High School DxD: Sons of Satan

"Cheers!" x8

Heineken bottles clinked together as the team raised their drinks in a cheer that shook the room.

Heracles sat with a massive turkey leg in one hand and a beer mug in the other, laughing as he continued to boast about his "vampire-slaying record" at Connla.

"I swear, man! I took out like a hundred of those bloodsuckers with one hand tied behind my back! It was awesome!"

Nearby, Regulus crouched on the floor, casually gnawing on what looked like the entire hindquarter of a buffalo.

"It was seventy-two. And he used both hands. I was the one with the most kill count."

Regulus corrected bluntly. 

"Bah! Point is, they died. We won. End of story."

Heracles scoffed. 

On the other side of the table, Georg slumped across the table, a half-empty bottle of wine cradled in his arms.

"It's all fake… Hic!"

Georg muttered with a lopsided grin, waving his free hand at the ceiling.

"Don't you see it, Cao Cao? We're just... concepts... We are made to entertain perverts! Hic!."

Cao Cao, seated next to Georg with a bowl of steaming rice in front of him, chewed his food slowly while eyeing Georg with concern, and shook his head.

"Listen, Georg. You're drunk. Even though you've only had half a glass of wine."

"No, YOU listen! We're not real! Every time I blink, I swear I see them. Those horny bastards. The illusion is cracking! Our whole life is a lie!"

Georg suddenly lurched forward, grabbing Cao Cao by the shoulders with wide eyes.

Cao Cao blinked.

"You need water, Georg. And sleep. And maybe Jesus."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, Siegfried was in the middle of calming down a drunk Jeanne d'Arc.

Her face flushed bright pink, and swaying dangerously with a half-empty beer in hand, she was poking at Siegfried's cheek like an annoyed cat.

"Have I... ever told you how cute you are?"

She slurred, giggling and hiccuping between pokes.

"Why don't you notice me? Huh? I... I've been dropping hints since forever... You're just... just... what are we talking about again?'"

"This is why I told you not to drink alcohol, woman. You know how much of a lightweight you are."

Siegfried groaned, trying to push her off gently without being rude.

"I'm.... not a lightweeeight. Y-You are!"

Jeanne protested as she attempted to stand up straight and almost stumbled.

"You.... You're a coward! Y-You big, cranky... handsome... coward..."

"... Wht the fuck?"

He muttered as he caught her before she faceplanted into the floor.

At a quieter part of the room, Lavinia Reni was enjoying her meal calmly, a soft smile on her lips as she observed the delightful chaos around her while sitting beside Arthur, who remained uncharacteristically silent.

"They're really letting loose tonight, huh? It's nice seeing everyone have fun like this. We should do this more often."

Lavinia said, casting him a glance, but Arthur didn't respond immediately.

He stared down at his food, untouched.

His expression wasn't gloomy exactly, but distant.

Lavinia frowned gently and leaned in, nudging his side with her elbow.

"Hey… you okay?"

Arthur blinked as if pulled out of a trance, looking at her.

"Sorry. Did you say something?"

"I said. This is supposed to be a fun night. You seem to be troubled, though."

She replied, a bit firmer now.

He forced a faint smile and raised his bottle in a slight toast.

"I'm fine, Lav. Just… thinking."

"About what?"

He hesitated before answering.

"A lot of things. Don't worry about it."

Before she could press further, a magic circle appeared, and it revealed a familiar blonde-haired young man carrying ten massive pizza boxes stacked high.

"Pizza time!"

Heads turned instantly.

"Dulio!"

Jeanne squealed with delight.

"Oh hell yeah!"

Heracles roared.

"You brought pizza?"

Connla asked with a mouthful of food.

"From Italy, no less. Freshly made. I personally threatened a chef to get these out fast."

Dulio placed the boxes on the table, opening each one in turn.

The smell of fresh mozzarella, basil, and sauce filled the room like a second wave of joy.

The group immediately swarmed him like moths to a flame.

Everyone grabbed a slice, even the drunk Georg stumbled over, muttering about "pizza being the key to end world hunger."

Lavinia leaned into Arthur's shoulder again and smiled.

"Maybe you should leave all that thinking for later."

Arthur watched his team, laughing, joking, living the best life.

He finally allowed a small, genuine smile to surface.

"Yeah... I guess you're right."

Later, as the celebration continued, a completely wasted Georg stood on the center table, dancing and singing the Macarena with complete seriousness.

Everyone else joined in, cheering and clapping along.

Even Siegfried cracked a grin while trying to keep Jeanne from falling over as she was sitting on his lap, cheering.

DxD

A few hours had passed since the celebration.

The once loud and energetic VIP room was now silent, the scent of food and alcohol lingering faintly in the air.

One by one, the members of the team had filtered out, their laughter echoing softly down the hallways as they made their way to their respective hotel rooms to rest.

Arthur was one of the last to leave, a faint flush coloring his cheeks as he leaned against the wall outside the suite.

"Ughhh... That was a bad idea..."

"Yes. Yes, it was. Come on, we're almost there."

He was clearly tipsy, maybe more than he let on, and wrapped his arm around Lavinia's shoulder to help him back to their room as she offered support.

They reached their shared room at the end of the hall.

Lavinia opened the door with her keycard and guided Arthur inside, switching on a dim lamp near the bed.

Arthur let out a low breath and collapsed onto the bed with a heavy thump, lying on his back across the mattress.

His jacket slipped off halfway, and he reached to tug at the rest, removing his upper layers and boots with sluggish fingers.

In the end, he gave up trying to be neat, letting his clothes drop to the floor carelessly until he was left in just his pants.

He sighed, head resting on the pillows, and stared up at the ceiling.

His head was spinning just a bit, but not enough to dull his thoughts.

Arthur's mind turned quietly, reflecting.

(Things aren't going to be easy from here, are they? The vampires were only the beginning… The deeper we go, the more enemies we'll face. The Old Satans, the Khaos Brigade, the other factions, and now whatever the future is planning…)

He thought. 

(You're unusually quiet, partner. What's the matter?)

A familiar, rumbling voice echoed in his mind.

Arthur didn't react as he closed his eyes for a moment.

(Just thinking, Ddraig. About what comes next. It feels like we've kicked a hornet's nest… and now the whole supernatural world's turning its eyes on us. I have no idea where to go from here.)

(Then I suggest you start with those survivors under your protection, that dhampir girl you saved from the massacre, and those who are looking to you for guidance. Start there and eventually everything else will fall into place.)

Ddraig replied firmly.

Arthur opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling again.

(You mean focus on the problems right in front of me.)

(Exactly. You've never been one to run from responsibility, Arthur. Show them how capable a person you are.)

Arthur slowly nodded and allowed himself a breath of relief.

(Thanks, Ddraig. I needed that.)

Ddraig chuckled.

(Anytime, partner.)

Just then, the soft click of the bathroom door opening drew his attention.

He turned his head and paused.

Steam drifted lazily out of the room, and standing there in the doorway was Lavinia, a towel draped loosely around her shoulders.

Her long blond hair shimmered from the shower's heat, falling damp and straight down her back.

She was wearing a light blue lingerie, delicate lace with tiny ribbon accents, modest, but undeniably alluring.

Her skin still glistened from the water, and the sight made Arthur sit up a little straighter.

She caught his gaze and giggled, clearly amused by the stunned look on his face.

"Do you like what you see?"

Arthur blinked and nodded without hesitation.

Lavinia's smile softened as she walked slowly toward him, swaying her hips.

Her eyes stayed on his, the towel slipping from her shoulders as she reached the edge of the bed.

She leaned down slightly, her fingers brushing the mattress, then crawled onto the bed to meet him.

She stopped just inches from his face, her legs tucked beneath her as she met his gaze.

They were now face-to-face.

"Hi."

She whispered, voice gentle.

Arthur smiled.

"Hey."

Without needing another word, Arthur reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist, gently pulling her down onto his chest.

Lavinia let herself fall forward, resting against him as she cradled his face in her hands.

Their lips met in a slow, passionate kiss.

Her fingers curled around the nape of his neck while Arthur's hands roamed up her back, fingertips tracing the warm skin just beneath her shoulder blades.

The kiss deepened as they both leaned in, their lips moving in rhythm, mouths parting slightly as they exchanged breath and warmth.

Lavinia's lips tasted faintly of mint, likely from brushing her teeth moments ago, and Arthur's mouth still carried a trace of the beer he'd sipped earlier, but the contrast was oddly intimate.

Lavinia let out a soft moan when Arthur tilted his head and pressed in deeper, his tongue gently teasing hers into a playful battle that he quickly began to dominate.

Her grip on him tightened as her cheeks flushed, warmth radiating off her skin as the kiss became more heated.

Arthur's hands caressed her sides, then slid down to her hips.

She melted into the contact, hips pressing down against his abs as she responded with equal passion.

When they finally pulled away, a thin string of saliva connected their lips, their breaths heavy, both of their chests rising and falling with quiet pants.

Arthur rested his forehead against hers, emerald eyes searching her face.

"You're beautiful, Lav."

He whispered.

Lavinia smiled, a bit breathless.

"You're not so bad yourself."

They both laughed quietly, the moment between them thick with unspoken feelings, mutual trust, and something far deeper than physical desire.

Arthur leaned back against the pillows, trying to steady his breathing.

He could still feel the warmth of Lavinia's body pressed against his, her soft skin and sweet scent stirring something primal inside him.

His hands twitched slightly, the urge crawling just beneath the surface.

His instincts, fueled by draconic instincts and the adrenaline that had yet to leave his bloodstream, screamed for him to pull her close and ravage her all over again.

But he didn't.

He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply through his nose, clenching his fists and resisting the pull of his urges.

Beside him, Lavinia noticed the sudden shift in his mood.

She had been resting on her side, her head propped up on her palm, watching him with soft, content eyes.

But now her expression shifted into concern.

She leaned closer, brushing a strand of his hair from his forehead.

"Arthur… what's wrong?"

He didn't answer right away.

He just gave her a faint smile and shook his head.

"It's nothing serious, Lav. Don't worry."

Lavinia didn't move. She saw through that immediately.

She reached forward, took Arthur's face in both hands, and turned it toward her so their eyes met directly.

"Don't give me that. You've been like this since the party. Even when you were smiling with the others, you've been holding something in. Do you not trust me enough to share your burdens?"

She said softly, but with a firmness that couldn't be ignored. 

Arthur's eyes widened slightly at her words.

He stared at her, taking in her worried expression, the slight trembling of her hands, the way her voice cracked just a little on that last word.

"Of course I trust you... It's just that..."

He replied finally, his voice quieter now.

"Then talk to me. Please."

She whispered, pressing her forehead gently against his.

Arthur closed his eyes.

Her presence, her voice, her warmth, gave him the strength to finally let the weight fall from his shoulders.

When he opened his eyes again, they were softer.

"It's Valerie... the other dhampirs... and the survivors we rescued. I don't know what I should do for them. How to give them a life that's not just… waiting for another massacre."

Lavinia didn't interrupt, just listened, her fingers rubbing circles against his cheek.

"But that's not what's been bothering me."

Arthur's voice dropped lower, laced with guilt and bitterness.

"It's the celebration."

Lavinia blinked.

"The celebration?"

He nodded slowly.

"We were all laughing… drinking… cheering. But I keep thinking, what did we win, really? We call it a victory, but my hometown was still drenched in blood. Innocent people died. Kids. Families. All because some sick vampires wanted to play god."

His hands clenched into fists against the sheets.

"And while everyone else is partying… I can't stop thinking about how it wasn't enough. How we weren't fast enough. How I couldn't save them all."

He turned his head to the side, away from her.

"Is it bad that I feel this way? That I can't enjoy a night of peace because I'm stuck thinking about the ones we didn't save?"

He asked in a hoarse whisper. 

There was a long pause.

Then Lavinia leaned forward and placed a kiss gently on his forehead, her lips lingering there as she exhaled softly.

When she pulled back, her hands were still cradling his face, thumbs brushing against the corners of his eyes.

"It's not bad, Art. It means your heart is still open. That you care. That you haven't become numb to all the pain this world tries to drown us in."

She smiled proudly.

"You carry the weight of others because you want to protect them. That's what makes you 'you', Arthur. That's what makes people trust you. And one of the reasons why I love you."

Arthur's breath hitched at those words.

His eyes softened as he reached up and pulled her into a tight embrace.

She didn't resist. Lavinia wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held him as closely as she could, burying her face against the crook of his neck.

"Thank you, Lav. For listening even when I'm like this."

He whispered, his voice muffled in her hair. 

"It's nothing. It's the least I could do."

She replied quietly.

They stayed like that for a while; the silence between them was peaceful.

Then Lavinia leaned closer, her lips brushing against the shell of his ear.

"In fact... How about I show you just how much I love you~"

She whispered playfully, her tone soft but laced with warmth.

Arthur blinked as his heart beat louder in his chest.

Lavinia's touch, her words, her presence… it turned him on.

He smiled again, this time fully, and whispered back.

"…Then show me."

DxD

Hello readers!

I need the Stones to create more chapters!

Also, incoming R-18 chapter soon.

Thank you, everyone, and see you later!