Written for my dear friend slr2moons. A bit of Gunter and Yuuri fluff! (In reference to the title: I do know what ebony is, I just thought it was funny.)

Yuri had fallen asleep on the job. His face was turned to one side, cheek flat to the desk, one arm crooked around the back of his head as if to shield him from being disturbed. His other arm was stretched out across the desk, quill still dangling from limp fingers.

How long he had been asleep Gunter had no idea. He had intended to check up on his liege's progress, and at the same time personally bring Yuri a small treat. The tray of tea things was now set aside on a sideboard. Gunter had put it down with exaggerated care, so that the china would not clink and wake the Maoh from his nap.

Gunter had meant to wake him, truly he had. It was just that when he reached out to rouse him Yuri had made the cutest little noise in his sleep. . . and Gunter could not bear to disturb him.

Unable to disturb his beloved Maoh, but equally unable to turn and leave with his duty unfulfilled, Gunter hovered at Yuri's side. Adoration and duty warred in his heart, filling him with a sweet and familiar pain.

Gunter wanted to compose poetry about the delicate lace of the Maoh's eyelashes against his cheeks, about the soft skin of his eyelids and the way his blessedly black bangs hung over his face.

Ah! Untouchable, those piceous tresses. Like the perfect jet of the raven's wing, more precious than the richest ebony, to fall soft across that smooth and untroubled brow. No breeze may stir those silken strands, and yet I wish to smooth them. These traitorous fingers! To plunge my hands into the deepest and darkest waters of the river Styx could not be more forbidden! Oh, Heika! That I might imagine your-

Yuri stirred and stretched before sleepily cracking his eyes open. Gunter hadn't actually done anything, but he felt himself suddenly blush as if his Maoh might somehow know about the verse of adoration running through his mind.

It didn't help when Yuri yelped and sat up so quickly that he fell out of his chair.

"Heika!"

Gunter rushed to his liege's side, helping him up off of the floor even as he tried to wave off Gunter's noises of worry.

"I really didn't mean to fall asleep. You just startled me a little," Yuri was saying.

Once he was situated at his desk once again Yuri reached up and rubbed the back of his neck with a sigh.

"I really shouldn't fall asleep here," he said to himself. "Wake up with a crick in my neck"

"Allow me, Heika."

Gunter placed his hands delicately against Yuri's warm neck. For a moment the mere contact sent tingles up his arms. Then, working with all the delicate skill he could muster, he started to massage the back of Yuri's neck.

"You don't have to. . . ." Yuri told him, though his voice trailed off with each word, and Gunter could see him relaxing under the touch.

His Maoh was so thoughtful. Gunter was used to hearing such things from Yuri, always telling people they didn't need to do this or that to please him. It only made Gunter want to do more and more for Yuri.

"Please consider this my punishment for allowing you to fall asleep."

In spite of saying that, Gunter didn't really feel he was being punished. Especially not when his beloved Maoh gave every evidence of enjoying his little neck massage. Gunter had to push down spinning phrases of adoration about the tense muscles of Yuri's neck.

Everything was perfect until Yuri tipped his head back, his soft hair brushing Gunter's hand. The same hair, dark as flawless ebony, that Gunter had just composed words of love about. . . and the relaxed look on Yuri's face that said more sweetly than words that Gunter's touch was satisfying him. . . it was all too much.

Even before he was aware of how far gone he was, a single drop of blood fell from Gunter's nose. It landed in the center of Yuri's forehead and stared up as Gunter like a third eye.

"Hm?"

Yuri's eyes came open as he brought one hand up to see what had dripped on him. Gunter released Yuri's neck and shoulders to hold his treacherous nose with both hands.

"Gunter? Are you alright?"

"Yes!" Gunter's voice came out as a strained squeak. "Please excuse me, Heika!"

With his nose still trickling blood, Gunter fled. His love for his Maoh had threatened to stray into a dangerously unpure place. He knew, even as he went to find something to stem the flow of blood so that he could present Yuri with his tea properly, that there was nowhere he could flee to where the thought of burying his fingers in Yuri's hair wouldn't follow him.