Dance dance, we're falling apart to half time, dance dance-

I actually didn't listen to that song at all, but this is in fact that dance chapter.

And it's a big one.

Guest Reviews:

Truck-sama- Glad you like the Arsenal Memoir. Emiya isn't really an inspiration though, to be honest- factor in that Balance Breaker of his, and you might understand why the primary Fate influence is actually Berserker Lancelot. As for the limits of the Arsenal… no one actually knows.

Except me. Remember, there's very little records of the Gear, and all the spirits within are fundamentally plagued by memory loss. Yuuji has been able to create just about whatever he wants, but there are two restrictions to keep in mind- he needs to have a firm grasp of what it does, and how, and, the more complex the object the more draining it is to create.

As for magical weapons… well, he's kind of already doing that when he supernaturally mods the weapon he summons. Yuuji's just prefers modern weaponry, so he enhances their capabilities in ways that make sense to him- increased firepower, decreased recoil, that sort of thing.

For the other question, no, Yuuji still has a sister. That white-haired lookalike is still a canon Grisaia character, though.

Yuuji had been asked many a strange question over the course of his brief, but rather colorful life, but he wasn't really sure how he felt about 'teach me how to wear pants' being added to that list.

At least Kiba was just as confused as he was.

If there was one thing Kiba was good at (other than high-speed decapitation and accidentally charming women) though, it was going with the flow in a helpful manner.

"The Youth Devil Gathering." Kiba dropped his fist into his palm as inspiration struck. "I take it you want to wear a suit then, Gasper-kun?"

"Mmhm!" Gasper nodded back earnestly.

"Easy enough then- mind sharing why you decided that?" Yuuji asked.

Gasper blushed.

"W-well, you see i-it's… cuz I don't want… well, 'someone' to think I'm cute," Gasper managed. "Or at least not cute like a girl!"

Yuuji and Kiba met each other's eyes and nodded, silently agreeing to pretend they didn't know exactly who Gasper was talking about.

"Okay, as long as you're not trying to escape being seen as cute period. Buchou exists." Yuuji pointed out.

"Buchou will think we're cute forever, so don't bother fighting that one." Kiba agreed with a sage nod.

"... I'm not trying to ask for the impossible." Gasper admitted with a shy little grin.

"I see." She carefully replied.

"Sounds amazing." She praised.

"It's not your fault." She was quick to reassure.

"... Ara ara, it seems we lost her after all," Akeno admitted with a cheerful little smile.

Koneko had been responding that way to any form of direct address for a solid half an hour now.

Her golden eyes were dull, and she had a polite smile etched upon her lips.

"Mou, we haven't been that bad." Rias huffed. "It's important for a girl to look her best for a public appearance!"

"Ufufu~ well, it's a learned thing, but don't worry Buchou~ why don't you go lace up Xenovia-san, and I'll help our cute little Neko?"

"... Don't go overboard." Rias gave her a pointed look.

Akeno pointed to herself with an innocent expression, giggling at the deadpan glare she received.

Flouncing over to the bench where Koneko was standing and staring off into space, the dark-haired Queen artfully slipped behind her, draping her arms over the smaller girl's shoulders.

"I think Gasper-kun would prefer a darker color, don't you?" She murmured softly.

Koneko's eyes snapped into focus in an instant, darting around searchingly, before settling upon Akeno's cheeky smile in the mirror.

"Curse you, Akeno-senpai," she scowled. "Curse you, for robbing me of sweet oblivion."

Akeno smiled back at her, waiting patiently until the scowling dissolved into bashful fidgeting.

When Koneko could meet her eyes again, Akeno's expression turned kindly at the little Rook's murmur.

"... Tell me more, please?"

In the end, dress and suit fitting for the Gremory group took an entire day.

Or rather, the dress fitting did- the men took an hour and a half, and almost an hour of that was focused on Gasper, who had much less practice with that sort of thing.

Shirone had been so adorable in her dress… it had made her whole week seeing her cute little sister looking so grown-up.

Well, maybe not that grown-up, and Shirone would just have to accept that, even if she physically outgrew her Onee-chan, Kuroka would always think of her as the cutest little thing.

But Kuroka could at least admit that her sister was slowly becoming a woman.

And she'd missed enough of that process, so even if she had prostrate herself to pull it off, she-

"Yes, I've already arranged a dress for you."

… Was not expecting an answer like that.

"Well, obviously it would be a bit audacious for you to actually be in attendance," Venelana briskly continued. "But with your talents and a little extra assistance, it should be of little issue to arrange a dance or two with your little sister."

… They had already-? What? Just what…

… Had she ever done to deserve something like that?

Kuroka managed to turn her cheek just in time to avoid being smothered by the Gremory matron's bosom as the woman swept her up into a hug.

"Silly girl," Venelana scolded her, though there was no heat in her voice. "You shouldn't have to earn time with your family, and I won't let anyone say otherwise."

Still more than a little bewildered by the whole thing, Kuroka didn't realize she was hugging back until a blissful little giggle escaped Venelana.

Then the arms were tightening, and Kuroka wondered if she may have made a mistake somewhere.

"Ah, she hugged me back~ my sweet little Kuroka hugged me back~"

… Being smothered was fine, it would offer refuge from the sheer embarrassment she was currently experiencing.

'My sweet little Kuroka'?

Lady Gremory almost made it sound like Kuroka was one of her…

"Well, I won't try to force it upon you," Venelana admitted, once again seeming to read Kuroka's mind. "But for now, I want you to understand that you will always have a home here."

Nyaa… those Gremory's just didn't play fair at all, did they?

Maybe that was why she liked them so much.

"Great, great! Now pose menacingly, Yuuji-chan!" The Camera-Magical-Girl demanded with a lively yell. "Yes! Just like that! Perfect, you're a natural!"

… Yuuji was standing in his usual manner, expression blank save for one eyebrow raised.

"Now point a gun at me and gimme a glare!"

… He wanted to object to that on principle, but was confident he'd need at least Mistelteinn to present an element of risk.

Serafall kneeled down right in front of him as she spoke, pointing the camera up at him and waiting eagerly.

A swirl of dull smoke brought a heavy 45. Magnum into his hand, muzzle pointed directly at the camera.

His eyes narrowed, and the camera clicked.

"Kyaa! So cool!" Serafall, who after taking three more shots from various angles, was busy hugging her camera and rolling around on the ground.

Yuuji didn't bat an eye at the sparkles the motion generated- that way led to madness.

Yuuji dismissed the gun, honestly wondering if his current situation meant life was going wrong or going right for him.

"Thanks a bunch Yuuji-chan!" Serafall chirped, bouncing up onto her feet with skill that would make Olympic level athletes want to retire. "That's just the kind of material I needed for the backstory episode!"

Magical Cyborg Midnight Iron had become a surprisingly (to him and no one else) popular addition to the show Miracle Levia-tan, as a brooding magi-tech cyborg anti-hero.

At some times an enemy, and at others a grudging ally of Magical Girl Levia-tan, it seemed fans of all ages enjoyed guessing whose side he was going to be on in a given episode.

Yuuji personally thought the guy was just indecisive, but appreciated that he never forgot a debt.

Apparently there were some growing fan theories that Midnight and Levia-tan might become more than allies- Serafall had cheerfully assured him that those rumors would never be confirmed, even though she'd started some of the more popular ones herself.

"Speaking of which, let's keep 'em guessing!"

That was the only warning he got before the Underworld's only female Satan was kissing him on the cheek and taking a selfie in the process.

"Huh, I actually want to keep that picture to myself," Serafall admitted with a pensive look as she withdrew to examine the results of her current shenanigans.

Increasingly bemused, Yuuji watched as Serafall, with an expression that probably counted as 'serious' for her, darted her gaze between the camera screen and his face, multiple times in rapid succession.

After half a dozen repeats of that pattern, she gave a firm nod, shoving her arm into a glowing portal to exchange her camera for her cellphone.

As she did, she snapped her fingers and smiled brightly at him as she steered him towards it without saying a word.

"A-Anyways, that was super-fun but next time we kiss let's do it on the lips!"

Yuuji, abruptly deposited in front of the Gremory Manor, blinked once and replied with no expectation of being heard.

"Sure, why not?"

Akeno nearly fell out of her chair when she received a text from Serafall Leviathan that read 'I may have forgotten I'm into boys- can we talk later?'.

The attached selfie featured a pink-cheeked Serafall kissing Yuuji on the cheek, and it was the kisser, not the kissed, who seemed most caught off guard.

After blasting out a quick return text and taking several long moments to appreciate the picture, Akeno began to giggle in a manner that would have been wholly inappropriate in public.

The last few days leading up the Youth Devil Gathering involved a lot of prep work, Rias and her mother preparing the peerage for their official debut- brushing up on etiquette, conduct for interviews and the like.

Raynare, Kalawarner and Irina were gone to their respective factions as they were technically goodwill ambassadors.

Half of their time involved being apprised of pertinent information, the rest was more along the lines of a home visit.

Irina sent glowing reports (both literal and figurative) of her time in Heaven, while Raynare and Kalawarner had found themselves promptly befriended by the Cadre briefing them- a woman named Penumue.

But of course- the members of the ORC were far from the only ones busy in the days leading up to the Gathering.

"Shitty brat."

"Half-frozen geezer."

Curiously, their carefully sculpted greetings drew a sigh from the geezer's bodyguard- a pretty young Valkyrie with long silver hair and eyes the color of a clear blue sky.

The geezer- known in some circles as Odin, Chief God of the Norse, sure knew how to pick 'em, Azazel could admit.

"Ah, don't mind her- she's a looker, but she's too stuffy to have landed herself a man."

The woman- more of a girl now, Azazel decided, lost her professional demeanor immediately in favor of wilting like a dying flower.

Apparently Odin had hit a sore spot- also, considering the 'venue' of their meeting…

If he'd know this was gonna happen, he would have gone through with his idea of requesting Yuuji as a bodyguard.

The kid was an unparalleled expert at dealing with troublesome women, and the geezer would probably take a shine to him.

Though, Azazel couldn't quite remember the reason he'd felt like it wasn't a great idea to begin with…

Meh.

"Don't bother fussing with your tie Gasper, the girls are gonna do that anyways."

"O-okay, Yuuji-senpai," he still fidgeted a little, but that was to be expected.

Understandable worries aside- Gasper did look handsome in the suit, Yuuji and Kiba both agreed. That the tiny Dhampir had been putting on a small amount of the healthy kind of weight certainly helped- his build was easing it's way towards 'slender' rather than 'thin', and while he still looked a little androgynous, the scales were tipping towards his actual gender.

That Yuuji and Kiba filled out their suits well scarcely needed to be said- Kiba's easy charm and ready smile balancing out Yuuji's detached but equally handsome demeanor.

The three men of the Gremory Peerage were in matching black suits and black ties, with their collared shirts and pocket squares in Gremory Crimson.

In an echo of the fitting day, the girls had been at it for hours while the boys had taken a single one between them, thus they were waiting for the girls in the manor foyer.

Unsurprisingly, they were joined by just about every member of the household as the girls made a miniature fashion show of it.

Well, after Venelana and the older maids had finished gushing over the boys, that was.

That part took longer than the boys getting dressed.

The name of the game for all the women was 'cocktail dresses'- informal and easy to enjoy a night in, but captivating as just about anything the girls wore.

They had eventually agreed to all pair off two by two for dress styles as a show of unity- and because it was fun.

When they started entering, the rhythmic click of high-heels heralded the King and Queen proudly leading the way.

Rias and Akeno had chosen sleek dresses that left one smooth shoulder bare, while the skirts were hemmed like the petals of a flower, leaving the opposite leg almost wholly exposed.

Rias had her left shoulder and right leg showing while Akeno had the reverse- the dresses were tied at one shoulder with embroidered roses- Rias a black rose for her red dress, and Akeno a red rose for her black dress.

Raynare and Kalawarner sauntered out next, wearing backless, sideless dresses held up by slim, rose adorned chokers at the neck- the skirts brushing the tops of their feet and slitted high up the sides- similar in fashion to the Chinese cheongsam. The bodice of their dresses had diamond-shaped 'windows' offering a healthy glimpse of cleavage.

Following the theme, Raynare was black of dress and red of rose, while Kalawarner had a red dress and a black rose.

… No one had to guess the significance of the ribbons around their ankles- which were gunmetal grey.

Xenovia's bold stride offered fascinating contrast to Irina's cheerful steps- Devil and Angel walking side by side in matching shoulderless dresses with lacy corsets and layered skirts. The skirts travelled only to about mid thigh, but the layers and layers of lace actually offered better coverage than their school skirts.

They'd opted for ankle-high boots instead of pumps like the older women, the heels modest but still present. They wore rose adorned collars similar to the Fallen duo, but theirs were detached, and Xenovia was primarily in black while Irina had chosen red.

Irina had switched out her usual blue hair ties for bows of purest white.

One might have wondered why the two shyest of the girls were left for last- this was to provide as much evidence as possible to the idea that Asia and Koneko looked great in their dresses.

The dresses were ballerina-style, shoulderless but with long, delicate sleeves, the skirts flared and ruffled, falling just above their knees. A large bow rested on the back of the belt, a rose at the center. Asia was in red and Koneko in black, and they were wearing wedge heel shoes.

Rias moved up to the front of the group once things settled down (as much as the Gremory estate ever settled down when there was doting to do), hands on her hips and her fond, proud smile illuminating her beautiful features even further.

"Look sharp, everyone- this is your official debut in Devil society- even if you're not Devils," she nodded towards the Fallen duo and Irina, "that said, you're all more than ready to show the Underworld how wonderful you all are. So be yourselves, look out for one another and there won't be the slightest thing for any of you to worry about."

Rias finished off her speech with a mischievous, girlish little wink.

"And have fun- it is a party, after all."

Their trip to Luucifad- the capital city of the Devil world, involved several changes of transportation to make up for the not insubstantial distance between there and the Gremory territory.

Rias had told them with conventional vehicles, from the manor to the capital was about an eight hour drive, as the crow flies.

There was also a different element of practicality involved- Rias had way more fans among Devils than humans.

And she had a lot of fans among humans.

Naturally, it was Yuuji who acted on this knowledge first, by leaning in to whisper at the earliest opportunity.

"I can call you Princess in bed, if you want."

"Ara ara, that dress really does compliment your dress, Oujo-sama~" Akeno shamelessly joined in.

"... Do you two always have to tease me so much?" Rias not quite pouted- distracting herself from the idea that being called 'Princess' in bed had a strange appeal.

"It's one of the ways we show we love you." Yuuji admitted blandly, Akeno nodding happily in agreement.

"Really? …. W-well okay then." Rias relented with a quiet murmur, averting her gaze subtly as her cheeks colored.

… It never got old being treated like just a girl.

The thought struck her like one of Akeno's lightning bolts, leaving Rias breathless and needing everything she had to walk normally as they transferred vehicles.

… She had gotten her wish, hadn't she?

She was more than her title and her inheritance- more than just position and responsibilities.

She was Rias.

Nothing more and nothing less than herself.

Perhaps she'd underestimated what a beautiful idea that truly was.

"I wonder why all those strange girls wanted me to glare at them."

"Maybe because you turn every girl you sleep with into a sub, Yuuji-kun." Raynare offered with a dry smile.

Yuuji found Luucifad immensely interesting- if he'd had to summarize, he'd have called it something straight out of an urban fantasy novel.

Towering skyscrapers that would have fit right in with the Tokyo skyline if all the windows weren't made of something that looked a lot like obsidian- highschool students standing in line for coffee beside what looked an awful lot like hovering mermaids, their fish like tails not quite brushing the ground.

The venue for the Youth Devil Gathering kind of looked like the blueprints had combined the idea of a big city convention center, a high-end banquet hall, but then someone had come along, seen them and said 'nah it's not nearly Gothic or eldritch enough'.

Yuuji considered the Pure-blooded Devils he knew, and concluded that it must be normal for them to go cheerfully overboard on whatever interested them.

"... I feel like I'm being dissed for some reason," Rias murmured, seemingly without moving her lips, flicking the briefest of suspicious glances his way.

Yuuji didn't get in trouble for ignoring her because someone took that moment to come flying through the air and bounce down the steps.

Stepping over the groaning Devil, Yuuji continued on his way up the staircase.

"... Why does it feel like stopping to check on the guy would be the weird decision now?" Someone nearby complained.

At the vast open foyer, what should have been a growing conflict between two Peerages of Devils around their age was being held in check by sheer muscle.

Upon closer inspection, that sheer muscle was actually a person, though Yuuji had his suspicions that they were just faking it.

Well over six feet tall, the young man's body was incredibly muscular but in no way bulky- like the perfect blend of talent, hard work and genetics had come together to create a form perfectly optimized for close combat. Paired with his handsome, aristocratic features, it brought to mind a powerful young lion- of a ferocious but noble beast.

Also, given who he was dating, Yuuji had gotten pretty good at picking out shades of violet, and that led him to believe that the guy might be related to Rias in some way, because the shade of his eyes matched that of her mother.

And the man all but confirmed that with his first words as their group caught his attention, a friendly, honest sort of smile on his face as he cheerfully ignored his position between two storm fronts in favor of greeting Rias.

"Yo, Cousin, was wondering when you'd arrive!" The man boomed.

"Sairaorg," Rias sighed, though she was smiling all the same. "Are you starting fights or ending them, this time?"

The now named Sairaorg looked between the two groups in a way that suggested he'd momentarily forgotten they were there, and shrugged.

"Probably not the first, but definitely the second if people don't remember what kind of party we're at."

The peerage on one side, headed by a stern beauty with pink eyes, and long and straight greenish-blonde hair, didn't seem willing to start trouble, but the group on the other side…

Well, they kind of brought to mind bandits from Fist of the North Star, if slightly more upper crust.

Earlier in the year, Yuuji had binged that show with a client for a request.

"Aah!? You really think you can just butt in like that, Bael?" The leader of that peerage sneered, a tall and lanky Devil with blue hair and almost-ominous mystical tattoos.

"Seeing how I've already done so, yes, I do believe I can, Zephyrdor."

Raynare helpfully pointed out that the Devil Yuuji had stepped over (he didn't remember doing anything like that but decided to humor her) looked like a member of Zephyrdor's peerage.

… Whoever that Zephyrdor guy she was talking about was.

"You're acting real uppity for a defect, Bael," Zephyrdor said, getting in Sairaorg's face. "You wanna see a real Devil in action that bad?"

"We can take this outside in just five steps if you'd like," Sairaorg offered rather kindly.

"Nah, nah, no need to ruin the party with a brawl," Zephyrdor immediately relented with a rueful smile and a shrug. "Us proper heirs gotta set an example, ya know?"

Apparently a proper example was a sucker-punch.

As if it were only natural, Sairaorg gave Zephyrdor just enough time to appreciate that he missed.

His return punch scattered half of Zephyrdor's peerage with their King's flying body.

Like bowling balls.

Yuuji almost clapped.

Then he remembered that he was supposed to be on his most Pawn-ly behavior, and so clapping was precisely what he did.

Everyone stared at him, but Yuuji ignored it with the effortless ease of someone who didn't care.

Sairaorg had turned his keen gaze Yuuji's way, and promptly burst into deep belly laughter.

Rias took one look at Yuuji, and one look at Sairaorg, and sighed the sigh of the damned.

Yuuji thought it was a very Devilish sort of sigh.

"Yuuji."

"Yes, Buchou?" He stopped clapping to dutifully reply.

"Humor me, and explain just what it is you think a Pawn is supposed to be."

As expected of his Master, to read his thoughts to such a degree.

"Like a court jester, but with more guns." He dutifully responded.

"I dread to imagine what a chess set would look like, in your mind."

"You know, Cousin," Sairaorg interjected suddenly, giving her a strange look. "You never were the kind to banter so casually in public like this."

Rias shut her mouth, her expression going blank as it occurred to her how it must-

"But I like this Rias much better." Sairaorg continued with a soft smile.

Rias blinked once, and smiled back.

As if the warmth shared between the two cousins had withered every seed of conflict, there wasn't so much as a single harsh word spoken until the Youth Devil Gathering began in earnest.

"I intend to become Maou." So declared the So-called Strongest Youth, looking Lucifer himself square in the eye as he did so.

The Devil Heirs debuting that night had been instructed to declare their goals, before Council, Satans, and their peers.

As the strongest of their number, Sairaorg was naturally called upon first.

"Hoh?" Sirzechs let out an impressed sound, leagues apart from the condescension of the Elders. "I don't suppose you have a particular seat in mind, Sairaorg Bael?"

"If I'm going to aim high, I'll aim for the top," Sairaorg confidently declared.

"... Magnificent." Sirzechs smiled, a hint of ferocity that would have cowed just about anyone else leaking through. "I eagerly await your challenge."

"May the best man win."

As Sairaorg sat down, Yuuji observed the Satans one by one- he wasn't really interested in the Council aside from Rias' dad.

They seemed genuinely excited- they were the ones most earnestly listening to each and every heir as they declared their wishes.

Serafall winked when their eyes met.

Rias was up after the stern female Devil that wasn't Sona, and a thin dark-haired guy.

Yuuji thought those two had had very safe dreams, and wasn't surprised that the Council approved.

"I'll lead the Gremory to even further heights," Rias confidently declared. "And I plan to go undefeated in the Rating Games."

… Well now.

Sona stood up after a Devil with blue hair and tattoos (vaguely familiar), finished making noise of some kind or another.

"I wish to construct and run a school for Rating Games right here in the Underworld."

"We already have one of those?" One of the Council pointed out, smiling indulgently.

"But only for Devils of privileged rank," Sona smoothly countered. "Mine would be for any who earnestly wish to learn- be they lower-class or recently Reincarnated."

It was a good dream, Yuuji thought. A good dream, but…

He wasn't surprised by how many of those old bastards in fancy chairs burst into laughter, as if Sona had told the most hilarious of jokes.

The higher-ups that didn't join in didn't surprise him all that much, either. He'd had them pegged from the start.

Serafall's lips parted in a snarl, her blue eyes going flat and cold.

She could put up with a lot- that Sona.

But a good three quarters of the Underworld's leaders laughing in the face of her dreams was a bit much, and she flushed red.

Her peerage looked almost as murderous as Serafall.

Reaching out quietly, Yuuji tapped the arm of his seething King.

Rias whipped her head aggressively in his direction and locked eyes with him.

Given permission by a ferocious smile and a terse nod, Yuuji rose to his feet and began clapping, his expression just as bland as always.

Noise control was some of the scant few magic's he was actually good at- being heard over the laughter wasn't hard.

Serafall beamed at Yuuji, and the smiling Satans rose with the rest of the Gremory peerage to start clapping too.

Zeoticus Gremory and the kinder members of the council moved in concert with Sairaorg and his peerage.

Rias watched as Yuuji met the incensed glare of one of the Council members and smirked.

… She couldn't be more proud.

It wasn't until the guests made their appearance that things started to go wrong.

There was Azazel and another Cadre Michael, Gabriel and-

Yuuji clenched his teeth until his jaw bones creaked as hundreds of enraged screams thundered through his skull.

His vision blurred as sickly smoke stung the corner of his eyes, but luckily, the party, and more importantly the music had just begun- concealing the worst of it- except from the slender, silver-haired figure, hIm, and the rest of the table.

Unable to tear his eyes away from HIM- Yuuji was caught well and truly off guard when Akeno wrenched his head her way, and kissed him.

Hard.

Hard enough to drive away the furious cacophony pounding in his head, and letting Yuuji remember important things- like how the tablecloth let him slide his hand up a bare leg, and-

Akeno's moan was lost to the music, and her eyes were even more blurred than his when they broke the kiss.

"I'm okay now. Sorry."

"What was that all about?" A concerned Rias hissed.

"It's Odin." Yuuji answered simply.

"O-Odin!?" Rias flicked her gaze towards the stage and sure enough, there was the Chief God of the Norse, regarding them with amused interest. "What does Odin have to do with-"

Rias went pale, and her gaze briefly dipped to his clenched metal fist.

"Yeah," Yuuji nodded, slowly uncurling the hand. "The discarded dead always remember the ones doing the choosing."

"... Are you going to be able to control yourself?" Rias asked bluntly, eyes darting around to see who may or may not have noticed.

She relaxed a bit when most nearby seemed to dismiss it as of little import- Sacred Gears acting up had plenty of precedent, and most couldn't tell where Yuuji's gaze was aimed.

"... I'll be fine, Rias. Just caught me a little off guard. The Arsenal really, really hates the geezer, but the Arsenal isn't me."

Juno and Lamb were both feeling a little ashamed of themselves, though.

"... If you're sure." Rias relented after a long moment of worried scrutiny. "You can leave whenever you need to, okay? Don't worry about anything else if you're feeling unwell."

"... I'll be… no, what I mean is thanks." Yuuji said after a moment. "I'm gonna get some air, alright?"

"Of course. Akeno, go-" Rias cut herself off.

Akeno was looking remarkably subdued, and given what had just occurred, it was much less kinky than it should have been.

"S-sorry, I think I need to sit down a while longer." Akeno murmured quietly, not meeting their eyes.

Koneko volunteered instead, and when Yuuji rose from the table, he put a hand on Akeno's shoulder, leaning in to murmur "I don't mind. Promise."

Akeno flushed and met his eyes somewhat pleadingly.

Yuuji smiled, and she relaxed ever so slightly.

It hadn't been hard to pick out- Akeno had had eyes for only one specific guest.

The Cadre whose name he didn't know, but could definitely guess at.

The angry-looking one.

The beauty with silver hair and a steel grey suit confronted them out on the balcony.

Yuuji could recognize a bodyguard when he saw one- and it spoke highly of her to head off any potential threats.

Her gaze stern, the woman opened her mouth to-

"You're beautiful," Yuuji told her, the moment their eyes met.

He meant it, too- just like every Echo in the Memoir who had spoken the words with him.

The young woman- the young Valkyrie the Arsenal Memoir whispered in both wonder and puzzlement- abandoned her stern demeanor and aura of professional readiness in favor of a furious blush.

"Ah- ah w-w-w-wha!?"

Yuuji blinked and the spell was broken, but the feeling remained.

Koneko murmured something about 'flag capture on the first move' that he didn't really understand, and the Memoir was awfully quiet, and so Yuuji settled on examining the woman before him.

The woman was probably somewhere in age between himself and JB- reasonably tall and on the shapely side of slender, her suit accentuating her athletic curves. Her hair, long and straight, was a soft but vivid silver, her bangs framing her face and partially obscuring her left eye.

Her eyes were blue, but a lighter shade than those of Rias or JB, bringing to mind a clear morning sky.

The only accessories she wore were pink ribbons, hanging just behind and below her ears, and around her left wrist was a delicate, silver chain bracelet, adorned with a pendant in the shape of a stylized silver sun.

She was also blushing further because Yuuji had been staring at her, but that sounded like a her problem.

"A-are all Devils so shameless?" She stammered, sounding as if she was trying to seem cross and failing in a cute way.

"I'm on the upper end of the shameless scale," Yuuji decided (while privately wondering if Koneko really needed to nod so quickly). "Anyways, I'm Kazami Yuuji and this is Toujou Koneko. We're the Pawn and Rook of Rias Gremory respectively, Miss…?"

"R-Rossweisse," the Valkyrie managed, seeming to settle a bit at the polite greeting. "I am Rossweisse, Valkyrie serving in attendance to-"

Seeming to remember what she was actually doing, Rossweisse paused and thrust her finger at him like a sword.

"Lord Odin!" She shouted. "What are your intentions with Lord Odin!? Trying to distract me with meaningless flattery-"

"Flattery isn't meaningless if it's sincere," Yuuji pointed out, crushing her attempted counter-offensive in an instant.

"Urk-!? I… you…" Rossweisse ducked her head shyly, twiddling her fingers together bashfully and sneaking glances at him from beneath the shelter of her bangs.

"Anyways, you don't need to worry- I have no intentions of getting involved with your charge- my Sacred Gear just hates him and it caught me a little off guard. Not the best guarantee I'm aware, but you can speak with my King directly if you'd prefer."

"... Your Sacred Gear hates Lord Odin?" The Valkyrie repeated, recovering somewhat. "I can't think of any of the Nordic derivatives that should bear the gods of Asgard any hostility- though I suppose Lord Odin does have more enemies than one can easily catalogue."

"Hmm, I don't think my Sacred Gear is Norse anyways." Some of the Echoes were, but not the Gear itself, as far as they knew. "But you seem pretty knowledgeable on the subject, if you can give an answer that certain."

"Of course!" Rossweisse exclaimed, puffing out her substantial chest with a proud smile. "Schooling aside, I do have at least a cursory knowledge of each known Sacred Gear."

"Now you're the one saying something incredible."

Rossweisse's eyes narrowed suspiciously, but her proud expression returned with a vengeance when she realized he was still being sincere.

She had studied hard to be as knowledgeable as she was- it felt good to have that appreciated!

And not just that, but-

Yuuji turned a curious glance to Koneko as the Valkyrie began to blush again.

Koneko's return glance told him in no uncertain terms whose problem it was and wasn't.

Then the Valkyrie found her voice, and used it for something incomprehensible.

"100 yen shops!"

"... Yes?"

"How do you feel about 100 yen shops!?"

Yuuji stopped to think for a moment before answering- total lack of context aside, a serious question deserved a serious reply.

"Vastly underrated." He decided. "In terms of cost-efficacy, there isn't a worthy competitor barring perhaps personal access to wholesale prices, and that's dubious at best."

Rossweisse had been nodding along furiously with every word.

"Exactly! And the ready availability for such consistent affordability can't be beat whether during travel or at home!"

"True, there's less regional variance than supermarkets and the like."

"Too true! And- and…" Rossweisse's teeth clacked as she cut herself off forcefully. She straightened up and coughed into her hand in a meager attempt to drag the conversation back on course.

"Nonetheless, give the way you carry yourself I am willing to accept that this was a one-off incident, and that you do not in fact have any aims towards my Lord," she managed with remarkable dignity given how off track she'd dragged the conversation. "As long as you keep your Sacred Gear under control for the remainder of the evening, I am willing to overlook this. Fortunately, Lord Odin took no offense, and for that you should be grateful."

Yuuji nodded dutifully when her blue eyes glared sternly at him, as if daring him to derail things again.

He knew better to push his luck when a girl made an expression like that.

Koneko was staring at him in disbelief, for some mysterious reason.

"Very well, pardon me for taking your time," Rossweisse apologised with a formal bow. "I hope the both of you enjoy the rest of the evening."

"Sure, save me a dance." Koneko sighed into her hand as the words naturally slipped out of Yuuji's mouth.

"I a-am not here as a partygoer!" Rossweisse flung over her shoulder as she definitely didn't retreat.

Once she was out of sight, Yuuji nodded to himself.

"And yet she didn't say no."

"... Senpai, how big will the harem be by the time you're satisfied?"

"... I'm actually a little afraid of the answer to that."

Koneko beckoned for Yuuji to lean down slightly. When he did, she placed the back of her hand on his forehead with a tiny, worried frown.

"No fever. You might be coming down with a case of 'self-awareness', Senpai."

"The surprise in your voice is harsh but fair, Koneko. Harsh but fair."

While Yuuji was taking a brief interlude in order to seduce a poor unsuspecting Valkyrie, history was being made.

"-And so while we shall continue the long tradition of a Youth Devil Rating Game Tournament, in light of this historic peace treaty, a new addition will be made." Sirzechs was declaring.

"We will be allowing additional, temporary recruits to be joining your ranks- with no restriction on the race, or the faction they belong to."

Azazel was enjoying the stir that made entirely too much.

"Of course, that doesn't mean you'll be allowed to borrow whomever you please- this is to be a test of your networking skills, not those of your family." Sirzechs offered with a knowing smirk. "The details will be offered in full by the weeks end, but some of the basic restrictions will be those outranking yourselves."

"So presumably no Ultimate-class guests in High-class games, but…" Kiba murmured speculatively.

The eager smile Irina was sharing with Xenovia said enough- that meant herself, Raynare and Kalawarner were all eligible guests.

"Now, I am sure you are all wondering why we have chosen this tournament in particular as a test flight," Sirzechs continued on. "Know that we do not make this decision lightly, but know this as well- all of you gathered here are the future of our race, and how you deal with the other races of the world will decide our place in the new world to come."

His polite smile turned into a provocative smirk that dialed the tension in the room up to eleven.

"And so, if you believe yourselves worthy of such a monumental responsibility… time you proved it."

The young Devil Kings took the first dance- meaning he got to be the first one to dance with Rias.

"Relax. You're not really dancing for the crowd, are you?" And most wouldn't even notice that she was being a bit stiff- probably only someone who knew the real Rias would.

"... No, you're right," Rias whispered as they spun about the dance floor. "Forgive me Yuuji."

"It's fine." Yuuji offered with a small shake of his head. "Plenty more dances where those came from."

"There will be, won't there?" A far more sincere smile lit up his King's face. "Well, that's no reason not to enjoy this one."

The rest of their dance was a lot more fun.

After that, things dissolved into more general revelry- and a still distracted Akeno suddenly found herself right in his arms.

They spun around a few times and dipped once before she mustered up the courage to talk.

"Listen, Yuuji, I… I owe you an apology." She began, her expression firmly composed but the shame leaking through. "While it was true I was trying to help… ground you, somewhat, I was… well…"

"Putting on a show for your dad." Yuuji finished for her.

Akeno missed a step- perhaps the only step she would miss that night.

Yuuji smoothly dragged her back on beat.

"Y-you knew? I…"

"I don't care," Yuuji brusquely cut her off once more. "If it made you feel better than that's all there is to it- if it didn't, then don't do it again."

"... What if I don't know?" Her plaintive words barely made it over the din of the music.

"Then that's okay too- but Akeno, I think you're misunderstanding the situation here."

The breath caught in her throat as the arm around her waist tightened, pulling her in until the lines between 'him' and 'her' became blurred.

"Do you really think you have the luxury to focus on someone else?" Akeno melted into the possessive embrace as Yuuji's words seeped through her senses, dark and dangerous.

His stance shifted without missing a beat, subtly slipping past propriety and pressing all the right buttons.

"Y-Yuuji!" Akeno hissed not quite nervously but definitely flustered. "What if someone sees!?"

"Let them."

Akeno's response was something between a whimper and a sigh- and just like he'd told her, until the dance ended, there was no one else.

Just him and her.

Nothing but the man she loved, and all the little ways he drove her wild.

When she kissed him for the second time that night, the thought of who might be watching never even crossed her mind.

Of course, no one danced the whole night- though the gathering would last till morning, it was a languid affair for much of it, and the dancing was naturally meant to ebb and flow.

This gave the young up and comers time to network- though some attempts turned out better than others.

Raynare and Kalawarner were basically surrounded- Devils both male and female, though Yuuji wasn't close enough to tell for what.

It came across as a little too persistent but not too impolite, and so he didn't see a need to butt in-

Yuuji cursed his luck as Raynare happened to look his way, and a silent plea passed the busy hall.

Turning his back on the strange girls that had surrounded his seat for… some reason, Yuuji slipped through the crowd and circled around.

Mostly so he didn't have to go through anyone, but also for a bit of harmless teasing- slipping from Raynare's sight so she couldn't tell if he was on his way or not.

With the smooth moves of a natural-born playboy, Yuuji slipped between the gap between Raynare and Kalawarner, looping his arms around their waists as if there was no other place for him to put them.

Raynare and Kalawarner smoothly followed up by turning in towards him and draping their bodies across him.

"As we were telling you," Kalawarner began.

"Taken~" Raynare cheerfully finished.

"What is it exactly that a Reincarnated Devil can offer that we can't!?" One of the more persistent looking men demanded.

"He doesn't even have a peerage for you to join!"

"Oh, but he makes it worth the wait~" Kalawarner purred.

"But don't tease us for too long, now~" Raynare cooed at him.

"Sorry folks," Yuuji didn't actually apologize, giving the women a little squeeze. "All mine."

The two Fallen Angel's shivered visibly, and that was enough of a hint for even the most obstinate.

There was only one outcome available, and who did or didn't have a part in it may as well have been written in stone.

The moment the eyes were off of them, the two Fallen relaxed, Raynare giving a relieved sigh.

"Sorry Yuuji-kun, but polite refusal leaves too much room for negotiation sometimes."

"Indeed, thank you for the timely assist." Kalawarner agreed, though just like Raynare, her cheeks were curiously flushed.

"Now, the last thing I want is for you to think this is a complaint Yuuji-kun," Raynare told him quite seriously. "But how did your hands just naturally end up on our butts?"

Yuuji quirked an eyebrow.

"Have you seen your butts?"

Raynare and Kalawarner leaned back a bit, peeking over their shoulders.

Not at their own butts, but at each other's.

… And Yuuji's, since it was right there as well.

"You make a compelling argument, Yuuji-kun."

Yuuji's answer was a light squeeze with both hands.

The second dance with Rias was eventful, but for a different reason.

"Yuuji," Rias urgently hissed without moving her lips. "I can't show weakness- I need you to support me without looking like you're doing it."

Razor-thin but sturdy enough to support a person, blades of metal slipped out from beneath the toe of his shoes- boot knives that hadn't existed a moment ago, and were now beneath Rias' high-heel shoes.

This allowed him to step for both of them without being blatant about it.

Raising an eyebrow in silent question as they pressed together more firmly, Yuuji turned them so that they could both look the same way, his gaze following the subtle jerk of his King's head.

"Good for you," he murmured softly, lips curling upwards at the edges.

Gasper had worked up the courage to ask Koneko for a dance, and both of them were smiling past their furious blushes as Gasper led the way onto the dance floor.

Gasper was polite when he placed his hands on Koneko, but the Nekoshou wasn't having any of it, and stepped in closer until their chests were almost touching, her expression just a little smug if you knew what to look for.

This lasted until Gasper took the lead with surprising confidence.

Yuuji couldn't have been more proud.

These sorts of things could be fun every once in a while, Kiba reflected.

The trick was to know when to separate business from pleasure- like Rias was doing right now, networking with her peers.

It was one of her biggest strengths- while she might like to grandstand a little in a fight, in terms of conversation, anyone who'd approach her earnestly would be treated earnestly.

It was that simple.

It also helped endear her to those of lower-status (for lack of a better term, since Rias tended to think of 'status' mainly in what responsibilities were required of her)- as long as they approached with good intentions, she would treat them kindly and politely.

No one had picked out that when she'd naturally interjected herself into the crowd of girls that had gathered around him (the current one), she'd had them vetted within a minute.

The smile she'd left him with had been a suspicious smile, though. Rias couldn't have said 'I know something you don't' any more clearly than if she'd screamed it from the stage.

Of course, the others were in on it too, and later, he would laugh himself hoarse at how artful his family was about the whole thing.

After he finished encouraging a fellow Knight to take the initiative and ask the boy she liked for a dance, Kiba excused himself to grab a drink, only to be intercepted part way.

"Yuuto-senpai." A tug on his jacket.

"Yes, Koneko?" Kiba turned and smiled down at the little Rook, his smile growing as he caught the glimmer of accomplishment in her big golden eyes. "Someone's had fun, haven't they?"

"Mm." Koneko nodded with a tiny smile, the kind which translated to 'beaming with joy' in Koneko terms. "Gaspie-kun is smooth."

"That's great." His smile turned teasing. "And it helps that he fills out the suit well, doesn't it."

"It was a ruthless surprise attack, I let my guard down." Koneko agreed, cheeks coloring.

"Haha- well, you're going to excuse yourself for some fresh air in a bit, I'm guessing?"

"Mm." Another nod and a slightly bigger smile. "Soon."

'Soon' meant Kuroka was liable to show up at any moment, and so Koneko would be excusing herself to visit shortly.

"You should get some air too, Yuuto-senpai," Koneko murmured. "The balcony has a good view."

"The balcony, huh… huh?"

No way.

No way.

How?

No, he must be seeing things, wishful thinking could only take you so-

A pair of tiny hands at his back turned him, and gave him a little shove.

"Don't keep a girl waiting, Yuuto-senpai."

She didn't need to tell him twice.

All it took was for their eyes to meet, and things started making sense.

"I missed you."

"I couldn't get you out of my head."

"I wanted to see you again."

"I wanted to talk to you again."

"I wanted to fight you again."

Neither of them knew who was speaking.

Was it one of them? Both of them? Was it a conversation back and forth, or was one of them doing most of the speaking?

Neither of them could have answered, if asked.

Not Kiba Yuuto, nor Miyamoto Musashi.

Was it the man approaching the woman, or the woman approaching the man? Did they meet halfway, or was one moving faster than the other?

Neither knew, and neither cared.

Because, when they did at last reach one another, the action they took and the words they spoke were exactly the same.

They slipped into each other's arms and looked into each other's eyes.

"Yeah, that settles it…"

Everything made perfect sense.

"I really am in love with you."

"The pacing makes things difficult," she admitted. "If you all keep being adorable one after another my heart is going to burst right out of my chest."

"That sounds fatal." Yuuji returned.

Rias leaned her head on his shoulder with a low sigh.

"Kuroka should be here for Koneko any moment now- she promised to let me know before she slipped out to see her sister."

"Actually I think that's right now." Yuuji said with a nudge.

"Good call Senpai." Koneko, who had just slipped out to join them said.

Rias turned to her with a warm smile and pulled her into a hug.

"Have fun, take your time, and just come let me know when you're back, okay?"

"Mm."

Yuuji looked over his shoulder- they were alone on this one of many balconies.

"All clear, say hi to Kuroka for me."

Rias added in the same, but Koneko, after nodding, gave Yuuji a speculative look for a moment.

With a tiny smile, she hopped over the railing and landed deftly on a tree branch, hardly shaking the limb despite the twenty foot downwards diagonal.

She offered the two a wave, and was gone.

"So, now that that's out of the way, I'm a little curious about something, Rias."

"Hm? What is it, Yuuji?"

"They had all you Kings talk about your goals for the future. So I was kind of wondering what your real answer was."

Rias stilled, staring at him in silence.

After a moment, her scrutiny gave way to a small smirk.

"What gave it away?"

"Your answer was too safe," Yuuji shrugged. "It's like it was perfectly tailored to sound ambitious without rocking the boat."

Rias giggled like a naughty schoolgirl.

Which she was.

"Well it was an honest answer," she said with a sly grin. "I do intend to bring the family to greater heights, and I don't intend to lose any fights."

"But that's not all."

"Of course it isn't." Rias scoffed. "But those relics on the Council don't need to know that- Sona was very brave, but if they'd laughed at my dream I'd have been a whole lot nastier about it."

Rias pulled away, leaning on the railing and looking off into the distance.

"Didn't I tell you, Yuuji?" She sighed. "The best way for a Reincarnated Devil to be recognized is to be interesting. As far as the Underworld nobility cares, my entire peerage, the precious family I've assembled with my own hands are little better than exotic circus clowns."

The railing cracked, ever so slightly.

"As awful as that is by itself, there's more." Rias turned her head to him and smiled sadly, a hidden exhaustion leaking through. "I don't… I don't know how to help you. Any of you. Try as I might, everyone of you is wounded in your own way, and the only thing I have are bandaids."

He wanted to say that she was being too hard on herself.

Rias worked tirelessly, not just for himself and the peerage, but even for Raynare, Kalawarner and Irina. Not only was she a highschool student with grades in the upper percentile for the country, she'd even gotten a head start on her college electives.

A rare case of her taking advantage of her privileges in Kuoh Academy, and it was for them. At this rate, Rias would have her bachelor's in psychology by her early twenties.

"And sometimes I wonder if maybe the odds are against us- if there might be no way for all of us to wind up happy."

Rias gave a dismissive toss of her head.

"As if I'll ever allow that."

It was the absolute word of the future heiress of the Gremory family. A King's decree.

"What I want, what I really want, Yuuji, is for all our dreams to come true. Every single one of us, no matter how grand or how modest." Rias declared. "And maybe, some of you don't quite know what it is you want for yourselves. Maybe," her voice grew quiet, and her gaze grew searching, "maybe, you've never let yourselves think that far ahead."

Rias turned to face him fully then.

"And so I'll make sure you have all the time you need. And when you do find your answers, I won't let anything stand in your way." The air, at some point, had tinged itself a subtle red. "I don't care what it is, I will support you. Whatever that means, wherever that leads."

That mischievous smile briefly returned with a dangerous edge.

"Well, unless that means cutting ties with me. I'm not above shamelessly begging if that becomes the case," Rias playfully stuck out her tongue. "But otherwise, I don't care- and if Hell itself spits on your dreams, I'll trample it into the dirt and build a better one on top of it. Even if fate itself denies you, then that's simple too, don't you think?"

Her smile was love and danger- a merciless, affectionate greed tinged with a subtle, obsessive madness.

… And even that smile was beautiful, when Rias Gremory was the one making it.

"I just have to make sure that together, we can overcome any obstacle to the future that each and every one of us reaches towards. "

Rias chuckled, light and airy, rich and dark.

"So I guess you could say that that's my real goal, Yuuji."

She pulled him in close, wrapping her arms tightly around him as she whispered in his ear.

"I just want to be stronger than your fate."

If someone had suggested that Kuroka had positioned herself so that the moonlight would hit Shirone just right when she entered the clearing, Kuroka would have laughed in their face.

Not that it was in any way untrue, she just didn't plan to admit a thing.

"As much as you're always going to be my cute little Shirone, you really are growing into a beautiful woman, Sis." Kuroka fondly asserted.

"... Thanks, Nee-sama." Koneko murmured, blushing as her older sister hopped down from the tree branch she was lounging on. "You're very pretty in that dress too."

"Aren't I?" Kuroka fired back with an exaggerated wink, giving a little twirl as her sister clapped.

She'd teared up a little when she'd realized that Venelana had given her the same color scheme as Rias and co.

The bustier she was wearing had a heart-shaped bodice- black and subtly pushing up her already firm and large breasts, showing them to best effect without being too blatant. The bustier was actually done in a body suit style, covering her lower body but cut high on the hips.

Draped from the lacy, rose patterned corset was a ruffled skirt that hung to her calves, but only covering the sides and the back- the front panel of her dress was translucent black velvet.

Naturally, there was a cut-out for her tails at the back- a window that dipped daringly low. Completing the look were strappy black heels, further accentuating her long legs.

One would think heels were inappropriate for sneaking about, but Kuroka was a Nekoshou- she could be nimble and sneaky wearing metal stilts on a glass floor.

"Now, Shirone," Kuroka offered her hand, the adoring smile on her face turning just a bit cheeky. "I don't suppose you saved your Onee-chan a dance?"

Koneko stared at the outstretched hand for a moment, and then flashed her big sister a smile that made the moon seem dim by comparison.

At first they were silent, but soon, the sisters were laughing for no reason at all, black and white circling round and round beneath the pale moonlight.

Tonight was so much fun!

She'd never been to a party like this ever before in her life, but there was so much to do!

Yuuji had been so very gentle when they danced during that slow song- her feet had been hurting a little, but she didn't notice at all when he held her close and slowly spun them about.

She's danced with Raynare and Kalawarner- both separate and together, and with Xenovia, and Irina, and Rias, and-

Asia giggled pleasantly to herself.

She'd danced with everyone, hadn't she?

Sore feet were worth it.

Not in the least because Yuuji had thought she looked very pretty. She had been worried that such mature colors wouldn't suit her, but those worries had been driven off by his smile.

And the food, and the drinks, and the hall, and everyone looked so good dressed up, and so happy!

Which was exactly why Asia wasn't going to make things awkward by admitting that the bathroom was so big it was actually a little intimidating.

Or that she'd felt a gaze on her earlier that she'd best describe as… icky.

It had only happened once, so it probably wasn't anything, right? The other women felt icky gazes all the time, apparently.

Maybe because they were so beautiful.

When Asia left the bathroom (if it hadn't been so open she might have gotten lost in there, so embarrassing!), there was a young Devil not all that far away- one of the Heirs that had stood up alongside Rias, his name was…. Diodora Astaroth, she thought?

He looked like he wanted to speak with her, though the women who must have been part of his peerage didn't seem very friendly…

At least, he would have probably approached her, and she wondered why, but-

A smooth and strong arm looped companionably around hers.

"There you are, Asia." Kalawarner smiled as she redirected her path. "I was beginning to worry you'd gotten lost."

"I'm not that bad, Kala-san!" Asia pouted, not in the least because she nearly was that bad.

"Ufufu, no, no, of course not. Now, if you're free, care to join me for a dance?"

"Uh s-sure, okay?"

Kalawarner flicked a subtle glance over her shoulder as Raynare quietly intercepted that strange Devil without making a scene.

Diodora clicked his tongue, mildly annoyed at the missed opportunity. No matter, there would soon be another-

The Fallen Angel cutting in front of him suddenly veered closer without looking his way.

He curled his lip as her hand dropped onto his shoulder, but held his silence as she leaned in close, her voice a pleasant whisper.

"I can smell your Lust, snake." The last word hissed from plump lips. "Best keep those hands to yourself, if you want to keep those hands at all."

And then she was gone, disappearing into the crowd as if it existed only to shield her presence.

Diodora's expression gave nothing away, but internally he was fuming.

Perhaps things had grown even more complicated.

While Raynare and Kalawarner were aptly fulfilling their self-appointed roles as Asia's guardian (Fallen) Angels, Kuroka was having the time of her life, dancing with her precious Shirone.

It was perhaps understandable that she had let her guard down, then.

Not to potential threats, of course- Kuroka was always on guard for that sort of thing when she was alone, or with Shirone.

It was a deep-seated instinct that would likely remain until the day she died.

She had, however, developed a bit of a blind-spot for non-threats, and was blissfully unaware of it.

Ironically, she had been busy getting all the juicy details of how Gasper had been unreasonably charming and looked so handsome in his suit, that she didn't realize she was being steered until it was too late.

Then she suddenly found her arms empty of Shirone as her little sister spun her across the clearing with Rook-powered arms.

Then she was face to face with him, and Kuroka's thought processes ceased functioning.

A definitely not smirking Koneko gave Yuuji a big thumbs up as Kuroka's cheeks flushed.

"Fancy meeting you here, Kuroka," Yuuji softly commented. "Care for a dance?"

"Hehe~" Kuroka giggled, flashing her sister a wink. "Seems you caught this cat napping."

"Is that a no?"

Kuroka pressed into Yuuji, smiling up at him in delight.

"Not on your life, Yuuji-kun."

Koneko sat herself on a nearby stump, patting herself on the back for a job well done.

Yuuji-senpai and Nee-sama sure looked great together.

She was a bit surprised- that man hadn't approached her.

Good. That was good.

He should take the hint.

Akeno didn't need him, didn't need-

… She hated this ugly side of herself.

How she could willingly forsake something that most of her loved ones couldn't even have.

These were the times she wished she could have Yuuji all to herself, but she didn't want to drag him down, didn't want to spoil the mood.

He had to work hard enough as it was to be happy, and 'happiness' still had the most awkward fit for him compared to anyone else.

She'd wandered out into the night, getting some fresh air in the vain hopes of clearing her head. Naturally she'd avoided a certain direction to avoid butting in, and yet…

Akeno slipped into the trees as a strange shadow passed overhead.

The direction was too much to write off as a coincidence.

Taking slow, deep breaths and minimizing her presence just like Yuuji had taught her, Akeno changed direction and followed.

Tonight was perfect.

Almost too perfect- she'd gotten to see Shirone in her cute dress, gotten to dance with said Shirone, and now she was dancing with Yuuji-kun as well.

Her head on his chest as they spun slowly about, Kuroka indulged in the odd sensation of her heart overflowing.

This kept her from immediately trying to slaughter the intruder.

It was a near thing, though.

"I see someone's claws haven't dulled." Vali Lucifer said as he stepped out of the bushes, hands raised to show his lack of ill intent.

He didn't have his armor on, or the wings of Divine Dividing, so that was a good sign.

Nevertheless, she beckoned Koneko closer as she pushed off of Yuuji's chest and turned to face the White Dragon.

"Vali." She spat out shortly. "What are you doing here?"

For some reason, the scar on his cheek seemed to catch the moonlight.

It was reassuring to have Yuuji here, and she could tell he was ready to go at a moment's notice.

"Relax, I'm not here to start any trouble," Vali casually admitted. "I just had a feeling you'd be here, so this was the best chance to check up on you."

"Yeah, would it kill you to write, Neko-chan?" A playful voice rang out as Bikou dropped off his cloud and into the clearing, staff over his shoulders and an easy grin on his face.

"You don't have a fixed address, nya," Kuroka deadpanned. "Where am I supposed to send those letters?"

Bikou laughed.

"The timing turned out good in more ways than one, it would seem." Vali commented idly, his eyes falling on Yuuji.

"Don't worry, chicks dig scars," Yuuji blandly commented.

This was the point when Akeno caught up, eyeing the two members of the Khaos Brigade warily, but breathing a sigh of relief at the lack of tension.

"... Given your parting words, I would have expected a bit more hostility out of you." Vali admitted.

Yuuji shrugged.

"Do I look like the type to hold a grudge?" He wasn't sure how he felt about every person in the clearing nodding immediately.

"Well I am, but I also nipped that grudge in the bud when I shot you in the face."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"... Pfft." A snort escaped Bikou. "Hahaha! Damn you're smooth, Soldier-boy! I thought your type was supposed to be gloomy!"

"Gloomy people are boring at parties." Yuuji shrugged.

"Too true, too true!"

Vali was staring at Yuuji with a strangely tense expression.

Akeno and Kuroka both eyed him warily, and stiffened when he opened his mouth to speak.

"Kazami Yuuji."

Yuuji lifted one eyebrow as he met Vali's tired hazel eyes, regarding him with mild curiosity.

It seemed the dragon had been struggling a bit since they'd last met.

"... Who are we, when there's no one left to fight?"

Yuuji blinked once, a bit surprised, but honestly impressed as well.

That question had taken him much longer to arrive at.

"I don't know, honestly." Yuuji admitted. "I'm still figuring it out, but…"

The girls looked at him in concern, but the feeling faded as they caught his expression.

"Maybe we're just people."

"Just… people?" Vali repeated back slowly.

"Yeah, just people. The ordinary kind of person that you can find anywhere you look."

Vali frowned softly, crossing his arms as his gaze lowered.

"Sounds kind of nice, doesn't it?"

After a moment, Vali gave the briefest of nods.

"I don't really get it, but..." He took one step back, his gaze shifting. "Seems like you're doing well, but don't be a stranger, alright, Kuroka?"

"... Yeah. See you around, Vali, Bikou."

Vali turned on his heel and walked off without another word.

Bikou twisted to watch him go, and then turned to meet Yuuji's eyes.

"Hey, thanks."

"Sure."

"Welp, don't wanna get left behind- actually that could be kind of fun… nah, guess it's not that kind of party."

Grinning like a fool, Bikou spread his arms wide and fell over onto his back, a golden cloud catching him before he hit the ground.

Lazily waving his hand, Bikou drifted away after Vali.

Kuroka gave a small sigh when they were gone, crossing her arms beneath her bust.

"Silly boys, I'm doing just fine." She didn't actually seem that put out though, and even the feigned irritation vanished when Koneko cuddled up to her.

"Well, anyways, I guess I shouldn't push my luck," she said. "Go on back to the party, and I'll see you when you get back home, Shirone."

"Mm. Was fun, Nee-sama."

Giving her sister one last squeeze on the shoulders, Kuroka slipped free.

Sending a quick glance to Akeno, standing a bit apart, Kuroka's smile widened when she received a ready nod.

Yuuji blinked as the Nekoshou draped her arms over his shoulders with a sultry smirk, pressing in close.

In response, he wrapped his arms around her thin waist and pulled her in even closer.

"Thanks for the dance, Yuuji-kun," Kuroka said, right before she kissed him on the lips.

"Save me another?"

"Of course."

Still smiling, Kuroka shifted into her cat form and hopped up onto a high branch.

A wave of her tails and a wink, and then she was gone.

A smiling Koneko waved until she was well out of sight.

When she was done, she offered to go on ahead with a small murmur, leaving Yuuji beside an awkwardly standing Akeno, hugging herself and looking at the ground.

"I wasn't trying to butt in or anything," she murmured, feeling ashamed for reasons she couldn't quite place. "I just noticed the Hakuryuukou flying overhead."

"It's bothering you that much, huh?"

Akeno flinched.

"I can kind of guess, to some degree- you're feeling guilty about not wanting to reconcile with your father despite being surrounded by orphans."

She didn't need to say a word in response.

"It's not a contest. Everyone hurts differently, and the only one who gets to decide how it hurts is you."

"I know that." Akeno snapped back, harsher than intended. "I know that. I just… I feel so petty. I feel so… ugly inside."

"Then be petty. Be ugly." Yuuji shrugged. "And I'll still be here, by your side. I really, really love you, you know? So be as weak as you need to be, and lean on me a little."

"... I don't think you're supposed to just meekly accept my flaws like that."

"I don't even know what meek means. I know what a wonderful woman you are, Akeno, and I'm not nearly kind enough to let anyone trample over that. Even if it's you. Just because I'll let you lean on me when you're feeling weak doesn't mean I'll let you give up on yourself."

"You... don't sympathize at all, do you?" Akeno whispered as she stared up at him. "That's a lot more reassuring than it should be."

"I'm emotionally stunted." Yuuji shrugged as if it had nothing to do with him. "I can't tell sympathy and pity apart, I just know that I hate pity."

"For someone 'emotionally stunted', you always seem to know just what to say." Akeno gave a wry smile.

"I'm like a broken clock with extra hands- sometimes I get to be right more than twice a day."

"Ufufu~ I guess you do." Slowly, Akeno stepped in close, and laid her head against Yuuji's chest, turning her head so that she could listen to his heartbeat.

"I think I'll be okay, but… could you hold me, Yuuji? Just for a while?"

Yuuji's arms wrapped around her, and not another word was said.

He must have noticed she'd vanished, and gotten… worried.

Worried for an ungrateful daughter like her.

She… wasn't quite happy, but.

Akeno stepped ahead, pulling her hand slowly from Yuuji's.

"I'm going to go on ahead, alright?"

"Sure."

"But… could you, watch me leave?"

"You do look really good in that dress."

Akeno chuckled, and was proud that her voice cracked only a little bit.

She was nervous.

She was scared.

She was done running away.

Schooling her expression, Akeno fixed her gaze on the imposing figure looming up upon the balcony, and flared her wings as she rose to meet them.

It was minute, but she saw his eyes widen ever so slightly- they were not the wings of a Devil, those dark pinions extending from her back.

She rose up to meet him, and he stepped back to allow her to land.

"Father." Akeno said stiffly. "You and I need to talk."

Her heart made strange motions as his expression softened- she couldn't make sense of it, but she couldn't falter here.

"But I'm not ready to do that. Not tonight, at least. But… soon."

She swept past him without giving him a proper chance to reply, but still, she heard it as she left, trying her best not to turn it into wholesale flight.

"When you're ready then, Akeno." His voice was just as warm and strong as she remembered.

She really did hate that ugly side of herself.

But maybe, just maybe… she could be better.

Rias was getting more than a little worried- Koneko had returned, Yuuto was still lost in Musashi's eyes, and Yuuji taking his time made sense, but the only one unaccounted for was-

"A-Akeno!?" The one pulling her onto the dance floor with a teasing, fragile smile.

"Dance with me, Rias!"

Rias let herself be pulled onto the dance floor, gently scrutinizing her Queen's expression.

"And just where did you go?"

"Forward. I went… forward. Even if it was only one step."

Rias breathed a sigh of relief, letting the tension bleed away from her shoulders.

"Is that so? Good for you, Akeno. Good for you."

"... Hey, Rias?"

"Yes, Akeno?"

"He really is incredible, isn't he?" The breathless delight leaking through was infectious, and Rias found a mirror to Akeno's giddy smile stretching across her own lips.

"He most certainly is."

There was a very good reason they were both deeply, madly in love with the same man.

Even if he didn't quite see it himself.

"- It should be just fine, they might be a little petty later but you're associated with the Gremory."

"I see."

"Not that you care, but Ria-tan probably will."

"Good point."

"Anyways, Yuuji-chan," Serafall wagged her finger at him. "Put my dance in storage for later."

"Aye aye." Yuuji nodded, despite not knowing what she was talking about at all.

He'd just flown up and onto a different balcony (why did a single venue need eight, and with none at matching elevations?) to avoid confronting Akeno's dad, and ran smack dab into a pair of Satans.

"I definitely want to dance with you, but I can't dance with you here without super-annoying politics getting involved!" Serafall complained. "So dance with me when there are only fun people around!"

"You should hold onto the dress you're wearing then."

"Only if you keep the suit!"

"Deal."

Sirzechs couldn't help but chuckle as the two shook on it.

"Now that that's out of the way, do the thing, Zechs!"

"Ah yes, the 'thing'." Sirzechs chuckled.

Yuuji raised an eyebrow as Sirzechs handed him a small envelope.

"If you'd be so kind, could you deliver that to my Queen? You're welcome to think of it as a formal request, if you'd like."

"Sure, just point me in the right direction."

Sirzechs did so, and Yuuji slipped away with a casual wave.

"You know, I'm pretty sure you're the first Satan to play wingman like this, Zechs." Serafall said, hands on her hips as she considered it.

"... Come to think of it, I do believe you're right." Sirzechs smiled.

"Challenge accepted!"

Curiously, the balcony emptied just then, and rather abruptly at that.

Well, it probably had nothing to do with them, so it was fine.

The night was halfway done, and with no major incidents.

One minor case of a Familiar falling into the punch bowl, a few handsy guests that learned to respect the staff in her care, and a few brawls here and there, but none that required hard intervention.

So she'd only run herself half-ragged, and after ensuring that her fellow staff were fed and rested, she finally had a few minutes to herself.

Thus, one Grayfia Lucifuge had slipped out the staff entrance for some fresh air.

The sounds of revelry echoed through the clear night air, sounding closer than they should but distant enough to be somewhat muffled.

She had had every right to attend the party proper- and Lady Gremory had been rather insistent.

She didn't actually know why she'd been so dead set against it.

Perhaps it was true, and she really was bad at relaxing.

Or maybe it had something to do with how, to the best of Grayfia's knowledge, Serafall Leviathan was the only high-status and single Devil woman who could go a whole party without having her butt fondled at least once.

Devils were honest to their desires, even when that honesty left them sleeping the night away in a block of ice.

So there was no way for Grayfia to know that forces were conspiring against her.

No way to know how thoroughly she'd been outmaneuvered in a game she wasn't even aware she was playing.

"It's much quieter out here, isn't it?" Offered a level, some would say monotone voice.

And there he was, sitting on the bench at her side as if there was nowhere else he could possibly be at that given moment.

"... Yuuji?"

"Sometimes I worry he's working too hard."

"Me too, but he's also having a lot more fun than I thought he would tonight, so isn't it fine?"

"I suppose you're right, Akeno... Maybe we can convince Mother to let us borrow her when we return to Kuoh."

"Somehow, I don't think that will be a problem."

"You should be enjoying the party." She wasn't sure if she was scolding or encouraging him.

"I've enjoyed it plenty. There's a bit too many people for my tastes though."

Grayfia held her reply, watching him closely.

… There was more than simple distaste there.

Instead, she let the silence linger for a while.

It was a comfortable silence, she felt.

"Then why are you out here, with me?"

"Do you mean other than I wanted to dance with you at least once tonight?"

Grayfia shook the hem of her maid uniform with a wry smile.

"I'm a bit underdressed, don't you think?"

Yuuji handed her a small envelope without comment.

One delicate eyebrow lifting in curiosity, Grayfia opened the nondescript envelope and withdrew a small, equally nondescript card.

What she found inside the card was a familiar crimson, and a familiar handwriting.

'Have fun'

The moment Grayfia read those words, she was engulfed in a swirl of blue light that tugged her gently to her feet.

She couldn't help but sigh warmly as she felt the light caress and the fabric against her body shift.

When the light faded, she found herself in a clinging blue dress with flowing skirts and a side slit reaching high on her hips.

Her silver hair came unbound, tumbling down her back in a silken river as her headdress vanished and her braids came unwound.

The last thing presented to her was a smirking Yuuji, head slightly bowed and hand offered.

"Well, Grayfia? Since you're dressed for the occasion, be a shame to waste a night like this, don't you think?"

Her red lips adorned by a helpless smile, Grayfia daintily placed her satin-gloved hand into his.

Yuuji pulled her in close, and his smirk turned into a smile.

The moment his arm wrapped around her waist, a gentle tune began to drift from the mouth of the little envelope, laying forgotten on the bench.

Back in the hall, Sirzechs raised his glass in a silent toast, Serafall beaming as she followed suit.

"I think I'm all out of luck, having you show up on a night like this."

"Pfft, but we haven't even gotten to the good part!"

Kiba gave Musashi a curious look, wondering whatever she might be talking about.

The girl of his dreams had shown up to the party, they'd confessed, they'd danced and spent hours together.

Not to mention, someone had clearly been meddling in the best possible way, because that off-the-shoulder dress that Musashi was wearing heart-stoppingly well was a very familiar crimson.

Sure, he wasn't optimistic that it would last forever, but he would savor every moment.

Musashi smirked, as if she was reading his mind.

"But what if it could, Yuuto?" Her coy smile went crooked, her voice dropping to a whisper as her pale cheeks flushed. "What if tonight doesn't have to end?"

"I'd do whatever it took to make that true." Kiba answered without a shred of hesitation, drawing an embarrassed whimper from the swordswoman.

"Well," Musashi coughed to recover, her cheeks burning even more. "I don't really know how it works but… Gremory-san gave me something."

She lifted her hand and presented the back of it to him.

Gleaming with dull light was a simple, but stylistic crimson seal- that of a broadsword wrapped in thorny vines, hemmed in by a pair of curved blades facing outwards.

"If you and I make a pact- if you accept my blades as your own- all you need to do is kiss me, and I'll remain by your side. Tethered, as your Familiar. Our fates tied together as one." Musashi softly intoned. "Will you- mmmph!?"

It should come as no surprise that Kiba kissed her.

Deeply.

Musashi moaned into the kiss, melting into his arms as she tangled her fingers in Kiba's hair.

The kiss lasted for several minutes before a furiously blushing Musashi pushed him away, stammering.

"Y-you're supposed to kiss the seal, not me!"

"... Can I kiss the seal and then you?" Kiba smiled, undeterred.

"... Yes."

Smiling, Kiba rose from his seat and knelt, cheerfully ignoring the murmur in regards to who was supposed to be kneeling.

"Will you stay by my side, Musashi?"

The pink-haired beauty managed a jerky nod.

Kiba planted a kiss on the back of Musashi's hand, and the sword-seal flared with light.

A warmth spread across the back of his right hand as the seal replicated itself there.

Still with Musashi's hand in his own, Kiba rose to his feet and pulled her to hers.

Musashi stepped in close, beaming at him.

She didn't say a word- this time, it was her who initiated, seizing Kiba by the collar and pulling him down into a deep kiss.

Kiba wrapped his arms around her waist, and everything was perfect.

For a moment, anyways.

There were several muffled thuds, and what sounded suspiciously like whimpers from the surroundings.

Curious, Kiba broke the kiss to discover that several of the women who had been watching them had swooned.

"Huh, we had an audience." He commented idly.

"You just noticed that now!?" Musashi yelled (but didn't pull away). "Why do you think I was so embarrassed by you being all romantic and handsome!?"

"You've been the only thing I've been noticing for a while now." He admitted honestly.

Musashi blinked several times, her expression cramping. Eventually, she settled on a smug smile, and pulled him in for another kiss.

Rias wiped away a happy tear, not caring in the least how it might look.

The music had been artfully chosen, she would admit.

The first songs had a definite liveliness to them- an energy that forced that smile to remain upon her face, try as she might to act dignified.

… Perhaps it was presumptuous of her, but she truly understood what Akeno, and Rias and the other girls meant.

Yuuji looked at her in a way that made it feel like the world held only the two of them.

Grayfia hadn't the faintest idea how much she'd craved that feeling.

So when the music drifted in, soft and slow, she naturally pressed in against him.

It was more than a little shameless of her.

But… surely that was alright, every once in a while?

She was a woman too- sometimes, she simply wished to be held by a pair of warm, strong arms.

And… if she was being selfish already, what was the harm in going ahead and asking the question she'd wished to ask once more, ever since he'd cared for her in the mansion infirmary?

Grayfia licked her dry lips, and lifted her head from Yuuji's shoulder.

Eyes like rubies that glimmered in the moonlight met deep, dark orbs that drew the light in, as if to keep it safe.

In the end, she decided to ask with actions, rather than words.

She draped her arms around his shoulders, and leaned in closer.

He met her halfway, and their lips meeting was answer enough.

One kiss became another, and another, and they stumbled back as Yuuji's back hit the tree.

If she was going to be shameless, she was going to go all the way.

"Yuuji… won't you accompany me a while longer?" Her breath was shallow and harsh, and being breathless felt so very welcome. "I... do not wish to go home alone."

Quite suddenly, it was her pinned against the tree, skin prickling in the cool night air as that fascinating smirk of his brought a dimly remembered heat with it.

"Then don't." Yuuji's hand dipped low, hooking high on her bare leg and lifting it. Grayfia obliged by hooking the long limb around his hip, sighing pleasantly as her breasts flattened against his muscular chest.

Her long lashes fluttered as he ducked her next kiss, and that turned into a low moan as he sucked on the side of her neck.

"Ah… we should… ahn~ it would be rude of me to simply abscond with you-"

"I don't do halfway measures," Yuuji breathed hot against her neck. "We're good to leave whenever you want."

… She truly was a fortunate woman, wasn't she?

There was a click of a stiletto heel as Grayfia dropped her leg.

Slowly, she shoved Yuuji back- or rather, she moved with him.

The back of his knees hit the edge of a bed, and Grayfia licked her lips as she shoved Yuuji into a seated position.

"Ara ara, it seems Yuuji left first for the night." Akeno commented idly, holding up her phone.

Rias' eyes widened in delight as the implication hit, and her smile grew wider as Akeno winked at her.

"I think it's about time we all headed home as well- I'll check on the others, but a few of us are looking awfully sleepy."

Not that she really wanted to get between Koneko and Gasper practically falling asleep on one another's shoulders, but…

Rias struggled to keep the heat from flooding to her cheeks as a hand dropped onto her bare leg, and, shielded by the tablecloth, made its way inwards.

Akeno leaned in with a sultry smirk to purr in her ear, her voice low and laden with promise.

"After we put the kids to bed, what say you and I have a little party of our own?"

Rias' answer only served to make that smirk widen, and Akeno's hand was far from the only one wandering.

Straddling Yuuji's lap, Grayfia kissed him deeply, gasping into his mouth as his tongue pursued hers aggressively.

A tremor shook her body as his fingers sunk into the springy flesh of her ass, the contrast between his real and artificial hand enhancing the sensations.

Grayfia rocked her hips as Yuuji hiked up her dress, breaking the kiss and raising her arms over head obligingly as he peeled the garment away and flung it aside, her bandeau bra following an instant later.

She moaned as her breasts bounced energetically free, a rush of pride coursing through her as keen eyes tracked every enticing jiggle.

That he was still fully clothed seemed dreadfully unfair, and Grayfia had to fight the urge to tear the suit off him as she fumbled with the buttons.

Cheeky man that he was, Yuuji 'helped' by playing with her ass as she removed his upper layers.

Once they were both topless, Grayfia embraced Yuuji tightly, moaning blissfully as her breasts squashed lewdly against Yuuji's sturdy frame, delighting in the contact of skin against skin.

Her back arched as a cool metal finger traced her spine, and Yuuji took advantage by latching his lips onto her bared throat, eliciting a sharp exhale from the maid. He sucked hard, marking her slender neck as Grayfia writhed in his lap.

She must have looked quite the sight already- clad in nothing but a soaked thong and high-heels, and yet... even that tiny cloth barrier felt like too much, at that moment.

Sliding off Yuuji's lap and planting a quick, fierce kiss on his lips, Grayfia shimmied out of her panties and kicked them aside with one long, shapely leg.

The exposure brought with it a brief, irrational surge of self-consciousness. Grayfia was keenly aware of the fact that the last time she fully exposed herself to a lover (it had been a woman, she dimly recalled), was decades before Yuuji was even alive.

… What must he think of her?

"Hold on, I need a moment to fully appreciate how gorgeous you are."

… That. He thought that.

The man before her had an uncanny ability to make Grayfia feel like a shy, bashful maiden with her first crush.

Though her usual attire was practical and modest, it was also true that Grayfia was simply too curvaceous for any properly sized clothing to conceal.

She had a perfect hourglass figure and incredibly long, shapely legs- subtle muscle tone in her limbs and stomach to quietly proclaim what fantastic shape she kept herself in. Her breasts were heavy and full but didn't sag in the least, proudly denying gravity's pull, and her hips drew a full, round curve from her slim waist.

The dim light of the room served only to further highlight her porcelain skin, and though here or there, there were thin lines of slightly paler flesh, Grayfia's few scars only served to make her beauty more vivid and real.

That brief flash of anxiety melted away, never to return as Yuuji's eyes proved her body in quiet, almost reverent fascination.

A rich chuckle spilled from her red lips as womanly pride coursed through her, and Grayfia leaned in to press another kiss on his lips.

"Even if you hadn't said a word," she purred, "this is all the answer I would need."

Grayfia's slender finger traced his clothed member with a slow, artful flick, and then she was nimbly working to open his belt and zipper to let it free.

Grayfia gave a pleased coo as Yuuji's erection sprang free from its confines, slowly coiling her dainty hand around it, giving it a few idle strokes as she claimed his lips once more.

"Now," she rasped between kisses, "while I appreciate good foreplay as much as any girl," she went to guide his hand, only to find it was already at its destination.

Grayfia bit back a moan as Yuuji's flesh and blood hand cupped her vagina, one finger curling to tease along her wet slit.

"- As you can see," she managed to gasp," I am very, very wet, and very, very eager to learn what you intend to do about it."

Yuuji withdrew his hand, and rose to his feet without saying a word. Leaving Grayfia to squirm as something else poked her between the legs.

Speaking of legs, Yuuji slowly lifted one of hers, and hooked it around his waist, still maintaining that teasing, cheeky silence of his.

Grayfia looped her arms around his neck, and then threw her head back with a heady gasp as he cupped her ass firmly from below, lifting her from the ground and forcing her single lowered limb onto its toes.

Obligingly, she lifted her other leg, crossing her ankles as she entrusted her body to Yuuji's strong arms.

With a surprisingly boyish wink, Yuuji let her hips drop and his rise, filling her with a single motion.

There was a brief tightening of his expression, but otherwise it remained blank, almost innocent, as if he didn't quite understand why she was reacting the way she was.

Keeping her casually impaled on his length, Yuuji walked the two of them across the room, and pressed her back to the wall.

Then he pinned her there, kissing her hard, and began to thrust. Grayfia responded eagerly, fingernails digging into his back as she ground her hips against his- dimly, she wondered how he knew.

How he seemed keenly aware that he was fucking the insecurity right out of her.

Grayfia wanted to be loved, to be held and caressed and treated like a woman.

But, before that, she wanted to feel his desire. She wanted it carved into her body, the feeling of being lusted after without feeling like she was simply a piece of meat, or a trophy.

She wanted Kazami Yuuji to prove with his body that he wanted her.

And so he did.

Grayfia came with a blissful scream, back arching against the wall as he thrust up into her.

Yuuji muffled those cries by claiming her lips in an almost bruising kiss, not stopping for even a second.

Her eyes rolled back into her head as her climax dragged on, the fingers that once tightly gripped his shoulders weakening as her body went limp.

Yuuji snarled into her mouth as he found his release as well, Grayfia's legs bucking as her trapped body shuddered in ecstasy.

Breathless, they broke the kiss, Grayfia sagging limply against the wall as she panted, skin glistening with sweat and red eyes misty with delirious bliss.

Her heels clacked to the floor as she stood, and Yuuji pulled out of her.

Then lips as red as blood curled into a smirk, and there was a brief sensation of weightlessness before they were on the bed, Grayfia straddling his hips and smiling down at him.

There was a clatter and a whisper of fabric- the rest of their clothing had been left behind.

She made a pleased noise as she found Yuuji still hard, but didn't immediately move to capitalize.

Instead, she leaned down, pinning his erection between them as she draped her naked body across Yuuji's, enjoying the damp, pleasant heat against her stomach.

They began to kiss once more, slowly and unhurriedly. Taking their time to enjoy one another, hands roaming and exploring as they bathed in the afterglow.

For a time, at least- it wasn't all that long before the desire to fill and be filled made a resurgence, and Grayfia broke the kiss as she lifted her hips.

"Allow me," she murmured gently.

Rising upright, Grayfia reached a hand between her legs, gently gripping Yuuji's shaft and lining it up with her drooling slit.

Smiling fondly down at her dark-eyed lover as he lightly clasped her hips, Grayfia slowly lowered herself down onto his cock, shuddering pleasantly as he filled her inch by inch.

Staring deeply into his eyes, she began to move her hips in slow, sensual circles, her folds rippling against his length as she rhythmically flexed her core.

In a curious reversal of an earlier affair, after a while, Grayfia offered her hand with a conspiratorial little smile, pulling Yuuji up into a seating position as he accepted her hand.

Gently embracing him and pulling his head down to her bosom, Grayfia began to ever so slightly pick up the pace, leaking sweet little sighs and gasps of appreciation as Yuuji kissed and sucked at her breasts.

Deftly, she led them towards a mutual finish, and as it approached, Grayfia cupped Yuuji's cheeks with both hands, a deep, loving kiss to contrast the way her slick folds engulfed his cock to the root and squeezed.

Their gasps mingling and echoing as their bodies rocked in sync, the two lovers held each other close.

When the shuddering died down, Grayfia lifted her hips to let Yuuji's length slip free from inside of her, and guided them both down onto the bed. Unable and unwilling to conceal her delight, Grayfia wriggled herself about until she was laying with one ear to Yuuji's chest, just above his heart, her long, slender legs tangled around one of his own.

"Perhaps it is silly, but I've been craving this just as much," she confessed in a bashful, but honest whisper.

"Well, I always knew you were pretty cute." Yuuji muttered back as he embraced her in return.

They were asleep in moments, but Grayfia's tiny, joyous little smile lasted all through the night.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I've been waiting literal years to put Grayfia in the harem, and to reunite Kiba and Musashi.

As some of you probably noticed, Kiba and Musashi are basically Master and Servant, Fate-style. It's the stand-in of sorts until Kiba is eligible for his own Evil Pieces. How Musashi got there in the first place will be detailed in the coming chapters, but, you know, I doubt it's a spoiler to say that Mama Gremory was very involved.

As for Grayfia… fucking finally. I liked her plotline, but I regret making her one of the later entries to the harem. Of course, it's not like her plotline is over, just sexier.

You're also probably wondering why Rossweisse kind of disappeared, or why the Arsenal liked a 'Chooser of the Slain', despite being filled up with the unchosen.

That will be in the next chapter as well, along with why a certain blonde-haired bird didn't make an appearance…

Anyways, busy chapter, but the cast is also running out of summer, and no peace lasts forever.