OCCULT RESEARCH CLUB
Gasper pushed the chair back, stored his backpack in the locker and returned to the table, resting his elbows while looking toward the door, his foot tapping once on the floor before stopping on its own. 'those girls where are they going will they take long', the thought passed straight through as he interlocked his fingers, waiting without changing posture.
The door opened with a dry sound, the handle turning fast and the wood hitting lightly against the wall.
"Rias." Gasper raised his gaze at the same instant, his body didn't move, but his eyes followed every step of her entering, noticing the hesitation halfway before she closed the door behind her.
Rias stopped a few steps away from him, her fingers still near the handle for a second before letting go, her gaze locked on his face without looking away, her shoulders slightly tense as she took one more deep breath. 'come on rias he is your servant but also your boyfriend I have every right to know what's going on', she organized the thought before taking another step.
Gasper tilted his head slightly, watching the silence stretch longer than normal, his fingers separating over the table as his gaze became more attentive to her face.
"Did something happen Rias, I mean besides your brother confirming my promotion?" he asked without changing tone, his voice firm while maintaining direct contact, trying to pull a reaction out of her.
Rias closed her expression immediately, her jaw tightening as she took another step and stopped right in front of him, her arms crossing slowly as if holding her own posture together.
"That's for you to tell me." she replied without looking away, her gaze firm while analyzing every detail of his expression.
"Me?" Gasper slightly raised an eyebrow.
He kept his gaze on her for a longer second, his fingers touching the surface of the table before stopping, as if organizing his own line of thought.
'I don't remember doing anything wrong', the thought came straight, without any change in his face.
Rias didn't step back, her gaze dropping for an instant to his hand and returning to his eyes, as if searching for some reaction that didn't appear before.
"You received a promotion that changes everything." she said, her voice coming out more controlled than the tension in her body suggested, her arms still crossed while she leaned slightly forward. "And you reacted like it was routine."
Gasper didn't answer immediately, his eyes maintaining contact as he straightened his posture back in the chair, pulling air once through his nose before letting it out.
"Because it is." he answered without looking away, his hand returning to rest on the table as his fingers tapped once and stopped. "The hard part was before."
Rias narrowed her eyes at the same instant, her body leaning a little more, as if she didn't accept such a direct answer.
"Before?" she repeated, her tone rising half a level as she uncrossed her arms and let her hands free at her sides.
Gasper nodded once, simple, his gaze still firm on her.
"The game. The control of the field. The execution." he said without pause, his voice maintaining the same rhythm while his eyes didn't move. "The promotion is a consequence."
Rias took another step, completely reducing the space between them, her face closer as her expression changed from serious to irritated.
"So you don't care?" she asked directly, her fingers closing slightly as if holding something invisible.
Gasper moved his head in denial, short.
"That's not what I said." he replied in the same tone, his gaze dropping for an instant to her hands and returning to her eyes. "I just won't act like this is the end."
Rias opened her mouth to respond, but froze for a second, her gaze blinking once as she processed it.
"The end?" she repeated lower, the tension shifting direction.
Gasper leaned his back on the chair, his body relaxing a bit without losing focus.
"Now I have to sustain this." he continued, his right hand moving slightly over the table. "And prepare the next step."
Rias watched him in silence for two seconds, her eyes scanning his face as if trying to confirm something.
"You weren't happy." she said at last, more direct, her voice lower now.
Gasper tilted his head slightly.
"I was." he replied without hesitation. "I just don't see a reason to show it the way you expected."
Rias froze for half a second, her gaze hardening again.
"I wasn't expecting anything." she shot back quickly, her body straightening as a reflex.
Gasper didn't respond at the same speed, his eyes analyzing her reaction before speaking.
"You came up the stairs to talk to me." he said without changing tone, his hand stopping completely over the table. "It wasn't just because of the promotion."
Rias stayed silent, her body still for a full second, her eyes fixed on him.
"You think you know what I'm thinking?" she asked, her tone more controlled, but with clear pressure.
Gasper leaned his body slightly forward, reducing the distance even more.
"I think you expected a different reaction." he replied directly, his eyes firm. "And you didn't get it."
Rias pressed her lips together, her gaze shifting to the side for an instant before returning.
"That doesn't change the fact that you're acting strange." she insisted, her fingers relaxing and closing again.
Gasper let the air out through his nose, short.
"I'm focused." he corrected, his tone firm. "It's different."
Rias took half a step back, as if the answer had hit head-on.
"Focused on what." she asked.
Gasper kept his gaze on her for a second before answering.
"On not losing what I just gained." he said directly, his hand closing slightly over the table.
Rias watched that, her gaze dropping to his hand and returning to his face, her expression changing slowly.
"So that's it." she said more quietly, the tension decreasing as her gaze dropped to his hand and returned to his face, evaluating every detail without looking away.
"Congratulations again." she kept her eyes on him, now without pressure, her breathing more controlled as her body partially relaxed without losing posture.
"Thank you." Gasper replied shortly, nodding once, without breaking eye contact.
The silence remained between the two for a few seconds, neither of them moving, the space filled only by the firm gaze of one against the other until Rias turned her face first, breathing through her nose before taking half a step back, as if deciding whether to stay or leave.
"This is new for me too." Gasper said directly, without hesitation, maintaining a firm posture.
"What?" Rias turned her face back at the same instant, her gaze focusing on him again.
"Our relationship." Gasper replied without looking away, his tone steady while watching her reaction.
Rias stayed silent for a second, waiting for him to continue, her fingers contracting slightly before releasing.
"I think it's new for you too, so we don't know how to react, and I think I didn't meet some of your expectations." Gasper kept his gaze firm, without backing down.
"No." Rias replied faster than she intended, her body reacting instantly, her expression changing. "You've been perfect since the Rating Game."
"I'm not perfect." Gasper kept his tone calm, without changing his expression. "But I'm willing to learn. Do you want to learn with me?"
Rias stood still for a second, then her face softened and a smile appeared, small, but clear.
"Yes, of course."
Gasper took a step forward, shortening the distance without hesitation, his hand going straight to her waist and pulling without excessive force, just firm enough to guide.
Rias didn't resist.
Her body followed the movement naturally while her eyes remained on him, her breathing becoming lighter, but steady.
He led her to the sofa.
The movement was continuous, without rush, without interruption, until she was positioned.
"Let's hope no one interrupts us." Gasper said quietly, his gaze still fixed on her while keeping his hand on her waist.
"I hope not either." Rias replied in the same tone, her fingers lightly touching his arm without pulling away.
The space between them decreased a little more, neither of them stepping back.
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