06:
“A bit harsh with the boy, weren’t you?”
Gwendal gave a non-committal grunt and accepted the cup of tea placed before
him with a small nod of acknowledgement. He took a sip. “Still as bland as
ever.”
Conrad chuckled. “I’m sorry. I know that my tea making skills cannot be
compared to…”
Gwendal lifted a hand to stall him. “Don’t say that name.”
“But he’s back in town…at least that’s what I’ve heard.”
Gwendal shrugged and made a show of reading through the list of possible
players accepted for the minor league program. But there was no hiding the dull
flush of color that had come to his cheeks which was made even worse as a
magazine was tossed right in front of him.
“Wha…?!”
“His latest cover shot,” Conrad explained with a small smile which was hidden
behind his cup. “According to the article, he’s returning to Japan for a few
weeks. It would be a great way to catch up on old times…”
Gwendal stared at the smiling light-purple haired man and felt a whirl of
reluctant memories come rushing back. With another grunt, he shoved the
magazine away, mumbling beneath his breath. “I don’t care if he’s here or not…”
“But I thought you were friends…”
“He was my sempai in high school!” Gwendal cut in roughly. “I’d hardly
qualify that as being good friends…!”
“But he did stay over with us for summer vacations and vice versa…”
“Can we talk about something else now?” Gwendal was beginning to look extremely
uncomfortable and would have rather not talked about an event in his life that
made him feel alone and betrayed.
“Is that why you were so harsh on the boy?” Conrad asked quietly, noticing the
brief look of sadness that had filled his older brother’s eyes.
“What are you talking about?” came the curt question. “I don’t think it’s right
for Wolfram to have to deal with a boy and his amorous affections when he
should be concentrating on baseball!”
Conrad sighed softly and placed his cup on the table. He closed his eyes and
took a deep breath before opening them again to stare pointedly at his brother.
“Wolfram is going to be seventeen soon, Gwendal. You cannot continue to baby
him forever you know. If it’s his decision to return Shibuya’s affections then
I doubt you have much say in the matter.”
Gwendal gave a light snort of derision. “Do you honestly see Wolfram allowing
himself to be taken by a boy like Shibuya?”
“You noticed the way he was staring at Shibuya all day and then…”
“The fainting?” Gwendal asked with a light frown. “What was that all about?”
“I have no idea, maybe the stress of the day finally got to them. But I will
tell you this.” Conrad turned his gaze to the events outside the window, his
brows furrowed in thought as well. “I sometimes feel like Wolfram has a… split
personality.”
“What?”
“Like he’s someone else sometimes or he goes off to someplace that I can’t
reach him.” Conrad gave a nervous laugh. “I know it doesn’t make sense but I
live with him and I’ve noticed those moments. I sometimes wonder if he’s losing
his mind. Maybe we shouldn’t have brought him to the city…”
“Are you saying my decision to bring him here was a mistake?” Gwendal grated
softly.
Conrad shook his head quickly. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m sure you had good
intentions but…he’s changing and I’m worried about him, that’s all.”
“I’m worried too, Conrad,” Gwendal replied firmly. “And like you I want what’s
best for Wolfram. The camp will be a good experience for him…just as long as
that Shibuya keeps his hands to himself and doesn’t try anything funny.”
Conrad chuckled. “What’s so funny?” Gwendal asked impatiently.
“Oh nothing…although I was just remembering the day I caught you and Gunter in
the garden back home…”
“You saw that?!” Gwendal cried out in dismay. “Good grief…!” He slapped a hand
over his face, trying hard to stop the blush that had filled his cheeks.
Conrad rose to his feet with a soft laugh. “Not everything, but enough to fuel
my imagination.” He made his way to the door and then stopped. “I just ask that
you remember the way you felt for Gunter and how happy you were back then,
Gwendal. I know you haven’t forgiven him for leaving you so suddenly and you do
not want Wolfram to go through the same pain you suffered, but at least, give
him the chance to experience it on his own before making his decisions for him.
That is all I ask.”
As the door closed behind his younger brother, Gwendal lowered his hand slowly
and drew the magazine closer to him. He stared into the smiling visage, those
light purple eyes that had once been filled with…
“Stupid,” he muttered as he pushed it aside again, forcing a frown of concentration
on his visage. What was the use of going back to a past that would only bring
more pain to him? He had been young and smitten with an older boy and had
gotten a harsh dose of reality.
“Just don’t make the same mistakes I did, Wolfram,” he whispered into the
silence. “It’s really not worth it.”
Yes, indeed. Falling in love was nothing but a waste of time and would only
bring misery to the parties involved. Gwendal had learned that the hard way.
The next two weeks couldn’t go fast enough for Yuuri. He had called his father
and brother to tell them of the good news and both men had sent their
well-wishes with Shouri wishing he could be there to send Yuuri off to the
camp. Yuuri promised to take pictures and send them via email when he returned
and that seemed good enough for them. As for Jennifer, well, she had made it
quite clear to anyone who wanted to hear, that her son was going to become a
professional baseball player. Even though Yuuri had tried to explain that he
wasn’t really a professional yet, Jennifer was too proud of her baby boy to
really understand the minor details.
The day before the trip, she had decided to pack his luggage for him…without
Yuuri’s knowledge. It was a good thing he felt the need to check what she had
put into the oversized carryall and all but screamed at the number of pink,
print or frilly items of clothing she had stuffed in there. After explaining to
her for the umpteenth time that he was going to a baseball camp and not
a vacation to Okinawa, she reluctantly allowed him to pack a few normal
clothes. She went over his checklist with him and at the end of the day, she
prepared him his favorite meals.
“I’m going to be all alone when you leave,” she had said while sniffling sadly.
“I’ll make sure I call you everyday, mom.” And he swore to do that too…if
they’d let him at the camp that is.
On the day of the trip, Murata was there early to join the Shibuyas. Yuuri
could feel a million butterflies fluttering in his stomach as they drove to the
train station. He hadn’t been able to sleep much last night and he still didn’t
feel tired at all. He couldn’t wait to get started with the program and really
hoped he’d be able to do well.
/If you touch my brother, I’ll make sure you never play baseball in this
town again!/
He bit his lower lip as Gwendal’s harsh reprimand filled his mind again. The
threat had shaken him deeply, but thankfully Conrad had eased his fears a
little. The former baseball player had reassured the boys (outside Gwendal’s
office of course) that there was really nothing to worry about. Gwendal was
just concerned about Wolfram’s welfare as any big brother would. Yuuri guessed
it was normal enough. But to think that Wolfram and Gwendal were actually brothers!
They looked nothing alike! But what was Conrad’s relationship to them anyway?
Was he like a family friend or something?
“Probably his brother as well,” Murata muttered, causing Yuuri to start in
surprise. He hadn’t realized he had been speaking his thoughts out loud….or had
he? He stared at Murata’s grinning visage.
“Wha…?”
“I said that maybe Conrad is his brother as well. Remember when he was
introducing himself? He said ‘I’m Gwendal’s bro…and then quickly changed it to
assistant.”
“Wow, you notice everything, Murata,” Yuuri said in genuine appreciation. “I
didn’t even hear that.”
“Of course you didn’t. You were too busy freaking out.”
Yuuri flushed. “Ah…” It would make sense that Conrad would be a brother as
well...although the mystery of why they didn't look alike was still mind boggling
to him.
“Here we are!” Jennifer cried out in excitement as they approached the train
station. The boys looked out of the window of the car, noticing that several
other parents and a few boys had arrived. However, those going to the camp were
mostly made up of young men in their early twenties and upwards, some laughing
and talking amongst themselves while others sat on their own.
“Not a lot of high school kids, eh?” Murata observed as they stepped out of the
car.
“Yeah, seems to be only five of us…including Wolfram,” Yuuri said, trying to
take deep steady breaths to calm himself.
“Ah, speaking of Wolfram,” Murata began, looking all around the crowded
platform. “I wonder where he is.”
“Don’t know, don’t care,” Yuuri mumbled and lowered his gaze, making a show of
zipping up his carryall bag. But he knew he wasn’t just nervous about the camp.
It was the thought of actually spending two weeks in the other boy’s company,
especially with the weird things happening between them that really bothered
him. If they could communicate with their minds now, what stopped Wolfram from
discovering whatever thoughts Yuuri might have?
I’ll have to learn how to block some of them out or something, he
thought with a sigh.
“Smile, Yuu-chan!”
“Huh?” A bright flash filled his eyes and he blinked rapidly. “Mom!” he hissed
in embarrassment as the other players turned to watch the proceedings with
great interest and amusement. “Don’t take my pictures here!”
“What’s wrong with taking your picture? Now, stand beside Murata, sweetie.”
“Like this, Mrs. Shibuya?” Murata asked, grinning widely and slapping an arm
around his flabbergasted friend’s shoulder. He held up two fingers in a V sign.
“Cheese!”
Oh God, someone save me! Yuuri thought with a groan as he lowered his
head in shame only to suck in a harsh breath as he felt it – that familiar jolt
of awareness that always seemed to happen to him whenever Wolfram was around.
He lifted his head and glanced around the platform quickly, his heartbeat
quickening, hands getting a bit damp and his mouth incredibly dry.
He’s here…he’s here…
And then he saw them, those brilliant green eyes, staring right back at him
across the sea of people between them.
Wolfram…
Hmph.
The blond spun around in dismissal effectively cutting off anything Yuuri would
have said to him. However, something hot seemed to flare in the pit of Yuuri’s
stomach, something akin to anger at being treated so coolly, for the next thing
he knew, he was doing something he had never thought he could do in public.
“Wolfram!” he yelled. “Don’t you dare walk away from me!”
Eh?! He slapped a hand over his mouth, his face now bright red as
everyone turned to look at him in confusion. Wolfram had frozen at the sound of
his name unable to believe that the boy had actually had the gall to call him
out like that. What in the world was he thinking?!
“Wolfram?” Jennifer asked, her eyes lighting up with curiosity. “Who’s Wolfram,
Yuu-chan?”
Murata chuckled and motioned for them to move towards the blond. “He’s going to
be in the camp as well. They are rivals.”
“Ri…rivals?!” Yuuri was shaking his head, not wanting to go but Murata was all
but dragging him towards Wolfram and Conrad. He sighed and lowered his head as
Murata became the master of ceremonies again. Introductions were given all
around and Jennifer was all too happy to meet more of Yuu-chan’s new friends.
Yuuri was embarrassed at his outburst and could feel Wolfram’s heated gaze on
him.
I’m sorry…
Save it for someone who cares.
Yuuri winced although he could feel the demon king within him stirring at the
‘insolent’ tone. Not now, please don’t come out now.
“Why don’t you and Wolf-chan pose for a picture?” Jennifer invited.
Yuuri’s eyes widened and he shook his head rapidly. “No…mom…”
“I think it’s a great idea,” Conrad said as he willingly stepped away from
Wolfram, who was also looking aghast at the idea, and all but shoved the two
boys together. “Now smile for the camera.”
“Oooh, don’t they look so cute?!” Jennifer gushed in delight. “Now say cheese!”
But neither boy could get a word out of their lips for the brief contact
between their bodies was enough to have them gasping at the intense feelings of
longing, pain, joy, sorrow and overwhelming…love? For each other. They
stared into each other’s eyes, ignoring the camera and indeed the world around
them. Again, they experienced the sensation of their surroundings melting away
and soon found themselves standing in an open field with two horses grazing
peacefully beside them.
I don’t want to remember this, Wolfram thought sadly as he shook his
head in denial. I don’t want to. It’s too painful…
But I kept my promise, Yuuri replied. I returned like you wanted me
to…
No, that was in the past…in the past…we’re…we’re different now…
My feelings for you have never changed. You belong to me, Wolfram!
“No…not anymore,” he whispered and took a step away from the dark-haired boy
just as the world seemed to shift again. He groaned and would have fallen to
the ground if it wasn’t for Conrad’s strong arms around him.
“Are they going to be okay?” Jennifer asked in concern as he watched the two
men hold onto their friends.
“I think so,” Murata replied with a light frown. “We should probably get them
on the train now.” Conrad agreed with a slow nod and before long, they had
settled both Yuuri and Wolfram on their seats and made sure that their luggage
was safe in the overhead compartment. Conrad exchanged a few words with the
coaches in charge, hoping they would keep an eye out for the two boys. No, they
weren’t anemic, he explained to the concerned men, but it wouldn’t hurt to make
sure the boys weren’t too stressed.
Unbeknownst to them, several other players were listening to the conversation
and already a feeling of loathing and jealousy for the two ‘special’ boys, rose
amongst them.
Satisfied that things would be taken care of, Conrad stepped out of the train
to join the waiting Jennifer and Murata on the platform. There was a last
minute call for everyone to come on board, the shrill sound of a whistle and
soon enough the long white bullet train began to pull out of the platform to
cheers and waves from those left behind. Jennifer blew into her handkerchief
noisily already missing her baby boy while Murata and Conrad continued to watch
the train with concern on their features.
“Mr. Weller,” Murata finally said quietly. “Have you noticed anything strange
about Wolfram in the past few weeks?”
Conrad started in surprise, his eyes narrowing as he watched the boy beside
him. “Yes…I have. Why do you ask?”
“Then I think you and I need to talk,” came the enigmatic response. “There’s
something strange happening here and I want to get to the bottom of it.”
Wolfram’s lashes opened slowly. He blinked and tried to make sense of his
surroundings, wondering if he would find himself on that meadow again but a
light jolt from the train reminded him of where he was.
Ah, I fainted…again, he thought as he held a hand to his forehead in the
hopes of easing the pounding headache he felt. They must have carried me in
here. How embarrassing…Shibuya!
Wondering what had happened to the other boy, he tried to sit up only to feel
the weight of something heavy on his left shoulder.
What in the world…? He turned his head to see and shivered at the
sensation of fine dark hair tickling his chin. He sucked in a harsh breath as
his gaze fell on the peaceful visage of the boy fast asleep beside him.
Shibuya…Yuuri…he looks so…
He felt the nervous flutter in his stomach and the familiar heat pooling in the
pit of his stomach and below his waist again. His first instinct was to push
Yuuri away from him and yet he couldn’t stop staring at the boy’s face as if
hoping to memorize every curve and angle. His lashes were long and Wolfram knew
behind them would be those blazing dark eyes that had fascinated him --
(for centuries)
-- from the moment they had met. There was the smooth curve of that nose, the
full lips which looked so damn kissable…not that Wolfram wanted to do anything
like that (at least he told himself that much). There was a faint scar on the
lower part of Yuuri’s jaw and Wolfram assumed he must have scratched himself
with something.
Did it hurt, Yuuri? To his amazement, he could see his fingers reaching
out to trace the faint dark line. He trembled at the feel of the cool flesh beneath
his touch, groaning at the memory of being trapped beneath Yuuri’s weight,
pressed against silken sheets and warm pillows. Oh, how he wanted to feel that
again.
“…bunch of fucking queers.”
Wolfram sucked in a harsh breath and withdrew his fingers, his face flaming
with color at the obvious remark directed at them. He lifted his gaze, pinning
cold green eyes on the older men sitting at the opposite side of the train.
“Don’t spread the queer germs around us,” another one said causing several
others to laugh in response. Yuuri stirred and opened his lashes slowly. He
rubbed his eyes and blinked, wondering what the commotion was all about.
“Wha…what’s going on?”
He winced as he was shoved away a little. “Hey…Wolfram?!” He stared, almost
comically, at the blond sitting beside him. “What…?”
But Wolfram only gave him a cold look and placed a pair of headphones over his
head. And closing his eyes, he cut off any possible communication between them
until they reached their destination.
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