#murayuu

He should call Murata…something. If Wolf was his fiance, what did that make Murata? His mistress? Just the thought of that word made Yuuri blush. His side hustle? He wasn’t a job!

He was more like a boyfriend. But that seemed too insignificant compared to Wolf. Wasn’t Yuuri’s whole point before that he didn’t actually care more about Wolf than him? If he was acting like he was in love, it had to be done equally to both of them, right? But they couldn’t both be his fiance. That would be ridiculous! Unheard of! Not to mention illegal!

Then maybe he was his l–love? That was..far too embarrassing to say out loud. Never mind out loud, it was practically too embarrassing just to think.

So, his only choices then were boyfriend or partner.

Yuuri made a face. Maybe he’d ask Murata to choose. Not that he could even use the term in public anyway.

He couldn’t, right? That would be too…abnormal, right? How many people had multiple partners? Especially kings.

Actually, now that he thought about it, he knew of a lot of kings who’d had mistresses and affairs. Wasn’t the king over the law?

What was he thinking? Yuuri wasn’t one of those high-and-mighty kings. He was a good, law-abiding citizen. At least, he was until his life had somehow gotten so complicated. When exactly had that happened again?

He sighed and stared down at the stack of papers that he had not even begun working on. His head already hurt just from thinking about his love life. He didn’t need other people’s problems on top of it.

Wolf should be finishing up his drills soon anyway. He should just go meet with him.

As soon as he stood up, though, he received a glare from Gwendal who had taken up residence at the opposite desk in the office.

“What do you think you are doing?” asked the first son.

Yuuri gave his best innocent smile. “Going to see Wolf.”

Gwendal didn’t look impressed in the least. His head was resting on firmly folded hands. “As impressive as it is that you are actually rendezvousing with my brother, your work is still substandard. Did you even sign a single document?”

“Well…” Yuuri hesitated not meeting Gwendal’s intense glare. “I can’t focus, so it’s better if I just get back to it tomorrow.”

Gwendal gave a heavy sigh. “This has to do with my brother, I take it? Do you think that seeing him now will give you better focus tomorrow?”

Probably not. “O-of course,” he said.

Gwendal unfolded his hands. His fingers stretched out before the palms of his hands came down onto the table. “Fine. Go. But tomorrow I expect you to get through twice as much work to make up for it.”

Yuuri rushed out of the door before he could change his mind. Sheesh. He’d never be able to get through that much paperwork even if he could focus. There was no way one evening with Wolf would fix his lack of focus either since this was also about Murata. Not that Yuuri could tell Gwendal that.

To be honest, it was a bit disappointing that he only ever had limited time to see Murata anymore. Too bad he couldn’t just go see him whenever he wanted. Tomorrow was definitely out now. But maybe he could send him a request to come to the castle.

Yeah! Okay, he’d ask Wolf about it.

Yuuri wasn't surprised to find Wolf sweaty after his training. That didn't make him any less sexy. A siren went off in the back of his head, but he ignored it. He could find Wolf sexy. He should find Wolf sexy because they were in love.

Yeah.

"Yuuri?" Wolf picked up a cloth off a folding table and used it to wipe the sweat off his brow.

Yuuri kind of wished he was that cloth. Or better, he could just walk up and take a swipe with his tongue–

Too much, Yuuri!

That was fully worthy of a siren. He should get sent to horny jail for that thought.

He shouldn't sexualize him just because he wiped some sweat off. Wasn't that like objectification or something? Like he could only sweat for Yuuri?

Besides, they were in public!

Luckily, Wolf's men were already disbanding, so Wolf was really the only one who noticed his floundering.

The athlete-pinup-worthy blonde gave him a questioning look. "What are you worrying about now?"

"Huh?" Yuuri blinked. "N-nothing…"

Wolf didn't look satisfied. He tossed the cloth back down onto the table. "Sure." He turned toward one of the men still loitering around. "Jaques, take care of these."

The redhead stiffened at being addressed. He bowed before answering, "Of course, Sir."

Content, Wolf turned back toward Yuuri and they started walking down the castle corridors. "You're done with work a bit earlier than usual today."

"About that…"

"You ran out, didn't you?"

“No,” he denied immediately. “I got permission.”

Wolf still didn’t look convinced. “I’m not buying that you impressed him with your work ethic.”

They turned a corner. “Don’t worry about it. I might have to stay late tomorrow, though.”

Wolf stopped and glared at him. “What did you do, wimp?”

“I sorta…” Yuuri wrung his hands, “didn’t get any work done today.”

Wolf sighed and started walking again. “You’re more of a wimp than I thought.”

“Hey!” Yuuri hurried after him. “It’s because of you I couldn’t focus.”

Wolf stopped again and whirled around. “What did I do?”

Yuuri looked down at his feet, suddenly feeling shy. “N-nothing.”

“Oh, no, you don’t.”

Wolf gripped onto his shoulders and pushed him back against the stone wall. He pressed in close so that Yuuri couldn’t get away. Not that Yuuri wanted to. Right now, he wanted very badly to lean in and kiss that scowling face. And maybe miss his lips the first time so that he could get a hint of leftover sweat.

“You can’t just use me as an excuse to get out of work.”

“I’m not. I just…” His eyes fixated on his downturned lips. “I can’t stop thinking about you.”

Wolf sucked in a breath and his hands fell away from him. Yuuri felt a little disappointed at the loss of contact.

Yuuri continued, “I mean, I still don’t know if I’m doing this right or not.”

“Doing what right?”

“L-loving you.” It still felt awkward to say.

“I hate that you can be so cute.”

“No way!” Yuuri yelled. “You’re the cute one.”

Wolf smiled. “We’re both cute. Anyway, I think you’re doing fine.”

“Yeah, but…” Yuuri dropped his eyes. “Am I actually making you happy?”

Wolf lifted Yuuri’s chin up. “Yes, so stop worrying.”

“But–”

Wolf cut him off with a kiss. Yuuri sagged back against the wall. His hand found Wolf’s and entwined their fingers.

Wolf pulled back when Yuuri let out a moan.

“Hold that thought,” Wolf said.

Yuuri whined, which only made Wolf smirk.

“Don’t worry, we can have fun back in the room.”

The rest of the walk felt extra long, especially since all Yuuri could seem to think about was being taken against the castle’s stone wall. In hopes of easing his sudden arousal, he asked in an almost casual tone, “Do you mind if I invite Murata over tomorrow? It sucks that I can’t see him very much.”

“Didn’t Brother say that you have to get through all the paperwork? You won’t even have time to see him. It would be better to invite him over the next day and use that as motivation to actually get through your work for once.”

Yuuri swallowed. “M-maybe he could spend the night.” He must be hornier than he thought to actually suggest that.

Wolf fell silent.

Yuuri breathed rapidly waiting for his reply. It felt like such a taboo question. It could have been innocent, but they both knew it wasn’t. Yuuri was asking if he could stay in their bed. He was panicking that he upset Wolf. But hadn’t he let Murata stay over that one night? But maybe things were different now that they were in love. Maybe he should apologize and just forget about it.

“Okay,” Wolf answered in a steady tone.

Yuuri swallowed again. He couldn’t believe that he had agreed and so easily. “Realy? You’re sure you don’t mind?”

Wolf turned and cradled his face in his hands. “You’re still mine alone tonight.”

Yuuri shivered. That was true. He wondered what he had in mind. After nodding, he resumed walking. He didn't even realize how fast he was walking until Wolf chuckled.

They crashed against each other as soon as the door was shut behind them. Yuuri nearly knocked them over in his hast to press his body against his fiance’s.

They had messed around some, but they hadn’t gone all the way since his emotional breakthrough. He still wasn’t sure what made “making love” different from regular sex. What was Wolf wanting from him?

They made it to the edge of the bed. Yuuri broke their kiss, running his hands down the muscles of Wolf’s arms. “How, uh, should we do this?”

Wolf sat down on the edge of the bed. “You want me to give orders?”

Yuuri looked away from his beautiful face. If he kept looking he’d say yes in a heartbeat. “I just want to know what you want.”

“It doesn’t always have to be about me.”

“I know that,” he said, looking intently at the tiled floor. “But you want to make love, so…”

Wolf took his hand which pulled Yuuri’s gaze back to meet his. “I never meant to put so much pressure on you. Just be with me, okay?”

“Yeah, but…” Yuuri felt like that had to just be him compromising yet again. He didn’t want that.

Wolf sighed. “Okay, how about I make love to you instead? That way you don’t have to think about it.”

That sounded perfect! But wasn’t that another form of avoidance? “I shouldn’t.”

Wolf sighed again. His other hand cupped his face. “I’m not telling you not to think. I’m telling you to let me take care of you.”

Yuuri nodded instantly. He could do that if that’s what Wolf wanted.

Wolf undressed him slowly. It was as if he was doing it with pure tender loving care. It was a bit overwhelming.

“Undress me too, wimp.”

Yuuri tried his best to imitate the way Wolf did it, but his fingers fumbled over the clasps and buttons. He hoped the care showed through his actions, though. It was strange. He felt like he was playing the role of an actor, yet at the same time what he was trying to convey was real. He knew that he cared about Wolf, so maybe all he needed to do was learn how to show it better.

As soon as they were both undressed, he pulled Wolf in close to him to try to do that, but Wolf pushed away. He frowned at the face Yuuri made.

“I’m just getting the lubricant, wimp.”

Yuuri watched Wolf’s beautiful form as he got the item. The effect of his artistry was mellowed due to Yuuri’s realization that he was in fact a huge wimp. Why was he so worried about rejection? If anyone had the right to worry about that it was Wolf. He let out a loud sigh.

Wolf came back over with a frown. He flicked Yuuri right on the forehead. “What are you worrying about now?”

Yuuri stared down which gave him a lovely view of Wolf’s exquisite thigh. He wished he hadn’t sighed so that he could be touching it right now. “N-nothing.”

Wolf sighed at his denial. “Fine, but you better not be holding anything stupid in. I’m holding you to this relationship 100%.”

Yuuri figured he could touch his thigh now, so he did. Wolf sucked in a breath at the contact. “I want to be.”

Wolf’s hand covered his own. “You like my thighs, don’t you?”

“Uh…” Yuuri could feel his cheeks heating. “I like all of you, so…”

Wolf grinned. “You really are too cute for your own good.”

“Shut up! It’s not like I try to be.”

Wolf pressed their foreheads together. “That just makes you even cuter.”

Yuuri groaned. “You’re cute, too.”

Wolf just grinned wider. “I know.” He ran his other hand down Yuuri’s arm. “Are you sure you’re okay with me topping?”

Yuuri nodded. He kind of preferred that actually. It felt safer.

Wolf exhaled through his nose. “Okay. Get up on your knees. It’ll be easier to prepare you that way.”

Yuuri crawled up onto the bed on all fours and stuck his ass out. He felt a tinge of shame roll over him, but it sent a jolt of arousal through him as well.

Yuuri couldn’t see him, but he could feel Wolf move up onto the bed behind him. Wolf cupped his right ass cheek, then kissed the left one.

Yuuri swallowed around his arousal. “Have you ever done it before?” he asked. He didn’t want to be on the receiving end of his own horrible first time screw up.

“Not besides myself, but I know how to do this. Anyway, I was there during Murata’s fingering lecture, wasn’t I?”

If Wolf practiced on himself, he probably had a lot more practice than Yuuri did. The mental image of Wolf spreading his legs and fingering himself was so sexy, he was surprised he didn’t get an instant nosebleed. He hoped he got to see it one day.

His mental image dispersed at the cool feeling of his lubed finger prodding at him, His body jolted a bit on reflex, but then he relaxed as the coolness faded. Wolf’s finger slid in slowly. He was a lot more careful than Yuuri had been. It made him feel cherished, but also remorseful. Wolf had deserved better from him.

He remembered how sure and calculated Murata’s fingers had been the first time. If they hadn’t and Yuuri hadn’t been running on pure lust, he would have had a complete meltdown. He should have treated Wolf the way he wanted to be treated. He should have cared about him more than his own defenses.

"Sorry for before," he said.

"Sorry for what?" Wolf asked while adding another finger.

Yuuri planted his face into the mattress in hopes that it could give him more courage. "For hurting you before.”

“What?” It took a moment, but then Wolf continued. “Oh, that? It’s fine.”

Yuuri rolled over to face him. “No, it’s not. I should have taken care of you, too.”

Wolf gave him a sweet smile and cupped his face. “You’re trying your best, and that’s all I can ask from you.”

Yuuri shook his head. “No! Tell me to go beyond. You deserve it.”

He could see a flicker in Wolf’s eyes at his words. He obviously noticed how Yuuri twisted the context from asking to telling. “Are you telling me to be more selfish?” Wolf teased.

“Yeah,” Yuuri answered resolutely. He shouldn’t be the only one being selfish.

Wolf’s hand came down and gripped Yuuri’s erection. “Then, let’s get on with it.

Immediately, Yuuri nodded unconsciously. Rolling back over took a bit of work, though, because his body didn’t want to give up that sweet touch.

Wolf chuckled at the groan he made when he did manage to roll back over. “Just a second.” He reinserted his fingers and added a third in short order. “Alright, I think you’re good. Lay back against the pillows.”

He did as instructed, and Wolf closed in on him right away. Yuuri wasn’t sure if he liked seeing him above him or under him better, but right now, he was most caught by the realization that he could fully wrap his limbs around him. It was ironic somewhere in the back of his mind that he used to complain about Wolf doing the same thing unconsciously in his sleep. The forefront of his mind, however, moved his body to wrap him up and pull him in close.

Wolf kissed the edge of his hairline. “Didn’t I say to get a move on?” he said without any real annoyance.

“I just…want to feel you close.”

“I could be even closer if you let me move into position.”

Sighing, Yuuri loosened his limbs. He couldn’t stop his thoughts wandering as he watched Wolf coat himself with the lube, though. “If you’re fine topping, why didn’t you just take control before instead of asking Murata to help me?”

Wolf placed the bottle of lubricant down on the far side of the bed, cheeks blazing a beautiful shade of red. “Because I wanted to get pounded,” he nearly whispered.

“Do you still want to?”

Wolf let out a tiny laugh. “Do you still want to pound me?”

The answer was out of Yuuri’s mouth before he could even think about it. “Always.” Then more consciously, he added, “But I like getting pounded, too.”

They shared a laugh over how silly it sounded. Then Wolf sobered. “Are you ready?”

Yuuri bit his lip but nodded.

It had been a while since he’d been able to do it with Murata, so he expected the stretch when Wolf pushed inside of him. It was…different. It wasn’t better or worse, but every nerve of his body was reminding him that this was Wolf .

Yuuri clung to him again, which pushed him deeper inside. Wolf huffed at the movement since it disrupted the slow and steady slide he had begun. Once he bottomed out, Yuuri forced him into a kiss.

Wolf breathed heavily through his nose. He was trying to keep a slow pace, but with each thrust, he was losing the battle. Yuuri rolled his hips up, wordlessly spurring him on.

Wolf broke the kiss, speaking with broken words, “Sorry, I…didn’t mean to do it like this.”

Yuuri held onto the space where Wolf’s neck and shoulders met. “Don’t worry, I like it rough.” He could feel his cheeks heat as soon as the words are out, but Wolf drove into him harder which made the embarrassment worth it.

“Good,” Wolf forced out. “I wanted to show you how special you are. But it’s…harder than I thought.”

Yuuri kissed his words away. He didn’t care about that, especially when he hit that spot inside him. His head fell back with a cry.

Wolf grunted with focused effort and hit that spot again.

Yuuri kept his head back but clutched onto his biceps as he thrust in again and again.

His orgasm found Yuuri sooner than he would have liked. His head was spinning like the whirlpool of the star tours. Words fell from his lips unbidden.

I love you.

Wolf stilled momentarily, just staring at him in shock. Then he started moving again, movements broken and fast-paced. “Yuuri!” he cried out.

Wolf’s crumbled onto him as his breathing steadied. When they had both recovered from their orgasms, he leaned back up and kissed Yuuri’s face. “I love you too, wimp.”

Yuuri’s chest fluttered. He hadn’t meant to say that, and definitely not right now when it shouldn’t have sounded genuine, but for the first time, he knew it was the truth. Maybe it was his mind and body and heart responding to Wolf’s own emotions being conveyed through the act, or maybe he had just finally stripped all his layers away, but Wolf seemed to understand, so that’s all that mattered.

The realization was strong and comforting, like the weighted blanket his mother used to put over him to calm him down as a child. He felt that he should say something else to Wolf, but he didn’t want to break the moment.

When he looked down at his face which had fallen back onto his chest again, he realized he didn’t have to. Naturally, Wolf had fallen asleep already.

Yuuri smiled and placed a kiss on the top of his head. Apparently, Wolf was like this regardless of his role in the act.

Yuuri ran his fingers through his silky hair, then down his back, and tried to catch some sleep himself.

Yuuri woke up earlier than usual but felt surprisingly well-rested. He savored the pleasant feeling in his chest before expertly wiggling out of Wolf's embrace so as not to wake him up. After getting dressed in his running gear, he sat down to write his letter for Murata since there was still some time until Conrad showed up. It took him a few tries to finally figure out what to say. Now that he finally knew what love felt like, he knew that he really did love both of them. Short and simple was best, though, he decided. A love confession should be done in person.

Right after he rolled the parchment up for sending, a light knock sounded on the door.

Conrad was smiling as usual when Yuuri answered the door. "Good morning, Your Majesty. You look like you are in a good mood this morning."

Yuuri smiled back. "I am in a good mood. But it's Yuuri, remember."

He shut the door behind him and started walking down the hall alongside Conrad. About a minute into the walk he waved the letter. "I hope you don't mind, but I'd like to send this off before we run."

"Of course, Yuuri. Who is it for, if you don't mind my asking?"

Yuuri gazed down at the letter. "Just Murata. I haven't seen him in a while."

Conrad's smile didn't waver. "It's nice to have such good friends on your side."

Yuuri looked anywhere but at his face. "Yeah."

Wolf was still asleep when he returned. He didn’t want to just head off to work without even saying good morning, but he figured that was the best thing since he had to get all that paperwork done before he could see Murata. His head hurt just thinking about looking at that many papers. After changing into his day clothes, he looked again at the peaceful face of his sleeping fiance. On a stroke of genius, he realized that he could write Wolf his own letter. Short and simple, he decided again. Smiling triumphantly to himself, he set the letter down beside his sleeping fiance on the bed and left their chambers once more.

Wolfram woke up feeling more content than he had in a long time. Yuuri said he loved him! Sure, he had said it a handful of times by now, but this was the first time he had seemed sure of the words. Wolfram knew Yuuri might still stumble, but he felt assured at last that Yuuri really did want this relationship rather than just wanting to make him happy.

His arms stretched across the bed. He was disappointed but not surprised to find it devoid of his fiance. He was surprised, however, to find a note.

He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes so he could focus on the words. A small smile spread over his face.

Morning, Wolf,

I figured I should head to work bright and early today. I wanted to say hi first, though, and let you know that last night made me happy.

Wolfram set the note down and made himself presentable. Dressed and ready to head down to the dining hall for a quick brunch before his drills, he picked the note up and tucked it into his jacket pocket. It felt childish, but he wanted to keep a bit of Yuuri close to his heart.

Yuuri actually seemed to be taking his work seriously, since Wolfram didn’t see him at lunch. Figuring that he shouldn’t be disturbed, Wolfram instructed the guards to inform him instead of Yuuri when Murata arrived. He still hadn’t been contacted by the time he was finished with his drills, so he headed to take a bath.

It was still pretty early in the afternoon when he finished up, since drills were dying down due to the weather growing colder. He would have loved to take a ride on Roselind, but he had to stay within the castle’s perimeter to meet their guest, so he instead headed to the library and read up on ancient elemental practices. It was nearly an hour later when he finally received a summons.

Murata smiled when he saw Wolfram approach. “Lord Wolfram,” he greeted with a bow.

Wolfram wasn’t sure how to feel about the gesture. They had not really had a proper discussion since that day back at the shrine when Murata had propositioned him. Wolfram still wasn’t exactly sure how he felt about that, but he figured by allowing Yuuri to invite him over to spend the night , he had kind of already agreed to that proposition.

“Thank you for coming,” he greeted back. After a moment, he added, “for Yuuri.”

Murata grinned at him. “Of course.”

“He’s still working.”

“I figured,” Murata said. “His letter said he might be late.”

“For now, you’re stuck with me. Unless you’d rather do something alone until then.”

Murata’s hand found his upper arm. “Now, why would I do that when I could spend this lovely time with you?”

Wolfram almost complained about the unsolicited physical contact but then he remembered how he was the one that told Murata to “do what he wanted.” He wasn’t ready to paint himself a hypocrite.

Trying to dispel the slight unease at being touched, he folded his other arm over his torso. “Well, then, what would you like to do? I take it you are not much of a rider.”

“No, not really.” Murata gave a self-mocking chuckle. “My body doesn’t really appreciate it the way some of my last ones did. Although I wouldn’t mind visiting the stables if you would like to tend to the horses.”

Wolfram shook his head. “No, that’s okay. We might as well stay inside so Yuuri can find us easier. I was just reviewing ancient elemental practices, if you’d like to join me in that?”

Murata’s eyes sparkled. “Ancient elemental practices? Like, alchemic crystallization and ambient kinesis?”

Wolfram smiled. “You know about it?”

Murata crossed his arms over his chest. “Of course! I know about all of the ancient mysticisms as well.”

Wolfram’s eyes widened. “Even those not detailed in the ancient texts?”

The Great Sage smirked. “Of course. I remember the time before those texts were written, you know?”

Wolfram grabbed the Sage’s hand and dragged him off to the library.

Yuuri heaved an exaggerated sigh when he finally finished signing the last piece of paper on his desk. He picked the paper up and slammed it down hard onto the completed stack. “And finished!” he cheered toward Gwendal, who was resolutely still working as well to make sure that Yuuri did as instructed. Yuuri actually felt a bit bad for keeping him longer than usual because of his own antics. But, oh well, it wasn’t really his fault, was it? No one told Gwendal he had to stay late with him.

Gwendal looked up from his own paperwork. Yuuri hadn’t exactly expected a smile or a “good job,” but he had expected more than an utterly blank expression.

The eldest son dismissed him with a wave of the hand. “Get going with you, then.”

Yuuri wondered if something was troubling the man, but he wasn’t about to dawdle later than he needed to, so he fled from the room without another word.

He checked his chambers, even though he had doubted he’d find his fiance and “partner” there anyway. He assumed Wolfram was not the sort to bring someone back to their room to “chill” even when the implications of what tonight would be were clear.

He felt a little guilty again thinking about that. Wolfram really was too good to him.

Next, he checked the dining hall since they would need to have eaten dinner. Still no luck. Knowing they both enjoy reading, he went to the library. What he found were the two of them huddled near each other glancing down at a single book. They were whispering between themselves as if afraid of getting caught by a stern middle-aged librarian. It made Yuuri smile.

Feeling a little bad about breaking the scene up, he cleared his thought and lifted his hand in a wave. “Hey.”

Murata’s eyes darted up first. “Yuuri!” He pushed the book onto Wolfram’s lap and ran over to hug him.

Yuuri stumbled back a little with the force but chuckled and returned the embrace. “I missed you,” he answered honestly.

Over Murata’s shoulder, Yuuri could see Wolfram shut the book and set it down on the seat cushion. “Go on,” Wolf said. “I’ll stay and read for a while.”

Yuuri frowned and pulled away from Murata so that he could face Wolf head-on. “Please stay–or, come with us, I guess. I didn’t mean to kick you out of our room by inviting him over.”

Wolf looked from Murata’s eyes to Yuuri’s. He wore a bittersweet smile. “I know. Don’t worry about it. I’ll,” he looked down at the cover of the book, “catch up in a while.” He looked back up at Yuuri. “I promise.”

Yuuri still felt odd about the situation as if he was doing something wrong by leaving him behind, but he decided to trust him. “Okay.” He looked at Murata and took his hand. “Let’s, uh, go then.”

Murata looked ecstatic over him holding his hand. He began walking out with Yuuri immediately, but when they reached the doorway, he called over his shoulder, in a strangely inviting tone, “See you later.”

Yuuri wondered if something was going on between them that he didn’t know about.

They were mostly silent all of the way to the royal chambers. Yuuri would have continued holding his hand the entire time, but he figured he shouldn’t when the guards could see. He sighed sadly when he had to let go.

Murata craned his head over toward him. “Yuuri?”

Yuuri startled. “Oh. I, uh, just…” They were almost at the door by now. “Let’s get inside.”

He practically pushed Murata inside the room. Luckily the guards were posted a bit down the hall. They could hear shouts but shouldn’t be able to hear other things that went on inside the room. Still, Yuuri wasn’t dumb enough to believe that the guards weren’t beginning to suspect that he and Murata had something going on after he had visited their room this many times. At least, he told himself, different guards were probably posted each time, and without proof, they couldn’t really spread false rumors. He could be inviting Murata to their room for purely innocent intentions.

But, of course, he wasn’t.

As soon as they were safely within the confines of the room, Yuuri pulled Murata close to him against the door. “Push me against the wall?” It was a poor imitation to any of the orders they had given him, but it did the trick.

Murata instinctively knew exactly how Yuuri wanted it. He pushed him backward by the shoulders while grinding their clothed groins together.

Yuuri let out an extremely embarrassing sound. Murata grinned at the reaction, though, and gave him a kiss as well.

“Are you going to answer my question from before, or we’re just going straight at it?”

Yuuri blinked to regain his focus. Oh, yeah. “I just,” he couldn’t meet Murata’s eyes, “didn’t want to let go of your hand.”

“Well, then.” Murata moved one of his hands down to grasp Yuuri’s.

Yuuri breathed out a short laugh which ended up turning into a moan. “I just want to feel you, ya know? And after last night with Wolf, I, uh, want a night with you…” He started to push Murata back. “But you’re right, it isn’t fair to call you over here just for sex.”

Murata held his ground. “I didn’t say I wasn’t into it.”

Yuuri huffed and shook his head. “You’re too much sometimes.”

Murata smirked and kissed the corner of his mouth. “You love it.”

“Yeah,” Yuuri said shakily.

It took a moment for the depth to dawn on Murata. He actually allowed space between them, although it still wasn’t much. “You actually sound like you mean it.”

Yuuri swallowed. “Y-yeah…You know how I didn’t understand what love was exactly? Well, I sorta figured it out last night.”

Murata snorted. “Which means you’re telling me you loved me for a while, right? Typical Yuuri behavior.”

Yuuri smacked him playfully on the arm. “Hey! It’s not like I did it on purpose.”

“Just like how you don’t do anything on purpose. Such a typical Yuuri move.”

“Yeah? Well, then…” Yuuri frantically tried to think of something he could do that wasn’t “Yuuri behavior.”

He launched himself at the other double-black. They both fell to the ground with Yuuri on top of him. Murata tried to cry out in surprise, but Yuuri’s lips smashed down onto his. One arm wrapped around his neck while the other traveled down to cup over his growing erection. Murata let out a groan at the contact which made Yuuri smile.

“See? I can be unpredictable!” he argued.

Murata laid all the way back against the rug. “That was uncalled for.”

“Yeah?” Yuuri asked defiantly. “Calling me nothing but predictable was also uncalled for. Talk about rude.”

Murata lifted his eyebrows. “You want to see rude?” saying this, he flopped over with all of his weight.

Caught unsuspectingly, Yuuri was helpless to the change in position and landed right on his back with Murata towering over him. It wasn’t a bad position at all, but from the gleam in Murata’s eyes, he knew he wasn’t in for anything good right now.

Murata’s fingers jabbed into his sides, armpits, and neck unrelentingly. Damn, Murata for knowing all of his weaknesses! Laughter bubbled out of him on impulse. His body attacked back defensively, trying in vain to knock him over or work past his arms to hit his partner’s own weak spots. Even though he was failing miserably in whatever game this had become, he couldn’t help the real laughter intermixing with the automatic. It felt nostalgic to be scuffling on the floor again. Years back, they had more wrestling and less tickling, though. So much laughter came out, Yuuri’s cheeks and sides began to ache.

“Okay!” he screamed out through the laughter. “I surrender!”

Always a good sport, Murata’s assault ceased instantly. Still, he smirked down at him. “What do you surrender, Your Majesty ?”

The way he said his title only made Yuuri smile harder. “My dignity.”

“Er! You never had that.”

Yuuri rolled his eyes at that. “My body?” he offered with a hint of sarcasm.

Murata just shook his head, looking far too high and mighty. “Wrong again. You already gave me that.”

Shit. Shit, shit…Yuuri needed out of this tickle fight, but also he really wanted to kiss that look off of his face, so he had no choice but to tell him what he wanted to hear. Right?

Yuuri turned his head to the side so that he wouldn't have to watch the look of triumph he knew would take over his partner’s face. “M–my h–heart?” He hated that it came out stammering.

Murata didn’t seem to mind, though. “Ding, ding, ding!” the double-black hollered happily. “We have a winner.”

Yuuri still wasn’t looking at him. “If I’m the winner, then what do I get?”

“You get to decide how we fuck tonight.”

Yuuri finally looked at him. He wasn’t smiling anymore. “That’s not right!” he pouted. “I’m supposed to be making love to you tonight, or whatever.”

Murata’s eyebrows lifted. “And what exactly does that entail?”

“I guess it means going slow and treating you special.”

Murata let out a short laugh. “You don’t have to go slow to treat someone special. Besides, I’ve always tried to treat you special anyway.”

Which meant Murata’s always been making love to him. Actually, wasn’t Wolfram always doing the same? His heart felt like it might explode out of his chest.

“And now I know that you’re treating me special,” Murata continued, oblivious to Yuuri’s possible cardiac arrest. “So, it’s fine. We don’t have to do anything different.”

Yuuri could feel heat in his cheeks. “What if I want to do something different?”

Murata smirked at him. “Yeah?” he asked suggestively. “What’s that?”

“For you to pin me to the wall again.”

Murata’s eyes danced. “I can, but the best you’re gonna get that way is a good grind. I’m definitely not strong enough to lift you up and fuck you against the wall.”

“Oh.” Yuuri couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit of disappointment. But maybe Wolfram was strong enough to do that.

Focus! he yelled at himself in his mind. What else did he want to do?

“Lie back on the bed, then.”

Murata looked a little skeptical. “Should I undress first?”

Right. “I’ll do it!” he offered quickly. They stood up and Yuuri intently began to remove each of his items of clothing. He paid extra physical attention to each bit of skin he exposed, too.

Murata was giving him a look.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he complained. “Like I said, I’m showing you you’re special.”

Murata chuckled. “Okay. Go ahead.”

“I’m done, now, so you should get on the bed. I’ll get the lube.”

Murata climbed onto the bed while Yuuri undressed and went around the bed to get the lube out of the drawer. When Yuuri joined him on the bed, Murata reached out for the vial.

Yuuri shook his head and held it close. “No. I’m doing it today.”

Murata lifted his eyebrows. “Really, now?”

Yuuri could feel his cheeks flush. “Not like that. I’ll, uh, prepare myself. Although, I, uh, wouldn’t hate that…If you wanted it.”

Murata sat up and wrapped an arm around him. “You’re really cute when you get shy, you know that?”

Yuuri didn’t know exactly how to feel about that, so he pushed him back down and straddled his lap. “Okay. I’ll get started then.”

He clamped his eyes shut as he did the work of preparing himself. He wanted to show Murata that he was willing to put in more effort, and he figured Murata was enjoying the show since he sure enjoyed Wolf’s show in his imagination from yesterday, but he still couldn’t help feeling super embarrassed about it.

As soon as he felt stretched out, he pulled his fingers out and moved over Murata’s now thick erection.

He finally met Murata’s eyes which were dark and staring into him so intensely Yuuri wondered if he could see his soul.

He licked his lips and swallowed. “Are you ready?”

“Gods, yes,” Murata sighed. His hands gripped his hips, pushing him down more which caused the base of Yuuri’s balls to slide along his shaft.

Yuuri bit his lip at the sensation, then shifted so that he could line the tip of Murata’s dick into place. He lowered himself down slowly until he was fully impaled. It was a familiar sensation by now, but it felt different being this in control of the situation. Murata helped his movements but didn’t try to guide them. For the first time, he felt in charge.

It was oddly empowering.

After a while, Murata’s hand found his dick and started pumping him. Yuuri threw his head back, really feeling it now. He panted, riding wave of pleasure after wave of pleasure.

His chest filled with each upswell of pleasure. Finally, it was too much for Yuuri to bear and he had to arch himself over to kiss him. It was messy and fervent.

Murata did guide him some now. He encouraged him to speed up and to angle a bit lower.

Yuuri broke their kissing to cry out when he hit that extra sensitive spot inside him. Murata leaned up as best he could to reclaim his lips. Yuuri wanted to take his face in his hands and kiss him senseless but he needed his hands to hold himself up. He rocked up and down until he couldn’t even think anymore.

The next thing he knew the world whited out. When he blinked his eyes open, he was curled up beside Murata in the bed. Murata must have wiped them both clean.

“Back with me?” Murata teased.

“Yeah,” Yuuri said with an embarrassed smile.

Murata placed a kiss on the top of his head. “That was definitely special.”

“Really?” Yuuri asked hopefully.

“Yeah.”

Yuuri sighed in relief. “Oh, yeah, I wanted to ask you something. Since Wolf’s my fiance, what do you want me to call you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Like…” Yuuri rubbed the sheets between his fingers. “Are you my boyfriend or my partner or–”

“I’ll be whatever you want me to be.”

Yuuri smacked his chest. “I’m being serious.”

“So, am I.”

Yuuri sighed. “I just want to show that you’re more special than a friend.”

“You already did that, though.”

“Still,” he continued defiantly, “I can’t have a fiance and a friend. I need a fiance and a partner.”

“Okay. Then I’ll be your partner.” He was smiling as if it wasn’t a totally huge deal.

Yuuri sighed trying to tell himself it really didn’t have to be. “Okay, partner.” It felt weird coming off his tongue.

Murata was still smiling, so it probably didn’t sound as weird.

Yuuri was still clutching onto Murata’s chest when the door opened. It took his brain a second to process that it was Wolfram returning. When it did process, he sat bolt upright which naturally caused him to wince. “Wolf!” he called out in an uncharacteristically loving tone.

Wolfram smiled at his greeting, but his eyes darted over to Murata who was still naked beside him. Yuuri could see the way his eyes took in all of his attractive details. Yuuri couldn’t blame him, Murata was hot!

When he didn’t come over immediately, though, Yuuri whined and stretched his arms out for him. It was a crime that he still hadn’t been able to kiss his fiance yet today.

Wolfram chuckled and came over to his side of the bed. “You’re acting like a child,” he said before giving him the kiss he wanted.

Yuuri just sighed and sagged against him. “I don’t care. I told you you didn’t have to leave.”

“It was only right to give you two a bit of privacy.”

Murata had never seemed upset watching him and Wolfram have sex, but maybe Wolfram would be upset watching the two of them instead.

However, Murata didn’t share his concern and teasingly asked, “What about me? Don’t I get a kiss?”

After an extended moment, Wolf leaned over Yuuri and did kiss him. It wasn’t exactly a chaste kiss either.

Yuuri was dumbfounded. He pointed an accusatory finger at Wolfram and then Murata. “I knew it! Something is going on between you two.”

Immediately, Wolf flared up in denial. “Not really.”

Murata smirked. “We were up in the air, but I guess we’ve landed.”

Confused, Yuuri looked to Wolf for elaboration.

Wolf groaned and ran a hand through his hair. “A while back before your whole breakthrough, we kissed.”

“We could have done more,” Murata said in a sing-song tone.

Wolf glared at him. “Like I said before, we had to sort things out with Yuuri before anything else.”

Yuuri nodded trying to put the picture together. It felt like he had jigsaw pieces that wouldn’t quite fit together all the way. “What does that mean exactly?”

“I don’t know,” Wolf answered with more emotion than necessary.

“It means," Murata cut in," that Wolfram needs to figure out what he wants and you need to tell us right now if you have some weird hold-up about us doing anything together. Although considering you orchestrated this little sleepover, I highly doubt that.”

Yuuri’s brain was shooting sparks off. This was weird and shouldn’t be happening, it said. But Yuuri took several deep breaths and tried his best to douse the reaction. It might be weird, but there was absolutely no reason it shouldn’t be happening. He was over here claiming them both and wanting to see Murata more often and wanting him over to sleep with them. It would be better, wouldn’t it? Different, sure, but wouldn’t it be better?

He looked at each of them and felt the unique way his heart fluttered in response. He realized that it had always been there but he had somehow just not noticed.

Taking in one more deep breath, he took one of each of their hands in his. “I want this to work.”

He could see Wolf swallow. “Okay.” The blonde’s eyes met Murata’s seriously. “What exactly are you wanting, though? You never made yourself clear.”

Murata shrugged. “What are you offering?”

Wolf groaned. “That’s not what I asked. Don’t act dismissive. I told you to be selfish, didn’t I?”

Murata hummed in thought. “I suppose I’d just like to see what happens. No pressure.”

Wolf pursed his lips in thought. Then, he nodded. “Okay, I can work with that.” His face hardened a bit, though. “But I’m not putting out right now! It’s late and I’m tired.”

Murata smiled. “I wasn’t asking you to.”

Yuuri smiled and kissed the crease on Wolf’s forehead. He was being way too cute. “I take it you’re ready for bed, then?”

“Duh. It’s past my bedtime already.”

Yuuri chuckled and pushed him up off the bed. “Get ready, then.”

Wolf huffed but headed over to the closet. Yuuri got up and started to follow his lead. Only after he had finished putting on his pajamas did he realize that Murata didn’t have anything to change into. “Oh my god!” he panicked.  “You don’t have anything to change into, do you?”

“Can I wear one of yours?” Murata asked in a pitiful tone.

“Sure, no problem.” Yuuri passed him a purple set of pajamas. He couldn’t help but stare as he put them on. They looked really good on him.

When the attractiveness of the sight diminished somewhat he realized something. “Hey!” he yelled, pointing a finger at him. “You knew you were staying over. Why didn’t you bring clothes?”

Murata smirked, not even trying to hide that he had planned this. “I wanted to sleep surrounded by your scent.”

Yuuri made an unintelligible sound.

Wolf was the one that managed to respond with an actual counterargument. “The whole bed reeks of us.”

Murata was still smirking even though he lifted the collar of the shirt up and took a giant whiff. “I know.”

Yuuri sighed in defeat. “Whatever. Let’s just get some sleep. Maybe I made a mistake. Being around both of you is tiring,” he complained as he climbed into the middle of the bed.

Wolf huffed loudly. “I’m tiring? What did I do?”

Yuuri waved his hand. “Nothing, just come to bed.”

Wolf groaned but did climb in behind him. His arms tugged him back against him. “Tell me or I won’t let you go.”

As if Wolf would let him go during sleep anyway. “Really, nothing.”

“Tell me.” This time Wolf spoke directly into his ear and it made his toes curl.

“You didn’t do anything today. I was just thinking about the future.”

Wolf’s arms held him closer instead of releasing him as promised.

Murata settled in on the other side, face-to-face with Yuuri. “The future, huh?”

Yuuri could feel his face heating and tried to hide it in the pillow. “Yeah. Is there a problem with that?”

“Not at all.” Murata sounded really happy which made Yuuri happy.

Yuuri’s arms wrapped around Murata as best as he could. He felt…a lot. Safe. Protected.

Loved.

The last thing he remembered before the void of sleep took him was the thought that he loved them. Whether he spoke it aloud or just thought it was unclear, though.

Yuuri woke up feeling hot and smothered. He groaned and opened his eyes to see Murata in front of him.

Oh, yeah.

He couldn't help but smile.

It was crazy to think about how different he felt just a few weeks ago, even more so a year ago. It was like he was an entirely different person from who enrolled in college or even the person who was pulled into this strange land.

And even though Wolf played a major role in the change, he really owed it all to Murata.

He was still hot from the covers, but it was more important to show his appreciation.

Murata startled awake from his kiss. "Yuuri?" he asked.

"Morning," Yuuri practically chirped.

"Morning. You sure are happy to be up this early."

Yuuri gave a cheeky smile. "Well, I'm always up this early to run with Conrad. I wanted to hurry and thank you before he got here."

"Thank me for what?"

"For daring me to kiss you."

“You shouldn’t thank me for that. I was taking advantage of the situation.”

Yuuri stood firm. “I don’t care. Deep down, I wanted you to.”

“I shouldn’t have made you kiss me the second time.”

Yuuri shook his head. “You never made me do anything.”

Murata’s face contracted. Yuuri might have thought he was close to crying but he had never actually seen his friend cry before.

Yuuri brushed over his cheek. “I’d never have gotten here without you beside me.”

Murata closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. Then he smiled back at him. “Thank you for saying that.”

“I mean it,” and Yuuri did. He said before that he wanted to keep Murata beside him, but he doubly meant that now. He didn’t just need him because he took care of him, he helped him grow. Besides, Yuuri wanted him beside him.

Yuuri took his hand in his, and they fell into silence.

Eventually, Murata started to sit up. “I should leave so you can get back to your work.”

“No!” Yuuri cried. Expertly, he unwrapped himself from Wolfram’s octopus limbs and straddled Murata so that he couldn’t escape. “I wanted us all to have a picnic or something. I don’t want you coming all the way over here just for sex.”

Murata smiled. Yuuri could tell he appreciated that. “You still have to get your work done. Being Maoh is pretty important.”

Yuuri pouted. “I still deserve a day off every once in a while.”

A knock sounded at the door. “Your Majesty?”

“Crap!” Yuuri jumped off the bed and threw the blanket over Murata’s head. “Hide,” he whispered.

As soon as he opened the door, he stepped out of the room and shut it behind himself.

"It's Yuuri," he complained out of habit.

Conrad gave him an amused look. Yuuri probably reeked of sex and looked like it too. Conrad definitely knew what he had been up to.

Okay! Yuuri could handle that! He already told his godfather that he was going to "act in love," so this shouldn't be a big deal. Yeah, it was fine. Yuuri didn't need to have a freakout. But he would have a full-on panic attack if he found out he was getting freaky with Murata in there in addition to his baby brother.

"Can we run this evening instead?" he asked.

To his dismay, Conrad smiled with a twinkle in his eyes. He probably thought Yuuri was anxious to get back in there to have another round. Yuuri assumed he wanted to congratulate him on this development but thought that might be too much too soon. If only he knew how long this had actually been going on.

"Of course," Conrad agreed.

“Thanks,” Yuuri said before sliding back inside his chambers.

“Phew,” he sighed.

Murata was sitting up and smiling at him. “Nice diversion.”

Yuuri scowled. “I didn’t lie or anything.”

Wolfram’s arm stretched out. He grabbed a pillow and threw it blindly. “Shud uup, bof ohf yu. Tarying ta slaep.”

Yuuri smiled and went over to kiss the top of his head. “Sorry to wake you. But, since you’re up, let’s go have a picnic.”

Wolf groaned and sat up. “You can’t just take off work,” he said in a much clearer tone.

“But why not?” Yuuri whined. “I worked really hard yesterday.”

Wolf scowled. “That was all catch-up. You wouldn’t have had to do all that if you would have just focused in the first place.”

Yuuri crossed his arms with a pout. “I don’t see you spending all day working on paperwork.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not the Maoh.”

Yuuri hated that he had a point. “But it’s the weekend. I deserve a day off every so often.”

Wolf scowled deeper. “What’s a weekend? Anyway, you take off more than every so often.”

“Yeah, but today is special. Murata’s here.”

Murata chuckled at that. “He’s right, though. You shouldn’t use me as an excuse.”

“But that’s not fair to you!” Yuuri argued. “Wolf gets to see me all the time.”

Wolf sighed in defeat. “Fine. I'll help you with your work since I don't have drills today.”

“Really?” Yuuri asked hopefully. He’d rather not do any paperwork, but that was better than nothing. “Thanks, Wolf.” He wrapped him up in a hug which Wolf readily returned.

When they broke apart, Wolf looked to Murata. “But if I'm helping, so are you.”

Murata lifted his eyebrows. “Am I?”

“Yep.”

“I didn’t think I was the one that took orders around here.”

Yuuri could feel his body heating up at that statement.

Not noticing the effect on him, Wolf just leaned back on the bed. “Maybe it’s about time you started.”

Murata smirked. “We’ll see.”

With the three of them splitting up the work, they managed to get through all of the paperwork in only a few hours. Yuuri felt more relieved than ever to be finished with the stack. “You should help me every day,” he suggested.

Wolf shot him down right away. “No way.”

“Aw, but why not?”

“You’d get spoiled.”

Yuuri pouted. “What am I, a dog?”

Wolf smirked at him. “I don’t know. You sit when told to.”

“Hey!” Yuuri jumped up and tackled him. They both fell onto the floor in a laughing pile.

They stayed there wrapped around each other laughing for a good while. When their laughter petered out, Murata came up and stretched his hands out to help them up. He was also smiling. They each took a hand and he helped hoist them up.

“You two really are a good match.”

Yuuri glared at him. “So, are we.”

Murata gave a short laugh. “If you say so.”

Yuuri put his hands on his hips. “I do say so. I also say that we get out of here.”

“Yes, sir.”

Wolf nudged Murata with his shoulder. “Looks like you are taking orders.”

“Who knows? Maybe we all like taking orders every once in a while.”

They had a picnic. They had several picnics. And a horse ride (with Murata riding behind Yuuri because he’d rather not be in control of the horse, thank you). They went to Earth, too. They gorged themselves on pizza and ice cream and showed Wolf all the cheesy movies Murata and Yuuri used to watch together. They even read some manga together, some nostalgic and some new pieces that ended up being…enlightening.

Overall, they did a lot together, and Yuuri realized more and more each day how incredibly lucky he was to have met both of these wonderful men.

It wasn’t a cakewalk and Murata and Wolfram didn’t just fall in love as if it was nothing, but, well, Yuuri wanted it to work, so they made it work.

He liked to think they were all happier for it.

None of them could really know how things would have worked out any other way, but anymore, he could see more shared smiles than not. As long as they were all happy, he liked to think they had finally figured things out.

Sure, it took a bit of maneuvering, especially in the bedroom, but that was manageable, too. Murata seemed to take pleasure in the challenge of it anyway, and Wolfram, well no one could deny that he enjoyed himself.

Sometimes, it’s easier to know what you don’t want than what you do want.

What Murata didn’t want was to accidentally do something that would end their friendship. Because outside of this odd dom/sub relationship, they were still friends. They attended classes together, ate in the university cafetaria together, and watched and played baseball together. If this shift in their relationship ended, he needed to know they would still have that.

Over the length of this arrangement, he had learned to be careful with his words. At the start, it had been easy for him to accidentally let orders slip off his tongue. How often had he joked with Yuuri in the past? Why don’t you kiss me, then? My date turned me down, so I need to take you instead. My shoulders ache. Give me a message. All spoken in jest, and Yuuri would groan or complain or begrudgingly play along. But now, a switch inside him had been flipped. Murata’s words held power over him. A power that Yuuri surely chose to grant him, although he would never admit it. This unspoken fact, however, spoke volumns to Murata.

Yuuri wanted to be ordered around. For the kink of it or just to avoid the consequences of his actions, Murata couldn't be sure. All he knew was that Yuuri wanted to listen to him, so he did.

It was a mixture of intimidation and pride having that much power of someone. Especially someone he knew would become a king. Not that Murata wasn't used to having power over kings, but it still stroked his ego to know that he could have the king stroking his cock as well at the drop of a single word.

Then Yuuri did go to Shin Makoku to become king, which Murata knew would change things between them.

Yuuri gulped at the sight of the blonde in front of him. He was a demon, if what Gunter said was correct, but he looked more like an angel. A prickly, untouchable angel, but radiant and mesmerizing all the same. The judgement in his sparkling green eyes and hardness of his face were easy to overlook when his golden hair caught the sunlight casting what might as well be his halo around his head. The beauty of him was obvious in the way that would have put him on the cover of magazines. Unapproachable in a way Murata never was, but just as magnetic.

The beautiful man scoffed, “Is this human of unknown lineage really supposed to be our Maoh? I can't put my confidence in such a filthy human! Judging from appearances, he doesn't seem intelligent or dignified."

Rude much? Perhaps he really was a demon after all.

Wolfram von Bielefeld was…complicated. A mix between an angel and a demon, Yuuri decided. Attractive to look at but dangerous to be around. This was made clear during their duel when he nearly killed an innocent maid. But there was a softer side to his as well, shown when he gave him a precious brooch and tried to protect his life at the risk of his own. Yuuri thought he was a good person. He liked him and wanted to be his friend.

Except, it was hard to be his friend when he insisted on being more than that. Fiance this, fiance that. Why couldn’t he understand that the proposal had been a mistake? It was a slap, not a proposal! It wasn’t like they could even get married anyway. Okay, well, he guessed here in Shin Makoku they could, but it would never be recognized in Japan. They were both guys, for crying out loud!

He wanted to just forget it, just like he forgot other things . But Wolfram made it damn near impossible to. He was there all the time, spouting insults or accusations. As if he owed him something. Yuuri had suspicions what, too, but he wasn’t about to dwel on that.

That was until he walked into his bedroom to find Wolfram falunting himself on his bed. He was clad in nothing but a bathrobe. It was tied–thankfully!--but still, all he’d have to do was roll around a bit and the thing might come undone, or at least show off some chest. Which would be distracting. Yes, distracting!

“What are you doing here?” he half-squeaked, half-shouted, while attempting to throw the sheet over him for his own decency.

Wolfram caught the sheet with his arm, wet hair swinging with his movement. Tiny water droplets flung off and onto his face. “I sneaked over for a night crawl.”

The water on his face reminded Yuuri of a hypersexualized water bottle commercial he saw not that long ago. Then his words sunk in, and Yuuri thought he might faint. “Night crawl?! A-as in, when a g-g-g-guy secretly crawls into a bed?"”

“For a rendezvous?” Wolfram looked confused by his intense reaction.

Yuuri gulped, eyes darting down to the exposed v of his collarbone. He stammered out his frightening question. “Are you talking about crawling into bed to…?”

"If I leave it up to you, it will never get settled."

He couldn’t really be suggesting what he thought he was, could he? "What kind of settlement do you want?"

The beautiful angelic mazoku pulled him down by the arm with a grin that made him shiver. “I want you to consummate the engagement.”

His eyes widened, lip trembling. Then, desperately, he pulled away and fled to the bathroom and locked the door behind him.

He tried to pretend that proposition never happened. Again, this was difficult to do when Wolfram decided to take up residence in his room after that. When asked about it, his only reply was that they were fiances so that’s where he belonged.

It wasn’t horrible. He liked spending time with Wolfram and part of him was used to sleeping beside someone. Wolfram didn’t try to proposition himself again either. Yuuri might have been okay with the situation if he wasn’t so dangerously affectionate. While asleep, the angelic mazoku was equipped with two forms of attack: cuddling and flailing. Yuuri wasn’t sure which of the two he preferred. The danger of flailing was obvious, resulting in visible bruise marks the next day. The danger of cuddling was not as noticable but much more fatal.

He withstood it, though. There was no other choice. According to Conrad, there were no free rooms available. Intrigued by the prospect of finding a monster to fight and a spare room for Wolfram, they ventured into the dilapidated wing of the castle. What he found instead were defensless baby creatures and a confession he had not been ready for.

Holding onto the engagement was one thing. Propositioning him to settle the engagement was another. Confessing his love was something entirely different. Something Yuuri’s brain could not compute.

It made no sense! How long had they known each other, anyway? He had known Murata way longer and Murata wasn’t throwing love confessions at him. What did he find so great about him anyway? He was just an average joe, Japanese young man. Normal looks, sub-normal smarts, and sub-par leadership ability. Above-par sportsmanship, sure, but that’s not enough to love someone over.

It was awkward and made his chest feel funny in a way he didn’t want to even begin to think about.

This should have made him more determined to end their sleeping arrangement, but he wasn’t. It would hurt Wolfram’s feeling if he did that.

Wolfram really didn’t know how to read Yuuri. He was unique in a way that only someone from another world could be. For one, he wouldn’t shut up about the fact that they were both guys. Yeah, he knew they were from the moment they met. What was the big deal? It would be one thing if the thought of being intimate with Wolfram grossed him out, but Yuuri wanted to initiate intimacy . That much was obvious from the way he would ask him to take baths with him and the way he would sometimes smile at him like he was important. Occasionally, Wolfram would even wake up to find them still cuddled together. Yuuri would startle each time as if caught with his hand in a cookie jar.

He didn’t know how to take that. Yuuri enjoyed cuddling. It was strikingly obvious from the mere fact he allowed it. So why not just enjoy it? Talk about a wimp!

But there were other little things just as confusing. The way he would study him as if he were a piece of artwork hung on display but quickly avert his eyes any time a bit of his skin was revealed. Perhaps he just didn’t want to be caught looking after all his “I’m not gay” talk,” but it seemed more like he wanted to look but couldn’t bring himself to. Curious.

Curiouser still was the fact that he said nothing of breaking their engagement. It was like all his denials were nothing but hot air. Wolfram knew something about hot air, but unlike Yuuri, he knew how to ignite it. If only he could figure out how to ignite Yuuri the same way.

Not that he was interested at all in forcing him. He’d never even dream of that. Yuuri had embers, though, visible in subtle ways. The way he didn’t pull away when Wolfram touched his hand, the way he always met his eyes when they talked, the way he made sure to sit next to him at the dinner table, even the way he spoke to him. Yuuri was kind to everyone, but there was a subtle difference in his tone of voice when he spoke to or about him. If he didn’t know any better, Wolfram might call it endearing.

As hard as he tried to figure out what was going on beneath Yuuri’s surface, the more he realized pushing wasn’t going to get him anywhere. He would just have to wait, gently prodding at the embers until they sparked.

Then the Great Sage arrived and sparked them for him.

Murata knew things would change between him and Yuuri after Shin Maoku. He had expected Yuuri’s anger at him not telling him about being the Great Sage. What he hadn’t expected was for Yuuri to somehow wind up engaged during their time apart. It shouldn’t have hurt the way it did. Yuuri didn’t belong to him.

Still, a possessiveness washed over him. He told Yuuri not to follow anyone else’s orders. Had he listened? Had he let his fiance touch him? Did he still want to listen to Murata’s orders?

He needed to know. It took a bit of patience to get Yuuri alone. As soon as he did, dominance took over.

“Tell me me the truth, did you have sex with him?”

His boyishly cute face pinched for a moment. “No.” The resolution of his voice told me it was true. The delay was from confusion rather than deception. Not that he believed Yuuri capable of any ounce of deption other than to himself.

“Do you want to marry him?”

A longer delay this time. He turned his head to the side, voice stammering in embarrassment. “Of course not!”

A layered truth.

“Yuuri,” he spoke his name firmly enough for him to look back at him, “do you still want this?” When he didn’t reply immediately, Murata closed the distance between them and grasped hold of his arms. “Tell me you still want this.”

“I still want this.”

No pause this time. Murata sighed out the possessive tension that had knotted up his shoulders. “Okay,” he said before crashing their lips together.

Days, then weeks passed. Yuuri spent most of his time with his fiery fiance. Murata hung close, searching for each available opportunity to whisk Yuuri off alone. Perceptive emerald eyes would glare at him but never voice his jealous concerns the way he would with anyone else. Murata was the Great Sage, after all. As a now ex-prince, he was not at a station high enough to ever make unproven accusations at him, so he simmered in silence.

Who Murata was more interested in observing, however, was Yuuri. His longtime friend was kind to Wolfram. He was kind to everyone, but the kindness he showed him was decidedly different. He would sometimes skim skin and would never brush Wolfram aside when he did so. He would smile at him the way that Murata had thought was reserved only for him. The fact that it wasn’t an even more special smile should have made him feel better, except Yuuri gave Lord Bielefeld the smile more often. The only thing that did make Murata feel better was knowing that he was still the only one to have touched Yuuri that way.

Yuuri wanted Wolfram to touch him, though. He could tell in those silent, subtle ways he could tell when Yuuri was in the mood when he was with him. The way he shifted in his chair, the nearly invisible flush to his tanned skin, the thin sheen to his eyes, the way he bit his bottom lip when he thought no one was looking.

Murata couldn’t blame him. Wolfram von Bielefeld was an envy to any man. Although he wasn’t tall, he held himself high with all the refinement and dignity befitting an ex-prince. He was passionate, in words and action. His personality did carry some less agreeable tendencies, but these were slowly decreasing the longer the two of them spent together. The more he observed, the more he realized this was the same with Yuuri.

They made each other better.

A dark, twisted part of him wanted to tell Yuuri to break the engagement off, to kick the blonde out of his room and invite him in instead. But he couldn’t do that. He could play it off as if he was doing it for Yuuri’s benefit, but he was sure Yuuri would see through that. Either he would refuse to follow the order and question Murata’s motives, or he would break the engagement off, regret it, and then question his motives. Murata didn’t think he could cover his feelings up if that happened and Yuuri would realize he had been using him for more than just sex.

Besides, the better part of him would never do that. Not when Lord von Bielefeld obviously cared for him just as much as he did. Especially when Lord von Bielefeld made Yuuri happy.

He was a better match for him anyway, he reasoned. Murata may hold an equal footing politically but he was jaded by the past. Lord von Bielefeld, on the other hand, shone the way Yuuri did. Together, they could herald a brighter future.

He needed to support them. For Shin Makoku, for Yuuri, and for his conscience.

He knew that he couldn’t just support them, though. Not when Yuuri was the closeted, silent mess that he was. He would need to push in the way Lord von Bielefeld didn’t seem capable of. If not, their relationship would probably take years to get going. Which would not be good for anyone, except for Murata’s sick ego.

Therefore, he made a plan and enacted it when Lord von Bielefeld went on his week-long training exercise in the Bielefeld lands. The separation would hopefully make Yuuri’s suppressed longing more potent. It also made the royal chambers an easier hideaway.

"Take your clothes off" Murata ordered as soon as he had Yuuri behind the locked doors. Immediately, the king did so. First his shoes and socks, next his shirt, then his pants, and finally his underwear. He was already semi-hard–not unusual; Murata ordering him to do anything seemed to have that affect. It was a pleasant sight, regardless. Murata was tempted to take him into his hand right then to feel the way he hardened at his touch, but he had other plans for today. That didn’t mean he couldn’t touch him at all, though.

Closing the distance between them, he ran a hand over Yuuri’s cheek. “I wonder what Lord von Bielefeld would think if he saw you like this.” Yuuri tensed, trying to hide whatever emotion was playing beneath the surface of his subconscious, but Murata could see the subtle tightening of his lips. “Do you think he’d find you beautiful? With your glossy black hair, sports-earned muscles, and leaking cock.” Leaking was an exageration, but it wouldn’t be for long. “Do you think he’d kiss over your skin?” To emphasize his words, Murata kissed at his cheek and then his neck. First a soft kiss, then a suckle.

Yuuri sighed at the suction, and Murata smiled into his skin. “He says he loves you. How do you think he’d show that love if given the chance? Would he want to take you or the other way around?” Again, his touch mirrored his words, fingers tracing over his entrance which twitched in response. “Which do you want, Yuuri?”

A cry was his only reply. Murata hadn’t expected an answer anyway. Yuuri’s desires were spoken in body only.

This whole time Yuuri had only ever bottomed. That was what Murata assumed he wanted from the way he melted like puddy under his touch and gave him a lost, needy expression. Yuuri wouldn’t have any idea what to do as a top. Murata wouldn’t be surprised if he shoved every sexual encounter down into the deepest resesses of his mind. He could be led, but Murata didn’t trust himself well enough to remain composed enough to take care of them both properly in the reverse. It wouldn’t be as simple as telling him to finger him. He would need to explain to use lube and how quickly to move and every in and out. Still, Murata wondered if Yuuri did want that.

He brought his mouth up to Yuuri’s ear, making sure the breath of each word hit against the shell. “Imagine it. Lord von Bielefeld spread out on the bed for you. You’ve seen it, I’m sure, in the early morning. Imagine his beautiful blonde locks against the blue sheets. Imagine him naked and limbs spread out to the side, aching to take you in.”

Yuuri made a noise that Murata had never heard from him before. A high, choked sound, like something catching in his throat on the way up. He definitely wanted it, then.

He took a step back, taking in the sight of him. The dusty shade of his cheeks were tinted with flush. His eyes were darker than usual with arousal, mouth clenched shut to hold back the truth of his longing. His erection, however, could not lie. Straining and leaking now, as Murata had said. Now, he did let himself touch, hand taking hold of him loosely, almost casually. “Look at this,” he said with interest. “It seems you have a liking for Lord von Bielefeld.”

“No, I don’t.” The words were weak and the way he turned his head away when he said it was even weaker.

“Yuuri,” Murata tightened his grip, causing his breath to catch, “tell me you want him.”

“I…” A pause. For a second, Murata thought he had gone too far. That Yuuri’s body had been reacting to him this whole time instead of the fantasy. But then he answered in a mere whisper, “ I want him.”

Murata wasn’t sure what to make of the pause. Most likely more denial for him to work through. Admitting his attraction to another man exposed the depth of his queerness. Regardless, niether of them were equipped for dealing with that right now. Yuuri was in Shin Makoku, fully acceptive to male relationships, engaged to Lord von Bielefeld, who already confessed his love to him, and clearly sexually receptive to the idea of him. There was absolutely no problem as far as Murata was concerned, aside from Yuuri’s own self-denial.

“Good boy,” he praised, kissing Yuuri’s ear, then the top of his head. His hand finally began to move in earnest granting him a sweet moan for his efforts. “You should be more honest. Life is more fun that way.”

As if he could talk, still withholding his feelings after all this time. Still, he couldn’t say he wasn’t enjoying himself. If this went as expected, he might not be for much longer, though. A shame.

Yuuri didn’t say anything, just slumped against his chest, legs growing wobbly at the stimulation. Taking pity on him, Murata nudged him back onto the bed so that his weight would be supported. With strong, assured strokes, Murata met his gaze with imploring eyes.

“You should tell him.” Yuuri’s lips trembled but he said nothing. What is holding you back? He almost asked, but he already knew the answer. Just as he knew the answer to why he didn’t say anything either.

“I bet you’d tell him if I told you to.” There was a spark in his black eyes. Fear or hope, or a mixture of both. “I bet you’d suck his cock down with these greedy lips.” He ran his finger across his lips before prodding them for entrance which was easily given. “Suck,” he ordered.

Yuuri’s tongue was wet and warm and sent a spark from his finger all the way to his cock.

With a deep groan, he pulled off his friend and undressed quickly. Yuuri’s eyes watched him intently the entire time. He always took in the sight of his body as if he was attracted to Murata specifically rather than just because he was familiar and available. It was almost enough to make him hope, but the king's attraction to his fiance revealed the fault in that thinking. If he were to fall for either of them, Murata knew it would be Lord von Bielefeld. Not only was he as beautiful as any woman Yuuri could long for, he was open and honest as Murata never had been. Yuuri had had plenty of time to fall for him already, yet wanted Lord von Bielefeld after just this short time. Murata wouldn't be surprised if he already held romantic feelings. Sane, in-control Yuuri would never act on his attraction without knowing he could return his feelings. If submissive Yuuri would under Murata's command was unclear.

He wanted to ask--he should ask--but he didn't. If he was wrong, this could be detrimental to Lord von Bielefeld's heart. But that needn't be his concern right now. The young lord was capable of making his own decisions. If he accepted sexual favors from Yuuri without a confession, the consequences were on him.

Pushing aside the thought of the blonde's no-doubt fragile heart, he climbed back onto the bed and turned around so that he was parallel over Yuuri with his own hardened dick in his face.

"Suck," he repeated, feeding his length down Yuuri's accepting throat. It was good, warm and wet and tight. He had to take a few steadying breaths before he pushed his own face into Yuuri’s cock. If this did end soon, he wanted to make sure he savored Yuuri enough to remember. He breathed in the scent of him: sweat and musk and something that could only be described as Yuuri. It was strongest here, and he pushed his nose into the base where his balls began, taking in a deep inhale. Yuuri shuddered. Smirking, Murata licked there, just wetting the skin more than anything. Yuuri's hips jutted up, pleading for more. Still smirking, he swiped his tongue up the length of him, engulfing the head when he finally reached him. Yuuri would have pulled off him to cry out if he had the room to; instead, he sputtered, sounding close to a choke, but not enough to sound oxygen deprived. Murata lifted his hips just a bit, waiting for him to relax his mouth before plunging back in again. In the same motion, he sunk his face down, taking as much of his length as he could. Closing his eyes, he savored the taste and feel of him against his tongue. With each swirl of his tongue and suck of his lips, his dick would twitch, sending a pleasant tremor through his tongue.

Then there was Yuuri's mouth. Acting over him as if it were shaped just for this--for him specifically. A pleasant, fleeting thought. Quickly replaced with his stronger unvoiced affection.

He wanted to tell him to never stop. To love him until there was nothing left to love.

But they weren't making love. They were fucking, relieving that tension built up by their bodies. There was no exchange of heart or emotional, only lust and desire.

Perhaps, Yuuri was incapable of holding both. Probably, he was for someone who undoubtedly was not him. Maybe, Murata had simply never given him the chance to.

His orgasm hit him before he realized it, leaving him sated but strangely devoid. On the other hand, Yuuri looked entirely blissed out after his own.

Was he thinking of his fiance during the entire exchange, he wondered. Again, a question he did not voice.

He probably wouldn't have gotten an answer anyway.

Wolfram was surprised when Yuuri wasn’t waiting for him in the entrance hall when he returned. Figuring he probably had work to do, he headed straight to the baths to wash up the dirt and grim from the extended trip. After wiping himself down with a towel, he dressed himself in his bathrobe which was hanging on a hook. Normally, he would have brought fresh clothes with him but he had not wanted to spend the extra minutes covered in filth when he could easily change in their chambers after cleaning himself. These were the Maoh’s private baths, so the short hallway leading to their chambers shouldn’t be occupied by anyone besides the active guards anyway.

Two guards were on duty, one at either end of the hall. Besides a nod of acknowledgment, neither of them paid him mind. He was the Maoh’s fiance, after all. He was more than allowed to be here in whatever state of dress he wished.

He opened the door and walked straight to the closet out of habit. A voice spoke up, jolting him. As a trained solider, he shouldn’t have been caught offguard, but with the guards present outside, no one besides Yuuri, or possibly Conrart, should have been inside. This voice belonged to neither of them.

Wolfram spun around to see the Great Sage seated on the upholstered settee as if it were a throne. His back was straight, his legs were crossed over each other, and one hand was pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. There was an authoritative presence to him that was justified but unfamiliar. All the times Wolfram had seen him, the Great Sage had acted like a cheerful goof or a quiet spectator. This new side was strikingly alluring and reminded him of how he'd always imagined Daikenja.

What took his breath away, however, was Yuuri. Shy, abstinent Yuuri was crouched on the floor by his feet as naked as the day he was born. Involuntarily, Wolfram licked his lips. He was stunningly handsome in all the ways he knew he would be. He had seen glimpses of his nudity in the baths but never this exposed and never that part that defined his masculinity. It was still obscured by his legs but clearly there and Yuuri was making no attempt to hide it.

"What is this?" The words did not hold as much fire as he meant them to, almost all his heat rushing south instead.

"It is a gift." The Great Sage casually pet through his hair, as if he were a domesticated animal. Yuuri nuzzled his head into the touch much like one. All he would need were a pair of ears and a tail to complete the image.

"Like hell it is." It took more effort than it should have to spat out the words. The deepest part of him wanted to walk up and replace the Sage's hand with his own. He wanted to accept what he could of Yuuri while he could. But the rational, suspiscious side of him persisted. This didn't make any sense. The two of them had seemed close, but he never would have suspected this when Yuuri was so set against engaging in a same-sex relationship.

The Sage’s eyes were shrouded by the glint on his glasses. "We all know you want this, Lord von Bielefeld."

"And what exactly is this?"

He smirked. "A confession."

Wolfram looked back at Yuuri who had not moved or said anything during this exchange. "Yuuri," his voice came out strangled, "do you really want me that way?"

His fiance blinked, a hint of the shyness he was used to surfacing through the dispasson. He did not answer.

The Sage stroked down the base of his neck encouragingly. "Go on. Tell him that you want him."

Yuuri's mouth opened but for a second no sound came out. There was a battle of some kind in the depths of his eyes. His mouth closed in a swallow before reopening, words coming out so quietly Wolfram almost thought he imagined them. "I want you, Wolf."

The Great Sage kissed his cheek. "That's a good boy."

Yuuri shivered at the praise the same way Wolfram shivered at the confession. He was still confused. How did Murata Ken play into this? But his need was scrambling to bury down the questions for later.

Hesitantly, he stepped up to him and crouched to his level. They were but a breath a part, but he had to be absolutely sure first. "Can I kiss you?"

"Well?" Murata prodded. "Tell the poor man he can kiss you, or…" He leaned into his ear to whisper something too low for Wolfram to hear.

Immediately, his lips crashed into his. The kiss was sloppy in its excitement. Wolfram was lost to it, too surprised and overwhelmed by this development and Yuuri's obvious desire.

Yuuri knocked him down onto his back, covering his body with his own. It was as comforting as it was provocative. He could feel the hardness of him pressing against his thigh and wanted--needed--to feel more. His thigh lifted, rubbing into him.

Yuuri broke their kiss to let out a moan and Wolfram quickly swallowed it down.

He was so overwhelmed with the reality that this was happening, that the Great Sage's voice was unexpected and sparked through him like electricity.

"Show him, Shibuya. Show him how much you want him."

In response, Yuuri humped roughly into his leg causing Wolfram to let out his own moan. He felt so hard, so full of want. Wolfram's own want spiked even higher, surely peeking out from the loose robe.

"Yuuri," he sighed, cradling his beautiful face.

"What do you want, Lord von Bielefeld?"

He looked at the Sage who was sitting as poised as before. "Huh?"

"What do you want Shibuya to do?"

What did he want? Anything. As long as it was Yuuri freely giving it to him. "Whatever Yuuri wants."

Murata breathed heavily through his nose. There was a moment of stillness between the three of them. Then a single word cut through the air like a knife. "Suck."

In the time it took Wolfram's brain to catch up, Yuuri was already shimmying down the length of him. Far too easily, he parted the sides of his robe and took him into his hand. Wolfram's pulse jumped, then skyrocketed when Yuuri opened his mouth and plunged down onto his cock without any hesitation. There was no way this was his first time doing this. The flash of jealousy burst into bliss as Yuuri worked over him with his lips and tongue. The wet suction was maddening. Unconsciously, he buried his hands into Yuuri's rich black hair and bucked up into his willing mouth.

Yuuri made a choked sound, but didn't pull back even as tears clung to his closed eyelids. If anything, he looked blissed out and savoring of every inch of his length.

He rose up, so that only the tip was still in his mouth, then plunged back down. Wolfram threw his head back, eyes screwing shut. He missed the image of Yuuri’s lips curled around him, but the sensation was stronger this way, a building heat from the tip of his dick running up all the way to his brain. The heat fizzled as it reached his brain, turning all thoughts into mush besides his fiance’s name playing on repeat.

His orgasm hit him like a tidewave, crashing over all his senses until ebbing down.

It took a moment for coherent thought to return to him. He only caught the tail end of Murata's order. "Swallow."

His eyes cracked open. Yuuri was an obscene mess, wetness streaming down his eyes, white dripping from the edges of his mouth. He could feel, hear, and see him swallow down what he could of his cum before sitting up straight.

Glassy eyed, Wolfram watched as Murata joined them on the floor and kissed away the remainder. It should have pissed him off, or grossed him out at least, but to his postcoital brain, all he could think was that it was hot. It was an objective fact that Murata was attractive with his double-black features, and his current domineering presence fanned the heat of that attractiveness.

Wolfram almost reached a hand out toward him but stilled when those intense black eyes bore into his own. "Did you enjoy that, Lord von Bielefeld?" There was dry humor behind the words.

Wolfram clenched his teeth at the mockery. "What do you think?"

Murata tsked. "Is that any way to treat me after so graciously gifting Shibuya to you?"

The ex-prince pushed himself up to a seated position and adjusted his robe. "Gifted him to me? Yuuri isn't your property! And if you two are in a relationship, or whatever, then why would you ever allow this?"

"You are right." His hand trailed down Yuuri's chest. "He does not belong to me, but he does listen to me."

That much was clear. What Wolfram wanted to know was why. "Yuuri," he spoke softly, "what is Murata to you? What do you want from me?" He shifted, looking away without answering, so Wolfram cupped his cheek and tried again.

Murata spoke for him this time. "Shibuya and I are…I do not know if there is a word for it here. On Earth, it is called a fuck buddy." Wolfram did not miss the way Yuuri shook at the word. "We are friends who also engage in sexual activities."

Wolfram's chest tightened. Blinking away the prickling at his eyes, he questioned Yuuri again. "Is that what you want from me?" All you want from me, is what he meant. If that's all he could have, he would take it, but that didn't mean it would be easy.

He still didn't answer.

"Tell him to tell you."

"W--what?"

Murata pulled Yuuri back against him into an embrace. "He likes it. Shibuya? You can listen to his orders, but only the two of us."

Yuuri nodded slowly somehow looking even more compliant.

"T--tell me, Yuuri." Yuuri's eyes stared at him submissively, awaiting ellaboration. "Do you want to be f--fuck buddies?"

Yuuri's mouth shifted with confliction. "If that is what you want," he finally whispered.

What was he supposed to make from that? Wolfram swallowed. "I want to know what you want."

"I…" He could almost see the cogs turning in Yuuri's head. "I want whatever you want."

He let out a watery laugh. Hadn't he made his intentions clear by now? "Wimp! Putting this back on me. You should know what I want by now." He jerked his head to the side defiantly.

"Now, Lord von Bielefeld, that is hardly fair. Yuuri is not entirely lucid right now. Even if he already knows what you want, his words are true."

"But if he's willing to marry me, why is he so vocal about not wanting me?" The prinkling turned into bluriness, and he blinked it away stubbornly. He refused to cry in front of the Great Sage.

"Because Shibuya is not in the place where he can act on his true desires."

Wolfram flung his arm out to the side. "What does that even mean? He is acting on his desires just fine." He set a firm, accusatory gaze on him, but Murata was unfazed.

"That dear, Wolfram, is because I help him let go. I pull him out of his head, and I suspect, give him someone else to blame for his actions."

Wolfram’s attention turned back to Yuuri who was shifting uncomfortably. His hand moved and Wolfram’s gaze followed it to his still hard erection.

Shinou! How had he managed to ignore Yuuri’s predicament? Here he was complaining about Yuuri’s commitment when he couldn’t even give him enough attention to take care of him. He bowed his head in shame. “Sorry for not realizing.”

“Go on, Wolfram, touch him.”

It wasn’t the words that spurred his action, damn it, it was his own will. He took hold of him tighter than he intended, worked up by provocation and guilt. Yuuri’s back curved in an arch as he hissed in half-pleasure, half-pain. Wolfram loosened his grip, giving him long, slow pumps from base to tip. Although he still didn’t understand Yuuri’s thinking, feeling the throb of him in his hand and seeing the abandonment on his face as he sunk into the pleasure of it made him feel powerful and in control of the situation. For right now at least, he had the ability to wring out Yuuri’s pleasure. He had the chance of conveying the extent of his passion. This wasn’t just about the sex for him and he needed to let Yuuri know that.

As his one hand continued to pump over his straining shaft, his opposite hand found Yuuri’s and laced their fingers together. Union is what he wanted.

“Yuuri.” His voice cracked, not in a million pieces, but it might as well have. “I love you.”

Yuuri looked conflicted, as if being pressured to answer. Wolfram pushed forward, kissing away any reply he would have attempted. That wasn’t necessary right now. Wolfram was conveying himself, not the other way away. He didn’t need pity or less-than sincere assurances. There was a chance, and Wolfram needed to let him know he would be fully taken care of if he took it.

Yuuri broke the kiss to let out a shuddering cry when he fingered over his slit. Wolfram leaned into his ear, breathing hot breath onto the shell of it for a moment, then voice low and sultry, he repeated the sentiment. “I love you, Yuuri. More than you probably know.”

The noise Yuuri let out was high pitched and sharp. Distinct enough to make Wolfram wonder with a glimmer of hope that it meant more than just bodily pleasure at finding his release at last.

The white seed was hot on his skin. He stared at it in awe for a moment until Yuuri slumped against his chest. Hastily, he wiped the liquid onto his robe and hugged Yuuri to him.

“He cares about you,” Murata said. “Don’t let anything he says or does make you think otherwise.”

For the first time since this began, Wolfram wondered if he was also dealing with repressed lust. If so, he was doing a great job of hiding it. “Why are you helping me?”

The answer came too quickly and calmly. “Because I want Shibuya to be happy.”

He didn’t ask him about his own happiness. It was strikingly clear, to Wolfram at least, that Murata cared for Yuuri more than a normal friend would. “What now?” he did ask.

Murata stood up, towering over them both. “Now, I take my leave.” With those words he left.

Wolfram helped Yuuri stand up and supported him on their way to the bed. “Get comfortable for bed,” he ordered softly, noticing that Yuuri was not yet in the right mind to make his own decision.

Shedding his soiled robe, Wolfram wiped the remains of sex from them before climbing into the bed beside his fiance. Yuuri was entirely pliant and receptive to the way Wolfram entangled their bodies into an embrace. Wolfram kissed the crown of his head before closing his eyes.

Wolfram was jolted awake by a shriek. “Why the hell are you sleeping naked?”

Wolfram groaned and attempted to wipe the tiredness from his eyes. Was Yuuri stupid? “As if I would have slept in that dirtied robe. Besides, I’d think after yesterday you wouldn’t mind.”

“Huh?” Yuuri’s eyes were as large as dinner plates. “Dirty robe? Yesterday? Wouldn’t mind? What the hell are you talking about?” He pointed an accusatory finger at him. “You’re just trying to confuse and seduce me, aren’t you?”

“What? I don’t need to seduce you. We had sex last night.”

He turned around to face the other direction. “N–no we didn’t!”

Shibuya is not in the place where he can act on his true desires . Murata’s words drifted back into Wolfram’s mind. “We need to talk about this,” he said.

“Talk about what?” he said, still avoiding the topic and eye contact.

“Look at me,” he ordered. Slower than he had responded yesterday, he followed the order. His face was a mixture of reactions, including begging. Wolfram almost gave in, not wanting to cause Yuuri discomfort, but after yesterday he couldn’t just let this go. Not after knowing Yuuri denied the extent of feelings he held for him.

“Do you regret yesterday?” Yuuri swallowed but said nothing. He tried again. “Tell me if you regret yesterday.”

The answer was immediate this time. “No.”

“Then…Tell me, what do you feel for me?”

“I…” He trailed off, mouth tight.

Wolfram could sense Yuuri’s anxiety and knew he had gone too far. He hated that the only way to get any answer was to force it. “Never mind,” he said reassuringly. “Tell me instead, what do you want from me, if that is not too hard to answer.”

“I want you to be happy.” Again, this answer came easily. It also rushed over him like soothing water.

“Yuuri,” he breathed his name out like a sigh. Perhaps that was what Murata had meant when he said he spoke the truth. Yuuri wanted what Wolfram wanted because he wanted him to be happy. That didn’t necessarily mean he wanted to marry him.

He took in a centering breath. “Then, tell me, what do you feel for Murata?”

There was a small hesitation, then, “I like him.” Wolfram’s chest tightened at how easily that confession came when his own had been riddled with anxiety.

“What, then, do you want from him?”

“I want him to continue taking care of me.”

Wolfram could take care of him, too. This was something he knew needed to be proven with actions rather than words, though. “Would you feel lost without him?”

“Yes.”

“Even with me here?”

Yuuri sucked in a breath at that. “I…I wouldn’t be lost, but I would be sad.”

This eased some of the tightness in his chest. “What if it was me you were without?” No response. “Tell me what you would feel if you were without me.”

“Broken.”

His breath hitched at the intensity of the word. If he was broken without him, that implied he was complete with him. United, just as Wolfram wanted them to be. He really wanted to kiss him. “Tell me if I can kiss you.”

He nodded briefly before closing his eyes in wait. It was a sign of shyness even now and Wolfram couldn’t help the smile that found his lips in response. Yuuri really was the cute one between them.

The kiss was short and sweet, but he stayed inside his personal bubble, happy at being allowed there.

“Tell me if you want to marry me.”

Yuuri hesitated, looking to his lips then back up to his eyes. “Someday.”

Speaking carefully, Wolfram asked, “If you like both of us, then why are you choosing to marry me instead of Murata?”

No hesitation this time. “Because you want to.”

And Murata doesn't, Wolfram finished for him. He had a feeling there was more to it than just that, but he did not press further. He had a real chance with Yuuri after all.

He kissed Yuuri again just because he could.

Later that day, Wolfram ambushed the Great Sage. Calm and collected, his only reaction was a raised eyebrow. “What can I help you with Lord von Bielefeld?”

“Don’t give me that. You know this is about Yuuri.”

His eyebrow lifted higher. “Do I?”

“He likes you”

This finally got a reaction from him. His lips turned down into a deep frown. “No way.”

Wolfram continued. “I’m surprised you have been with him this long without realizing. I don’t think Yuuri is the sort of person to let someone touch him otherwise.”

Murata’s face did not soften but there was melancholy in his eyes. “I agree, but there is no way what he feels for me is the same that he feels for you.”

“And why is that, oh Great Sage?”

He tsked at the mockery of his title. “Because I am nothing in comparison to you.”

“Bullshit! Yuuri said he wants to marry me because I want it. The only reason he picked me over you is because he thinks you don’t want it.”

“Well, maybe I don’t.”

Wolfram’s anger was about at its breaking point. Stepping closer, he stabbed his finger into Murata’s chest. “Then tell him to his face. Clear this up once and for all. End your arrangement or tell him how you really feel.”

Murata narrowed his eyes. “What do you know of how I feel?”

“What don’t I? You don’t want to hurt him, right? You don’t want to make him feel pressured or possibly lose him by confessing that you want more.” He didn’t look away but Wolfram could see the flicker of the truth of his words in the depth of his eyes.

“He is better off with someone like you.”

“Whatever! The choice is yours, Sage, but you will tell him either way. I will not win him by default.”

Wolfram didn't exactly push Murata down the hall and into the royal bedchamber. He let up in front of the guards. Even he would receive a word for exerting physical force on the Great Sage. He was honestly surprised that Murata let him, but he supposed deep down he wanted to know where things stood with Yuuri as well.

It was after supper, which meant Yuuri would retire from work soon. All they had to do was wait. He pushed Murata down onto the settee and sat beside him. His mind flashed back to yesterday when Murata had sat just like this. He had looked so dispassionate. He had also seen Wolfram intimately. Clearing his throat, he looked instead to the floor, hoping that Yuuri hurried up.

Wolfram had no idea how long it took Yuuri to arrive. All he knew was that the long, tension ridden silence felt like an eternity.

Yuuri whistled as he entered the room. The happy tune died at the sight of them. Trepidation was evident in his eyes. "W--why's he here, Wolf?"

"Because we need to sort this out."

Yuuri walked past them to mess with the random papers scattered on his writing desk. "Sort what out?"

Wolfram frowned. "I told Murata you like him." Yuuri's hand clutched one of the papers. "You deserve to hear his answer."

"Shibuya, you deserve to be with Wolfram."

The nails on Yuuri's free hand tapped on the desk.

"Yuuri," Wolfram said, "tell me, do you think I am more worthy than him?"

"It depends on what you mean."

Wolfram sighed at the deflection. "Tell me if I am more worthy of your…" he almost slipped and said love, "affection?"

"No." The answer was quick but not entirely sure.

"Is he more worthy, then?"

"No." This time it was sure.

Content with that answer, Wolfram continued, "Who did you choose to marry?"

"You," he replied immediately but in a quiet tone.

"Why?"

"Because you want it."

"Would you marry him if he wanted it?"

"I…" Yuuri looked at Murata. "Maybe."

Wolfram turned to Murata. "Would you want to?"

He adjusted his glasses. "I don't know. If you didn't exist, perhaps."

What kind of answer was that? "Do you like Yuuri or not?" He summoned a fireball in his hand. The heat was welcoming to him but he could see the flicker of fear in the Sage's eyes. "Don't think about lying."

"I…" Murata heaved a breath. "I have loved Shibuya for a long time." His words were shaky with the truth of it.

Yuuri spun around to face him. "Y--you have?" He swallowed his reservations. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because that was not what you were looking for. You wanted the freedom to give in to your desires. So, that's what I gave you."

Yuuri's mouth trembled.

"Tell him, Yuuri. Tell him what you are feeling."

He frowned, voice heavy with regret. "You were all I needed. You could have had all of me." His gaze moved to Wolfram. "Then I met Wolf and I…I need him."

Wolfram sucked in a hopeful breath. "Can you give me all of you, then?"

"No," he answers shakily.

"Tell me why."

"Because of Murata. I…I can't give either of you what the other has."

Wolfram let his hopeful breath release. "Then, you won't choose between us?"

"I can't," he answered, sounding desperate.

"You would marry me but continue to be submissive to him?" he asked with a hardened tone.

Yuuri looked shaken, knowing how bad that sounded.

"Tell me truthfully. How do you see this moving forward?"

"I…I guess, yeah. I would stay with you both and eventually marry you."

"While cheating on me."

"Technically it's only cheating if you disapprove," Murata spoke up unhelpfully.

He scoffed. "Don't tell me you are fine with that? Always being second? Knowing it's my bed he sleeps in?"

Murata crossed his legs. "I gifted him to you, remember? Keeping what I can have of him is nothing but a blessing."

Wolfram stared at him trying to find any hint of deception. The Great Sage was a master of deceit, but Wolfram's gut told him he spoke the truth.

Yuuri wanted what he wanted, so he could live with what Yuuri wanted. "Yuuri," he said, turning his attention back to his fiance. "Tell me you love me and I will agree to this."

Nearly a full minute passed before his reply. "I love you."

Wolfram decided to believe him