The Coming Together of All Things

A/N: First chapter done. It's a little short, but next one will be ready soon.

Home For Dinner

"Yu-chan!"

Yuri lifted the necklace from his chest and smiled. After defeating Shinou, his body felt like it was overflowing with majitsu, but equally he felt more in control. Something had changed about him. He felt whole.

"Yuuu-chaaan! Mama's best curry is ready!"

In a surge of bubbly water, Yuri stood. He stepped out of the bath and wavered slightly on his feet. It felt as if he were in high heeled shoes. Frowning, he picked up his clothes and pulled them on.

"Yu-CHAN!"

"Coming mother!"

"It's 'Mama' Yu-chan!"

Uncertainly, Yuri shuffled downstairs to his mother. As he fell into his seat and dubiously picked up a spoon, he noticed that Shori and Miko were giving him slightly odd looks.

"Shori? Mama?"

"Yu-chan... You look a little different. Are you growing your hair?" Miko cocked her head on one side like a curious puppy.

Yuri reached behind him to feel that the hair at the back of his neck fell almost to his shoulders. "Huh?"

"Yu-chan, you're starting to look a little like your alter ego." Shori pointed out, popping a spoonful of curry into his mouth.

Yuri opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by thudding that indicated someone else had come for dinner.

A blond head poked around the doorway, followed by a lithe male figure clothed solely in one of Yuri's shirts.

Yuri blushed.

"Ah Wol-kun! Kawaii!" Yuri's mother hurried over to the doorway and urged him to the table, offering him a plate of curry she seemed to have produced out of nowhere.

"Yu-chan! Why didn't you tell me we had company for dinner? And your fiancé no less! You didn't even give him any clothes! Poor Wol-kun.." She enveloped Wolfram in her loving arms and squeezed him until he almost turned purple.

"Ah- hahaue. Thank you for the curry."

"You're welcome Wol-kun! Are you staying long?"

"No Mama," Yuri cut in. "I'm sorry, but I have to get back to Shin Makoku. There's been some unrest on the borders." He took a mouthful of curry and spoke through it. "I have to show a strong presence."

Shori resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "How can you be a responsible Maou when you can't even show basic manners?"

He was ignored.

"Oooooh Yu-chan! Mama wants to see your kingdom! Can I visit? Please?"

"Um." Yuri scratched his head. "I-I can't see why not."

"YAY!" She made hurriedly for the door.

"Mama? Where are you going?"

"I need to pack everything!"

"You can borrow some clothes from Blood Pledge Castle. We're in something of a hurry Mama." Yuri shovelled more curry into his mouth.

"We're not in that much of a hurry Hahaue."

"Wolfram!" Yuri mentally sighed. He didn't want to deal with the huge amount of stuff his mother would insist on bringing. A few changes of clothes weren't enough for Hamano Jennifer!

Yuri did not know what was happening to him. He felt like a school project nearing completion. Holding out a hand in front of himself, palm to the sky, he brought together the particles of water in the air into a small globule hovering millimetres above his skin. Thoughtfully, he moulded it into the shape of a watery rose. Before thinking of the implications, he passed it over to Wolfram. The Mazoku did not dare touch the construct. Their eyes met over the top of the flower. Yuri felt a familiar feeling stir deep in his heart. An overwhelming need to protect surfaced.

"Yu-chan?"

The spell was broken. Yuri let the flower fall. It splashed out on the grass. "Shori. Is mother almost finished packing?"

"Yu-chan, you should know better than to ask. Will you need more water for the paddling pool?" Shori hid a yawn behind a hand.

"No thanks Shori."

"Call me onii-chan! Goodnight Yuri."

Yuri waited until his older brother was almost at the house before speaking. "Goodnight, onii-chan."

"Yuri," Wolfram whispered. "You're changing."

Yuri laughed nervously. "That's what people do Wolfram. No-one can stay the same forever."

"You know what I mean, wimp!"

"You are right Wolfram. Ulrike has been helping me with controlling my power. As it becomes more and more under my control, I feel that the part of me that takes over is merging with me. Perhaps Murata will know more."

"Cheater! You're always going to the Great Sage! How do I know you're not really meeting him for other reasons?!" Fury and jealousy battled for dominance in Wolfram's eyes.

"I am not a cheater!"

"Humph!" Wolfram flicked his hair and stormed inside.

Yuri sighed and swept after him, supposing that they may as well spend the night there in any case. His mother wasn't going to be finished any time soon after all.

Yawning, he slouched upstairs to his bedroom and opened the door. There, on his bed, bathed in moonlight, was his blond fiancé. Still clothed solely in a shirt, with the top few buttons undone, spread out over the entire bed, miraculously already sleeping.

An awkward feeling settled in Yuri's stomach as his breath caught in his throat. Why did he keep feeling this way? It was not a new feeling, but it seemed to have intensified, and it was certainly not a feeling the blond would welcome, surely. Indeed, Yuri did not welcome this intrusion on his emotions. His dark eyes swam with confusion as he scanned Wolfram's body, from the tips of his toes to the ends of his hair, slowly, concentrating on breathing evenly.

The sleeping boy released a soft sigh into the air. Yuri's knees almost buckled. Steeling himself, he turned on his heel and strode purposefully out of the room to let his mother know they would not be leaving that night.

Ten minutes later, and Yuri pushed past the feeling to climb into his bed. Wolfram snuggled under the duvet and closer to Yuri, seeming to seek out the warmth of his body.

Yuri couldn't bring himself to push him away.

He reached out with his maryoku to close the curtains, then attempted to fall asleep.

Hahaue – mother

Kawaii - cute

Onii-chan - brother