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How long does it take an average person to sleep?
With all the things, like coming to another world and becoming the Demon King, happening to me, I personally have tried to keep my identity of 'an average highschooler' intact. I become overjoyed if someone calls me average nowadays. Which strictly contradicts my wishes from when I was younger- when, like all other kids, I wished to be famous. A famous baseballer, but famous nonetheless.
But, being 'average' is not something that I have researched on. So, right now, I had no idea about the sleep span of an 'average person'.
Why was I even trying to think about that, you say?
Well, that's because, right now, at the middle of night, I was wide awake like an owl!
And, also being half choked by Wolfram's sleeping position.
Why can he not sleep properly?
But, compared to how he usually sleeps, he was atleast still lying on the pillow. Given, that his hand was currently lying around my neck in a death grip.
I fail to understand how this guy can look so cute and innocent while choking someone!
Since, I had nothing else to do, and I was getting impatient and bored by the minute, I decided to observe this little angel.
He was sleeping soundly with his signature "Gugupi gugupi" sound coming from his slightly opened mouth. But, now and then, a little crease would appear between his brows. These days, whenever serious, he looks like his eldest brother a lot. At those times, I get this feeling that he is going to surpass me any minute.
I wonder what he's dreaming about?
Out of all the brothers, Wolfram is the one who is closest to me- both physically and mentally.
I guess I would say emotionally as well.
In that sense, out of all the people that I have met, be it on Earth or in this world, Wolfram has been the closest person to me.
In all my adventures, if you would call it that, he has followed me as a protector, even after I left without him. He has literally followed me to the end of the world. Just like a loyal dog.
Now that I think about it, Wolfram really does live upto his name.
He is as loyal as a dog, just as much as he is fierce.
Like a Wolf. A bit tamed now, but still a Wolf in all his glory.
When he swore his loyalty to me, he devoted his entire life for my sake. I was brutally reminded of that in the recent events, when he was ready to sacrifice his life for me. And, at one point, he almost did.
But he is just as much of a tsundere. A Wagamama-Puu (Selfish Prince). And a complete brat at times.
But, just as a Wolf, he decides to interact and consider a person only after he has had an analysis of the person's character.
I find that to be one of his best qualities.
Yet, sometimes, that quality of his makes me wonder, that, suppose I would've never slapped him and fought him- and got engaged to him in the process-, would he still be by my side?
Probably not.
What made him consider me as his king, and -ahem- his fiance -ahem-, was probably that fight we had. Living up to his name, just like a Wolf, he acknowledged me after that fight.
Whether it was purposely done or coincidentally, but that fight was probably the reason I have him by my side.
And, if given the chance, would I have it otherwise?
Never.
No matter how much I complain about our engagement, but I would never take what happened then back. I would never take that slap back.
I would never choose a life without Wolf in there.
I wonder when he became such a precious existence?
"How long will you keep staring?"
Huh?
A pair of emerald irises, that reminded me of the bottom of a lake at night, stared right at me.
"Uaaahhhh!!!!"
"Hey, do you want to wake up the whole castle?", the third son hissed.
"Sorry... Wait, if you were awake, then why are you still choking my neck?"
"I'm good at keeping my act up."
"I might've died, you know?"
To this, Wolfram made an expression that had "Unbelievable" written all over it.
Don't look at me like that! I can just feel you thinking henachoko in your head!
"So, why are you not asleep?", Wolfram asked, suppressing a yawn.
"I wasn't feeling sleepy."
"Then, why were you staring at me?", he asked, slightly peeved.
"Cause I had nothing else to do?", I manuvered.
Wolfram sighed.
"Tell me what you were thinking then", he said. He sounded curious.
"Why do you think I was thinking something?"
"With your weird imaginative power, it would be a miracle if your thoughts didn't wonder off at such moments", he stated.
"Makes sense. Hmm, I was thinking about the sleep span of an average person."
"While you were staring at me?"
"No! I did that afterwards."
"Then? What were you thinking while you were observing me?"
"Ah, about that... I was, well, just thinking about how your name really suits you."
"My name?"
"More like the animal 'Wolf' in your name, and how you are very similar to it"
"So, you are saying that I'm sly?", he asked, a bit irked.
Eh?
"Sly? Why that?"
When did wolves turn sly?
"Cause wolves are considered sly animals", the third son replied, still fuming but a bit confused as well.
Oh, no. Not again! Another difference?
"No, Wolfram! In my home world, foxes are sly creatures. Not wolves!", I said, trying to clear the misunderstanding.
"This is also your home world", he pouted.
This is what you pick up on?
"Yes, it is!...Earth! I'll use Earth when referring to my other home", I offered.
To this, I was unexpectedly awarded a rare smile from the Selfish Prince!
Is it the Apocalypse next?!
But, I must say, it really is rare to see Wolf smile. The amount of times I have seen the third son use his facial muscles to perform this task is something I can count on my fingers. He looks like an arch-angel when he smiles, yet he refuses to do that.
Why can he not show his cute sides a bit?
"Okay. Then, how are wolves in your world?", he asked after a while.
"Wolves, huh? They are fierce creatures. Predators. And, they move in a pack. But, they also have a loyal side to them. And, they only consider those who have earned their trusts as their comrades. Something like that?" I faced him, smiled and continued," Doesn't it sound a lot like you?"
It was a bit difficult to make out his expressions properly, thanks to the moonlight being the only illumination.
But, I could make out his movements. He shifted his head slightly away from me and nodded twice, making it even harder to make out his expression.
Now I really wanna see!
"In that context", Wolfram looked towards me, again, after a while, and said," Your name also suits you a lot."
"Eh?"
"In here, 'Yuuri' means 'July'. It is a month full of warmth and peace", he said. He let his facial muscles relax into a slight smile and continued, "It is something that you brought to this country with you. You gifted this country the warmth and peace it craved for so many years."
Wow... This person... he thought about it like that?
Apart from Conrad, nobody else ever really mentioned the meaning of my name.
I didn't think Wolf would think of it in such a way. I'm touched.
"You are also, just like your name, extremely energetic and full of life", he continued after a while. "Infact, you bring joy and fill others with your energy, making them and the atmosphere lively as well."
"Aah!! Time out! Time out! This is too embarrassing to hear!"
It was really tough to look at Wolfram so I diverted my face slightly away from him.
How can he spout such embarassing words without flinching?! And, how can he look so good doing that?!
The power of a bishounen (pretty boy) is truly strong.
"I was just praising you though?"
I wonder what are the things that Wolf classifies as 'embarassing'.
"Thanks, Wolf", I said, genuinely feeling grateful.
"Hmph, you should be thankful", he replied, as cheeky as ever. "But, you're welcome."
Tsundere.
"Now, it's about time you slept. Go to sleep. Come on", Wolf urged me.
"We were having such a nice conversation here! I don't feel like sleeping now!", I whined.
"Go to sleep now, Yuuri. It is too late already, and I'm feeling drowsy", he scolded, a bit irritated.
I know your love for sleep, but, I really don't want to sleep!
"No, I don't want to!", I voiced my thoughts.
"Yuuri, stop behaving like a child and sleep already!", he hissed out.
"Oh come on, Wolf. Cut me some slack! I really want to talk to you! We hardly get time to converse like this!"
I hope this works!!
"That is a fair point", he said, after putting some thought into it.
Did he take the bait!?
"But, I have a condition", he added.
Condition?
"What Condition?", I asked, doubtfully.
"Kiss Me."
...
"What?!"
To my highly surprised reaction, Wolfram quickly covered my mouth and shushed me before adding-
"You heard it right. Kiss me."
"Can't the difficulty level be a little bit lower?", I bargained.
He pretended to think about it and replied with a resolute "No".
"If you want my attention, then you have to, at the very least, accomplish this much", he added, smirking.
This guy purposely added this condition, knowing perfectly well that I'd be against it.
"Oh, well. Since, you are unable to do that, let's call it a day and go to sleep", Wolf stated matter-of-factly, accomplishment evident in his voice.
You wanna play it like that, huh.
Like I'd let you win!
Before he could turn around, I held him down by his shoulder. This startled him, as he looked up to the source of the hand holding him down, only to look into my face hovering over him.
We stared at each other for a moment, before I started leaning in.
To save myself the embarassment, I quickly pecked his creamy white cheeks, and swiftly lied down on my pillow.
I did it.
I kissed Wolfram.
I kissed Wolfram?!
This is so embarrassing!!
But, on a side note, his cheeks are softer that I imagined.
Isn't he just too perfect?
After finally getting rid of my embarassment, somewhat, I looked over to where Wolfram was.
He was still in that same position as before. His eyes seemed to be wide open, just as when I saw him while I did that.
"Wolf."
No response
"Hey, Wolf!"
This time he seemed to hear me. He reacted with a throaty "Hmm".
"I fulfilled your condition, so talk to me now."
"Hmm... Eh?"
Is he even listening? What happened? I didn't think he'd be reacting like that. Was it so unexpected?
"Like I said, I fulfilled my end of the bargain. So, now it's your turn."
He seemed to have regained his bearings back as he said in disbelief-
"Hah? You call that a kiss? A chick is better at pecking than you!"
"You asked for a kiss, you got one. So, what's your problem now?", I replied, a bit annoyed myself.
"Can't you read the atmosphere Yuuri? You were supposed to kiss me on the lips, henachoko!", Wolf said, fuming all over.
"That's a really tall order! Plus, you didn't mention about the location at all! So, you can't complain about that", I reasoned.
"That's not fair!", he whined.
No matter how cute you look, I won't let myself fall for it.
"Your condition wasn't either!", I countered.
"Hmph! You're such a henachoko, Yuuri!"
"I'm not a henachoko!"
Hearing our familiar bickering after a long while -and also, in some ways, getting rid of the lingering embarrassment- we both laughed.
What happened later?
Haha, Wolf kept his side of the bargain, obviously!
The next day, both of us resumed our duties with dark circles decorating our eyes.
Although I do feel bad seeing those dark circles ruining his cute face, but I regret nothing.
I wonder why everyone at the Blood Pledge Castle were eying us, though?
From what I heard from Conrad, apparently he came in later with Günter, only to see us sound asleep while cuddling each other. He said that we looked so cute to him, that he wanted to leave us be. So, he dragged Günter with him, literally.
Günter fainted, apparently.
I had to resume my duties while suppressing my sleep.
But, I think that it was worth it. Because, I enjoyed our time together a lot.
I think we became even more closer that night.
"Hey, Wolf. Let's talk with each other, please", I requested like a kid.
I hope Greta's trick works!
"No matter how cute you are, or how much you beg me for it, I'm not doing that!", the third son said angrily.
"Just for an hour?"
"And end up being awake till dawn? No way! And you too, go to sleep already!"
"Oh, come on Wolf. You're being stingy!"
"It's for your own good, you idiot!"
This ended up becoming a new daily routine for us after that.
And, I ended up discovering a new side of Wolfram.