The Harem King and I

Summary: It is said that humans have insatiable desires. They plough through life to fulfill these desires and still yearn for more. This is a fact that Rito Yuuki came to understand after he ascended the throne as planet Deviluke's new king.

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I do not own To Love Ru.

Author's Note: I'm not really fond of watching overly ecchi anime but I find the girl characters in To Love Ru fun to play with. Hence, I came up with this fanfic to explore their late night interactions with Rito behind closed doors. If you find this disturbing, please run away now. You have been warned.

Chapter 1

A Man's Resolve

Rito Yuuki stared at Lala's sleeping figure on his bed quietly. In the past, she would slip into his bed unnoticed in the middle of the night. But after the incident with her father, he decided to make an effort to reciprocate her feelings. One night, when he made the announcement that she could sleep on his bed, Lala nearly burst into tears as she tackled him to the ground and rained kisses on his face as thanks. He smiled reminiscently. It was embarrassing since Zastin and Mikan were there to witness it but it was all worth it.

From then on, he had the pleasure of watching her sleep with the moonlight gleaming on her skin and her glorious pink hair spread on his pillow. It's such a fascinating sight. Even after a few years, her beauty and her childlike innocence never failed to take his breath away, just like the first time they met in his bathroom and changed his life forever. At times, he was almost tempted to take their relationship to the next level but he chose to restrain himself. He had fallen in love with her seriously and he became more determined to be a man worthy of her sincere love.

The incident that brought the fate of the earth in his hands was an eye opening experience to him. Right there and then, Rito discovered his own weaknesses as a human and as a man. He saw in perspective that every time an ambitious alien tried to take Lala's hand in marriage forcefully, he was always beaten up badly or knocked unconscious no matter how much he struggled to fight back. It was either Lala or Yami-chan who ended up dealing with the threat. That's when he came to the realize that he was always the one being protected.

It's not that he's complaining about his condition. Actually, he felt lucky to have friends willing to risk their lives to help him out but his desire to have the power to protect them with his own hands grew stronger. He couldn't stand the thought of staying the same helpless earthling so he had to take the initiative to change himself.

It was around that time when he secretly asked Zastin to train him in the art of sword fighting and military tactics inside his spaceship. At first, he was bad at it and his body ached from physical and mental exhaustion. But with constant practice and Zastin's patient instructions, he gained the mind, endurance and reflexes needed to become a decent commander and sparring partner.

Of course, he was careful not to let his new skills show in school. He wanted to keep his training a secret mostly because he wanted to surprise Lala. But, the more skilled he became, the more his agitation grew as he considered his future. In the past, he only wanted a normal life where he'd graduate from college with a degree in horticulture, get a job, get married, have kids and then die of old age. It was really simple back then but now, he wanted something more out of his life.

And today, as graduation day drew to a close, the path he had to take became clearer to him. In order to fulfill his desire to protect his family, his friends, his home planet and his beloved Lala, he must become the King.

After draping a blanket over Lala's body and kissing her cheek gently, Rito stood up and placed a small box with a letter of instruction over his desk. It pained him to leave them in this manner. He could almost imagine their angry faces for keeping them in the dark about his plans but this was for the best. He still didn't have that kind of courage to say goodbye without breaking down himself.

Glancing at her sleeping figure for the last time, he swung the backpack over his shoulder and left the room. As he closed the door, Zastin was standing there silently with an anxious expression.

"Are you sure you want to do this now, Muko-dono?" he whispered in a worried tone. "Can't you wait until Lala-sama wakes up so you can say goodbye properly?"

"Let's go, Zastin. I want to talk with King Deviluke." Rito said, ignoring the commander's suggestion.

Seeing the determined look on his face, Zastin gave up and took Rito aboard his spaceship stationed outside the Earth's atmosphere. Once there, the commander gave the instruction to patch him through the royal command center for Rito Yuuki-sama had requested an audience with the King himself.

It only took a minute before the huge screen glowed and King Deviluke appeared sitting on his throne. He was still the same devilish looking child but his royal garb made him seem even more menacing.

"You wished to speak with me, my temporary son-in-law?" he inquired, his chin resting over his fist.

"Yes, your highness." Rito answered respectfully, clenching his hands into fists to still their trembling. "I called because I have a favor to ask."

The King laughed mockingly. "You dare to ask me for a favor... a mere earthling?" he said in a derisive tone.

Ignoring the deliberate slight on his origin, Rito pressed on. "With all due respect, Sir. I wish you would hear me out first." he implored. "Please."

The King watched him through the screen quietly. Two years had passed since he last saw his son-in-law. Back then, he was a weak and indecisive earthling. The only redeeming factors he had were his kindness and courage. But now, the boy standing before him was different. His eyes held that familiar determined glint and his stance bespoke confidence and the strength of his resolve.

A secret smile touched his lips. Zastin's weekly reports hinted that his son-in-law had undergone changes but this was beyond his expectations.

"Very well, speak. What is it that you want from me?" the King said finally.

"I wish to be trained in Planet Deviluke, Sir."

"Hmm… trained for what?" the King inquired, though he knew exactly what the boy meant.

"With your guidance, I want to become the number one man in the universe, your Highness." Rito said with such determination that even Zastin and the ones on the deck were astonished. "I believe I'm ready to fulfill my promise to you."

His proclamation made the King laugh again, this time in amusement. "You've got guts, kid. I'll give you that." He admitted. "But I must warn you, you won't be able to contact your friends or my daughter, Lala. Also, the royal training could even result to your death. Are you prepared for that?" he challenged, his tail flicking ominously.

"Yes." Rito answered without hesitation.

This single word of confirmation made quite an impression on the King that in spite of himself he smiled at the boy's tenacity. "Very well. Favor granted." He turned his eyes to his trusted commander. "Zastin, bring my son-in-law in here as soon as possible." He ruled, leaning back in his chair satisfied.

"Yes, your Highness." Zastin answered, bowing respectfully before his King.

"Thank you, King Deviluke!" The boy said with a radiant smile on his face.

The King snorted. "Don't rejoice yet, earthling. Be prepared because I won't be easy on you." He warned.

"I'll keep it in mind, Sir."

"See you soon then, my temporary son-in-law." The King said then the line went dead.

A few tense seconds passed before the whole crew erupted with cheers for the brave earthling. Rito, on the other hand, heaved a sigh of relief and thanked them for their show of support. Just then, Zastin hugged him in delight, crushing him against his hard suit of armor. "You did it, Muko-dono! I'm so proud of you!" the commander said happily, before letting him go.

"Thanks, Zastin." Rito smiled, blushing slightly at the praise. "If it weren't for your encouragement and faith in me, I wouldn't be here right now."

His words brought tears to the commander's eyes. "It's an honor to serve you, Muko-dono." He said, bowing respectfully as he had with the King. The other crew members followed suit for they had long recognized Rito's kindness, dedication and strength. In their eyes, the orange-haired son-in-law has the potential to become their next ruler.

Silently, Zastin nudged the boy forward to take over as the spaceship's captain. With only a second's hesitation, Rito squared his shoulders and gave the order to steer the ship towards Planet Deviluke and take off at full speed. The crew shouted their obedience enthusiastically and set off to work.

With this. Zastin gave him an approving pat on the shoulder and left him alone on the bridge for a moment's privacy. Once he's alone, Rito sat on the captain's seat and gazed at the beauty of his home planet Earth, the blue jewel of the solar system. He never looked away, as if wanting to burn the image in his mind. He stayed there until it became a tiny dot and disappeared into the vast sea of stars.

He didn't know when he would return to earth or if he would return at all. But one thing is certain, he would propose to Lala on his return and fulfill his desire to be the King.

"Wait for me, Lala." He thought, as he clutched the arm rest tightly with both hands."I will become the number one man without fail. I promise."