Unexpected Bloom [OCs X Highschool DXD]

Chapter 11

The golden sunlight streamed through the window of the Occult Research Club, painting the room in a warm, ethereal glow. Aebelle, with her long, silver hair flowing behind her, stood beside Issei, who seemed slightly bewildered by the sudden return to the familiar clubroom.

Rias Gremory, the club president and a powerful devil, addressed them with a hint of urgency in her voice. "Koneko was summoned by three people," she stated, her crimson eyes scanning the room. "Can you take care of two?"

"Sure, President," Issei replied, his usual eagerness returning. He was always up for a challenge, especially when it involved protecting his friends and fulfilling his duties as a devil.

"Make sure to form a contract this time," Rias instructed, her tone laced with a motherly concern. "Don't let me down."

"I won't," Issei assured her.

Aebelle, ever the innocent and oblivious angel, chimed in with a simple, "Of course."

Issei, already eager to begin his task, wasted no time in exiting the room. The air in the room settled momentarily before Rias turned to Aebelle, her gaze soft yet firm.

"Aebelle? A moment please?"

Aebelle, sensing a shift in the atmosphere, closed the door gently and approached Rias. The angel's voice held a hint of trepidation. "I-if this is about the church, p-please, I'm sorry—"

Rias cut Aebelle off, surprising the angel by pulling her into a warm embrace. It was the second time she had offered such a gesture to the young angel, causing Aebelle to stiffen in confusion. Why?

"Be careful, okay?" Rias murmured, her voice barely audible against Aebelle's soft hair.

"Oooookaayyyy?" Aebelle replied, feeling awkward under the unexpected affection.

Aebelle quickly extricated herself from the hug and exited the room, leaving Rias alone with her thoughts.

Suddenly, Akeno, the alluring and mischievous devil, materialized out of thin air, her presence filling the room with a sweet, intoxicating scent.

"My oh my~," she purred, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "You have a soft spot for those two, don't you?"

Akeno's gaze lingered on Rias for a moment before she continued, "I have to ask... why them? It obviously can't be their Sacred Gears."

Rias remained silent, her expression unreadable.

Akeno's smile widened, a playful glint in her eyes. "Well, whatever it is, they're great additions to this club," she commented. "Very... warm additions~."

A sly, seductive smile stretched across Akeno's lips, her gaze hinting at a hidden interest in the unique dynamic between Rias, Issei, and Aebelle.

The Larue household, usually a haven of cheerful chaos, was draped in an unusual layer of quiet tension. Melvin, typically the most boisterous of the quadruplets, was unusually withdrawn. A shadow of unease clung to him, a consequence of the recurring visions that plagued his mind. Vague glimpses of Asia Argento, a girl he couldn't quite place, flickered through his thoughts, leaving him unsettled.

Echo, ever the perceptive one, noticed the subtle shift in her brother's demeanor. Her brow furrowed with concern as she approached him, her voice soft, "Hey, Melvin? You doing okay?"

Melvin, startled from his brooding, gave a weak, almost hesitant smile. "Y-yeah... but I feel like we need to go to the professor about the Church." His voice held a hint of urgency, a tremor of something deeper that his siblings couldn't quite decipher.

Aurora, ever the pragmatist, questioned, "Are you sure?"

Merida, her usual fiery spirit tempered with a hint of worry, chimed in, "We do need to figure out what's in that church. It's been bugging me since we first saw it."