Warm
Rating: K
Pairing: Yuuram
Disclaimer: I don't own KKM. This was written for my friend Leaf's birthday.

It was not going to be easy. It would be far from easy. Yet at the same time, it wouldn't be hard at all. It would be surprisingly simple because Yuuri wanted it now more than he ever had before. Not that he had actually wanted it in the first place, but that was beside the point. He'd gotten over that quite awhile ago and now the only thing on his mind was just a question. That question plagued him like nothing ever could or had or ever would again. It bothered him so badly.

It was three letters. H-O-W. Well, those three letters and some other words attached, but it was the fact that W-H-Y wasn't the main question that surprised Yuuri the most. He had come to terms with it. He hadn't liked it at first, but then again he hadn't really liked being the Maou at first, right? Things took time. It had taken time. But now he had time. He'd used that time. And he didn't need to ponder over the silly question of "why" because he was already so set in his decision that thinking about the "why" would just be a meaningless waste of his time.

Now it was all about the how. Just how was it going to work? How was he going to make it work? His plan was going to work; if it didn't he wouldn't know what to do at all. He needed it to work. He needed it to work desperately. He needed it desperately. He needed... Yuuri needed Wolfram. He just did. There wasn't any specific reason or moment when he'd known it or anything like that, but he knew it. Dare he say it? Dare he admit it? Well, if he was going to go through with his plan—which he just had to happen because he needed it—he would have to admit that he loved Wolfram. His Wolfram. The one that was always by his side no matter what he did, said, thought. Wolfram was there always.

It had taken time for Yuuri to realize this because all his other friends had been there by his side too. But Wolfram's huge presence wasn't noticed until it was gone. Not like he was dead or anything, it was just... since...

The engagement hadn't been taken seriously from the beginning. Maybe it was his fault. It probably was his fault. He had thought about ladies the whole time during their journeys. He had and he would admit it now. Yuuri had been brought up to believe that men were with women and women were with men and if you were a man that loved a man then it was just wrong. So that slap... that engagement... it had been labeled as wrong in Yuuri's mind for so long he just didn't know what to do with himself now because really, when it came down to it, it was his fault Wolfram was gone.

But Wolfram wasn't really gone. He had just become occupied with other things. It started so subtlety, no wonder Yuuri hadn't caught on. Wolfram spent more time with Gwendal, leading the military, and basically anywhere else he could have an excuse not to be with Yuuri.

Yuuri had finally caught on when Wolfram stopped sleeping with him. Not like they had sex or anything, it was just his presence, or lack thereof. And Yuuri missed it. He couldn't sleep anymore, not without that snoring and moving and... Wolfram.

The blond was still by his side whenever he went out any where, but there hadn't been a real reason to go anywhere lately. It was him in his castle working with no Wolfram whatsoever and he was ready to scream.

And since he couldn't sleep, he had more time to ponder his question of how. Their engagement was over; he knew it because Wolfram didn't call him his fiancé anymore. And that really hurt, because even if it had been an accident he'd grown accustomed to it. But now they weren't together anymore.

Yuuri had to smile. Well, not right now, they weren't. But he'd figured out how, and by tomorrow night they would be. It wouldn't be easy, but he had to propose to Wolfram again. Seriously this time. Because Yuuri loved him.

O0oOo0O

He saw Wolfram. It was like one of those slow-motion movies where the sparkles suddenly appear out of nowhere and surround Wolfram with shiny bubbles and hearts that have blinding powers. And Yuuri just stared. He stared. And he stared. Until he noticed Wolfram was leaving.

Actually, Wolfram had left. Yuuri pouted. He would have to focus, definitely. There would be time to stare at Wolfram's gorgeous face later. Right now, he needed to make sure that gorgeous face stayed his gorgeous face and Wolfram didn't go off and marry some other person because, as the Maou, he just wouldn't allow that. So there. Wolfram wasn't allowed to marry anyone but him. Yes. That would have to be a new law if this didn't work. His plan B. Plan A was just to slap him.

It felt weird, but Yuuri had to sort of laugh at his thoughts. Here he was, sitting on the ground with his head and back against the wall, planning how exactly he should slap his love interest. It was just humorous. But if he wasted all his time here, Wolfram would get even further away!

He pushed himself up and glanced around. The blond was already out of sight. Yuuri sighed.

It was going to be a long day.

O0oOo0O

Finding courage was hard to do, especially when he saw Wolfram. It was so easy to run through all the possibilities in his head and see the happy outcomes, but when faced with the real thing Yuuri didn't know what he'd do. But he had too, and he was the Maou, after all. He had the strength. It was just summoning that strength that seemed to be the problem.

And he sort of wanted to do it in private. Proposing privately was good. If Wolfram turned him down, then he wouldn't be as embarrassed if it were private.

There he was. Do it, Yuuri. Do it. Grab his hand.

Yuuri reached out and had Wolfram's hand intertwined with his before his actions were processed in his mind. Wolfram only raised his brows.

"Heika? Can I help you?"

It was a colder tone, the one that Wolfram had taken after the engagement thing fell through.

"I... I need to talk to you."

"What do you have to say?"

"I need to talk to you privately." Yuuri's eyes connected with Wolfram's, and Yuuri felt his breath hitch. There was something wonderfully marvelous about Wolfram's eyes. They displayed all his emotions, even if his body language differed. He had tried to learn how to read those eyes. And he hoped that what he saw was real and he wasn't just being conceited. Yuuri prayed that he really had seen that glimmer of hope.

O0oOo0O

Panting. Twitching. Butterflies were having seizures in his stomach and his heart was pounding faster and stronger than it ever had before. Yuuri had to keep going. His hand was holding Wolfram's. They were standing so close. He could see the small amount of sweat that had gathered in Wolfram's soft, blond curls due to his work. He wanted to wrap the hair around his fingers and just... just cherish. But it seemed so far off when he looked straight into those green eyes and felt his rapid-beating heart drop in his chest.

But he had to do it. He just had to.

"Heika, what is it?"

He couldn't form the words. He moved his mouth and nothing came out. No noise at all. He could only gape.

"Heika?"

Slap.

They both froze, the sound echoing down the hallway where they were standing alone. A slap. Wolfram's left cheek was glowing; Yuuri hadn't held anything back. His hand was wavering next to Wolfram's face. He could only stare into those eyes and wait for his answer.

"Yuuri?"

His hand brushed against the blond's cheek, rubbing it gently. Wolfram's eyes widened as Yuuri moved his fingers soothingly in a circle to ease the sting. It worked, for all Wolfram could focus on was the entrancing, innocent eyes locked on his.

They both didn't know what to say. Their eyes said it all. Wolfram's emotions flickered through those green orbs: surprise, shock, confusion, disbelief, acceptance, and then there was love. Yuuri's eyes changed to match Wolfram's.

And then Wolfram smiled. It was one of those rare smiles of his, the ones that came only when he was truly happy about something. Yuuri felt his smile grow as the blond wrapped his arms around him and pulled him into an embrace. A loving one. Yuuri sighed, content, and relaxed into Wolfram's warmth.

The only thought that drifted into his mind was how much he had missed this.