25 - ||

Age 16

I yawned quietly. I still dislike mornings, no matter how much time passes. Of course, I can't show that, that would be disgraceful.

I glanced about, sighing. My little family was hanging decorations, Ruby silently sulking as I ensured she stayed out of the kitchen. As much as I love the girl, Ruby never has quite figured out how to cook. I'm not sure if it's the measuring or following the recipe, but every time she tries, the kitchen ends up bursting into flames. She blamed a random iguana the first few times, but nobody believed her, so she stopped.

"What I don't get is why Shirone is waking Millicas." Ruby complained for the umpteenth time. "You know she's going to try to have sex with him, right?"

I felt my cheeks flush lightly. "W-well, yes, but I trust Millicas-sama not to give in to her requests for… intercourse."

"…You still can't say 'sex', can you?" Ruby asked, a shit-eating grin on her face. "After all this time of merging personalities, you're still too embarrassed to say it."

I huffed, cheeks brightening. "I'm trying, all right? I'm half teenaged girl, half age-old ruler. I'm surprised it only took me a decade to reconcile to two."

She raised an eyebrow, stretching to hang another streamer. The brief flash of pale stomach her shirt revealed made me cough and look away. "And you're fine now?"

"You should've seen the mess my mind was in before this." I replied drily. "This is practically the picture of order compared to then. You teased me about being a tsundere, but you weren't exactly right. Tsunderes are supposedly more concerned about their pride than their love interest, and thus act bipolar. I am bipolar."

"You're still a tsundere, though." She teased, leaning over and pecking me on the cheek. "Just look at that blush."

I coughed, glancing away. "T-that's because they're looking at us." I hissed. "I spent most of my time here acting like a moron. If I want any reputation at all, I have to maintain my Pride!"

"Your public image is all that's left of your previous life, I suppose." Ruby mused, reaching for another streamer. "That and your irrational embarrassment whenever I mention sex."

"Teenage. Girl." I ground out, face on fire once more. "Even Rias is like this when she's not teasing. And Asia blushes too, remember?"

"Asia would be mildly dangerous to string." Ruby deadpanned. "Shirone and I are just fine."

"You're a three thousand-something Dragon of Lust, and Shirone has literally centered her entire being around Millicas." I pointed out. "You two regularly change in front of him without blinking twice. Asia and I are the only two in our family who could be considered 'normal'." I paused, considering. "Not to mention both you and Shirone have heat cycles that make you hornier certain times of year."

Ruby smirked. "I wouldn't throw stones from that glass house of yours, Mrs. Nesting Instinct."

I flushed. "I told you that in confidence after you asked why I become a perfectionist in the springtime. Not so that you could yell it to the world!" I hissed, glancing at the crowd around us.

"He's coming!" A voice shouted, making Ruby and I drop the subject.

The lights dimmed, and I sighed. 'I love Sirzechs like a father, but honestly… his own damn son would have the same night vision he does.'

I glanced at Grayfia, who was rubbing her temples with a frustrated expression. I gave her a wan smile, and she smiled back. We both knew the burdens of having our lovers lack common sense. I probably would've gone mad without her, honestly.

A teleport circle glowed to life, and I covered my ears. "SURPRISE!"

The shout rattled the windowpanes, making me wince. Damn, Ruby has a set of lungs.

Once the song had finished, I finally removed my fingers from my ears. Unfortunately, all the useful artifacts in my treasury either remove the air in the room entirely, or make me permanently deaf, neither of which would help. So, grimacing, I ignored the loud burst of chatter that followed and watched Grayfia take an impressively sharp knife from her sleeve and cut the cake a short distance from where I stood.

I'll have to ask her how she does that. I've never seen her use any pocket dimensions before.

"Help yourselves." She called.

I smiled, taking the first piece after Millicas's and following him to the table. Ruby and the others were several spaces back in line, leaving me the seat right next to my husband.

Alone. With no competition. Next to Millicas.

…Dammit, hormones.

'Think, girl.' I thought determinedly, gazing down at my partially-eaten cake. 'You've read all about this in your romance nove—er, you remember all about this from the movi—dammit. Are all of my experiences with romance from cheesy movies and raunchy books?'

I blinked, glancing at the fork in my hand and over at my )King(. My cheeks burned as a plan hit, and I was already moving before I could talk myself out of it. He glanced up as I tapped him on the shoulder, and instantly my insides felt like goo. His warm eyes stared into mine, and I could only wordlessly hold out a forkful of cake. He chuckled, leaning forward and eating it right off my fork.

My hormones chose an excellent time to make me realize he had indirectly kissed me.

Shirone giggled, sitting in the seat next to me and brushing her tail across my arm to announce her presence. "Why are you so excited about that? I've seen you French kiss him multiple times."

I glared at her, pointing at Sirzechs and Grayfia, who were watching in amusement. "You know why."

She blinked, glancing around the crowded room. "Ah. Tsundere. Right."

I twitched. "I am not a tsundere!" I hissed. {I just have a sense of shame that you sorely lack!}

Shirone just smirked. "Oh?" {I'm a cat, we don't do shame.}

"Do I need to feed Ruby your cake?" Millicas interrupted, gesturing to the red-haired Dragon who was already on her fourth slice.

I watched as she devoured another slice, glanced down at my own cake, and decided to eat rather than bicker.

{Master just noticed your collar.} Shirone reported, making me pause.

{H-he did?} I asked self-consciously, a hand going to my neck. {W-what did he say?}

{…You know, for all your ego, you're awfully touchy about your image.}

{Ravel.} I explained simply. {She practically had an inferiority complex bred into her, and Gilgamesh's ego can only do so much to suppress it. Now what did he say?}

{Nothing much, but his Greed seemed happy about it.}

I puffed out my chest slightly, smiling brightly. That little piece of news had made me happier than I had any right to be. I suspected my Pride had something to do with it, but I didn't care. {W-well good!} I stammered, trying to hide my excitement by shoving more cake into my mouth.

{Don't choke.} She teased, curling her soft tail briefly around my free hand.

Millicas finally took a bite of his cake, making Ruby pout. "I was going to eat that!"

He smirked, taking a forkful and holding it out to her. She flushed, but accepted the cake. My fork bent slightly in my grip as I watched, and Shirone wasn't much better. Ruby noticed and giggled at us. "You might want to pay attention to your subs, now." She teased my husband. "Otherwise, I think they might hurt you."

He laughed, turning to look at us. "Nah. I'm not too worried about it. If they hurt me, they won't get any more cuddles."

Shirone froze in terror, making me roll my eyes. "That's not fair."

He grinned. "Oh? I seem to recall you doing something similar whenever you wanted something."

She grimaced. "That was before my Gluttony got worse."

"And what about now? Are you two asking me for something?"

I reddened, suddenly finding the table fascinating. 'This is what I've been waiting for! Quick! Find something cute or suave to say!'

"N-no! W-what would I ask you?" I stuttered.

'No, dammit! That was a knee-jerk reaction! Let me try again!'

Shirone smirked, walking over and sitting on his lap. She up looked at him with adoring eyes, making me fume even more over my wasted chance. "Master? Can you please feed me?"

He smiled, running my hand through her hair and briefly kissing her. "Of course, love. I'd be happy to."

I frowned, watching as he began to feed our Nekoshou. "T-that's not fair—" I cut myself off, glancing at our audience. If I knew Sirzechs… yep, hidden camera under his arm. Grayfia keeps sending exasperated looks at it. "I-I mean, that's not appropriate! We're in public!" I said instead.

My oblivious husband smirked, turning to face me. "Is there a problem with it? Everyone here knows she's mine."

I flushed, glancing away. "S-so am I…" I murmured to myself, quietly enough that the camera would miss it.

His smirk melted into a warm smile. "Then ask."

I squeaked, turning bright red. "W-what? Y-you heard that?" He nodded, and I felt the tips of my ears become uncomfortably warm. "A-ah. I see." I stuttered.

He raised an eyebrow, feeding a purring Shirone another piece of cake. "Well?"

'…Screw it. I'm not missing this because of an audience.' I shyly brushed a strand of golden hair out of my face. "C-can you please feed me, Millicas-sama?" I pleaded, my inner Ravel cheering loudly.

He smiled kindly, taking a forkful of cake and holding it out. I meekly accepted it, getting a bit of frosting on me. "There, was that so hard?"

I shook my head, licking the frosting off my lip. "N-no, Millicas-sama."

He smirked, reaching over to ruffle my hair. "Good girl."

Good girl.

I shuddered as my Pride kicked in. Waves of joy and satisfaction made my eyelids flutter shut, and I had to hold myself still as an almost orgasmic pleasure hit. I could tell Shirone was smirking at me, but I didn't care. Master had praised me, and I was loving it.

From across the table, Ajuka cleared his throat. "Millicas? I have a job for you tomorrow if you're free."

My husband turned to face him, glancing briefly in his father's direction to make sure he wasn't paying attention. I noticed that his hand hadn't left my head, and I did my best to hide it as I leaned into his touch. "Job stuff?"

"Job stuff." He confirmed.

Millicas sighed, stroking my head without seeming to notice. "All right. I'll be there. Just let me spend the day with my girls."

The Maou nodded. "It's not urgent. Take all the time you need."

Millicas smiled, drawing his hand away and returning to the task of petting Shirone. She continued purring, burying her face in his chest.

I pretended not to notice as she smirked at me.

My husband sighed, turning to Ruby. "Would you mind holding her while I open my gifts?"

She smiled. "I'd be happy to."

He gently lifted the adorable girl off his lap and onto Ruby's. She barely seemed to notice, instead simply turning and burying her face in Ruby's large chest.

I perked up. 'A chance!'

He stood, and I rose as well. "I shall attend you." I told him, leaving no room for argument. Then, with a glance at our audience, "It would not do for one such as I to leave you alone."

He sighed, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "All right, then. Let's go."

And with that, we left our girls alone.

We made our way to a large table, laden with wrapped gifts. Some were elegantly wrapped, such as mine and Grayfia's, but others… well. You can instantly spot Rider's. The oaf probably hasn't wrapped anything before… but he looks too excited for me to ruin this for him. But there was one 'gift' in particular I was eying. I leaned over, whispering to my husband. "The box on the right is Shirone's."

He blinked, staring at it. "…There's a head in there, isn't there."

I grimaced, but my mind raised a sudden flag for the answer to a previous problem. "W-why do you think I insisted on being alone with you?" I asked, masking my sudden burst of embarrassment with Pride.

"Because you wanted to watch me open your present." Millicas answered easily.

I coughed, face flushing as he saw right through me. "T-that too." I muttered.

He merely raised an eyebrow, still not looking at me. My wonderful husband knows me well enough to know looking at me when I'm feeling embarrassed only makes Ravel's shyness worse. "I take it the one wrapped in gold is yours, then?"

I glanced at it, internally sulking. He wouldn't like it if I gave him what I really wanted to, so I had to settle for something trivial. I couldn't even give him a solid gold box, the one time I tried he snuggl—er, he forced indignity upon me until I agreed not to do it again. Apparently he has no use for a solid gold box, even one studded with diamonds.

I really can't understand my man sometimes.

He smiled at me, and the wonderful feeling of lov—er, affection, rushed through my veins.

"Would you like me to open it now?" He asked, making me blink. A reflexive blush rose to my cheeks, but I fought it down. This was my moment, and I wasn't going to waste it.

"Please." I replied, my Prideful tone making it sound like a demand.

'Dammit! I didn't mean it like that!' I cursed internally. 'Maybe Ajuka was right about having two sources of Pride.'

He didn't seem to notice my sudden lapse of concentration, picking up the golden box and sitting in a nearby chair. I tried to hide my fidgeting, knowing full well that the entire room had hushed and was watching our every move. They were watching my husband more than me, but that didn't stop Ravel's shyness from making me feel embarrassed.

Millicas, oblivious, unwrapped the golden paper and pulled the lid off the box. The entire room seemed to shrink slightly as everyone leaned in to see what was inside. My cheeks warmed, and I coughed. "M-Millicas-sama, you may want to actually show others."

He shot me a cheeky grin, setting aside the box, and held up an exquisitely-made cloak. It was from only the best of materials, and one could see soft shimmerings of silver thread if the light caught it just right. The designs seemed alive, all dancing in place as they gleamed in the light of the chandelier. A great dragon, wings spread. A small dove, hiding under the wing of a bird of flames. A cat, curled around the neck of the garment as if it were a scarf.

"It's beautiful." He whispered, running a finger over one of the designs. "What material is it?"

I beamed, happy that he liked my gift. "It's Angel Skin. An old friend of mine taught me how to make it, and you always like more defenses. Angel Skin can block almost anything, and if it can't block it, it retreats into the wound and heals on its' way out."

"You made this?" He asked, surprised. Murmurs of agreement came from our audience, and I puffed out my chest.

"I did. Every stitch of it." I told him proudly. "I am a Divine Enchantress, after all."

He smiled at me, setting the cloak back in the box and rising to his feet. I felt his arms wrap around me, and he pulled me onto his lap as he sat back down. "That was a very thoughtful gift, Gil. Thank you."

I felt my cheeks burn as my thoughts stuttered to a stop. For a moment there, I had forgotten we were being watched. "O-of course." I stammered, very aware of how he was holding me. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to relax. "I-I just don't understand why you would want something like that when I can easily give you something ten times better."

He laughed, and his eyes danced. I felt my heart skip a beat. "Gil, you made this yourself. Why wouldn't I like it better?"

Some part of me felt ridiculously happy about that, and I have no clue why.

'It doesn't matter, though.' I mused, shyly tugging on a strand of my hair while stealing glances at my husband's handsome face. 'Even if I can't always understand him…'

He smiled, pulling me close. His warmth spread through me, and I ignored my instinct to pull away.

'…I still love him dearly.'

"I love you, Millicas." I told him softly, ignoring the butterflies in my stomach. It was his birthday, I might as well tell him what he already knows.

He smiled down at me, leaning in to steal a quick kiss.

"I love you, too."

"So… what did you need my help for?" Asia asked tentatively. She looked so adorably shy, I barely resisted the urge to snuggle her.

…What? I share a soul with Millicas, of course I love snuggles. Shut up.

"What do you know about Divinity?" I asked, compromising by pulling my Angel onto my lap. She snuggled into my embrace, face brightening in a smile at my boldness.

"Well…" She hummed, tapping her chin. "I suppose I know that it's something that you hate. Something from your time as Gilgamesh, right?"

I nodded, pressing a kiss onto the top of her head. She was utterly adorable, and she knew it. Even if she was practically my little sister, I still found myself imagining… well. That's not relevant right now. And besides, we still love each other as more than sisters, even if that's how we treat each other. "Yes, that's most of it. Gilgamesh was two-thirds god, so she had an almost perfect Divinity."

Asia frowned, doing what Millicas called the 'confused puppy head tilt'. "But wait, if Divinity is something that comes from being born from two gods…"

I shook my head. "It's not always. Divinity is a measure of the soul, blood has nothing to do with it. Well." I paused. "It has very little to do with it. A child of a god will always be at least half-Divine, but that's more of a way to bypass the normal rules."

Asia nodded slowly. "Okay. So your soul is Divine, even if your body isn't?"

"Yes." I frowned. "Wait, no. Maybe. That's what I need your help with. It's not safe to use Divinity unless one's body is perfectly attuned to it. Millicas made no mistakes in the ritual, so my soul is completely intact. But it takes time to transform a body to match a soul, even if it is only for a single quality. I don't know if it's safe to try yet."

"I see." The pretty Angel sighed. "I take it you want me to check?"

I shifted uncomfortably, suddenly very interested in the bed I sat on. Millicas doesn't care much about the sheets, so he lets us pick them out. The result is usually either silk or a soft satin. So there I sat for a time, examining the simple fabric as if it held the secrets of the universe.

I felt a hand take mine, and I glanced up to see Asia's green eyes and wide smile. "Don't worry about it." She told me, holding my hand against her cheek. "I'm glad you told me. It doesn't hurt anymore, and even if it did, I would rather you tell me than try something dangerous by yourself."

I sighed, reaching out with my other hand to cup her face. Alone as we were, I didn't even hesitate before kissing her soundly on the lips. She pressed her forehead against mine as she pulled away, eyes shining softly. "Gil, I love you. You're my precious sister. Don't hide things from me, ever."

I huffed, slightly irritated. "Then why are you hiding this from Millicas? Don't try to distract me, give me a straight answer."

She flinched slightly. "B-but didn't you want me to…" She trailed off, seeing my expression. "R-right." She sighed. "Cas… he wouldn't understand. He wouldn't like that I hid it from him, especially for as long as I have."

"Asia, it's a Reality Marble." I stressed. "You should tell him. He can help."

"I don't need help." She protested, though we both knew she was lying. "Now do you want me to look at you or not?"

I frowned at the blatant attempt to change the subject. "Asia…"

"No." She cut me off, uncharacteristically curt. "I'll tell Cas when I think it's the right moment, and not a second sooner. Stop pressing. I'm fine, and even if I weren't, Shirone would be better at helping than you would."

Her words cut deep, but I ignored the sting. "Shirone may be better at counseling, but she's just as warped as you are. And who says she's the only one who can see past your mask?" I crossed my arms, staring at her. "You don't want to tell Millicas about this because you're afraid he won't want you if you're broken. Even though you know that's not the case. That's why you've been so distant lately. That's why you're leaving the Church. You're afraid you'll slip and make a mistake if you keep going."

She flinched at every accusation, making me feel terrible for deliberately hurting her. But she needed to hear it, and no one else would tell her.

'Sometimes I hate my job.'

"…Not yet." She whispered, making me feel even worse. "Not yet. I'll tell him soon."

I pulled her close once more, resting her head on my chest. "Okay. That's all I needed. Thank you."

She sighed, nuzzling into me. Time passed, neither of us saying a word. Finally, she spoke. "D-didn't you need me for something?"

I blinked, suddenly remembering why this conversation had started in the first place. "R-right. Sure. Do you think you could…?"

She sighed, sitting up and placing a hand on my forehead. I felt a slight pulse of mana, and she shuddered. "That bull gets me every time."

I winced. Her voice was scarcely a whisper, but I still heard it. "Look, the bull got too close, and I was only ten. It hurt, but I survived."

She blinked, the haze over her eyes vanishing. "Oh, no. That's not it at all. I was talking about the Bull of Heaven you fought with Enkidu."

"What?" I frowned. "But I barely got scratched in that fight. There shouldn't be any pain."

"Nothing physical." She murmured, snuggling into me once more. "Not all pain is, though. Not that you'd ever admit it."

"That's not what you were looking for, though." I prodded, not wanting to discuss emotions from several thousand years back.

She gave me an amused look, but let it drop. "You have trace amounts of something I've never seen before. You had some of it back when I first healed you, and now you have about ten times that. Does that help any?"

I frowned. A plan was beginning to form in my mind, and it sounded suspiciously like something my husband would come up with. "…If I tried to use my Divinity and it went wrong… could you piece me back together?"

"Yep!" Asia chirped, unruffled. "You might not remember trying, though. I'd be restoring your neurons, too."

I raised an eyebrow. "…I just suggested something potentially fatal, and you didn't even blink."

She shrugged. "I've put people's brains back into their bodies after they've been butchered nine ways from Sunday. Millicas prefers to just create a whole new body, but I have to work with what I have."

"And you're just… okay with that?" I asked, conflicted.

H hand cupped my cheek, and her smile brightened the room. "Gil, you trusted me enough to ask me, so I'll be happy to help." Her gaze sharpened. "Not that I'd let you do anything stupid. I just think it's a calculated risk. You're still scared of Ishtar, right?"

"I'm not scared." I snapped.

"Of course not." She agreed amiably. "You just hate the idea of someone else being more powerful than you and rubbing that power in your face."

"Who does?" I asked simply, shutting down that line of conversation. Asia sighed, gesturing for me to begin. I closed my eyes and reached into myself. It had been some time, but I still remembered the familiar pull of my Divinity. "All right. Are you ready?"

I felt her tense slightly, and took that as an invitation to begin. I tugged on the mental cord, and the familiar sensation of power began to suffuse me. It was different from my Flames, but eerily similar in that it invoked the same feeling of cleansing everything it found abhorrent. Gilgamesh had despised the feeling, only ever reaching for it when absolutely necessary, but I had become acclimated to it over the course of Ravel's lifetime.

It rushed through me, dulling my nerve endings and making my skin feel like marble. That must be what becoming Divine feels like—suddenly I wasn't human, I was a marble statue to be gazed upon and adored, praised and loved for my benevolence. I kept my Pride in check, trying to avoid letting myself preen at the feeling. I was conducting an experiment, not showing off to Asia. And besides… this feels different than when Gilgamesh did it. Did something go wrong?

I opened my eyes, looking down at myself. My skin seemed soft and smooth, almost glowing softly with inner light. No… it was glowing, a golden shimmer that danced at the edge of my vision. I brought my hand close to my face, examining it more closely. My skin seemed perfect… too perfect. Like I really was the marble statue I felt like. I rubbed two fingers together, and the soft sound of skin on skin was disturbingly absent. It felt like velvet, almost, smooth and soft and eerily beautiful.

It was inhumanly perfect.

"Hey, Asia, do you think—" I asked absently, still examining my hand. I was suddenly cut off mid-sentence, my field of vision obscured by a head of blonde hair as I felt myself being pushed back against the bed. A pair of lips pressed against mine, making me start in surprise. I waited a few seconds, noting in surprise that I didn't feel embarrassed from the sudden kiss. That was odd. I was always embarrassed by kisses.

"A-Asia?" I asked hesitantly as she pulled away. "Are you all right?"

"Mmhmm." She agreed, eyes glazed as she looked down at me. "Never better."

"Are you sure?" I checked, feeling her press her body against me. Once again, I didn't feel my usual shyness as her breasts pressed against mine and she cupped my cheek in her hand. "You aren't usually this… bold."

She giggled, green eyes sparkling with something that looked suspiciously like lust. "Oh, no, I'm perfectly fine. It's just… you're gorgeous." She kissed me on the nose, still giving me what were now most definitely bedroom eyes. "This perfect body, this beautiful voice, these expressive eyes… and they're all mine." She purred.

As much as that excited me, I was well and truly alarmed. That didn't sound like Asia, not in the least. "Asia? Do you remember your Aria?" I asked urgently, catching and holding her wrists. I'm not going to do anything to her while she's under the influence of… whatever this is. I would never forgive myself, and she would probably blame herself for losing control.

"Aria?" She blinked, the haze over her mind lifting. "R-right. Reality Marble. Blocks influence." She murmured, seeming to realize something was wrong for the first time. "G-give me a moment…"

She took a deep breath, then spoke once more. "))I am one who fights for life.(("

The words seemed to echo unnaturally in the small room, and her eyes cleared instantly. She sat up with a gasp, horror marring her features. "Oh my God! Gil! I'm so sorr—"

"No." I interrupted, sitting up as well and snuggling her close to me. "It's fine. I would've greatly enjoyed that situation if you had been in control of yourself."

The Angel blinked. Twice. "Um… Gil? Are you all right?"

I nodded absently, reaching up and toying with a strand of her hair. "It seems that my Divinity is different than I remember. I don't feel embarrassment or shyness at the moment, but otherwise I'm fine."

"Obviously not, seeing as you're admitting you're shy." Asia teased lightly, placing a hand on my chest. She sent a pulse of mana through me, and her brow furrowed. "Gil… you're not even a Devil anymore."

I nodded absently, reflecting on how adorable she looked with her brow crinkled in thought. "Can I kiss you?"

She blinked, cheeks flushing. "W-what?" She squeaked, eyes wide.

"I want to kiss you because you're adorable." I repeated, "And I thought I should ask first."

"O-oh." She tilted her head. "Um, sure?"

I smiled, leaning in and kissing her. She stiffened in surprise, but quickly melted into me. I could see why Shirone loved kissing Asia so much, now. She's putty in my hands in less time than it takes to blink. I pulled away with a content smile, cuddling my Angel close. "I love you, Asia."

"L-love you too." She stammered, face still bright red. "U-um… whatever it is is starting to affect me again…"

I frowned. "Oh. I'm sorry about that."

"I-it's fine…" She trailed off, eyes beginning to glaze over. "But you really are beautiful, you know."

My frown deepened. "I think I should turn off my Divinity, now. I don't want to make you do anything you'd regret."

"No! Don't—" She blurted, panic crossing her face, before cutting herself off. "Actually, you really should. I think I just almost had a mental breakdown at the thought of seeing you in your original form. And, um..." She flushed, looking away. "I wouldn't regret it."

I nodded, ignoring the second part of what she had said. I wasn't the only one in our bizarre family that had an odd fetish. "Pity. I wanted to know what Millicas-sama would think of this." I closed my eyes, drawing back in the flow of power and tucking it back into a corner of my mind. Asia relaxed on my lap, and I released the air in my lungs.

I opened my eyes… and promptly realized that I had just kissed Asia. On the lips.

My cheeks warmed, and Asia giggled. "There's the Gil I know." She pecked me on the lips, making me squeak and freeze in place. "Pity, though. Maybe I should keep pretty you around?" She teased.

"N-no!" I stammered, mortified at what I had just done. "That was just s-so… inappropriate! I kissed you!"

"You did." My Angel agreed. "But we're in a relationship, so it doesn't matter."

"I kissed you!" I repeated. "On the lips!"

The adorable blonde giggled, slipping off my lap. "I'm going to leave you to that, then. Come find me when you calm down."

I nodded absently, watching as she left the room. Her hips swayed hypnotically, and I caught her winking at me as she slipped out the door.

I huffed, brutally silencing the voice in my head as it tried to chirp a suggestion. Millicas-sama isn't one to act provocatively… but all the other girls most certainly are. Even my once-innocent Asia seems to be acting with less and less tact, her advances lacking the kind naivety she once had.

I wonder if she wears—

NOW. To business. No dirty images of Asia in lacy underwear. None.

So. My Divinity did something I never expected it to, which is still preferable to having it vaporize me, but irritating nonetheless. According to Asia, I did more than simply become Divine, I became something else entirely. Even at its' fullest extent, Divinity would only make me a Devil with Divine abilities. If I ceased being a Devil entirely… well. That's something more than Divinity. And if Asia's reaction was anything to go by?

Goddess Metamorphosis. The Shapeshift Skill in its highest form, where one undergoes metamorphosis into a goddess. A true goddess, 'blessed' with all that entails. Asia couldn't keep her eyes off me, and likely would've offered her virginity if I hadn't stopped her. In all likelihood, my Authority involved the concept of Beauty.

I gritted my teeth, glaring down at my clenched fist. I spend my entire life cursing the gods for toying with my fate, only to become one? A Goddess of Beauty, like Ishtar? The bitch who did her damnedest to ruin my life?

I walled off the section of my mind containing that particular skill. I'm not going to be like her, even by association. All the gods can rot in hell for all I care, and I'm perfectly happy with my life as a Devil. Maybe in time I can learn to tone down my Divinity so it won't trigger a transformation, but for now? I'm not touching that.

Wait. If I've been developing into a Goddess of Beauty all this time… would that explain all the oddities? The voices in my head? The odd urges to please what my instincts knew to be the owner of my soul? Goddesses are well-known to be malleable while they are ascending, so perhaps Ravel's soul warped mine somehow?

I shook my head, rising to my feet and heading for the door. It doesn't matter, I'm never using that damn Skill again anyway. No use wasting time thinking about it. Perhaps it's time to track down my wayward husband, he can help soothe my frayed nerves.

Just like he always does.

Omake: Ravel Onee-sama

I took a deep breath, hesitating before the door to the Occult Research Club. If Millicas was right, and he usually is, then a familiar face is waiting on the other side. A familiar face, and memories I'd rather forget. But I can't run forever, and Isaiah doesn't deserve to get hurt over my insecurities.

I have to do this.

I raised a hand and knocked on the thick wooden door. My stomach fluttered with nerves as I hear footsteps approach, and I silently closed the Link so no one worried about me if I got too emotional. My lovers might understand, but they're too clingy to leave me alone if they think I'm. It's best to do this alone, like ripping off a bandage.

The door creaked open, and I stared down at a small, white-haired girl that bore a startling resemblance to Shirone. "What do you want?" She asked, yawning.

"Er…" I hesitated once more, cursing my weakness. I was talking to an old friend, not attending a peace conference! I straightened, taking a deep breath. "I'm Ravel Phenex, and I've come to say hi to Isaiah."

The girl blinked. "Kiba? You want to talk to him?" She smirked. "I dunno, he never talks to any of his fangirls."

I twitched at the mention of the dreaded phenomenon. "I will murder you if you say that word again while describing me, you little mutt." I growled, my anger making my eyes flash red. "Tell Isa—er, Kiba I'm here, or I'll do it myself."

The girl sighed, turning and closing the door. "Hey Kiba, your fangi—"

I fired a pitch-black blade from my Gate and stabbed her clear through the stomach. She choked to a stop, looking incredulously back at me.

"I warned you, mutt." I told her dismissively. "You truly are worthless if you think everyone would so casually make a threat and not carry it out." I pulled the blade from her back slowly, smiling at her agonized expression. "Be glad that I am merciful, else this blade would have been aimed at your heart. Isaiah is the only thing keeping you alive right now."

She spat a glob of blood at me. "F-fuck… you…"

I grasped the hilt firmly, then twisted. She gasped and crumpled, holding the bloody hole that the blade had occupied. I sighed, debating kicking the little mutt. If she had apologized I would've healed her for Millicas's sake, but she cursed my generosity, so I would leave her to rot.

I stepped delicately over the soon-to-be corpse, deciding that getting my shoes bloody wouldn't be worth the satisfaction of watching her scream more. She wasn't worth anything anyway, and I doubt I'll even remember she exists by the time I get home.

"Isaiah!" I called, pushing the door shut.

The clubroom was larger than Millicas's bedroom, with expensive decorations and exquisite masterpieces lining the walls. At the wall facing the door, an empty mahogany desk stood before a pair of couches and a coffee table. A blonde youth was polishing an exquisite blade, and a silver-haired teen with a matching silver outfit munched on a box of Runts. Both boys glanced up at my entry, the silver-haired boy pulling off his sunglasses to glare at me.

"Who might you be?" The blonde calmly asked, brandishing his blade. "And how do you know that name?"

I smirked. "Oh, I'm Ravel Phenex, Lugal of Heroes and fiancé of Millicas Gremory. I know the name because he's an old friend of mine." I glanced back at the corpse. "Pity your doorkeeper was so impudent, I might've spared her otherwise."

The blonde blinked in shock, looking me over as if for the first time. "R-Ravel?!"

I frowned. "Yes, I just said that."

"I-it's me, Isaiah!" He exclaimed, rushing forward. "How did you survive?"

"Same way you did, I suspect." I replied, icy expression melting into a smile as I recognized his boyish features and blue eyes. "How have you been since the…" I trailed off, memories surfacing. "Project?"

Isaiah's smile flickered, and he sighed. "I've been… okay. Not too happy, though." His face hardened as he noticed the white-haired girl once more. "But if we're going to talk, I'm going to have to insist that you heal Valerie-san."

I glanced at her and sighed. A flash of Flames later, and she was merely unconscious rather than bleeding to death. "There. Now make sure it doesn't happen again."

He nodded awkwardly. "R-right. Um… let's go to the storage room downstairs. No one ever goes there anymore."

I shrugged, gesturing for him to lead on. The silver-haired teen across the room subtly holstered a pair of handguns, and I noticed his eyes fade from a glowing pink to a deep red. A bit odd, but who am I to judge?

We descended the staircase of the old school building, the wood of the bannisters creaking ominously and vague cracking noises coming from the stairs themselves. Isaiah gave me a sheepish look at the disrepair of the building as he opened a door at the bottom of the stairs and ushered me through. "Sorry about those. I keep asking Buchou to get them fixed, but she thinks creaky stairs add to the mystique of the place."

"Or the medical bills." I muttered, eyeing the dusty furniture within the room. I walked over to a large table, brushing it off and summoning a pair of ornate chairs from my Gate. "Sit."

He obediently sat, making me smile. He hadn't lost his puppy-like tendencies. "So how have you been?"

"I have been very well." I sat down, crossing my legs and tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "I have everything I could possibly ask for and then some. My parents are still pricks, but I can't really help that. And you?"

"I've been fine. Buchou has basically adopted me, and I couldn't be happier with my fellow Peerage members." He smiled fondly, staring off into space.

A smile grew across my own face at the thought of my little family. "Oh, yes, I know the feeling." I held up my hand, smile widening. "I even got engaged to my )King(!"

He flinched at the sight of my ring, glancing away awkwardly. I caught his hesitance and sighed. "All right, what's bothering you?"

'Does he have a crush on his )King( or something?' I wondered, observing his expression with a practiced eye. He had the face of someone in love with a person beyond their reach.

Not that I've ever seen it in the mirror or anything.

"Well…" He hesitated. "That's actually why I wanted to speak with you." He coughed, face flushing. "B-but you have to promise not to be mad!"

'Aww.' I mentally cooed, dropping my stern disposition as Ravel's memories of her old friend surfaced. It seemed that my little brother had a love problem. Surely it wouldn't hurt Onee-sama to spoil her little brother? "All right, go ahead. Tell me about your problem." I told him, leaning forward in anticipation.

"W-well, right now I'm dating a girl named Reya Kusaka…" He began awkwardly.

I squealed internally. 'Oh, he's soo adorable when he's embarrassed!'

"And?" I prodded.

He coughed. "Well, it's all going pretty good all things considered. It's just… there's something holding me back."

I gestured for him to go on.

"T-there's this other girl I like, see…" He trailed off. "And I never really got over her."

I smiled giddily. 'It's nice to be the big sister for once.' "All right, who is it? Details, details!"

"To tell the truth…" He stuttered, glancing up at me. "I used to have a crush on you while we were in the Church."

My mouth opened and closed several times as my thoughts came to a screeching halt. That was not what I had expected.

"I-it's just, you knew you were going to die, but you didn't let it affect you." He explained hurriedly, scratching his cheek. "I thought it was so brave of you to try to take care of the rest of us even as you counted down the days. When I first heard you survived, I hoped… well, I guess I hoped I'd find someone who could understand me." He trailed off at my expression, his face bright red. I wasn't sure what to feel, really, so I just let him keep going. "But then Millicas-san mentioned that you were his fiancé, and everything just fell apart. He's everything you'd want, and I'm just a reminder of your messed up past."

'He's not wrong.' I thought harshly, slightly frustrated. 'Everything I am belongs to Millicas-sama, and the thought of being and item with Isaiah of all people is almost repulsive. He's like my little brother for Satan's sake!'

'But that's not really his fault.' My more compassionate side whispered. 'He was only six, and you must've seemed like a hero to him. How could he know that you already had someone you wanted?'

I took a deep breath, deciding to let him down gently rather than skewer him like I was sorely tempted to. "Look, Isaiah… we could never have been together, even if we both survived the project." I told him softly. "We're just… too different. We might try, but we'd soon drift apart just from how opposite our worldviews are."

He snorted. "And yours' and Millicas's aren't?"

I felt my right eye twitch. Apparently 'gentle' wouldn't cut it. "Have you ever killed someone, Isaiah?" I asked a tad more coldly. "Stabbed them in the heart and watched the light in their eyes fade? Put a gun to their head and pulled the trigger?"

He blanched, but said nothing. I sighed, shaking my head. "No, you haven't. But Millicas has. You know how he saved me? He tore apart over twenty living beings without so much as a second of hesitation. He doesn't like taking a life, but he will if he has to. He understands his duty, and embraces it. I am the same."

"So you stabbed Valerie-san in the back for your duty?" He demanded harshly.

"No, I stabbed her because she pissed me off." I shot back. "I warned her, told her I would kill her if she disrespected me, but she scoffed and did it anyway. So yes, I stabbed her. I did exactly what I promised, because my honor demanded it. I even healed her once I had a good reason to. That doesn't make me a monster, it makes me a good ruler."

He exhaled, all the anger going out of him at once. "Right." He muttered. "Well, you might want to leave before Buchou gets here. She's very protective of us."

A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. "If she's anything like Millicas-sama, then I don't doubt it." I agreed wryly. "So are you done talking with me, then? Have you said everything you need to?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I'm sorry for snapping at you for… well, I'm sorry for insulting Millicas."

"I'm glad you know what you did wrong." I stood, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll find someone of your own one day." I gave him a smile, and his face reddened. My serious expression returned, and I looked him dead in the eye. "But Isaiah… no, Kiba. You will one day have to kill in order to protect your )King(. You may not understand what that means now, but once you do… you might understand a bit of what Millicas-sama means to me."

He nodded uncomfortably, rising to his feet as well. "Okay. Well, um, thank you for talking to me."

"Anytime." In a moment of rare childishness, I reached out and ruffled his spiky hair. "You're my adorable little brother, and you deserve someone who will listen when you need it. You're not the only one with popularity issues, after all."

His face flushed, and I fought back a giggle. "R-Ravel!" He sputtered. "D-don't—"

"Good luck with your girlfriend!" I cut him off, stepping back through a ))Gate(( before he could finish. My surroundings shifted from the dark school storeroom to the familiar sight of Millicas's bedroom, and the teleportation spell dissolved behind me.

Millicas glanced up from his desk, absently petting the Nekoshou on his lap. "Oh, hey Gil. Where've you been?"

I gave him my best smile. "Oh, just rejecting another boy with a crush on me."

"Ouch." He winced, turning back to his notebook. "Well, your book is on the bed. I picked it up from the library on my way home."

I smiled, stepping over and picking up said book. Then, kicking off my shoes and reclining on the soft mattress, I began to read.

And so, life went on.

Oh Lord in heaven that took forever to write. I tried a slightly different narrative style than I usually do, simply to try and capture her viewpoint more effectively. I'm not sure how well I did with that, though. It's hard to write a tsundere-yandere hybrid without making one trait or the other tertiary.

In case you didn't notice, Gil, the lovable tsundere that she is, spent at least half the story going out of her way to deny that she's shy. Her explanations behind certain actions are weak or nonexistent because she can't bring herself to lie about them, but she still hates the thought of being weak.

Oh, and Ishtar has been dead for the past five hundred years due to the lack of belief in her. So, even though Gil spent most of her time insisting she wasn't at fault for falling in love, she was just making things up.

And thus, the tsundere POV has been completed.

In case you haven't noticed my increasingly obvious hints, I will eventually be including lemons in this story. This is both because the story has been building up to them for some time, and because a fair number of reviewers have been requesting them.

SO. Kids, if you're under 18, skip the clearly marked passages. They will be marked as such.

XXX

*Insert racy lemon here*

XXX

Well, not exactly like that, but close enough. XD

I have now done my duty. You have been warned. If you are under 18 and read beyond this point, your parents are responsible for not restricting you. You are sneaking behind their backs, and they would be disappointed in you.

Not that I'd blame you. I read shit like this when I was your age.

Well, ta-ta for now!