Author's note: Here's a new chapter! Small AN, just letting you know that I will enter Midterms again on Monday, so next chapter will be around Friday or so. Wish me luck, everyone! And see you all soon! Next chapter is a spicy one!
A Marvelous Devil.
Chapter 36: The Deal Comes Due.
Kuoh, Japan.
Dante Andromalius.
Passing the gate and the last humans and devils, I grabbed Tandy's hand as we entered the main building.
"You've seen this before, right? Is this actually normal?" I asked Tandy.
The scene inside was nothing like what I expected for a place of learning, especially given that most of the humans here were adults with supposedly greater freedom than before.
Not that I knew much, obviously, since I never cared about them and just learned about their kind the last time I stayed half a year in the human world. But this? This was weird.
There was almost a militaristic order as they walked through the halls. Many groups of humans were guided by devils who looked like they wanted to be anywhere but here, or by other humans who looked constipated thanks to the stick in their asses.
The amount of those was worrying, to say the least. Some looked to be just as bad as Mordo... and that was saying something.
What the fuck was Sona doing here? Because I was absolutely sure Rias had nothing to do with this.
Damn… I didn't know whether to be impressed or horrified, because this thing was beyond anything I had done when I ruled the Ashen Court. I was never this heavy-handed, even with the souls in my control.
And I was one of the most powerful demons my reality had ever seen. Not… an eighteen-year-old devil who blushed every time I pushed her buttons.
Hell… not even the souls from my enemies felt as dead as some of these mortals felt.
Tandy also looked bewildered at the scene, shaking her head but keeping her mouth shut, as if thinking of what words to use.
"You have to consider that schooling in America is a bit laxer than in Asian countries," Tandy said cautiously, "Even back home, I had heard about how… strict they were. But I didn't think it was this bad."
"Should I feel sorry for them?" I muttered, grinning.
Tandy just nodded seriously.
"Look at that poor girl." She pointed in her direction.
I turned my head a bit, laughing quietly at the scene.
A devil pulled a human girl's ear with more force than someone who truly wanted to keep their nature secret. The bespectacled girl whimpered in pain and excitement, so the devil snatched her hand away as if it was burning.
Which only earned an amused snort from the human as she ran inside a classroom.
… Respect where respect was due; it was a masterful way to get out of trouble. I couldn't say I hadn't used that tactic once or twice in my lives.
Embarrassing or disgusting people worked wonders, especially with fuckers it shouldn't work.
You'd be surprised how many overpowered bastards could be affected by secondhand embarrassment.
"I swear," the devil shook her head with a disgusted expression, "Aika is even worse than the perverted duo."
"I would have ignored her after the tenth time, Tomoe-San," another devil said quietly, "Sona-Sama doesn't care much about Aika and her friend's actions, since you know…"
Hm… curious.
There was a wisp of magical power inside the human, but the same could be said of every human on the campus. Sure, hers was greater than the majority, which showed she had some potential.
Maybe I could use her. After all, there was a lot of empty space in my territory, and I needed to increase my reach in this world as much as possible if I wanted to fulfill my deal with Red.
And I didn't fail.
Also... It had been a long time since I had seen someone with so much lust inside their souls. It basically overpowered every other quality she had.
But that alone couldn't be enough to explain why Sona would let her be, because I wasn't blind to how Sona was… and this girl was the perfect example of everything she disliked.
"Should we greet them, Dante?" Tandy asked softly, but I just shook my head.
"Nah, that can wait. I'm more interested in what else Sona puts the humans through. I might have to adjust my plan."
Tandy stopped for a moment at that, sending me a strange look.
"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, tilting her head.
"I don't think I told you about this," I rubbed my chin for a moment, "Yao, Wong's boss, told me to my face that she believed I could be a great hero."
I burst out laughing just remembering the moment.
"You could be," Tandy said quietly with a tiny grin on her face.
She grabbed my hand, clenching just slightly, "You saved me, after all."
I didn't know why it felt different hearing those words coming out of her mouth.
"That's different," I shook my head plainly, "You have potential that shouldn't be wasted, and I wanted you. There's no heroism in selfishness, Tandy."
"Keep telling yourself that," she hummed, squeezing my hand before letting go.
Meh. It wasn't important. She didn't know what she was talking about.
I wasn't hero material.
What was important was learning more about Sona's operation, because there was no way in hell I wouldn't get the most out of it to tease her until she couldn't face me anymore.
This couldn't be the norm. If it were like that, I should do the world a favor and erase them from the face of the earth. And I wanted to find out more to know how hard I could push my adorable little devil without ruining the mood.
Because I still remembered the promise she made the last time we saw each other, and I was planning on getting the most out of it.
I needed information. And fortunately, that was easy to get when the source had no idea you existed.
My eyes scanned the hallway until I found a suitable target. A boy, average in every conceivable way. Not a devil, not magically aware, and more importantly, he looked a bit like an idiot from what I could see. Just a normal dude that probably pissed off Sona with how he was ogling the other humans and devils that passed close to him.
Perfect.
"Watch this," I murmured to Tandy, pulling the boy into an empty classroom with a tendril of magic to muddle his senses.
Tandy followed, leaning against the doorframe with crossed arms.
The boy blinked, confused about why he had walked into an empty room. Then his eyes met mine, and the confusion smoothed into blankness as I motioned to an empty chair.
Demonic power was… useful in this regard. Much more so if I didn't want to enslave someone under me. That was a bit too much when I just wanted some answers.
"Sit," I said pleasantly.
He sat at the nearest desk without question, his eyes never leaving mine.
"What's your name?"
"I'm Motohama," he said in a flat tone.
"Hm, good. This is working. Tell me about the student council president."
Something fascinating happened. Even through the haze of my influence, the boy's left eye twitched.
Tandy noticed it too, as a snort left her mouth before she shook her head in wonder.
"Dante… what kind of girl did you woo?"
"The amusing kind, now… shush, I'm quite curious about this now," I chuckled.
"Sitri-Kaichou," he said, and the word came out in a hiss. "77, 57, 83. She runs the school like it belongs to her."
I did my best to ignore Tandy's amused gaze as the idiot said those numbers… because what the fuck.
"Isn't it the owner who runs the school?" I asked, watching his reaction.
Sona had already told me about this place, and I knew that the majority of… powerful people in this town worked under Sona's and Rias's families, but I was curious about how normal people saw their work.
Motohama adjusted his glasses for a moment, shaking his head with absolute certainty.
There was not a single ounce of doubt in his mannerisms. And he couldn't lie. Which made me wonder how he knew Sona's measurements, because he wasn't wrong about them.
"No. She runs the school. The principal does what she tells him to do. She does things that any other student would get an earful from the professors without batting an eye. She reorganized the cleaning schedule in the first week of her term, and the bathrooms haven't had a single complaint since."
"What are you talking about?" Tandy asked curiously, even as her amusement became more pronounced.
I could feel her gaze on the back of my head.
"She personally inspected them," Motohama continued, looking like he wanted to get this out of his chest. "She entered every bathroom in the school, even when they were in use by the rest of us… she had a spreadsheet."
Motohama took a deep breath before continuing quietly, "It was color-coded."
I couldn't hold back my snort at that. Damn. I truly felt bad for these brats.
I wondered if they'd consider me a hero if I made Sona relax… it would be funny, if nothing else. Yao was still wrong.
"The cafeteria menu changed twice after her first month as the council president. She spent two weeks glaring at the ladies as they worked... There was a rumor that one of them cried in the renovated bathrooms after the president gave the results of her investigation."
"From happiness?" Tandy asked, almost laughing.
"From fear," Motohama said without a trace of irony. "The president doesn't shout, she… she just looks at you, and you know you've failed her. She has this gaze that makes you feel like crap for not giving your all. She made my best friend piss himself with a glare after he found us peeping in the girls' bathroom."
I wondered if I should stop Tandy for cursing the brat, then remembered she didn't know how to curse someone… and started worrying that she would light him up with the glare she was sending his way.
Before any of us could do anything, though, he continued.
"She memorized every student's name in the first month," he shook his head at the absurdity of it all, his voice gaining some heat that surprised me… since he was still under my influence. "All of them. She knows our grades, our attendance records, our club affiliations... She even knows our parents' names and their numbers. That information shouldn't be available to her as a president. She knows where we live."
He stood up from the chair, making me frown.
"Matsuda told me once that she visited his home for dinner after he missed cleaning duty once… that she said she was worried for his health and offered to help anyway she could."
"That's... actually sweet." Tandy started.
"He cried during dinner… and for a whole month after he returned," Motohama shook my shoulders. "She laid it on the table with his parents present, what he had been doing in school, his grades, all of our… activities. He was sent to a rehab clinic for his porn addiction… and his parents followed her every word."
The silence in the room was tangible.
"She's terrifying, she's a witch, I tell you! A witch!" Motohama sat back, his breathing uneven, and it sounded as if he was talking about a natural disaster instead of the devil that couldn't stop herself from shivering once she was on my lap. "But the school has never been better. Grades are up. Bullying is down. The sports teams have funding. The culture festival last year made more money than the previous three combined because she restructured the program based on foot traffic; she mapped those herself."
"What?" I asked… bewildered.
"With a pedometer and a notebook," he confirmed. "She started doing that since she was a first year and had nothing to do with the council."
I looked at Tandy… Tandy looked at me.
"I think I need to be a hero… at least this time," I said, not entirely joking.
"Dante, at this point, I will force you to be," Tandy said flatly. "Do whatever the fuck you need."
"I knew she was competent. I just… didn't expect it to be at this level. No wonder Serafall uses every waking moment to tease the ever-living shit out of Sona. If anything, I'm surprised that she hasn't had a stroke, even with our physiology."
"Is there anything else?" Motohama asked, his glazed eyes looking between us before a grin grew on his face as he looked at Tandy. "Heh… nice. 88, 60, 90."
"No, Motohama. You've been very helpful. But you should go while I hold my light," I patted his shoulder and pushed him hard toward the door, just in time for a light-filled slap passed through where his head had been. "Go to class. You won't remember this conversation… probably for your own good."
His head hit the door before he opened it in a hurry and started running for his life.
I pulled a fuming Tandy toward my lap and patted her silky-smooth hair.
"There, there, baby," I cooed at her ear, "you have a perfect body."
"It is only for you to feast at," she had a cute scowl before she took a deep breath and hid her head in the nape of my neck. "She sounds... interesting, if nothing else."
"You have no idea." I chuckled warmly, surprising myself.
Her face turned to glance at my eyes, her expression warm, with not a hint of jealousy.
"Oh, I have to meet this woman."
"I believe it's time," I patted her stomach, pulling her out of the empty classroom before the next bell rang, "but first, let's find somewhere to sit. I imagine finding her house will piss her off."
I hid a snort at that.
Oh, she would fume, alright.
Expanding my senses throughout the city, I picked over four properties that were warded quite heavily. But only two of those had the specific signature that resembled the one inside the Sitri Castle.
Of course Serafall would do her best to protect her baby sister.
Surprisingly, the house wasn't empty.
A beauty with heterochromia sat in an office inside what could only be called a mansion.
Heh… I wonder if Tsubaki remembered me.
If anything, I was sure she'd be game to push Sona around. She had to know how much her King needed to unwind.
Kuoh Academy.
Sona Sitri.
The professor droned on and on about some Japanese literature for over fifty minutes, and I had stopped listening at the seventh one.
Literature was one of the few human subjects I found genuinely interesting outside of what I needed to learn to fulfill my dream, and the teacher, Yamato-sensei, was competent enough to be working at one of the best universities in the world.
Yet he was here, teaching something I was interested in.
But… I couldn't focus.
And it had been like this for more than a month.
Ever since my… date with that irritating, handsome, irritating bastard of a devil that enjoyed irritating me and pushing my buttons unlike any other.
Did I say irritating already?
Even my sister had kept me up with her dealings with him, much to my surprise and honest fear. Because nothing good would happen from those two allying against me.
Serafall had confirmed in one of her increasingly irritating nightly calls, because of course she couldn't fall asleep without hearing her precious So-tan's voice. She had explained how the Andromalius name was close to being restored as a noble house, that they just wanted to wait for Dante to start his dealings in the underworld to show his worth to the other houses before pushing for it.
And how he had gone to a fucking demonic beast-infested territory with his first and only peerage member.
Which neither my sister nor anyone else knew about.
I bit my thumb as I was reminded of that piece of news. Where did he even find her? What was he doing with her for a whole month? What kind of relationship did he have with her?
I planted my hands on my lap to avoid making such a shameful show. I couldn't ruin my reputation by acting like a juvenile.
Everything was proceeding as it should. And I hated it, because none of it was mine.
I had done the paperwork. I had facilitated his place in the exam, even if Rias had been the one who had asked how we could help Dante. I had been the one who filled the forms and made sure nothing was wrong so that he wouldn't be ignored.
And then he had gone and ignored me for longer than a month. Again.
With not a single warning. Leaving me with nothing more than his word that he would return and fulfill his part of the deal. My pawn piece… the one that was still not in my hands, and every time I considered sending a message to ask, I stopped myself.
Because at this point, it wasn't about the pawn piece anymore. A part of me, one that grew louder and louder as time went on, dreaded the time he would come and give me what he had promised all those months ago.
Because I remembered my words. What I told him after our date, when I had been on the high of leaving Serafall stumped for the first time since I could remember.
I was Sona Sitri. I did not chase, I did not beg, and I absolutely did not send follow-up messages to a devil who had kissed me until my panties would have made the original Leviathan proud with how drenched they were.
My pen cracked in my hand.
I ignored the worried look Rias sent my way. Of course, of the few days a week she was present with us, she came the day I was feeling particularly on edge.
And I didn't know why.
Because Serafall was busy with some other mess with the Grigory, and I genuinely doubted she had time to come and bother me here. So… if it wasn't her, what was the origin of this feeling that something bad would happen whether I wanted it or not?
The silence in the room didn't help my frayed nerves.
The school, at least, was under control. The student body had learned, through patient and repeated demonstrations, that the student council's standards were not mere suggestions.
And it was all thanks to my peerage and my work. If it worked with these unruly humans, I couldn't see how it wouldn't work with the devils. I honestly thought humans were worse in that regard.
A soft knock at the classroom door pulled me from my thoughts.
Yamamoto-sensei paused mid-sentence, looking up as the door slid open.
Momo Hanakai, my bishop and second in command after Tsubaki had to leave the student council, walked in with practiced grace. Tsubaki had done such a wonderful job with the younger devil that I had barely needed to… educate her myself.
She was the one in my peerage who had her bum untouched. I was partly irritated by that, while also proud of having such an obedient piece.
She bowed at the professor with a calm smile, "My apologies, Yamamoto-sensei. May I borrow Kaichou for a moment? Student council business."
Her tone was respectful, and it earned a proud smile from me and a laugh and a waved hand from Yamamoto-sensei.
Once we were in the hallway and the door was closed, I adjusted my glasses.
"What is it, Momo? You know I dislike being pulled from class if it's something you or the rest can deal with."
Momo walked beside me, her expression neutral. Or I would say that, if her lower lip wasn't twitching in amusement at something I didn't know.
I disliked that expression.
"Tsubaki-chan sent me a message three minutes ago, when someone entered our house without our knowledge. Two devils, to be exact," she said simply.
I stopped walking.
"A devil," I repeated. "In my house?"
"Mm," Momo nodded, and she didn't bother to hide the grin growing on her face, nor the way her eyes lit up mischievously. "Tsubaki-chan found them sitting inside your office. She has since then served some coffee from those beans Lady Serafall bought you from that auction last year."
My eyes twitched… Hard.
"My own personal stash?! No, never mind that, why didn't you say so sooner? I didn't receive a warning about any devil visiting!"
"You seemed like you needed the walk," Momo said, and her composure didn't crack, but I could hear the smile in her voice. "Also, Tsubaki-chan told me to take my time. That you would understand. Later."
If it wasn't for the urgency, I would have made a pit stop in the council chambers to tan Momo's behind red for this.
My pace increased. Someone had bypassed my wards… the wards set by Serafall, from one of the best warders in the whole underworld, was sitting on my chair while drinking my very expensive and rare coffee.
Without permission, or appointment, or even the basic courtesy of waiting for a more opportune time.
This was my town. The one place in both worlds where everything operated exactly as I designed it.
My demonic power sprang forth as I teleported us both in the middle of the corridor. Rias could take care of anyone who saw us… she owed me at least that after so many years coddling the brat.
My hand reached the door of my office inside the house, and I pushed it open more forcefully than strictly necessary. Because I would rather break the door than risk breaking whatever devil that was waiting for me behind it.
The scent of coffee hit me first. MY fucking expensive coffee.
Serafall's birthday gift.
Then I saw him.
Dante sat behind my desk, in my chair, legs on top of the desk, with a cup of coffee in his hand, looking comfortable like if he owned the room.
A blonde woman I didn't recognize sat on the couch by the window, watching me with open curiosity and a faint, pitying smile.
His pale blue eyes found mine, and the bastard grinned.
"You're late, president," he chuckled. "I expected better."
Dante Andromalius.
Kuoh, Japan.
"You're in my chair."
I felt a smirk growing on my face, one I didn't bother to hide. Not one bit.
And that left the adorable devil fuming, rooted next to the door.
"Hello to you too, Sona," I said warmly, taking a long sip of the truly excellent coffee her Queen had provided. "Is it too soon to say that I missed you?"
She didn't move from the doorway, her violet eyes burning behind her glasses.
I cocked my head, pushing the chair back from the desk until there was a noticeable gap between me and the wood.
"The chair is still yours," I grinned.
The implication hung in the air as I did my best not to laugh. Tandy didn't bother hiding her giggles.
Hell… she barely put effort into muffling them.
Sona's eyes flicked down to my lap, then back up.
Was it wrong to find the way her eyebrow twitched adorable?
Behind her, Momo's face flushed as she started fanning herself with her hand, looking at the back of Sona's head. Tsubaki, who had been a dear since she found us in the room, smoothed her expression into something that was definitely not a smirk.
I wasn't planning on moving out of my place. It was surprisingly cozy. I might need to ask her where she got it so I can buy one later.
In fact, I made myself more comfortable and sipped noisily from my cup.
It was… acceptable. For a mortal drink.
"But where are my manners?" I set the cup down and gestured toward the couch. "Sona, this is Tandy Bowen, my light and my bishop."
Tandy stood, smiling warmly, and extended her hand.
"It's lovely to finally meet you, Sona," Tandy said sweetly, and I could see the genuine curiosity in her eyes. "I've heard a lot about you."
Sona took her hand cautiously, trying to recover her usual composure. "From Dante, I presume."
"From the campus and from Dante," Tandy corrected, her smile widening into a teasing grin.
I swear that it could be heard when something inside Sona broke.
"You were at the academy?" The words came out a pitch higher than her usual tone, and I laughed quietly.
"We had a very enlightening conversation with one of your students," I chuckled. "Motohama was very helpful."
The color that rose through Sona's cheeks was magnificent. A deep red that started at her neck and climbed steadily upward until even the tips of her ears were burning as bright as Tandy's light.
Tandy giggled behind her hand, and I could have kissed her for the timing.
Sona took a deep breath. Then she adjusted her glasses until they glinted. She relaxed her tense muscles, and I knew she was doing her damned best not to set me on fire.
Or drown me, most probably. Not that it would've worked.
"What did he say?" she asked flatly.
"Oh, many things," I waved my hand airily. "We can discuss that later. Please, sit. I believe we have business."
Sona finally moved from the doorway, but she didn't sit. She stood on the opposite side of her own desk, arms crossed, looking down at me with so many feelings I couldn't name in a single breath.
"What are you doing here, Dante? In my home, unannounced, drinking my coffee…"
"Excellent coffee, by the way. I must thank Tsubaki for being so sweet. She didn't have to."
"…in my chair," she finished through gritted teeth.
"I told you I'd come when I had what I promised," I said, my voice coming softer than usual. "Did you think I wouldn't?"
Whatever response she was forming died on her lips when my phone rang.
I frowned, pulling it from my pocket.
Nyra.
"One moment, this might be important," I said and answered the call. "What is it?"
"Dante!" Nyra's voice was breathless, sounding haggard and panicking in equal measures. "Lord Beelzebub is here. He's here, at the settlement, and he's asking if he can study the territory. What do I do?! I can't say no to him!"
I looked at Sona, then her peerage, before grinning at Tandy.
I put the call on speaker.
They looked at the phone curiously.
"Nyra, put him on."
There was some shuffling, followed by a muffled exchange, and then a calm, measured voice filled the room.
"Dante Andromalius."
"Ajuka Beelzebub," I leaned back in Sona's chair, making myself even more comfortable. "I hope you enjoyed the show."
He didn't respond for a moment. The only sound that came through the phone was Nyra's breathing going into overdrive.
"It was... enlightening, something I haven't seen before," Ajuka said neutrally. "I trust Nyra has relayed my request."
"She has. And I have to say, I would have thought that a Satan could do whatever he pleased, no?"
"Even we have rules, Andromalius," Ajuka's tone didn't waver, but I could hear a hint of amusement. "That was the entire point of replacing the previous Satans. If we behaved as they did, we would have no right to claim we changed anything."
I sighed, letting the disappointment I felt from his answer bleed through.
"Wrong answer, but you do you," I tapped on Sona's table. "Do as you like. Just make sure you don't mess with anything I left behind. And depending on how useful whatever you find in there is for you... I expect fair compensation. I'm sure Nyra would welcome some help to make my territory flourish while I'm not there."
The room had gone very still.
Sona, Tsubaki, and Momo were looking at me as if I'd grown a second head. Through the speaker, I could hear Nyra's choked sob from whatever she was feeling at this moment.
Then Celestine's voice came through, and I couldn't help but grin at what she said.
"Dante Andromalius, don't speak to a Satan like that!"
I chuckled warmly, feeling Celestine's worries through the phone. "Yes, Mom."
Tandy snorted beside me, and I caught Sona's mouth twitching. They knew me so well.
"I'm a simple devil, Ajuka Beelzebub," I continued calmly. "Study whatever you like. But if you mess with my things, I won't bring you anything interesting next time. And believe me, there's much left to show."
"I can believe that. You can rest assured," he said after a moment, then he grunted and hung up the call.
I pocketed my phone and looked at Sona, then winked at her.
"Isn't he like… the most serious Satan?" Momo asked, almost to herself.
"He is," Sona said flatly, "but Dante is insane."
"And you love me that way," I shrugged with a crooked grin. "Now, where were we?"
The conversation settled into something more natural after that. Sona sat on the edge of the desk, not on my lap as I hoped.
Stubborn devil. I could see how much she wanted to.
Then she asked about the territory, about my plans, about the month I'd been gone. I answered some things and kept my mouth shut in others, because it pissed her off.
Tandy filled the rest with some details with a calm smile.
Tandy was good at this, surprisingly enough. She spoke about the Gusion territory with a lot of heat that could only appear if someone had died a bunch of times in some place.
Wonder why.
Sona listened seriously, and I noticed how she dissected everything my light said.
She was evaluating Tandy. Not exactly with jealousy, even if there was a fair amount of that.
"You said you had what you promised me," Sona said finally, her nose twitching cutely when I patted my lap one more time.
I grinned, nodding.
Reaching into the Dark Force, I pulled the pawn piece into my palm.
It sat there, pulsing faintly with a faint coat of my Cosmic Power. The shell was similar to Ajuka's work at a glance, but where the standard pieces were inert crystallized ichor left by a dead god, this was something this place had not seen before.
It pulsed rhythmically in sets of three. Alive.
I would bet my ass that Ajuka would drop every single one of his experiments just for the chance to study this thing. And fail to get anything useful out of it.
Sona's eyes locked onto it, and her breathing stopped.
"That's not..." she started in wonder.
"What did you do to it?" she asked quietly, stepping closer.
"What are the differences, you mean?" I rolled the piece between my fingers. "You'll have to find that out yourself. I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise."
Her hand extended toward it, her fingers trembling slightly.
And the Dark Force swallowed the piece whole before she could touch it.
I tutted softly, my eyes meeting hers.
Then I glanced down at my lap.
The blush returned with a vengeance. Sona's eyes darted to Momo, who was looking at the ceiling and whistling as if to show she wasn't paying attention, then to Tsubaki, who met her shocked gaze with one of her own.
No surprise there. She had been present when we had that little… accident.
"Momo. Tsubaki." Sona's voice was strained. "Take Tandy and show her the town."
I chuckled, shaking my head.
"Your girls can go," I said easily. "My light's place is next to me."
Sona's eyes snapped to mine. There was a surge of surprise that was eaten by indignation, until it turned to resignation once she saw I wouldn't budge on this.
Then her blush returned, looking in Tandy's direction.
My light just smiled serenely. Good girl.
"Dante…" Sona breathed out, her eyes dropping to my lap.
Surprisingly, Tsubaki didn't wait for Sona to gather herself, just winking in my direction and standing up, placing a hand on Momo's shoulder, and guiding the blushing white-haired girl out of the room.
The door clicked shut behind them. I didn't mention how Sona's whole body trembled along with the sound.
Sona stood there, her hands at her sides, her eyes moving between me and Tandy, who sat on the couch with her legs crossed and a curious expression, eager to see how this would play out.
Hmm… it appeared that my light was a bit of a pervert. I wondered where that came from. Not that I was about to complain.
"Well?" I said, patting my thigh once.
She didn't move for a long moment.
Then Sona Sitri, the president of Kuoh Academy's council, heiress of the Sitri clan, bringer of order, walked around her own desk and sat on my lap.
Her posture was rigid; her arms hung loosely at her sides, her face blushing.
But she sat.
I let one hand settle on her waist, my thumb drawing a slow circle against the fabric of her skirt.
"Do you remember your promise, my dear?" I murmured against her ear, and she shivered on top of me. "Because I haven't forgotten."
Her eyes were glassy as she looked at me; a sound tried to leave her throat and failed magnificently, leaving only a panting breath.
"I wouldn't like being called a liar," she squeaked out.
"That's my girl," I kissed her lips softly, conscious of Tandy's eyes looking at us from next to the desk.
I didn't notice her moving.
The kiss didn't have the same heat from the Sitri park; there was no desperate hunger nor a hurry to see who reached the finish line first.
But whatever it had, it was enough for Sona to melt against my chest before I pulled back.
"I'm not your girl." She breathed out, trying to look firm.
"Hoh?" My lips twitched, approaching for another kiss, but not fast enough for her, since she closed the distance first.
"Are you sure?" I asked after a minute, feeling her chest pressing against mine, and a very distinct movement on my lap.
"Shut up, you bastard," she scowled, before her hand grabbed my hair.
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