Sorry for the delays. Holidays and all that.
Some of the chapter can be a little gloomy, so I suppose it wasn't really all that suitable for the holidays anyways.
To all my readers, I hope the Christmas season treated you well.
And to all my readers that were hoping for more JB, especially involved in certain activities…
Well, wish granted.
If he was feeling generous, the word he'd use to describe the small, one bedroom suite was 'homely'.
He wasn't feeling generous, and so the fading, peeling wallpaper and creaky wooden floor just served to irritate him further.
It was strange… what kind of battle had taken place in a dingy apartment like this?
And where was his guide, the Echo meant to lead him through?
It was a new experience to not awaken immediately by their side, and…
It disturbed him more a lot more than he would have thought.
…. Well, this one wasn't all that complicated, he supposed.
He stepped into the cramped little room that served as kitchen, dining room and living room all in one, and trained stormy black eyes upon the door.
Any minute now, ( ) would stumble through the door, and when ( ) did, he was going to pick up the-
Smashhisskulltakethe-
… His head hurt.
Those thin walls were too close, this room was too small, where was ( ), why did-
Left alone at the station for hours, waiting, wondering-
Hey… where was she?
She should be right there-
Swaying like a rotting fruit from the battered, crooked-
"H-hey ( )... are you there? C-come on now, don't leave me behind… please, I'll behave, I'll try harder, just…"
If you're going to take the easy way out, then at least take-
Yuuji awoke to the sounds of harsh, ragged breathing, ice down his spine, and-
His arms being pinned down by a pair of wild-eyed women shouting his name.
"Oh, it's morning."
"Y-Yuuji!? Are you alright!?"
Rias blurted out.
"Well, not feeling very rested, but otherwise not too bad."
"You were having a nightmare."
Akeno whispered, voice level even as her chest continued to heave and her pupils dilated from stress and panic.
"... That so? Sorry about that."
Akeno winced and shook her head.
"N-no… just… I'm glad you're alright but… just what did you see?"
Yuuji opened his mouth to explain, but found himself frowning in puzzlement as-
Dangling from the-
Memories slipped away like mist.
"Why was it so much worse, tonight?"
Rias asked quietly, just as unwilling to release him as Akeno.
"What do you mean, tonight? … Oh yeah, I guess I do have a lot of nightmares."
"Don't say it as if it's someone else's problem."
Akeno frowned, speaking with a little catch in her voice.
"Sorry… didn't mean to scare you two… guess it's a little much to hope I didn't wake you up?"
"I'm more worried about how we couldn't calm you down without waking you up…"
Rias shakily admitted.
"... So that's why I've been sleeping better over the last few months."
He didn't call them out on keeping that hidden from him, not when…
"Yuuji..."
Rias began.
The part of him that wasn't quite awake took a moment to appreciate how they were beautiful, even when they were fighting down their panic and glaring at him like-
"Yes?"
"Please, anything. If you remember anything at all, no matter how vague, please tell us."
Akeno finished.
"... Sorry, but I've got nothing. Dreams are like that sometimes, the harder you try to recall, the harder it gets to remember anything."
"Sometimes, you toss and turn and frown a little bit… but others, like tonight, you thrash and scream… sometimes angry, sometimes terrified."
Rias explained slowly.
"We've… kept quiet about it for now, but I have to ask… do you… do you have nightmares about your… job?"
Yuuji looked up at the ceiling with a long, harsh sigh.
… Damn he was tired.
"Stop beating around the bush you two. Ask what you want to ask and let's get it out of the way."
They flinched and shied away.
In the silence that followed, Yuuji glared up at the ceiling, wondering if the tense atmosphere would vanish if he just got off the bed and left.
"Is it… is it your Sacred Gear?"
"A-Akeno!"
"Rias, that's enough… you didn't get to see it, during the peace conference, but… I just can't get it out of my head. It's… a nauseating feeling, knowing that the man you love is walking and talking, despite the fact that he's just not there."
"... You didn't… you could have said something-"
Rias muttered quietly as her expression fell.
"Of course I didn't… you're just as scared as I am, and you didn't even get to-"
Yuuji cut off the beginnings of an argument as Rias scowled.
"... The answer is yes, by the way."
""Huh?""
"You asked if it was my Sacred Gear, the reason I toss and turn so much?"
"Yuuji, what do you-"
"Did you know dreams could be painful?"
The temperature in the room fell sharply.
"... Yuuji, what do you mean by that?"
Rias asked, staring at him stiffly.
Akeno had gone completely still, staring at him in horror as the beginnings of realization hit.
He'd meant to be gentle… but he was tired -I'll never forgive you- and he just couldn't stop, even if he wanted to.
"When I freak out the most, it's probably because I'm busy dying."
Yuuji chuckled, and it was a bitter thing that stung his throat.
"It's gotten a little easier, so now it's two, three times a night on average? I play through a memory like an actor on the screen, just one type-casted to never survive the film."
Silence was the only response.
"It's not as bad as it sounds, really. There are repeats, and the whole point of them is to understand that they're happening to someone else. Just wears on you a bit, you know? Never imagined that being blown to pieces could start to feel repetitive, but you can adjust to almost anything if it happens often enough."
Still nothing.
Maybe they fell asleep?
The story wasn't all that interesting, and he didn't really see a need to avert his gaze from the ceiling.
"So to summarize, several nights a week I get dragged into the memories of a past wielder of the Memoir, and I get to see how they died in… what was it Gasper called those games? … Oh yeah, first-person perspective."
Huh, catharsis was a strange thing.
Yuuji felt much better after saying that out loud.
… He was a little chilly though.
Couldn't pinpoint it, but the ceiling must be leaking, because something had been dripping onto his chest for a while now-
Curious, Yuuji at last turned his gaze to the right and then the left.
One on side, Akeno, and the other, Rias.
Shaking in utter silence, tears slowly trickling from their wounded eyes.
He'd… pretty much forgotten they were there.
'The hell is wrong with you, you bastard…'
He-
They didn't even seem to consider stopping him, as Yuuji pulled from their arms and rolled off the bed.
Over to his dark wooden desk, where a nondescript black flip-phone was buzzing away.
Yuuji flipped it open.
"9029 reporting- huh? … It's not like you to use the wrong phone like this."
They watched as Yuuji went still.
"Yeah, I'm on my way."
He closed the phone, placed it back on the desk and began to dress himself.
"... Yuuji… where are you…?"
Yuuji turned towards the source of the weak whisper, that blank mask of his firmly in place.
"JB needs me."
… They couldn't bring themselves to try and stop him.
Instead, Rias and Akeno watched in silence as the man they loved left the room without a backwards glance.
Without a single inkling towards the idea that the one most at a loss…
Was Yuuji himself.
JB nearly leapt out of her seat when swirling gray began to emanate from her living room floor, making the world a magnitude more lifeless and colorless by its very presence.
It formed into a circle, and then-
"Warn me before you do that. I haven't quite wrapped my head around the scientific impossibility that is you."
She quipped as the gray faded and left one Kazami Yuuji in its place.
"JB."
"... You too, huh?"
"Yeah."
No one was sure who moved first, but in one breath they were staring at each other, and the next, their lips were mashed together and their limbs entwined.
… I really missed this, didn't I?
It may have been a few minutes, or it may have been a lifetime of silence before at last, one of them broke their gaze away from the closed door and spoke.
"I should have handled that better."
"..."
"I'm… sorry, Akeno. I… no, you were right. I was just scared. I thought that there was no sense in telling Yuuji everything when I didn't have a solution, that we could get by just fine without his Balance Breaker and the problem would fix itself, but… those were just excuses. I was just running away from my own fears."
"... You weren't the only one, Rias… I was just as eager to run away from the issue as you were, after all, I've done it before, haven't I? So… don't try to keep the blame all to yourself."
"... Okay. Thank you, Akeno… now believe me, I don't mean to be rude, but… how did this naturally segue into you playing with my boobs?"
"Because you're naked?"
"... Why is it that when you use that tone, somehow I feel like the strange one?"
"Uh, have you seen your boobs?"
"Anyways…mmm~... when Yuuji comes back, we need to sit down -mmph- and talk with him."
"And apologize."
"Exactly."
Akeno's eyes widened just a touch, and as she dropped her hand from Rias' chest, the fingers of her other pressed daintily against her lips.
"Ara, come to think of it, this could be called our first fight, couldn't it?"
A slightly flushed Rias blinked as her glazed eyes focussed once more.
"In our relationship? It could, couldn't it? We'll have to make it up to him somehow."
"Ufufu~ that will be fun… but first, I think we should go down and have a soak in the baths. We don't have anything pressing to do with our day off today, after all."
"I was thinking the same thing, as expected of my Akeno."
"Think I'll send Yuuji a quick message though, from the both of us if you don't mind?"
Rias nodded.
"Yes please. On that note, I'm glad he brought his phone with him… it's just like him to find time to be considerate even when he storms away angry."
Picking up her phone as Rias covered herself, Akeno typed a quick message.
A: When you get home, may we sit down and talk? No hurry, but just remember… we love you, and we always will.
Deciding to leave it at that, for now, Akeno covered herself to a suitable degree for wandering the halls as Rias grabbed their towels and soaps from the shared bathroom.
Together, they quietly left the room, only to hear a sharp gasp that brought them both cautiously walking down the empty hall.
Koneko's door was slightly ajar, and flickering lights were escaping through the opening, so carefully, quietly, they eased the door open.
The first thing they say was Raynare, sitting on the edge of the bed, leaning forward slightly as she peered towards the TV in rapt fascination.
In poses of equally total focus were Koneko and Gasper, each seated upon one of the Fallen's legs, and held close by an arm around either of their waists.
Fighting off their giggles, Rias and Akeno softly let the door close and walked away with quiet steps and beaming smiles.
Breathing still just a little heavy, Yuuji nonetheless rose from his chair and padded across the living room to where his pants had been discarded when he heard his phone buzzed.
Picking it up, he found a message from Akeno, and sighed softly.
… She knew just what to say, didn't she?
He'd have to apologize when he got home, but first things first.
Putting his phone back down, Yuuji crossed the room and sat once more at the dinner table.
On the dinner table, a sprawled out and naked JB had just begun to get her breath under control.
Stretching with a luxurious sigh, she sat up and looked down at Yuuji with a twinkle in her eye and a purr in her voice.
"Mmm… I needed that. Thanks for getting here so fast."
Jb said, slowly crossing her legs with a smile.
"Me too. Thanks JB."
"Now, you ready to talk about what's bothering you so much?"
"Like hell I am. You were worked up enough to use the wrong phone, so no deflecting from you young lady."
With a giggle and a fond roll of her eyes, JB slid off the table, only to promptly seat herself in Yuuji's lap, straddling him with their chests touching.
Yuuji watched patiently as she got herself comfortable, wiggling her naked behind around a bit and draping her arms over his shoulders with a sultry grin on her lovely face.
Yuuji kept his silence as her shoulders sagged, the sensuous air drifting away from her as her tired head drooped with a weary sigh.
"... It was bad… we…"
JB hesitated briefly, then began to speak, using the typical company lingo to get over speaking about something she wished she could just forget.
"Bad intel. There were more players, and stakes at the table were higher than expected, and, we… could do nothing but fold. Lost almost an entire hands worth of freshly minted cards before we had a chance to pull out."
JB trembled, her voice heavy.
"Only one of them made it out there in one piece, at least physically, and she… she's going to have to be shuffled back into the deck, and the time before she's drawn out next is most likely… indefinite."
So that's what it was… she always took it hard when people died on her watch, but…
"I just… they… the new cards knew me. They knew me by reputation, they were so excited to meet me, to be working under me, so convinced that there was nothing to fear as long as I was calling the shots…"
A bitter chuckle.
"You should have seen it, Yuuji-kun… when we recovered our last card, she, she… she was lucid just long enough to look me in the eyes and apologize for failing me! As if it were somehow her fault alone that her whole team was dead! I… I!"
Without saying a word, Yuuji pulled her head down to rest against his chest.
The trembling grew in strength, and then...
She lashed out, one arm elongated into a whip-like tendril as the shadows rippled and heaved by the base of the tree.
Dirt and bark flew into the air, but the shadows dispersed to no effect and-
Something slammed into her back hard, bringing her to the ground with one arm twisted behind her back.
"Not bad, maybe just a little too quick to commit."
Ruth said, calmly seated on her back with one hand warped into a dark-furred claw, resting against the back of her head.
"This is much harder when you're basically designed to counter me!"
She didn't even have joints, why did the arm-lock hurt!?
"You're not a ghost… though I suppose Grave-Slimes are a thing so maybe you're right."
Ruth mused, helping the Slime to her feet.
A few seconds later, Suu shook herself, relieved to note that she was rippling properly once more.
{"Alright, that's enough walking on two legs for a while."}
Ruth said, smoothly transitioning into his canine form.
"... Thanks for doing this, Ruth… even if I don't feel like I'm making a lot of progress."
{"Don't mention it. And don't worry, you are definitely getting stronger, it's just, like you said, bad match-up. If you look at it another way, fighting at such a big disadvantage is probably more effective."}
"That's what I was hoping, yes… it's just… don't take this the wrong way but…"
Suu fidgeted guiltily.
{"Hmm? Oh, no, I get that it's a little scary. Not a lot of creatures out there that can force a Slime into solid shape without using spells."}
Ruth commented unworriedly, leaning up against the girl's leg.
{"But just look, you're pretty tired now, right? And you're still, what did you call it, 'Raynare-sized'?"}
Suu nodded hesitantly.
{"So it must be paying off if your resting state is bigger, isn't that the way with any Slime?"}
"Yes, you're right… thank you, Ruth."
Letting the last of her worries go with a watery sigh, Suu reached down and began to run her hands through Ruth's warm fur, careful not to leave any residue behind as she did.
{"Any time. Now while we're at it, how's the shape-shifting going?"}
"I can keep up a human appearance for most of the day, but I still ripple a bit if I'm not careful. It's the bone structure that's hard to imitate."
{"Probably doesn't help that you have to walk on two legs. Four make things much easier."}
"Hehe, only if you're a dog."
Ruth chuckled back.
{"Maybe. Now, gonna tell me what's been bothering you all week?"}
The way Suu flinched made her body ripple, like a stone dropped upon the surface of a still pond.
"W-what do you mean?"
Ruth just looked up at her without a word.
"... Fine, fine… I… I want to help teach Asia over the summer, but…"
{"She doesn't know that you eat people?"}
Ruth finished for her.
"Urk… you could have been a bit more delicate about it."
{"Sorry, I'm just a dog."}
Ruth blandly remarked.
"... Why is that only ever an excuse with you?"
{"Because it's a good one?"}
Suu gave a watery sigh.
{"I think you're worrying for nothing, by the way."}
Suu winced again, but when she timidly looked back to Ruth, her expression was more than a little hopeful.
{"I mean, it's not like you're killing innocent people, is it? Asia isn't the type to blame a predator for following her instincts. If anything, the reason you're going to end up feeling bad is because she tries to blame herself for your desire to keep things hidden."}
"... You didn't have to add that last part."
Suu sulked.
{"Maybe, but… you trust Asia."}
It wasn't a question.
{"So trust her with this… Asia isn't as fragile as you all seem to think. While I think she'll understand your intentions, I also think she'll appreciate you being more open with her."}
"... You make it sound so easy."
{"Because it is. You people just like to complicate things, maybe the thinner air up there makes it harder to think straight."}
"... Maybe I'll try being a dog the next time I have a dilemma to puzzle out. Bet I'd be a cute one."
{"I bet you would, and you'd have the added advantage of being exotic, since most dogs aren't blue and translucent. I'd have to rough up a lot of horny pups."}
Suu giggled.
"Call it a day here, then?"
{"Sure, I'll drop you off at home. Gonna do a tour of the cemeteries after this."}
"Okay, thank you Ruth… for everything."
Suu lent down to hug her long-time friend, before shifting herself into a much smaller, tear-drop shape to sit on the Grim's back.
{"Yeah, you're welcome Suu."}
The shadows rippled once, and they were gone.
Yuuji rocked the woman in his arms gently as the last stray sniffles dies away.
"Better?"
JB lifted her head to kiss him on the cheek.
"Yeah, thank you Yuuji-kun."
Mouth set in a firm line, JB stood up from his lap and pulled him to his feet.
She guided him into the next room and to her bed, sitting down on one end, prompting Yuuji to lie across the rest of it with his head in her lap.
"... This means it's your turn, mister."
Yuuji closed his eyes for a moment, a small frown on his features.
JB, knowing him well enough to judge his silence, took to gently running her fingers through his hair as she waited.
"Had a fight."
He said, without opening his eyes.
"Akeno, Rias, or both?"
"Yep."
"I see, and what was this fight about?"
"Devil stuff. Remember what I told you about Sacred Gears?"
"You mean your bullshit ability to ignore the supply line entirely when it comes to munitions?"
"Yeah, that's the one."
"I remember, yes."
"Well, there's another part to it. Any wielder can unlock something called a 'Balance Breaker' given time, effort or trauma."
"That last add-on was probably unnecessary, but okay. Something like an upgraded form or special technique, given the name?"
"Yeah, it varies, but in my case, the Balance Breaker of Arsenal Memoir is known as the Unknown Soldier."
"Separate entity, or…?"
"Armor. It's made of iron, covers everything below the neck, with a faceplate for the head."
"Magical iron I'm guessing, or else it wouldn't be all that useful against people that can dismantle cars with their bare hands?"
"You guessed it."
"So what's the catch?"
"... Information erasure."
"... You mean, you're becoming that Unknown Soldier? So does it just hide your identity, or is it something a lot less scientific?"
"When the mask goes on, there is no Kazami Yuuji. I'm still calling the shots more or less, but it doesn't require me to be conscious or aware at all. See, the Arsenal comes with a sort of separate headspace, and it's full to the brim with dead soldiers that can't remember who they are. "
Yuuji paused.
"The details are a little fuzzy, but basically my body is the focal point for all of them."
"That might explain some of the random bouts of anxiety I've had over the past few months if you've been blipping out of existence... Other Unknown Soldiers, then? Are they past wielders of this Sacred Gear, or…?"
"Dunno, but the numbers don't add up if it's just that. I have somewhere around a platoon and a half worth of Soldiers awake, but as far as they can tell, we don't have a term big enough for precisely how many of us there are."
JB brought her free hand to her chin, lips pursed as she thought.
"So basically, you have somewhere between 50 and 100 people somehow working in tandem through one body? Must be a lot of mystical bullshit going on, otherwise that's like having an entire platoon trying to screw in a light-bulb."
"That's what I thought too, but quantity seems to transition directly to quality. Light-bulb isn't the best example, more like I'm trying to run a marathon with 78 trained soldier's worth of athletic ability."
"Why did the number suddenly become specific?"
"Ah, I asked. Juno and Lamb did a head count."
"Juno? Lamb?"
JB tilted her head quizzically.
"Oh, those are the Soldiers I deal with most."
"So they retain some memories, if they have names. Unless you gave them insensitive nicknames, being yourself."
Yuuji shrugged.
"None of them remember their names. Juno's a guy from Canada, and Lamb is a half-Dryad from Greece with fluffy hair and soft boobs."
"I see, I see… wait a second."
Yuuji raised an eyebrow in silent question as JB frowned down at him.
"So I understand why a natural womanizer like you would give more details about the girl. But did you seriously nickname a Canadian Soldier after one of the D-Day beaches?"
"... Yeah, why do you ask?"
He didn't really get why JB was glaring.
... After all, Juno thought his nickname was hilarious.
"... No, no, never mind. That was a silly thing of me to ask you of all people. Also, while it was very informative, stop using exposition to distract from the matter at hand."
"... Short version; me suddenly vanishing from existence scares people for some reason, so Rias told me not to use Balance Breaker anymore."
"... And I'm sure you did a great job of listening."
"Actually, the second time wasn't my fault. Actually, come to think of it, the first time wasn't mine either."
JB let out a long sigh.
"And you never considered that might be part of the problem?"
"..."
JB rolled her eyes.
"Huh, yeah, that does kinda make sense. This is why they pay you the big bucks."
"... Sure, sure. Now if not that, what else have you been doing to scare the hell out of the other women in your life?"
"Well, if I die with my armor on, I get to join the ranks of the Unknown Soldiers."
JB went utterly still.
"You'll… vanish. Just like that, and I won't even know you're gone."
She whispered after a moment.
"Yeah."
"Rias' reaction makes a lot of sense now, but… ignoring the problem won't make it go away, will it?"
JB murmured.
"No. Like I said, stress can cause it to activate, and I've never activated it on purpose. I… I haven't told them yet but… each time I've put the mask on, I lose about a weeks worth of memory… and if nothing's done, it will only get worse."
JB responded in a light tone that did nothing to dispel the tension he could feel from her.
"Of course, I bet you haven't been doing nothing."
"The Soldiers intervened. When I dream, I dream of how they died, as if it were me. The bleedover from the Unknown Soldier is that I inherited a portion of their memories and skills, and so they've all been taking turns teaching me how to differentiate between my memories and theirs."
"... Until one of the memories was too traumatic for you to play it off as even the worst of your night terrors."
Yuuji didn't really need to reply… not to her.
"So what did you see that was so bad?"
"... I don't remember."
JB lifted one eyebrow skeptically.
"Nothing?"
"No details anyway… which is already kind of a bad sign, but what I do remember is… that it felt familiar in a way it shouldn't, and… something about it really, really pisses me off."
"I see…"
She had a few ideas, long shots though they might be, but… despite the fact that Yuuji was confiding in her, this wasn't the place to share those ideas.
No, what Yuuji needed right now was-
"So that aside, you woke up grumpy, snapped at Rias and Akeno, and that's why you're currently sulking in my lap?"
Yuuji's eyes narrowed, but she continued on undeterred.
"So apologize if it's bothering you so much, idiot. This whole mess started because you're trying to spare their feelings and keep them from worrying, and now you know they're doing the exact same thing."
She cut off his response with a finger over his lips.
"So, now that you've discovered that, surprise, dancing around each other like that never works, be a man and go fix it. Sit down with them, talk things out and be honest, and then remind them that you still love them by making them scream your name to the heavens."
JB paused for a moment, and then she burst into giggles.
"After all, having Devils scream at Heaven sounds pretty blasphemous, so I guess that just makes it proper behaviour?"
Yuuji was silent for a long while, staring contemplatively up at the smiling woman.
"... Yeah, thanks Julia."
It was totally unfair when his smile was sincere and not that cheeky little half-smirk!
"Any time, Yuuji-kun."
She replied with a tender smile.
"Oh yeah, sorry Julia, but I forgot to mention something important."
JB stilled as Yuuji frowned.
"W-what is it?"
Fretfully she scanned his face, looking for any sign of-
"I love you."
"..."
"... You okay JB? You're looking a little flushed."
"I love you too… now shut up and kiss me you bully."
With a chuckle, Yuuji lifted himself up to do just that.
JB broke the kiss by guiding him to sit upright, allowing her to move out from underneath him and stand.
When Yuuji made to stand as well, she stopped him with a shake of her head and a gentle hand against his chest.
With a playful smile, JB sat down just above Yuuji's hips, straddling him and leaning down to lock lips as their hands intertwined.
JB hummed thoughtfully, making Yuuji's mouth vibrate before she broke the kiss, trailing a thin strand of saliva to keep them connected.
Yuuji quirked an eyebrow as she stared curiously at his right hand.
"Can you… turn that off?"
"... My hand?"
"No, not that, the… magic thing. I want to see your real hand."
JB said with a huff.
Slowly, Yuuji complied, sending a tiny current of magic down into his right arm.
With a dull shimmer, the glamer faded away, revealing the dull iron prosthetic it concealed.
He watched as JB's entwined hand gave it an exploratory squeeze, before shifting her grip to cup the top of his hand in her own.
Slowly, she brought it up to rest against her cheek, and Yuuji gently, carefully rubbed his thumb across her cheek.
"It's a little cold, but… yeah."
JB nuzzled against the battered iron, letting her eyes drift shut.
"Definitely still Yuuji."
Inwardly she smiled as the tension eased from the body beneath her.
Probably didn't realize it himself, did he?
That how she would react to it was making him nervous.
… As if she'd ever willingly do a damn thing to hurt him.
Opening her eyes once more, she untangled Yuuji's hands from hers and guided them down to grip onto her hips, placing her own hands against his chest for stability.
With a wink, JB began to rock her hips, indulging in the contrast of her own soft heat rubbing against his cool, rocky midsection.
"Mm, let's take our time and enjoy ourselves…"
"If that's what you want."
JB lifted her hips once more, crawling slowly and sensually up Yuuji's body, letting out a pleased coo as her heavy breasts drifted mere centimeters away from his face, prompting Yuuji to flick his tongue across her nipple.
Then she got up on her knees, rising above Yuuji just long enough to reverse direction, draping herself across him with her legs on either side of his shoulders, her breasts molding up against his midsection, and his erection so close to her lips that she could practically taste it.
"Don't mind if I do."
She murmured, before doing just that, slowly dragging her tongue from base to tip.
Yuuji's grunt was soon replaced by her moan, as he took advantage of their position as well, poking his tongue against her folds.
Playfully, she planted a sloppy kiss against his length, before easing the end between her plush lips and engulfing it in her warm mouth.
As the stiff rod pushed against the back of her throat, JB gave a pleased hum, one that grew in intensity as the vibrations made him twitch insider her mouth, and reciprocate by spreading her petals open with his fingers.
JB couldn't help but squirm her hips as Yuuji's tongue wormed its way inside her, his hands wrapping up and around to sink his fingers into the soft, firm flesh of her ass.
In response, she gently, insistently pried Yuuji's legs further apart, gripping him by the inner thighs as her head bobbed up and down his mast.
It didn't take them long, not when they were already this aroused.
As she felt her walls constrict themselves around Yuuji's welcome heat, JB could feel the throbbing of the penis in her mouth grow in urgency.
She took his length to the hilt for the first time, effortlessly deep-throating her Yuuji in sync with his lips molding against her entrance and sucking hard, as if trying to pull her orgasm out of her by force.
JB moaned in rapture as hot seed sprayed down her throat, even as her twitching core bathed Yuuji's face in her fluids.
As she came down from her high, JB rolled off of Yuuji and further onto the bed, gazing up at the ceiling with a delighted smile on her face as her naked breasts bounced with every deep breath.
Yuuji recovered first and begun to move.
JB couldn't help but giggle as the thought crossed her mind that that had never really changed, Yuuji had always had sexual stamina bordering on the absurd.
Didn't need to actually gain supernatural stamina for that to be true, though…
If anything, he'd gotten gentler.
Sure, he was still a bully, and knew exactly which of her buttons needed a good, hard push, but she got the impression that he was very much self-aware of his newfound strength.
He was treating her with a delicacy that one less experienced with his behaviour would easily, wholly fail to notice.
These were the fond musings on JB's mind as Yuuji, standing at the side of the bed, grabbed her by the ankles and turned her around so that her feet were facing him.
He wasn't making any particular expression, but those dark eyes were positively burning with want, and so she egged him on with a tempting smile.
As Yuuji pulled her closer, he also pulled her legs farther and farther apart, and JB didn't even bother hiding her delight as she clued into what he was planning.
Yuuji switched his grip to above her knees as more and more of her legs were left dangling in thin air, and JB gave a little gasp when she felt her progress impeded for a single instant by something warm pressing up against her twitching entrance.
Then he pierced her, and JB couldn't help but moan as Yuuji sunk into her inch by inch, never once breaking eye contact.
When he had hilted inside her, JB hooked her legs around his hips and lifted her hands from the bed with her wrists crossed.
After a moment's hesitation, Yuuji reached out with his left hand and grabbed her by the wrists, pinning them above her head.
Yuuji leaned over her, pressing their chests together as he kissed her roughly, their tongues wrestling and caressing one another as he slowly began to thrust in and out.
He knew her well, sometimes, she thought, too well.
Yuuji waited patiently until JB could focus on nothing but the lips against hers and the stiff erection inside her before he let his other hand go to work.
JB gave a whine of protest as he broke the kiss, which turned into a shuddering gasp as a cool metal finger tapped lightly down upon the center of her clavicle.
Watching impassively as his lover writhed beneath him, Yuuji began to trace the line of her body with one finger in one long, languid trail.
Between the warm valley of her breasts, down the smooth, firm skin of her stomach, all the way down to-
She gave a sharp gasp and bucked against Yuuji as that cool, metallic finger gently brushed against her clit.
As her blankly staring captor mercilessly drove her to the edge, alternated his thrusts with feather-light strokes against her twitching nub, JB let her long lashes flutter shut.
They shot open in panic as all movement from Yuuji came to an utter halt, leaving her right at the edge of bliss.
Before she could say a word, his lips curled into that fiendish half-smirk.
"That's right Julia, look me in the eyes."
She did just that, arching her back like a drawn bow as Yuuji drove her to a toe-curling climax that his continued thrusting only seemed to prolong.
With a grunt, soon Yuuji unloaded inside her, pushed over the edge by her walls clenching spastically around him, tearing a wail from JB's lips as the rush of heat painting her inside brought her from one orgasmic high straight into another.
Laying there for a while in a gasping heap of bliss, as Yuuji laid his head against her heaving chest, she prompted him to release her hands with a shake of her arms.
Gripping his cheeks with both hands, JB pulled his head up with a smile and whispered lovingly to him.
"Let's get cleaned up so you can head home."
"... You don't need me to stay the night?"
"Need? Not anymore. Want? Absolutely. But, you shouldn't let Akeno and Rias go to sleep worrying like that. Go make up with your girlfriends, I'll be just fine now, okay?"
Yuuji stared at her in silence for a moment before relaxing with a nod.
"If you're sure then… thanks, Julia."
"Mhm, don't mention it. I would like to borrow you for a while once summer break roles around, if you don't mind?"
"I'll look forward to it."
Yuuji confirmed with a smile.
"Great, then…"
JB gave a little squeak as Yuuji caught the unspoken question and scooped her up off the bed, carrying her naked body with him to the shower room.
Their time in the shower ended up a bit more hands-on than necessary but…
Some things just couldn't be helped.
Panting slightly from his exertion, Ruth stretched himself out as his young playmate disappeared with a cheerful wave.
He imagined that serving as the noble steed for a brave knight would be a lot more work if the knight in question were a bit more solid, but he wouldn't have minded anyways.
{"Not long for that one, huh? Think he's just about had his fill of all the things he missed out on."}
Padding softly through the rows of silent stone, he passed the resting place of that kind old lady who never did believe him when he suggested that he was big for a cat due to actually being a dog.
That was fine though, even if she was a veteran at scratching behind the ears.
Continuing his rounds, Ruth suddenly slipped between a row of headstones, carefully to avoid treading on the graves themselves, as he caught the scent of a living presence.
Moments later he slipped out and altered his course in their direction… he'd recognized the scent, so he didn't have to worry about them being unnerved by a great black hound wandering a graveyard.
Crouched in front of a weathered headstone was a young, athletic woman in the Kuoh Academy uniform, the green highlights of her blue hair gently swaying in the calm breeze as she clasped her hands in prayer.
Ruth slowed his pace as he approached, not wanting to disturb her, but catching a scent suggesting that yes, company would be appreciated soon enough.
Slowly, her head turned to take him in as he approached, brown eyes softening as small spike of readiness bled out from her posture.
"Ruth? What are you doing here?"
{"There's no church attached to this one, but a Church Grim still has his uses in any cemetery."}
"I see."
{"Friend of yours?"}
He inquired softly, tossing his head towards the small headstone.
Xenovia shook her head as she stood.
"No, though I'm sure we would have been had we the chance."
{"Irina then."}
Xenovia nodded, turning back to her scrutiny of the stone.
"This is… the first time I've visited."
Ruth remained silent.
"She was so excited to introduce me, but…"
Quietly, Ruth moved just a little closer, watching her calmly.
"I… I don't know what to do. He… I'm sure Lord Michael knows what he's doing, but…"
He could tell she wasn't really speaking to him anymore, but that was no reason to ignore her words.
{"... Oh. That bad, huh?"}
Xenovia nodded once, before blinking in surprise and whipping her head his direction as his words sunk in.
"Wait, you know? How!?"
{"You're visiting on behalf of a friend who, judging by what I've seen, would have been incredibly enthusiastic to bring you here, and whatever the reason is has you second-guessing the leader of Heaven. Not to say that I've pinpointed everything, but I can at least make a guess."}
"Sometimes I forget that you aren't just a dog."
Ruth rolled his eyes, not really minding the blunt comment, even if it was a little rude.
{"That's because I try not to point it out if I can help it. Less demanding lifestyle that way, and less reason for the mother hens to force me to into all the things I'm more than smart enough for, like highschool."}
"That makes sense, I don't care for school much beyond the company."
{"Seems reasonable. Suu can't keep human shape as reliably as I can anyways, so I don't want her to have to spend school periods all alone if I can help it."}
Xenovia nodded with a small smile.
"You really do take good care of her, don't you? If you don't mind me asking, is it because of Isabel?"
Xenovia winced as soon as the words left her mouth.
"Forgive me, that was rude. I'm too blunt for my own good some-"
{"Maybe a little bit, I guess. It's not that I view her as a replacement or anything like that, but I won't deny that I've started to feel the same way about Suu as I do Isabel."}
Ruth admitted calmly.
{"Even back in the Forest, she was the one who always seemed to know when being alone was no good for me. I've protected her for a long time, sure, but she was the one who saved me."}
"I see. I'm happy for you."
Xenovia said with a tender smile on her face.
{"It's the same for you though, isn't it? That's why you're here, after all."}
Xenovia froze.
{"Protecting those we love isn't always a straightforward thing. Grief is the same that way, I suppose."}
"Then what do I do?"
{"There's no easy answer. Maybe what she needs is just a little support, or maybe just to burn away the shadows of her bad memories with the light from happier ones. Maybe she has wounds that will never heal, and forgetting where her scars are from really is the best thing for Irina. 'Facing your pain' sounds nice and all, but it doesn't really account for what happens if you fail."}
Xenovia's gaze drifted to the sky as she frowned.
{"But what I do know, is that whether she can heal or not, Irina will manage to hold on as long as she has someone she can rely on. Someone who, no matter what, will be her ally at the end of the day. So, rather than worry about the things that could happen, focus on the things you can do, and make a decision."}
Xenovia's eyes shot back down to lock onto his crimson with absolute focus.
{"Are you willing to be that person or not?"}
"I'll never turn my back on her."
Xenovia declared without a shred of hesitation.
{"Well, there's one of the answers you needed, anyways. Now it's up to you to prove that to her."}
"I will."
Xenovia said with a firm nod.
Ruth kept his silence, long experience telling him that their talk was about to end on the typical note.
Out of the corner of his eye, Ruth smiled inwardly as Xenovia hands twitched in his direction, and her face contorted into a variety of expressions as she fidgeted.
"Umm… that is…"
Heh, kind of cute to see such a blunt child hesitate.
"Can I…?"
She frowned, puzzled as to why she couldn't just say what she wanted to say.
{"I don't mind."}
Xenovia expression immediately brightened into a smile suitable for one her age, though he doubted she was really aware.
With the patience of long practice, Ruth gracefully bore the war maiden's somewhat rough efforts to scratch behind his ears.
This was why, for any sort of serious conversation, Ruth would always return to his canine form.
After all, for both himself, and whoever he was talking to, there was a certain value to be had in the fact that he was…
Just a dog.
A swirl of dull grey heralded Yuuji's return to the dormitory, and his bedroom.
His timing couldn't have been better, as Rias was sitting at the desk, just as Akeno had entered the room and sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Yuuji!"
The girls both rose from their seats with bright eyes, and Yuuji took a step forward-
Everyone jerked to an awkward halt as tension flooded the room.
Nervous silence reigned before Yuuji took a deep breath and broke the stalemate.
"""I'm sorry."""
Slowly, three sets of eyes blinked at the realization that their respective voices seemed to have echoed more than they should.
As understanding dawned, Akeno was the first to break the new silence… with a giggle.
This set off Rias, and as the girls began to laugh helplessly, a dry, quiet chuckled intermingled as the quietest member of the room found himself dragged into the mirth as well.
As the laughter trailed off, a short silence followed as they gathered their thoughts once more.
Sharing brief nods, Yuuji and Akeno both turned to Rias, deferring to their King to move the conversation forward.
With a repentant smile, Rias stepped forward and cupped Yuuji's cheek with one hand.
"I'm sorry, Yuuji, I… I failed as your King."
When Yuuji went to interject, Rias cut him off with a shake of her head, and by moving the hand on his cheek to place a finger on his lips.
"I want so badly for you to feel comfortable trusting me, relying on me, that when a situation arose where I didn't have any answers, I panicked. I pushed it to the wayside, tried to avert my gaze and pretend that if I ignored it long enough, the problem would vanish on its own."
Briefly, she closed her eyes as she continued to speak, her hand going back to rubbing against Yuuji's cheek.
"Perhaps you don't see it the same way, but while you were gone, I began to wonder what the difference was between turning away from your troubles, and turning away from you. I… I didn't like the answer I found."
Rias set her shoulders as her eyes opened, azure orbs gazing deeply into Yuuji's with a fierce intensity.
"We'll find a solution, no matter what it takes. I want you to be happy, I want you all to be happy, and if that means I have to figure out how to bring one of God's weapons to heel, well, that's precisely what I'll do. So once again Yuuji, I'm sorry, and I love you."
Her smile this time was a much gentler, tender thing, but as something caught the corner of her eye, Rias stepped back with a mischievous wink.
Yuuji's curiosity was immediately sated when a different hand cupped his cheek, and his head was turned to greet a pair of bright violet eyes.
Holding him for a moment with her hands on either cheek, Akeno merely stared into his eyes for a moment, before they both moved as one.
Akeno moaned into him as their tongues danced and carressed, Yuuji's hands trailing down her sides to cup her ass beneath her skirt, his thumbs worming their way beneath smooth fabric.
She gave a little gasp as he used that grip to lift her heels from the ground, and she snaked one hand around the back of his head to tangle itself into his dark locks.
After a while she broke the kiss, leaving them both panting as she pressed their foreheads together.
"I'm sorry too, Yuuji, I… I was scared of your Sacred Gear, of what it could do to you… but more than that, I was afraid of how it could tear us apart. It was… more selfish than I'd like to admit."
She whispered up at him, just loud enough that Rias could hear her clearly as well.
"I've been haunted by my own power, and you were the one who saved me, who gave me the strength to move forward. But when the situation was reversed, I hesitated. I promised that we, that I would smile for you, that I would cherish you, and yet I was so quick to avert my eyes when something that I had no answers for reared its head."
Akeno pressed their lips together once more, briefly.
"So I promise you, Yuuji, that whatever struggles you might face, know that from now on, they're mine as well. Whatever plagues you, whatever might keep you up at night, I won't let you face it alone. I love you Yuuji, and, well, speaking of selfish…"
Akeno gave a sultry, wicked giggle.
"I don't have any intention of letting you go. Forever and ever, you're mine, just as all of me is yours."
"... Thank you. Both of you."
Akeno gave a pleased hum as she laid her head against his chest, shifting off to one side to allow herself to feel the slow, strong beat of Yuuji's heart against her cheek.
He released her with one hand to beckon Rias over, and, as she pressed herself against his chest as well, meeting Akeno's fond smile with one of her own, Yuuji reached down and slipped his hand beneath her skirt as well.
Rias shivered in delight as the cool metal of his hand cupped one firm ass cheek, and reached across Yuuji's back to press one hand against it, over top of Akeno's.
They remained like that for a while as Yuuji gently swayed, their longest silence yet since his return.
Patiently the girls waited until Yuuji was ready to speak.
"I think… I'm too used to secrets. It's just been JB and I for so long that part of me is still struggles to believe that there are other people who care. I'm… honestly, I thought I understood that already, but I guess I was just complacent. I'll… I'll do better."
The girls let out a contented hum, keeping silent otherwise to allow him to finish speaking at his own pace.
"I guess all I can really say is that I'm sorry… I didn't mean… no, I guess I was trying to shut you out from my problems. Maybe I like the idea of being relied on a little too much. I haven't really puzzled out exactly what I'm feeling here, but… at least I won't try to figure it out all on my own."
One last pause, and then…
"Akeno, Rias. I love you both… and thank you."
They drifted once more into a comfortable silence, taking their sweet time to revel in their mutual embrace.
Later, they would return to the topic, delving into the specifics of Yuuji's dream-time journeys, the gaps in his memories, and possible checks and solutions.
Much later, because…
Akeno looked up to Yuuji and winked.
"Yeah, would almost be a crime not to, wouldn't it?"
Yuuji agreed.
"... Sorry, did I miss something? I think I might have been too relaxed to pay attention."
Rias asked hesitantly.
"Somethings are impossible to miss, Buchou."
"Hmm, what do you mean, Yuuji?"
"Ara, he means this."
Rias gave a sharp inhale as Akeno explained with actions rather than words.
… They never did quite make it to the bed, but, as they slept in a naked tangle on the floor, every single one of them wore the same contented smile.
It had been almost two weeks since Yuuji, Akeno and Rias had had the closest thing to a 'fight' in their relationship… and enjoyed themselves making up for it.
Since then, they'd made a morning ritual of sorts, where Yuuji would speak briefly about any Memoirs he'd experienced during the night.
That had been a struggle in and of itself… there were somethings that there was no gentle way to address.
But, true to their promise, Akeno and Rias refused to turn away, no matter how awful they might be.
It helped that they came up with all sorts of fun little things to do to each other, in order to lighten the mood afterwards.
Rias had been speaking with Ajuka Beelzebub as well, and the Satan had been conducting investigations of his own.
Yuuji would be meeting with him in person at last, on the Wednesday of the upcoming week.
Ajuka, willing to go that extra mile for the little sister of his fellow Satan (which practically made Rias his sister as well, with how close the Satans were), would be meeting with Yuuji at one on his facilities on Earth.
This was news to Yuuji, but apparently his first visit to Hell required certain procedures, procedures that would take more time from school than strictly necessary, both his King and his Sensei agreed.
… Also, Rias wanted to be with him, and her other new Servants, for their first trip to the Underworld, so she could witness and savor every moment of the experience.
… And film it.
The Familiar Forest didn't count, it might not have been exactly part of Earth, but it wasn't exactly part of the Underworld either.
Yuuji hadn't been all that interested in the specifics, if such things really existed.
So things were looking up on that front, but…
"Kala."
"Ah, Yuuji-sama? What is it? Please, take a seat."
The Fallen Angel tittered as Yuuji immediately made himself comfortable, stretching out on the couch beside the lovely Fallen, and casually resting his head in her lap.
Kalawarner was being patient in regards to certain aspects of their relationship, but that did not mean she couldn't act more comfortably around him.
A girl had needs, after all.
Speaking of needs, she could already imagine what his were in this scenario.
"... Forgive me if I'm being presumptuous, but from your demeanor, is it fair to say you've taken note?"
"Yeah, Ray's acting weird. I thought it was that time of the month, but that time of the month was last week and she's only getting weirder."
Yuuji blithely commented in his dull monotone.
Kalawarner coughed in surprise.
Just because she was used to his mannerisms did not mean she was always prepared for them…
Yuuji had a way of keeping people off-balance like that.
"Your train of thought is not… wholly incorrect. It is a… delicate time for Raynare, but it is the time of year, rather than month that is troubling her."
"... I didn't miss her birthday, did I?"
Even as he kept his face neutral, Yuuji winced internally as Kalawarner cringed.
"No, that is… well, let us just say that we Fallen consider ourselves to have two separate dates of 'birth'... and many of us are hesitant to celebrate either."
"... Sorry."
She shook her head gently.
"Think nothing of it… there was no way for you to know. As for Raynare… no, improper though it may be to hint at such things, she is in dire need of solace that she still believes she has no right to seek."
Kalawarner began, staring off into the distance with a small frown.
"Let us just say that it will be quite a struggle for her to enjoy her day off, this week in particular. It will mark the passage of something that has changed her life forever… one that has few comparisons, and likely never will."
Yuuji kept his silence as her gaze drifted downwards.
"But, you, Yuuji-sama, are tied quite intimately with one such comparison, and that is why you are perhaps best suited to reach out to her… and why reaching out to you in turn is a prospect Raynare is so utterly terrified by."
"... I don't really get all of it, but… I think I know what I need to do. Where is she, anyways?"
Kalawarner pointed with one finger towards her closed door, across the hall.
"Gotcha. Thanks Kala."
"No, thank you, Yuuji-sama… not just for her sake, but for mine as well. I cannot quite put into words how grateful I am."
"I think I get it, yeah."
The surest way to make Kalawarner suffer was to make Raynare suffer, after all.
Which also meant that to help one...
Yuuji rolled off of Kalawarner's lap and stood.
"Good time to do this, while everyone else is out."
Blankly gazing at the smiling Fallen, Yuuji gave a small nod before turning away.
As he walked towards her room, he called over his shoulder.
"Sorry, by the way."
Before Kalawarner could ask for clarification, Yuuji reached her bedroom door…
Someone gave a shriek of surprise as he kicked it off its hinges.
When Yuuji found Raynare, she was standing on top of the bed, her back pressed against the wall, wings flared, and eyes wild.
"Y-Yuuji-kun!? What the hell was that!?"
Yuuji shrugged as he strode further into the room.
"You're acting strange, so I thought I'd start us off on the same level."
"... Eh? W-what do you… I mean, I'm n-not acting strange, don't be…"
Yuuji's eyes narrowed.
"Sit down already."
Meekly, Raynare did just that, letting her wings vanish as she plopped down on the edge of the bed.
Squirming awkwardly, she had just worked up the courage to give voice to one of her many questions, when Yuuji cut her off.
"I don't know what's bothering you. I don't know why you've been subtly keeping me at arms length for a week, even though whenever you think I'm not looking, you stare at me with this sad little smile on your face."
Panic flashed across her features, but Raynare's mouth opened and shut without a denial managing to slip free.
"What I do know is that it ends now."
"... Ends? W-what do you mean?"
Raynare finally managed to ask, cringing as she did.
"You and I are going out on Sunday, and we're staying out until you can show me a smile that doesn't look like it's tearing you apart."
Yuuji grit his teeth as he watched her pale face flicker between shock, then delight, the sorrow, before finally settling on resignation.
"I appreciate the offer, really I do, but… I d-don't think it's a good idea so I'll pass."
Raynare said, huddling sadly in her seat.
"Huh, kind of expected that. Which is why I'm not asking."
Raynare flinched as Yuuji began to stalk towards her.
Her eyes flickered towards the window, but in the end she stayed where she was, wide violet eyes locked upon narrowed black.
"You haven't forgotten, have you? You, Raynare, are my property. I own you, your life is mine, remember?"
Raynare shrank back in fear as Yuuji loomed over her.
"I didn't want to do things this way, but you've forced my hand."
'
Like a mouse before a serpent, Raynare went utterly still, as if the slightest quiver would set off the predator she was trapped by.
"That's why, Raynare. I order you to let me offer to take you out on a date."
"... Eh?"
"What?"
Yuuji asked impatiently at the Fallen now staring open-mouthed in his direction.
"... W-wouldn't it be easier to just order me to go on a date with you?"
What the hell was she even asking!?
What was going on!?
And why did he look so disappointed all of a sudden!?
"Ordering a woman to date you is an abuse of authority."
Yuuji pointed out as if it was obvious.
"Y-you just called me your property a second ago! Worrying about stuff like that now doesn't make any sense!"
"..."
"No seriously, that disappointed look really hurts! Why am I the unreasonable one!?"
"You've always been afraid, haven't you?"
Raynare nearly choked on her next words.
Yuuji continued, unconcerned as she spluttered and coughed.
"At first, I thought it was me that frightened you. But eventually, I realized that wasn't quite right."
No, no, no-
"It's funny, actually, but no one ever did get around to asking."
In spite of herself, Raynare did just that.
"What I wished for, what wish summoned Rias to save me that day."
"..."
"It was you, Raynare. It was the first time I've been hurt… and the one who did it suffered more."
She would have recoiled less if he'd slapped her.
"You were crying, and all I could think about was how I never wanted to see that again."
Weakly, desperately she averted her gaze.
"You're not the only one who feels guilty about it."
He'd used her as an escape… and it had nearly destroyed her.
"Stop…"
It was more of a whimper than a whisper.
"P-please… don't… don't say anything more…"
Slowly Raynare rose to her feet, not looking at his way, but groping blindly for him nonetheless.
Each time her hands would find him, they would flinch and withdraw.
… It took her three tries, but the end result was her head against his chest, her hands weakly gripping handfuls of his shirt-front.
Calmly, Yuuji draped his arms around the shivering girl, pulling her closer.
"I'm sorry… I'm so… so sorry…"
Yuuji let his gaze drift up to the ceiling as she mumbled against him.
"Maybe I didn't give you the right answer, back then, at the church."
He mused.
"Raynare."
The trembling ceased with a sharp intake of breath, and Raynare went completely, utterly still.
"I forgive you."
There was more I could write there, between Yuuji and Raynare but I don't think I need to drag it out more than necessary. You'll see the end result next chapter, and I'm sure you folks can figure things out on your own, so I'll leave it to your imagination.
Just like I imagine some of you can guess what 'two' birthdays a Fallen Angel might have, though that one will be addressed further when appropriate.
Ruth ended up showing up a lot more prominently in this chapter than intended, but I did want to flesh out his character a bit more. He's interesting to write, because he's a lot older and wiser than he tends to display, but being originally an ordinary canine, and now one of the Fey, his maturity reveals itself in different ways than the rest of the cast.
Early teasers at Suu's advancing plotline, she's another one who's gonna be busy over the summer.
Yuuji, Akeno and Rias had their first conflict of sorts, which would have been a lot worse if Yuuji hadn't bailed. That starting scene with the Memoir is… important. Some of you might be able to guess if you're familiar with Grisaia, but the knowledge isn't essential, since I'm not going to assume anyone has it.
And at last, that JB lemon that I know several of you were looking forward to. I've never actually written a 69 before, so hopefully that turned out okay, and it was kinda fun to write out a scene between two people that have lots of practice with each other.
As soon as I decided on why those two were meeting up, it was too good an opportunity to miss. Hopefully JB's card-related work speech wasn't too vague, and if you were confused, basically, she was overseeing an Ichigaya mission, things went south, and a bunch of brand new operatives died.
Operatives that had a bit of hero-worship going on for her.
Yikes.