Author's Notes: Welcome to the first chapter of Bound! This is my very first contribution to the Kyou Kara Maou (and shounen-ai) fandom! I have a feeling that I will enjoy writing this story immensely, so I'm very enthusiastic about taking on this project. Please feel free to leave a review, I enjoy reader feed-back. Thank you, dear readers, in advance.

Disclaimer: This story contains shounen-ai or a romantic involvement between two boys. If that offends you in any way, I will kindly invite you to leave or read at your own risk. I own nothing except the plot and an original character. Kyou Kara Maou belongs to Takabayashi-sensei and Studio Deen.

Brief Summary: In one month, Shin Mazoku will celebrate its 214th Founding Day anniversary. As the entire kingdom buzzes in excitement of preparation plans for the grand 7-day festival, an attempted assassination of the new maou left Wolfram gravely injured. Yuuri steadily realizes that this is not just a game. This is reality.

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Chapter 1 - Moonlight

It has been said that a cloudless night sky is a treasure on its own term. There is a taste of wild freedom always associated with perfect navy blue. The darkened heavens of Shin Mazoku is no different. It holds a flare of mysticism that is as untamable and exotic as its land and people

Unfortunately, the disarming tranquility of this beautiful evening is not to be enjoyed by a certain young maou. Shinbuya Yuuri, the twenty-seventh demon king and champion of injustice, is currently suffering from insomnia. He had tried to drift off on his sides, on his back, sitting up and even upside-down. In the end, the teenager just simply gave up with a sigh of annoyance.

Having settled into a comfortable position on his back, Yuuri stared up at the ceiling of the grand canopy bed. He slide his eyes shut briefly, thinking of nothing in particular.

For not the first time, the boy felt like that of the main character in an RPG game. The hero was flushed down the toilet into "A New World" to find himself as the next maou. The heroin was transferred into a book to discover "A New World", and then became the priestess of Suzaku. Old plots, new twists. That was all.

But this is not a game. It is real, and never a dream like Yuuri had once hoped.

There are problems awaiting his decision. There are tasks needing his attention. The annual tax needs to be levied. Sufficient economic research reports point to a recession likely to happen in the near future. Unemployment rate has steadily risen to eleven percent, an all-time high. More importantly, diplomatic conferences with the humans have continued, but the aggressive tension between the two races has not eased.

Yuuri has a country to run. A country filled with anxious civilians praying that the new maou will bring them a degree of peace to their lives. The Mazokus...they're his people now. His responsibility. He has an obligation as a king to protect them, guide them, and love them as his own.

He felt overwhelmed. What if I do something wrong...?

A wave of intense panic arose within the him, and Yuuri had to release a shaky breath in an effort to calm himself .What credentials do I have to rule Shin Mazoku? I'm just a fifteen-years-old! I don't know anything about politics or economics. The only section of the newspaper I read is the Sports section!–

Suddenly, a weight shifted on the other side of the large bed.

A temporary halt was placed on the young king's train of thoughts as locks of fine hair peeked from beneath the dark blanket. The pale-golden curls spilled onto the sheer white pillow in a manner similar to that of the fragmented sunshine reflecting on a placid lake.

Yuuri sighs for the second time in that hour and gently rolls back the cover so that the other boy will not be deprived of fresh oxygen in his sleep.

There is a boy sleeping in your bed. His brain usually informs him of this in a tone much too nonchalant for his liking.

Yuuri doesn't really mind sharing a bed with another boy. After all, a bed is just a piece of furniture one sleeps on at night. However, the knowledge that the person sleeping next to you, a person of your own sex, has clearly shown affections for you makes a bed a far more intimate and personal an object. Of course, the dark-haired boy is just as much a supporter of "free love" as Cheri-sama. It just so happens that he prefers girls.

Of course, that is not to say that Wolfram is not exceedingly beautiful.

The first time that he laid eyes on Wolfram, Yuuri had been quiet stunned. The blond is a classic pretty-boy, that was no doubt, but he is far from squeamish and cowardly. Wolfram is a noble true of rank and blood, whose mere presence commands respect. He has an innate strength and dignity in his bearing and pride in the way that he carries himself.

Although the other boy can be quiet possessive and nagging at times, Yuuri has found great companionship in the blond. They are boys with similar tastes for mischief and trouble: it is always one of them that won't do as told. And as great as Konrad is, he often plays the role of the older-brother figure to Yuuri. The baseball-boy needs to have a friend of his own age group (although he highly doubted that Wolfram is the same age as he, from previous experience with the Original Maiden and Cheri-sama).

A hand quietly landed on his shoulder. The dark-eyed boy nearly bolted out of the bed.

"Yuuri, stop staring. Go back to sleep."

The other boy's voice is clear and suspiciously deprived of any lethargy. Yuuri huffed at having been so caught in his own contemplation and blushed. Was I really staring at him this entire time...?

"You were awake, Wolfram?"

The blond responded by agilely stretching both arms over his head. Bright eyes languidly slide open to reveal emerald-tinted irises twinkling in good humor. Yuuri can't help but associate Wolfram's movements with that of a large cat sated by hours of afternoon nap.

"I woke up when you kicked my foot."

" Oh. Sorry. I was trying to fall sleep." A sheepish laugh.

Wolfram rolled onto his side to face his supposed fiancee. The jewel of his eyes gleam a wicked green in the darkness of the Master bedroom.

"Seems like there is something troubling you. Care to tell me about it?"

"I was just thinking of Shin Mazoku, my role as the maou..." and about you. Yuuri continued on to a far more serious subject. "...why must there be wars?"

"As long as there is fear, hatred, selfish-ness, greed, poverty, must exist." Came the thoughtful reply moments later.

"But the humans' hatred towards Mazokus...it's just a misunderstanding."

"Mazokus and humans have fought all through history. Mazokus trace their entire ancestry to a special few among humans. Those who were born with The Gift, or, magical abilities. Animals have an innate fear of the unknown. Humans do not understand our powers, so all they see is that, we are different than they are. So they fear. However, fear is considered a weakness. It is easier to hate than fear. So they hate."

For the first time, Yuuri saw the wise soldier in Wolfram. He, the experienced young military man whose firm character has been hardened by years of intense training and violent conflict. He, the courageous soldier who had pledged his eternal dedication to the protection of the crown and its future successors

Suddenly, the boy before him seemed infinitely wise.

"Do you think another war will erupt soon...?"

"Maybe."

The young king felt a wavering sorrow twining at the bottom of his stomach.

"Wolfram...I don't want you to die for me."

The young noble glanced at him, quiet startled, then replied dutifully."It is my obligation as a soldier to protect my King when the occasions should arise."

"Then I'm pleading with you as a friend." He knew there is a tone of quiet desperation swelling in his voice now, but he hardly cares. "Please don't die for my sake."

A short pause.

"I'll try not to." Then, a whisper of a smile ghosted over the blond's lips.

They then spent the rest of the night in companionable silence, each lost in his own thoughts. There is no need for anymore conversation between them. An explanation is not necessary. They understood without words, sounds, images...

King to Soldier. Friend to Friend.

Yuuri did not know exactly when he had fallen into a deep slumber.

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To Be Continued....

Whew...this first chapter was rather tedious to write! I do apologize in advance for the rough transition in the last part. I'm trying not to fall asleep. -.- Overall, what do you readers think? Reviews will be greatly appreciated! Thanks again to those who made it this far.

- I've actually only seen 19 episodes of Kyou Kara Maou. A friend of mine has the anime up to number 28, so I will borrow that from her soon.

- Please inform me immediately if any of the characters appear to be behaving in an abnormal fashion. I dislike Out of Character Syndrom.