{Ren POV}
"Shit, that was an eventful day," I muttered, stepping into the living room.
Selena was the first to notice me, but it was Marasuki who actually responded.
"Oh, you're finally back," Marasuki said, trying to sound casual, though her jittery smile betrayed her excitement.
"Yeah?" I drawled, scanning the room. Nyx was here, which made sense; she lived with me now, but so were Artemis and Marasuki. That caught me off guard.
"Huh. Why are you here?" I asked, giving Marasuki a pointed look. She was sitting right next to Selena, looking like she owned the place.
"I'm moving in," she said with a shit-eating grin.
I blinked. "Right. And who gave you permission?"
"She did." Marasuki jerked a thumb toward Selena.
I slowly turned to look at Selena, raising an eyebrow. "Since when do you have the authority to make those kinds of decisions?"
"Ah," Selena let out, eyes darting away.
I smirked and let it go. "So, Arty and little Nyx," I teased, turning toward the sisters, "you two getting along well, I see?"
Artemis gave me a warning glare, while Nyx rolled her eyes. I hopped over to the couch they were sitting on, but to my surprise, neither of them made space for me.
Huh. Guess this isn't a harem novel after all.
Shrugging, I sat on the floor in front of them and leaned back, resting my head on their legs with a wince.
"Ren," Artemis said sharply. "What are you doing?"
Nyx's eyes narrowed. "Why are you acting like that? What's wrong?"
"I'm fine," I muttered.
"No, you just grunted in pain." Nyx didn't wait for a reply; she lifted my shirt, exposing the thick bandages wrapped around my stomach.
I tried to laugh it off. "Well, yeah. That did happen."
"What the hell happened to you?" Artemis asked, her voice laced with concern.
"I thought you said you were fine!" Nyx snapped, poking the wound.
"First off, ow. Second, yeah, I might've downplayed things a little," I admitted, pushing her hand away gently.
Nyx's expression darkened. "Who did this?"
I said with a grin, "The big dumb lizard boss did this. Don't worry, I took an arm with me."
"You did what?!" Marasuki blurted out, sitting upright so fast she almost headbutted Selena.
"Yup. The Head of House Crimson showed up unannounced and picked a fight. I took his arm; he gave me a hole. Classic trade."
"You fought the head of House Crimson and survived?!" Marasuki stared at me like I had grown wings.
"Well, not really," I said with a shrug.
"What do you mean, 'not really'?!"
"He wasn't serious. Held back the whole time."
Marasuki groaned and flopped dramatically onto Selena's lap, who squeaked in surprise.
"Yelp!"
"What's so surprising?" Nyx said calmly, still inspecting my wound. "She's a black dragon, after all."
Silence.
All eyes slowly turned to Marasuki.
"I don't understand, and I never will," she muttered, "but I'm taking that to my grave."
After a pause, I decided to shift the conversation.
"So… what are we eating tonight? Uwe said no family dinner, so we're on our own."
"Uhm," Artemis frowned. "We don't have enough food stocked for everyone."
"Then we eat out?" I suggested.
"Sure," Marasuki said, already brightening. "Go get your boyfriend, too, Sara. We'll make it a group date."
Blushes bloomed on both Artemis's and Nyx's faces.
"But I'm not dating anyone," Selena protested.
"Selena, you wound me," Marasuki said, clutching her chest dramatically.
"Haaah! How many times do I have to tell you I'm straight?"
"Whoa, watch the ears!" Marasuki winced as Selena instinctively touched her furry ears in concern.
'Isn't that a sensitive spot?' I wondered about this and confirmed it instantly when Marasuki leaned into the touch with a very satisfied grin.
"A wolf will be a wolf, I guess," I muttered, pushing myself up off the floor.
"So, where are we going to eat?" Artemis asked, standing as well.
"I was hoping you'd pick the perfect place for us."
"I have a place!" Sara suddenly piped up, raising her hand like an excited student. "Perfect for big groups!"
"I say we let the most extroverted among us lead the way," Artemis said with a smirk.
"Fine, fine," I sighed. "Lead us to food, oh glorious guide."
"Alright, everyone!" Sara beamed. "Dress nice! Dress nicely, but not as formally as for a banquet. And Ren, no weapons."
I groaned internally but nodded. 'Going out without weapons. Probably not a great idea for me… but alright.'
[10 minutes later]
"Oh yeah, this place is nice," Artemis said, eyes wide as we arrived at the grand opera house.
It wasn't the opera house from Earth, but it sure felt like it, with towering architecture, gilded halls, and soft music drifting on the air. Fancy demons walked in with tailored suits and shimmering dresses.
"Whoa, is this also a casino?" I asked, intrigued by the polished interior and roped-off rooms.
"Man, to think I'd ever come here," Sara's date said, grinning ear to ear.
"Of course you would," Sara said sweetly, linking arms with him.
Marasuki and Selena followed behind them, Marasuki casually draping her arm over Selena's shoulder. I glanced at Artemis and Nyx walking beside me.
"No," they both said at the same time.
I chuckled. "Well, I can still wish."
They didn't stop me from following behind, at least. I guess they weren't ready to show off anything in public yet. That was fine.
To think I'd be courting two girls at once… Liny would kill me if she found out.
We reached the front desk, where a sharply dressed demon greeted us with a businesslike smile.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome."
"Hi. Can we get a private room?" Sara asked.
"I'm afraid all private rooms are booked," he replied politely. "However, we have a converted section in the restaurant available for your group."
"Will it seat seven comfortably?"
"Of course. Please follow our attendant."
A tall Oni demon in crisp waiter attire stepped forward and bowed. "Right this way, honored guests."
'Well, the staff is top-notch,' I thought, impressed.
Two minutes later, we were led into a semi-private area with lush couches arranged around polished tables, a small dance floor off to the side, and mood lighting that made the place feel relaxed but elegant.
"Isn't this a bit much?" I asked, raising a brow at Sara.
"Don't sweat the details. I already ordered us some platters and drinks," she said, clearly in her element.
'She's definitely been here before,' I thought, exchanging a glance with Artemis.
"How many times have you come here?" I asked Artemis.
"Third time. All work-related, though," she said, sitting down.
"Confidential missions? Or do we get storytime?" I asked, settling in next to her. Nyx claimed the other side of me.
"I could share a few things," Artemis said with a shrug.
"And Nyx," I added, turning toward her, "you owe me some stories too. I want to hear what your time in the human world was like."
"Right," she said softly, avoiding my gaze but smiling faintly.
Looking across the table, I saw Sara deep in conversation with her date, while Marasuki and Selena sat together in separate one-seaters, chatting quietly but closer than before.
'Well, not everything moves fast. But it's moving.'
I leaned back, letting my eyes drift closed for a moment.
For once, no fighting. No schemes. No blood.
Just a quiet dinner with people I care about.
Even if I was still sore, still hurting, this, at least, felt like healing.
And I'd take it.
Nyx leaned a little closer, brushing her fingers along the rim of her glass. "By the way, Artemis and I talked this morning."
I blinked, my back straightening instinctively. "...About what?"
Artemis met my eyes. "About you."
My stomach dipped. "Wait, you two had a whole conversation without me? Was it… bad?"
"No," Nyx said, giving me a look. "But we needed to talk. About… this. Us. You."
I hesitated. "Right. Of course. I guess that makes sense."
They both stayed quiet for a second. I glanced between them, suddenly unsure if I should keep my mouth shut or ask the hundred questions piling in my head.
"I've been worried," I admitted. "That this whole courting-both-of-you thing would make things worse between you. I know you're sisters, but still…"
"We figured that," Artemis said, her voice gentler now. "And we're not ignoring it. But we're not going to let it become a problem either."
Nyx nodded. "We decided not to fight. Over you, or anything else."
That hit harder than I expected.
"You… really mean that?" I asked, searching their faces.
Artemis gave a small smile. "We're not promising it'll be perfect, but we talked things through. That's a start."
I let out a slow breath I hadn't realized I was holding. "Thank the stars… I didn't know if I was just making things worse between you two."
"You weren't," Nyx said. "Not everything's about you, you know."
I let out a dry laugh. "Yeah. I know. But it still mattered. I have witnessed individuals break down over smaller issues.
"We won't," Artemis said firmly.
I felt a bit of the tension in my shoulders ease.
"So… what else did you talk about?" I asked.
"Caught up," Nyx said, tracing the rim of her glass. "We've both changed since the war. Different paths, different regrets."
"Didn't realize how much I missed hearing her talk about stupid things," Artemis added, nudging Nyx with her elbow.
Nyx rolled her eyes but didn't pull away. "You're one to talk."
I watched the two of them, and for a moment, the rest of the noise in the room faded. It wasn't just relief washing over me; it was something more fragile. Hope, maybe.
"…Thanks," I murmured.
Artemis tilted her head. "For what?"
"For not making me choose," I said quietly. "For still being here."
Nyx gave a half-smile. "We'll see how long we survive."
Artemis chuckled. "Don't jinx it."
I raised my glass half-heartedly. "To surviving, then."
"To not strangle each other," Nyx added.
They both clinked their glasses with mine anyway, even if they looked skeptical.
I looked between them, my heart doing that annoying fluttering thing.
Gods, how did I end up this lucky?
Artemis cleared her throat. "Anyway, you still owe us a story."
"What kind of story?"
"One that doesn't end in blood or property damage," Nyx said.
"Fine," I smirked, leaning back. "Once upon a time, I got dragged into demon politics because two dragon sisters decided I was worth keeping around…"