Finishing the remainder of Reed's burger, I turned to Dusk to see her ready to feed, fries in hand. Deciding to be bold, I licked her finger after consuming the fries.
'Salty… Delicious.'
…
'Hey, don't look at me like that,' I protested to Blanc, somehow feeling a disapproving stare coming from her. 'Everyone licks their fingers after eating fries, right…? Wait, have you even eaten fries before, Blanc?'
…No.
'We'll have to remedy that later, then.'
For now though, I'm stuck basking in the attention of the 2 girls beside me.
All good things must come to an end. All too soon, the food on the table vanished, relocated inside my stomach. The sun had already set, night time fast approaching.
"Hey, Hellastic…" Dusk nervously addressed me. Which was strange considering over the course of a couple of hours, the 3 of us had become quite close. We did kiss after all, though neither of them seemed to want to broach that topic.
"What's up?"
By now, we were all packing our things, preparing to leave the restaurant.
"Do you mind if I… stay over at your place tonight?"
I dropped my tray. Reed, who was right beside me, had the same reaction. Our 2 trays clattered to the ground as my brain wracked over what Dusk just said. She wasn't implying what I think she was, was she?
"Dusk…?"
"I-It's just, a chauffeur usually picks me up after school, but since I stayed to study with you, he's gone now."
Ignoring the fact that Dusk was rich enough to employ a private driver, I asked, "Do you live far from here?"
Dusk nodded. "An hour drive downtown."
Turning to Reed, who had taken advantage of mine and Dusk's conversation to clean the mess made, I asked, "Hey Reed, you know how to drive?"
"No, not yet."
Huh, well this was quite the predicament.
Master, what are you doing? Just take her home and make her yours already.
Blanc playing devil's advocate wasn't helping either. Neither were my hormones.
Taking a glance at Reed's anxious expression, I took a deep breath and composed myself. Denying Dusk would leave her with few options while accepting would cause mine and Reed's relationship to take a hit. Logically, Dusk could always stay Reed's place, but why do that when an even better option was presented before me.
"Well, I guess you're staying over at my place tonight then," I answered Dusk, whose eyes practically lit up in response. Reed on the other hand, had a downcast, resigned expression. "On the condition that Reed stays over as well."
The girl in question, at the mention of her name, looked up at me in shock. Dusk too was surprised, but seemed more than ready to accept.
What the fu-
'Hehe, didn't you say it was a double date, Blanc?'
But but, that's not how that works.
'Speak for yourself.'
And that's how I found myself bringing 2 girls back to my dorm room on my first day of school.
"Please come again!" Exusiai called out to the 3 of us as we left the restaurant. Leaving the waving figure of the red head angel behind, we embarked on our short journey back to my room.
Walking through the relatively empty streets of the campus, there was a bit of a romantic feeling in the air. A late night stroll, side by side with two dragon girls. Dusk quizzed the 2 of us on concepts we covered today and I can proudly say I got a good 70% of it right.
Reaching the building and entering the elevator, I pressed the 2nd floor button. The doors closed slowly and the elevator started to move up at a snail's pace. No elevator music played, which I was thankful for.
DING!
Arriving at our floor, the door opened, revealing a large group of people on the other side. No, group wasn't really the right term. Gang suited a better descriptor. 8 Guys, clad in expensive looking leather jackets, if this was any other situation, I'd be admiring their drip instead of fearing for my life. The man in front, presumably the leader, also wore dark tinted glasses and gold chains around his neck.
They were laughing and joking around, one of them even smoking what seemed to be a cigarette despite the building being a no smoking area. I would avoid these sorts of people like the black plague in my old world. In situations like these, I'd always have a prepared response. It's pretty simple really. Ask them if they're going up or going down, tell them you're going the opposite direction they are, close the elevator door and take the stairs from then on.
"An easy 10/10, she was acting all tough and confident at first," one of them bragged. He had a look on his face that screamed perverted, but not in a cultured way like me. "But once I got down on her, she got all shy real quick. All bark no bite I tell you. And a screamer as well."
Snickers ran through the whole group as their banter continued. Dusk and Reed stood frozen beside me. I knew exactly what they were feeling because I was feeling it too - that feeling of wanting to crawl into a hole and hide. Meeting these types of people in this sort of scenario was an introvert's worst nightmare, after public speaking of course.
A couple of catcalls and wolf whistles were thrown at the 3 of us, more specifically Dusk and Reed, upon the group noticing our presence.
"Now that's what I call a real 10/10," one of them breathed out, a hungry look in their eyes. It lit a fire in my heart, one that was able to burn away my hesitation and past insecurities as a loner. For the time being at least. "Way better than that Melinda bitch. What say you ditch this loser and come with the rest of us."
'Loser!? Did this motherfucker just call me a loser?'
I believe so. Blanc replied casually.
Had this been back in my old world, they would have hit the nail on the head. But this was a new me in a new world. With all the character development I had, I wasn't gonna take that lying down.
Then I got a good look at the gang. More than a couple of them were packing some serious muscle and were those knives and swords attached to their belts? Y'know what, one second thought, I'm gonna go with my original plan. I've yet to even start my training arc after all.
"G-Going up or down?" I managed to stammer out.
"Shut the fuck up kid, no one asked you."
That response was met with a couple of snickers. Me? I wanted to crawl into a hole and die. But I couldn't run from the situation. Not with Reed and Dusk beside me. One by one, they sauntered into the elevator surrounding the 3 of us.
"Now read the mood and scram," the leader with the sunglasses all but demanded. Some of the men were getting awfully close to Reed and Dusk. Taking a deep breath, I composed myself.
"And if I don't?" I asked with a deadly edge to my voice. Staring into his sunglasses, I was met with the reflection of myself and the fire in my eyes.
A couple of knuckles were cracked. "Your choice. Just don't go crying to the teachers if you don't want to… disappear."
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a fist come my way.
'Blanc!'
Understanding me perfectly, Blanc lept out into her physical form and blocked the punch.
"Ha!"
A loud smack resonated through the elevator before the attacker pulled his fist back howling in pain. His hand was frozen solid, an ugly blue color that was spreading.
"Right back at you," I said cockily.
That was the signal for everything to go to shit.
"You little shit, the fuck did you do!?"
"Get him!"
"Die!"
Pushing a few of the gang members outside the elevator, Blanc was holding her own just fine. In fact, she seemed to be winning by a landslide, her frost aura deadly to her aggressors. On the other hand, I was struggling. Turns out, taking on multiple guys at once was easier said than done.
Just as I was about to be overwhelmed, a couple of them dropped down around me.
"Sorry for the wait," Dusk said as she joined me, a large red sword in hand. "Took a bit to paint these out."
She was referring to the paper, now on the ground, with a sword and spear drawn on it.
Over to my other side, Reed was making short work of the remaining gang members with set spear.
In almost an instant, Blanc, Dusk and Reed took care of all 7 men. The leader, upon realizing his situation, seemed to be preparing to cast arts of some sort. Then, as if reconsidering, he stopped and beat a hasty retreat with the rest of his friends, all with varying levels of injury - frostbite, burns and inkstains.
Once the last limping man walked out of sight, I let out a sigh of relief. That guy with the sunglasses, something told me he was no pushover. But it seemed that it wasn't the time for me to relax yet.
"Who's that?" the 2 girls asked whilst simultaneously pointing at Blanc. Their voice wasn't accusatory, but I knew that if I spoke the wrong words, I'd have 2 very angry dragon girls on me.
"Helastic's girlfriend of course," Blanc instantly replied.
God fucking damnit.
I sat on my bed, showered and changed, waiting for the 3 girls to return. Somehow I had managed to explain everything to Dusk and Reed without revealing my origins. The last time I pulled so much bullshit out of my ass was when I was answering a long answer question on a test I didn't study for.
I showered by myself on the males side of the public shower room for obvious reasons. Disappointing, but the thought about sleeping - the eyes closed, unconscious variation! - with 3 girls consolidated me.
While I waited, I decided to make efficient use of my time and look over my schedule and location of my classes. English, first period in room 101. Chemistry, second period in room 313. Lunch. The History and Geography of Terra in room 136. And finally, Physics, room 263.
The sound of the door opening took my attention away from what I was reading. The moment I turned around, my breath was taken away. There, right in front of me were 3 girls, naked as the day they were born if not for the thin, lace underwear they wore. It seems Blanc's underwear I bought for her was being put to good use.
Walking proudly up to me, chest puffed out, Blanc dragged a reluctant and heavily, and I mean heavily, blushing Reed and Dusk towards me.
"Master! I have brought you your 2 newest members of your harem! Now claim them as yours!"
"..."
"..."
"..."
'God damnit Blanc.' I thought to myself for the umpteenth time.
AN: Shortest chapter yet. A filler of sorts as I'm struggling to write the next scene. Maybe including 3 girls was a bit ambitious…
Anyways, thanks to all those who favorited and followed! Hyped for the Arknights Anime!