Eating Your Weight: Stray Crow

This is a reupload of the previous chapter. The other one kept getting flagged even though I spoke to an irl representative that said it was fine so we'll see if this works instead.

The next chap will be posted in a couple of days

~~~

Consciousness returned to Mittelt in a slow, agonizing slide. Her mind felt sluggish as life returned to her and her body was a map of dull aches and sharp, stinging lines where her skin felt too tight against her muscles. Her memories came in patches and she grimaced as she opened her eyes, expecting cold, biting wind and the smell of rotting garbage.

Instead she smelled… lavender? Instead of the cold wind of the elements she felt the warmth of sheets underneath her, sliding against her bare body. 

Sheets?

The Fallen’s eyes snapped open, panic rising as she was met with an unfamiliar ceiling. She shot up, a gasp tearing from her throat, only to immediately regret the action as a wave of nausea rolled through her gut. The room spun violently, forcing her to squeeze her eyes shut and grip the sheets beneath her.

As her stomach settled, she forced her eyes open again, blinking away the blurriness. She was in a bedroom, already an unfamiliar sight to her considering her profession. The walls were bare and painted a boring cream color, seeming as if they hadn't seen a touch of life in years. Soft light filtered through a set of heavy curtains nearby. It was daytime.

“What…” she rasped, her voice sounding like she’d swallowed a handful of gravel.

She looked down at herself. Someone had changed her. Her  dress was gone, replaced by an oversized t-shirt that hung off her frame like a burlap sack. Bandages were wrapped tightly around her torso and her left shoulder, emitting a faint, tingling warmth that spoke of healing magic.

The rest of her memories crashed into her like a freight train, leaving her breathless. The church, Kalawarna, the Gremory…

Mittelt’s hands flew to her chest. She was alive. Somehow, she was alive.

“I survived,” she whispered, a shaky, manic grin tugging at her lips. “Of course I did. I can't be killed by some stupid Devil”

She giggled, manic energy filling her as flashes of red and black passed in front of her eyes. She reached for her core, trying to summon the comforting hum of her light to calm her down, and felt… nothing.

It wasn't just low; it was a void. It was like reaching for a limb that had been amputated. There was a terrifying emptiness in her chest where a star should have been burning, and panic, cold and sharp, seized her as she failed to find the comfort she sought.

“What the hell?” She gasped, digging deeper, searching for a single bud of her magic.

Then she felt it. Deep within her marrow, coiled around her very soul, was a foreign presence. It was a heavy, invasive warmth that felt utterly alien inside of her body.

It was also horribly familiar, and Mittelt placed it almost immediately. It was the same magic she felt from that human girl – the one she’d tried and humiliatingly failed to kill just a few days ago.

Naomi Kanei.

“That human!” Mittelt growled. “What did she do to me?”

Her thoughts raced, fueled by desperation. She couldn't feel her own light because it was buried under this girl’s magic. It was some kind of seal, binding her light and keeping her weak. That girl must have put it on her while she was unconscious.

Mittelt scrambled to the edge of the bed, her legs wobbling like a newborn fawn's. She had to contact someone to come rescue her. She couldn't be trapped here!

She held up a trembling hand, focusing every ounce of her will on forming a communication spell to context Raynare. She visualized the sigil, remembered the frequency that all agents used. Connect. Connect, damn you!

A spark fizzled on her fingertip and hope ignited in her chest, before it vanished into smoke alongside the spell she was trying to form.

“No, no, no!” She tried again, gritting her teeth until her jaw ached. She tried to reach Kalawarna, before remembering with a sick lurch that Kalawarna wasn't going to answer. She tried Dohnaseek. 

Nothing. Just the oppressive silence of the room.

“Goddamit!” She screamed, slamming a hand onto the bed with a quiet pumph. Her chest heaved, but she drove away the panic, looking around the room.

“I need to get out of here.” She pushed herself off the bed, stumbling as her feet hit the floor. The weakness was infuriating, a lead weight dragging down her bones, but her pride refused to let her lay back down. She may not have her magic but she was still a Fallen Angel. She was not helpless.

She moved to the door, pressing her ear against the wood to listen to the silence outside. After a long moment, she grasped the handle and turned it slowly. It wasn't locked.

Fools.

Mittelt crept into the hallway, her bare feet silent on the floorboards. The house was deceptively normal. Pictures of a happy family on the walls, a rug ran down the hall. It felt domestic, safe, human.

It made her skin crawl.

She followed the hallway until her nose suddenly perked up at the scent of food. Her stomach gave a treacherous growl, reminding her that she hadn't eaten in a while, and she moved ahead, guided by the smell.

The hallway opened up into a sitting area and an adjoining kitchen. Mittelt stepped inside of the the latter only to freeze and duck back into the hallway almost immediately.

A woman was standing in front of the counter chopping vegetables as a pot of broth simmered on the stove beside her. Her hair was bright and she was wearing a maid uniform, clearly some kind of servant. She also felt completely and utterly human.

Mittelt’s eyes narrowed. If she couldn't use magic, she needed some kind of leverage. A hostage would get her out of here. If she threatened to gut this pet, the Kanei girl would have no choice but to break the seal and let her free.

Adrenaline surged, masking her fatigue. Mittelt didn't need a light spear to kill a human. A kitchen knife, a broken plate, or even her bare hands would do.

She crept forward, muscles coiled. Three steps. Two steps. The human didn't turn, completely oblivious to her approach, and as she got within just a few feet, she lunged.

“Don't move!” she screeched, grabbing the woman from behind. She locked her grip, keeping the human still as she–

Why was she on the floor?

Mittelt stared at the ceiling in complete befuddlement, before something sharp and cold was suddenly placed against her neck. She froze, feeling holy magic pulse against her skin and calm breath grazing her ear.

The human was behind her now, one leg draped over Mittelt's middle to keep her still, while her arms wrapped around her neck and torso respectively. The woman was holding a blade made of glistening water, and Mittelt could tell that it wasn't an ordinary shape spell.

Shit! An exorcist! She thought, sweat rolling down the side of her face as she eyed the blade. Kuoh was supposed to be Devil territory. What was an exorcist doing here?

“I…” Mittelt stammered, before freezing in place as the blade was pressed harder against her neck. The killing intent rolling off this human was thick enough to choke on. She was fully willing to look Mittelt's head off if she made a wrong move.

 “You’re awake,” she said, her voice even, as she pressed the blade harder against Mittelt's neck. “And still making poor decisions, I see. Most  intelligent creatures know better than to bite the hand that fed them. Or saved their life.”

“R-release me, human!” Mittelt tried to muster her haughty tone, but it was hard to fake bravado with a knife to your neck. “I am an Agent of the Grigori! If you lay one hand on me, you’ll–”

“Regret it?” the woman interrupted, tilting her head slightly. “No, I don't think I will. You see, I'm not as compassionate as she is. I know exactly what your kind is capable of, and I have no intention of letting you do what you want. You'll be going back to your room now.”

“What are you–” 

Mittelt's words were cut off as the woman waved a sparkling hand in front of her face. The Fallen flinched, feeling something wet splash across her features, before she was suddenly hit with a sharp sensation of fatigue that sank deep into her bones.

Her eyelids fluttered as the human released her. She brought a hand up to her head, shaking it  roughly as she fought to stay awake, but it was a losing battle. As her eyes slipped closed, she heard the woman sigh.

“She really is a sucker for anything with a pretty face…”

Consciousness slipped through her fingers like sand sending her into a deep, restless sleep.

Time passed, though Mittelt wasn't sure how much. She drifted in and out of dreams, her body working to fight against the spell cast upon her with the meager amount of magic she has available.

When she finally awoke, she was back in the same room she had come to in before. The shadows in the had lengthened and the light leaking in from outside was tinged orange instead of a bright gold, indicating it was probably late afternoon, or perhaps early evening.

A sleep spell… Mittelt thought as she stared at the ceiling. She clenched her fists indignation running through at the dirty trick that had been played, but one thing stuck out to her. Why didn't she just kill me? 

She slowly sat up, testing her limbs. The ache was still there, but the heaviness had lifted slightly. She flexed her hand, digging deep, and this time, she felt it – a tiny, fragile trickle of magic, leaking through the cracks. It wasn't much, maybe enough to create a single spear, but it would have to work.

She opened her door again, moving with significantly more caution this time. The house was quieter now. The smell of cooking was gone, replaced by a heavy stillness that sank into her bones.

She crept down the hall, listening carefully for other presences. Her bare feet made no sound as she shuffled along the carpet, silent as a shadow, until…

“Uuhnn~”

Mittelt froze as she heard the sound, low and guttural. She stayed completely still, ears straining against the silence, wondering if it had even been real when–

“Oh god… yes… right there~”

The sound was familiar and spoke to something buried deep in Mittelt’s very nature. As a member of the Grigori, she was a creature birthed from the very concept of falling from grace and for her, like many of her kin, Lust had been the anchor that dragged her down from Heaven.

​She should have kept moving. But the sounds… the wet friction of skin, the rhythmic creak of a mattress, and those high, breathy gasps – it vibrated against her eardrums, stirring the embers of her depleted magic.

​Mittelt bit her lip, her heart racing. She debated just leaving, bolting into the safety of the night, but her feet seemed to have a mind of their own. She told herself she was just gathering intel, but as she reached the door that stood slightly ajar, her breath hitched.

​She leaned in, widening the gap in the door, and as she looked inside, Her brain stalled, and it took a solid five seconds for her to process the visual information. She literally couldn't believe what she was seeing. 

“Harder!”

Mittelt stared, her jaw dropping open as the low moan rang in her ears, and the forms within the room resolved themselves, entangled in an act of complete debauchery.

The room was bathed in the warm, dying orange glow of the sunset. At first, it was just a chaotic blur of movement and tangled limbs, but as her eyes adjusted, Mittelt’s breath caught in her throat.

The first person her eyes locked onto was the blonde – the same one who had put her to sleep with that spell in the kitchen. Her maid uniform was askew, ruffled and brushed to the side to allow her full breasts to spill out of the front.  She had one hand up her skirt, masturbating leisurely as she pressed another person, and Mittelt's breath caught in her throat as she recognized the dark, orange-streaked hair.

It was her. 

Naomi was naked as the day she was born, positioned against the side of the bed and between the legs of another girl with copper-colored hair. Her hands were out of sight but judging by the way the muscles in her arms flexed, she was holding the other girl by the hips as she ground against her in missionary. Mittelt would find the position strange if it weren't for the massive freaking dick and balls sticking from her crotch.

Mittelt didn't question their appearance; she had seen weirder shit in her life.

She should have felt anger as she saw the girl, should have used what little magic she had to create a light spear and run her through for behind. But she couldn't. She was paralyzed, forced to watch as Naomi fucked her girlfriend into the mattress.

The sight and smell of sex was like an aphrodisiac to Mittelt, stoking the primal fire inside of her and before she realized it, her hands had wandered her body and found themselves attached to the appropriate areas.

“You're so wet, Aika.” Naomi grunted as she slowly worked herself in and out of the girl she was fucking. She was being gentle, Mittelt could tell from the way her shoulders and hips quivered. She was actively holding herself back and not going as hard as she could, likely worried about hurting her friend.

“Yes! Fuck me harder!” The girl moaned, running her hands along her naked body. Her skin glistened with sweat, and Mittelt's tongue darted out to lick her lips, imagining what she might taste like. 

“You heard the girl, Naomi. Go harder; ram her into the headboard like she wants.” The woman who attacked Mittelt said in a sweet tone, rubbing herself faster. Mittelt panted, stroking her lower lips in time with the other woman's motion. She hadn't noticed it before, but for a human, she was rather well endowed, possessing the kind of body that Mittelt would have little problem with taking to bed 

Too bad she's a human. The Fallen thought, mind clouded with lust. She could feel herself growing hotter, watching this spectacle. It had been far too long since she had the chance to take someone to bed; this was the closest she'd gotten to getting laid on hers. She was getting close.

A moan slipped out of her mouth, completely unbidden, and  Naomi’s head suddenly whipped around without warning, slitted orange pupils going wide as they alighted on her. Mittelt froze like a deer in headlights, two fingers inside of herself and flooded with mortification at being caught peeking.

Naomi looked surprised, but she didn't stop thrusting. “Oh, you're awake. Uh… could you give me a minute? I'm kind of busy right now.”

Mittelt's face bled crimson as the maid turned to look at her as well. She looked between them, then down at her hand which was still between her thighs, before slamming the door shut. She took off down the hall, embarrassed and mortified as her juices leaked down her thighs.

{—————}

I watched the petite Fallen slam the door shut and disappear.

“That was weird,” I said, looking at Miyo. “Was she masturbating?”

Miyo hummed lazily, pressing into my side and stroking my stomach. “It seems like watching you in action was a bit overstimulating for her. It must have been a while for her to have that kind of reaction.”

I slowly ground myself into Aika. She was tight and there wasn't a lot of room in her pussy, so every shift of my hips scraped my entire length along her inner walls, making her writhe. “Nah, there's no way someone like her isn't getting slammed into the headboard every night.”

“Some Fallen can be picky, though it seems like you meet her standards.”

“Hey!” Aika panted, eyes flashing with annoyance. “Less talking, more fucking! You promised to turn me into a moaning mess, right? Don't tell me I gave it up for this.”

I raised a brow, “Oh? You were singing a different tube earlier. Let's see… what was it you were saying?”

Aika growled but that turned into a gasp as I shoved my hips forward, cramming another two inches into her filled pussy. She lurched on the bed, hips rising and toes curling as her eyes rolled back into her head, “Ohhhh fuck!”

“Yeah, I think that was it!” I laughed as I resumed fucking her. I grabbed onto her sweaty thighs, using them as leverage to push myself deeper and Aika panted, bringing one hand down to rub her clit in slow circles.

“Yeah, that's the spot baby! Don't stop!” She cried, biting her lip and twitching so hard she knocked her glasses askew.

“Wasn't planning on it.” I plowed her into the mattress, all thoughts of the Fallen Angel fleeing my mind as I worked to make this experience as unforgettable as possible for Aika. It was her first time after all.

This entire session had been completely heat of the moment, a result of hot blood and sweaty bodies after a long training session. One thing led to another, and I had the esteemed privilege of taking Aika Kyruu’s virginity, which I had been somewhat surprised to learn was actually intact. Apparently, for all her bluster, she’d never gone farther than the occasional blowjob before now.

Now all I had to do was make sure she had no reason to go anywhere else for what she craved.

As I made good on my promise and reduced Aika to a moaning mess, Miyo leaned her head on my shoulder watching the show. “Aren't you worried about that Fallen running around freely?”

“I mean, not really?” I but my lips as Aika squeezed down extra hard. “She's weaker than both of us and completely drained right now. There's not really much she could do if she tries.”

“Hmm… A casual outlook to have on the life you saved.”

I gently cupped her cheek, looking into her eyes, “Are you still mad?”

Miyo just sighed. “I don't think it was a very wise decision, but it wasn't mine to make. I'll trust you, Naomi, and if it goes sideways, then we'll deal with it and chalk it up as a learning experience.”

I shivered. “Ooh, that's cold, Miyo.”

In response, she leaned forward and pushed her tongue into my mouth. We made out above Aika who had been reduced to feeling and whining every time I thrust into her. And I hadn't even bottomed out yet.

I had a feeling I'd be living up to my promise.

{— Later —}

An hour or so later, I stepped out of the bedroom with a sigh, steam trailing behind me from my shower. My fluffy bathrobe felt like a cloud against my skin as I gently pulled the door shut behind me, catching one last glimpse of the tangle of limbs on the bed and wishing I could join them and continue our fun. But alas duty called.

​I headed into the sitting room, towel-drying my damp hair, only to pause at the threshold. A grin tugged at the corner of my lips as I spotted the small figure huddled on my furniture.

​“You know,” I called out, leaning against the doorframe. “I thought you would have flown the coop by now.”

​Mittelt was perched on the edge of the couch, her shoulders hunched. At the sound of my voice, her face burned a bright, crimson red, no doubt remembering exactly what she’d walked in on earlier.

Still, she whipped her head around, fixing me with a nasty sneer. ​“You aren't clever.”

​I just chuckled, tossing the towel over my shoulder as I stepped fully into the room. The TV was blaring some generic action movie, and there was a plate sitting on the cushion beside the Fallen Angel, littered with crumbs. I blinked at it, then her.

​“Did… you raid my fridge?”

​Mittelt crossed her arms, lifting her chin defiantly. “If I'm going to be kept prisoner here, then I'm going to help myself to whatever I like.”

​I stopped in the middle of the room, staring at her. “Prisoner? What are you talking about?”

​Mittelt gave me a venomous look, her eyes narrowing. “Don't lie to me! I can feel your magic inside of me, and my own is practically non-existent, even after sleeping for a full day. I don't know what kind of seal you put on me, but in not so dense that I can't tell when someone's fucking with me! Even if I ran, you'd probably find me in a day.”

​She glared at me, eyes full of suspicion. “I bet you plan to keep me here and turn me into a little sex slave like those other two. Well, let me warn you, if you try anything, I'll bite your freakish dick off.”

​I just sort of stared at her, utterly bemused. I wasn't sure what kind of leaps in logic brought her to that conclusion, but it was certainly an impressive display of mental gymnastics.

​“Okay, several things,” I said, holding up a hand. “First of all, I don't have sex slaves, even though I'm pretty sure Aika wouldn't mind. Second, your magic isn't sealed, it's just so small that you can't feel it.”

​“Bullshit!” Mittelt snapped. “I'd be dead if my magic was that low!”

​“Yeah, you would be,” I agreed. “That's why I had to force-feed you my own magic just to keep you alive. That's also probably why you feel my magic humming under your skin. It's not a seal or any weird shit like that. You can leave whenever you want.”

​Mittelt just sort of stared at me, her mouth slightly open. The anger slowly drained from her face, replaced by something else. She looked down at her hand, clenching it against her chest.

​“It was that bad?” she whispered, and I nodded.

​“If I was like a minute later, you’d probably still be in that alley.”

​Mittelt went silent, her gaze unfocused, and I titled my head. ​“Do you really not remember what happened?”

​Her head snapped up, her fragility instantly replaced by a snarl. “Oh, I remember! I remember that Gremory bitch trapping me in that stupid barrier and trying to erase me and Kalawarna, but I got out! You shoulda seen the look on her face when I shattered that flimsy barrier with my light spear!”

​I knew how strong Rias was, and frankly, Mittelt didn't stack up. Like at all. I had a feeling that breaking that ‘flimsy’ barrier probably took a hell of a lot more effort than she was letting on.

​“Uh-huh,” I said dryly. “So how did that end with you dying in a pile of garbage?”

​Mittelt flinched and looked away, clenching her fists until her knuckles turned white. “Kalawarna tried to charge them like an idiot and got killed for it. That Devil blasted her into dust. I'm not stupid enough to try and fight a two-on-one battle, so I made a tactical retreat.”

​“And I'm guessing Rias didn't let that happen?”

​Mittelt let out a harsh laugh. “Oh, so you figured that out, huh? The bitch tried to hit me from behind. I figured if she thought I was dead, she'd leave me alone so I let her but…”

​She seemed to hesitate, her voice trailing off as the memory of the pain likely resurfaced.

​I finished for her. “Only it did more damage than you thought it would, right?”

​Mittelt’s jaw bulged as she clenched her teeth, grinding them together, but she didn't refute my words. I was beginning to get a picture of the full story, and I crossed my arms, lips thinning as I gave her an unimpressed look.

“So you saw your friend get literally erased from existence and thought you could tank the same hit that killed her, failed the skill check, and crawled into an alley to lick your wounds or just straight up die,” I surmised, “Does that sum it up?”

“It just doesn't make sense!” Mittelt snapped, her earlier anger returning. “I'm over five-hundred years old and she's barely out of diapers! Kalawarna and I have fought in wars against people twice as old as us, but she beat us like it was nothing! How is she so strong!?”

“I think you're just bad at reading power levels, honestly,” I said as she raged quietly. “I mean, you tried to pick a fight with me and my girlfriend at the same time, and I’m pretty sure I’m stronger than Rias.” 

“Shut up!” She cried, tears of frustration beading in her eyes. She shot to her feet and pointed at me. “You still haven't explained why you helped me!”

I shrugged. “Honestly I just felt like it.”

Her rage died a humiliating death, replaced with incredulity. “You felt like it!?”

“Yeah. I was originally going to the church to loot whatever you guys left behind, but then I felt your magic in that alley and found you curled up like an abandoned cat and you looked so pathetic that I had to help.”

Mittelt sputtered, “Pathetic? I tried to kill you!”

I gave her a pitying look, “It wasn't really much of an attempt.”

The woman looked like she was about to launch herself at me but held herself back. She opened her mouth to spit more venom but I was pretty done at this point so I cut her off with a hand. “Look, the point is, you’re alive thanks to me, but I’m not gonna say you owe me anything. I mean, I’m gonna be super pissed if you try to kill me again after this, but as of right now, you’re free to go if you want.”

Mittelt froze, her eyes widening as if I’d just suggested she sprout a second head. “You’re just letting me leave?”

“I wanted to save your life and I did. As far as I’m concerned, we’re done here,” I replied dryly, gesturing toward the front door. “There’s the door.”

I didn't wait for her to respond as I stepped away.. My stomach was growling, which made sense considering that I had probably burned a few thousand calories in the past few hours alone. I turned my back on the stunned angel and headed into the kitchen, grabbing the plate she’d left on the couch as I passed.

I set the plate in the sink and started rummaging through the cupboards. My body was screaming for salt and carbs, and since Miyo and Aika were currently dead to the world in the other room, I was on my own for culinary expertise. I settled on the last two packs of spicy instant ramen that I’d been saving for a rainy day.

Ten minutes later, steaming bowl of noodles in hand, I walked back into the living room, only to once again stop at the cusp of the doorway.

Mittelt was still there. She hadn't moved an inch from the couch, her gaze fixed on the TV screen as if she was seeing right through it.

“You’re still here,” I noted, sitting in the armchair across from her.

She didn't look at me. “Where would I go? Raynare is dead and so are Dohnaseek and Kalwarna. I’m the only one left in this entire godforsaken city...”

I chewed my food slowly.“Do you want me to call a taxi or something? I doubt the church is still intact but I can get you a couple towns over if you wanna call your buddies to meet you.”

Mittelt let out a short, hysterical laugh. “And how am I supposed to do that? I barely have enough magic to keep myself alive right now, much less create and maintain a communication spell over hundreds of miles. I’d pass out before the call went through.”

I nodded, following her logic flawlessly. “ I see, that is a pretty pickle. I have a suggestion, and this might sound crazy but I need you to bear with me for a second, okay?” I paused dramatically, only continuing when she looked at me like I lost my mind, “Have you thought about using a phone?”

I nodded to the land-line sitting on the table in the nearby hallway, right out in the open. She followed my eyes and stared at it for a long moment. When she turned back to me, her face was bright red. She muttered something that I couldn’t make out and I leaned closer. “What?”

“I said I don’t know the number, okay!?” She snapped, glowering as I gave her an incredulous look. “I’m older than some countries! I don’t have the time to keep up with every stupid trend that you humans come up with!”

I was pretty sure that cell phones were more than just a trend but didn’t voice my opinion, taking another bite of my ramen as the woman cooled down. 

As she turned back to the TV, I wondered what to do. If she couldn’t get into contact with her people, then she was pretty much alone right now. And after what she and her friends pulled, alone was the last thing you wanted to be. The moment Rias caught wind that one of the Fallen Angels was still alive, I was sure she’d be all-too willing to finish the job.

She was a stray in every sense of the word. A dangerous, potentially backstabbing stray, but a stray nonetheless. I couldn't just let her go out there and get killed after basically bringing her back to life.

I let out a long, heavy sigh. You were right, Nidhogg. I should have just left her there.

The dragon didn’t respond, but I could practically feel him radiating smugness in the back of my mind. I rolled my eyes, slurping down the rest of my ramen and setting the bowl off to the side, before turning back to the despondent Fallen.

“Fine,” I said, breaking the silence. Mittelt flinched, her eyes snapping to mine. “I guess you can stay here for now.”

She blinked, her jaw dropping. “What?”

“Don't make me repeat myself.” I grumbled. “You can stay until your magic comes back and you can get a taxi or something, but we’re gonna have to lay down some ground rules. This isn't a hotel; it’s my house. Well, my parents’ house, but the principle is still the same.”

Mittelt gave me an unreadable look. “Why?”

“Hm?”

“Why are you helping me? You said you saved me on a whim, but here you are offering me a place to stay too! Why would you ever trust me enough to let me live with you?”

“Oh, I don't trust you at all,” I laughed. “Make no mistake, you're gonna be supervised as long as you're here, either by me or Miyo. I'm not letting you just have free reign to do whatever you want in my house.”

I tilted my head. “As for why though… Sunk Cost Fallacy. I used a lot of magic to bring you back to life, and I'd be pretty annoyed if you just went out and died after all that. I'm protecting my investment.”

“Your investment.” Mittelt said flatly, and I nodded. Her expression flickered through several emotions, before eventually settling in contemplating.

 Taking her silence as acceptance, I pointed a chopstick at her, my expression hardening.

“Alright, so first of all, I need you to stay out of sight,” I said. “No wings, no magic near the windows, and no leaving the house without my permission. I can probably explain what’s going on to Rias and Sona, but I’d rather not have to if I don’t want to, so you’re gonna keep it down until you’re out of here, capiche?”

Mittelt didn't respond, seeming unhappy but unwilling to argue, and I continued.

“Rule number two: You make yourself useful. Miyo handles most of the housework, but you’re not going to sit around and be a leech. I don’t care if you’re five-hundred years old, you’re gonna help out around the house. Cleaning, the laundry – whatever she tells you to do. Think of it as community service for trying to kill me.”

Mittelt’s lip curled for a second. “You want me to be a maid?”

“I want you to be a productive member of the household,” I corrected. “It’ll also help explain why you’re even here. Remember, this isn’t my house, and while my parents might not mind Aika coming over all the time, she’s a classmate. You’re a full grown woman bumming around in the guest bedroom.”

Mittelt seemed incensed by the idea, but I gave her a firm look before she could argue. “Or I could just kick you out and leave you to fend for yourself. It's your choice, but personally I would rather fold laundry than be erased from existence.”

Upon the reminder that my offer of sanctuary was the only thing keeping her from a painful death, Mittelt finally swallowed her pride. 

“Fine,” she bit out. “But if you try to make me do anything weird, human, I'll gut you like a fish!”

I snapped my fingers. “Oh, that actually brings me to my last rule. Rule three: if you touch any of the people I care about, I'm going to rip you in half.”

On the last word I let my power flare outwards like a dragon spreading its wings, stopping just short of manifesting Abyss Eater. My magic saturated the room, sinking into every crevice and tainting the very walls and Mittelt flinched, going white as a sheet as she got a taste of what I could do to her.

“You…” her voice shook as she stared at me with shrunken pupils. “What are you?”

“Thst doesn’t matter. All you need to know is I'm human enough to care about the people close to me.” I said, pulling my magic back again. Mittelt relaxed slightly as the suffocating aura disappeared, but she still seemed on edge as she stared at me.

“Anyway, as long as you follow those rules we won't have any problems.” I said, grabbing my bowl heading towards the kitchen. Just before I entered, I stopped, glancing back towards her.

“Oh, and there’s one last thing,” I waited until she glanced at me and gave her a wolfish grin. “Don't walk into my bedroom without knocking. Unless you want a repeat of what you saw earlier or you know, to join in.

Mittelt’s face exploded in a crimson blush as she was reminded of the incident. “If you don't want interruptions, then maybe don’t fuck with the door open!” she shrieked.

“It’s my house; I do what I want.”