Bab 51: Breaking
"Rias! Akeno! Sona! Tsubaki! What the hell happened?!" Elros yelled. He quickly pulled out the Phoenix Tears. He bounded over to them, giving each of them a drop. Their wounds healed in an instant, but they remained cover in blood, dirt, and grime. None of them dared to look him in the eye.
"E-e-e-Elros…" Rias stammered. Every time she looked at him and saw the worry and terror in his eyes, she felt her heart crack into another piece. Not only did they lie to him, but they made him worry on top of that, a responsibility they forced him to bear.
"I'll ge–" Elros began before Rias ran into him, hugging him close and tight and crying into his chest. Elros returned the hug tighter than ever, kissing her head. He pulled the others in as well, kissing their heads and whispering loving, kind words to them.
"Tell me who did this. I'm going to slaughter them," Elros growled.
"I-it's our fault," Rias cried. Elros felt their tears seep through their shirt; whatever it was affected them significantly.
"Tell me what happened," Elros said, leading them out onto the balcony. He conjured a sofa for them all to sit on and sat across them, an intense look on his face. The girls took a while to finally look up at him, and when they did, fresh tears began streaming down their cheeks. Their hearts beat like never before, and they felt their nerves threatening to burst. Finally, Rias started.
"It was Maze," Rias said.
"Maze? Why would Maze do this?!" Elros asked, shocked. Sure, she could fly off the handle, but she didn't really have a problem with the girls. In fact, the only time she had really spoken to one of them – Rias – was during his meetings with suitors.
"She found out…" Rias said.
"Found out what?" Elros asked, frowning.
"We've been lying to you," Akeno finished, lip trembling.
"Lying to me? About what?" Elros asked, his eyes narrowing a bit. "What do you mean?"
"Do you remember that trip we took to Disneyland?" Sona asked.
"Yeah…" Elros said.
"Do you remember we told you we went shopping?" Tsubaki asked.
"Yeah. You didn't?" Elros asked.
"No," Rias said, biting her lip hard. "We went to Death Valley. To your home."
Elros was silent, trying to process what Rias just told him.
"What?" Elros asked quietly, hardly believing them.
"We lied to you," she said, her lip trembling as she spoke. We didn't go shopping. We went to your home. We met this old couple who said–"
"WHAT?!" Elros roared at her. Rias shrunk under his gaze. She had never seen Elros angry, and certainly never at her. She tentatively moved closer and grabbed his shirt with trembling hands, not sure how to proceed.
"Don't be mad. Please," Rias said, tears streaming down her cheeks. After a moment, Elros took her hands and removed them from his shirt.
"Don't touch me," he said coldly. Rias flinched at the tone of his voice as well as the words; she would've preferred a slap, but he seemed to know what to say to hurt her most. "Why?"
"Why? Why what?" Rias asked fearfully.
"Why WHAT?!" Elros said, yelling the second word. "What the hell do you think? Why any of it, Rias?!"
She gulped as and tried to collect her thoughts. Akeno, Sona, and Tsubaki just seemed to be frozen on the spot. They weren't used to seeing him visibly angry. They wanted to step in and remove some of the pressure from Rias but were unsure of what to do or say. Akeno felt her heart beating angrily against her chest; she dreaded what he might say next.
"W-w-we just wanted to learn more about you," Rias said in pitiful earnest. "We thought–"
"That hey, your dad already did a background check into his life, what's a little more invasion of privacy? At least he had the courtesy to be upfront about it," Elros said viciously. "I thought you four trusted me?" They flinched as they heard the hurt in his voice.
'FUCK! I should've thought about what it would like if he found out!' Rias screamed at herself. She only considered how angry he would be for lying to him, never how he'd feel if he thought that they didn't trust him.
"We do trust you!" Akeno interjected, rushing forward and hugging him. "We're so sorry, Elros. We jus–"
"Just what?" Elros asked, his arms limp at his side. His gaze passed from Rias to Sona to Tsubaki, each of whom averted it as quickly as they could. "Help me understand what the fuck you wanted to do!"
"We just wanted to know more about you. I promise! That was it!" Sona said.
"Then you could've fucking asked," Elros snarled. "You're telling me that you fucking fought Maze so you could keep lying to me?! How the hell did you even wind up thinking that was a good idea in the first place? You thought that as long as I didn't find out, it'd be fine? So long as you could keep lying, it'd be alright? Hey, if we beat Maze, we can keep lying to our boyfriend. Because that's apparently such a good idea!"
"I didn't want to risk..." Rias began before trailing off. She feared giving the words form. With a cold glance, Elros suddenly just walked out.
The girls just looked on, staring at the door Elros left through. His reaction was worse than they expected. They thought that he might yell at them more, call them names, curse them out. Instead, he gave them a cold, unloving look and just left. Rias felt a seismic shift in their relationship, one that she wasn't sure they could recover from. Her breathing grew labored until, the next thing she knew, she had collapsed on his bed with the others, each crying themselves to sleep.
"Elros!" Gasper exclaimed, rushing him. Elros quickly recomposed himself, hugging the vampire.
'It's on them. Not anyone else. Remember that,' Elros told himself. "Hey, little buddy. What's goin' on?"
"I'm gonna go train! Do you wanna come?!" Gasper asked.
"Ah, sorry but I can't right now. You go on ahead, though. If I get the time, I'll drop by later, alright?"
"Alright. But where are you going?" Gasper asked.
"Just around the territory for a bit. Bürent and Marion gave me some good advice in case I start my own peerage. I'm gonna go visit a few places now," Elros said.
"Okay! Have fun!" Gasper said, giving him one more hug before running off. Elros smiled as he watched Gasper run off.
"Good on you, kid," he whispered before continuing. He hadn't gone far when he ran into Bürent.
"He-" Bürent began when Elros suddenly kissed her. She was surprised but took it in stride, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him in deeper. Elros soon had her against the wall, his hands descending down her body. When they finally broke it, she gave him a seductive look.
"What was that for?" Bürent asked.
"Mostly because I love you and I love kissing you," Elros said.
"Works for me. Guess you don't really need a reason, though," she giggled. "What's up?"
"Just about to head out into the Gremory territory, see if I can't find anyone interesting to join my peerage. Might be counting my chickens a bit early, though," Elros said.
"I think you're fine. Why not ask Rias to give you a tour?" Bürent asked. She saw him frown for a second before he smiled back at her.
"Na. I think I can find my way around alright," Elros said. "Then, going to head out to train until my fight."
"You sure you don't need more rest?" Bürent asked, frowning.
"I'm good to go. I'll see you around, sweetheart," Elros said, kissing her cheek and taking off.
"Hey, Bella. What's up?" Elros asked as the call came in.
'I just wanted to thank you for the date last night. I had so much fun,' Yubelluna said. Despite his situation, Elros couldn't help but smile at the gratitude and joy in her voice.
"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet, sweetheart. Plenty more where that came from. Besides, if anything, I should be thanking you. You looked so beautiful. I can probably draw you from memory right now," Elros said.
'You're sweet. I won't take up too much of your time right now. Bürent told me what you're doing. Best of luck,' she said.
"Thanks. I'll drop by your room when I get back. Love you," Elros said.
'Love you, too,' Bella said, smiling.
"Now let's see here…" Elros trailed off. This was only the second time he had been in the territory at large, and that first time was with Rias. As he thought of her, the color drained from his face. He quickly pushed her out of his mind and continued on his way. Here and there, he'd be stopped by someone for an autograph or photo, all of whom he acceded to. Finally, tired, he ducked into a restaurant.
"Mr. Eärendil! What brings you here?" the maître d' asked, surprised to see him.
"Just a bit of a breather. If I knew I was so famous around here, I'd have worn a mask or something. You wouldn't happen to have a table with some privacy, would you?" Elros asked.
"But of course! Follow me!" she said. She quickly led Elros through the tables, beyond a pair of sliding French doors, into a secluded back room. The maître d' led Elros to the back of the room, near large windows that offered a beautiful view of the forest that lay within the territory. She left Elros a menu and got him some water before leaving him to his thoughts. Safe at last, Elros stretched back.
"Fancy meeting you here," he heard someone say. To his surprise, Barbara Minerva was just a couple of tables away with some friends.
"Barbara! What brings you here?" Elros asked.
"Just wanted to grab a bite with some friends of mine," she said, waving at the people at her table. There was an even split of men and women. Some eyed Elros with distaste, but Barbara gave him a charming smile. "What about you? Hiding out?"
"Oh yeah. Who woulda thought that I'd need to get inside for some fresh air?" Elros asked.
"Where's Rias?"
"Back home," Elros said.
"Akeno? The others?"
"Same with them. Just wanted to check out the territory on my own. If I win that fight with Yama, I hear I'll be getting one myself," Elros said.
"What?" Barbara asked, surprised.
"Yup. I'll become an Ultimate-Class Devil if I win."
"You can't be serious! You?" One of her friends asked, a slight snarl in his voice.
"Earnest, my man. Just gotta win," Elros said, stretching. "Probably gonna spend the rest of the week training."
"You only just became a Devil at all! You're still a Low-Class, Reincarnated Devil! What makes you so special?" Another man asked. Barbara sighed and leaned back, running a hand through her hair.
"Chill, guys," she said soothingly.
"You can't be on the same page here, Barbara!" one of the men said. "You agree with this?"
"I don't really care, to be honest. Elros is tough, so if they think he's ready, he's ready," she said.
"A Lowborn…" the man said, growling.
"If you got a problem with me, lay it out, big boy. Otherwise, fuck off," Elros said in an uncharacteristically cold tone. He wasn't in the mood to deal with any assholes right now.
"Why you–" the man growled, starting to get up. Barbara quickly pushed him back down, sighing.
"Sorry about them," she said earnestly.
"Not your fault," Elros said, smiling. "Care to join?"
"I'd love to," she said, moving over to his table. Her friends didn't know what to say; awkwardly, they returned to their own meal.
"So, what's a nice girl like you doin' in a place like this?" Elros asked, looking askance at the other table. Barbara just giggled and leaned forward, resting her face in her hands.
"Lookin' for that right guy, I guess," she said. "But seriously, I'm surprised to see you hear without Rias."
"Why's that?" Elros wondered.
"I got the feeling you two didn't spend much time apart," she said.
"Good guess. But, we all need our alone time now and then," Elros said.
"I suppose. Good for me, at least. This conversation wouldn't even have started if Rias was here," Barbara said.
"I'm curious about that myself," Elros said. "You two don't seem to get along too well. You steal her crush or something?"
"I'll be honest, I thought Rias was asexual for the longest time. She never showed interest in a guy when we were in grade school or middle school, and high school was single-sex until they started allowing guys last year," Barbara laughed. "Probably has to do with the fact that I stopped going and starting doing my own thing and she can't."
"You don't have to head your family or whatever?" Elros wondered.
"I do, but I can do more than one thing at a time. Unlike Rias, apparently," Barbara said. "Enough about her, though. I'm way more interested in you."
"I am pretty fascinating, aren't I?" Elros asked smugly.
"No one likes a braggart," Barbara said, smirking.
"You do," Elros said.
"What makes you think that?"
"… Well, you challenged Rias to a duel to go out with me, sooo…"
"Ha. Good point," Barbara giggled. "How do you know I didn't do it just to piss her off?"
"Have you seen me?!" Elros asked incredulously.
"Mhm. Yum," Barbara said, smirking. "Fine. It was half/half, then."
"Hey, works for me," Elros chuckled.
"Rias is gonna be pissed when she finds out you're talking to me without her," Barbara said.
"She's got problems with you, I don't. Personally, I admire the archaeological work you've done. You're just my age, but you've accomplished a helluva lot."
"Benefits of being a Devil. My families loaded, so it's a lot easier for me. I try not to let it get to my head," Barbara said.
"Modest as well, apparently. I'm sure you'll find the right guy soon enough," Elros said. The waiter soon came in, and Elros placed his order.
"Wow. Chicken strips and fries. Seriously?" Barbara asked lamely.
"Damn right. You can stick with your high falutin foodstuffs with the unpronounceable names. I'll stick with real food," Elros said.
"Fine, fine," she said, smiling. "Besides, to your last point, I think I've already found the right guy."
"Oh?" Elros asked, looking at the other table.
"Wrong table," she said in a sing-song voice.
"Sorry, but I'm already taken," Elros said.
"Not exclusively, Mr. Harem," she said. "Besides, I think we'll have our date soon enough."
"What do you mean?"
"Oh, did Rias not tell you?" Barbara asked with a smirk. "Well, I really wanted that date with you – and can you blame me? – so I visited Rias to make her an offer. Well, let's just say that she accepted. So I'm dueling her and Elizaveta for a date with you."
"I know you challenged her at the meetings, but she didn't accept," Elros said.
"What are you talking about? We already negotiated terms," Barbara said.
Elros sat in stunned silence. This was the first he had heard any of it, from anyone. He felt his blood boil at being used as the prize for something he didn't even get a say in.
"I see," he said, managing to keep his voice calm. "I didn't know about that at all."
"That's a surprise. I thought Rias would've told by now. I didn't tell her to keep it a secret or anything. And I heard what Elizaveta said to her during the suitor meetings, so…" Barbara said, trailing off.
"Huh. Guess I'll talk to Rias about it when I get back," Elros said. "What did you offer her?"
"An artifact I found on one of my digs. The bets are pretty simple. She wins the match, she gets the artifact and access to part of Elizaveta's territory. I win, I get access to the territory and a date with you. Elizaveta wins, she gets a date with you and the artifact," Barbara said.
"What kind of artifact?"
"That's a secret I'm afraid," Barbara said, smiling. "Rias doesn't know either, only that it's kind of like a Sacred Gear. I try to stay out of the Underworld as much as possible, so it doesn't have much value for me. Politics is far more important to her than it is to me."
"When's the duel?"
"She didn't tell you that, either?" Barbara asked, raising a brow. "Two days after yours. It's not an official duel, though, which is why none of us are required to keep the terms secret. I'm genuinely surprised she didn't you, Elros."
"Probably not more surprised than I am," Elros said with a slightly pained smile.
"Sorry. You really interest me, though. It's why I didn't mind meeting you. I didn't really see another way to make this happen, so…" Barbara trailed off. "If I win, and you don't want to ever see me again, I don't mind. I hope you're not too angry."
"Just enough," Elros said coolly. "I thought after my duels, I'd get a little bit of peace and quiet."
"Not when you're a Devil," Barbara said.
"Tell me about it," Elros sighed. His food finally came out. He offered some to Barbara, who gladly took a few fries.
"Do you hate me now?" Barbara wondered.
"Hate's a strong word. I think it's more accurate to say that being used as a prize is pretty annoying and a pain," Elros said.
"I get that," Barbara said.
"I'm not sure you do," Elros said cuttingly. Barbara stared at Elros in silence for a moment.
"You're right," she finally said. "It was a selfish thing to do. But I don't regret doing it."
"You might before it's all over," Elros said in a low voice. "But that's neither here nor there for now. So, I'm caught in the center of this. Jeez, Issei would love to be in this position."
"You don't?"
"Not in this way, no," Elros said, rubbing his face. "Ah, fuck it. I can't deal with this right now. I'm just gonna enjoy my food. Don't bother with this dueling stuff for now."
"Mind if I stay until you finish?"
"Your call," Elros shrugged. He kept eye contact with her as they ate. As the minutes droned on, Barbara felt a slight blush coming to her cheek. As he started on his last strip, she finally turned away, her cheeks red.
"Ha. Loser. You blinked," Elros said, smirking.
"Asshole," she sighed. "That was intense. Can't wait to see what else you have in store."
"You just might find out. See you around, Barbie," Elros said.
"Barbie?" Barbara asked, surprised.
"Your new nickname," Elros said.
"I fucking hate it with Rias calls me that, and I hate it just as much when you do," she growled.
"Perfect. Now I know it'll stick. That, or Barbossa," he chirped.
As soon as he left, Elros opened a portal to Rias' room. She was sitting against the backboard of her bed, her knees hugged against her chest. As she felt his presence, her head snapped up. She quickly bounded off and rushed him. As she got close, though, Elros held her at bay. To her surprise and terror, there was nothing but ice in his eyes.
"E-Elros. What is it?" Rias asked fretfully.
"I just ran into Barbara. You used me as a wager for some artifact?" Elros asked in a low tone. Rias felt her heart drop like a boulder down a hill.
"I–" she began.
"Yes or no?" Elros asked.
"Yes," Rias said, gulping. Elros just stood there, silent. "I can–"
"I fought for you because there was no other way," Elros said, cutting her off. "This wasn't even an official duel. You could've just said no. To Barbara & Elizaveta."
Rias was silent.
'He's right,' she thought, gulping. 'I used him as a bargaining chip.'
"I…" Rias began before stopping. She didn't know what to say. She sufficed to say: "I'm so sorry!"
"You know, I never really felt like a pawn in your peerage until now," Elros growled. The words cut Rias to the core; she would've felt better had he slapped her. As the tears flowed, Rias wasn't sure what to say or do.
"I'm so fucking sorry, Elros!" she finally said, lunging forward and hugging him tightly. Elros felt her cry into his chest, her tears seeping through his shirt.
"If you were, you wouldn't have taken the bet in the first place. You should know, better than anyone, how it feels to be used as a prize. I'm disappointed in you Rias. I took those fights to get you out of a situation like that. Why the hell would you put me in one?" Elros demanded, pushing her off. The tears just streamed down her cheeks; Rias felt her knees weaken a bit, but she tried to keep herself steady.
"I thought I had too. For my family," she said quietly.
"Your parents put you up to this?"
"No," Rias shook her head. "No. They said if I wanted to deny both of them, they'd support me. It was my choice."
"It was your choice to use me?" Elros asked.
"Yes," Rias said, looking at him with bloodshot eyes. "I'm so sorry!"
"I can't believe you, Rias," Elros said icily. "How could you do this to me?"
Rias didn't know how to respond. Despite her disheveled look, Elros couldn't find it in him to conjure up any sympathy for her. Without another word, he headed towards the door. Rias quickly lunged and threw her arms around him, trying to keep him with her.
"Wait! Please don't go! Where are you going?!" Rias asked fretfully.
"Why the fuck would I tell you? So you could spy on me? Fuck off," Elros spat. He undid himself from her grip and took his leave. Rias just looked at the door he went through before sitting on the floor, despondent.
"FFFFFFFUUUUUCCCCCCKKKKKKK!" Rias screamed at the top of her lungs. Her powers of destruction exploded, blasting the room and windows. Suddenly, she heard a thud. To her horror, she had destroyed the gift Elros gave her on their first date. She rushed over to the painting, trying to save it; but, it just eradicated in her hands.
"No, no, no, no, no, no!" she cried, unable to salvage any part of it. Akeno soon came through the blasted down wall. Rias looked up and saw that Akeno's eyes were blood red from crying. Akeno knelt down near her best friend and hugged her, both unsure of what would happen next. Immediately, Rias broke down again.
"Hey," Kuroka said, smiling as she came up behind Elros. He quickly recomposed himself and hugged her.
"Hey. Good to see you again," he said. Kuroka held him tight, purring like a cat as she felt how warm he was.
"Still warm. I love it," she cooed.
"Good. Let's see if I can't get you hot by the end of this date," Elros said, kissing her cheek.
"Don't try to fluster me. I'm not easy to tease as Rias or the others," she said, smirking.
"Excellent. That means I'll try even harder with you," Elros said. "So, ready to take a walk around Gotham? I figured you're not able to head to cities much, so I thought I'd give you a tour."'
"Sounds fantastic," Kuroka said, taking his arm. "Have you spent much time here?"
"A bit, yeah. Got a lot of friends in the city. Huh, I wonder if we'll run into some," Elros said thoughtfully.
"The only other person I know that lives in Gotham is Bruce Wayne," Kuroka said, looking at a Wayne Enterprises billboard.
"Yeah, but no chance we'll run into him. He's probably brooding at the manor," Elros said.
"You know him?" Kuroka asked in surprise.
"Oh yeah. He's a good dude. Broody, but that just makes him even more handsome," Elros said. "I've got a reservation for us at one of the restaurants he owns, actually. I think you'll like it."
"I think I'll like anything you do," Kuroka said softly. Elros smiled and slung an arm around her, kissing her atop her head.
"I just want to make sure that this is a day to remember for you," he said earnestly. Kuroka smiled and put an arm around his waist, nuzzling against his side. Elros kept on pointing to sites, explaining what he knew about them. Kuroka listened carefully, but mostly just enjoyed watching him talk. This was the first date she had ever been on, and it was, in a word, normal. There was nothing weird going on; no need to fight, no Devils or Angels or Fallen Angels coming after her, no need to hunt something or someone down, no need to run and hide. She could just be with Elros, enjoying the moments they had together.
"I hope I'm not boring you. You seem to be in a daze," Elros said, breaking her out of her funk.
"Not even a little bit. I'm just happy to be here, actually," she said in an embarrassed voice.
"Perfect. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm starving. And what do you know, the restaurant I made reservations for us at! We're heading to the top floor," Elros said, pointing at a skyscraper. They made their way up and get settled against a secluded window-wall that had a stunning view of Gotham. Elros smiled as he saw Kuroka look on in wonder, the lights of Gotham reflected as white sparks in her yellow cat-eyes. Kuroka blushed as she saw him staring at her.
"What is it?" Kuroka asked.
"You're gorgeous," Elros said, resting his hand on hers.
"It's pretty much what I always wear," she said embarrassedly.
"It's enough, trust me," Elros said, caressing her hand. "I wanted to ask – have you ever thought about attending school?"
"School?" Kuroka asked, bewildered.
"Yeah. Like Kuoh College," Elros said.
"Literally never gave it a thought," she answered, but considered the idea. "I don't think schools right for me."
"Why's that?"
"I'm not sure I'd pass, for one. I've been out for so long. I can talk well enough, but I'm not exactly well-read beyond history," she said.
"Schools there for you to improve," Elros said. "Besides, I'd been out for years before I just started back. Having fun there, honestly."
"It'd be harder for me, as a Stray," she said softly.
"I wouldn't let anyone lay a hand on you," Elros said seriously. Kuroka smiled appreciatively at him.
"Thanks. It's more important to me that you protect Koneko, though," Kuroka said.
"With all my strength," Elros assured her. "Don't worry. If anything wants to get to her, they have to get through me. And no one gets through me."
"I know," Kuroka said, bringing his hand to her cheek. "It makes me really happy to hear you say that. These last few months have been such a relief thanks to you. I didn't think anyone would try anything against her, but knowing you're there is a huge load off my chest."
"I really hope you visit us more often. I love seeing you. I know Yubelluna does as well," Elros said.
"She told me about your date with her. She loved it," Kuroka said, smiling.
"Good," Elros said, grinning. "Only the best for her. And you."
"You're taking it slow with her, right?"
"That's right. As slow as she wants. I can't wait to see Riser in that Royale in a few days. Going to tear his wings off next."
"When's your other fight?"
"It was supposed to be next weekend, but it got shifted to a couple of days after the Royale. Heading off to train soon," Elros said.
"Good luck. I'll be cheering for you," Kuroka said.
"Then I'm definitely going to have to perform well. Gotta keep up badass appearances," Elros chirped.
"Even if you get roughed up a bit, it's not a problem. I love some blood," Kuroka said seductively.
"Oh?" Elros asked, kissing her hand.
"Mhm," she said, tracing his cheek with her finger. "You know, I could cut you open pretty easily right now."
"Punishment? Ooooh, I like it," Elros said.
"Ugh. At least blush a little," Kuroka grumbled.
"No!" Elros exclaimed happily. "Well, I might. You gotta push the right buttons first."
"Oh? What buttons?" Kuroka asked, batting her lashes.
"Try 'em all and see," Elros said, winking. Kuroka just smirked before leaning back and stretching.
"You know, I tried to have sex with Vali once. He just rejected me out of hand," Kuroka said.
"Seriously?" Elros asked, aghast. "Fucking idiot. I should've knocked the sense back into him, not out of him. Why'd he do that?"
"I dunno. I'm guessing it's because we're on the same team. That, or he's gay," Kuroka said.
"I can see that. You know, I wouldn't be surprised if I run in on him and Issei sometime," Elros said.
"Ha! I don't think Issei could handle Vali," Kuroka smirked.
"I dunno about that. Issei can get pretty tough when he sets his mind to it," Elros laughed. "But seriously, I can't believe he said no to you. You wouldn't even have to ask me once."
"Yeah, I can tell, playboy," Kuroka smirked. "Let's get outta here."
"Yes, ma'am," Elros said.
As they soon as they closed the door behind them, Elros turned Kuroka around and kissed her. She smirked inwards and wrapped her arms around his neck. She hopped up and wrapped her legs around his waist.
Elros gently massaged her ass before walking over to the bed and collapsing on it. He moved down to her neck, kissing and biting as he pleased. Kuroka let out several moans of delight and helped work him out of his shirt. She took his tie off and put it around his neck and pulled him back up to her lips.
"Hope you don't mind me being rough," Elros whispered.
"I wouldn't fuck you if I thought you'd be gentle. Make me yours," she whispered before biting his ear.
"You'll have to work harder than that if you want to make me blush," Elros said, roughly snaking his hand into her hair. "Let's play a game. I'm gonna count the number of times you do something to me. Every time you fail to make me blush, I'm going to spank you – hard. If you wanna be able to sit tomorrow, I suggest you get creative."
"Sounds fun," Kuroka giggled. She was about to take her dress off when Elros stopped her with a smirk.
"Ah-ah-ah. My honors," he said, ripping it apart. Kuroka blushed as she felt his passion for her burn through; Elros just smirked. "Hey, that's a point for me. You're supposed to turn me red, sweetheart."
"You haven't won yet," Kuroka growled, flipping him over. "I might be cattish, but I love to bite," she said before kissing him down his neck. Suddenly she sank her teeth into his neck, drawing some blood and eliciting a happy moan from Elros.
'I thought Issei was a pervert. Elros might be a bigger one,' she thought with a giggle. She felt his hands descend down her smooth back before reaching her ass. She felt him smack her several times before maneuvering one hand to the front and tracing her.
"That feels amazing," she whispered as she slipped one, and then two, fingers inside and starting fingering her.
"You're still losing," Elros said, flipping her on her back and standing to the side of the bed. He covered her lips with his and continuing to finger her furiously. As he started to rub her clit, Kuroka tightened her hold around his neck.
"FUCK!" she screamed after he drove her to her first orgasm. Elros took his fingers out and ran them up her stomach. He kissed her gently and got back onto the bed. Kuroka felt his movements becoming slower, as he worked himself down her stomach. As he began to eat her out, she stretched back, running her hands over his head, up her stomach, and through her hair. It was a sensation unlike any she'd felt before. She shuddered whenever she felt a particularly pleasurable lick or kiss and soon had the desire to return the favor.
Elros suddenly felt something around his neck. Kuroka wrapped her tails around his neck and slowly peeled him off. She stood him up and took her time to get up. She licked her fluid off his mouth before kissing him and working him out of the flew clothes that remained. She smirked and tightened the hold around his neck before kissing him down his stomach and taking him in her mouth. As she blew him, she made sure to only make him a little dizzy. Looking up, she giggled.
"Hey, you're red. I think I might've won this," she teased.
"So… unfair," Elros moaned as he ran his fingers through her hair. He tickled her cat ears, sending a pleasurable sensation doing her spine.
"Fuck me already," Kuroka said. True to his word, he didn't need to be asked twice. Tails still wrapped around his neck, Elros got Kuroka on her back and crawled onto her before entering. Kuroka let out a happy cry as he penetrated her and held on tightly as he began to thrust. When he stood back up, carrying her along with him, she dug her fingernails into his back, drawing more than a little blood. Her moans continued to get louder and louder as they continued well into the night. When he finally came inside her, Elros nearly collapsed; his pleasure was heightened thanks to the choking tails and almost lost consciousness. Holding onto any thread he could find, he immersed himself in her again, much to her delight.
"Hey," Elros said, kissing Kuroka's back. She let out a happy sigh before looking out of the windows of Elros' Gotham penthouse.
"Hey," Kuroka said, turning to face him. She had a broad smile plastered on her face. "That was amazing."
"You're telling me. That first orgasm must be one of the best I've had. Lucifer Almighty, choke me more next time," Elros chirped.
"Will do. If I weren't so sore, I'd still be on you right now," Kuroka said, pressing her body against his. She was thankful she was a Devil; were both of them human, neither would've lasted as long with each other and may have remained pristine. As it stood, they were both covered in each others blood, sweat, semen, and saliva. Kuroka could see bruises already beginning to form on her body, while Elros's neck showed signs of strangulation. Still, it was the happiest she'd ever felt.
"How're you feeling now? Besides sore?" Elros asked.
"Better than I ever have, honestly," she said. She slowly got out of bed and headed to the window, resting her face against it. In the reflect, Elros saw tears start to form in her eyes. He quickly bounded over, worried.
"What's wrong?" Elros asked, frowning.
"Nothing," Kuroka said, looking up at him. "It's just… this is so perfect. So fucking perfect. I never thought…" she trailed off. She hugged him, burying her face in his chest. Elros just smiled, pressing her head against him and kissing her head.
"Do you have to go soon?" Kuroka asked softly.
"Not at all. I want to spend some more time with you," Elros said.
"Me, too," Kuroka said. "Hey, can we talk about something?"
"What is it?" Elros asked.
"If we go ahead with this…"
"I want to," Elros said seriously. "If you do, that is."
"I do!" Kuroka said quickly, grasping his chest. "I just want you to know what you're getting into."
"Rias already told me, but I wanna hear it from your perspective," Elros said. He led Kuroka over to the couch and held her close, draping a blanket over both of them. He set his ring to preparing them some hot chocolate as Kuroka told him her and Koneko's story. She took one of his hands and held it on her chest, drawing strength from his presence.
"Mmm…" Kuroka hummed, wondering how to begin. "Koneko's real name isn't Koneko; it used to be Shirone. We didn't really have a normal childhood. Our mom was so desperate to please her dad, she would've done almost anything. She was a Nekoshou – like we are; it's like a branch of Nekomata – but he was a human. That's pretty common for our kind; we tend to go for other races, and if they're stronger, even better. That's why I initially asked Vali to have sex with me… as a way to prolong the race."
"Same with me?" Elros wondered quietly.
"Not even close," Kuroka said, swiveling her head to give him a gentle kiss. "You, I really, really like. I like Vali, but not like this. Besides, you don't have any inherent power. Your ring wouldn't pass on, would it?"
"Nope. Not sure I'd want it to, either. Look what happened with Marcus Aurelius and his son," Elros sighed.
"I don't get it," Kuroka said uncomfortably. This was one respect where she knew she fell short of the others; they were booksmart.
"Aurelius was adopted but chose his hereditary child to succeed him as emperor. Let's just say it fucked things up," Elros said. "Sorry. Please, continue."
"Well, we all go into mating season. It's not the time for me yet, but it will be soon. That's when we try to become pregnant," Kuroka explained. "We all have these cat-ears, tails, and pupils. Nekoshou is the strongest kind of Nekomata. But… we're also almost extinct."
"What? Seriously?" Elros asked, aghast.
"Yeah. Koneko and I are the only survivors, as far I know. I've never told Koneko the truth about our parents. I loved our mom, Fujimai. She had white hair, like Koneko. But after a while, she just… left us to be with our dad. I know she just wanted to get him to notice us but… well, my dad was kind of like yours. A fucking bastard. I can barely even remember what he looked like; he was never there for us. All he wanted to do was focus on his fucking research. Everything - his family, especially - was second to that. He was trying to create Super Devils. Worked about as well as you would think. The experiment went wrong, and he blew up both of them," Kuroka said, tears coming to her eyes. Elros sat in silence, unsure of what to say. He contented himself with holding her a little tighter, which Kuroka was thankful for.
"After that, we were on our own. We were on the streets for a while, when we suddenly got recruited by a Devil. I was reincarnated as a Bishop, and my new master helped me learn some new skills, like Senjutsu and Youjutsu. Eventually, my Magic became stronger than his. This fucking bastard though… just like my father. Except he wanted to use Koneko has a test subject to create a Super Devil. It's why I killed him! I had too!" Kuroka said, as though pleading with Elros to understand. He kissed her atop her head and hugged her close to him.
"I know. I know," Elros said comfortingly, resting his head against hers. "I don't blame you at all. I would've done the exact same thing, Kuroka."
"A-after that, they labeled me an SS-Class Stray. They said I was drunk on power and that's why I killed him. If… if they knew the truth, maybe I could've had a normal life," she said, her lips trembling. "That's all we ever wanted, Elros. A normal life. I would've loved to be going to school with you guys. Playing sports, going to the movies… fucking anything. Instead, my sisters hated me for years because she believed the rumors and I've been on the run for so long, I almost forgot what it meant to have a life."
Elros was quiet as he listened to her. Kuroka soon broke down again and started crying. He ran a hand through her hair, trying to comfort her. Kuroka pushed him down on the couch and pulled the blanket over her head as she continued to cry. Elros patiently waited for her to calm down.
"I didn't have any other choice. I joined the Vali Team and then the Khaos Brigade, but left them. Even worse – Koneko started to get harassed because they thought she'd be just like me. That stopped when she joined Rias's peerage, but I'm afraid people might still come after her," Kuroka admitted.
"If they so much as look at her wrong, I'll obliterate them," Elros growled. Kuroka smiled as she noticed how tight Elros was holding her. She moved up a little until her cheek was against his.
"I still have to keep looking over my shoulder. I don't know when I'll be able to stop. I'm lucky that Lady Gremory is so nice, though. She doesn't mind me staying at the manor. If anyone found out, she'd be in so much trouble," Kuroka said.
"I get the distinct feeling that trouble tries to stay out of Mrs. G's way," Elros mused. The Gremory matriarch seemed to do as she pleased, only caring that those she cared for were happy.
"And she's able to protect Koneko, which is more important to me," Kuroka said. She threw the blanket off and sat on top of Elros. Elros was almost stupefied at how captivating but vulnerable she looked. She took one of his hands and ran it up her stomach, resting it on a breast, her hands clasped on top of it. "I really like you, Elros. And I think you like me. But… it's not going to be easy. For either of us. I might be a danger to you."
"The only direction I've changed my mind in is wanting to be with you more now," Elros said, sitting up. He put his arms around her waist and thrust her body closer to his. He kissed her neck before gently kissing her lips, resting his forehead against hers. "I really like you, Kuroka. I'm not going to break this off just because it might get a little tough. You don't deserve any of what's happened to you – neither you or Koneko. I'm here for both of you. I know perfectly well what I'm getting myself into and I accept responsibility for all of it."
Kuroka's lips trembled before she kissed him. She tasted her tears mix into the kiss before she broke it and hugged him close, burying her face in his neck. Elros smiled and hugged her close, weaving a hand through her hair.
"Shh, shh. It's alright. I'm here for you," he whispered calmingly.
"Thank you," she cried. Finally – after the emotional and physical soreness of the story and sex – Kuroka fell asleep. Elros gently carried her and put her to sleep, getting in bed beside her. Kuroka unconsciously hugged him close before he finally passed out as well.
"Good morning," Elros said as Kuroka woke up the following morning.
"Hey," she said, getting up and stretching. "Wow. That smells amazing."
"It better. This is my third try," Elros grumbled, putting out some eggs, bacon, toast, and potatoes for both of them. Kuroka quickly dug in, only pausing to give Elros a kiss when he came behind her.
"Thanks," she said, smiling.
"Not at all, sweetheart," Elros said. "There's something I wanted to ask you."
"What is it?" Kuroka wondered.
"Besides the Devil that Reincarnated you, are any of the others in his peerage still around?"
"I'm not sure. They didn't really like him either; he experimented on all of them. My biggest problem with them is that the clan he belonged to is pretty powerful," Kuroka said.
"Which clan?"
"Naberius," Kuroka said.
"Naberius. Now that I think about it, there's a Naberius in the Royale. Weyer Naberius," Elros said, checking the details of the fight.
"The head," Kuroka sighed.
"Perfect," Elros growled. "I'm going to kick his ass."
"I don't want you to get into trouble, Elros," Kuroka said uncomfortably.
"You ought to know by now I don't really care about that kind of stuff, Kuroka," Elros said, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Besides, it's a Battle Royale! I'd go so far as to say I'm obligated to kick his ass."
"Just… be careful," she said tentatively.
"Don't worry about me. Just make sure you're safe when you go there," Elros said, frowning. He wasn't aware it was so dangerous for Kuroka to be at events like this; he was surprised that she made it to any of them.
"I will be. Mrs. Gremory's been helping me get inside safely," Kuroka said.
"I'm gonna have to get Mrs. G a hell of a gift for everything she does," Elros said.
"Same," Kuroka giggled. "Thanks for breakfast. I'ma shower real quick."
Elros waited for an appropriate few seconds before rushing in after her. Kuroka just giggled and let him in. As they stepped into the shower, he wrapped his arms around her breasts and kissed her neck. He turned the water to cold; Kuroka immediately turned and hugged him as it touched her skin.
"Ugh. Asshole," she said, sighing happily as Elros hugged her back.
"At your service," Elros said. He squeezed her ass and kissed her. Kuroka took him in both her hands and began stroking before holding her lips an inch away from his, smiling.
"We might be here a while," she said.
"Sounds good to me," Elros said.
"I had a really great time, Elros," Kuroka said, stepping out of the shower, dressed. It took her a few tries; Elros kept interrupting.
"So did I," Elros said, kissing her cheek. "Hey, before you go, can I talk to you about something?"
"What's up?" Kuroka asked, curious.
"If I beat Yama, I get to start a peerage. I wanted to ask you if you'd join," Elros said.
"Seriously?" Kuroka asked, eyes wide.
"Yeah," Elros nodded. "I trust you, for one. Two, you're pretty strong. Three, I'm pretty sure I lo–" he began before Kuroka put a hand over his lips, blushing.
"Not yet," she whispered. "Please, not yet. Not until after you're free and clear of the fight with him."
"As you wish," Elros said, smiling. "Day of, then. But what do you say?"
"I'm flattered. Seriously flattered," Kuroka said, blushing. "But I can't answer you right now. I'm really sorry."
"I understand," Elros said. "Take your time, alright? Let me know when and if I win."
"You keep saying if. Why?" Kuroka asked, frowning.
"Always leave yourself the possibility of losing," Elros said.
"Who else have you asked?" Kuroka wondered.
"Yubelluna was the first," Elros said.
"She's a great choice," Kuroka said.
"Yeah, but she said no. Then I asked Bürent and Marion. Again, both said no," Elros said.
"Wow. I thought you'd have all the positions filled pretty quick, honestly," Kuroka said.
"No one is more surprised than I," Elros sighed, leaning back. "But I'm not in a rush, I guess. I want the right people."
"That's probably the best way to go. But you should really think more about whether you want me," Kuroka said, looking aside. "I think I'd bring you more trouble than I'm worth."
"You won't trouble me, Kuroka," Elros said, kissing her cheek. "I'd protect you from everything and everyone."
"I know," Kuroka said, taking one of his arms and wrapping it around her. She snuggled close and tight to Elros, happy to just hold him.
"I'll see you soon," she said, leaning up to kiss him.
"Mhm. I'm going to be training pretty hard, so I won't be able to respond ASAP. But if you need anything, just call. See you soon, sweetheart," Elros said. He was about to leave when suddenly he stopped.
"What's up?" Kuroka asked.
"Forgot two things. One, here you go," he said, tossing her a pair of keys.
"What's this?" Kuroka asked, surprised.
"Keys to the place," Elros said, pointing to the penthouse. "You can use it as a place to think or a safe house or anything you want. I'm the only other person with the key. It's yours as well, now."
"Seriously?" Kuroka asked, shocked.
"Mhm. It's not easy to always be on the move. I know that better than most, I think. It's important to have a place to call home. I'm sorry if it's a bit bare, but feel free to make it look like what you want it to. I've just always preferred a minimalist aesthetic. But seriously, use it whenever. There are two keys on that chain. The small ones for this place. The other is for my place in Kuoh."
"Thanks, Elros," Kuroka said, hugging him again, tighter than before. The words meant more to her than she could express.
"As for the second thing," Elros said, giving her a passionate kiss. Kuroka moaned in pleasure, biting her lip as they separated. "One for the road."
"Have as many for the road as you'd like," she said seductively.
"GAH! Those goddamn duels. I'd stay in bed with you for the rest of the week if I were any less responsible. God, that was some of the best I've ever had," Elros grumbled. He sufficed to kiss her a couple more times before, painfully, pulling himself away. Kuroka just giggled as she saw him run through a portal with a pained backward glance. She locked the door and smiled at her new place. While it was, as he said, sparse, it had the most important thing: it was theirs and no one else's.
"I love you, Elros," she whispered before opening a portal to join her team. As soon as she got back, the others just smirked.
"How was your date?" Bikou teased.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Kuroka said.
"Wow. That's so cold. Next time I see him, I'm gonna tell him you were to embarrassed to–"
"IF YOU EVEN HINT THAT TO HIM, I WILL KILL YOU DEAD, ASSHOLE!" Kuroka growled. "I'm not fucking kidding! If I find out you even breathed his same air..."
"I'M KIDDING!" Bikou exclaimed, dodging a powerful attack from her. "Jeez! I didn't know you liked him so much!"
"Did you have fun, Kuroka?" Le Fay asked.
"Yeah," Kuroka said, smiling at the little girl. "He's amazing. I think you'd like him, too."
"I'm just glad you had a good time. We all deserve some time off" Arthur said kindly.
"What do you think, Vali?" Kuroka asked.
"I think he's a good guy," Vali said, gently touching the top of his back. "I have no problem with him, if that's what you're asking."
"Even though he…?" Kuroka trailed off.
"Yes. I challenged him. I lost. I was in the wrong there," Vali said. "Don't let that stop you."
"Thanks," Kuroka said graciously. "He gave me the keys to a place of his in Gotham."
"YOU WENT TO HIS PLACE?!" Bikou asked, shocked. "I THOUGHT YOU TWO WERE GONNA GET DINNER OR SOMETHING!"
"We did that, too," Kuroka said, smirking. "We'll get to training in a bit. Let me just call Bella first. I promised I'd fill her in on my date."
"I don't think I've ever seen her so happy," Arthur said, smiling as Kuroka veritably skipped off.
"No, nor have I," Vali said. He managed a small smile for his friend.
"Back for some more punishment, eh?" Constantine asked as Elros showed up at the house.
"Oh, you bet," Elros said, stretching. "Say, you ever consider wanted to become a Devil?"
"Not even once," Constantine said.
"Damn. That's my fifth rejection for my peerage," Elros grumbled.
"Ask Z," Constantine chuckled.
"Ha. Good one," Elros said. He paused, eliciting a groan from Constantine.
"I was jokin', mate," Constantine said. "All that pent up sexual tension won't end well for either of you."
"Yeah, yeah," Elros said. "Oh, speak of the Devil. Hey, Z. What's up?"
'Hey. Just wanted to give you a heads up that I'm gonna be doing some shows in Japan pretty soon. What's the name of your town again?'
"Kuoh. K-U-O-H. Can't wait to see you there," Elros said, grinning.
'Same. What're you up to tonight? Do you want to come by?' Zatanna asked.
"If you'd asked me sooner, I would've. But I'm at the John right now," Elros said, evading a whiskey bottle Constantine sent flying at him. "Need to get some training in before my fights. Hey, why don't you come to check them out?"
'Can I even do that? Are humans even allowed there?'
"Angels are, so I guess humans should be. Go see a friend of mine at Lux in Los Angeles if you get the time. Her name's Mazikeen. She should be able to help you. Also, give her a message from me: you could've handled that better than you did," Elros said, frowning at the end.
'Everything alright, E?' Zatanna asked in a worried tone.
"Mmm, not really. But I don't want to get into it just yet. Think I'll see you there?"
'Count on it. There's something I wanted to talk to you about as well. See you soon, E,' Zatanna said.
"Bye, Z," Elros said. He texted a few more friends the same thing he told Zatanna; he wondered how many he'd see in the Underworld.
"Gah. Apologies, mate. I won't be able to help you train. Something just came up," John said, showing Elros the text.
"That's important. Go. I got this," Elros said.
"Try not to get yourself killed. Then again, for calling this the John, maybe you should," Constantine chuckled as he took his leave.
"Hey Scorn, Dominique – can you guys come here?" Elros asked aloud. In a few seconds, his phoenix and mermaid familiars both appeared. Dominique smiled and hugged him.
"You know, you can summon me more often than you do. I won't mind," she said.
"Sorry about that," Elros said, smiling. "I hope this makes up for not calling on you more often. We might be here for a while."
"Sounds perfect, actually. Scorn has kept me company, though," she said as the phoenix landed on her shoulder and gently pecked her orange hair. "He's gotten so much stronger since you last saw him."
"Oh, I bet," Elros said, running a finger down his fiery neck. "You ready, buddy? We've got some hard training ahead of us." Scorn let out a musical sound of affirmation. Elros just nodded. As Dominique, Scorn, and Elros entered the training room, all the emotions he had kept bottled up throughout the day came rushing to him in full force.
"You have great anger in your heart," a voice suddenly said.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone