Parasites

Chapter 1

A/N: Written as my first post to a livejournal KKM community. The idea was half pulled from a Plot Generator, because my plotbunnies have been running away lately. This part ends rather abruptly, because I didn't have anywhere else to cut it. I wanted to make this a one-shot, but it turned into a three shot.

Enjoy~

--

Yuuri had come back to Shin Makoku during what were the cold, winter months on Earth. Shin Makoku tended to have a constant warmth to it, even in the chill of it's winter. An everlasting Spring, he'd always called it. Yes, if there was one thing enjoyable about the Demon Kingdom it was the weather.

If there was one thing not enjoyable about it, however, it was his blond-haired ex-prince of a fiancé. Yuuri was always so exhausted when he was with Wolfram, and he never got any time to himself unless he was taking a bath, and even then that was usually intruded on.

But, he'd never wished misfortune on the 83 year old. Ok, well, maybe he did, but only when he was really angry or annoyed at him. So, when he awoke one morning to find Wolfram tossing and turning in bed with a fever ablaze in his body, he found himself almost panicking. Gisela was quickly called in to determine the problem, but after an extensive, 2 hour long examination she concluded that she actually had no idea what was running wild in his system; that the bug was something she'd never seen or read about, and therefore could not treat it. She then decreed that it'd be best to just let him sweat it out, and if he worsens they would need to deal with it then.

Yuuri sighed as he stared down at Wolfram, whose face was scrunched in discomfort as he tried to sleep. After spending a day in and out of his master bedroom (he was none to happy about letting Wolfram stay inside to infect his sheets, but had to agree that moving him to a new bed probably wasn't the best idea), and hearing various things about the blond's condition from the maids, he found the symptoms oddly close to those of a parasite he'd had once. A parasite that obviously didn't exist in this world, which means Yuuri had probably been carrying it when he arrived back into Shin Makoku a few days prior. As a pre-teen he'd had a parasite ravaging his intestines (that surfaced at a friend's birthday party, sadly), so he'd probably built up immunity to it once it'd passed through, and was unaffected by whatever it was he had caught back on Earth.

Unfortunately, it seems he'd passed the completely alien bug to Wolfram, whose body was now completely freaking out.

Although a little unsure of himself, Yuuri called Wolfram's family, Gunter, Gisela, and Greta into his shared bedroom to have a talk with everyone while Wolfram was awake. He took a breath from his place on the bed next to Wolfram, and smiled nervously.

"I think I know what's wrong with Wolfram," he said casually.

The others blinked at him a moment, and it was Wolfram who spoke up first.

"What do you mean?" he rasped, staring down his king with the most suspicious look he could muster.

Yuuri looked down at his hands guiltily. "Well, I think I brought something back with me from Earth. I remember, when I was little I once had a similar experience. Wolfram is in worse condition than I was, but that's probably because I had been exposed to it my whole life."

"You mean you did this to me?" Wolfram tried to snarl, but found himself hugging his stomach in pain.

"Hey, I didn't mean to!"

"Your Majesty," Gisela suddenly stood from her chair, a stern look on her face. "May we please continue this discussion with you outside?"

Yuuri blinked a bit, then nodded and stood from the bed. The others followed suit, and everyone began for the door, leaving Wolfram alone and sweaty in the large bed.

"Wait a second!" the ill boy called, pushing himself up a bit to properly watch them go. His brows furrowed in a disapproving, annoyed fashion. "Why can't I hear; I'm the one who's sick after all!"

"We'll only be a moment, Wolfy, don't worry," Celi cooed, smiling gently at her youngest son before everyone filed out. Wolfram pouted heavily and collapsed back onto the bed.

This was the worst.

He'd never felt so weak in his life. Everything ached, his muscles shook when he put weight on them, he was sweating and sticky no matter what he did… Not to mention the occasional burst of pain in his abdomen that would take it's sweet time fading away. It hurt like a bitch. He'd tried to have some lunch earlier, but it'd all come back up not too long after ingesting it.

And it was all Yuuri's fault, that wimp.

"-Don't do this, Wolfram will die!"

The sudden yelling outside the door made Wolfram's eyes go wide. It was Gisela, yelling at someone about him dying?

"But who knows how long going there and coming back will be! I don't want to go back to Earth for a few minutes and come back to find out it's been 3 weeks and he's already dead!"

Yuuri; Gisela was yelling at Yuuri, and Yuuri was yelling back. Go to Earth? What for? Wolfram listened to the argument intently, not even noticing he'd begun to hold his breath.

"Your Majesty, it's the only way! Our world hasn't been introduced to this, so his body will not know how to fight it. He can't even keep food down, and who knows what will happen later; without your medicine he has no hope! So just get moving, now!"

"But I can't just-!"

"Your Highness, you must listen to Gisela," Wolfram blinked a bit at the soft tone of his mother's voice, unconsciously leaning over to try and hear it better. "We know you don't want to leave his side, but he will be in good hands while you get sufficient help."

"Besides," Now Gunter was speaking, and Wolfram felt he could hear the gentle, assuring smile on his face as he spoke. "If you move as quickly as possible, not long will have passed here at all. I am sure His Majesty will be back in time."

The long silence that followed was a little unnerving to the sick demon. He was already extremely anxious, and the few moments it took for Yuuri to make up his mind felt like an eternity. He didn't want to die yet, and especially not like this. No wonder they went outside to talk about this.

"…Fine."

--

It took Yuuri all of five seconds to run soaking wet from his bathtub into the kitchen, pull anything he could find in the medicine chest into a plastic bag, tie it shut, and jump back in to the swirling water. He did not say a word to his mother, or Shouri, or anyone else who happened to be in his home. He was on a mission.

He soon arrived in his massive bath at Blood Pledge Castle, and was extremely relieved to find that only a day had gone by. He was filled in on Wolfram's condition by Gisela as he hurried to his bedroom.

"Your Majesty, I can take care of him you know," Gisela suggested, trying to take the foreign medicine from the Maoh as they entered his chambers. Yuuri quickly jerked them away.

"No. This is my fault, so I'm going to take care of it," he argued gently, reaching into the bag to pull out a sealed plastic bottle. He took a seat next to Wolfram on the bed. Once he noticed that the feverish boy was asleep, he sent a gentle glare at Gisela. "Besides, he's my fiancé."

Wait, no, that wasn't right.

His fiancé? Since when had he started thinking like that?

Maybe he's just too stressed right now. Yes, that's it.

Yuuri brushed off what he said and began to line up the medications on the end table.

"But Sire…" Gisela sighed, casting them both a worried look.

"Besides," Yuuri interrupted, shaking one of the bottles so the pills rattled around inside. "You can't read the bottles, can you?" He tossed one to her with a smile. "What if you gave him the wrong dosage?"

The medic stared at the bottle in her fingers, her eyes widening gently at the kanji scrawled all over the label. After examining it, she held the bottle back out, smiling sadly.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness, I am just a little uneasy about this situation," she explained, looking at Wolfram. "I never thought something like this could come up."

"I understand," Yuuri said, grabbing a bottle and pushing down on the cap. "Why don't you be my assistant? I'm no doctor after all, and there are things about demons I don't know about. I'd appreciate the help." He twisted, and the cap came off with a pop.

Gisela's face lit up. "Really, Sire?! Oh, that'd be wonderful! Thank you for your generosity!" She bowed low, earning nervous laugh from her King.

"Right. Uhm, could you to get me a glass of water? When he wakes up he'll need it to take the pills."

"Of course, right away!"

Gisela then fluttered out, leaving Yuuri alone with a slumbering Wolfram. The Maoh frowned sadly at the blond, something in his heart clenching at the distressed look that'd plastered itself on Wolfram's face even in his sleep. His eyes were shut tight, his jaw tensed in discomfort. Sweat dripped down his temples and forehead, leaving wet trails down his already moist skin. Pink lips were dry and pulled into a light frown.

Yuuri sighed and reached over to push at Wolfram's soaking wet bangs, pulling them from his forehead with a tender touch. His fingers trailed down the side of his face, the feeling of sweat beneath his fingers not seeming to bother him at all. Wolfram shifted a bit, and Yuuri's hand practically flew away from his face.

No, he had not just been affectionately touching Wolfram.

"Finally taking responsibility for your actions, you wimp?"

Yuuri looked back at the ex-prince, whose eyes were now half open and staring at him. His tone seemed bitter and tired, but he had a small smile on his lips.

"How are you feeling?" the king asked gently, returning the smile.

"Not quite dead," Wolfram sighed, shifting uncomfortably under the suffocating sheets. "Starving. Thirsty."

"Gisela said you can only keep down water." Yuuri reached over again to press the back of his fingers against Wolfram's pink forehead. He gasped sharply upon contact and quickly withdrew his hand. Did he almost burn himself on Wolfram's face?

"What?" Wolfram grumbled, looking at his fiancé curiously.

Yuuri almost instantly dove for the end table, knocking over bottles in his attempt to grab the electronic thermometer he'd brought with him. He tore the box open and dumped the contents on the bed. Little latex sleeves, some instructions, and a thermometer scattered, and Yuuri hastily began trying to shove a sleeve over the end of the device so as to keep it sterile.

"What are you doing, you wimp?" Wolfram tried again, struggling to push himself onto his elbows to see what was happening at the end of the bed.

"Here, put this in your mouth and under your tongue." Yuuri basically shoved the beeping thermometer into his companion's mouth, then stood and hurried for the door. The blond demon blinked a bit in confusion, then adjusted the strange device in his mouth as he was told. He stared at the numbers flying across the analogue curiously.

Yuuri wrenched open the door to conveniently find Lasagna and Effe passing by with towels and a portion o that weeks shipment of ice. He immediately (and rather sternly) ordered them to drop their baskets inside his room "now." Freaked out by His Majesty's actions, they shoved the baskets inside and ran off as fast as they could. Yuuri hastily pushed the tub of ice and the basket of towels over to the bed, just in time for the thermometer to begin beeping. He took a seat on the bed and practically ripped the device from Wolfram's mouth. He pulled the latex sleeve off and chucked it aside, then looked down at the analogue reading Wolfram's temperature.

112 degrees Fahrenheit.

Yuuri blinked a moment, taking in what he was reading. He squinted, shook the little stick, then looked again.

112 degrees Fahrenheit.

Oh god what the hell.

"ONE HUNDRED AND TWELVE DEGREES?!" he all but exploded, jumping up from his seat and practically throwing the electronic device against the wall. He suddenly began to panic. "Oh my god, oh my god."

Wolfram frowned heavily, relaxing back against his pillows.

"What the hell is your problem, Yuuri?" he asked, wiping his face. "God it's hot in here…"

"Don't die on me Wolfram!" Yuuri suddenly exclaimed, ripping the covers off his fiancé's body. "Don't let your body fry itself! We've got to get you cooled off now!"

Wolfram practically squealed as Yuuri grabbed ahold of his nightgown and began an attempt to strip him of the garment. His already flushed face grew impossibly darker in color as he tried to fight off the intruding hands.

"Yuuri what are you doing!?!" he squeaked, struggling vainly as Yuuri managed the gown all the way up and over his head. He hissed painfully as the cool air of the room slammed against his very heated, damp skin once he was stripped of the garment. "Shit! That burns!"

Practically ignoring everything Wolfram was saying, Yuuri quickly began lying towels all over the blond's body, continuously mumbling something about 'not dying on him' over and over. Wolfram, too weak and confused to fight back, really had no choice but let him throw towels all over him.

But once Yuuri started pouring ice all over the towels, the ex prince practically squawked and began to thrash.

"Ow! Dammit, Yuuri! That hurts! It's too cold! Stop it!" he snarled through sudden surges of pain being sent through his temperature-sensitive nerves. He managed to turn himself onto his stomach, spilling towels and ice all over the place.

"Stop moving, Wolfram! We gotta make your fever go down!" Yuuri ordered, pouncing atop his fiancé to fix layers of towels and ice atop his back. Wolfram continued his weak fight, but really only managed to roll some of the ice off his back once Yuuri pinned his arms above his head.

"Oh my GOODNESS! Your Majesty, what are you doing?!"

Gisela's voice from the doorway brought both Yuuri and Wolfram's attention away from what was happening, and both of their gazes moved to the green-haired woman who was rushing over with a glass of water.

"G-g-get him off me!" Wolfram heaved, squirming gently under the mass of ice and his fiancé's weight.

"Please stop this nonsense!" Gisela pleaded, yanking Yuuri off Wolfram's body.

"What are you doing?! We need to bring his fever down before his body fries itself!" Yuuri argued, curling his fists and raising his voice at the woman.

"Sire, this much ice will put his body into shock! His fever isn't at that stage, there's no need for this!"

"He has a temperature of 112 degrees!"

Gisela rounded on Yuuri and grabbed his shoulders gently. "Your Highness, calm down. Everything is fine. Take a seat, have a few deep breaths, please."

Yuuri frowned heavily and dropped himself into a nearby chair as the medic went about clearing the bed of ice and towels. Once Wolfram was helped back in to his nightgown and carefully tucked away back under the covers, Gisela stood and turned to Yuuri.

"Your Majesty, have you forgotten Wolfram made a pact with Fire?" she asked calmly, tilting her head a bit. Wolfram remained silent, his cheeks puffed out as he stared off at the far wall, clearly rather pissed.

"What's that have to do with anything?" the King growled, tapping his fingers on his knees. Gisela blinked, then laughed.

"Those who made pacts with fire have a higher body temperature than other demons," she said merrily, straightening the fallen bottles on the nightstand. "Wolfram's natural core temperature is drastically higher than the rest of us. A fever of 112 to him is like having a fever of 103 to us."

Yuuri blinked curiously, tilting his head as he finally began to calm. "But… How come he doesn't usually feel unnaturally warm?"

"Fire wielders have a special part of their magic that keeps their skin at a lower temperature; kind of like magical sweat. While the inside of their bodies need to be higher than 98 degrees, their skin does need to stay cool so that they don't overheat."

Wolfram grumbled from his place in bed, crossing his arms. "What a wimp. Doesn't even know basic biology.." he huffed, glancing over at the windows moodily. Yuuri glared, but made no move to retort.

"See, this is why I need you to be my assistant," he sighed to the medic, slouching down tiredly in his chair. "Man, I know nothing about the demon body."

Gisela smiled warmly. "It's ok, Sire. You'll learn in time."

During the next thirty minutes, Wolfram was given a low dosage of Ibuprophen to control the fever and relieve sporadic pain, as well as some other choice medications to help battle the bug. When none of them had a negative effect, Gisela and Yuuri had decided that higher dosage would probably behoove the ex-prince more than it would hurt him. So, that evening around bedtime, Yuuri upped the amount of medication and they'd see how Wolfram was in the morning.

Wolfram had faired well, considering, but his fever had shown little signs of decreasing. He managed to keep down an odd, purple-colored citrus fruit for nearly half the day, until he vomited up some purple-tinted, disgustingly pulpy batch of stomach-acid mixed with Shinou-knows-what.

Clearly, it wasn't going away terribly soon.