Morning AfterThe warm light of morning brushed across Ryuichi's face, coaxing him out of sleep.
"Mmm…" He raised a hand to block the sunbeam slipping through the curtains, blinking drowsily. A glance at the clock made him sigh.
"Eight-thirty already…? Guess I'm late for school."
The thought flickered through his still-groggy mind, but he didn't move. Late was late — not the end of the world.
When he shifted slightly, his arm brushed against something soft and smooth. Turning his head, Ryuichi froze.
Rias Gremory was lying peacefully beside him, her crimson hair spilling over the pillow like silk.
Right… she'd been treating his wounds last night.
Healing through direct contact — that part was definitely real. The process was supposed to be about energy transfer and magic circulation, but… well, there were certain side effects he'd never quite gotten used to.
He smiled faintly. "Being a Devil isn't so bad sometimes…"
Last night's memories were a blur of exhaustion and heat. Somewhere between the pain of recovery and Rias's gentle magic, he'd fallen asleep completely. A little disappointing, really — he'd missed a chance to enjoy her closeness while awake.
Still smiling at the thought, Ryuichi shifted closer and let his arm wrap lightly around her. The warmth of her body and the faint scent of roses made it hard to care about anything else — least of all being late.
But then the mattress moved again.
That was strange. Rias was still asleep.
Before he could puzzle it out, a soft murmur rose behind him — followed by the sensation of delicate arms sliding around his waist from the other side.
The touch was unmistakable. And it wasn't Rias's.
Ryuichi turned his head slightly… and blinked in disbelief.
"…Asia?"
There she was — curled up against his back, her blonde hair tousled, her expression peaceful.
He stared for a full three seconds.
How… did this happen?
As he tried to recall the details of last night, Rias stirred beside him. Her sapphire eyes fluttered open, and she caught him mid-thought — or more precisely, mid–awkward situation.
Her gaze flicked to where his hand happened to be resting. A teasing smile curved her lips.
"My, my… you're quite lively first thing in the morning."
Ryuichi froze. "…Uh."
Rias giggled softly and brushed a strand of hair from his face. "How are you feeling? Any pain left from yesterday?"
Physically, he felt great. Spiritually… maybe a little conflicted.
He exhaled and smiled faintly. "All healed. Full HP restored."
The amused sparkle in her eyes deepened. "Good to hear. Though I can tell one part of you is especially energetic."
"Rias," he said with mock exasperation, "weren't you the one who said you're inexperienced with this kind of thing?"
"Mm~ maybe I'm just a fast learner." She tilted closer, her smile both elegant and mischievous. "Call it… instinct."
Her playful tone was pure Rias — equal parts teasing and affectionate — and the atmosphere in the room grew quietly, almost dangerously warm.
Then a faint sound behind them broke the moment.
Ryuichi turned just in time to see Asia stir awake, her blue-green eyes blinking open… only to realize exactly what kind of situation she'd woken up in.
Her face went scarlet.
"R–Ryuichi…!" she squeaked, clutching the blanket up to her chin. "Th-this is… um…!"
Rias laughed lightly, clearly enjoying the chaos. "You know, she insisted on staying last night after your treatment," she said. "She was worried you'd wake up in pain."
Asia protested softly, her voice trembling between embarrassment and honesty. "That's because… because you just fell asleep right next to him, President! It wouldn't have been fair if I left!"
Rias smirked. "Oh? You think it's unfair for me to sleep beside my servant?"
"That's not— I mean—!" Asia puffed out her cheeks, then sighed, her tone turning shyly earnest. "I just… wanted to stay close too. You're both so amazing, and I—I didn't want to be left out…"
She trailed off, glancing down at herself, then at Rias, and sighed again in visible defeat.
Rias reached over to pat her gently on the head. "You really are adorable, Asia."
Ryuichi could only rub the back of his neck helplessly. "You two are going to give me a heart attack one of these days."
"Maybe," Rias said with a sly smile, "but at least you'll die happy."
Asia made a flustered noise of protest, but the warmth between them lingered, gentle and strangely domestic.
Later that morning, the three finally arrived at Kuoh Academy via teleportation magic circle.
Officially, they were late. Practically, though — when the Gremory heiress told the Student Council she'd had "club business," nobody dared ask for details.
Inside the Occult Research Club room, Rias was just finishing her explanation when Ryuichi suddenly froze.
"…Wait. Today's the midterm exams."
Rias sighed elegantly. "Ah. So it is. Well, I suppose that can't be helped. We did fight Fallen Angels last night."
Akeno, who'd just arrived with a tray of tea, giggled behind her hand. "Ara, ara~ only the Gremory group could forget something like that."
Rias waved it off, then turned back toward Ryuichi, her expression thoughtful.
"Speaking of exams, though — Ryuichi's power level has already risen to that of a mid-class Devil. Which means…"
Ryuichi raised an eyebrow. "Means what?"
"You'll need to take your Promotion Exam soon," Rias said with a faint smile. "It's the official test to confirm your rank. You didn't think I'd let you stay a low-class forever, did you?"
He groaned quietly. "Great. Another exam."
Rias's smile deepened. "Don't worry. I'll make sure your study sessions are… motivating."
From the other side of the room, Akeno's soft laugh chimed like a bell. "Ara, ara~ I do look forward to that."
Ryuichi sighed again. Life as a Devil, it seemed, was never dull.