High School DxD: Duality - Apotheosis

Ch.2 || They Don't Sparkle In Sunlight

Sirius and Dulio stood side by side near the entrance of the bustling airport, the noise of travelers and announcements echoing around them. The late afternoon sunlight filtered through the large windows, casting long shadows on the sleek floors.

Dulio leaned against a pillar, hands stuffed into his pockets and looking completely relaxed. In contrast, Sirius scanned the crowd with his usual calm but sharp gaze, searching for the familiar blonde.

"Jeanne's late," Dulio remarked casually, glancing at his watch. "Think she got lost again?"

With a sigh, Sirius folded his arms. "Wouldn't be the first time. She has the worst sense of direction."

"True, true," Dulio chuckled, pushing off the pillar. "She's got spirit, though. Maybe we should've tried to find her before getting here."

Just as Dulio finished speaking, a blur of golden hair caught Sirius's eye. Jeanne rushed toward them, her vibrant blonde locks bouncing with every hurried step as she wove through the crowd with surprising agility for someone so small. Practically sprinting, she had her travel bag slung over her shoulder and a wide grin plastered across her face.

"Sy-Chan! Lio-Chan!" she called out, waving enthusiastically as she closed the distance between them.

In mock exasperation, Sirius sighed, though a faint hint of amusement sparkled in his eyes. His serious expression softened slightly at the sight of her. "It was a mistake watching anime with you, Jeanne," he muttered under his breath.

Unfazed by his deadpan tone, Jeanne giggled. "But Sy-chan, it's so fun! Don't you like it when people use cute nicknames?" Tilting her head, she beamed up at him like a puppy waiting for praise.

"It's... not my preference," Sirius replied, trying to maintain his usual composed demeanor, though it was hard to keep a straight face around her. "And that nickname-"

"Sy-chan is perfect! Just like Lio-chan and Nova!" Jeanne declared, clearly very proud of her creativity.

Amused, Dulio grinned. "I've gotta admit, I kinda like the nicknames," he said with a shrug, his tone lighthearted. "They've got a nice ring to them. Lio-chan especially." He chuckled again before adding, "Besides, I think it's fun. It's good to loosen up sometimes, you know?"

Sirius shot him a sideways glance, one eyebrow raised. "You would say that."

Laughing it off, Dulio replied, "What can I say? I'm a man of simple pleasures. Speaking of which, Japan's on my bucket list for that exact reason-so many good foods I want to try. Ramen, okonomiyaki, sushi... just thinking about it makes me hungry!"

Jeanne's eyes lit up at Dulio's mention of Japan. "Oh, can I go with you? Imagine all the food we could try and sights we could see!"

Always the pragmatic one, Sirius cut in. "Before you start planning trips, mind telling us why you're late? You were supposed to be here twenty minutes ago, Jeanne."

With a sheepish smile spreading across her face, Jeanne blinked. "Oh, uh... well, I might've gotten a little... turned around."

Sirius narrowed his eyes slightly. "Turned around? You're not exactly making your case for better sense of direction."

"No, no, I did know where I was going!" Jeanne protested, waving her hands defensively. "It's just... I saw this really cute puppy, and I had to stop for a second! You should've seen it, Sirius! It had these big, brown eyes and the softest fur. I just couldn't walk away!"

Heavy sighs escaped Sirius as he rubbed his temple. "So, a puppy distracted you?"

Completely unbothered by his exasperation, Jeanne nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! And it was worth every second!"