I stood at the door of Ise's room holding the books that contain his contacts and schedule. What a scene. Ise lay on his back with Rias clinging to his right arm and Asia blissfully hugged against his left arm. Xenovia was using Ise's right leg as a pillow, and Irina was spooned up against Xenovia with her right arm resting on Ise's knee. Kuroka was sprawled out across the bed above Ise's head. Ophis and Lilith lay head to head, holding hands, below Ise's feet. Koneko, who was resting her head on Ise's left leg, opened her eyes a crack and patted the space between Ise's knees.

"There is still space here, Yakitori-chan," she said, using the name she had once used to provoke me as a term of affection.

I walked to the foot of the bed and set down my books. I lightly scratched Koneko between her shoulder blades and she smiled and closed her eyes.

I walked over to the closet where the bed linens are stored and removed two thick pillows and a warm-looking blanket. Looking at the sleeping arrangements again, I decided that the right side of the bed would be optimal.

As I began to lay out the pillows and blanket on the floor, my friends began to question what I was doing.

"Ravel, a high-class Devil can't sleep on the floor!" they all said.

I told them that it was fine and turned off the lights.

I spread out the books and using my talents of the Phoenix, I created a small flame suspended in mid-air just above them to use as a reading light.

I could hear the rustling of bodies against sheets, the occasional sigh, and a giggle or two. By the time I had reviewed Ise's upcoming schedule (first the whole month, then the next week, then the next day), the mood in the room had changed. I banished the flame and closed my books, putting them an arm's reach above my head, and then rolled onto my back to listen.

There was a soft, wet sound of kisses, the whisper of words of adoration, and the silence of five girls holding their breath so they wouldn't miss a single sound.

The silence slowly dissolved into the sound of slow breathing. I stared at the ceiling and reviewed the schedule again in my mind. When I was absolutely sure I hadn't forgotten anything, I put my hands in the air and played by making a flame dance from fingertip to fingertip.

The breathing sounds gradually transformed to the snores and grunts of sleep. My finger dance had become more complex with my hands waving from side to side leaving trails of light in front of my eyes. But I soon became bored with this and clenched my hands so the flames would go out.

I closed my eyes and smiled, remembering my bed back at my parents' house—the frame made from wood cut before the rains of the great flood, the sheets made from silk so fine that they would hang in the air when I played with them. It was a place of luxury that I simply knew as mine. I couldn't imagine any place else.

And while my thoughts were lost in the sea of the past, it began.

A slight noise brought me fully awake and all of my senses went to alert. Someone was restless in her sleep. I strained my ears to try to make out a voice that was not quite speaking. I could feel my pulse in my neck getting faster and stronger.

The vocal sounds became louder and more intense. A body was moving with increasing energy.

This was it!

I pressed my body against the side of the bed just as it passed over above me.

***WHUMP***

I got up and gathered the blanket and tucked a pillow under his head. I placed the other pillow nearby and spread out the blanket, then I crawled underneath.

I stroked his cheek with the back of my fingers as he slowly opened his eyes.

"Hi," I said while I traced down the bridge of his nose and then slid my finger back and forth once across his lips.

"Uh...hi?" Ise said a little unsure of what was going on. I gazed into his eyes for a moment and smiled. Then I rolled over onto my side, drawing his arm over me, and then pressing my shoulders into his chest.

A high-class Devil sleeping on the floor? What a silly thought. For the next three hours, I have Ise all to myself.

And for this, I would sleep on broken glass.