katikat | (ficcie) The Flame

I've finally written something! I combined the challenge of

zerotwofan: "I knew you would see it my way!" with the one of

deityofdeath: "You cheating jerk" and wrote one story. I think it's not what you have expected though, girls *hides*

Title: The Flame
Fandom: Kyou Kara Maou
Pairing: Wolfram/Yuuri
Disclaimer: All standard disclaimers apply here.
Warnings: Sad, Angst, Death Story (sowwy! *hides again*)
Notes: Thank you,

yami_tai, for your wonderful beta job!

The Flame

by KatiKat

"You cheating jerk!"

At the angry, frustrated, annoyed yell, I whirl around, the book I had been reading falling from my suddenly numb fingers.

Pleased murmur. "Ha! A sure way to get your attention!"

I scan the dark library eagerly... but the chamber is empty. As I knew it would be... as it was when I entered it.

I feel pain and sadness swell in my heart and the despair that tries to find its way through my painfully closed throat almost chokes me. I gasp for air, my knees buckling and I drop heavily into the nearest armchair.

It's dark outside and it's raining. Heavy clouds have occupied the sky for days now, ropes of rain falling down and lashing angrily at the tightly closed windows. It's as if the heaven itself, the gods themselves are trying to extinguish the fire that rescued us and destroyed us at the same time.

The tiny flame of the single candle illuminating the vast room flickers as if in agreement. Since it happened, everybody has avoided fire whenever possible, no matter how unreasonable it may be. And it makes me sad because to me it feels like we are trying to forget, to shut off the last thing that remains of him.

Delighted laugh. "I knew you would see it my way."

Even though tears are blurring my sight, I can feel a smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "You have to be right, even now," I whisper to the dark room and as the flame of the candle flickers again, I almost see his silhouette contoured on the stone wall of the room. His pose is still the same - confident, self-assured, a bit arrogant...

And my heart clenches again, almost torn apart by the pain that never seems to cease these days.

"Pft. I knew you were a wimp!"

I burst out in a silent, almost hysterical laugh. I feel, as if he is still here, following me wherever I go, like a predator stalking his prey. What I would give to find him in my room again, taking over the bed and all the covers or glaring at me whenever I smile at anyone but him. I would do anything to see him do this or that... anything but... what's imprinted on my memory like a marking engraved in a stone...

The enemy's army, surrounding our encampment in numbers... men, killing and getting killed... the small group of the most trusted that ended up facing the hordes, outnumbered... and the act of braveness of the one I thought so annoying but loved more than I realized...

I will forever feel, see, taste the look of such a profound love he gave me... his last look before he raised his sword and with an enraged cry threw himself on the enemy who thought him mad... one against hundreds... Until his sword lit up in flames that soon engulfed his whole being and spread further and further... taking the soldiers, embracing them and swallowing them, devouring their lives until no one but us was left standing... there, on the small green island, surrounded by the sea of fire.

Gisela said that he gave his mazoku gift free reign, loosened his control and let the fire out. I never knew that the mazoku were so powerful... and that their gift could take their life.

I still see him raging amongst the enemy's hordes like a god of fire... his body slowly turning to ashes until nothing but the flame remained...

The flame...

"I will be there, whenever you light a candle or a fire in the hearth... I will be there..."

The silent, breathless whisper caresses my ear and I resist the temptation to turn around. Because the pain of finding no one there would be unbearable.

But then the candle flickers again and it's as if the laugh is there once more and the amused whisper feels like a gentle poke in the ribs.

"You really are a wimp."

"Don't call me that," I protest half-heatedly and sniff quietly. But I don't tell him to go away, to stop bothering me, following me... Not anymore. Because I want to keep him around, to keep at least something of him alive...

Even if it is the flame...

And so I light all the candles I can find and keep them burning, not letting the fire go out... and when I close my eyes and listen very carefully, sometimes... I can hear him whisper my name.

"Yuuri..."

The End