Title: Whisper of the Heart

Author: Keitorin (a.k.a. Chou ni Natte)

Fandom: Kyou Kara Maou!

Pairing: Conrad x Yuuri

Rating: G

Summary: There was pure silence after his heartfelt declaration, and he thought he felt a little better just for having said it out loud.

Disclaimer: I don't own Kyou Kara Maou. I write for fun, not profit.

Written: April 04, 2006

Yuuri sat on a tree stump in the woods behind the castle, looking at the darkening sky. He'd discovered the place of solitude a few weeks earlier, but hadn't had the time to slip away until now. The stump was a nice size for reclining, and another tree acted as a prop for him to lean back against. The leaves rustled in the wind, providing him with a nice, gentle breeze. Yuuri closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and letting it out after a moment. He hadn't felt this relaxed in a while. Gunter had been relentless, foiling his every attempt at escape. Yuuri hadn't realized how much he needed a break. Yet, even now he didn't feel quite right. He thought it was just stress getting to him, but there was a niggling feeling in the back of his mind telling him otherwise. In a hidden part of his heart, he knew exactly what was going on, but he'd been good at tucking a those feelings away, at least until now. Yuuri felt like all the feelings he'd been storing away were escaping to come after him in revenge.

"I really love you too much for my own good, Conrad..." He sighed sadly, tucking his chin on his knees.

There was pure silence after his heartfelt declaration, and he thought he felt a little better just for having said it out loud. That was, until a twig snapped loudly from behind him and Yuuri flew off the stump so fast he was disoriented for a moment. After he adjusted, he looked up to see the last person he'd wanted to see at that moment.

"Yuuri..." The gentle soldier murmured, holding a branch back with his hand and looking at Yuuri with an unreadable expression. Yuuri panicked, and started stuttering. It was obvious the man had heard his silent confession.

"I...I, uhm...That is!" His face felt like a hot balloon, and he wished for something, anything to make him disappear. Even a bucket of water and Shinou's will to send him away would be fine. Conrad slowly stepped forward until he was only a few feet away, and Yuuri was irrationally worried that the man would punch him.

However, Conrad only reached out a hand to him. Yuuri was relieved, thinking the man hadn't heard after all and was just offering him a hand. He tentatively slid his palm over Conrad's larger, protective hand and in a flash he was being pulled against a solid body and held onto tightly.

"Con...rad..."

"Yuuri… I love you too." Yuuri heard an emotion in the man's voice that he couldn't place. Then his mind processed the words that had been spoken and he gasped, clutching tightly to the man's arms. After a moment, the two pulled back and looked into each other's eyes. Yuuri could see the deep love and caring, and it made him weak at the knees. Before he could collapse and lose his courage, he pressed his lips into Conrad's, pouring all the emotions he'd hidden away in a pocket of his heart. Yuuri knew he would have some explaining to do for his absence to the other Mazoku later, but right now he was in no hurry to let this moment go.