As Elros sat on the edge of his bed the following morning, he noticed that Rias was already awake. She smiled as she approached him, wearing nothing. Lovingly, she ran her fingers through his hair, pressing his head against her stomach. She giggled as Elros kissed it before looking up. He frowned as he saw a hint of sadness in her eyes.
"What"s wrong?" He asked.
"Hmm?" She hummed, mindlessly stroking his hair.
"You look a bit down. Is everything alright?" He asked. Rias bit her lip, wondering how to respond. It was still to soon for her to tell him everything, she thought; as she answered, she felt as though she needed to shower again.
"Everything"s fine," she lied. "Just… worried about your fight coming up against that guy. He scares me."
"I"ll be fine, Rias," Elros said, smiling. He stood up and brought her in for a hug that she returned tightly.
"You say that but… his att.i.tude when the Khaos Brigade attacked…" she said, tracing the scars on his back. She sat him down and sat in his lap, wrapping her legs around his stomach.
"He might have a bite, but I"ve got a bigger one. I promise I"m going to win, alright?" Elros said.
"Alright…" she sighed. She pushed him back down on the bed, running her hands up and down his stomach. "How are you feeling?"
"Pretty good after last night," he said with a grin. Rias rolled her eyes and smiled before leaning down.
"So… Marion and Bürent against me. Who wins?" She wondered innocently.
"Wow, you really are a Devil. I will literally kill myself before answering," Elros said, flipping her on her back.
"That seems a bit over the top," she said, flipping him again.
"Nope. Proportionate," he said, flipping her once more. "Good thing this bed"s so big. Didn"t you ever get lonely in it?"
"Not really. At this point, the only way I"m lonely in bed is if you"re not in it with me," Rias said softly.
"I don"t see that changing anytime soon," Elros said, smiling.
"Are you sure? What if you get called away on a mission or something?" Rias asked.
"I"ll get it done and then I"ll rush right back to you," Elros said.
"Promise?" Rias asked.
"On my life," Elros said before leaning down and kissing her with a pa.s.sion. Rias moaned into the kiss, slowly wrapping her legs around his waist. She poured more and more pa.s.sion into the kiss, slowly working her tongue into his mouth. She squirmed in pleasure as she felt his hand trail down her side and travel between her legs, gently tracing her. As they wound down to a stop, she looked at him with eyes full of pa.s.sion.
"I love you, Elros," she whispered.
"I love you too, Rias," he said, giving her a peck before lifting himself off. As she watched him go to the shower, Rias bit her lip. She brought their blanket over her, inhaling deeply and taking in his scent. She remembered falling asleep on him the night before, the usual for them; despite that, each time felt as new and exciting as the first time.
-o-
As he came out, he saw that Rias was still in bed. She seemed to have fallen asleep again. Elros smiled and sat at the edge of the bed, gently pushing some hair out of her face. Rias yawned cutely and grabbed his hand, smacking her lips in delight before putting it under her head. Elros quickly stifled a laugh. He went with the flow, getting as comfortable as he dare. He laid back down, admiring her beauty before slowly drifting as well.
When Rias woke again a little while later, she smiled at his resting features. She ran her fingers along the scar on his face and cheeks, tracing his lips before giving him a soft kiss to make sure he wouldn"t wake. She brought his head down to her chest, resting just above her heart.
"I keep using you as my pillow. You can use me too, Elros," Rias thought, caressing his cheek. She continued to do so until he woke up, serene.
"We fell asleep again?" He asked.
"Yeah. Awake now?" She asked.
"Kind of want to go back to sleep. This is nice," he said, kissing her chest.
"That tickles," Rias giggled. Elros smirked before moving up a bit, bringing Rias in for a gentle and deep kiss. He flipped her over on her stomach and got back on top, softly kissing her down to her lower back before working his way back up and focusing on her neck. Rias clenched the sheets and moaned in pleasure. She shivered as he traced a finger down her back before grabbing her a.s.s tightly and giving her a hard spank.
"And how does that feel?" He wondered, pausing.
"Nice," she said, looking at him and smiling. These were her favorite moments with him; intimate, touching, and close, their love conveyed with every second that pa.s.sed. Elros touched his forehead to hers, giving her a soft kiss before bringing his hand back up to her cheek.
"Being like this with you is nothing short of a miracle," Elros whispered. Rias smiled wide; she quickly got out from underneath him and got on top, leaning down to give him a furious and pa.s.sionate kiss. She slipped a hand between them and trailed it down before slipping inside his sweats, slowly beginning to stroke. As she got him free, she gently guided him inside and began to slowly move up and down. Rias leaned down, resting her forehead against his.
"I love you so much," she whispered, making sure to keep eye contact.
"I think I might love you more," Elros said, holding her close to him.
"Wanna bet?" Rias asked.
"Happily. What"re the stakes?" Elros asked.
"Mmm… we can figure that out later. You"ve got a job to do first," she said seductively. Elros flipped her on her back and smiled as he towered over her. As he began to thrust slow and deep, Rias closed her eyes and took in the feeling. She brought Elros down and tightly wrapped her arms around him, kissing his neck as he whispered sweet and loving words to her. It was the slowest they had gone so far and she enjoyed it immensely; each of her senses was blazing as she floated along on cloud nine.
-o-
As they cuddled after their o.r.g.a.s.mic and pa.s.sionate love making session, Rias couldn"t help but be at peace. Besides her and Elros, nothing else existed; there were no external problem and everything was perfect.
As she lifted herself out of the reverie, she gave him a deep kiss and looked at him with bright eyes. Elros brushed some hair out of her face and caressed her cheek, admiring her radiant beauty as he held her close and tight.
"This is perfect," he said.
"I know," she whispered, tracing on his chest. "Hey, Elros?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you believe in fate?" Rias asked.
"What?" Elros asked, surprised by the question.
"Like… destiny. Like you and I were supposed to meet each other?" Rias asked softly. She wasn"t sure why she was asking.
"I don"t believe in fate or destiny. I don"t think I can," Elros said, inching a bit closer. "If that were true, that means there"s no such thing as free will. And that would just kill the romance."
"What do you mean?" Rias asked.
"I don"t want to think that you and I were destined or preplanned or anything. That would mean that I had no choice in wanting to love you. If there"s one thing I"m sure of right now, it"s that I love you. A lot. And that"s all me. G.o.d or fate or whatever has nothing to do with it," Elros said, caressing her lips and cheek. He kissed her with a gentle pa.s.sion that she happily matched and outdid.
"That was sweet," she said, blushing as they broke apart. Elros made her look at him; as she did, she felt her heart rate and blush increase. She could see the pa.s.sion in his eyes for her, every word laden with sincerity.
"While I might have a harem, you"re extremely important to me, Rias. And I want you to know that what I feel for you is completely from me. I love you is all," Elros said softly. She smiled wide at the words.
"I can"t wait for the Ruins," she thought happily. "We"re definitely going to be together forever. You"re mine, Elros, and I"m yours."
She leaned forward and kissed him once more before resting her head against his. She giggled as he intertwined their legs and pulled her closer, making sure that as much of their skin was touching the other.
"What about you, though? Do you believe in fate?" Elros wondered.
"I dunno. More than a couple of times, this has all felt so surreal. A guy who explores the universe and saves planets crash landed on my house, starts living with me and my best friend, and then becomes my boyfriend. I dunno if it"s fate, but it feels like… something," Rias said.
"Sheer coincidence?" Elros wondered.
"It"s a h.e.l.l of a coincidence," Rias said, stroking his hair. "Not that I mind. I wouldn"t want it any other way."
"So - the Ruins of Connection are to engage us, right?" Elros asked.
"Sort of. It"s a test designed to test the suitability of a potential spouse. I think my mom explained it to you a few days ago. There"s four parts and after pa.s.sing those, you"ll officially be recognized as a suitable candidate," Rias said.
"Wouldn"t Riser have had to have done the same thing?" Elros wondered.
"He"s a High Cla.s.s Devil so he was given a pa.s.s for the time being. But eventually, yeah. It"s especially important to my grandparents," Rias said.
"So after we do it, I"m basically given the go-ahead to marry you?" Elros wondered.
"Yeah. I"m sorry that you have to jump through so many hoops for me. The Duels, the attention, now this," Rias said, eyes downcast. Elros tilted her chin up to look at him, smiling.
"Whatever I need to do for you is what I"ll do," Elros whispered. "I guess the proposal comes later, then."
"Proposal? For… marriage?" Rias asked.
"What else?" Elros wondered.
"D-does that mean that you…" she said, twirling her hair around a finger.
"Ah, ah, ah! What? CAN"T HEAR YOU!" He said loudly, eliciting a laugh.
"Sorry," Rias said.
"If I am planning on doing such a thing, I have to make sure everything is right. Which means no spoilers. You don"t want to ruin it, do you?" Elros asked, mock-aghast.
"Of course not. I"ll leave it to you, then," Rias said, giving him a loving smile. She added, after a pause, "I"m really happy. Really, very happy."
"And if you"re happy, then so am I," Elros said, kissing her forehead. He slowly moved down to her lips, making sure to take internalize the taste.
"Mmm…" Rias moaned in delight.
"Enjoy the taste?" Elros asked with a laugh.
"So much," she said seductively. She moved her hand down again and began to gently stroke him. She pushed him on his back before kissing him down his chest and eventually taking him in her mouth. Elros closed his eyes and smirked, resting a hand on her head as she blew him to high Heaven.
"Paradise," Elros exhaled.
-o-
"Have you considered starting your own harem?" Elros wondered.
"Would you really be ok with that?" Rias wondered.
"I don"t think I"d be in any position to not be ok with that. If it"s fine for me, why shouldn"t it be fine for you?" Elros asked.
"I suppose I never gave it much thought. But no, I don"t think so. I think it"d become more trouble than it"s worth. You"ve seen how other Devils are. I know perfectly well what it is they"d want from me," Rias said, running a hand through her hair. "It"s why I was so hesitant about those meetings. It"s the same for you. A lot of them are there because they want what comes with being seen with you."
"Devil aristocracy seems to be a bit more trouble than it"s worth," Elros said.
"You"re telling me," Rias said, sitting in his lap and stroking his hair. "It"s always the same thing with them. I can count the number of marriages of love that have happened in my lifetime on one hand. Even with my parents, there was still an approval process."
"Yeah, but Mrs. G and Mr. G seem to love each other a lot," Elros said.
"They bond over teasing me," Rias grumbled. Elros laughed and held her closer.
"Shall we give them something else to tease you about?" He asked, kissing the base of her neck.
"Maybe later," Rias giggled, pushing him off. She caressed his cheek and smiled. "I also get the feeling that other Devils might not be able to take care of me as well as you do. Look at Riser. All bark and no bite."
"Speaking of bite-," Elros began; Rias sighed and put a finger to his lips.
"Now that I think about it, they might also be a bit less s.e.x driven. That might be nice," she said.
"Hmph. You say that like it"s a good thing," Elros grumbled.
"It"s not a bad thing," she giggled. Finally, however, she gave him a soft kiss. "But I don"t know if I could love anyone else. Part of it is being so jaded about the whole thing, but another part might be perspective."
"What do you mean?" Elros asked.
"You"ve been to a lot of places, right?" Rias asked.
"A couple," Elros said.
"But you said I"m your first girlfriend. You"ve been to how many different planets and galaxies, but you still ended up with me? That says something, I think. It… I dunno, it makes me feel a lot more special," she said, blushing.
"I never thought about it like that," Elros said, wondrously. He laid back down, a surprised look on his face. "So much for my perspective. Apparently, I"m an complete idiot. Wow, good thing this ring doesn"t measure intelligence."
"That"s why you have an intelligent girlfriend like me. You"re the brawn, I"m the brain," Rias giggled. "If you turn that into a s.e.x joke, I swear to Lucifer I will use my powers on you right now."
"Fine, fine!" Elros exclaimed. "You"re not wrong, though. You"re definitely something special."
"Add to that, you took me to the moon for our first date. When it comes to the Devil word, that"s just impossible for anyone except you," she said.
"Where else would you like to go?" Elros asked, caressing her cheek.
"If I could choose? Like in our solar system?" She asked.
"Yeah. Or Earth. Wherever, really," he said.
"I… Mmm. I"m not sure," Rias sighed. "s.p.a.ce is a lot more special if we go infrequently. I don"t think I want to get used to it."
"I understand," Elros said. "So long as you"re there, I think I"m fine with anyplace."
"What about Akeno? Or Sona and Tsubaki and the others?" Rias wondered.
"Well, if you"re all there, that"s ideal. One guy and seven girls. Now that… Oh, I can picture it right now. First, I"d take all your clothes off-," Elros said before Rias pressed a finger to his lips.
"Pervert," she sighed.
"You haven"t even scratched the surface" Elros said with a laugh. "They"re all special and important to me. But there"s no denying that I"ve spent the bulk of my time with you and Akeno."
"True," Rias said, nuzzling him.
"So we still have a few more days until the next Rating Game," Elros said.
"Yup. Use this time to relax or train or whatever you want to do," Rias said.
"What are you going to do?" He asked.
"I"ll probably spend some time training with Akeno, I think. Not everyone can be whatever you are," Rias sighed.
"A warrior from the First Age," Elros said cheerfully.
"First Age?" Rias wondered.
"The warriors of the First Age of Middle Earth were the most powerful. Everyone knows that," Elros pointed out.
"Literally no one knows that," Rias said.
"Shows what you know. That reminds me, I told Akeno that I"d read The Hobbit to Gasper and Koneko sometime. They might be a bit old, but could be fun," Elros said.
"That"s pretty cute," Rias giggled, pinching his cheek.
"Not as cute as that lovey-dovey couple," he said, nodding at Asia and Issei who were laughing in the distance.
"No kidding. But if they"re cute, what are we?" Rias wondered.
"Hot as the G.o.dd.a.m.n sun," Elros said, stopping her and giving her another pa.s.sionate kiss. Rias smirked inwards and returned it. As they broke apart and looked at each other pa.s.sionately, they heard Issei yell at them.
"GET A ROOM!"
"He"s got a point," Elros said.
"We just had s.e.x again," Rias reminded him.
"Yeah, but I"m ready to go again. You weren"t kidding about the added strength and stamina when it came to being a Devil. Pretty sure I could go on for days. With our lifespan, that"s honestly like minutes," Elros said with a grin as he ma.s.saged her a.s.s.
"At that point, I"m not sure if I could handle it," Rias giggled.
"Yeah, but I guarantee that you"d enjoy it. Whatever happens, you"d go with a smile," he said, biting her ear. "Won"t know until we try."
"Maybe later, then. Unfortunately, we still have things to do," she said.
"Fine. As you say," he grumbled. As they walked downstairs, they ran across Venelana.
"Hey, Mrs. G. What"s up?" Elros greeted.
"h.e.l.lo, Elros dear," Venelana said with her usual, serene smile. "It"s good to see that you two are finally up."
"Greeting the day with a smile as always," Elros said cheerfully.
"I can see that. You"re always a ray of sunshine. But why do you seem so consternated, dear?" Venelana asked Rias, who looked on half-dead.
"Because this is usually when you start teasing us," Rias said.
"Teasing you," Venelana and Elros said in sync. Rias let out a cute whine.
"See. You two are even thinking the same thing!" She exclaimed.
"Only because it"s fun," Elros said.
"So very fun," Venelana laughed.
"The funnest thing I can think of," Akeno said as she came up behind Venelana. Elros grinned and pulled in her for a tight hug and kiss. He moved on to her neck, giving her a bright hickey. Venelana and Rias giggled at the gesture, while Akeno held on tight.
"Hey, Rias - I need to borrow Elros for a bit," Akeno said, stroking his hair.
"Go ahead. Just find me afterwards. We need to train before the next Game," Rias said.
"Kay. Come on, loverboy," she said, taking his hand and pulling him along.
"Congratulations again on your first win, sweetheart. I"m so proud of you. Everyone performed wonderfully," Venelana said.
"Thank you, mother," Rias said, blushing a bit at the praise. "Everyone worked really hard to get where we are now. I"ve no doubt we"ll win the others as well."
"I can tell. You"ve grown up to be a wonderful King with a wonderful peerage. I know the family"s legacy is safe and secure with you," Venelana said, hugging Rias.
"Thanks, mom," Rias said happily.
"And with Elros at your side, I"m sure it"ll lighten the load on you. Speaking on which, are you ready for the Ruins? I know we sprung it on you," Venelana said.
"No kidding," Rias grumbled. "But yeah, I think we"re ready. I think Elros might need some help with the history of the Gremory clan, but that should be it."
"Nonetheless, I"ve taken it upon myself to give him lessons," Venelana said.
"Yeah, th WAIT, WHAT?! WHEN!?" Rias asked, horrified.
"Of course we haven"t started yet, dear. But maybe this week. First is dancing," Venelana giggled.
"Elros can dance just fine with me!" Rias exclaimed.
"I should still make sure," Venelana said, winking.
"You"re evil, mother. You better not try anything funny," Rias grumbled.
-o-
Akeno had tightly wrapped herself around Elros, letting him take her through the motions. As soon as they entered her room, he had torn her clothes off and threw them by the wayside, knowing that she preferred it rough. She enjoyed being at his mercy, knowing the roles would soon shift and that she would be in control of him. Until that time, however, she simply wanted to be taken along for the ride. As he f.u.c.ked her hard and deep, she could feel her grip waning until finally, she couldn"t hold on. Elros tossed her on the bed and roughly pulled her towards him before entering again, his hands holding on tightly to her hips.
"f.u.c.k, that"s amazing!" she yelled before licking his lips. Elros smirked and picked up the pace. Akeno felt her eyes roll into the back of her head as he kept it up at that speed. It wasn"t long until she came. The pleasure this time was to much; she pushed Elros off and curled up, screaming as she began to squirt and shudder. It was a couple of minutes before she calmed down completely, faced down on the bed as she kept whispering "f.u.c.k" over and over again, her breathing labored.
"Feeling alright?" Elros asked innocuously.
"Like you don"t f.u.c.king know. Oh my goodness, I feel like I want to cry. I don"t think I ever came like that before," she whispered, her face buried in the pillow. She blushed as she heard him chuckle and kiss her atop her head.
"Should I leave?" He wondered.
"No. Absolutely not. You"re staying," she said, finally facing him. Elros smiled warmly and hugged her close. Their bodies were wet with sweat pooling beneath them.
"Let"s go soak in the bath. Come on, I"ll carry you," Elros laughed. As he drew the water, he gently entered with Akeno still wrapped around him. She rested her head against his chest, gently tracing the brand.
"I"ve had it for as long as I can remember," Elros suddenly said.
"What?" She asked, surprised. Of all his marks, this was the one she knew the least about - and the one that most mystified and worried her.
"The brand. It wasn"t on a mission. I"ve had it since I was born, I think. I know my dad never branded me, at the very least," he said, running a hand through her hair.
"You don"t have to tell me if you don"t want to," Akeno whispered. Elros smiled and kissed her atop her head.
"That"d be like me saying I don"t trust you to know. I love you after all, don"t I? While I… can"t say everything at once, I do want to tell you what I can. it… just might take a while," Elros said before laughing wryly. "Hope you"re patient."
"For you, anything," she said, surprisingly serious. She lifted her self a bit, making sure they were eye level. "You can tell me anything, Elros. You can trust me with anything."
"I know," Elros said, smiling. "You and Rias. The apples of my eye."
"Apples are forbidden fruit, you know," she said with a smile.
"And G.o.dd.a.m.n do I love the taste," Elros said, giving her another kiss. "Apples. Melons. Peaches. Berries. Rias. Akeno. The latter two are especially tasty. Mmm. I"m addicted."
"You"re disgusting," she giggled.
"You should see some of the other alien races. They"d make a s.e.x addict blush," he laughed. "Probably not as cute of a blush as yours, though. Even when Rias blushes, it"s not like this."
"Keep teasing me. Rias and I are keeping a tally. We"ll get you back one of these days," Akeno said, turning away from him.
"Oh? I can"t wait. Punish me hard. I"m not a m.a.s.o.c.h.i.s.t, but a little pain never hurt. You know all about that, though," he chuckled, running a finger down between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and stomach. Akeno giggled and pulled his hand back up, taking the finger in her mouth and giving him a seductive look.
"You know, we still haven"t showered together. I think we need to freshen up," he said.
"I agree," Akeno giggled, snuggling close. "In a bit, though. I just want to stay like this for a while."
"Your wish is my command," Elros said softly, running his hand through her hair.
-o-
Elros admired Akeno as the water sprinkled over her. Like Rias, she was an absolute marvel to look at. Her creamy white skin glistened in the water, her b.r.e.a.s.t.s gently bouncing as she washed her chest. Her legs went on for what felt like eternity, as did her hair, which hugged her figure close. She closed her eyes and parted her lips slightly as she stretched; the pose nearly stopped Elros"s heart. As Akeno opened her eyes and saw him staring at her, she blushed.
"What is it?" She asked, her voice surprisingly innocent.
"Sorry. I"ve lost track of how many time I"ve told you," he said, brushing some hair out of her face. "Even though I see you every day, it"s like when we first met. You always make me skip a beat."
Akeno smiled at the loving words. She hugged Elros close, letting his rough and scarred skin kiss her soft and smooth skin. She gently kissed each scar on his shoulder before leaning up and kissing his lips. Elros reached down and hiked one of her legs up, wrapping it around him. Akeno bit her lip, knowing where this would go. She reached down and began stroking him softly before gently guiding him in, keeping eye contact as he penetrated her. She shivered in delight and leaned forward as he began to gently thrust.
-o-
"Good thing we f.u.c.ked in the shower this time," Elros said cheerfully, hugging Akeno from behind as she stared out the window wall. She giggled as he played with her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and slipped a finger inside, kissing her neck.
"I know. Which is why you shouldn"t be fingering me now," she said.
"Oh? You can stop me, you know," he said, picking up the pace. Akeno bit her lip in enjoyment. She ran her hands down busy arm until she finally reached his hand. She stopped him and pulled them out before putting them in her mouth. Giving him a seductive look as she sucked on them, Elros couldn"t help but smile. He gave a breast a gentle squeeze as he kissed her again, internalizing her taste
"So, ready to train with Rias?" He asked.
"Yup. Almost forgot about that. Want to come with?"
"Why don"t you two join me in training? I can think up some things that"ll work us really hard," Elros suggested.
"Like I don"t know what that"s code for," Akeno said, rolling her eyes.
"I think I"ll join you guys later. I"m going to go visit Sona and Tsubaki. There hasn"t been much time for me and them since break started," Elros said.
"Managing several women is difficult," Akeno giggled.
"Don"t I know it. I"ve been on world saving missions that are easier. That said, completely worth it. Seven beauties. Oddly enough, most of them in pairs; Rias and you; Sona and Tsubaki; and Marion and Bürent. Yubelluna"s the odd one out," Elros said.
"How is she?" Akeno asked softly.
"I think she"s still hurting," Elros said, holding Akeno close and kissing her head. "It doesn"t surprise me. After what Riser did to her, it couldn"t be any other way. What a b.a.s.t.a.r.d."
"Are you going to fight him during the Royale?" Akeno asked.
"I am. How he treated the girls; how he"s treated you guys; how he"s treated Rias. I"m going to give him a beating he"s never going to forget. Unless Lucy gets to him first," Elros said.
"I think you"ll win," Akeno said confidently.
"What that confidence, I"m going to have to," Elros said, kissing her again. "And then, you and I are going on another date. On world? Or maybe a dinner a few hundred miles above Earth?"
"Dinner in s.p.a.ce sounds fantastic," Akeno said joyously. "But that"ll be the time after that. This time, I want to do something for you."
"Oh? I look forward to it," Elros said happily. He turned her to face him and hugged her close and tight. "I love you, Akeno."
"I love you too, Elros. So much," she said happily.
-o-
"Hey, Mr. Sitri," Elros greeted Sona"s father.
"Elros, this is a surprise! What brings you here?" He wondered.
"Are Sona and Tsubaki here? I was hoping I might beww able to spend some time with them," Elros said.
"Sona"s out with my wife, but Tsubaki is here. Please, go on up," Mr. Sitri said.
"Thanks, Mr. Sitri," Elros said before going up the stares two at a time. He knocked on Tsubaki"s door and smiled as she answered, wearing a black tank top and tight black jeans.
"Elros! What"re you doing here?" Tsubaki asked, surprised.
"Just came to see you. I hope it"s not a bad time," Elros said.
"Of course not! Please, come in!" Tsubaki said, hugging him tightly. She sat him on the edge of her bed before getting comfortable on his lap.
"Forgive me for not coming by sooner," Elros said apologetically.
"It"s fine. You"re Rias"s servant, after all. I imagine if it was the other way around, Rias and Akeno would be in the same position," she said softly. "Still, I"m happy you came by."
"Probably not as happy as I am to finally get a chance to kiss you again," he said, stealing a kiss. Tsubaki giggled and replied in kind. Elros laid down, holding her tight as he brought her on top.
"I"m just glad you"re here," she said, getting comfortable. She crossed her arms under her chin and looked up, smiling as he looked back at her. Leaning up, she kissed him again before tracing his scar with her lips.
"Did Rias and Akeno tell you how I got this?" he wondered.
"Something about a Red Lantern," she stated.
"Yup. Leader of the Red Lanterns. Atrocitus," Elros said.
"Atrocitus? What kind of name is that?" Tsubaki asked, surprised.
"A fitting one in his case. Terrifying guy. Kind of an a.s.shole," Elros grumbled.
"Monsters more like it," she said, frowning as she ran a finger down it. Reaching down, she pulled up his shirt and revealed his other scars, sighing at the sight.
"More stories?" She asked.
"More than I might be able to tell," he laughed, taking his shirt off. Tsubaki smiled and rested her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat.
"Are you ready for your next Game?" Tsubaki asked.
"Yup. Still not sure who it"s up against, but I think we"ll win. I"m interested in seeing how Rias"s cousin performs," Elros said.
"Sairaorg is probably the furthest ahead of the Young Generation. Until you get your own King piece, at least," Tsubaki said.
"I dunno - did you see how he took out the elf? That punch would literally knock my head right off. I don"t want to get on his bad side," Elros said.
"Sounds like you respect him a bit," she mused.
"Oh yeah. Any guy that pulls himself through sheer will is alright in my book. It"s difficult to overcome the challenges one faces. I imagine it"s even more p.r.o.nounced in such a hierarchical society like this one," Elros said, running a finger up and down her back. "It"s why what you and Sona want to do with the school for Reincarnated Devils is so impressive. It"ll be tough, but I"ve no doubt you"ll be able to pull it off. And I"ll do what I can, of course."
"That might make it easier, actually. You"re one of the most popular Devils," Tsubaki sighed, getting off of him. Elros looked on curiously as she began to ruffle through a pile of magazines on her table. She threw one at Elros, who looked shocked at the cover.
"THAT"S ME!" he exclaimed.
"Yup," Tsubaki said, going behind him and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Elros the Phoenix - Bachelor or Debaucher?"
"DEBAUCHER! Who, me!" Elros exclaimed.
"Mhm. That"s what you get for having a harem," she giggled.
"I DON"T ENTIRELY DISAGREE, BUT THEY DIDN"T HAVE TO PUT IT LIKE THAT! Oh, when I get my hands on those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds…" Elros grumbled.
"Now, now - you"ll have to get used to this. There"s a lot of money to be made in insulting you," Tsubaki said.
"You don"t have to put it so bluntly either," Elros grumbled. Suddenly, he took her down to the bed. Tsubaki smiled as he pinned her hands down, looming over her.
"You"re not proving that cover wrong like this, you know," she giggled.
"Like I said, I don"t entirely disagree," Elros said, kissing her neck.
"Mmm, I can tell," she said, wrapping her legs around him.
"I wonder how low I can sink?" Elros wondered, nibbling her ear. "Want me to test it out on you?"
"As fun as that sounds, maybe next time," she said, flipping him over hard - so hard, they fell off the bed. She smirked as he nursed the back of his head. "You sunk pretty low there."
"Ugh. Thanks," Elros grumbled. He brought her down and kissed her again, running his hands up her back. Tsubaki shivered as he caressed it, running his finger up and down there. He sat up again, wrapping her legs around him and smiling.
"What is it?" she wondered, tracing his lips.
"Nothing. Just happy to be with you," he said. He twirled some of her hair around his finger, at ease. Tsubaki blushed and moved a bit closer, opening her legs a bit more and resting her feet on the floor. She touched her head with his, enjoying his presence.
"You want to go out for a walk?" she asked.
"Happily. Want me to carry you?" he asked, lifting up with her.
"I should be fine," she laughed. Intertwining her hands with hers, she flashed him a charming smile before leading on.
-o-
"I didn"t get a chance to see much of it when Sona brought me here, but now that I get a good look - it"s even more beautiful than I thought," Elros said. His eyes were wide open as he looked over a hill into a vast valley. He saw several rivers and brooks cutting through, like blue veins in an eternal field of green. It was far and away one of the most beautiful sights he had seen.
"Sona and I come up here quite often, sometimes with Rias and Akeno. It"s quiet and peaceful, and almost no one visits because it"s closer to the edge of their territory. You can"t see it from here, but just over the horizon is the beginning of the Gremory Territory. The Bael"s and Phoenix Territories are close by as well," Tsubaki said.
"And soon, the Eärendil Territory!" Elros exclaimed. Tsubaki giggled, ruffling his hair.
"Yes. The Eärendil Territory. It has a nice ring to it," she said.
"You and Akeno probably aren"t far off. The Shinra Territory. Sounds even better than the Eärendil Territory," Elros said with a grin.
"Ha. I think I"m still a few decades or centuries away from that," Tsubaki said.
"Don"t sell yourself short, Tsubaki," Elros said in a surprisingly hard voice. "You"re the only Devil that"s been able to deflect my attacks so effectively. That"s no small feat."
"It"s not as though you could go all out. Or were even trying to," she said.
"Still, I tried to brute force the mirrors but no dice. I"m not sure if it"s because your will is stronger than mine or those mirrors are made of adamantium, but I couldn"t break out. That"s pretty impressive," Elros said. He sat down, Tsubaki sitting next to him.
"I"m happy you think so. I"ll be sure to improve on my technique for our next battle," she said.
"Looking forward to it. Although now I know that you"re probably the biggest threat on the team - at least to me," Elros said.
"Sona?" Tsubaki asked.
"Ugh. She shot some water at me one time we went swimming. f.u.c.king hurt," Elros grumbled, rubbing his chest. "I"ll have to take you both out quickly next time."
"You can try," she said in a sing song voice.
"Oh, I will. Next time we"ll need to make a bet," Elros said, grinning.
"A bet? Like what?" she wondered.
"Something embarra.s.sing, probably," Elros said cheerfully.
"Ugh. That means we"d get to do the same twofold to you," she said.
"Oooh, I look forward to it. What"re you thinking?" Elros wondered.
"You"re the worst," Tsubaki sighed.
"Stop flattering me," Elros laughed. He laid down, resting his arms behind his head and yawning. "Ahh, this is to nice. Wake me… up when… mmm." He turned towards Tsubaki and cuddled closer, resting his head in her lap before dozing off. Tsubaki smiled and stroked his hair before carefully laying down next to him. She brought his head to her chest and dozed off as well, her face buried in his hair.
-o-
"Having fun?" Sona asked as she came upon them.
"Hey, Sona," Tsubaki said, smiling. She gently untwined herself from him and stood up, yawning and running a hand through her hair. "Just got back?"
"Yeah. I sensed you two here so I thought I"d come over," Sona said.
"He wanted to spend time with us," Tsubaki said. Sona could hear the happiness in her voice; as she turned her attention to him, she saw that Elros was smiling as well.
"He looks like he"s pretty happy," Sona giggled.
"Sleeping with girls makes him happy," Tsubaki said, stifling her laugh. "I showed him the magazine."
"He must"ve been split," Sona said, smirking.
"Oh yeah. Ecstatic and upset. I do feel bad for him, though," Tsubaki said.
"He"ll live. Elros doesn"t let what people say concern him to much," Sona said. She squatted down and gently touched his cheek. The touch roused him; slowly, Elros blinked awake and lay on his back. He smiled as he saw Sona above him.
"Dreaming or dead?" he wondered.
"Neither," Sona said, caressing his cheek. "Disappointed?"
"Not in the slightest," he answered, kissing her as he rose up. "How long were we out for?"
"Not to long. I just got back. I"d love to spend some time with you, but unfortunately we"ve got to get back to training soon," she sighed.
"It"s fine. Just give me a shout when you do get time. Until then," he said, locking lips with her again. Sona moaned in pleasure as he hugged her tight, gently ma.s.saging her a.s.s. As they broke apart, he saw her gentle blush.
"You look adorable," he laughed.
"Ugh. Don"t make me hit you," she grumbled.
"I don"t mind," he grinned.
"No winning with him," Tsubaki reminded her.
"No kidding," Sona said. She smiled as he kissed her cheek.
"Best of luck at the next Game, you two. You"ll do great," he said, giving Tsubaki one more kiss before taking his leave.
"You sure you didn"t want to spend some more time with him?" Tsubaki asked, stretching.
"I know we"d end up getting no work done. I will after the Games are over," Sona sighed, rubbing her head. Sudenly, she dodged; Tsubaki was on the offensive.
"What do you say to a little bet?" Tsubaki asked.
"I"m interested," Sona said with a devious smile.
-o-
"Hey," Bürent said with a smile as she stumbled upon Elros.
"h.e.l.lo," he said, tilting her chin up and giving her a pa.s.sionate kiss. As they broke apart, he rested his head against hers, taking her scent. "You know, a lot of people ask me why I"m so happy all the time."
"I noticed," she giggled.
"How can I not be when I get to kiss you and Marion and Akeno and Rias and Yubelluna nearly every day? I"d have the be the most miserable b.a.s.t.a.r.d to have ever lived if that didn"t put a smile on my face," he said.
"You"re sweet," Bürent whispered before kissing him again. She pulled him deeper into the kiss, moaning pleasurably as he picked her up and held her against the wall. As he went down her neck, she pulled him back up and snaked her tongue into his mouth. She took a moment to enjoy his taste. Bürent ran her hands through his hair, gripping on tight as she poured more and more into the kiss. She licked his lips as they broke apart, giving him a smoldering look.
"I know where this is going," Elros said. He quickly opened the door behind him.
"DUDE! NOT COOL!" Issei yelled; it was his room.
"Oh. Wrong room," Elros said. Bürent giggled as she opened up a magic circle. Stepping through, Elros soon threw her on the bed before quickly removing his clothes. He ripped her skirt off and pushed her legs up before getting to work.
-o-
As he finally came, Elros laid down on her back, kissing it and her shoulders.
"Oh gosh," Bürent moaned.
"Hurting?" Elros asked quietly.
"A bit," she said, turning to face him. This was the most romantic they had been.
"Should I apologize?" He wondered.
"Maybe. Ugh, my a.s.s feels like its bruised. Don"t spank me so much next time," she grumbled, poking it.
"Sorry," Elros laughed, giving her another kiss before getting off to the side and pulling her in close.
"It"s fine," she said, stroking his hair. "Marion"s gonna be jealous, though."
"I"ll take care of her as well," Elros grinned.
"A s.e.x machine, hmm?" She giggled.
"Oh, you don"t know the half of it," Elros said, turning her on her back and getting on top. She blushed at the pa.s.sionate look he gave her.
"Hey, Elros?" Bürent asked, tracing a heart on his chest.
"Hmm?"
"I know we already asked you a few times - but why are you so kind to us?" Bürent asked.
"What do you mean?" Elros wondered.
"How you grew up with your dad; how you"ve had so much responsibility; the things you"ve seen and done. I just can"t see why you"re not a bit more… you know," she said softly.
"It"s context," Elros said, kissing her forehead. "You"ve all known me for less than a year; while I became a Lantern when I was five. If you knew me from when I started as a Lantern to up around when I was fourteen or fifteen, I think you"d be singing a different tune. I was respectful, but definitely not like how I am now."
"What were you like then?" Bürent asked.
"More serious than I had any right to be. Barely laughed or had fun. But as I started going on a particular string of missions in the sector, I ended up meeting a lot of people that had it worse than I did. It put into perspective what I went through. It also helps that I ended up making a lot of good friends on Earth when I started to come back more often. They"ve been instrumental in helping me," Elros said, getting off to the side. Bürent quickly clamored on top of him, smiling as she traced his lips.
"I"m happy for you. I"m happy that you"re happy," she said softly.
"Thank you," Elros said, bringing her down for a gentle kiss. She got comfortable, resting her head on his chest.
"We never thought it"d be this way," she said.
"Hmm?"
"With you, I mean. We always thought we"d spend our lives with Riser. But now, I can"t think of it being anyway else," Bürent said. Elros felt some tears splash on to his chest. He held Bürent closer, kissing her atop her head.
"You"ll always be safe with me. I promise," Elros said quietly. "Get some rest, Bü."
"Bü?" Bürent giggled.
"I grant you that this isn"t my best nickname," Elros grumbled. "Rest. I"m going to utilize this time thinking up nicknames for you and Marion."
"I have to get b," Bürent said, getting up. Elros got up with her, holding her close.
"But if you leave me now, how else will I be able to nap! Come on Bürent, I beg you. I will literally get on my knees if you want. I"ve no sense of self respect!" Elros whined. She giggled before sitting him down. She leaned down, pulling her hair to one side before giving him a pa.s.sionate kiss. She took pride in the pleasurable moan she elicited as her hand ran down his front.
"Sorry, but duty calls," she said, smirking.
"Are you saying my charm failed me?" Elros asked, horrified.
"Don"t worry. I"ll ask Marion to keep you company later. I can"t keep you all to myself, as much as I want to," Bürent giggled. As she got up and began to leave, Elros hugged her from behind. She smiled as he kissed her shoulder, holding as head down as she took in the feeling. He gently turned her around and tilted her head up.
"What is it?" Bürent wondered.
"Just one more for the road for you," he said. He took her face in his hands and kissed her pa.s.sionately. Bürent moaned in pleasure as he kept going, his tongue snaking into her mouth and ma.s.saging hers. His hands weaved through her hair, keeping her in place as he took control.
"Wh- what was that for?" She asked as he finally stopped, his lips still an inch from hers.
"Like you don"t already know," he said with a laugh. "Have fun working. Drop by whenever you want."
"Will do," Bürent giggled. "I…"
"Hmm?" Elros wondered.
"I-it"s nothing! Byeeee!" She squealed, running out.
-o-
"Yo, Issei. Sorry about earlier," Elros said as he came across his friend.
"Ugh. Everyone tells me I"m a perv, but they don"t complain about you," the Red Dragon Emperor grumbled.
"People tend to love me," Elros said cheerfully. "You ready for the next round?"
"You bet! I"ve never trained this hard before, you know. Watch me; I"m gonna kick some a.s.s," he said, grinning.
"I look forward to it," Elros said, slinging an arm around his shoulders. "Say, you Kiba, Gasper, and I haven"t really spent any guy time together. What do you say we go have some fun after the next fight?"
"I"m down. What"re you thinking?" Issei wondered.
"Ah, we"ll figure that out when we get to it," Elros said.
"Hey, Elros," Issei said.
"What"s up?"
"You haven"t really had any missions since you started. I thought you"d be gone a lot more than you are," Issei mused.
"It"s a case by case thing. I think a few years ago, I had been off world for close to two years because things kept happening that demanded my attention. I"m thankful to get some time off, to be honest. It"s tiring work," Elros said. "Can"t be easy for you either, though. Seems like all of you have had to go through some s.h.i.t."
"No kidding," Issei grumbled.
"What"re your thoughts on fighting Rias"s cousin? I hear a lot of people want to see that," Elros said.
"I"ll see what happens when it happens, I guess. I don"t mind," Issei shrugged.
"He nearly look the elf"s head off," Elros reminded him.
"Ugh… You got my back, right?" Issei asked.
"Ha. Of course. I"ve confidence in you. Worst comes to worst, just strip him," Elros said, roaring with laughter as he walked off. He laughed harder as he heard Issei yell "I LOVE GIRLS, NOT GUYS!" after him.
-o-
"You know how before we first went on a date, Rias won that swimming contest?" Elros asked as he stretched.
"Mhm…," Rias said, smirking.
"How about another bet? Winner gets to demand something of the loser," Elros said.
"Oh? And what would you ask for if you won?" Rias wondered.
"I can"t tell you! It"s a surprise!" Elros said with a grin.
"I think I already know," Akeno giggled. "But sure. Sounds fun. Rias?"
"I"m in. But if Akeno and I win, we each get to make a demand of you," Rias said.
"Agreed," Elros said with a grin. "Hold on. Let me just do one thing really quickly."
Elros knelt down and clapped his hands together. It wasn"t long until he began to roll around in a head-splitting pain. Akeno and Rias looked on fondly; they could only imagine what he prayed for.
"That wasn"t very smart," Rias said, gently activating her powers.
"I"ll take whatever help I can get," Elros said.
"Ready?" Akeno asked as they finally got into position.
"Beware my power, sweethearts," Elros said, activating his ring. As soon as his mask came on, he suddenly erupted at them. Akeno and Rias were surprised by the ferocity of the attack and barely managed to get out of the way. As soon as they did, however, they suddenly felt something crash into them. Two giant hammers hurtled them onto the ground. Elros waited for them to get up, frowning a bit.
"You"re not going easy on me, are you?" He asked.
"Nope. Was just surprised by how fast that was," Akeno said, conjuring some thunder around her hands. Looking sideways, Elros saw dark energy begin to circle Rias"s as well. In perfect sync, the two hurled their attacks at him. Elros stood still, shifting some strength to his blue ring and wings. As they smoke cleared, the two saw that he was perfectly unscathed; the attacks seemingly just went through him. Elros clicked his tongue, wondering what to do. Finally, he turned off his Lantern powers.
"What"re you doing?" Rias asked, frowning.
"I figure my GL powers might be a bit overkill. Plus, I"m still not completely used to using my Devil powers. I"ll stick to those for now," he said, putting his fists up. They suddenly erupted in blue flame which he hurled at Rias before shifting towards Akeno. She encircled her fists with thunder and suddenly punched him, stunning him.
"Oh. That smarted," he said, stumbling back a bit. He had turned off his blue ring powers as well, but this was something new. Akeno usually used her lightning as a special attack as opposed to physical.
"Like I said - a few tricks," Akeno said with a smile. Raising her hands, thunderclouds began to form above them. A burst of lightning shot out at Elros that he barely managed to dodge before a burst of black energy hit him head on. He rocketed back, managing to keep his ground. Rias smiled at him, tossing a black ball in her hands.
"What is that energy, I wonder?" Elros asked.
"Just regular Demonic Energy. Because of my parents power, though, it"s pretty strong. More than other Devils, at least," Rias said.
"When it comes to attacking power, Rias"s mom and dad are probably the best couple. Especially her mom. I don"t think even Sirzechs would want to p.i.s.s Venelana off," Akeno giggled.
"No kidding," Rias grumbled. Her mother was on a completely different power level, she though; it would take her centuries to reach it.
"Right on. Mr. G is pretty smart and Mrs. G is pretty tough, from what I can tell," Elros said.
"How do you figure that?" Rias wondered. While her parents spent some time with Elros, she wondered if he had a grasp on their powers.
"I scanned every book in your library, remember? Plenty about the genealogy of Devils. The Brunette Ruin Princess. Mrs. G is a genuine bada.s.s," Elros said cheerfully.
"Thank you for the compliment, sweetheart," Venelana said as she suddenly appeared with Grayfia, Sirzechs, and Zeoticus.
"Mr. G! Mrs. G! Zecxy! Lady GrGra! What"re you doing here?!" Elros asked, surprised. Except for Grayfia, they all smiled.
"I would kindly request that you simply call me Grayfia," she said solemnly.
"What?! But you need a nickname too, Grayfia! And I think Lady Gaga has the same kind of hair right now so it fits!" Elros whined. Akeno and Rias smiled and exchanged glances; using his diverted attention, they quickly attacked him. He crumpled a bit further away, lamenting his decision.
"Ah. See, this is why I try to keep focus fighting. If I kept going off like some Bond villain, I"d be dead," Elros said as he finally got back on his feet, licking away some blood.
"Eyes on the prize, sweetheart," Rias and Venelana said at the same time. Rias shot a look at her mother who just winked in response.
"Ha. Right, then," he said. Suddenly, his wings exploded out form his back. Akeno and Rias were surprised when they saw his body begin to erupt in flame as well.
"Is this your Demonic Power, then?" Rias asked.
"Yup. Elros the Phoenix fits pretty well, you know," he said, flying towards them. As he got close, he pivoted on his left foot and kicked it at Rias, who barely managed to defend. Nonetheless, she hurtled back considerably. Akeno sent him back with a barrage of lightning but Elros suddenly hurled at her. He stopped his superkick short of clashing with Akeno"s chin; her flinch told him all he needed.
"Don"t hold back against me. You saw what happened at the Duel against those three, right? It"s the same here," he said in a fiery voice.
"Guess we can go wild, then," Rias said, rubbing her bruised arms. As she saw his eyebrows raise, she grumbled, "Not like that!"
"Right. Together, then," Akeno said, retreating back a bit and joining with Rias. Elros felt an excitement rise in his stomach as Akeno and Rias began to gather more magical power.
"I wonder what he"s going to do?" Zeoticus thought aloud.
"It appears as though he"s planning on taking it head on," Sirzechs answered.
"Despite his strength, that might not be such a good idea," Zeoticus said.
"A little faith, darling," Venelana said, smiling.
As they unleashed, their attack splintered into several streams. Each hit Elros head on, coursing through his body. As the smoke cleared, Akeno and Rias blanched as they saw several holes in his body; a moment later, they erupted in fire and began to close. He gave them a sardonic smile that shook them with a hint of dread. Elros took to the sky, much like he did against Elizaveta; before suddenly rocketing towards them. Akeno shot at him mid air, shooting a bolt of lighting; it grazed his front but did nothing to dissuade him. He shifted positions, landing an ax kick on Akeno that sent her towards Rias. The two crunched on the ground while Elros landed safely, his arms ablaze. Rias and Akeno finally got back up stumbling a bit. They were disappointed to find that he was frowning at them. Finally, Elros turned his powers off and sighed.
"Rias, Akeno, I know you"re stronger than that. Like I said, you don"t have to worry about hurting me," Elros said.
"I…," Rias trailed off, looking sideways. Smiling, he approached them both and gave them a gentle kiss.
"I"m serious. Training is about pushing yourself, right? I need you two to push harder, in that case. Make me squirm," he said. Thinking about it, he finally looked sideways.
"Sirzechs, do you want to spar?" He wondered. Rias was surprised and shot a look at her brother.
"I certainly don"t mind. Don"t expect me to hold back, though like my sister, however," he said.
"Of course," Elros said with a grin. He walked backwards, activating his Green Lantern ring again. "I know Lucy thinks you"re pretty strong, so I"m going to take this as seriously as always. Hope you don"t mind."
"Not in the slightest. I"d be disappointed any other way," he said.
"If that"s the case, lets move the venue. What do you think, dear?" Venelana asked.
"I agree. Hmm… Ah. Perhaps…?" Zeoticus trailed off.
"Mmm. Yes, I think that"ll work," Venelana said.
"Wait! Isn"t this a bit sudden?!" Rias said.
"I"ll be fine, Ri-," Sirzechs began.
"Not you! Elros, are you sure?!" She asked, quickly hugging him.
"…Oh."
"Cheer up, sweetheart. It"s only natural Rias rushes to her love first," Venelana giggled at her sons predicament.
"Ah. I"m happy I didn"t make the offer," Zeoticus chuckled.
"You would think that her brother would come first," Sirzechs grumbled.
"Such an att.i.tude is unbecoming of a Great Satan. Straighten yourself," Grayfia said as she appeared behind him. Sirzechs immediately stood at attention, smiling as he saw Rias worrying over Elros.
"I"ll be fine, sweetheart," Elros said, kissing Rias and Akeno.
"SIRZECHS!" Rias roared, marching up to her brother and shoving a finger in his chest. "If you hurt him, so help me Lucifer, I will…" Sirzechs turned pale while the other Gremory"s stifled their laughter at Rias"s plan of what would happen to him should he disobey her.
"What if he hurts me?!" Sirzechs asked.
"Hmph. You"ll live," she said, hugging Elros again. "Be careful, "kay?"
"Of course. Incidentally, if I beat him, it"s a win for me meaning you two have to make my wish come true," Elros said with a smirk.
"Fine with me," Rias and Akeno giggled, each kissing him on the cheek.
"So where to, Mrs. G, Mr. G?" Elros wondered.
"We"ll be going to my parents territory, Elros. They have ample s.p.a.ce and you"ll get a chance to meet them as well," Zeoticus said.
"Sounds good! Shall we?" Elros asked, offering his arms to Rias and Akeno.
"Let"s," they said, stepping into the magic circle Mr. Gremory opened.