume."

"Yeah, he uh, he was right behind me…" Yuuri turned around to see Conrad approaching, for a moment it struck him how beautiful he was, but he shook the thought from his head. Right now he was in great danger!

"Well then, Wolfram, if you insist of trying to reason with Shinou…" Ken shrugged to Ulrich, she motioned for the door, extending her arm to move forward. "Shibuya, come on in."

"Conrad can come in too, right…?" His voice sounded panicked, Conrad bowed then followed behind him.

Wolfram entered, Anissina's device in hand. Ken sighed, "Alright then, Wolfram, Shibuya… Shinou is listening, so Wolfram, just why should Shinou change his mind and let you marry him?"

He couldn't help but smirk as he saw Yuuri's eyes well up to the size of milk-saucers. He knew Wolfram wouldn't tell him.

"Simple! You sent my very mother on pursuit for free love, so to impinge upon our love would be a contradiction…"

Ulrich turned to Wolfram, "Shinou-sama says that it is true that impinging upon love would be wrong, but he stands by his resolve. He is not wrong for this."

"So if we prove to you how we love each other, it would obviously make sense for us to marry!" Wolfram seemed indignant.

Ulrich bowed her head then looked back up at him, smiling gently. Murata added, "Do you have some way of showing both of your undying love?"

"Yes! I have! Anissina made a device that indicates true love, you put this crown on, and…" he did so to Ulrich to demonstrate, pressing a button, the crown turned on, "See? The person she loves most is in this room with her, and as Ulrich loves Shinou-sama, it works. Am I wrong, Ulrich?"

Ulrich shook her head, "No, you are not. I do love Shinou-sama, very much."

"Well, that's great. You've just shown platonic love." Murata mentioned.

"No! That is one setting. Romantic love changes to a different color." Wolfram plucked the crown off of Ulrich, then put it on his own head, "As you can see with this red color, you can see, my true love is in this room with me."

Wolfram took it off quickly then shoved it onto Yuuri's head before the maoh could protest.

Yuuri watched in horror as his head was lit up with red light.

"And that proves that he and I love each other!" Wolfram said, pointing to Yuuri, proud that he proved his point.

"…Well, you see that, Shinou-sama," Ken smirked, "The person that Yuuri loves most is in this room, and the person Wolfram loves most is in this room." Yuuri seemed horrified.

"N-n- No! No! I don't want to marry you Wolfram…"

"He's just SHY! That was proof! He may not be ready yet, but he still wants to, eventually!"

"No… you're wrong!" Yuuri mentioned, looking at Ken indignantly.

"Wolfram, all you've proven is that Anissina made a flashlight." Ken started, "Where is the proof that you both love each other."

Yuuri looked at Ken, happily, "Yeah! I mean, how do we even know it does that much!"

Yozak leaned against the door, "Your Eminence summoned me?"

Murata smirked, "Well, Yozak, do you love anyone in this room?"

"…Not particularly." He smirked, looking at Conrad knowingly, "so that is supposed to be a love-meter? Sure, I'll try it on."

And upon donning it, the flashlight went off.

"See!"

"Ah, but you see, he is a half-breed, no offense Yozak."

"None taken, your eminence." Yozak glanced around.

Wolfram glared, "Conrad, you love me, platonically, right?"

"…Of course I do?" Conrad mentioned, the crown on his head before Yozak could register the breeze of the volatile blond zipping to and from him.

The crown lit up red. Yuuri's eyes widened, he looked back at Yozak, then Conrad. Hurt apparent.

"Well, I'll be going then." Yozak mentioned, as he left the room and closed the door.

"How far is the range?" Yuuri demanded, looking at Wolfram fiercely.

"The proximity of the room, why?" Wolfram mentioned, as the door closed, Yuuri could see Conrad's head still lit up red.

Conrad waited for a moment before taking it down from his head. Wolfram gave Conrad a dirty look.

"Oh? So it has a range? Hmm, then we can test who you really love, process of elimination. Right Ulrich?"

Ulrich nodded, "Shinou-sama agrees."

"Of course he does, he knows his trusty advisor could never lead him astray." Ken looked at Conrad, "Well, Sir Weller, please go first."

Conrad bowed, exiting.

"Oi, Yozak, we need you again, witnesses and all, if there is going to be a wedding…" Murata teased, Yuuri flinching.

Conrad and Yozak switched places, "As he hadn't been in the room before, he should be a null-hypothesis. Yuuri, you don't like Yozak like that do you?"

Yuuri shook his head, "Not particularly."

"Particularly?!" Wolfram mentioned, indignantly.

"Why are you so nervous, Wolfram? Before it glowed, didn't it? So if he really does love you…" Yozak smiled as Murata goaded the blond.

Really, the great sage was having a field day bullying the blond.

Yuuri put the crown on, light began to pour off, a soft pink illuminating brightly.

"W… Why is it only pink? The maryoku must be running low! It's still glowing!" Wolfram mentioned. Yozak, taking a page out of Wolfram's book, plucked it from Yuuri and put it onto Wolfram. It turned bright red.

"I'd say that's incorrect."

Yuuri looked down, "…Wolfram, can we stop this nonsense now?"

"No way! You cheater! You wimpy, dirty little cheat I'll never forgive you!" Wolfram railed, Conrad opened the door at the noise.

"Yuuri?"

The black haired maoh looked at Murata.

"Yes Murata?"

"It's your turn to leave the room. Conrad, switch please."

Conrad nodded, looking at Yuuri.

"Why are you questioning my resolve? I'm apparently the only one who wanted to get married that no good little… Yuuri you better keep watch in your sleep! You treacherous half-blood!"

Conrad closed the door, giving him a metered look, Yuuri's eyes cast upward in that moment of realization, as his eyes widened, his mouth opened, gaping slightly. Conrad smiled at him gently then shut the door.

"Well this is an interesting turn of events." Yozak whistled, Wolfram's face still bright red.

"Hmm, now this is difficult, if it isn't Yuuri or Yozak, and isn't Conrad, why, you don't have a crush on Ulrich do you?" Ken smirked, all too aware of what it meant. "Ulrich, please wait here. The rest of us will take it outside to Shibuya. After all, he may just love Shinou-sama."

"He could be that much of a narcissus." Yozak smirked.

Wolfram glared. Conrad pushed him from the door with a gentle swat on the back.

Ken exited, closing the door, the helmet beamed red. "Oh, well then, I guess that makes it me." Ken smiled. He took the helmet off Wolfram, bowed in and kissed him.

Conrad looked at Yozak and Yuuri, "Well then, I suppose we should take our leave."

"C… Conrad!" Yuuri looked down, then up to his warm brown eyes, "Do you… do you really… I mean do you…"

"Of course he loves you." Yozak noticed the quick kick to his shin from Conrad. "Oh, right… sorry, your moment." He turned, putting his hands on his head he whistled as he left the room. "All these lovebirds, poor me, with no one, eh?" He winked at Conrad, "I'll be heading to the bars to console myself, captain."

Conrad merely gave him one head-nod.

"Yuuri, please come with me."

Murata tossed Conrad the helmet, "Take it with you, after all, the two of you won't need witnesses to confirm it amongst yourselves."

Wolfram bit out a complaint, "Hey wait a second! You didn't even put it on yet--"

Ken merely gave Wolfram a smile, the smile of a person not dumb enough to do that. That thing really did look ridiculous, he was cooler than that, that and he didn't really like to tip his own cards.

Conrad led Yuuri out of the temple and to the carriage. Once inside, he sighed, "I'd rather tell you with my words, or even my body then with this hideous thing, but fair is fair."

Yuuri put it back onto his own head. "There, now we've both made fools out of ourselves." He smiled, then took off the thing, ending the reign of red light in the carriage.

Conrad pulled Yuuri into a full embrace, "Then does this permit me to ask for your affections openly?"

"Conrad, that better translate to Japanese as 'date me'."

He smiled softly at Yuuri, "For now, I can limit it to that, sure."

Lips met, as Conrad's arms snaked around Yuuri's tapered hips, crushing him to his own body as the kiss deepened.

Yuuri's lips wavered as his body asked for more. Wrapping an arm around Conrad's back, around his waist, his fingers clawed at the fabric seeing it as an obstruction to the process. Conrad pulled back, his own hands contacting Yuuri's chest as he unbuttoned the vest and shirt with an expertise that Conrad seemed to carry in his back pocket for everything.

Pulling the levels of jacket, shirt and vest off from over Yuuri's shoulders, he let his hand travel freely up and down Yuuri's back, biting and kissing Yuuri's collarbone, chest, neck and lips. He pulled back to pull his own shirt off from his back, pressing their bodies together in a firm embrace he continued to kiss Yuuri as the younger man's hands stumbled and moved across his back, sides, chest, arms, neck and face.

Yuuri put both his hands on the sides of Conrad's face, flanking it as he pulled back, his eyes looked up at him with a sharpness that, had there been slits instead of round pupils, one could have described as the maoh-mode's.

"I'm sorry, but that's all I can give for now."

Conrad merely smiled, politely pulling back, sitting on the bench seat across from his Heika. He took hold of Yuuri's hands and pulled him across, to him, holding him to his chest as he smelled Yuuri's hair, "Of course, Yuuri."

The brunette considered himself glad that he had trained his self restraint to be noble and strong-willed, because had he been anyone else, he might have gotten too over-zealous or tried to push further. As it were, he was content to just hold Yuuri.

"…I said for now, but, for tonight…" Yuuri's voice was smaller, a bit nervous, "…Ne, Conrad, have you slept with a man before?"

Conrad looked down at Yuuri, still unwilling to answer the spoken question, but decided he'd answer the unsaid one looming under the surface. "Yuuri, I'll be gentle and make it as painless as possible for you. You do trust me, don't you?"

Yuuri blushed, "I… of course I do, with everything! I don't doubt it, it, you're perfect so how could I doubt you?"

Conrad laughed, "I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm perfect, but I'd like to think I'm perfect for you."

Yuuri blushed, "Yeah, I like the sound of that." He curled closer to Conrad, "You said you'd limit yourself… but how far would you go really Conrad?"

"For you? Well, I believe I've completed the dimensional barrier… Yuuri, you mean everything to me and more, so there is no limit, that is how far I would go."

Yuuri blushed, "I'd go that far with you and for you, too, Conrad." Conrad kissed his black hair where it met with porcelain-soft skin. "But I don't mean what limits you already put in…" He looked down at his own legs.

"Yuuri, did you mean about just before? You did, didn't you…" He looked at the black-haired youth close to his chest. "Then, please forgive me for this." Yuuri pulled back, confused, until Conrad's hand made full contact with his cheek in a slap that was quite passionate.

Even as his face stung red, the teary-eyes were not due to pain. "Really? Really-really?"

"Really-really." Conrad mentioned, pulling Yuuri back close to him.

"I… I…" He pulled Conrad's face close to him, "I love you Conrad, I love you so much," kissing with tongue as if to continue his verbal chants of 'I love you' inside Conrad's mouth above his own tongue. When Yuuri pulled back to breathe he panted, "I'd be honored… to marry you, Conrad."

-The End-