Author's Notes; Mythological AU. Shounen-Ai. Fluffy. Drama. Leave it to Sigma to stir shit up..I've made a small role swap here; Instead of Zero constantly having an annoying love interest, X has it now and Alia is purposefully acting like Iris because of it..The place Zero takes X for his birthday is based off the planes of existence..The most common one is the Astral Plane where we go when we dream..The Buddhic plane is of love and peace, rather fitting for this story..although I made its appearance mirror the plane above it, the Spiritual Plane..Please enjoy..Dirt has been kicked up, so its probably going to get worse..

X woke the next morning slowly with a small yawn. He felt very refreshed, as if he'd had a wonderful dream. His green eyes squinted at the sunlight, making him turn his head away. When he did so, he realized that none of it had been a dream. There was still plenty of food on the table in front of him and he noticed the red-webbed wings encasing him, the red mane covering his body, and the black arms holding him. He smiled and looked up, noticing that Zero's collar had been modified too. He hadn't been able to see it too well in the dark last night. It looked similar to the one he remembered, the same color as his mane and webbing, but thinner and instead of the black spikes pointing outwards, the spikes laid flat against his neck, some pointing up and some pointing down. He also noticed a purple glow on Zero's forehead, remembering that Zero's Amethyst crystal glowed on occasion, often in the dark or when he was asleep. X observed his face. Zero looked peaceful in his sleep, his vocal echo could be heard, breathing gently with his mouth open enough to show the tips of his long fangs. X stayed still, admiring him and listening to his heart, relaxing again. He knew it was his birthday, but he respected Zero's need for sleep.

The redhead woke a while later, his blue eyes opened slowly as he groaned a little. X had his eyes closed, but heard Zero's groan. "Good morning, my king." Zero blushed brightly, nuzzling X's brown hair. "Good morning, my little X. Why did you call me king? I am not a king. Upon my 18th birthday, I became a Lord. I was declared Lord of the darkness by Saturnus." X opened his eyes and looked at him with a smile. "Because you're my king, you always have been. If you're a lord now, you'll become king upon marriage." X's smile disappeared and his head went down. "Hmm, but that only works with a woman..." Zero felt discouragement inside of X, setting him on his lap, making his mane and wings cover X's waist down to his thighs. "No, X, not if I can help it. Remember, we are betrothed and have consummated our love. It is your hand that I will take in marriage, therefore making you a king as well. You will be my king of the light, alas, you will always be my baby. Happy birthday, my prince." He soothed, lifting X's head up to meet his eyes and caressing X's chest. X lost a few tears at that. "Thank you. This is why you're my king. You're amazing." Zero blushed more, nuzzling him. "So are you." He kissed X's forehead before using magic to feed him. X hated to admit it, but he enjoyed being babied by Zero and contently ate what Zero picked for him. Half the food was left when X felt full. He decided to return the favor and fed Zero what was left. Zero's blush grew brighter, but he let X feed him, enjoying it.

When Zero was full, he used magic to clean the table up. "So, what does my birthday boy want to do?" X chuckled and shrugged. "I'm not sure. Is it possible for us to go to the heavens?" Zero closed his eyes and shook his head. "Humans are forbidden in the heavens until their death...I wish I could take you there. If it were in my hands, I would take you there without hesitation." X nodded gently in understanding, aware that it was a bit of a stretch. "There is a place beyond the heavens that is not limited to any being, neither alive or dead." The redhead said thoughtfully. X looked at him curiously. "What would that be?" "If I remember right, some religious humans call it the Astral Plane. We call it the Dreamworld. Mother enjoys spending time there now and again, which is why she did not visit us." Zero told him. "The Dreamworld?" X asked. "Because it is beyond the heavens, you will need a source of air for the journey." Zero cautioned. X grinned. "We have just the thing in father's lab." The redhead moved his mane and wings off X's body, allowing X to get up. X took Zero's hand pulling him up and leading him upstairs. Zero chuckled, following him to his room. X smiled before starting to change his clothes. Zero was happy to see X's room hadn't changed a bit and watched him. "Are you trying to tease me?" He asked with a smirk. X giggled a little, removing his pants and boxers and putting clean ones on. "Maybe..." Zero chuckled, watching him get dressed. X came back to him after putting on a shirt and shoes. "Now, you just need an air source." Zero grinned. X nodded, happily pulling Zero along behind him. Zero loved seeing X so happy and excited and let him lead into Light's lab.

Once they were before the lab door, a knock came on the door. X thought it was very strange. It was usually just him and his father on his birthday. "Describe the item you seek from the lab to me. I will retrieve it while you answer the door." Zero told him. "Its a clear mask hooked up to a small tank. It should say oxygen on the tank." X said, going to the door. The redhead nodded and went into the lab. He was bewildered by the many devices in there. He was careful not to displace anything and found the mask and tank X had mentioned.

There was a ruckus at the door. The visitors turned out to be Sigma, a school bully and Wily's lab assistant and Alia, who hadn't given up on trying to be with X. These days, she was seeming desperate. She pounced on X, pinning him to the floor. "Happy birthday, X. Please, give my love a chance." Sigma smirked, priding himself in having arranged this and having known Light would be away. "No, get off me!" X yelled, trying to push her off. Zero heard and felt X's distress, phasing into his shadowy miasma and resurfacing in the den. Sigma raised an eyebrow as Zero yanked Alia off of X by the back of her shirt. "X is my mate. Find your own, wench." He growled, picking X up off the floor. He noticed Sigma looking at him. "You organized this. Get out and take your little whore with you." Alia gawked. She looked at them, blown away by being called a whore and intimidated by Zero. Sigma laughed, pushing Alia out the door and slamming it closed behind them.

Zero craddled X in his arms, checking him for injuries. "I am relieved you are not hurt. I thought I drove that woman off. That man with her had an evil aura." X looked up at Zero. "That was Sigma, Wily's lab assistant. He gives me strange looks and likes making trouble." "Strange looks?" Zero asked. "He smirks and winks at me a lot." X nodded. "It sounds like he desires you and is trying to get your attention, much like that girl." Zero sighed. "How could you tell Sigma had organized for that to happen?" X asked. "I can sense human auras when they are near. I can also atune my body to the emotions of the one precious to me. I sensed your distress just now and your sorrow for those three long years. When you first talked to me, I knew I sensed kindness, but remained indifferent just to be careful. Then, the fact that you looked beyond my appearance convinced me that you, like me, were different, so I allowed you to open my heart and entrusted you with it. From that moment, I began attuning my body to your feelings, whether you were far or near. This is how I know that Sigma character is evil, Alia is desperate, and how I can always feel what you feel. In essence, I started this relationship with you psychologically and it evolved and grew in that short week. Perhaps you shall learn to sense my feelings as well with time." Zero explained, giving X the mask and oxygen tank. X took the objects from him. "I don't even like him, I'm tired of her, and I want you." "And I want you. Come, my little X, allow me to take you to a special part of the Dreamworld. A place where our cares will fade away." The redhead helped X stand up gently before turning his back for him and moving his hair out of the way. X grinned and gently climbed onto Zero's back, wrapping his legs around Zero's hips and holding onto his chest. Zero let a moan slip from his mouth from feeling X's legs on his hips before walking out of the door. He gave X a moment to lock the house door before taking flight into the sky. X took another moment to put on the oxygen mask and opened the valve on the tank a little.

When they were high in the sky, Zero's miasma began to enclose on them, trapping any oxygen around them. He didn't need the mask and tank because of this and X was surprised that it wasn't too hard to breath so high up. Zero passed some of the dwellings of the gods. The architecture was fittingly ancient greek, columns, shrines, and a few palaces. X caught a glimpse and was in awe. "It must be nice living there." "I suppose. It requires much upkeep." Zero didn't seem too thrilled. "You don't seem very satisfied with it." X noted. "I prefer love over luxury any day. I sound like an ingrate, but a fancy house will not stand forever. Even if it did so, it is but a building." Zero said thoughtfully. X nodded in understanding. "I get it, you want something permanent." Zero nodded deeply. "Correct. Love is permanent at its best." X snuggled him as they flew. "We will be permanent. Permanently in love."

The rest of the trip was a blur to X. Zero was almost out of the Earth's atmosphere, trapping more air around them. He was feeling lightheaded but managed. He finally touched down in a very strange place. The sky was filled with wondrous blue and purple nebulae in many shapes accompanied by many differently lighted stars and strangely bluish grass and trees, accompanied by a waterfall that was the only water source in sight. X came to once Zero landed, breathing hard. He looked around slowly, surprised there was air in such a place. His eyes widened when he noticed the whole planet Earth behind them as well as Saturn off to their left. "Where are we?" He managed. Zero bent down holding his knees, catching his breath, noticing light from the amethyst on his tiara. "This is the second highest level of the Dreamworld, the Buddhic plane, a place of love and peace. Mother frequents this place because it is always night here. Evening on Earth is when this place becomes crowded with couples who can travel here through their dreams and recharge with the energy of this plane and enjoy time with their other." He explained as X slowly got off of him and walked in front of him. "Are you ok?" Zero nodded, letting his miasma fade. "It just takes much energy to get here by flight. I will be fine in a moment. You can explore and I will catch up." X shook his head, panting. "No, I'm not leaving you." He got under Zero's left side and propped up Zero's left arm, holding him close and allowing Zero to lean on him as he began to walk to the waterfall. This surprised Zero, but also made his heart race. "Dearest, you do not have to." X shook his head once more, taking his mask off and turning off the oxygen tank, putting it away. "You've done so much for me, yet I've barely done anything for you. I owe you." This endeared Zero. "You do not owe me anything, but your kindness and care are more than appreciated." X smiled, taking him to the waterfall and sitting down before the water. Zero sat down too, looking into the water. He felt better already.

"Mermaids and sirens live on the other side of the waterfall, but they rarely come to this side." "Good, maybe we can have some peace." X nodded. "Look hard into the water. Supposedly, if you look into it, you will see people in your life and how you would fare with each. If each are deemed unhealthy, you will be shown an image of someone who is a better match." Zero told him. Because curiousity compelled him, X looked hard into the water. Images of Sigma, Alia, and Zero appeared. Sigma turned out to be abusive and X saw an image of himself being beat up if he didn't listen or said no to him. Sigma's image faded before showing what would happen if X was with Alia. Apparently, her love for X was superficial. The images did show some happy times, but that she would leave him for a stronger and hotter guy with no remorse or second thought. X had long suspected her love of him to be very strange indeed. Her image faded and X was left with Zero. The water displayed images of Zero treating X to healthy foods as he had done before, another image of him watching and smiling when X laughed, another of Zero carrying X in his arms, and the last one to show was Zero embracing X tightly with opened wings for defense and growling while looking back at strangers on one side, attackers on the other. This served to warn X that Zero was overprotective, but X knew that already. If he had to be honest, he loved Zero's protection and knew Zero had more sense than to limit X's freedom and become abusive. "What did it show you?" Zero asked when X looked away from the water. "It showed that being with Sigma would be deadly for me. He'd abuse me. Alia's love is fake. She'd leave me for the first hunk she saw. And you...it showed you would treat me very well, but showed that you were overprotective. You wouldn't limit my freedom or become abusive though, would you?" X said. Zero shook his head. "You are a living thing, X, not property. I may be overprotective, but that is because I love you and I do not want you to get hurt." He turned his body and head towards him. X looked at him and did the same. "You're too intelligent to do that, I know it to be so." X's words made Zero's heart flutter as they leaned their foreheads against each other, lifting X into his lap with a gentle sigh as they relaxed.