Centricity, by Vanessa S. Quest

(A/N: And I expected this to be a vignette. Ha.)

Yuri stared over the balcony, the last few days had been nothing but a bore. Gunter and Gwendel had been in perfect timing to keep him as efficient as possible, between hours of lessons with his sole reprieve being hours of signing legislation (until his hand actually went numb) Yuri spent the last four miserable days.

Conrad and Yozak had gone off to a border village leaving Yuri with his other vassals and absolutely no one who he could relate with. He tried to have a conversation with Wolfram, but instantly regretted it as the screams of his infidelity filled the hallways. Apparently it was adulterous to ask a maid for tea.

He let his arms dangle over the stone ledge of the balcony. The night air was setting in, when he felt like putting in the energy to raise his neck he saw the beautiful stars shining, playing off the moon's brightness.

It was strange to miss him, the way he did. He knew sometimes he missed a friend for their sense of humor, or wanted to talk to someone to get their take, but he genuinely ached right now, and he couldn't explain that away by regular loneliness. Closing his eyes, he knew he had to hide out here, he could tell by the ringing out of Gunter's cries, "Heika!"

He grimaced his brain couldn't take anymore names, times, battles or customs. If he heard anymore he was sure his head would explode and he'd die. Come on, seven hours! There's such a thing as human… mazoku… limits!

Looking into the horizon he wondered what Conrad was doing. His stomach gurgled making him regret missing dinner, just slightly. But if he showed his face to his vassals, they'd have snagged him for another round of paper-signings and as it was he was just now getting feeling back to his wrist.

When is Conrad coming back? Yuri asked himself silently. It was so natural spending his time with Conrad, the man was so dear to him.

"Heika!" Gunter's wails were coming closer, to Yuri's dismay. He supposed he should just face the man and get it over with. As Yuri straightened his back, he felt a presence at his back, pressing something into him.

"KYAH!"

Yuri let out a shriek that traveled through the grounds his body forced him several steps forward to get away from the unknown entity behind him. Yuri clutched his side wincing. He felt something sticky, wet and warm. The smell of metal was apparent to him, as were the raising sounds of Gunter, his retainer was almost upon him.

Well, that was a relief, Yuri thought it also hit him that it really did hurt to get stabbed, that was more of a re-realization. His legs folded under him, his elbow caught the angle of the stone ledge of the balcony 

keeping him propped up from the ground, the assailant Yuri noticed, was wearing a mask like a clown's before he jumped over the balcony and disappeared.

Huffing in a few quick breaths, Yuri was covered in sweat when Gunter arrived, sword drawn.

"Heika!" Gunter scanned the surrounding as he rushed to the side of the fallen teen.

"Ah, sorry…" Yuri's eyes were bleary as he slid down the rail of the balcony to sit up, holding his side.

"You've been stabbed!" Gunter said to himself, and any possible soldier who may have heard.

"I didn't get a good look at him…" Yuri was oblivious to Gunter's comments, he lurched forward before falling into Gunter's front limply.

Yuri awoke to find himself topless, Wolfram looking down at him. His eyes shrunk back as he sat up quickly, he regretted that doubly. First, when he conked his head into Wolfram's, second when the pain raked up his side. He winced an eye shut, the other eye glancing down his body to see the bandage wrapped around his ribs, reinforced around his shoulder.

"Yuri! So you've finally woke up!" Wolfram mentioned as he held his own forehead. "Who did this to you? No one saw…"

Yuri was busy taking in a few breaths, still feeling the pain shoot up his side. "Oh yeah, I was stabbed last night." Yuri stated to the air. He glanced at Wolfram, finally registering his comments, "I didn't get a good look, some guy wearing a clown-mask, he was about Gwendel's height I think."

Gwendel stepped out from his post in the corner of the room. "That's it? That's all you remember?" His voice sounded harsh with criticism, Yuri supposed he was angry he didn't have his guard, but frankly Conrad usually did that, and he never really thought there was a need for it before!

"Well sor-ry that I didn't get his name!" Yuri whined.

Gwendel groused or cleared his throat, Yuri couldn't quite tell. The tone change was surprising, "We'll have a guard posted inside your room for the time being. Stay in here."

Was he concerned or did he just ground Yuri, the 27th maoh of Shin Makoku?! Yuri wasn't sure, "…What do you mean 'stay in here'? Are you trying to ground me or something?" His head turned a quarter-angle.

"You haven't found this guy yet, so I should help you look for…"

"Help you say? Explain, how could you help us by getting killed?" Gwendel shook his head adding almost inaudibly, "Unbelievable… this is stupid."

Yuri's eyes shrank back. "Now listen! Just because you think you're better than me doesn't mean you can just dismiss me like that! That's more rude than anything else, isn't it?"

Gwendel quirked an eyebrow, "You're putting words in my mouth. I don't appreciate it."

"Why? Because I'm right?"

Gwendel grumbled before approaching the door, "You talk sense into him." Gwendel walked past his younger brother.

Yuri's eyes went wide as Conrad entered the room, "Conrad!" He smiled as if forgetting the entire situation at hand. The brunette was caked in sweat and paler than what Yuri thought he normally was. With a quick step, the seasoned soldier approached the bed, his hand reached to cup Yuri's face before moving of their own accord to sling his arms around him in a hug, his face tucked into Yuri's neck, leaving Yuri to face his shoulder. "Ah, I… I'm sorry I was walking around without a guard…" Yuri started though it seemed ineffectual, Conrad deaf to the comment as he continued to cradle Yuri.

Even Wolfram's indignant aheming failed to gain Conrad's attentions. After a long minute, he pulled back to inspect Yuri for further injuries, his eyes finally landed over the bandages, a gentle hand approached, placing itself over the wound fingers hovering with only the slightest contact adding no pressure.

Yuri winced at the grazing of the sore area. "Here? This is where he stabbed you?"

The black-haired and eyed maoh nodded, "Wait… you know it's a guy?"

Wolfram rolled his eyes, "Of course he does, he rode through the night when he heard of a plan to siege the castle. He had Yozak signal ahead when he found out about the plot."

Yuri looked back at Conrad, understanding the fatigue suddenly. "When I found out about your state…" Conrad clenched a fist, his point of physical contact to Yuri never leaving, though he let his hand trace back up to Yuri's face. His sad eyes reached Yuri's, the teen looked down ashamed, he caused Conrad to worry, which hurt more than the pain he was feeling.

Hanging his head in shame, Yuri's eyes began to water. Conrad's eyes changed as he began a renewed search up and down Yuri's body for the source of any possible ailments. "You aren't hurt anywhere else are you?!"

Yuri shook his head, still refusing to meet Conrad's eyes. He missed him so much and now he was here, but he had caused him so much concern he felt awful. Conrad pulled Yuri in a tight embrace, whispering calming coos into Yuri's hair.

Wolfram blushed, feeling awkward to be in the room and witness such an intimate thing. He told himself this was some sort of brotherly affection but he couldn't even come close to imagining a moment like that ever occurring between Conrad and himself in all truth.

"Apparently you need a moment." Wolfram said with as much condescendence as he could muster, though in all truths he knew it really was a necessary beast as jealous as it made him. Wolfram had 

taught himself that jealousy with Conrad and Yuri was a useless struggle, it pushed Yuri away and it didn't change the teen's attitude at all, unlike his threats and taunts of others.

"They said you were going to a village." Yuri inquired after hearing a soft click of the door, signaling Wolfram's exit. "…I was so lonely when you were gone." Yuri mentioned, instantly realizing that was something he shouldn't have said but also knowing he couldn't take it back.

Conrad pulled back just far enough to see Yuri's face. The onyx-and-ivory colored youth still had tears brimming his eyes. "I'm sorry, I should have been here." His fingers ran through Yuri's hair, adding more force than he would have liked as he reflected upon it. That's right; he should have never left Yuri's side.

Yuri swallowed back, "No, no I mean I understand, you love visiting the villages. It's part of what makes you you."

Conrad shook his head, "My duty is to you, though."

"You're here now, that's what matters." Yuri said, leaning into Conrad's chest. "It was awful! Gunter had me reading and reading, and kept going on and on, then Gwendel made me keep signing and my hand hurt! I couldn't escape it, it was horrible!"

Conrad smiled softly at Yuri, glad to see the teenager return to some normalcy.

"…So I tried to sneak out onto the grounds, how was I supposed to know some nut with a knife had a vendetta against me, then Gwendel yelled and grounded me, I mean I'm the maoh and he told me to stay in my room!"

Conrad's expression soured again, he fixed it before Yuri caught his gaze, "I don't think he meant it like that, he's concerned with your health and well-being."

"But he doesn't know what my attacker looked like, so it makes sense that I could help find him!"

Brown eyes went wide, "No! Absolutely not, Yuri that is far too dangerous."

Yuri pulled back, shocked at the sudden outburst, Conrad instantly softened his tone, "I mean to say, you've been hurt. If anything happened to you, if anything more… just this is horrific enough. I'd never forgive myself if he got to you again."

Yuri's eyes softened, "I… guess that makes sense." Conrad put a hand on Yuri's shoulder. "But then he said some guard is going to be posted in my bedroom! Don't you think that's a little far, some stranger watching me sleep… that's one of the most intimate of things and he's proposing…"

"Ah, well I could arrange for it to be someone you know and trust. I am the captain of guards after all." He smiled, almost as if he had ulterior motives.

"But who would that be! I don't trust just anyone, it would have to be you… and you're captain of guards so he'll have you running in circles looking for the guy…"

"I can delegate that responsibility to someone. I am also your private guard. Your safety and comfort is my first and foremost obligation." He touched Yuri's cheek, the very motion calming the teen more than he could admit.

"…Ah, then, would you?" Yuri looked at the corner of his bed trying his might not to blush. He looked back up to see Conrad's brown eyes and measure their reaction, unaware of the complete come-hither look he had just given Conrad.

He didn't want it to be Wolfram, oh gods did he not want to encourage Wolfram to sleep with him any more than the blond already took as his privilege to do so.

Yuri pulled his blankets closer around him, he felt chilled, unfortunately doing so agitated his wound remarkably. He winced and let out an audible groan.

"Yuri…" Conrad studied his reaction before drawing another blanket around him. Yuri let his eyes flicker closed.

"Yes?" Yuri asked when his name hung in the air.

"…Please sleep well." Conrad kissed Yuri's hairline before lying the teenager back into the large bed, he stood by the door, leaning an arm against the frame contemplating to himself the meaning of that kiss just then. It should have been a line that he wouldn't cross, it should have been something with more difficulty to cross and yet that had been the most natural reaction, he closed his eyes tightly before opening them again to watch over Yuri. Hearing Yuri had been stabbed scared him more than anything.

When he was certain Yuri was asleep and wouldn't hear, he let the words on his tongue slip out, "I love you."

Conrad watched the morning sun rise to peer through the stone-faced window, as it fell over Yuri's prone figure. He allowed his features to soften momentarily before growing more acute. Yuri stirred. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence, after being stabbed or injured in such a way to develop of fever, so Yuri developing one hadn't been completely unexpected.

The brunette walked to the door, opening it to allow Wolfram entry. He knew the blond had heard his confessions, after all, he was his older brother and could read that confusion in his eyes. He didn't feel like clarifying it either, though. "I'll send for Gisela, let him rest."

Wolfram nodded once before stepping up to the bed.

Conrad found Gwendel and Gunter shortly after sending for Gisela to meet them outside of the maoh's chambers.

"Is there any word?" Conrad asked, the others looked at him remembering how he was out of the loop from guard-duty yesterday. Gunter's smile gave it away though. "You apprehended him?"

"We came across a small group setting camp outside the castle grounds. They were apparently bandits, we quickly apprehended them."

"…And the man who stabbed Yuri? What's of him?"

Gwendel picked up, "He stumbled upon heika while trying to make off with his plunders. As far as we gathered, heika was standing in his escape route. He hadn't realized who it was, or I don't think he would have confessed to opening stabbing him. We are currently retaining him, Yozak is keeping him company." He knew that would get a smile on his younger brother's face. "Rest before you go in, you haven't slept in two days."

Conrad lowered his head, "Thank you for your concern, but I believe I'll wait a bit longer. Once I know he'll be alright…"

Gwendel let out a gruff before signaling Gisela to enter the maoh's chamber, Conrad entering immediately after. Gwendel looked to Gunter knowingly, of course the silver-haired beauty gave the same knowing look.

They both had the looks of a person doubting the success of a certain engagement. Conrad was strangely determined about some things, though Gunter couldn't find a way to chastise his favorite former student, and Gwendel didn't really have the heart to deny his brother that happiness, though the headache of Wolfram was inspiring the appearance of a tic in his eyebrow.

The End.