The door to the living room of the Gremory Mansion opened with a firm motion.
Rias entered without announcing her presence. The red dress followed her steps, and her gaze swept across the room before settling on two specific points.
Akeno was close to Gasper.
Her smile appeared the moment her eyes met Rias's.
"Gasper, excuse me." Akeno was already moving before finishing the sentence. "I need Rias for a moment."
She crossed the space with calculated lightness and grabbed Rias's arm, pulling her to the other side of the room without allowing visible resistance.
Rias did not pull back.
She only cast a brief glance toward Gasper before disappearing with Akeno behind one of the central columns.
Gasper stood still for a second.
Then turned his body in the opposite direction.
Asia was seated near one of the side tables, her hands resting on her lap, observing the room with quiet attention.
Gasper approached and took the seat beside her without making noise.
Asia lifted her face.
"Gasper-kun." Her smile appeared small. "Aren't you celebrating?"
"I am." He kept his posture aligned. "I just don't like crowds very much."
Asia nodded.
She adjusted her fingers over her skirt and leaned slightly toward him.
"I was happy for you." Her voice came out steady. "Sirzechs-sama recognized your effort."
Gasper kept his eyes forward.
'I could hear the conversation with my hearing… but it's better to forget.'
He let the air out through his nose and relaxed his shoulders a few millimeters.
"It was just a step." He replied. "There's still a lot ahead."
On the other side of the room, Akeno began to laugh.
The sound crossed the space easily.
Rias crossed her arms.
"You took your time." Akeno tilted her face toward her. "Much longer than you needed."
"I went to get Gasper." Rias kept her chin raised. "Nothing more."
Akeno stepped half a step closer.
"Get him?" Her smile widened. "Or something else?"
Rias did not look away.
"You're imagining too much."
Akeno leaned in a bit more.
"His uniform was marked." Her voice dropped a few tones. "And you were… different."
Rias held her posture for two full seconds.
"If you have something to say, say it directly."
Akeno's smile faded.
She uncrossed her arms.
"You kissed him?"
Rias held her gaze.
"Yes."
The answer came clean.
Akeno fell silent.
The smile did not return.
"So it was you." She moved her face a few centimeters away. "I expected him to be more… restrained."
Rias slightly raised an eyebrow.
"He was."
Akeno crossed her arms again.
"The first kiss." She tilted her face lightly. "You didn't hesitate."
Rias stepped half a step closer.
"And you?" Her voice came out steady. "Have you ever really kissed someone or do you just tease others?"
Akeno's smile froze for a moment.
Her eyes narrowed a few millimeters.
"Rias."
"You like to tease." Rias kept her tone firm. "But you don't like being teased."
Akeno held her gaze for a few more seconds.
Then the corner of her mouth rose again.
"I liked that it was you."
Rias did not respond.
Akeno stepped back.
"But don't think I'll stop teasing."
"I don't expect you to."
The silence between them did not linger.
Akeno uncrossed her arms and breathed once.
Her face lost its initial rigidity.
"He is important to you."
"He is."
The answer came immediately.
Akeno watched for another second.
Then turned away.
Her smile returned to its usual shape.
"Then make sure to protect him."
"He doesn't need me to protect him."
Akeno laughed softly.
"Everyone needs someone."
The conversation ended there.
The two returned to the center of the room.
The atmosphere went back to its previous rhythm. Saji continued telling the same story with exaggerated variations. Kiba listened with calculated patience. Koneko was already on her third plate of sweets. Asia stood up when she saw Rias approaching.
Akeno resumed her place beside the group as if nothing had happened.
Her smile was back.
Some guests began to leave. Formal farewells were exchanged. Doors closed one by one.
The room slowly emptied.
Rias remained standing until the last of them left the room.
Gasper did not approach.
When the movement lessened, he simply inclined his head slightly toward Rias and left the room.
___
GASPER'S ROOM – GREMORY MANSION
The door closed with a quiet click. The room was silent, lit only by the soft light coming through the window.
Gasper crossed the room without stopping and entered the bathroom.
Hot water fell over his shoulders, running down his skin as steam slowly rose and filled the shower. He placed his hands on the wall, his body steady.
'Rias confirmed. Akeno reacted. Nothing got out of control. That's enough for today.'
The steam rose a bit more. He tilted his head back.
'Now I need to think about what comes next. The promotion is just the beginning.'
The shower ended after a few minutes. He stepped out, adjusted the towel over his shoulders, and walked to the bed.
He lay on his back, watching the ceiling, still processing the strange balance between victory, future, and what had happened that night.
The doorknob moved.
Rias entered.
She was wearing a light robe, the fabric too short to hide her bare feet. Her hair fell loose down her back, still damp she might have just washed her face as Gasper had suggested earlier.
Rias closed the door slowly. The silence between them was steady, but not uncomfortable.
"Gasper." Her voice came out low. "Can I stay here tonight?"
He raised his torso just enough to meet her gaze.
"You can."
Rias approached the bed and stopped beside him. Her hands held the ends of the robe for a moment.
She breathed in, loosened the knot… and the fabric slipped from her shoulders, falling to her waist before she held it again.
Her body was exposed, but there was no provocative intent her posture was natural, without posing.
Rias's face turned red.
"Don't think anything weird." She turned her face a few centimeters. "I just… I can only sleep like this."
Gasper blinked once.
"This is just like… the anime." He murmured quietly.
She frowned for a second. Then sighed.
"I'm going to lie down before I change my mind."
Rias climbed onto the bed and lay on her side, her back to him. The robe rested loosely over her waist, almost a detail.
Her sweet scent spread across the mattress. A light, warm scent, hard to ignore.
Gasper slowly turned his body closer, enough to reach her distance.
'Why does she smell so good? Like I could sink into it… this is going to complicate everything.'
Rias adjusted her head on the pillow. Her neck became more exposed.
Gasper brought his arm behind her and, without forcing, wrapped it around her waist.
She did not move.
Did not complain.
Did not push his hand away.
The silence grew dense not heavy, just filled with something too new for both of them.
Gasper moved his face closer to her neck.
"Would you believe me if I said I can only sleep holding a beautiful woman?"
Rias turned her face slightly so he could see her profile.
The blush deepened.
"No."
The answer came short, but clear.
Gasper rested his forehead between her back and shoulder. Rias relaxed a little, her body yielding to the embrace, her breathing stabilizing.
Neither of them tried to speak again.
The night moved forward slowly, leaving them on the same rhythm, close enough to feel each other's warmth without crossing any boundaries.
And so, they fell asleep together not by impulse, not by accident, but by mutual decision.
The first of many steps that would still come.
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