Disclaimer: I do not own Kyo Kara Maoh.

Pairings: Yuuri x Wolfram

AN: It's good to know people are liking the characters:)


Our Once Upon a Time

By V. Shalyr


7. In Sickness and Health

Okay, so maybe leaving his temporary residence in the middle of the night without telling anyone hadn't been the best idea in the world. Wolfram knew he was prone to being a little rash, especially when it came to his emotions, but it wasn't like that wasn't sometimes a virtue. He just hadn't counted on the storm or just how big and complex this city was. Who knew people could even build buildings thathigh?

Wolfram huddled in the doorway of one of these skyscrapers, clutching his soaked coat about himself and shivering despite his best efforts. He was tired, starting to get hungry, completely drenched, and—on top of everything—lost. If he hadn't been a fire Mazoku, he rather thought he might have frozen to death. As opposed to the knife hidden under his coat, he was starting to think he would have done better with an extra jacket. He'd hardly seen a single soul out in the streets aside from himself, and the weather pretty much canceled out any will people might have had for anything other than finding somewhere to hide from it. He wasn't sure how long he had been out here, but he could probably say "hours" without over exaggerating. The sky had been completely black when he'd started, but now he could catch traces of light beginning to paint their way across it. At least the fact that he was able to see the sky at all meant the storm had begun to clear up.

Or that's what Wolfram thought until the clouds suddenly began to darken again and he heard the first new water drops splash upon the ground.

Hold on a moment, the rain… Squinting emerald eyes, Wolfram examined the water now drifting from the sky, a gentle drizzle very unlike the earlier storm that almost seemed to shine when he looked at it in just the right way. That light—he knew that light and the creeping, tingling shivers that it invoked in him. This was no longer natural rain.

Yuuri.

So he'd been right and Yuuri could use his powers even in this world. He was the one who had conjured this rain, he had to have been Wolfram was sure of it. He'd recognize this feeling anywhere. And breaking out into a real smile for the first time since he'd arrived on Earth, he stepped out into the feathery rainfall with renewed confidence and began walking again.

.

Several blocks away, Yuuri jerked awake and all but fell out of bed. Disentangling himself from the covers as quickly as he could, he dashed out the door and down the stairs, startling Tori when he pelted past the kitchen on his way towards the front door.

"Hey, where are you going?"

Skidding to a halt with his hand already on the door handle, Yuuri turned back towards him, surprised to see the man standing there with a newspaper in one hand and a mug of coffee in the other. He'd been in such a hurry that he hadn't even noticed his presence.

"Wolfram! I just sensed him. He's out there and I have to go find him!"

Tori blinked, his mind processing this information a little slower than it should have. It was way too early in the morning to be this awake. "Your friend? But how?"

"I don't have time to explain right now. But I promise I'll tell you when I get back."

That said, Yuuri unlocked the door and was about to go hurtling off outside when Tori stopped him yet again.

"Hold on, if you wait a second, I'll get the car and go with you. It'll be faster than going on foot. And anyway, it's still raining."

Yuuri hesitated then nodded, lowering his hand. Much as he didn't want to wait, the man had a point. And the last thing he needed was to find Wolfram only for the both of them to get lost again together.

Tori returned minutes later carrying two extra jackets, one of which he handed to Yuuri. "It's pretty cold outside. These are some of my old jackets. They might not be a perfect fit but they're probably better than nothing."

"Thank you."

Yanking the coat on gratefully, Yuuri followed him out to the car, sliding into the passenger seat and waiting impatiently for the driver to start the car. The moment they were out on the streets, he began to give directions, pointing down different streets as they came to each intersection. They had just stopped at a red light when Yuuri suddenly flung open the passenger side door and darted out towards the sidewalk. Tori had never seen anyone move so fast.

"Wolfram!"

Watching from inside the car and hoping the traffic light didn't suddenly decide to change, Tori saw a blond-haired young man pause and turn. Brilliant green eyes went wide in surprise for a moment then he was running too.

"Yuuri!"

Yuuri stopped and caught his fiancé in his arms, embracing him tightly. A moment later, Wolfram pushed away, looking guilty.

"You're freezing!," the double black exclaimed, half chiding and half relieved as he brushed a lock of sodden hair out of Wolfram's eyes. "Have you been out here all night? You're not hurt anywhere, are you?"

The blonde shook his head, pulling reluctantly away from him and looking guilty. "I got your clothes all wet."

"Don't worry about it. Come on." Taking his hand, Yuuri hurried them both back to the car, motioning for Wolfram to get in the back before following him. Shutting the door, he threw the second jacket over Wolfram's shoulders then gathered him close. Wolfram snuggled into his side, grateful for the warmth. He couldn't seem to stop shivering.

Tori blinked in confusion at the pair though he was forced to turn his gaze back onto the road a moment later as the light changed. He could have sworn the blonde's clothes and hair had been dripping before, but now he didn't even seem to be damp.

"Hey, you two okay back there?"

"Yeah, thanks." Yuuri shot him a grateful smile and Wolfram shifted in his arms so he could get a look at the man in the driver's seat. "Oh by the way, Wolf, this is Tori Aizawa. He and his wife were kind enough to let me stay at their house for the time being. And Tori, this is Wolfram von Bielefeld."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Tori greeted, turning in his seat to offer a smile as they were forced to stop at yet another red light.

Emerald green eyes examined him for a moment then nodded and slid shut. "Thank you for your assistance."

"Er, it's no problem. Glad we can help."

The remainder of the car ride passed in silence. Yuuri had called off the rain and the sky was clearing, but traffic remained slow due to the water that gathered in shallow pools upon the pavement. Every once in awhile, Tori would find himself watching the pair in the rearview mirror. The blonde one seemed to be almost asleep, leaning into his companion so much that he was practically sitting in his lap. Occasionally, Yuuri would murmur something to him and the blonde would mumble something in return, but even that petered off after awhile and the two seemed content just to be together again. At one point, Yuuri tucked Wolfram's head under his chin, his dark eyes half lidded as he watched the scenery passing by outside the window, his fingers stroking absently through silky, golden strands.

"He's not just a friend of yours, is he?" Tori asked, his voice quiet so as not to disturb the sleeping one.

Startled, Yuuri glanced over at him, carefully keeping his expression blank.

"I know that the customs are rather different over there," the man added, noticing his expression. "Grandmother used to tell me stories—probably still would if she lived here. I think she's somewhere in America right now though. Most of us with any noticeable amount of demon blood can't stay in one place for too long or people will start to notice that we age differently."

"That makes sense," Yuuri mused, his own voice equally low. "And you're right. Actually, right before we got sent to this world, I only just asked him to marry me." He paused then chuckled. "You could say that he's been waiting for me to ask for a very long time."

Tori nodded, his eyes flicking back towards the crowded street. "My congratulations. Although," he grinned a little, nodding towards the hand Wolfram was using to hold the oversized jacket about himself, "I was under the impression that engagement rings weren't used in Shin Makoku. Grandmother took a lot of pleasure from my disbelief on Mazoku proposal traditions."

"They aren't. I got the idea from several books we have about Earth."

"For something different?"

Yuuri nodded absently. "That, and… Well, this world just seemed so peaceful somehow. Back home, you can find soldiers pretty much everywhere. The borders are almost never safe, and there are the battles to worry about and the army to see to. Weapons are a common sight, and yet I don't think I've seen anyone carrying a weapon here yet."

Tori hummed thoughtfully, turning into his home neighborhood at last. "We have our problems too, but for the most part, I suppose it is pretty peaceful compared to yours. It wasn't always this way though, and it might not stay this way either. All we can do is try our best to make it last."

Once Tori had parked the car, Yuuri carried his fast asleep fiancé up to his room and tucked him into bed. He seemed so tired that Yuuri didn't have the heart to wake him, even if he did want to know what had happened to the blonde since his arrival. From what he'd been able to piece together, Wolfram appeared not to have slept at all, having spent all night wandering outside looking for him. It made the double black feel rather guilty even though there wasn't anything he could have done.

Granted, when he removed Wolfram's coat and boots and a kitchen knife clattered to the floor, Yuuri almost woke him up to make sure he hadn't used the thing on anyone. But he couldn't find any traces of blood anywhere on his clothes or the blade and decided he probably didn't need to worry about that. Besides, they would probably have heard something about it by now if there had been any violence nearby. Come to think of it, where had Wolfram gotten his hands on a knife? They'd have to be sure to return it. They didn't have any Earth currency so he couldn't have bought it.

Minako was cooking breakfast when he returned downstairs. She spotted him in the doorway and smiled warmly in greeting.

"Good morning, Yuuri-kun. I heard that you found your friend. I'm glad everything is working out. Will he be joining us for breakfast?"

"Ah, no, he's sleeping," Yuuri replied, returning her smile with a polite one of his own. "I don't want to wake him. If it's all right with you, can I bring some food upstairs?"

"Of course you can. I hope he's feeling all right."

Yuuri hoped so too. Frankly, he was a bit worried with how the blonde had still been shivering even under the blankets. "I'm a little afraid that he might have caught a cold wandering around last night."

Minako clucked her tongue sympathetically. "Give me a minute and I'll make some porridge then. Porridge is the best when you're feeling under the weather. Tori's just gone to wake the kids. I'll ask him to pick up some medicine when he takes them to school."

"Thank you so much. I don't know how we're going to repay you."

The woman just laughed. "Don't be silly. You're a nice young man and this isn't even your world. I'm happy to help. Besides, how often do you get to have guests from another world?"

Wolfram sat up slowly feeling lightheaded, and not in a good way. Taking a deep, steadying breath, he carefully turned his head to survey his new surroundings.

The room was small, at least compared with the rooms he was accustomed to at the castle, simply furnished with a single bed big enough for two and a writing desk. There weren't really any personal items or decorations, giving the place an unoccupied air—perhaps an extra bedroom or guest room.

Looking towards the door at the sound of soft footsteps, Wolfram was relieved to see Yuuri step into the room carrying a tray of steaming dishes. So he hadn't imagined all that. Closing the door with his foot, the double black turned and paused in surprise to find him awake.

"Hey, Wolf, are you feeling better?"

Wolfram nodded then stopped abruptly as the world spun. In the next moment, Yuuri was across the room, setting the tray on the corner of the desk and placing the back of his hand on Wolfram's forehead. His touch was cool and the blonde unconsciously leaned into it, closing his eyes and taking a careful breath to try and ease the dizziness.

"I think you might have a fever," Yuuri said worriedly. "You really shouldn't have been out in that storm."

Well, okay, so Yuuri had been wandering about in that storm for awhile too. But he was a water Mazoku. That was different.

"I had to find you in case anything happened," Wolfram grumbled, though he allowed Yuuri to stack several pillows behind his back so he could lean on them but remain seated. Secretly—or maybe not so secretly since he suspected that Yuuri knew somehow despite his protests to the contrary—he rather liked being pampered. "I couldn't sleep anyway."

His sweet, stubborn, silly, hotheaded, loyal fiancé. Shaking his head with a small smile, Yuuri reached out and picked up one of the plates with a bowl atop it, setting it in Wolfram's lap. "Here, our hostess said this is good when you're not feeling well. Eat something and then get some rest."

Accepting the spoon Yuuri handed him, Wolfram prodded at the soft, watery looking rice. It smelled a little bland, but that was probably for the best at the moment. Yuuri watched him take a cautious bite before picking up his own plate and digging in. They had almost finished when a soft knock came at the door.

"It's not locked," Yuuri called, and a moment later, Tori poked his head in.

"I'm sorry for interrupting, but I was wondering if you still want to go see the Maoh later today."

Yuuri glanced at Wolfram who had paused and put his spoon back down in his bowl then back at the other man. "It looks like today might not be a good day."

Tori nodded in understanding, but Wolfram cut in before he could speak.

"The Earth Maoh is missing. They told me when they found me at the lake." Both of the other occupants of the room looked at him and Wolfram continued. "They told me that they prayed for help finding him and Shinou sent us."

Yuuri opened then shut his mouth, thinking. Actually, that made a lot of sense in a…senseless kind of way. "Does that mean if we find their Maoh, Shinou will help us get back?"

"They said that their Maoh would be able to help us get back, and that only the Maoh of each world can create portals between the worlds." Green eyes looked meaningfully at Yuuri who just nodded, his expression thoughtful. So that meant if he could just figure out how, he could probably make a portal to get them back home too. Still, if these people needed help, Yuuri saw no reason not to try their best.

"We'll go see these people as soon as you're well."

Tori coughed. "Shall I just let them know the two of you are here then and reschedule a meeting for a few days from now?"

Wolfram's brow furrowed. He didn't really want Yuuri to leave, but at the same time, the sooner they could be sure what was going on and what their next move should be the better. "You don't have to wait for me, Yuuri, go talk to them. Just… Make sure you hurry back, okay?"

"Are you sure?"

Finishing the last of his porridge, Wolfram nodded. He was starting to feel horribly dizzy again. "Just be careful."

Yuuri frowned but stood up and returned both their now empty dishes to the table. "All right then. Get some sleep. I'll be back as soon as I can."

.

Akami had been awake long before her father came in to call her for breakfast and, of course, school. She'd heard the car engines start up and later watched with growing curiosity from her bedroom window when the car had returned and their guest had hastened back into the house with someone in his arms. That in itself was enough to pique her interest, but even more notable to her eleven-year-old mind was the golden blond hair she'd seen before Yuuri disappeared from view. She'd only ever seen hair that color on television.

So it was that she was greatly disappointed when neither Yuuri nor their newest guest showed up to breakfast. Compared with what was happening right in her own house, school seemed even more boring than usual though she always did her best to pay attention.

The moment she got home, however, she left her brother filling his stomach with snacks in the kitchen and snuck upstairs to the room where their guests were staying. She knocked very quietly but no one answered so she eased the door open a crack to peer inside.

It looked like Yuuri hadn't returned yet. From the crack between door and doorframe, she could just make out a person-shaped lump under the bedcovers and the gleam of golden blond hair against the pristine white pillows. Akami knew she probably shouldn't bother the person, but her curiosity was killing her and she'd waited all day. Maybe if she was quiet, it would be okay.

Wolfram woke from a muddle of strange dreams of being back at the Academy with Yuuri to the feeling of someone watching him. Odd, he couldn't sense Yuuri nearby so it couldn't be him, but it didn't feel threatening either. His brow furrowed in confusion, he forced open his eyes to find himself staring at a little girl with dark hair cut neatly about her shoulders and wide, curious brown eyes. For a long moment they just gazed at each other in mutual silence, probably both wondering the same thing—along the lines of just who exactly the other person was, and in Wolfram's case, what in the world she was doing in his room. He'd never had much contact with young children before.

"Are you the one Yuuri nii-san said he was going to marry?"

Huh? Wolfram blinked at the little girl, his mind processing the question more slowly than usual still half asleep. It seemed like such a strange question for a little girl to ask, or maybe it was normal and he just didn't know it. He'd have to admit that he had no idea. "Yeah."

Brown eyes peered intently at his features for a long several seconds. Then she smiled a sweet smile that lit up her entire face. "Yuuri nii-san was right. You arebeautiful."

Wolfram blinked again then blushed. "He…said that?"

Of course he'd heard it often enough from other people. But from Yuuri, the compliment actually meant something.

The little girl nodded. "Your world sounds very interesting. I wish I could see it sometime. Great grandmother used to tell me stories about it before she moved away." For a moment, she looked sad at the memory. Then she brightened, focusing back on the blond Mazoku, "Do you think you can tell me some stories?"

Wolfram thought about this for a moment then carefully pushed himself into a sitting position. He was tired of sleeping anyway. "I suppose I don't mind. But I've never told someone stories before."

"That's okay. Anything can be a story and I like all kinds of stories." Climbing up onto the desk chair, the girl drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. "My name's Akami, by the way. My brother just calls me Aka because he says Akami is too long, though I think he's just being lazy. But I don't mind either way so you can call me whichever. What's your name?"

"It's Wolfram."

"Woru-fu-ramu," she repeated haltingly, scrunching up her forehead in effort. "That's kind of a funny name."

Coming from someone else, Wolfram thought he might have felt offended. But with her heavy accent, he had to admit that his name did sound a little strange and he found himself laughing if somewhat hoarsely due to being sick. "Where I'm from, Wolfram is the name of a flower."

"Really? What does it look like?"

"Well, it has golden yellow petals and you can find it almost everywhere in the gardens of the royal castle because my mother thought it was one of the most beautiful flowers she'd ever seen, or that's what my brother tells me."

"You have a brother? I have one too. He can be annoying sometimes, but I like having him around."

"I see," Wolfram chuckled. He could totally understand that. "I have two actually. Big Brother is called Gwendal and Little Big Brother is technically called Conrart only most people call him Conrad because it's easier to pronounce. And back in my world, they're both very important people…"

.

For the first time if definitely not for the last, Yuuri was immensely grateful for all the times he had had to sit in on official meetings or political discussions during his training to become the next—current—demon king. It took training to be comfortable sitting at this giant table in this huge conference room across from the one other man. Talk about overkill, but then Shin Makoku had been just as into overdoing things when it came to the Maoh's affairs. Yuuri knew that it wasn't just because the Maoh was an important person—royalty, in other words. It was about presenting the right kind of image to the person across the negotiating table. Grandeur served, in its own way, as a kind of warfare.

"I wanted to thank you for taking care of Wolfram," he said, folding his arms across his chest and leaning nonchalantly back in his chair.

Kimura smiled with similar politeness. "It was no trouble at all. We were worried when Bielefeld-san turned up missing this morning. I'm glad to hear that everything worked out. Ah, I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your name."

"Yuuri Shibuya." Yuuri paused to consider how to continue before deciding that he'd rather not beat around the bush. "Wolf told me that the Maoh of this world has gone missing and that you're hoping we can help you find him. And I believe there was something about recent disturbances as well?"

"Actually, these disturbances aren't that unusual. Every couple centuries, the wall between the worlds fluctuates, but it usually settles down fairly quickly on its own. Only this time, the distortions were a lot more severe than in the past, and then his Majesty disappeared. With him missing, it's unlikely that the fluctuations will end and the prolonged warping of space is starting to cause problems."

"Does he normally fix these problems?"

"You could say that. But to be more accurate, it's because he's the Maoh." Noting the slight confusion on his face, Kimura paused to think of a better way to explain. "Think about it this way. The only people who can create portals between worlds is the Maoh of each world, and as such, their existence and change also affects the state of the boundary. You know how I said these occurrences weren't out of the ordinary? Well, every time our old Maoh retires and another is chosen—or the same happens in Shin Makoku, that period of change causes the world wall to fluctuate while it waits for the position to settle down again."

Yuuri tapped his fingers thoughtfully upon the tabletop. That was certainly interesting, and he wondered just a little guiltily if the extended trouble spots had anything to do with how long it had taken him to master his own powers and come to terms with his place as the next Maoh of Shin Makoku. Oh well, it wasn't like it was anything he'd had any control over, and he was here now to help solve the problem. "Do you know where he was last anyone saw him?"

"Unfortunately, no. All we know is that he was going to try and quell a few of the more troublesome warp spots."

Not the most helpful reply, but it would have to do. "Do the disturbances tend to occur in the same spots?"

"Not exactly, but we can narrow it down to a few particularly, ah, intense areas."

"Good. Can I get a map of those please?"

"Of course. If you'll just wait a moment, I'll have my assistant print one for you."

Yuuri waited patiently while the man called his assistant, words were exchanged, and minutes later, a manila folder was being slid across the table towards him. He accepted it with a brief nod and stood up.

"Thank you. I'll look this over, check out the areas, and get back to you as soon as I can. In the meantime, if you need us, Wolf and I will be staying with the Aizawas."

Kimura coughed, a faint look of concern flickering across his face. "Are you sure? We have a lot more resources here, including the best surveillance equipment available. And then there is the fact that you two are strangers not only to this city but to this world. Would it not be safer to stay with us?"

Glancing back over his shoulder, Yuuri allowed himself to smirk. "Oh, you don't have to worry about that. We'll be fine. And as for equipment, I don't think we'll be needing any, at least not right away." Their equipment obviously hadn't done them much good thus far. "I've got some pretty good resources at my disposal as it is and I think it'll be best to approach this with what I'm used to."

For a long time after the door had closed, Kimura remained sitting in his chair staring at where the double black had been. Shibuya had definitely not been what he'd been expecting. After meeting von Bielefeld, Kimura had wondered what kind of aid these foreigners could possibly be. But somehow… Somehow, he was sure now that these two weren't just any Mazoku, and the black-haired one in particular had a presence about him that commanded respect and, strangely enough despite his amiable appearance, maybe even a bit of fear.

Because for a moment there before Shibuya had left, he had seen a change in those eyes. That young man—well, demon to be more precise—had dragon's eyes.

.

Yuuri was surprised when he at last returned to the Aizawa residence to hear the sound of voices coming from the guest room. Stopping in the doorway, he raised an eyebrow to find Wolfram sitting against a pile of pillows and Akami perched attentively on the edge of the desk chair. He hadn't been aware that Wolfram liked kids, let alone got along with them so well. But he supposed they'd never really had the chance before to find out.

"So what's going on here?"

"I'm telling her about the first time we met," Wolfram said, pouting. "Don't interrupt."

Yuuri shook his head, amused. All the same, "I'm glad you're feeling better, Wolf, but we have to talk about a few things. There will be plenty of time for storytelling later. Besides, you should be getting as much sleep as you can." He set the folder full of maps down on the desk and turned to the little girl. "Sorry, Akami, but can you please excuse us for awhile?"

She looked a bit disappointed, but nodded and scurried from the room with a quick promise to be back some other time. She had a lot of things to tell her brother anyway, whether he wanted to listen to her or not. Listening to stories wasn't nearly as fun if you didn't have someone else to then repeat them to, maybe with some personal embellishments here and there.

"I'm feeling a lot better. I don't want to rest anymore," Wolfram complained, then turned his face away to cough. Damn, his throat was dry. How long had he been talking?

"You don't just get better in half a day," Yuuri sighed, handing him a glass of water he'd brought up with him from the kitchen. "You've got to be patient or you're going to make it worse."

Wolfram stared sulkily into the contents of his glass. He hated being sick, but Yuuri also had a point. "So how did it go?"

Sitting down on the bed beside him, Yuuri leaned back against the headboard. The blonde moved to lean against his side and he absently wrapped an arm about his shoulders to pull him closer while he went over what Kimura had said.

Wolfram remained quiet for awhile after he'd finished, digesting this new information. Then he asked, "So then what are we going to do?"

"I guess we'll just have to wait for one of those disturbances to happen. Then we'll have a better idea of what the problem is. In the meantime," Yuuri turned to Wolfram, grinning, "once you're better, I want to explore this world a little more. I mean, we're here already and there isn't anything else we have to do while we're waiting. We might as well take advantage of this opportunity and see what it's like."

"I should have known. You were always obsessed with those books, though personally, I don't see what's so great about this place." Then again, getting sick right away tended to do that to first impressions, probably not helped along by the rain and the tension. Closing his eyes, he rested his head against Yuuri's shoulder, feeling comfortably drowsy now that he wasn't engrossed in conversation. Maybe he was a little tired after all. Speaking of which, "I think I like children."

"Yeah?" Yuuri could only just make out the words in his sleepy mumble. He'd never really thought about children himself, all considered he'd decided some years ago that he would be marrying Wolfram. And no matter how much he resembled his mother, the blonde was still a male. Fortunately, the throne wasn't passed down by bloodline so it didn't matter if his spouse could give him heirs. "We can adopt, if you want."

Wolfram mumbled something incoherent and snuggled closer to him, and Yuuri wasn't sure if his sleepy nod was a reply or just a sign that he had fallen asleep.


TBC…


AN: There may or may not eventually be implied mpreg. I haven't decided yet. On the one hand, I don't usually write mpreg. On the other hand, it could be funny. Any preferences?

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