Harem of the White Saint

by Kerlongsj Evert Orlejov

Request fic for keller.blair1. Issei unlocked his [Sacred Gear], Divine Dividing on a young age and from a young age, he has been working for the Vatican as part-time exorcist. Fed up with the hypocrisy and decadence, he leaves Rome for a place he called home. Kuoh, which seemed to have become a hot spot for Super Natural Creatures. Perfect spot for a Dragon to build his harem.

13. Preparing for Disaster

It's much like "A Devil's Flock." Dusting this fic off after a few months. Things have been busy, busy, busy. It's what happens when you have a lot of work on your plate.

It's been since November and now, we're in April. Well, it's what it is.

As for the numbers.

650 favorites. 39 more since the last update.

723 followers. 33 more but past the 700. For me, that is a reason to celebrate. I am glad with those small victories.

If only it were reflected in the same way as the reviews.

63 reviews. That is 3 more.

Even worse than "A Devil's Flock". That had five more since last time, with a guest review, and not even close to the same number.

Started on 08/04/2025

Ended on 23/04/2025

---

Inside of the clubroom, the information that they had found, had hit the place like a pipe bomb. Kokabiel being in Kuoh and with the fragments of the Excalibur was horrendous enough.

But the additional information that Valper Galilei was taken along and that he was plotting on completing his life work, was the reason why it just became personal for Rias and her Peerage.

That made things even more dangerous than it already was.

Inside the clubroom, there was the weight of the storm cloud that was hanging over them all.

And no one had been able to able to speak.

The tension was suffocating. Issei still stood at the desk, his knuckles pressing on it as they were turning white.

All things considered, he wished that he was wrong. He didn't want to believe they were in over their heads.

He knew what was brewing between the women gathered in the room. The talk they would have in the room, the news that would spread through.

"I'm not going anywhere. I have a suspicion on where this is going and I'll need to be here."

Rias cupped his face and shook her head gently. Everyone looked up at the two.

"I know you want to stay, Issei. You'll get to hear this later. But right now, I believe that Kiba needs someone to make sure that he doesn't go completely off the deep end. Please, I don't think anyone can hold him back now."

He never wanted to take orders from the ones that promised themselves to him but Issei felt that she was right.

With the way that Akeno, Koneko, and even Kalawarner were looking at him, it was evident that they all agreed with Rias.

"Alright. But I want to hear everything when I get back. Agreed?"

Rias nodded. "Of course. You have my word." He got up and walked out. Every set of eyes was on him. Rias fell back on the chair, feeling the tension adding up in her head.

When she felt slender arms in a sideways hug, it was usually Akeno but this time, it was Raynare who gave her a tight hug.

Looking into the violet eyes, Rias put a hand on Raynare's arm.

"You know him as well, don't you?"

No one needed to ask who Rias was hinting at. Her hand went on the arm. Hoping that Raynare wouldn't go away. So the Fallen Angel hugged her closer.

"We do. We've heard that name one too many times back in the Grigori. There were many who despised him. But then again, there were enough sick souls who were eager to throw their lot in with him."

Irina and Xenovia sat up from the interaction before them.

"Issei told us about him. The atrocities he committed. It was sickening," the bluenette shared the revulsion like the others.

"And with him here now, it's clear that the Holy Sword Project was just the start. Kokabiel is not holding back on it. There is no more guessing. And with the help of the Cadre…"

Irina looked completely pale from the news, making everyone in the room shudder.

"We're screwed if he does this." Xenovia had been prepared to die but to think their lives would be the catalyst for another Great War.

Raynare nodded. "You have to keep in mind. Kokabiel wants to restart this War. If he can help himself to get Galilei on his sick project. There are already enough Excalibur Fragments here. It'd be more than enough to restart the War. And remake the original Excalibur."

Rias stood. Her expression had hardened as Raynare let her go.

"Not in my city."

Kalawarner nodded to the King. She was willing to follow Rias.

"If we have one hope of stopping this before it even begins, then we do have to understand one thing. We can't be divided. There is otherwise no chance that we'll stop him. That means for all of us to put our petty grievances aside."

Scene skip

Issei had expected Kiba to blow off steam after what he heard. But this wasn't blowing off steam. This was unleashing a disaster.

'Ten years in your Peerage and you never thought of making him visit a therapist. It'd be something that I'd have done, Rias.'

Issei had hunches on who Kiba really was but now, he was pressed with his nose to the hard facts.

If he took the inhumanity and cruelty away, Issei had to admit that Kokabiel had thought out a brilliant plan. If he only could apply that motivation to something else.

The Cadre probably hadn't thought of the fact that a Devil in this village had ties to the Holy Sword Project.

That small detail would be so significant for his undoing as Rias and her Peerage would move heaven and earth to make sure that Kiba would destroy the Excalibur.

If that wasn't going to break them.

As much as he loved them, Issei knew that it was dangerous that they were this close. Only by taking distance, one could look at the total picture.

He'd need outside perspectives. Luckily, he wouldn't have to look too far.

Sona would be helpful on this matter.

[You are already thinking of adding them?]

[Can we not have this conversation when we are trying to foil a master Plan?]

[You want to deny it all you want, brat but I am absolutely sure that.]

[We deal with this first.] Issei was not going to discuss this. His head had to be straight in the game. Luckily for him, that was easy enough to do. Something told him that he was right about having fun with Rias and Akeno the previous night.

For now, he would just follow along with the noises.

Wood was splitting around the forest. Issei could easily follow it. The sounds were one thing. The destruction of training dummies was another lead to follow.

Issei hoped that Kiba hadn't completely gone under just yet. The sounds were all too familiar for him.

Bleeding out grief through violence never worked but often one was too distraught to consider that.

The Dragon found Kiba in a clearing. The shattered dummies lay around him. The Knight moved as a blur, his sword was flickering with demonic energy. The dummy was split into two before it even landed on the ground.

It would have been fine if Kiba stopped at that point. But he didn't. He just kept on going.

His clothes were dirty, his hair clung to his skull and Issei could smell the sweat and grime from ten feet away.

At first, Issei didn't speak. He knew that whatever word he'd say, it would do nothing to calm Kiba down.

He watched and let Kiba exhaust himself.

When the last dummy fell on the ground, Issei stepped into the clearing.

"Are you finished yet?"

The eyes that Kiba showed him, were not the usual blue calm ones. He'd have more in common with a cornered animal.

"Issei. I was just."

"Working through this. Been there, done that, got the scars to show it."

Kiba looked away as he took deep breaths. Allowing his body to fill itself with oxygen.

"I can't just be here. If that bastard is here. I can't rest. Not when he took everything away from me."

Issei stepped closer to him and he looked him straight in the eye.

"Believe me, I know how you feel. And no one who knows your story would judge you for this, Kiba."

The jaw of the Knight clenched as he looked back at the Dragon.

"I'm not going to sit here and twiddle my thumbs until some strategy comes out. If he's here. I'm going to find him. Kill him. No matter what it costs me."

Issei's voice hardened. He hoped that it'd be enough.

"I get where you're coming from. But the saying 'if you seek revenge, dig two graves' rings true. You continue like this, it'll get you killed."

That stopped Kiba from leaving.

"No one faults you for wanting revenge, Kiba. But no one wants you dead. Rias doesn't want to bury you. Do you want to leave behind your family for revenge? That is not going to happen."

Issei tapped his fist on Kiba's chest, twisting the shirt, making sure that he couldn't leave.

"You entrusted me with your master. And you have done the same with your sisters. I will not allow you to wound their souls by your leave."

"Spare me your bravado, lover boy." The grip on the shirt tightened.

"Right back at you. Kiba, I will let you know that many people care for you. That includes yours truly. What kind of man would I be if I let you march to your grave?"

That did shut Kiba up as his shoulders began to tremble.

"No one is saying that you can forget what you have been through. What you feel. That anger. That rage. Use it. Allow it to fuel you, but do not let it take control of your head. Your revenge. The death of Valper. Believe me, you'll get it. But you do this the right way. Stick with us and you'll live through it.

Kiba turned his face away. Sweat, tears, and rage ran down his face.

"Do you promise me that?"

"When this is all over, Valper will be dead. And the deaths of the ones you left behind will be avenged."

Issei hadn't relinquished his grip on Kiba's shirt but when he felt a hand around his wrist, Issei let him go.

"You knew of this. When you were still working for the Church?"

"Only after it ended. Like the others. And believe me, I was the most vocal on a nuclear option. It was a mistake I couldn't mend there. But I'll be damned if I don't fix it now."

There was still the simmering fire of vengeance in the eyes of the Knight but something had softened up beneath that. Issei knew that he'd be just fine.

"Thank you, Issei."

"Anytime, brother, anytime."

The words were spoken as if they were natural but for Issei, it felt the right thing to say.

Scene skip

When they returned home, Issei stood outside of his house. He had to be out of his place for a bit. Collecting his thoughts as he began to think.

Despite the effort to escape, he could hear the voices inside. Everyone inside was talking. Rias, Akeno, Kalawarner, and Raynare were all talking and discussing. The Fallen Angels were warning the youngster Devils about what they were getting themselves into.

At one end, Issei was relieved to see the lines between had been compete erased. Which would have been fine if it wasn't over something dangerous like this.

There were others in the house who were trying to distract themselves. Xenovia and Asia had decided to do the dishes, hoping it'd distract them from the tension in the room.

And despite the talk with Issei in the forest, Kiba had been quiet and brooding. His state of mind was the tone that set the entire house.

His place felt less like a house but more like a powder keg.

And while Issei was glad the Fallen Angels got along with the Devils, it was dangerous how close the three were with the others in the house.

It made them emotional. And emotion would make them reckless. Not that Issei didn't recognize it himself. He was too close to this entire situation as well.

Issei hated how young he was for so many things. This proved to be one of them.

The Dragon couldn't do the investigation on Valper and keep everyone back from imploding on this house.

He needed some with a clear head. Someone who knew the stakes without the emotional attachment.

And Issei knew exactly who he had to call.

Sona Shitori.

It wouldn't be for the first and Issei doubted that she wasn't brought up to speed. It meant that he would save time in explaining the situation.

When he pressed call, he had to wait for the line to ring twice. Then the Sitri Heiress answered the call.

[Hyoudou.]

"Sona-Kaichou." He greeted her, hoping that she'd reply first.

[Is this about what happened today?]

There was a slight smile.

"Please tell me you have been brought up to speed."

[The findings of your investigation have been brought up to everyone. We don't just have to deal with a Cadre but with the Excalibur and Valper Galilei as well. And before you ask, I know the full extent of the story. Why are you calling me?]

Issei leaned further into the wall.

"I have been trying to hold things back here. Things aren't exactly great here. Everyone in the house, including Devils, Fallen Angels, and our two guests, are completely on edge. I know that it's safer they are all in my place to avoid anyone going off the rails."

[But.]

Damn, she was clever. Issei really began to appreciate that.

"They're too close. So am I. I know damn well what it all means. But I know that we can't go look for our foes with the mindset they are in."

[You need my help. Hoping to call Rias to order.]

Issei nodded, knowing that she couldn't see it. Still, it felt like something that worked for him.

"Yes. Rias the King of this household. If she leads, the others will follow. And that is to say nothing of what happens to Kiba. You should have seen what he did in the forest."

Sona took a deep breath. Getting involved was dangerous. But she had heard what Sarakawa told her. She had seen the fight of Issei against Riser. There wasn't a shred of doubt. He was the strongest in the house and if they wanted to get out of this disaster alive, she'd need to trust him.

[It's not proper to interfere with another King's household. Still, it's dangerous, Hyoudou. Rias and I have an agreement to stay out of each other's business.]

"Then don't consider it Rias' business you're involving yourself with but mine. Between us, there is no agreement. And I rather call for your help now. Prevention is better than damage control."

He could hear the slight tease in her voice.

[Speaking from experience?]

There was a brief chuckle.

"Oh, I have stories for days. When we survive this, remind me to tell you. Besides, you promised me how to handle a Peerage."

[I did no such thing. I only told you that I have more experience handling others.] Sona shot back, Issei liked to think that she was fidgeting.

"And I'm still not hearing no on the offer to teach me. A fair trade, wouldn't you say? You teach me how to handle them, I'll tell you the horrors of messes that I had clean up. Or how much damage control I had to work out."

Sona let out a deep breath.

[I imagine. That being said, I hear many good things from Sarakawa. I believe training my Pawn would be a proper way to repay the debt.]

'Spending time with two girls and in return, learning a thing or two? Damn, aren't I lucky?'

"That works just fine by me. Now, about Rias."

[I'll be there with my Peerage in the morning. I expect you to be a gracious host. After all, it's your house they're all living in.]

Issei really wasn't sure how this would play out but he wasn't in the position to complain.

"You want to meet at my place? Not to sound rude but wouldn't it be wiser to do this at the school?"

[Given how things are, it'd be for the best that I meet you there. I'll see you in the morning.]

"Thank you, Sona-Kaichou."

With that word, the line clicked and Issei sat back. Somewhere, he was relieved but at the other end, he didn't know if this was the right call to make.

When he heard the door click open, he didn't even have to look up to see who had come by.

Rias came in close, the heat of her body pressing next to his own.

Her voice was low, a mix of irritation and concern.

"You have called Sona." If he were her servant, she'd be furious if he stepped out of line but Issei had more freedom than others.

"We're not going to be able to deal with this alone. We need all the help we can get, Rias."

The silence stretched for a bit until she looked him up and down.

Rias didn't look angry. Her expression was tight but her posture proved that she was calmer than he had guessed.

"I'm not doubting her intelligence," she added quickly. "But this isn't just strategy. It's us. My Peerage. My Knight."

Issei met her eyes and nodded.

"That is why I have called her, Rias."

He stepped closer, voice steady.

"Your Knight is far too attached to this. And that shows. You noticed the room tonight. Everyone is too emotionally invested in this. That goes for you, Akeno, Asia, hell, even the Fallen Angels and my old squad. Even for myself."

His voice dropped.

"I know what happens when you're too emotionally involved in fights like these. Everyone in this house is under my protection. You're all my responsibility. You're my fiancée. Akeno had opened up to me in a way I never expected. Asia is getting around and Koneko is also letting me in."

He exhaled, letting out a chuckle but Rias didn't detect any humor in it.

"And now, with Irina and Xenovia here. It's from two sides Tell me I'm not too close to this."

The redhead didn't say anything. Her shoulders dropped slightly as Issei reached for her hand.

"There isn't a hair on my head that I would push you aside. I'd never do that. But if we want to survive this, we'll need someone whose perspective is further. I can't think of anyone else aside from Sona. You?"

The Gremory heiress shook her head.

"I can't think of anyone either. Her pride was always on the fact that she could outthink everyone in the room."

A grin, this time, better than before, washed over Issei's face. "Well, let's hope that she's right."

Rias rolled her eyes. But she didn't pull away when he squeezed her hand.

"This is her home as much as it's ours. She's also part of this school. She's also a Devil. She's also an overseer. She owns this place as much as you do. You'd agree with me when we deal with something too big for us, it's only right that we get her in."

Rias leaned into him, resting her head briefly against his chest.

"I can't argue with that. And I'm glad that I have you, Issei.

He didn't say anything. Just held her there a moment longer, before they both turned back to face the coming night.

Something told him that this sort of peace was going to become increasingly rare in the upcoming few weeks.

Scene skip

It had been clear how much stress was in the house as everyone was in as they had gathered in Issei's room.

Usually, when they were sleeping, the state of undress often made for a relaxing atmosphere as they were gathered around the Dragon.

But with the events of the previous day, none of them were feeling exactly relaxed.

Issei sighed as he couldn't exactly roll over. From all sides, women were pressing down on his body. Rias lay on his left while Akeno had taken the right side. Raynare and Kalawarner had found their places on his stomach, beneath the Devil Girls while Asia and Koneko hung on his legs.

Mittelt wasn't coming around and with the issue, they were currently facing, they had bigger fish to fry.

Turning his head, he looked up at Rias. The heiress was wide awake as he could see her eyes as jewels shining.

"Can't sleep, Issei?"

"Who of us can?" He asked as the women in his bed stirred. It didn't come as a surprise that all of them voiced the fact they were up.

"I mean, last night was one thing. We knew the Vatican sent those two over."

Issei wanted to drag his hand over his face but found that Akeno clung possessively to the limb.

"But that was before we learned how deep this actually went." Kalawarner tried to remain calm but like the others, she was just as spun up.

"You're sure that Kiba can't leave the place?" Akeno's voice came from the side as Issei craned his head to her.

His eyes would have loved nothing more to drift down to her amazing chest but none of them were up for a roll of fun.

"I have learned a few things about seals. No one is going in or out of my house without my knowledge."

That news didn't make anyone more relieved, even with that.

"And even if he did, I can track him down and drag him back." Issei ended up with the note, which made no one better.

Raynare sat up, her adult form stretching out, together with her wings as they extended in the room.

"And so far, we're still stuck. Running in circles, hoping that we find something."

Koneko nodded to the elder girls.

"How do you see this going, chief?"

Issei shrugged as he tried to come up with an answer.

"So far, we're not giving Kokabiel what he wants. If he wants this plan to work, he needs either a majority of the fragments or all of them. I'm not sure. And I am not in the mood to test it out."

Pulling on his cheek, Rias made his face turn to her. Her eyes were a mix of anger and indignation.

"Kiba told me you were aware of the experiment."

The rest of the women looked at him, waiting for an explanation.

"I only knew after it happened. And keep in mind, Rias, that when they tried this, I was a boy myself. Even if I wanted to, there would have been no way for me to stop it."

Scene skip

Inside the house, the room had been noticeably colder. They had gathered in Issei's living room. The Fallen Angels stood behind the couches while Issei sat on the table, with Xenovia and Irina next to him.

It was to mediate whatever Sona had to say, regarding their affiliation.

They were just waiting until Sona came around with her Peerage.

They didn't have to wait too long before a magical circle opened.

Where Sona Sitri and her Peerage stepped out of. Sarakawa's eyes went over to Issei, nodding to her fellow Dragon.

The Hakuryuukou kept quiet as they'd need to let Sona and Rias do the talking.

"So how did the search go?"

"Aside from what Issei found, there isn't much concrete. We only have the small fry and experiments but there is no sign of the ones in charge."

Sona's eyes went over to the Dragon, sitting at the table.

"And your guests are the ones that we are also involved with." Issei decided to answer for them.

"Kokabiel needs a majority of the Swords to make this Excalibur fusing work. He's only got three. As long we keep them safe, we keep ourselves safe. The only problem is that we keep running in circles."

Sona gave him a brief nod and turned back to Rias.

"I get where he's coming from. And what he told me last night, isn't wrong. You're too close to this, Rias. All of you are. This is too personal."

"That's Kokabiel's doing," Akeno snapped, a clear indicator of how far they went.

"And Valper Galilei." Raynare added as she stood behind the Queen.

"We know why they were picked. This is just for maximum damage. It's abundantly clear what Kokabiel wants."

Sona nodded along while her Peerage kept quiet

"And so far, there isn't much that we can get for support."

The grimace on Rias and Sona's faces spoke for them.

"We have made contact with Sirzechs-sama. But there isn't much they can do. As long there is no concrete evidence, their hands are tied. They know how dire it is but the council is being stubborn."

The curse under Issei's breath was something truly vile.

Kalawarner and Raynare shared a look, nodding at each other before Raynare spoke while she crossed her arms.

"And let's make one thing clear so we're all on the same page. You all know how strong Kokabiel is but you fail to understand how strong."

"Then explain," Sona replied, calm but firm.

"He's a Cadre. One of the original leaders of the Grigori. In Fallen Angel terms, that makes him equal to your sister, Rias."

The room froze as Rias' eyes widened. Sona's posture got just a bit stiffer.

"You're saying that he's that strong?"

Raynare gave a slow nod.

"He is. And unlike your siblings, he doesn't have restraint."

Kalawarner continued where Raynare left off.

"He wants to start the War, in the belief that he can win this one. Valper is just the match that is needed to light the fuse. All Three Factions entered a stalemate after the Great War but not an official truce. It's easy to light it up."

Rias sat back, not alone in the chill that went on everyone's spine.

"He's toying with us, even like this." Issei stood up as he walked over to the two Devil Peerages, all eyes on him.

"We can turn this entire city upside down, sweep Kuoh from one end to the next." His gaze moved from Sona to Rias.

"And we couldn't find a damn thing. He doesn't want to be found."

Sona frowned.

"You have a suggestion?"

Issei shifted back to Irina and Xenovia.

"We know what he's after. We know what he wants. He counted on the fact that you'd be left alone. Easy pickings for him."

"You think we're the target. He hopes to get other fragments through us."

Issei nodded.

"I told Rias and the others this last night. He needs either all pieces or a majority of them. He has three. You have two. One went missing after the Great War and I don't know about the last. I believe that it's still at home."

Raynare crossed her arms.

"You really think that he wants this."

"We all have been talking about this. He wants to start the War. If Excalibur is the murder weapon, used on the little sisters of the two most powerful Satans. We know what happens. And we're the only ones that are against him now. Therefore, we need to make changes.

Xenovia and Irina stood up.

"We need to go. Go back home. Contact our leaders, we are just."

"The moment you step outside without protection, you're dead. And it's the same story that Rias and Sona have. There are those who will not believe you. I know that as well as you do."

Looking over at Sona, the Sitri Heiress nodded.

"We make a joint force. You, those two, Rias' Peerage, your Fallen Angels, ourselves. We make one base of operation and we proceed from there."

Raising an eyebrow, Issei's attention shifted to Sona. He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.

"And what do you suggest for that, concretely? We move into the school and keep it safe?"

The Sitri heiress shook her head. Her violet eyes were dead serious and she matched the same fire that he had in his own.

"No. The more they move, the more dangerous it gets. Besides, the school would only turn into collateral damage. They're staying here. And until we have dealt with this threat, we're moving into your house. That is the smartest decision to make."

The seven girls of Sona's Peerage had their mouths landing on the floor, with Rias joining theirs.

"You have to be kidding me, Sona? You can't possibly think?"

Looking over her shoulder, Sona's eyes signaled her to be quiet.

"Absolutely, Rias. The more eyes are here, the better for everyone. And besides, with the way this house is set up, you can accommodate a few more guests, right, Hyoudou?"

Scratching the back of his head, Issei looked Sona straight in the eyes.

"There'll be no convincing you otherwise, right?" He asked the question plaguing his head.

"Correct. And I believe it's for the best that the two Exorcists stay in this house. They'll be here until we find the threat."

The two veered up, Xenovia marching over to Sona, her body already furious.

"You're not our superior and you can't tell us what to do!" Xenovia snapped as she got up.

"You think we're just going to sit here and wait like prisoners while the bastard who's behind all of this walks free?!"

Sona let her eyes flicker as the energy came from underneath her.

"This is my town as much as it's Rias. You are not allowed to."

"ENOUGH!" Issei shouted, cutting them both off.

"The moment that we start fighting, is the moment that Kokabiel has won. And might I all remind you, this is my House!"

The Hakuryuukou took a deep breath, allowing the pieces to settle.

"If you want to move in here, Shitori-Kaichou, fine. I get where you're coming from. It'll be safer yes. So fine, stay. But." His attention shifted over to Xenovia.

"You two are helping us with the search. They'll need an extra set of hands to protect them. So that means the moment they step outside, they have me with them. From all gathered here, I would say that I am the strongest creature."

No one could deny that simple truth. Issei was the strongest creature and most importantly, he knew Xenovia and Irina the best.

They would be most comfortable with him around.

"I will not argue on that. We'll just have to prepare. Can you make sure that rooms are available? You can expect us back in a few hours."

Through the magical circle, they left, leaving the house reeling with the consequences of what had transpired.

"Well, I wasn't expecting our Student Council President to do that. Tell me, is she serious, Rias?" Raynare leaned on Rias' shoulders, making the Gremory heiress sigh. Her left hand found Raynare's, squeezing it gently.

"She's always been logical. But logic didn't always mean the best solution. I get where she's coming from but believe me, Ray. I like this as much as you do."

[Want to make a bet they'll stay lodged in after the threat is over?]

Issei thanked Albion he was talking to him in private.

[Can you please not do this when we're facing a threat that you know I can't defeat?]

Scene skip

Usually, Issei's place was never quiet. With nine people living, there was always noise in the mansion. It came with the territory of having multiple people living in his house. Issei liked it.

Noise was better than silence when he could hear his own thoughts.

There were two more with the exorcists added to that.

But still, the silence wasn't from peace and quiet. It came from the shock that Sona actually made good on her promise to move into Issei's house.

In the front hall, sounds of rolling wheels and clicking heels followed as Sona Shitori led her Peerage through the house.

Behind her, Tsubaki, Tomoe, Reya, Momo, Tsubasa, and Sarakawa, each with their own luggage came around. As if this was some sort of school trip instead of the idea of living there with the idea of being temporary reinforcements.

In the living room, they had all gathered, aside from Issei who was outside. Rias wanted to go after him but those who knew him better, Xenovia, Asia, and Irina all gave her the silent idea of not doing that and just letting him be for a bit.

Kiba was the first one to speak.

"She actually went and did it?" Kiba muttered as he watched girls filling in. It wasn't the fact that Issei could have more people living in the house.

"To think she believes this is a good idea," Akeno whispered. Raynare sat next to her, looking at the scene.

"This is going to be a doozy. Not to mention bed sharing."

Koneko grumbled, "We can't be serious on this whole thing. And I don't want to get out of Chief's room."

Asia nodded next to her.

"Does this mean, we have to share Issei's room with more people?"

Crossing her arms, Rias said flatly as she looked that up.

"That's my problem to solve. And I'll handle that part of bed-sharing."

They all stared as Sona gave them a nod as she passed the living room before she directed her Peerage to settle in rooms.

"Well," Mittelt finally said, flipping her magazine closed. "At least this war's gonna be cozy."

Scene skip

Issei leaned back on the rooftop against the fence, looking over the city and switching to the clouds occasionally.

[You know, when you moved here, I didn't think it'd be this serious.]

[And I would be fine if we just have Rias and the Peerage. Seven is what we are just starting with.]

[Now, you're running what some would call a Supernatural Sorority House. Even before you matured, you already had fifteen women. I am so proud of you, Issei.]

Issei sighed through his teeth.

[Knock it off.]

[I barely got even started. Eight more girls, Issei. Those aren't reinforcements. That's just an expansion of your harem]

[They're here to help. Strategically.]

[Strategically snuggling into your bed.]

Issei let out a groan. Albion had this figured out before anyone else did.

The only thing was how this would go down when Sona realized how her plan would go. And how Rias and the others react to this whole thing.

[Don't even kid yourself. That Sitri Girl is not leaving after this is over. That girl has just picked out her spot in this house.]

[She said this was temporary.]

[Not going to happen. When she starts living here, she is not moving out. You might as well come around on that.]

The serious tone of Albion made it clear that it was more than teasing.

[Stop beating around the bush. There is something on your mind and I want to hear it.]

A sigh, that indicated how old Albion actually was, came out and Issei perked up.

[I told you this before. Dragons are dominating forces. Where we live, we become the top of the food chain. It attracts rivals and mates. It's the ability of us. With the ones you already had in your house, there is no reason for worry.]

[Sona and her Peerage are different?]

[In the house of the Sitri girl, there is the host of Vritra. That, in itself, isn't an issue. It wouldn't have been if his host had been male. But that is not the case. Sarakawa is a woman. A woman Dragon Host but still a woman first. She has been living with the Sitri Heiress, which gave her a bond with them. Her presence is much like your own, Issei.]

The idea of Sarakawa being in the middle of a yuri harem was a pleasant image, to say the least. There was no denying that portion.

[I don't think that she's leading a harem on that. That is not the point you're getting to, right?]

[Usually, hosts are born in one specific gender. The majority of them were male throughout the eons. This is not the case here, Issei. Sarakawa is a woman and as Dragons do, they submit to the stronger Dragon around. The girl knows she can't beat hence she is not too pushing.]

[You're saying. The moment that Sarakawa makes her move, is the moment that the hold she has on the Peerage comes over to me.]

[Maybe sooner, a few might make their move. But there's no stopping that.]

[You're seriously okay with the idea of me becoming mates with another Dragon?]

[Why lament what is going to happen? Not to mention the fact that you have your old squadmates joining in. It is building, Issei.]

[In times when threats are on the horizon, the tightest bonds are made. This will end well, Issei. And I predict that it's going to be fine. Now, let's see how this moving in goes.]

Issei was about to turn back into the house but then he felt another presence around him.

His head turned around to see Sarakawa standing. She wasn't wearing her school uniform but had opted for jeans that hugged her skin while the shirt did little to hide her upper assets. Damn, that rack was so nice.

"Sarakawa." Issei greeted the subject of his conversation.

"How is the situation inside?"

There was a shy smile from the face, color on her rosy cheeks, indicating that it had been spicy.

"Reeling from the effects. As I am the only one who can probably look you in the eye, I came to apologize."

Issei let out a chuckle and raised an eyebrow.

"For what?"

"For my master. Sona-Kaichou can be a bit decisive."

Issei waved it off as the sandy-haired girl stood next to him.

"I don't fault her. Logically, she's right. The house is better secured like this. Our foe is untraceable and the city is cooking up, ready to blow. I don't agree with it all but personal feelings are to be damned at this point."

Issei noticed she stood a bit closer to him.

"Still, it might have felt like an invasion on your place."

Looking up, he raised an eyebrow.

"Not your fault. Besides, I have had worse roommates than a few pretty girls."

He smirked at the blush that went further on her face.

'You weren't wrong, Albion.'

"To tell you the truth. I'm glad that we moved in."

"Oh?"

There was a nod as she continued to talk.

"Yeah. I don't know but this place has energy. It's different than my place. And with the idea of training, it makes things more fun. And with the chaos around these parts, I need that. You still owe Sona-Kaichou a debt. You need to train me."

Then she added, quieter, "Besides… I wanted to see what made this housework."

Issei gave her a sidelong look.

"What do you think so far?"

Leaning back, the woman looked over the city.

"That is something I'm not sure about. I am still figuring this out. Especially with what I heard inside."

She leaned back, arms resting behind her on the bench.

Issei smirked as he heard that.

"Yeah, that is something we both do."

After the comfortable silence, he looked her up and down.

"So what happened inside? Or can't I hear why Sona-Kaichou and her Peerage can't look at me?"

There was a giggle in Sarakawa's voice as she recalled the events.

"Oh, you missed the whole show, Issei. Let me tell you."

Scene skip. Inside the house.

When the girls were settled in the room, the Sitri Peerage had settled in the rooms that were left open. There were a ton of those or in some cases, they bunked with some of Rias' girls.

When they were inside the house, Sona decided to hear what Rias had to say about the concept of sleeping.

"I overheard you," The Sitri Heiress glanced at the Gremory heiress. "Bed-sharing. I assume you meant that as a metaphor."

Rias blinked as Raynare grinned right next to her.

"No, I meant that literally."

Sona paused as she looked them over, the implications not yet setting in.

"You all sleep in the same room?"

Raynare was grinning next to Rias who tried her hardest not to join in.

"She's new to this all. Oh, we might get some fun out of this after all."

Rias crossed her arms as she looked defensively. "There are enough rooms in this place as you might have noticed. We all have our own. But most of us prefer to sleep in Issei's bed."

Tsubaki raised her eyebrows and Tomoe nearly fell over from that.

Reya let out a gasp.

"All of you?"

Kiba quickly coughed as he let himself out.

"Kiba isn't one of them. And Mittelt hasn't come around just yet." The Lolita Fallen Angel shrugged as she looked with interest.

"But as for the rest of us, we usually do."

Koneko added to it. "His bed's just warmer. Especially with him. And he doesn't snore."

Kalawarner nodded. "It's cozy. All of us there together. We make it work."

Sona's fingers went around her nose as she looked already exhausted.

"Would I be correct in thinking this has… romantic implications?"

The grin on Raynare widened. "Oh, Kaichou. You sweet, innocent strategist."

Akeno decided to step in. "Let's make one thing clear. Yes, we sleep in his bed but that isn't the same as sleeping with him."

Momo blinked a few times. You mean to tell me. You have a system?"

Rias nodded. "Yes, we do." As Sona folded her arms.

"Do explain."

The redhead nodded over to Raynare as she was fine with that.

"All of us have our own room. No one is forced to sleep in Issei's room. But we can and most of us do. We like being near him. emotional support, comfort, you name it."

Kalawarner cut in. "But there are also set days. Friday and Saturday as designated what we call event nights."

Sarakawa already figured out where this was going. "Event nights?"

Raynare picked up with a wink. "Intimacy. If you're in his bed, you're consenting to intercourse."

That already caused every Student Council girl to blush.

Ruruko opened her mouth "Like going all the way."

Asia nodded, not even a blush on her face.

"If you agree with that. He made it clear that consent is very important."

Sona blinked twice.

"He makes it look like he runs this, whatever this harem is, like a boardroom."

Rias shrugged on the remark. "Good agreements do wonders."

"And believe me, you don't want Issei pent up. That is just ugly for everyone involved."

Tsubaki stared at the wall.

Tomoe whispered. "What did we just move into?"

Kalawarner smirked. "Rias is the headwife for this. The schedule is kept in mind for this. And he takes part of this, himself."

Rias flipped his hair. "As you notice, we have plenty of rooms for you. And your Peerage can sleep in those. Unless they decide otherwise.

The side look made this invasion almost worth it.

"They won't."

However, the way that a few girls looked at this information, made it clear gears were turning in their heads.

Xenovia and Irina heard everything and just like the girls from the Student Council, they were red in the face, considering all that just went down.

Scene skip

How Issei made it through the entire day, he didn't know but the evening couldn't come fast enough. Laying in his bedroom, the tension hadn't left the entire place.

It had even crept into the bedroom.

His head was in the middle of where Rias and Koneko had gathered around him. His head was on Rias' lap as her fingers brushed through his hair while Koneko lay on his own. Her face turned to the side, irritation evidently marked in both women.

"I still can't believe that she moved in," Rias muttered as her tone carried a healthy dose of acid.

"You can't say that she didn't warn us," Issei murmured.

"It'd be fine for a bit but she had brought charts, chief. Charts. There is no way she's moving out after this."

Issei exhaled as his eyes stared at the ceiling instead of Rias' beautiful emerald eyes.

"I know."

"Aren't you happy about this?" The Gremory heiress asked as she tapped her fingers against his head.

"Eight more beautiful girls, some may be interested in you, all living under your roof."

"Yeah, you can see how thrilled I am." He deadpanned, making Rias' eyes twitch.

"You make a horrible liar,"

"When I don't try. And I don't do it often. We finally got this house somewhat working with all of us in this place."

He wanted to get up but Rias pushed him back on her lap with a firm hand.

"Your Peerage and my Fallen are getting along. Everything worked out. It was calm."

Koneko shifted in his lap as she sat up. "Kaichou can stay here. Why does her entire Peerage need to be here? They can handle themselves."

"I know that," Issei sighed "But she's smart. She is realizing what we are facing. And maybe…" he trailed off a bit.

"Maybe what?" Rias raised an eyebrow.

"She wants to see how we make this work."

When the pause came in, neither girl spoke before Koneko figured it out.

"She wants a piece."

Rias' hand twitched in his hair as he groaned. "Don't start. Please."

"No promises," her voice was a mix of possessiveness and suffering.

Koneko leaned against his chest. "At least, she hasn't tried to mess up our sleeping schedule."

"She will," Rias brought out darkly "But when she does, we're not listening."

"You can bet on that," Issei whispered as the heiress looked at him.

After a bit, there was a kiss on his forehead.

"But if she thinks of implementing a star chart for affection tracking, I'll destroy it."

When the door creaked open, slowly, Issei didn't need to look up. He figured out who it was.

Raynare leaned against the doorframe with her arms folded under her sizeable chest.

She was mocking the sight at one end but exhausted on the other. The latter won over.

"Room for me?" She asked.

Rias sighed as she petted the mattress beside her. "Of course, we do."

The Fallen let out a short laugh and slid in. She settled down next to Issei. One leg draped over his calves and she rested her head against his shoulders.

"Cozy," she murmured.

"Quite crowded," Issei snarked back without any bite in his voice.

"You better get used to it," Rias said in her driest tone possible. "We're in the middle of a house invasion." Another hand found the Fallen's head. Despite being so much older than Rias, Raynare let her touch the hair as she relaxed under her touch.

"Can't say that I mean this, Rias but I was fine with you and your Peerage. But this Council. It's too clean. Too polished. They look at us like they're waiting to see who slips up first."

"You aren't wrong on that," Issei added to it.

Rias looked down at him, brushing a hair from his face. "I don't think that Sona wants to play games here but her girls? They're judging you. Constantly."

Raynare's jaw tensed. "They have never seen a true battlefield. Not like what we have done."

"I can vouch that Irina and Xenovia have," Issei offered as he thought back.

Pecking him on the cheek, Raynare got closer to him.

"Issei, I don't doubt that. But still, they haven't faced something like Kokabiel. Those girls. They have no idea what they are walking into."

Issei didn't reply to the comment. There was too much going on and he didn't even have enough clarity to untangle this.

He felt the pressure of their bodies, their hearts too close, their minds too far. Raynare was right. This house was functioning. A mix of Devils and Fallen Angels had found a workable peace in the place.

But Sona's Peerage?

They were a new equation to the matter. And no one knew how to solve it.

Yet.

The room had gotten quiet but none of them had moved.

His head was still on Rias' lap, Koneko had curled over his legs while Raynare lay on his shoulder.

Then the door creaked open again. The others were entering the room.

Akeno entered the room with her usual grace, her long hair was falling like a curtain behind her back. She didn't say anything as she approached, simply looked down on the dogpile around their Dragon.

"Don't mind if I do," she said with a soft sigh.

She slipped next to Issei's head, her head resting on Rias' lap as well. There was a soft chuckle as the Queen of the Peerage laid down. Her body lay opposite of Issei's and Rias found that she missed hands to touch over all of them.

Her forehead pressed against his own.

"You feel warm," she whispered.

Asia was next as she poked her head into the room. Her green eyes widened as she looked it over.

"Oh", she murmured "Are we doing a cuddle pile?"

"It was a spontaneous thing," Rias replied "But you can come in."

Asia nodded solemnly.

Joining in with the others, she crawled in carefully and with a quiet "Excuse me," she slid herself down on Issei's stomach, above Koneko, her body lying next to Rias' hips. Now, the heiress really was missing hands to pet all of her adorable family.

"You make a good pillow," Asia mumbled.

"Lucky me," Issei said back. They weren't all gathered in the room and it would take some reconfiguring when they would go to sleep.

Kalawarner, always the teacher, had her arms crossed as well and with a skeptical look, she hovered in the doorway.

"Really? All of you here?"

"There's room for more." Raynare had cracked one eye open.

"Fine." She decided that Issei was out of reach at that point so Kalawarner laid her head on Raynare's stomach. The bluenette felt soft hands touching her hair. She didn't know if it was Issei's, Koneko's, or Raynare's and there was a hint of her that actually cared to check.

And for a moment, no one said something.

Six women, lying in the heart of a war none of them asked for. In the room, the lines between had blurred.

"I hate this," Rias finally said.

"The upcoming War?" Akeno asked as she looked up to her King.

"The invasion. The interruption. The damn alphabetized pantry."

Raynare snorted. "It's labeled by shelf. For someone who wants to stay over, she makes herself at home."

Kalawarner added, "Sitri-Kaichou probably filled a sleep schedule already."

There was a miffed growl from Rias. "I'll burn it."

Koneko's voice was muffled by Issei's leg. "Just burn her planner."

Aia turned to face Rias. "No burning."

Issei chuckled, the sound was low.

"Next person that moves into this house, I'll be installing a screening process."

"You'd just let them in any way," Akeno's smile was right next to his face.

"Yeah, probably."

The room had settled into something warm and quiet. Breathing evened out. Koneko lay comfortably, Akeno's fingers were trailing over Issei's head and Raynare was humming softly.

It was lulling them to sleep and before long, they could actually do that. But someone else had other plans.

"Hypothetically," Mittelt's voice came from the doorway.

All heads turned up to her.

Leaning against the frame, her arms were folded and there was a smirk on her face that made it look too casual.

"If there were eight more girls who decided to start sleeping in this bed, how exactly work?

The silence filled the room.

Rias sat up and only the weight of Akeno and Issei's head kept her grounded.

"Excuse me?"

Kalawarner narrowed her eyes.

"You're joking."

"Not that I want it," the Lolita girl added "Just saying that it's a possibility. With the way things are going? This house and that man attract a certain type."

Koneko's voice had a dark edge "Bold ones."

Akeno's eyes had gone cold. "I don't even have enough elbow room for five, let alone thirteen."

Raynare's head lifted from Issei's chest. "I'm not giving up my room for rookies."

Issei let out a groan as he dragged a hand down his face.

"We just came around with six in this bed. I don't want to add more. And why should we worry? There are not going to be eight more people in this bed."

Mittelt raised an eyebrow as she looked at him.

"You sure about that?"

Everyone stared at her, all with varying reactions.

Rias felt her eyes twitch. "She's not funny."

Raynare joined with the heiress. "She's playing with fire."

Koneko was about to get up. "Do that again and I'll throw you through the window."

Mittelt held her hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright! I just wanted to stir the pot before bed. See you tomorrow!"

"Why did I ever agree with this?"

Asia tucked herself back on his stomach. "Because you care about us."

Akeno brushed his cheek. "And you like warm things."

Issei's eyes went back to the ceiling. "I'm still not making room for eight more."

The bluenette smirked. "You say now."

Raynare joined with her fellow Fallen. "He'll cave. Like always. But it's not how many fit in the bed. It's about how many are circling around him."

When Mittelt had gotten back to her own room, she left behind the tension that had hung around the entire house and had now settled in the bedroom.

Raynare broke the silence in the room as she had a quiet voice.

"It's not a matter how many can fit in this bed. It's how many can circle around him." She would have spoken loud enough but something had shifted.

Outside, six girls had started to listen in. They had passed by but when they heard the conversation, curiosity got the better of them.

Reya's eyes widened as she understood the implications.

"She's talking about us."

Tomoe added whispering. "Circling around him? Like orbiting?"

Momo let out a squeak. "I'm not orbiting anything."

But inside, Kalawarner glanced over to her friend. "We already know what that feels like."

Tsubasa had her lips tight. "There is the closeness. Between them."

Ruruko hugged herself as she rocked back and forth. "This is too intimate to listen to."

Then they heard Akeno's voice.

"Three of us here already crossed that line." Rias' fingers tingled his hair as Kalawarner knew who she was talking about.

"Myself. Raynare. Asia."

There was an audible gasp from Tomoe. "Wait. They mean that line, right?"

Reya blinked as she understood the implications as well. "Asia did that?"

Momo could hardly believe that. "She's so small."

Sarakawa nodded along. "She moves quietly but she's fast."

From the bed, Issei let out a groan.

"You know that we are talking with me here, present?"

Ruruko whispered back. "He doesn't even deny it."

Raynare's voice came through with a smirk.

"You are here. And you're quiet about this because it's the truth."

Akeno's forehead went to his.

"And two of us are getting there." Rias exhaled next to the two.

"I am not going to rush."

"No one wants that from you," Issei said back.

On the other side of the door, Momo looked as if she wanted to melt through the floor.

"They talk about this like this. Like trust matters more."

Tsubasa had her arms crossed. "I think that is well. To them, it does."

There was a quiet voice from the last woman in the bed.

"I'll get there when I'm ready." Lifting his hand, Issei stroked her hair.

"Take all the time you want." The junior didn't move but she wrapped her hand around his wrist.

Asia still lay on his stomach.

"It's not about order or competition. It's about being close. In the way you want to be."

Raynare chuckled but there was no bite in it.

"We're not in a race," Kalawarner added her opinion to it.

"This is a bond. A growing one. Between all of us."

Reya felt a smile on her lips.

"That's kind of beautiful."

Sarakawa nodded along. "That's what they have built. Not just a household. A structure as well."

Akeno hummed softly to him.

"This is where every step means something."

The girls outside just continued to listen.

Momo clutched her sleeve. "And we just… moved into this."

Ruruko understood what was going on. "Yeah, and we're the guests."

"It's not just a harem. This was a choice."

Inside the room, the warmth lingered for just a bit but Raynare was again the one who shifted.

"We really can't fit more in this bed."

The White Haired Bishop of Sona clutched her chest. "They mean us."

Her companion looked into it as well. "They mean us."

"We already wake up in a tangle every morning," Kalawarner muttered.

Tomoe looked stunned. "That doesn't sound like a bedroom. It sounds like a warzone."

Ruruko was already red-faced. "Or a pile of limbs. That's worse."

"I have landed on the floor more than once," Asia mumbled.

"I tried to catch her once," Koneko added. "She nearly squashed my nose."

Sarakawa blinked as she tried to envision that. "That's a little adorable."

Tsubasa smirked a bit ."Adorable? That's lethal intimacy."

Akeno didn't know but she shared that same smile.

"There's no room for more."

Momo joined in Ruruko being flustered.

"It's chaos inside. But it's their chaos."

Rias exhaled softly as she nodded with her Queen.

"It's not physical. It's also emotional."

Reya looked down as she got it. "It's not about space."

Ruruko nodded. "It's about belonging in a place."

Issei hadn't said much. He just listened to them. It was more than hearing. It was a feeling.

Six girls had found their way to him.

Six had decided to put their fate in his hands.

They trusted him. To the Dragon, that was worth more than all the riches in the world.

"I'm not planning for eight more."

The hallway fell silent.

"That's us he means."

Momo didn't move. She couldn't. The truth was way too close to her lungs.

Inside, the mood deepened.

Rias said firmly as she looked at him.

"Good."

Raynare grinned. "Even if they're really cute?"

Kalawarner added with a laugh. "And come with strategy and spreadsheets?"

Akeno hummed with the two Fallen "Or Sacred Gears."

Tomoe got stiffed and glared at the door. "We just got name-dropped by stereotype."

Reya blinked. "Strategy. Sacred Gears? That's literary us."

Momo pressed her hands over her mouth. "They'd know we'd hear this. Right?"

Ruruko shook her head. "No. They just know how people fall."

Tsubasa folded her arms. "That's the scariest kind of answer."

Rias' voice came through.

"I'm serious." Her fingers dangled through his hair again. "We're not adding more."

Issei chuckled. "We're at full capacity."

Koneko's tail got around him. "For now."

That last part hung in the air.

It wasn't rejection. Or invitation. But just the simple truth.

Tsubasa paused for a bit. "It means that it's not impossible."

Reya choked on the implications. "That makes it somehow worse."

They were full at that point. But that didn't mean the future was already written.

Inside the room, the air settled.

They weren't pushing anyone away but they weren't asking invitations either.

Outside the room, six girls sat with that knowledge.

There were no jokes. No failing. Just stillness.

Just the awful, tender realization that they were listening to a family speak about how it was forged—quietly, painfully, intimately.

And none of them could look away from the question it left behind.

Would they ever be allowed in the room?

But then they heard the voices again.

"I already got elbowed by Rias," Koneko muttered as she looked up to her King. "I'm not adding Reya or Tsubasa in this mix."

Tsubasa got slightly amused by that. "She named us here."

Reya looked like Momo a few minutes ago. "Why me?"

Tomoe answered for all outside the room. "Because you bring chaos."

It earned a tiny chuckle from Ruruko though it didn't do much for the tension.

They heard Raynare speaking again.

"It's ours. This is ours."

All of them, every woman in that bed, agreed to that.

That didn't stop the words said by Mittelt.

No reason for that.

The idea hung in the air.

What if?

What if one of the Student Council Girls fell for Issei?

What if it happened like it did with them?

Outside, no one moved.

Sarakawa leaned against the wall.

"That wasn't meant to keep us out. It was to hold onto what they earned." The others didn't say much.

It wasn't meant to hurt anyone. It was meant to protect something.

Momo's voice was soft. "They're scared of what might change."

Tsubasa looked ahead. "So are we."

In the bedroom, it was clear they didn't want it.

But wanting and knowing were two different things.

Tomoe closed her eyes. "I didn't think it would hurt this much."

Reya nodded. "It's true though."

The voices inside had softened a bit. There was that same familiar, warm stillness.

But outside. It wasn't peaceful. It was charged.

They were a potential. They were a complication. A catalyst.

It wasn't a joke.

Not a scandal.

Not a punchline.

It was something bigger.

A warning.

An invitation.

A test.

And none of them knew yet which one it would become.

But inside the room, the silence shifted. To the dangerous kind.

"Alright, cards on the table now." Groans echoed from the bed.

"Raynare," Rias warned the Fallen Angel.

"No, no, hear me out." She shifted against Issei's side, her voice was low and dripped with trouble.

"We all say that we don't want more people in here. But what if, hypothetically, our Dear Kaichou or her girls start catching feelings for our Dragon."

From the behind the door, six girls froze.

Reya was horrified. "Oh, no."

Momo curled into a ball and began to rock. "Not card. Don't play cards.

Koneko made a sound that could have been registered as a threat.

"Hypothetically," Raynare repeated that word "How do you think that would go? Not just in sleeping in here. I meant it the other way. Sleeping with you, Issei."

If his hands weren't occupied, he would have dragged them over his head.

"Can we not talk about this?"

Tomoe's whisper came out loud. "Nope. Nope. Pull the plug. Burn this house down."

Ruruko squeaked and flattened herself to the wall. "She said it! She actually said that!"

Tsubasa was sharp-eyed as she listened in. "Let's hear this. This is where they make the final call of us."

Kalawarner added this. "Sitri-Kaichou wouldn't just jump into the bed. She'd analyze it first."

"And bring a clipboard," Asia added.

"And conduct a survey," Kalawarner went on. "Preferred positions. Emotional compatibility. Pillow allocation."

Her Peerage outside agreed wholeheartedly with this observation.

Momo, trembling, whispered into her palm, "She would. She actually would."

Tomoe, stunned: "She'd categorize emotional compatibility metrics…"

Ruruko, hugging herself, whined: "This is way too accurate."

Tsubasa, fully grinning now: "I bet she already has a color-coded flowchart somewhere."

Raynare gave her idea to the Queen.

"You know that Tsubaki would walk in as she owns this room."

Akeno giggled. "She'd probably claim the headboard", Akeno giggled.

"She'd push me off," Koneko added flatly.

Reya knew that they weren't joking. "She would."

Tsubasa nodded along. "She'd measure it for lumbar support."

Kalawarner smirked. "I think that Tomoe would challenge Akeno for the top spot."

The Queen purred on that. "I'd win."

Tomoe jolted upright. "Why am I in this?"

Momo gave her the reason. "You're terrifying."

Tomoe whispered back. "This isn't sparring!"

Raynare then thought of someone else.

"Ruruko would get flustered just hearing the word 'intimacy.'"

The Pawn in question turned even more red. "I am not flustered!" When she realized that was said, she slapped her hands in front of her mouth."

Tsubasa leaned back, absolutely amused: "Sure you're not."

Asia blinked. "Would Sarakawa even fit?"

"She'd fight for dominance," Kalawarner muttered.

The Dragon in question shrugged. "They're not wrong."

Tomoe could hardly believe her. "That doesn't mean that you can be proud of it."

Everyone turned to look at Issei, who was now staring at the ceiling like it might open up and end his suffering.

"Please tell me you are done."

The grin on Raynare's face made him want to kiss her.

"No. We haven't even discussed what Kaichou would be in bed."

A chorus of groans echoed over the place.

"I don't want to know about that," Rias muttered.

"I kind of do," Akeno didn't know that the words left her mouth. "Pretend that I didn't say that."

"Is it wrong that I am sort of curious?" Asia asked.

"Yes," Koneko replied.

Outside, the girls listened in.

Momo dropped her head between her knees. "Oh, no, please don't. Please stop talking."

Reya was deadpan. "This isn't just psychological warfare. These are war crimes."

Issei closed his eyes as Raynare pecked his cheek.

"Relax, dragon. It's all hypothetical."

But even in this, no one missed the glances.

And behind the door, every single girl noticed them too.

Sarakawa was quieter now: "They're already considering the fallout."

Momo's voice was barely audible: "So are we."

"But going back to Asia's confession." Raynare's grin widened, making the majority in the room fear for their sanity.

And all of them outside of the room, were also afraid.

"You know what they say about strict women, right?"

Tsubasa, Reya, Momo, Tomoe, Ruruko, and Sarakawa stood silent in the spill of hallway light, pressed against the wall as if they might be absorbed in it.

Reya mouthed one word. "No. No. No." over and over again.

Momo curled even deeper in herself. "Please."

Inside the room, the conversation continued but Rias shared the opinion of the girls outside.

"Please, don't."

Kalawarner wasn't adding fuel to the fire.

"No, this is an important theory. Repressed equals explosive."

Akeno chuckled, already getting what they were getting at.

"The more buttoned up they are,"

"the harder they unravel," Raynare finished.

Issei groaned. "Oh, I want to die."

Ruruko clutched on her vest. "They're talking about."

Tomoe had no color on her face. "They're talking about Sona-sama."

Inside the room, Asia lifted a hand. "So you think that Sona-Kaichou would be…"

"She'd be wild," Raynare said with a grin.

"She'd act like she'd be here for strategy," Kalawarner said, "until you touch her neck and she forgets even her own name."

Outside, Sarakawa's voice was flat. "She's not even in there. And she's still terrifying."

Tsubasa tilted her head and her eyes were narrowed with amusement. "They're not wrong."

Momo looked like she wanted to faint.

"It'd be dangerous. Like flipping a switch." Koneko said.

Rias, clearly fighting off a very unholy mental image, finally muttered, "She's my oldest friend. I don't want to think about this."

"She's my oldest friend," Rias muttered. "I don't want to think about this."

"But you are thinking about it," Akeno whispered, with a smirk on her face.

"You're picturing her glasses fogging up," Koneko said, unflinching.

Reya slapped both hands over her face, just like Rias was doing with a pillow.

Tomoe whispered as she looked in. "Is this what's like every night in here?"

Tsubasa smirked. "This would be the tame version."

Raynare began to laugh at the image. "Imagine the noise. All that pent-up control. The moment that you light that fuse, you're done."

Asia was bright red now. "I-I mean. She does keep a lot inside."

Kalawarner sighed. "She'd probably apologize when she tears off your clothes. Forgive me, I'm breaking protocol. Rip."

Akeno whispered in his ear. "You're imagining it, aren't you?"

"Lies," Issei groaned.

"Your heartbeat says otherwise, Chief." Koneko deadpanned.

Reya was now absolutely wrecked. "Do you think … that Sona-sama even thinks about that?"

Her Fellow Bishop was panicking. "Stop! My brain will melt."

Inside, Raynare grinned again. "Strict women. Once the fuse is lit."

"There is no coming back," Kalawarner finished as they shared a look.

The room burst into smothered laughter. Bodies shifted, limbs tangled and one Dragon was being steamrolled by giggles of six sexually interested girls.

In the hallway, six girls were in silent crisis mode.

Then came the creak.

That awful, slow creak of floorboards behind them.

No one breathed.

"Are you six planning to move in too?" came Tsubaki's voice, low, cold, and bone-dry.

Every head snapped around.

There she stood with her arms folded.

And behind the statuesque Queen stood their Master.

Sona.

Who was currently holding a tea tray.

She wasn't saying anything. She just stared into nothing;

Reya fainted out of self-defense.

The hallway was so damn quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Reya was still collapsed fainting and Momo started to hyperventilate.

The other four girls were frozen in place as they knew they were busted.

Sona Shitori didn't speak up, immediately. There was no reason for that.

Her eyes swept over them. She was cool, unreadable, and somehow, that was louder than anything that had been said behind the door.

Tsubaki, next to her King, folded her arms and looked them over.

"Should I see this as a reconnaissance mission or a lapse in judgment?"

Ruruko whimpered on the question while Tomoe opened her mouth.

"Lapse?" There was a feeble attempt to get out of this mess.

Tsubasa had recovered and she cleared her throat.

"To be fair, they weren't wrong."

Sona shifted the tray in her hands and stepped past them all, the epitome of calm and deliberation.

"I'll be in the kitchen. Please try not to further compromise the integrity of my reputation."

Tsubaki followed her King.

"I advise you that you would get some sleep. If you all can get it in your head to rest."

The six girls in the hallway knew enough to pick themselves up and find themselves an unused spare room.

Sleeping was out of the question now and so they all gathered around in a loose circle around the floor.

No reason to turn a light on. They could see well enough without. The atmosphere was a mix of trauma, disbelief, and something that they couldn't explain.

Not even twenty-four hours in this house and the entire dynamic had completely shifted.

And now, they had to deal with the very real fallout.

"I can't believe that I heard that," Momo whispered as she got a pillow in front of her face, hoping that it'd absorb the shame that she was feeling.

Her fellow Bishop was red in the face. Whether it was from horrification or embarrassment, that couldn't be said. "I'm never going to unhear this."

"You were the one who fainted", Tomoe reminded her flatly.

"Out of self-preservation," Reya hissed back.

Ruruko's cheeks were still glowing. "They were talking about Sona-Kaichou. Like that."

The Knight of the Peerage shook her head. "Not just her. They were talking about all of us."

The Rook looked remarkably calm. "And?"

"And?" The White-Haired Bishop yelped. "They said that she'd fog up her own glasses and break protocol in bed!"

The youngest turned green from that. "Stop, please I'm going to get sick."

Tsubasa added fuel to the fire. "I think that they're not completely wrong."

Reya buried her face in her hands. "Please, stop. You're making it worse."

Tomoe flopped on the carpet in the room. "I didn't even know that people could say something like that. And keep a straight face."

Momo was next. "They already did it. With him. And more than once."

Sarakawa shrugged as she spoke.

"Three have. Two are getting there. Koneko is taking her time. They're coordinated."

At that point, the room went silent.

Tsubasa spoke, her voice was light but it was tinged with curiosity.

"Do you think that Sona-Kaichou is that repressed?"

"YES!" Four voices said at once.

Ruruko squeaked. "She'd implode. Like, polite devastation. Tactical carnage."

Reya sighed as her hands covered her face. "I didn't even realize it could be like that. And now, I can't stop thinking about what she would sound like."

The silence that followed next was terrible.

With Momo being the one to whisper. "Do you think that she'd make a checklist?"

"Yes," they all agreed at once.

Sarakawa stood up, shaking her head. "We need some sleep. Before someone of us ends up with a weird dream of Issei Hyoudou."

Ruruko whimpered. "Too late."

Scene skip

Downstairs, the boiler was done and Sona went to grab it, pouring hot water into the teapot. She had made a new one, more out of habit as she didn't want to think about the mess.

The elegance wasn't natural but she could make it seem like it was.

The clinical precision was practiced but underneath, she was hiding the raging storm inside.

Tsubaki had her arms crossed as she watched her King at work. Her expression was a mix of quiet amusement and existential dread.

They didn't speak. They had been friends for so long that it was not required.

When Sona set the pot down, she was very calm.

"I had a plan."

Her dutiful Queen raised an eyebrow.

"Did that plan include six members of your Peerage camping outside a bedroom door, listening to intimate conversations of their emotional future?"

Sona didn't bother looking up. "No."

"Did it involve one of your Bishops fainting on the remark of 'Fogged-up glasses'"?

"That would be no as well."

Tsubaki sighed, watching the steam from the pot. The previous one had gone cold as they had been looking for the Peerage.

"You moved into this house, less than a day ago."

"I'm aware of that fact, Tsubaki."

"And we are already seeing six hormonal young women -one of them another Dragon- losing themselves over one boy?"

Sona's mouth twitched when she heard that.

"I moved us here to help out. To prevent the city from collapsing on itself."

"And how did that work out for us?"

"And instead, I have made it worse because I've introduced conflicting proximity variables into an already unbalanced ecosystem."

Her Queen couldn't stop blinking. "You're calling this teenage harem a habitat?"

Sona snapped to her Queen. "It was supposed to be stable." Then she lowered her voice as she took a sip.

"It was a controlled plan."

"Controlled? Kaichou, you put eight high-school girls in this house as the Hakuryuukou. That is not control. That is a fire that is waiting to spiral."

"I underestimated their reaction time. I hadn't considered they would fall this quickly."

"You mean their hormones?" Tsubaki shot back as she took a sip.

Normally, she'd be reacting but Sona let Tsubaki talk like that. It kept her grounded. That was a healthy thing.

"That too."

"You know how Dragons are, Sona." It was rare that Tsubaki addressed her by the first name. It was only done when things were serious.

"I have Sarakawa reincarnated longer than we have known Issei Hyoudou."

"Yes, but Sarakawa is a girl. There's a difference. Besides." There was a sip.

"You are part of this ecosystem."

Sona didn't answer. That was enough for her Queen to know.

"Noted." Tsubaki Shinra didn't smirk. Never did that. But the corners of her lips tugged upwards.

Sona took a deep breath.

"We need to contain this. Emotional containment. Discipline. Compartmentalization."

Tsubaki shook her head.

"That is not going to work, Kaichou. You can try all you want but no matter how many plans you make for this, you might keep this in mind."

"What would that be?"

"It's our first night here. And aside from Sarakawa, none have seen him shirtless yet.

The silence wasn't awkward yet. It was just waiting for Sona to waiting to make a change on this.

Sona Shitori, a woman who believes in strategies and logic, began to frown.

Then she let out the words, "He trains shirtless."

Tsubaki blinked at first, then sighed.

"From what Sarakawa and Akeno told me, yes, he does."

"It must be for battle. Training. Tactical flexibility. Ventilation." Tsubaki stared at Sona muttering.

How much the heiress tried, the image was forming in her head. And damn, didn't it look delicious.

Her pinky twitched.

She lifted her teacup with too much care.

She took a sip and didn't speak.

Tsubaki was growing way too casual.

"You are imagining it. The idea of Issei Hyoudou, half-naked. Training. Sweaty. Focused."

"That would be inappropriate that I have that idea of Rias' Fiancée?"

"That doesn't mean that you aren't thinking of it."

Sona looked back at her Queen.

"What about you?"

The long-haired woman laid her head back on the couch as she began to think about it.

She was part of this ecosystem and if there was one thing that Tsubaki had learned, it was better to go along with the flow.

"That's for me to know, Kaichou."

Scene skip

The room of Sarakawa was dark, despite the moonlight filtering through.

She hadn't moved in an hour since she got back.

Her arms were behind her head, staring up at the ceiling.

It didn't hold the answers she wanted as they were already in her head.

Her heart had slowed back to normal.

She kept her breathing steady.

But her mind was racing so fast.

The whole conversation. The laughter behind it. The implications.

She couldn't help but think of him. Of all the girls in the Student Council, she had been around Issei Hyoudou the most.

And if the Exorcists hadn't shown up, she'd have even more time with him.

[You're quiet.] A voice came from within her. It was deep and ancient. Vritra had been there.

His host didn't respond immediately.

Her jaw clenched when she finally let up.

[They were talking about us.]

[I noticed that.]

[You knew of the whole thing.]

There was some amusement. Like he was laughing.

[Whatever you feel, I feel.]

There was a deep breath.

[Why didn't you come out then?]

[What good would that have done? I doubt you would have listened to me. Maybe, it'd be called interference. Or ego. I had to let you experience this on your own, Sarakawa.]

The silence stretched for a bit. She couldn't deny it. She couldn't deny whatever she was feeling for Issei Hyoudou.

Her body was reacting to the Hakuryuukou. She shivered. There was a tightness in her stomach.

[You had a hold on your peers when you got reincarnated and I came out. Call it what you want. Power. Presence. An unconscious force. The dominance was in you without ever needing to assert it.]

Sarakawa hadn't moved.

[It was what we do, partner. Dragons do it.]

The tension grew in her spine.

[It was a natural thing.]

The voice of Vritra was almost gentle.

[Of course, it did. You were the Dragon among your group. Even without trying, they'd follow you.]

Then he paused and began to explain to her what occurred.

[But now, you're not the strongest Dragon around.]

That was a hard pill to swallow for the girl.

[It was what you felt at the Door. What you experienced there. It's not curiosity. Nor confusion. You feel a pull. Gravity. That presence. It shifted something in you. In all of you."

[I don't get it. We have been around him for weeks. At the school. With the whole thing. Why do we feel it now when we never had this before?]

There was a chuckle from the Dragon in her.

[Two reasons for that. One. You moved in with him. You had been around him but now, it's past close proximity. It's exposure to him. Had you never done that, you would have stayed away. But by moving into his territory. You didn't have a chance.]

There was a slow nod.

[And what is the other reason?]

The tone of her partner shifted. It grew serious and dark.

[You're standing at the edge of the biggest conflict that you have yet faced. A Cadre. The Rogue Priest. The Excalibur Fragments.]

His voice echoed through her entire body.

[That threat brings clarity. By moving in with him, you added on that. Your instincts awakened.]

Closing her eyes, she began to think.

[It would always end this way.]

[You just needed the right circumstances. The house. The conflict. And him.]

For a moment, Vritra paused.

[You don't choose him. You choose where you survive.]

He was right. Sarakawa knew that. All of them felt it at the door. And this was the first day. It would only grow worse from here.

Her voice was quiet as she addressed her partner again. It wasn't out of fear but uncertainty. The ground beneath her was unstable.

Her partner didn't gloat. He waited until she had formulated her thoughts.

[How does it work? That hold you mentioned.]

[It's not a spell. It's something you do without even thinking. It's something you have. You carried it. It's the natural dominance of a Dragon. And as a Dragon, you didn't do it in a romantic fashion. It happened over the Peerage of your Master. Your flame burned the hottest.]

[It never changed during my time.]

[Because you never intended it to change. But now. You met someone stronger. A Dragon that you know is stronger than you. And not only that.]

Sarakawa knew what Vritra meant.

[He's not just stronger. He's also male.]

[And that changes the entire equation. It didn't displace your hold. It was redirected.]

The woman swallowed when she understood that.

[The others?]

[They felt the same thing. And they're not fighting it.]

She knew.

None of them had objected.

None had looked disturbed.

If anything, they'd leaned into it.

[I wasn't doing it on purpose. The hold I had. Or hand it over.]

[That is not what you did, Sarakawa. You recognized him. And once you have done that, it shifted. Dragons don't share power. They pass it. To those who prove themselves worthy.]

Covering a hand over her face, she wasn't embarrassed by it. She knew it. It was a surrender. Submitting.

But she liked that part.

[It's not weakness.] The voice from Vritra continued to speak to her.

[It's your instinct. You are no less a Dragon than yesterday, simply because you fell for a male. It was how things are with us.]

[And I don't regret it. Neither do the others. They felt the same thing.]

Vritra didn't say anything. He knew who she meant.

[They already started to come around.]

She remembered how rattled Reya was. How Momo was trembling but fascinated. Ruruko was blushing but it bled into conviction. Tomoe protested but she was drawn. Tsubasa who remained steady.

[They're already on the path.] It was more for herself than for her partner.

Vritra's voice came through. It was low, smooth, and amused.

[They've felt the heat of his fire. Even if they try to turn away, they'll come to seek it again.]

It was like the final piece of the puzzle slid into her head.

[It leaves two.]

[My master, Sona-Kaichou. And Tsubaki. They're unclaimed]

Vritra chuckled

[Not for long. They're slower. Calculated. But they are not immune. Like the others, they'll come around]

Sarakawa had a smile on her face on that idea.

[And the others?] She asked about the ones who were already in his room. Rias, Akeno, Raynare, Asia, Kalawarner, Koneko.

[They already submitted.]

[But they don't admit it.]

Her partner agreed with her.

[They believe that they chose him. Not the other way around.]

Sarakawa understood it now. Letting out a laugh, she relaxed.

[Is this how it always goes with Dragons?]

[With my Kind. Always, Sarakawa. You are a rarity. You're born female. That makes it rare. But when you are, the only ones you submit to are male Dragons.]

She stared at the ceiling again. It was different now. She wasn't afraid anymore. Or unsettled.

Everything was starting to make sense. Too much sense.

But that made the next question obvious.

[Will he even accept them?] She asked.

The question was a genuine one.

Vritra's voice came through.

[He doesn't have to try to accept them. The bond forms because of who he is. And when it forms, it changes them. He won't need to chase. They'll step forward.]

[But all of us? Even my master? Tsubaki?]

[As I mentioned. They'll try to rethink it. Calculate risks. Rationalize it. Or resist it. It'll be futile.]

Flopping back on the pillow, she let a smile run over her face.

In less than one day, her entire life had been turned upside down. And for once, it felt like something great.

Scene skip

Momo Hanakai lay in her bed with the covers pulled up to her chin. Her eyes were wide open and she stared into the darkness.

Her brain wouldn't shut up.

Not after that.

Not after hearing things that she was absolutely not supposed to hear.

And especially not after the part about her master breaking protocol.

Her face began to glow red as she thought about it all as she clamped a hand over her mouth.

Momo didn't dare to say a word in the hallway but internally, she was screaming.

Worst of all was the fact that it wasn't crude. It wasn't vulgar.

It was intimate.

They talked about what they felt, and what they trusted. The choices they made.

The teasing and laughter couldn't hide the fact that whatever they had. It was real. Something fulfilled.

Something that Momo couldn't stop thinking about.

The worst part of this, for the Bishop, was the fact that she understood this.

It wasn't just the fact that she began to get how Issei Hyoudou was.

There wasn't a way how he carried himself, the weird charm around him.

It was the pull that she felt around him. Being near him made her so warm.

It had been noticeable at school. But now, living in his house.

He was everywhere.

The things that Momo wouldn't even consider were now simmering.

She buried her face in her pillows. How was she supposed to face him tomorrow?

Scene skip

Reya Kusaka sat on her bed. The blanket was untouched and it was damn silent in her room.

Her hands folded in her lap, white knuckles as she pressed in the fingers.

She hadn't moved on this spot when they got back in their room.

She was reeling from the whole interaction.

They said her name inside.

They actually said her name.

Not in an offhand way.

Not just the Student Council.

Her.

In the context of his bed.

Reya covered her mouth as she found herself thinking back on the memory.

"I already got elbowed by Rias. I'm not adding Reya or Tsubasa into the mix."

That moment made the change.

It wasn't a mockery.

It was acknowledging her. That she had a possibility.

And now, Reya had no idea what she had to do with that.

The Bishop had been composed. That was in her.

But after that night.

She overheard six women, wrapped around one Dragon and speak about him as if he were their axis.

He wasn't a joke.

He wasn't a prize.

He was the center of their world.

Reya began to understand.

The heat was blooming under her ribs. She couldn't fight it. She had fainted when Sona found them but was it out of mortification of being caught or the heat too much to stand?

She whispered aloud.

"They weren't wrong."

And the truth hit like gravity.

It wasn't the fear of being laughed at.

It was the fear of being included. Of her want of being next to him.

Reya had no idea how she had to deal with that.

Scene skip

Unlike Momo, Reya, or Sarakawa who were on their bed, thinking about the events, Tomoe Meguri marched around the room.

Her steps were measured and short. Her arms were crossed and her eyes were locked on the floor.

It wouldn't be able to stop the spinning of her body while her mind followed along.

There were many things that she could brace for.

A future Rating Game.

A political marriage.

Or a Student Council Campaign.

But not what she experienced not even an hour ago.

Not the way how the girls of the Occult Research Club thought of them.

"Tomoe would challenge Akeno for the top spot."

"Oh, I'd win."

She should've laughed.

She should've rolled her eyes and called it ridiculous.

But there was no way that she could do that.

Something had snapped in her.

Akeno hadn't denied it.

It was as if they spoke that she and the others belonged there. Like they'd fight for a place next to Issei Hyoudou.

As if it wasn't impossible.

As if it was anticipated.

It made her angry. Because how dare they say that like a joke? As if it was inevitable.

But what made it worse was the fact that they were right.

Because Tomoe felt that tug. As if Issei Hyoudou had a weight that pulled her close. It wasn't flirtation. No, she'd know that.

It was recognition.

It was only much harder to ignore, especially with the heat.

It wasn't supposed to be like this but yet, here she was.

Scene skip

From all six in the room, Tsubasa Yura wasn't rattled.

At least, that was what she told herself as she did much like what Sarakawa did. Look to the ceiling and hope that it could give her an explanation.

But that wasn't the case.

She wasn't disturbed by it. Or shaken. She was analyzing.

It was how she functioned.

But tonight, she had watched the entire situation unfold like a puzzle -one that she wasn't meant to solve, but one that she accidentally walked in on.

The voices behind the door were raw, honest, and unfiltered.

But they weren't foolish. They were deliberate.

The moment her name was brought up.

"I'm not adding Reya or Tsubasa into the mix."

She didn't bristle.

She processed.

It wasn't meant to as a word of malice. Or as a way to exclude her. It was said because she was seen as a possibility.

Something that she couldn't ignore or file away.

When she could look others in the eye, she'd ask them if they felt the pull.

It wasn't the words or laughter.

It was something in the center. Issei Hyoudou.

The way they revolved around him without losing themselves.

The way he held them without holding them back.

Tsubasa felt something that she hadn't gotten in a long time. Uncertainty.

She wasn't afraid of it but she wasn't sure if she liked it.

Because there was no telling how this would end. Somewhere she knew though.

There was one way it'd go down.

Scene skip

The youngest of Sona's Peerage, Ruruko Nimura was lying in her bed. But curled up underneath her blankets in the fetal position, her face was buried under layers of fabric. It muffled the noises that she made underneath them.

"Aaaaahhhnnnn—why did I go with them—aaaaaaah—why did I listen—"

She kept on trashing before her body forced her to stay still.

Her cheeks were bright red. It wasn't out of embarrassment.

It was the whole package.

The conversation.

The laughter.

The fogged glasses.

The part where her name came up.

The part where they said she'd get flustered at the word intimacy and she did.

She whimpered in her blanket.

"They know me."

That in itself wasn't the worst part.

They hadn't mocked her. Or any of the other girls.

It was done as if it was going to happen.

That made it worse than teasing.

Because no one could brush it off.

In her chest, there was a warm, fluttering feeling. Something that she couldn't name.

She was flustered.

Because she had thought about it.

Because she had thought about him.

She could see why so many girls liked him.

They trusted him.

And the terrifying part. She wanted to be in that part as well. Burying her face in the pillows, she groaned.

"I'm in so much trouble…"

And somewhere in her flustered little soul?

She didn't hate that feeling one bit.

---

This was quite some fun to write this out and get all things done. It's funny though. Usually, I move quite fast in my fics and now, it has taken forever to move along in the fic. Planting seeds as I'd put it.

I'm just waiting for the green light but I hope you all enjoyed this.

Saluut.