"h.e.l.lo, Elros," Yubelluna greeted as Elros walked through the doors. It was already well past midnight in the Underworld and the entire household - or most of it, rather - was already fast asleep.
"Hey, Bella," Elros said as he hugged her tightly. Yubelluna sighed in content as she felt his touch - something that brought her a great deal of comfort. She noted that Elros was always careful to not overstep when he was with her - he wasn"t as touchy feely as he was with Rias and Akeno, but he was just as loving. She felt his hands rest on her upper back as he kissed her atop her head.
"How was your date?" she asked as they began to walk. She slung an arm around his waist while he kept his around her shoulders. They both leaned in, touching close.
"Pretty fun. I took Tsubaki down the Pacific Coast Highway - the western side of California," Elros said.
"That sounds fun. We were there not too long ago, correct?" she asked.
"Yup, although still a hundred or two hundred miles away from where we ended. I remember that night quite well," Elros said as he turned to kiss her head again. Yubelluna smiled at the tender touch. Riser was anything but tender; much more vicious and brutal in how he had his way with her. Elros easily attuned himself to what she wanted, however - made her feel special in a way no one else ever had.
"As do I. Our second kiss," Yubelluna giggled.
"You should probably know that you"re the first Devil I ever actually kissed," Elros said with a chuckle.
"Really?" she asked in surprise. She had expected him to already have slept with at least a few Devil girls before then. With the way he reacted, she already knew that he was experienced.
"Really. Talk about an introduction," Elros said, eliciting a giggle from her.
"You never answered my question, by the way," she said.
"Which question was that?" Elros asked with a frown, wracking his mind.
"After you had awoken from Riser"s cowardly attack and we saw each other - I asked you how I was," Yubelluna said.
"Now I remember! I think I did answer that! I said "something tells me you already know"" Elros said.
"Ah yes. I wanted to make sure, to which you say that we"ll need to try again. You didn"t want to make any error in judgment," she giggled.
"Then Rias stopped us," Elros chuckled.
"She won"t stop us now. So long as we don"t… take it to far," Yubelluna said as she tightened her hold on him and stopped. She quickly stole a kiss before resuming walking with him.
"That was nice," Elros said with a light smile.
"I"m happy you thought so," she replied.
"Anyways, we should probably get to sleep soon," Elros said.
"Before we do… could I borrow you for a little bit?" Yubelluna asked, slightly uneasy.
"Of course," Elros said. Taking his hand, Yubelluna began to lead Elros to her room.
-o-
Yubelluna led Elros to her bed and sat him on it, taking a seat next to him.
"What"s up?" Elros asked as he pushed some loose strands of hair behind her ear. Yubelluna shivered gently at the touch; a sign of how tender he could be.
"I… would like to request something of you," she said, visibly uncomfortable as she spoke. Elros"s brow furrowed but he nodded.
"What"s up?" he asked gently, trying to make her ask as easy as it could be.
"I would like you to touch me," she said, turning a bit red as she did so.
"What?" Elros asked in surprise.
"I… will undress slightly. I wish for you to touch me," she said, a bit more confidence in her voice as she met his gaze. Elros paused for a while before speaking again.
"Wouldn"t that make you uncomfortable?" he asked, hesitant to acquiesce to this particular demand.
"I don"t know. When you kiss me, it"s unlike anything I ever felt with Riser. But I know how unwilling you are to touch me. I believe it"s because you don"t wish to make me feel as he did. But… I do not want to live in fear of being touched for the rest of my life. I do not trust any man enough to ask this of except you. Or anyone, in fact," Yubelluna said. Truth be told, she barely even knew other men; Riser kept a tight leash on her and ever since she came to live with the Gremory"s or Elros, she hadn"t had much interaction with Lord Gremory or Sirzechs - not that they appealed to her either way. Her eyes were set on one man only. She waited for Elros"s reply - which was measured, to say the least.
"I"ll help you. As soon as it gets uncomfortable, though, let me know. Or just slap me away, ok?" he told her. Yubelluna nodded before getting up. Turning her back to Elros, she reached for the hem of her purple tank top and slowly took it off - not drawing out the process for his benefit, but thinking of all the ways this could happen. Elros heard her gulp, something that gave him pause - a new feeling for him, as he was usually sure in everything he did. He had helped women in Yubelluna"s position before, but it was more a case of stopping other men in the act of harming them - he had never been in a position where he had to interact so intimately with one. As much as it was for Yubelluna, this was uncharted water for Elros.
Yubelluna unlatched her bra from the back before letting it fall to the floor. Her beautiful purple, wavy hair cascaded down her back like rolling hills as it reached the back of her thighs. Leaving her jeans on, Yubelluna clenched her fists tight before slowly turning to face Elros. He made sure not to linger, but couldn"t help admire her beauty. Yubelluna, much like Rias and Akeno, was a marvel. As he looked her in the eyes, he saw the fear of what he might do to her upon seeing her like this. Quickly, Elros turned his back, leaning his fists on the mattress before speaking again.
"Bella… are you sure?" he asked, gulping as well. He was used to charming women, not… whatever this was, he thought.
"Are you… afraid to look at me?" she asked quietly.
"No! That"s not it at all! I just don"t want you to think that I"m gawking or objectifying you. You"re… ridiculously beautiful. But I want to make sure you"re comfortable," Elros said. He felt a soft hand on his shoulder a moment later, gently turning him around. Yubelluna pressed herself against him, closing her eyes as she felt goose b.u.mps on her arm. Elros slowly - very slowly - moved his hands up and brought them to her bare back, giving her a hug. Yubelluna sighed at the touch and leaned into it. Elros was being as tender and careful as he could be, she could tell. After a moment, she took a step back. This time, Elros held his gaze with her, taking in her body as well.
Leaning forward a bit Yubelluna took one of his hands in hers. She looked at in, feeling the roughness of his skin. Riser"s was smooth, she thought; the man never worked a day in his life, so of course, it would be. Elros"s had the texture one would expect to find in a man in his later years, not someone the same age as her; a testament to his life and how hard he worked as a Green Lantern. Closing her eyes, Yubelluna slowly led it up - taking her time in doing so. She stopped moving it as it was a foot away from her breast. Letting it go, the hand hung there, still open and outstretched. She wanted Elros to make the final move.
Gulping, Elros moved his hand forward.
"G.o.d, I don"t know if you"re still out there or if you really are dead. But please let this be ok. I know I"m a Devil now… but whoever, if anyone, is out there - please hear me," Elros prayed, not even noticing the pain in his head - his mind was focused on Yubelluna. After what felt like hours, Elros had the answer to his prayer.
As soon as his hand gently grasped it, Yubelluna"s eyes flew wide open. Elros noted the look of horror and fear in them. Her mouth opened in terror as her right hand suddenly flew up, aimed at his chest. Elros barely had time to set up a powerful soundproofing charm as Yubelluna suddenly exploded a bomb into his chest. The force destroyed the bed as Elros was sent flying back. Thinking quickly - half a second or so - he erected a powerful barrier behind him which he crashed into, sparing the house any damage. He collapsed onto the floor in pain; unlike the Duel, he didn"t have time to set up a frontal barrier - nor would he want to in case the attack was deflected back at Yubelluna. He felt a crack in his right shoulder, which hit first - broken clavicle. Looking up, he saw Yubelluna breathing heavily, her chest heaving. The look of shock transformed into a look of horror as she saw what she had done.
"ELROS!" she cried before she rushed towards him stopping a few feet out. She held out an arm towards him, afraid to come any closer in case she hurt him further. Elros slowly got to his feet, a weak smile on his lips.
"Don"t worry, Bella! I"m fine! See. Still good," he said, slapping his chest to alleviate her worry The clavicle was in worse condition than he thought, however - he winced in pain, something she noted. Elros saw tears begin to build up in her eyes as she turned and ran towards the bathroom. Elros sighed and slowly moved towards it, nursing his injured shoulder. He brought out his blue ring and donned it before holding it over his shoulder, healing it of any cracks it had. As he moved it around, however, he winced in pain. While it was no longer broken, it still hurt like a motherf.u.c.ker.
"d.a.m.n it. I need to get better at using this. I can"t just expect to rely on it during battles when I"m fighting for something. I need to be able to use it perfectly in any situation. Guess I know how I"ll be training," Elros thought. Sighing, he knocked on the door.
"Bella?" he asked.
"You"re… still there?" she asked tearfully. Elros felt his heart break as he heard her pained sobs.
"Of course, I am. I"m always going to be here for you," he told her.
"I HURT YOU!" she screamed at him through the door, crying even harder.
"Come out and look. Not even a scratch," Elros said.
"I… I can"t! I don"t want to hurt you again!" she said.
"You won"t. I know you won"t. You reacted fine, Bella. I don"t mind. I"m not angry. What… that sc.u.mbag did to you isn"t going to be easy to get over. But I"m going to help. Whatever it takes, Yubelluna," Elros said, using her full name. He paused, waiting for her reply.
"I"m going to wait out here as long as it takes," Elros said, leaning against the wall next to the door.
"Please… I don"t… want to hurt… you," Bella cried.
"You won"t. You didn"t," Elros a.s.sured her. No reply yet again. Elros patiently waited; he would do so for as long as he needed to.
-o-
An hour or so later, he heard a click in the locking mechanism of the door. Slowly, it opened and Yubelluna came outside. She looked at him in surprise.
"You"re… still here?" she asked, clutching at the robe she wore.
"Of course. I"m always going to be here. Can"t get rid of me that easily, I"m afraid," Elros said. He saw how red and puffy her eyes were for a moment before she lunged forward, throwing her arms around his neck and crying into his chest. Elros rested one hand on her upper back and the other at the back of her head as he hugged her tightly.
"Let it all out, Bella. Let it all out. There"s no need to hold back with me," Elros comforted her. She did as he asked and cried even harder, seeing the black of her mascara seep onto his skin - her attack all but obliterated the suit he wore.
"I"m sorry for hurting you. You saved me and I cause you pain!" she cried, tightening her hold. She didn"t want him to leave.
"You didn"t hurt me. Not even a little, as you can see. Riser"s the only one at fault," Elros said, ice seeping into his voice as he said her name. He was hoping Riser would try something again - only so he could drive his neck under his throat as he begged the girls to have mercy on him. Suddenly, a flash of red erupted in Elros"s vision before it quickly dissipated. He shook his head vigorously before focusing back on Yubelluna.
"I"m sorry, master. Please forgive me. I"ll pleasure you better next time," Yubelluna said. Elros felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up as he heard her say that. Her voice was different; no longer confident and sure like the Yubelluna he knew, but weak and broken.
"I"m your friend. Not your master," Elros whispered.
"Anything you wish, Master. Do what you wish with me. Just please don"t hurt me anymore," she cried. Elros felt a visceral fury rise up as blood began to boil. The scope of what Riser did to her hit him with the force of an asteroid crashing into a planet; this is how Yubelluna spoke to Riser when he hit her. A scared and broken young girl doing her best to not get on the wrong side of someone who would abuse her either way.
"I won"t ever hurt you. Never. Never," Elros a.s.sured her.
"Elros… please… forgive me," Bella said.
"Nothing to forgive. I"m not mad. Look at me, Bella," Elros said as he leaned back. He gently took her face in his hands, looking deeply at her.
"I"m not Riser. I"m not going to hurt you. I"m never going to hurt you. It"s alright to cry, ok? It"s even alright if you want to hit me - if you want to get your anger out. I understand. And Riser will never touch you again. That I promise. If he even thinks about hurting you again, I"ll leave his cold carca.s.s in s.p.a.ce," Elros said as he wiped away her tears. Yubelluna shuddered as she brought her hands on top of his and closed her eyes, taking in the feeling. Yes, they were rough hands she thought; but they carried a warmth that she had never experienced before in her life. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Elros"s neck, continuing to cry. Elros held her tightly; he would only let go when she wanted him to.
-o-
"I"m so sorry," Yubelluna said as she finally let go of him, having cried until no more tears came. She ran her hand across his right shoulder, making sure he wasn"t kidding about the damage. Although it still hurt, Elros suffered the pain and continued smiling, not flinching in the slightest.
"Nothing to be sorry for. It"s fine, alright? Come on. Let"s get you to bed, Bella. You need some sleep," Elros said as he gently led her over. He held out his green ring and all the splinters and fragments began to come together. Diverting a slight bit of his powers - an infinitesimal amount overall - he held the bed together. It looked as good as new, although emanated a soft green. Yubelluna gently got into it. Elros pulled a blanket over her.
"Sweet dreams," he said. As he was about to leave, however, he felt her hold on to his hand.
"Can you stay until I fall asleep?" she asked, gulping. It embarra.s.sed her to make such a request, but she was sure she could with him. Elros smiled and nodded, getting on his knees as he crossed his arms in front of him on the bed, resting his head on them. Yubelluna returned his smile, putting her hand on his head and running her fingers gently through his hair.
"Thank you so much. Thank you," she said; had she any more tears to shed, she would do so now.
"Anything you need. Whenever you need it. It"s going to be a long road, but I"m going to be with you every step of the way," Elros said, gently kissing her hand before letting her resume running it through his hair. Yubelluna smiled happily at his words before her eyes fluttered closed, lips slightly parted as she eased into a gentle breathing. Elros waited for another half hour, finally sure that she was asleep.
"Sweet dreams, Yubelluna," he said as he kissed her hand once more before taking his leave, shutting the lights off as he went and removing the soundproofing charm. As he closed the door, he let out a low snarl before heading back to the bedroom he shared with Rias. As he entered, he saw that she was fast asleep, a gentle smile on her lips as she dreamed of Elros. He smiled and kissed her gently on her head before he got into bed as well, tired. Rias seemed to feel his presence; smacking her lips, she turned to face him and buried her head in his chest, holding him tight.
"I love you," Elros thought as he kissed her on the head once more before falling asleep as well.
-o-
The next day, Elros found himself being vigorously shaken awake. As his eyes fluttered open, he saw Rias leaning over him, tears in her eyes. He jerked awake, wondering what happened. After his talk with Yubelluna before heading to bed, he was on edge. His anger flared, but he quickly suppressed it as he felt her hand on his stomach.
"What happened? Who did this to you?" Rias asked angrily. He looked at her quizzically before looking down - the realization suddenly dawning on him. He neglected to change before falling asleep and had done so in his now-destroyed suit. He smiled before cupping his cheek in his hand and bringing her in for a kiss.
"Relax. I didn"t get hurt. It was an accident," Elros a.s.sured her.
"Tell me," she demanded. Elros sighed before launching into the story. As he mentioned Yubelluna"s name, he felt Rias"s anger flare viciously - what she wanted to do to the purple haired beauty was evident. However, as he continued, Rias gulped and calmed down - realization dawning on her; although she still remained a bit angry.
"She shouldn"t have attacked you, though!" Rias said.
"I think she flashed back to her time with Riser. I can understand. That kind of trauma, Rias… it"s not easy to get rid of. Please don"t be angry with her," Elros pleaded. Rias saw how the sincerity in his eyes and heard it in his voice; he obviously wasn"t even the least bit angry with Yubelluna. Rias let out a sigh before she took him down to the bed again, holding him tightly as she buried her head in his chest. She exhaled in content as he began to weave his hand through her hair.
"That c.o.c.ksucking a.s.shole," she snarled. Elros had to restrain the laugh that was about to come forward; he never heard Rias insult someone in such a way before.
"I agree. I really should"ve been harder on him. What he did to those poor girls… I don"t torture. But if he ever tries to take them back or something, I"m marching straight over to his house and stomping his skull in with my foot," Elros said, his voice a low growl. As he said that, Rias felt a shiver go down her spine. She remembered the talk she had with the man in Death Valley that served with Elros"s father in Vietnam.
-o-
"During one of our last missions, they wanted En to clear out a small squad of VC not too far away. Couldn"t spare anyone else, so he volunteered. Goes out wearing clean everything. Three hours later, he"s back to us. His jeans are bloodied to h.e.l.l - we thought the guy was shot! No. We investigated. Some of the VC… had their heads stomped in, their chests caved in. He didn"t just clear them. He slaughtered them. Left them out as carrion for the animals," the old man said.
-o-
"I don"t think he will. After what he did to you, he"s been labeled a pariah by the Underworld," Rias said, taking pleasure in the fact that everyone now jeered Riser.
"Oh yeah. I never found out what happened to him after he attacked me after I kicked his a.s.s," Elros said, the moment just dawning on him.
"You never asked?" Rias asked, looking up.
"Nah. The only thing I know is that I woke up with you and Akeno at my side. I remembered you got on me, a little like this…," Elros said with a smirk as he suddenly shifted her. He spread her legs on either side of him before grabbing her a.s.s and pulling her up a bit. Rias giggled at the touch; she remembered quite well what position they shared as she sat gently on his crotch, leaning back so that he could admire her body in full force. She took his hand gently ran it up her stomach and through her cleavage before putting one of his fingers in her mouth, swirling it around a bit. She leaned back down after a moment, giving him a loving kiss before snuggling closer.
"Hmm… well, Akeno and I were just about ready to kill him after he hurt you. His father was really p.i.s.sed at him, though. We saw him and Ruval drag Riser away. Lady Phoenix and Ravel just seemed shocked that Riser would take his loss that badly. Attacking your opponent after the Duel is over is considered really bad form. My brother, father, mom, and Grayfia were really p.i.s.sed as well. My mom stopped me from attacking in the beginning but after she saw how badly you were hurt, I felt her power come forward. The entire building was shaking," Rias said, remembering the moment. She knew that while she was powerful, her mother and brother were on a completely different level - especially with how strong their Powers of Destruction were.
"I"m not sure what happened to him afterward. I think my father met with his but he didn"t tell me what happened to Riser. I a.s.sume he"s probably been locked up his room, nursing his wounds," Rias spat. That was too good for Riser, she thought; he deserved to suffer more.
"After that, we got you to the hospital. The Phoenix Tears mostly healed you, but they can"t recover lost blood, so you need transfusions. You were there for a little bit before we brought you home," Rias ended.
"Got it. Well… all"s well that ends well," Elros said.
"Of course, you think that. Any other Devil would"ve broken down the doors to the Phoenix"s home and dragged Riser out to kill him," Rias sighed.
"If he tries anything again, I"ve no doubt that"s how it"ll end," Elros said coldly. Rias tightened her hold on him; while she did kill from time to time - always Stray Devils - when Elros spoke like that, it gave her pause. He was always so cheerful and happy that doing something so violent was in stark contrast to his personality - as stark as the white hair on his sides to the jet black on top. She gently began running her fingers through the white hairs, examining them with a frown.
"You"re around my age. How do you already have white hair?" she asked.
""I"m getting too old for this s.h.i.t,"" Elros said with a laugh. Rias sighed; Elros certainly had more responsibilities that she did. She smiled again before kissing him, still stroking his hair.
"It adds to how handsome you are," she giggled.
"I"m glad you think so," Elros said as he ran his fingers down her side, moving between her legs as he reached her thighs. Rias rolled her eyes but smiled.
"Too early?" Elros sighed.
"Don"t worry. We"ve got hundreds and thousands of years to have as much fun as we want," Rias said seductively. She quickly found herself on her back, Elros pinning her down as he kissed her neck down to her breast before moving up again. Rias bit her lip in pleasure, taking the feeling of his kisses in.
"I intend to explore… every… yoctometre… of your… body… in that… time. Won"t leave any part untouched," he said, peppering every word or two with a kiss before finally reaching her lips. He poured the pa.s.sion on, taking pleasure in the audible moans and groans of pleasure he elicited from Rias as she wrapped her legs around his waist, feeling him gently grind against her. She brought a hand to his chest but he quickly took it in his hands and pinned it down as he continued, wrapping his other hand through her hair. As he broke the kiss, he heard her voice quiver at the feeling.
"Wow…," she whispered, looking up at him with bright eyes. He winked before getting off and heading to the shower, leaving her slightly dazed. Rias licked her lips, taking in the taste that remained before biting her lip, her hand running down her body towards her womanhood. She smirked as she felt how wet she was just from the kiss. She let out a squeal of excitement before heading to another bathroom.
-o-
"Kiba!" Elros said happily as he ran across the night. Kiba smiled and greeted him with a wave, bowing at Rias.
"How are you, Elros?" he asked.
"Well! In fact, I"ve been hoping to come across you!" Elros said.
"Oh no…," Rias said, although she had a smile on her lips. Kiba just looked quizzically at him. Elros disentangled himself from Rias before slinging his arm around Kiba.
"I just want to say that I approve of you and Karlamine," he began.
"Ah! Well… Ummm… thanks, Elros. I… thank you. For setting us up," Kiba said, turning a bit red. Rias giggled at how they looked; Elros much like an older brother giving the younger brother advice on love and life.
"Now, I"m entrusting her to you. I care about the girls as you very well know. I"m going to do my best to protect them - but with Karlamine, that"s also your responsibility. Of course, I do pity anyone that crosses her. She"ll cut them open with that sword," Elros said cheerfully.
"You can count on me, Elros," Kiba said seriously.
"I know I can, buddy. Now, if you want to take her out on something special and you need a little advice or help - just let me know. Ask and I shall deliver," Elros told him. Kiba turned even redder and deadpanned as he saw Rias continuing to giggle.
"Thanks, Elros… but I think I can handle that part," Kiba said.
"Good man. Let"s see, I think I should have some in these. Ah!" Elros said, patting his pockets and pulling out a few brightly colored packets. He handed them to Kiba and nodded sagely before leaving with Rias, leaving the fl.u.s.tered Knight alone with the condoms and lascivious thoughts running through his mind.
"That was mean," Rias giggled.
"Just looking out for them," Elros said.
"You really approve of them as a couple?" Rias asked.
"Are you kidding? They"re made for each other - just like Asia and Issei. And you and I, of course," Elros said, kissing her cheek. Rias smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist as they continued.
-o-
"Hey, Mihae," Elros said cheerfully, coming across the beauty. She blushed as she saw him but smiled on approach.
"Good afternoon, Elros, Lady Rias," she said, bowing to the latter.
"It"s morning, Mihae," Elros said with a chuckle.
"Actually, it"s the afternoon," Rias told him, giggling at the look of shock he had.
"WHAT?! SERIOUSLY?!" he asked, checking his phone in a panic. 1:47 PM; yup, afternoon.
"You got in late last night so it can be excused. Anyways, I"ll see you later. Need to speak with my mom about something," Rias said as she kissed him on the cheek and went off.
"Huh. In that case: good afternoon, Mihae," Elros said, back to his cheerful self. She couldn"t help but giggle either before blushing red again.
"How are you?" she asked quickly.
"Doing pretty well. How are you?" Elros asked.
"Very well. I spoke with Bürent and Marion yesterday. That was a very kind thing that you did for them," Mihae said with a smile. Elros returned it before a thought struck him.
"That reminds me… what about you? You"re younger than I am, I believe. Are your parent"s Devils as well?" Elros inquired. Marion smiled sadly and shook her head.
"No. My father died when I was young, so my mother raised me. She"s aware of the existence of Devils but is a human. She knows that I was in Riser"s peerage, but much like it was for Marion and Bürent, I wasn"t allowed to see her," Mihae said. Elros looked down as she said that and moved forward, giving her a hug. Mihae appreciated the gesture and returned it, resting her head on his chest and listening to his calming heartbeat. She let out a sigh of content; this was nice, she thought.
"I"m sorry to hear that. But don"t you wish to go see her and let her know how you are?" Elros asked. Mihae gulped as she leaned back, an uncomfortable look in her eye.
"Elros… would you be… alright if I went to see her? Truly?" she asked quietly.
"Of course. Why wouldn"t I be?" Elros wondered.
"I… apologize. You must understand that… we spent a comparatively long time under Riser. The freedom that you give is staggering - for any Devil if I"m honest. It"s something that the girls and I aren"t completely used to as of yet. We fear that… that… that…," Mihae trailed off, avoiding his gaze. She didn"t want to say it in case she offended him.
"That I might end up treating you like Riser did?" Elros asked quietly. She looked up and saw that he was frowning, something that made her gulp. Although he likely didn"t mean to, Elros had a certain air about him. It was a kind of presence that was in stark contrast to how happy and cheerful he was. He was easygoing and laid back, yet his presence was something else.
Whereas many Devils - Riser, Anders, Bastion, and other High-and-Ultimate Cla.s.s Devils verbally demanded respect they didn"t deserve, Elros commanded it without saying a word. She and many others couldn"t help but feel a certain sense of fear and awe when speaking to him. He towered over most they came across; when he spoke, everyone listened regardless of how loud or quiet he was; the way he looked at someone gave them pause or excitement or one of a hundred different emotions. Anyone else in his place would make demands or requests unbecoming of a person; yet when she spoke to him, he spoke back kindly - not elating himself above her, but speaking to her directly.
"Forgive me for saying so… but yes," she said, measuring her response and hoping he wouldn"t take it as a personal slight. She felt him bring a hand to her cheek and caress it, making her blush again.
"I can understand where you"re coming from. He treated you girls terribly. For that, I"m truly sorry. I know that things like this don"t change overnight. I want to a.s.sure you that I"m not like him. I will never treat you like that. You guys are my friends. Not my servants - my equals," Elros said. She blushed even deeper as he said that. Despite how kind Ruval was to her and the others, he would never make a statement like that; his pride wouldn"t allow it.
"You"re… too kind," she said, smiling a bit.
"One can never be too kind," Elros said. Mihae sighed before taking a deep breath, settling her tone.
"Elros… would it be alright if I visited my mother?" she asked. Elros was overjoyed that she asked. It would be a long road to help all the girls heal, but every step was a big step in his opinion.
"Of course. Whenever you wish," Elros said. Mihae smiled as he said that and leaned forward, hugging him tightly. Elros smiled and returned the hug, kissing her on top of her head.
"Thank you," she said softly.
"Not at all," Elros said as they let each other go. He was about to leave when she spoke again.
"Elros!" she squeaked.
"What"s up?" he asked.
"I… would… like… you… to… accompany me," Mihae said, stuttering to get the words out and turning a share of red that Elros never knew existed. He smiled before nodding.
"Of course. How about we head over after we get back topside? Or right now, if you"d prefer that," Elros said.
"When we get back is fine!" she said in a high-pitched voice, obviously excited at his response. Elros chuckled and nodded before he went on his way while Mihae positively skipped her own way back to her room.
-o-
"Izzy! Xuelan!" Elros said happily as he came across Isabela who was training with Xuelan a while later.
"Izzy?" she asked, flabbergasted.
"Nickname," Elros said with a grin.
"…Izzy?" she repeated.
"Yup. Yubelluna is already Bella so it"d be confusing if I called you that. Izzy, it is. Now for Xuelan… Hmm… Xue? Xue-Xue?" Elros pondered.
"Xuelan," Xuelan sighed.
"Lan?" Elros offered.
"Xuelan," she repeated, although her smile was evident.
"Fine," Elros grumbled.
"And I prefer Isabela," Isabela sighed.
"Fine, fine. Isabela and Xuelan. Works just as well, I suppose. Although Izzy and Xue-Xue are pretty nice as well," Elros said, offering once more. They shot the idea down quickly.
"So what"s up?" Xuelan asked, crossing her arms over her chest as she smiled at him.
"Just walking around. Rias is with her mom, I think - and I have no idea what anyone is doing. Well, except Kiba and Karlamine. They"re," Elros clicked his tongue and chuckled, making the two blush a deep red.
"I can"t believe that she"s dating him, to be honest," Isabela said.
"He"s a good guy and he likes her. I"ve no doubt that Kiba will keep her safe," Elros said.
"It"s new for her, though. When we were with Phoenix, he would hardly let us socialize with each other let alone let us go out on a date," Isabela said uncomfortably. Elros frowned and nodded;it seemed that every time he spoke with the girls, he found out something else about the kind of man Riser was.
"You all seem fairly friendly, though," Elros said.
"It began out of necessity. We couldn"t count on him or the others in the family, so we had to look out for each other as much as we could. Although I suppose that applied to some of us more than others," Xuelan said, her voice a bit icy.
"What do you mean?" Elros asked.
"Do you remember Shuriya and Siris?" Xuelan asked.
"Uhhh… maybe. The green haired twins?" Elros asked.
"Nope. That"s Ile and Nel," Xuelan said.
"The… cat girls?" Elros said.
"Ni and Li," Isabela said.
"Uhhh… jeez. The blonde? The bluenette?" he said.
"Ravel and Mira," Xuelan said.
"Oh! The belly dancer and the chick with the huge sword!" Elros said.
"Yes, that"s them," Isabela said, slightly smiling. It took him eight guesses to get it right.
"What about them?" Elros asked.
"Well, they were two of his favorites… after Yubelluna. The difference being that they really seemed to like him. More than they probably should"ve. He used them to keep tabs on the rest of us so we wouldn"t do anything that he didn"t like," Xuelan said.
"Espionage on his team?" Elros asked in surprise.
"We were never much of a team. Just the most attractive girls with some skills that he could find," Isabela said icily.
"We can never thank you enough for what you did to us," Xuelan said, bowing to him. Isabela was about to follow but Elros stopped her, rising Xuelan up as well.
"You two never bow to anyone again, alright? None of you bow to anyone ever again. I don"t care who they are," Elros said.
"Most High-Cla.s.s Devils won"t like that when we come back during the summer," Isabela said with a bitter smile. As progressive as Elros was, the vast majority was decidedly not like that. If they didn"t bow, they"d be on the receiving end of the punishment from the Devils, or they"d ask Elros to punished them.
"I don"t care what they like. If anyone tries to force you to do something, tell them they can take it up with me if they want to. And if they get hands on, you"ve my blessing to layeth the smackdown upon them. Or call me and I"ll be over there straight away. You girls aren"t second or third cla.s.s citizens. You"re people too. And if some Devils can"t understand that, they don"t deserve any modic.u.m of respect," Elros said, ending in a slight snarl. Xuelan and Isabela smiled; Elros certainly was like no man they had ever encountered before. He was kind and loving, something they weren"t likely to find with most Devils - the Gremory"s and the Sitri"s being rare exceptions.
"Changing tracks a bit, it was really sweet what you did for Bürent and Marion," Isabela said.
"That reminds me to ask you: what about your parents?" Elros asked.
"I… have already seen them," Xuelan said, blushing.
"As have I…," Isabela said.
"Whew. That"s good to hear. I hope they don"t think that I forced you guys into staying or something," Elros said, sighing in relief. He scolded himself for not doing this sooner. He should"ve expected that with how Riser treated them they probably didn"t get to spend much time with their family.
"You"re not mad?" Xuelan asked tentatively.
"Why would I be mad?" Elros asked.
"That we… left without your permission," she said uneasily.
"I"m overjoyed, actually. You girls are free to come and go as you please. If you"d rather stay with your parents, that"s fine with me as well; or if you want to live by yourself or make another arrangement, I"m cool with that. Or if you want to continue to live with me… well, no complaints here," Elros said with a grin. Xuelan and Isabela smiled in relief at that.
"I"d prefer to continue living with you," Xuelan said.
"As would I. I love my parents dearly but… well, living with them is a completely different story," Isabela said, slightly embarra.s.sed. Xuelan sighed in agreement; she loved her mother and father, but both were quite overbearing.
"That said, I think my family would like to meet you someday," Isabela said.
"As would mine," Xuelan said.
"Are they Devils as well?" Elros wondered.
"Mine are," Xuelan said.
"As are mine," Isabela nodded.
"Well, we"re all coming back to the Underworld next week or something for the summer, right? I"ll talk to Rias about holding a get together for all your guy"s families. I"d love to meet them and I"m sure they probably have some questions for me as well," Elros offered.
"Really?" Xuelan asked.
"Yeah. It"ll be fun," Elros said with a grin.
"That sounds like a great idea," came Rias"s voice as she came down the stairs. Xuelan and Isabela waved to her and she waved back.
"Hey. How"d it go?" Elros asked, kissing her on the cheek.
"Well. I overheard what you said, though. I think it"s a great idea for all your families to come over. I"ll add them to the list," Rias said with a smile. Isabela and Xuelan returned hers with bright smiles of their own.
"The list?" Elros wondered.
"There"s going to be a significant reception once we"re back. It"s going to serve as a forum for the Peace Talks as well as for the Young Devils Gathering," Rias said.
"What"s that?" Elros asked.
"It"s a meeting of several up and coming Devils that partic.i.p.ate in the Rating Games. Although my mother made it clear that you"re also going to be a topic of contention. She said that the guy you"re going to be dueling, as well as Mr. Star, are going to be there as well; there"s some big news for Duelists, but she said she didn"t know what. My dad might pull you aside to talk about it," Rias said. As if on cue, Mr. Gremory"s voice sounded through the house.
"Ah, Elros! h.e.l.lo, my son - how are you?" he asked, smiling at him. He flinched slightly as he received a glare from Rias for interrupting her time with Elros; she still hadn"t forgiven him for forgetting his birthday either.
"Mr. G - doing well! Yourself?" Elros asked cheerfully; he didn"t care that they forgot or even knew in the first place.
"Father," Rias said, her voice cold.
"It"s as Rias said. Perhaps you might have a moment to speak right now?" Mr. Gremory asked.
"Sure!" Elros said. He gave Rias a pa.s.sionate kiss before kissing Isabela and Xuelan on the cheeks and heading off with Mr. Gremory. Rias smiled as she saw them blush.
"So…," she said.
"Hmm?" Xuelan asked, slightly dazed.
"You two like-," Rias began before Isabela and Xuelan turned a bright red.
"Sorry, Lady Rias - but I forgot something!" Isabela said before she rushed away.
"Yeah, and I need to go do that thing in the place!" Xuelan said before running off as well leaving a giggling Rias in the foyer.
"Xuelan and Isabela, huh?" Akeno asked with a laugh as she came down the stairs.
"I think so," Rias said.
"His harem is getting pretty big. I don"t think your dad had one like that when he was his age," Akeno said.
"Zeo was charming when we started dating. But I must say that Elros is on a completely different level," Venelana giggled as she entered the room.
"Mother!" Rias said, turning red as she rushed over.
"Now, now dear, you mustn"t keep him all to yourse-," she began before Rias adorably pressed her hands to her mouth.
"Not another word from you!" she squealed, eliciting a laugh from Akeno. The door sooner opened and Sona and Tsubaki walked in. Rias and Akeno smiled wide as they saw the long haired beauty and quickly rushed over, taking Tsubaki upstairs like they did Sona. Venelana surrept.i.tiously followed, still giggling at her daughter"s antics.
-o-
"Elros," Mr. Gremory said as he led Elros into a ma.s.sive library. As Elros looked around, his jaw dropped. He was an avid reader and learner and his ring stored a ridiculous amount of information on virtually every subject. He was already fairly well learned, but there was one thing Elros knew: he didn"t know anything. He looked to books such as the ones that rose like mountains in front of him to keep him updated on the past, the present, and to give him an idea of the future. They were his teachers, his masters, his sweethearts, his friends - filling every role imaginable. Mr. Gremory looked on with a smile as saw childlike wonder play across Elros"s face.
"Woah," Elros whispered. Hundreds of thousands of tomes lined the room.
"A fan of reading?" Mr. Gremory asked.
"Yes, sir. I love to read. I don"t think I"ve ever seen such a large private collection when it comes to Earth. I mean… my ring can store a lot of information. But books… there"s something special to be said for them. No… no way. Is this what I think it is?!" Elros asked as he suddenly rushed over to one of the cases. Mr. Gremory followed and smiled as he saw the ma.n.u.script that Elros carefully and gingerly pulled from its place.
"This… is this… the first of the twelve books of the Meditations by Marcus Aurelius," Elros said in awe as he read the Koine Greek. Thanks to his ring and Devil powers, he had no trouble understanding it in its original language.
"It is. I"m surprised you know it," Mr. Gremory said.
"Marcus Aurelius… he"s one of my personal heroes, sir. Well, except that one terrible decision he made in choosing his heir. But as a person and a writer… the translations are so easy to understand and relate to," Elros said.
"Indeed. I own the original twelve books that he auth.o.r.ed. My favorites as well," Mr. Gremory said with a smile.
"Impeccable taste, sir. Sorry. I got excited. What is it that you wished to speak about?" Elros asked as he gingerly and carefully put the book back with its brothers and sisters. Mr. Gremory led him over to a desk and sat him down before offering Elros a drink and began to talk.
"Before we get to that, I wish to apologize again. Forgetting and making you duel on your birthday was… an insult I don"t think I can atone for," Mr. Gremory said gravely.
"Really, sir, it"s fine. I never celebrated it before and I don"t really see a reason to begin now," Elros a.s.sured him.
"Yes, that"s a problem as well. A child should be able to enjoy those kinds of days. Every year - even for Devils, who have significantly longer lifespans - should be cherished and respected as much as possible. That your father didn"t give you such an experience is unforgivable, to say the least," Mr. Gremory said.
"Thank you for saying that," Elros said. Mr. Gremory noted that Elros was visibly uncomfortable discussing this particular topic.
"What pain the boys been through," he sighed. He wanted to press the topic, but knew that Rias was already planning something; no doubt she wouldn"t want him to put Elros in a position like this.
"Not at all. I hope that you are with our family - with Rias - for a long time and that in the future, we might be able to celebrate them in a much more intimate way," Lord Gremory said. Elros smiled and nodded before Lord Gremory continued on to the other point.
"As Rias said, I was informed about something that concerns you and the other Duelists. Rias said that you do no particularly want to interact with the judges and the like, so Sirzechs and I will often serve as your representatives and intermediaries when it comes to such," Mr. Gremory said.
"That"s fine with me, sir. Thank you for taking such a load off my chest," Elros said in relief. He wanted to limit his involvement as much as possible with the whole thing.
"Not at all, Elros. Anything we can do to make the load a little easier on you," Mr. Gremory said with a smile.
"So what"s the news about the Duelists? Luke and Yama are going to be there as well?" Elros asked wondered.
"Indeed. Initially, it was planned that your bout with Elizaveta, Bastion, and Anders would have been held in a week or two from now as a precursor to the Peace Talks. As that was moved up, however, plans were changed and shuffled. As the Peace Talks conclude - which will likely take up a month or so - it is planned to have a large celebration ending in a significant Duel - one where the top thirty contestants will compete. The Battle Royale, I believe they"re calling it. I"m afraid this with this Duel, you will be obligated to partake, although there will be no negotiation. The odds are stacked in against the higher ranked Duelists, however - if you beat someone above your rank - five - then you will supplant them; however, if you are eliminated by someone below your rank, you will exchange with them. Say Elizaveta - who I believe will be competing and is now ranked somewhere in the Top 20 - eliminates you, she will be number five again, while you will switch ranks with her," Mr. Gremory said. He gave a sad smile as he heard Elros let out an audible groan.
"Really?" Elros asked.
"I"m afraid so," Mr. Gremory said.
"Awww man… I was hoping to get some downtime. Then I"m going to have that Duel with Yama later on in summer," Elros said.
"Speaking of which, I believe you will get the final date for that match next week," Mr. Gremory said. Elros sighed and nodded before leaning back and running his hands through his face.
"What are you thinking?" Mr. Gremory asked.
"I think the winner of the duel is already a given, I"m afraid," Elros said.
"Oh?" Mr. Gremory asked.
"I know how strong I am, Mr. Gremory. It"s nowhere near Luke," Elros said.
"He was quite praiseworthy of your skill, however," Mr. Gremory said.
"I suppose we"ll see. Well, I suppose I have that and the Rating Games to look forward to this summer. Here"s hoping it all goes off without a hitch," Elros said.
"Indeed. There is one other thing, however," Mr. Gremory said.
"What is it?" Elros wondered.
"Several High-and-Ultimate Cla.s.s Devils have been discussing the next round of promotions and you"ve been most prominent on everyone"s tongue. I believe that from Rias"s Peerage, Issei and Akeno are being considered for a test to Low-Cla.s.s. As the Red Dragon Emperor, Issei is already well known in the Underworld; while Akeno is well known herself for being on par with Rias in terms of strength," Mr. Gremory said. Elros nodded in understanding, having an idea of where this was going.
"Your rise has been the most prominent anyone in the Underworld has seen. Even Devils that strictly abide by blood have had to admit that it"s a marvel. The committee that decides who should move up in rank from Low to Middle to High to Ultimate also recently received a letter from Luke, recommending that you be allowed to skip Middle-Cla.s.s entirely. Normally they don"t acquiesce to such demands, but Luke is…," Mr. Gremory trailed off, sighing. He had barely spent any time with the man, yet hew knew that the difference in power between them was as vast as the distance from one end of the universe to the other. That his own son - who was the most powerful Gremory, as well as one of the most powerful Devils bar none - respected, and dare he say feared Luke spoke volumes about him.
"Lucy?" Elros asked in surprise.
"Indeed. Suffice to say that when he talks, people listen intently. It"s been agreed that your meteoric rise is deserving of high praise and to that effect, you will be allowed to bypa.s.s the Middle-Cla.s.s ranking. It"s currently being debated whether or not you should be allowed to move to Ultimate right away or if you should have to prove yourself further from High-Cla.s.s," Mr. Gremory said, ending with a smile.
He had to admit that he felt a rush of pride that Elros was dating his daughter; he couldn"t imagine anyone better. Elros struck him as a man that walked the walk. He was kind and loving, that much he knew from the get go - he spoke as much as he wished to about his past and didn"t shy away from making his opinion known; he fought splendidly for his daughter"s honor - the thing that elated Zeoticus the most. That a powerful, kind, and loving man would, alongside Rias, lead the House of Gremory into the future was the greatest thing he could ask for.
"I dunno what to say, Mr. G. It"s… an honor, I suppose," Elros said sheepishly.
"It truly is. You will be one of the first Devils in a long time - centuries, I believe - to make it to such a position and not belong to any clan in particular. I believe some of the newspapers are already referring to you as a living legend," Mr. Gremory said with a chuckle. Elros smiled sheepishly at the praise.
"Well, didn"t expect this to happen so quickly. Huh. Could be fun I guess," Elros thought to himself.
"So what"s the process in becoming a High or Ultimate Cla.s.s Devil?" Elros inquired.
"It"s quite simple, actually. First, there are three tests that you need to complete. You have an unlimited number of tries to do so, however - so it"s not a big worry. The first part is a written report that addresses the theme of aim and greed," Mr. Gremory.
"Woah, woah, woah! Written… report?!" Elros asked, flabbergasted.
"Yes," a new voice said. Sirzechs entered with Grayfia at his side, both of them smiling. Elros saw Venelana close behind as well.
"Hey Zecxy, Grayfia, Mrs. G!" Elros said cheerfully.
"Zecxy?" Sirzechs wondered with a roaring laugh.
"Well Azazel is Zaz, Michael is Mikey and Luke is Lucy. Trust me when I say that I had to do a lot of thinking when it came to your name," Elros said with a grin. Sirzechs continued to laugh while Grayfia sighed; it was unbecoming of one of the Four Great Satans to be referred to as "Zecxy". She shot Sirzechs a look that quieted him down, although he still smiled.
"h.e.l.lo, dear. I understand you were talking to Zeo about the tests required to become a High-Cla.s.s Devil?" Venelana asked.
"Yes, ma"am. Mr. Gremory… A written report? Please tell me you"re not serious. This is like when I became a Devil all over again," Elros groaned, visibly distressed by how boring it sounded.
"What were you expecting?" Venelana asked in amus.e.m.e.nt.
"I dunno! When I told Rias yes, I was expecting something like a blood pact or a ritual sacrifice! It turned out that all I had to do was sign a contract!" Elros said, eliciting chuckles from all of the Devils.
"I"m afraid we"ve moved on from that, sweetheart," Venelana said with a smile.
"A written test…," Elros grumbled.
"That"s part one. Part two is a written test involving the history and government of the Underworld," Mr. Gremory said. Elros"s head fell onto the desk in front of him as he gently began to bang his head on it, eliciting more laughter from the Devils. Even Grayfia couldn"t help but join in.
"Another test?!" Elros whined.
"Afraid so," Mr. Gremory said.
"Ok. Three tests, you said. I"m hinging all my hopes on this last one," Elros said composing himself.
"This has to be f.u.c.ked up. It just has to be," Elros thought.
"The final part is an individual duel against another testing partic.i.p.ant. Now, that"s most prevalent for Devils moving from Low to Middle-Cla.s.s. In your case - especially if it"s decided that you ought to be an Ultimate, it"s highly likely that you"ll have to face off against an existing Ultimate Cla.s.s Devil," Mr. Gremory said.
"Alright. That"s… a bit better I guess," Elros said, still not sold on the concept.
"You seem disappointed by how boring it seems," Venelana said.
"I am, Mrs. G! I dunno, I was expecting something more… Devilish," Elros grumbled.
"I"m afraid even Devils have civilized themselves, dear. If you became a Devil millennia ago, it certainly might"ve been more to your taste," Venelana said.
"I guess I should be happy I didn"t have to do too many contracts to make the jump. Now that I think about, I only ever did that one with Azazel," Elros said.
"Rating Games and Duels are certainly the quickest and most popular way to do so now," Sirzechs said.
"So what happens if I pa.s.s the test?" Elros wondered.
"If you become a High-Cla.s.s Devil, you will be given a King Piece as well as a t.i.tle - in your case, Marquis, Count, Viscount, or Baron. You will be able to begin a peerage at that point as well - and you may choose whoever you wish to join," Mr. Gremory said.
"And if you become an Ultimate-Cla.s.s Devil, you will be given the rank of Satan, Great King, King, Archduke, Duke, or Prince. At this level, you will be given a King Piece as well as a significant amount of land of your choosing to call your territory," Sirzechs said.
"I see. Rias is pretty strong as well, though, isn"t she? Shouldn"t she be up for a promotion soon as well?" Elros wondered.
"While you two are similar in age, Rias only recently earned the right to start a peerage - and she hasn"t partic.i.p.ated in any official Rating Games. As the Duels don"t seem to interest her, I doubt she would partic.i.p.ate in them either. I believe my daughter still has a way to go before she becomes an Ultimate. Often it takes Devils decades to do so. I believe Diehauser Belial was a High-Cla.s.s Devil for several decades before he became an Ultimate. Certainly, no one has done it as quick as you," Venelana said with a proud smile.
"Indeed. It"s quite a special and momentous occasion, Elros," Mr. Gremory said, eliciting a goofy grin from the Green Lantern.
"You guys are gonna make me blush," Elros chuckled.
"Well, I believe that"s all that had to be said for now. Unless you have any further questions?" Mr. Gremory asked.
"Hmm… nothing comes to mind, sir," Elros said, wracking his brain.
"Very well. Thank you for speaking with me," Zeo said, nodding and getting up. They all took their leave.
-o-
"Hey," Elros said with a smile as Rias ran down the step and into his arms. The Gremory"s watched the tender scene with a smile.
"Hi. You finish your talk?" she asked, giving him a quick peck.
"Yup. Exciting kinds of stuff afoot, it seems," Elros said cheerfully.
"Tell me about it later. Are you free now?" Rias wondered.
"I am. What do you need?" Elros asked.
"Just to spend some time with you. Tsubaki told me about the date you took her on," Rias said, pouting.
"Ah! I suppose this means you want to go down the Highway to h.e.l.l with me as well?" Elros asked.
"I think you know the answer to that," Rias said.
"You know I can"t deny you. Although I"m going to have to plan it. It has to be as fun, but different," Elros said.
"Well, that comes later. For now, let"s just take a nap," Rias said as she took his hand in hers and led her upstairs.
"Have you told them about the Ruins of Connection, mother?" Sirzechs wondered.
"Not yet. I want it to be a surprise," Venelana said.
"That reminds me. My mother and father have been interested in meeting him soon as well. I believe they"ll be here during the reception next week," Zeo said.
"I have no doubt that they"ll take as much of a shine to him as we have," Venelana said.
"Some of the other clans may not, however. The Bael clan has been interested in meeting him as well, as have several others. I continue to receive offers of an immediate union between our family and several others," Sirzechs said with a sigh.
"I"m surprised they haven"t acted by now," Venelana said, her voice slightly cold.
"I believe they would"ve if they didn"t know that Elros and Luke were so close. They fear Luke just as much as the others. They certainly don"t have enough of a relationship with him to call him "Lucy"" Sirzechs said with a grimace as he used his nickname.
"Yes. After hearing Luke talk about Elros, I get the distinct feeling that he wouldn"t take to kindly to such an attempt," Venelana said. As if on cue, there was a knock on the door. Grayfia opened the door and a courier was there.
"h.e.l.lo. Delivery for Zeoticus Gremory from Luke Star," the young Devil said.
"Thank you," Grayfia said solemnly, taking the box. The courier took his leave and Grayfia handed the box to Zeo, who looked at it with interest. There was a note affixed on top of the red and green box - oddly Christmas colored.
"My good man, thank you for allowing me to tap into your reservoir. You"ve quite the taste in wine! Here is a gift for future pleasure," Mr. Gremory said, reading the note aloud. He gently opened the box and was surprised to see the content.
Inside was a beautiful crystal flask filled with a blood-red liquid. It was completely opaque and slightly sinister, he thought. It was enough for a few sips, Zeo thought. He wondered what it was exactly - a question that was answered as he saw another note.
"Dragons Blood mixed with a specially brewed alcohol from my private collection. A drop is enough," Mr. Gremory said.
"Dragons blood?" Venelana asked in surprise. They looked to Sirzechs who had a frown on his face.
"There… are rumors that Luke has slain dragons in the past," Sirzechs said uneasily. They turned back to the bottle, gulping.
"Perhaps Elros was right. The winner of the Battle Royale might indeed already be evident," Lord Gremory said gravely as he gently turned the bottle over in his hand several times.