❖ 8 ❖

“You’re staying late tonight, pet?”

“Mm,” I nodded, taking a bite out of the fish Haqua had so lovingly prepared.

“I do believe Iori had put a stop to overtime, no?”

“Mhmm, and when Mio and I told her we’d be staying late tonight, she did her best to dissuade us. Hell, she looked about ready to bar us from working at all today if she needed to.”

“So then why did she relent, and why were you so eager for overtime? I know you’re a glutton for punishment, dear, but this seems in rather sharp contrast with what you’ve desired for so long, no?”

“Because we’re not doing any work. At least not for the office. I dunno if you know, but Mio wants to be a writer one day.”

“Mm, I refrained from peering too deeply into her soul, but I believe I spotted something of the sort within her,” Haqua nodded.

“Not too surprised, she doesn’t talk about it too openly, but when she told me about it a while back she was so passionate about it all. She wants to write light novels. She’s been too scared to publish anything anywhere, but she asked me very, very sweetly if I’d be willing to read through some of her work and give my input,” I explained. "I asked about doing it here or at her place, but she got shy about both ideas, so we're sticking to the office, since nobody'll be around after closing time."

Instantly, Haqua donned a broad, threateningly giddy smirk.

"Ahhh, a bonding opportunity then, is it?"

"What? No! It's got nothing to do with that. She just wants-"

"To share with you something she's far too shy to share with any other. To lay herself bare and invite you in, as it were~!"

"Hey, are you listening to yourself, Haqua? You make it sound like we're gonna fuck or something."

"Well I certainly can't speak to that," Haqua grinned, "but this is a golden opportunity, and you, my dear pet, won't be allowed to miss it. If one thing leads to another and you do have sex, though, I'd hardly be displeased."

"A-a golden opportunity for what?!" I argued, knowing exactly where she was going with this.

"To deepen your bond, mutt. Come now, you may be a loser dog, but I'm sure you can still understand speech, no? I do believe I made my point clear."

I clamped my legs together, already feeling my panties growing damp at Haqua's taunts.

"To that end," Haqua smiled, before grabbing two neatly wrapped boxes off the kitchen counter and placing them in front of me. "Mommy's made food for you both. The one wrapped in pink is for Mio, so don't get mixed up, dear. They'll help ensure that your love for one another blooms brilliantly tonight."

"You just had that ready to go?!"

"Oh don't worry about that, my pet. Mio will appreciate it, and that should make it easier for you to confess. That's what's really important here, wouldn't you agree?"

"Y-you want me to confess to her?!" I cried. "I can't do that, Haqua! Besides, I'm doing something important for her tonight, you get that, right?"

"I understand that, yes. I'm not suggesting you shirk your duty to help her with her writing, you'll have plenty of time for that. What I don't understand, however, is why you feel you can't confess to the poor girl."

"Because I'm with you, Haqua," I explained. "I know Mio and I like each other, but I'm not giving up what we have to try and act on that. Mio deserves someone who can love her to the fullest. I…I hate to admit it, but I don't think that can be me anymore."

"Oh, my poor pet, you're hopeless, aren't you? I'd say you're clinging to something human, but even humans aren't all this bound by the idea of monogamy, are they?"

"Wh-what are you suggesting?" I asked, my cheeks growing hotter by the second.

"The heart is a muscle, Rina, just like any other. The more you work it, the more it can handle. And, should you and I find that our hearts have room for one, or two, or even ten more people, I see no reason to close ourselves off from that. That’s simply asking for the heart to atrophy, dear.”

“T-Ten?!”

“A large number for some, but you should see my younger sister, Adri. By my last count, her polycule numbers three dozen, and they’re all so very happy. Adri takes great pains to ensure that each and every one of her wives is emotionally fulfilled and wants for nothing. She loves all of them, and they all love her. Don't you find that beautiful, my pet?

“Th-Three dozen… Thirty-six…”

I felt like I was gazing into a parallel dimension. My head spun just thinking about what that might be like.

“But I don’t think our hearts are quite there yet, are they? Adri's Adri, and I’m me. Personally, I like keeping things a little more close-knit than that. Still, as romantic as monogamy can be—in the classical sense, mind—there's just as much beauty in finding love with the many, rather than just one. If anything, keeping a single partner is almost unheard of for succubi."

"I, well…"

I trailed off. I had no idea what to say to that.

"I know how strong your feelings for dear Mio are, Rina. I certainly wouldn't want you to feel that you can never embrace them because of me. So allow me to give you a push, dear. To help you take a step forward that you simply cannot manage alone."

There was a lot there to take in. I certainly didn’t feel like my life with Haqua was lacking, and while I couldn’t have even imagined being with one person with how overworked I was before, the idea of having someone else wasn’t that daunting. Life had slowed down to a far more manageable pace, and while I can't say if this is me just giving into my instincts as a succubus or not. I...I honestly think I could handle that?

No, shit. The more I thought about that, the more I really wanted it. Honestly, the idea of the three of us sharing a nice cozy life together sounded really damn comfy. Snuggling up on the couch between them, sharing a bed with them, eating together...getting spitroasted by the both of them…

“Uehehe…”

“I know exactly what kind of thoughts make my pet laugh like that…” Haqua cooed. "You do want that, don't you dear? A life with the both of us?"

I paused for a moment, then nodded.

"If Mio isn't comfortable with that, I won't push her. But if she is, then yeah, I'd like to try."

“Oh, of course! I wouldn’t want anything happening under false or hidden pretenses. Just know that I get the feeling Mio’s a more accepting girl than you might think. And that if anything happens between you two, it has my personal seal of approval,” Haqua stressed, winking before starting on her own breakfast.

I glanced over at the food Haqua had made for Mio and I.

Pink one is Mio's, huh?

She’d definitely given me a lot to chew over.

"To think, you were so determined to stay monogamous just a moment ago. I'd say that becoming a demon has unlocked a great deal within you, but all things considered, I'm inclined to believe your heart was always yearning to head in this direction. Perhaps, even had you stayed human, it would've found its way eventually."

I smiled softly at Haqua.

I couldn't say for sure, but I'm pretty sure she was right.

I'd make sure to follow my heart tonight. Even if it didn't work out, that'd be OK.

As long as I gave it my all, I'd be satisfied no matter the outcome.

❖ ❖ ❖

Unsurprisingly, from the very second I left my apartment, I'd been an antsy, nervous wreck right up until the end of the workday. I knew that before the day was up, I had to tell Mio how I felt, but I felt every bit like an anxious teenager on my way to get there.

"I want you both to promise me that you won't stay here a second longer than you need to, OK?" 

Iori asked as she stood over our desks, looking deeply concerned as everyone but Mio and I started to head home for the weekend.

“Mm, don’t worry, Iori! This shouldn’t take too long.”

“It’ll take as long as it takes, Iori. This is important to Mio, y’know? I don’t wanna rush that,” I responded, catching Mio off-guard. For a moment, I swear I could see a trace of how she used to get around me, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

“I know, I know. I don’t want either of you to rush this, either…” Iori grimaced, tapping her foot anxiously. “But I still don’t like anyone staying past closing time. I want to make it clear that that’s a thing of the past here, and-”

“You’ve done plenty, Iori,” I smiled. “Trust me, nobody thinks things are gonna go the way they used to.”

“Mm, it’s sweet that you’re looking out for us, but there’s nothing to worry about, promise!” Mio nodded happily.

Iori barely seemed reassured.

“I understand that, but what if I stayed here? Just to make sure that things go-”

“Iori,” I stood up from my desk, taking her by the hand and walking her through to the elevator, with Mio following closely behind. “You can’t say that nobody should work overtime and then force yourself to stay late just to watch over us.”

“Mm, you deserve a break too!” Mio giggled.

“B-but-”

“Go to an izakaya, get yourself a drink, a bunch of tasty snacks, and have a good time, alright?” I advised.

“I’ve never been to one before, so-”

“Never?! Well, now’s as good a time as any to shake off whatever’s held you back, right?”

“Mm! The karaage at the place just across the street is so yummy, Iori. You’ve gotta try it!” Mio encouraged her, as the two of us pushed her into the elevator.

Iori looked at us for a moment, clearly extremely worried, before she let out a deep, heavy sigh and slumped her shoulders.

“Fine,” she said, with a small chuckle. “You win, you two. I’ll leave you both to it, then.”

“It’s not about leaving us alone, it’s about you taking the time to relax,” Mio corrected her. “So have lots of fun and tell us all about it on Monday, OK?”

“Right you are,” Iori smiled. “Good luck then, Mio. I know you’ll excel as a writer.”

“Thank you so much! I’ll do my best,” Mio nodded and smiled happily.

“Mm, our girl’s got spirit! So thanks, Iori, for letting us use the office for this. It means a lot to us both.”

Iori smiled at me as she pressed one of the buttons in the elevator.

“No need to thank me. I’m just doing what I should’ve done from the moment I started working here.”

“And we’re grateful for it. Take it easy, Iori,” I said with a smile as the elevator doors slowly shut.

“Bye bye!” Mio called through the doors, before turning to face me with a relieved smile. “You think she’ll actually go to an izakaya, Senpai?”

“Mm,” I nodded. “Iori’s really making an effort to open herself up. I’m sure she’ll have a great time tonight, too.”

“Mm, you're right!” Mio agreed, as the two of us headed back to our desks.

And of course, the second we sat back down, it hit me how well and truly alone we were. It felt like I was seeing something unspeakable. The office had never been this empty before. You could always find someone toiling away until the early hours of the morning, or sleeping under their desk in a vain attempt to find some rest. Now there was none of that. It was just me and Mio.

Which, y'know! That's good! That's zero pressure from prying eyes, which meant that I'd have a slightly easier time saying what I needed to say.

But damn, that only made the realization that it wouldn't be long before I had to say it that much clearer. It was so close now. Just a couple hours at most, and I'd tell her things I'd spent years waiting to get out.

As the minutes ticked by, Mio told me about her ideas in exhaustive detail. She was as shy as she was excited, clearly buzzing with enthusiasm for ideas she'd been determined to get out into the world for years, yet terrified she might not do them justice.

"So umm, i-if you wouldn't mind reading this scene, Senpai? I-it's the big confession scene between the two leads, and I really wanna make sure I get it right! Particularly the older girl's personality. She needs to be cool, but not distant or detached. Someone who'll protect you with a smile, y'know? I’ll be doing some writing on my end in the meanwhile!"

Oh my god, Mio, you're so fucking cute.

I'd be lying if it said it took away my own antsiness, but still, it helped me stay at least a little calmer than I would've been otherwise.

So I started reading the scene that was, very clearly, about me and her. Or well, the previous me, anyway. Maybe one day she'd write something about a teasable bitch, but for the sake of her work's sweetness, I hoped not.

It was adorable, and I was about ready to tell her as much, when-

*groooowl*

-it was Mio who stopped, her stomach letting out a deep rumble that nothing she could do could ever hope to cover up.

She laughed softly, and I could hear her turning in her chair to say something, when-

*groooooooowl!!*

-my stomach also growled, longer and louder, as though it thought we were in competition with each other.

No. If anything, my stomach was just acting on Haqua's will, telling me that I'd never get a better time to put aside my shyness and give Mio the food Haqua had made for her.

“Ahahaha...guess we’re both a little hungry, huh?” I said, turning to Mio, who honestly looked a little surprised.

“Hehe… Maybe we should both take a break, then?” Mio offered. “It’s not the same as a real meal, but I do keep some snacks in my desk drawer, just to help get me through the day if I’m ever feeling low-energy.”

“Oh, no, you don’t have to-”

As I spoke, Mio opened her desk drawer, and I froze at the sight.

I need to be clear about this, alright? When Mio told me that, I thought she was talking about having some nuts or chips in her drawer. Maybe an energy bar or a meal replacement drink. I’d been there before, keeping the same things to get me through late nights, so it made sense that other people’d do it, too.

The drawer my adorable, bubbly kouhai opened, though, was absolutely, completely packed. I have no idea how it all fit in there, but it looked like she’d gone to the convenience store and grabbed one of everything that didn't need to be refrigerated. She really was like a little hamster, cutely hiding away her stockpile of seeds.

“Oh, and don’t worry! I don’t mind sharing with you, senpai! You’re always looking out for me, so help yourself to anything you want!”

I could easily see a couple things sitting at the top that would be really great to munch on right about now, but shit, it was practically do-or-die now.

“Uhm, actually…”

“Come on, senpai! Big sis isn’t going to let you help me with my writing on an empty stomach."

“R-Right, right, it’s not that. I do want to eat,” I explained, my stomach choosing to do me a solid by growling again, “it’s just…I, uh…"

You're a succubus, dumbass! A genuine sex demon! How is this something you're going to get so antsy about?!

"I brought a meal from home today, and-"

“Oh? Wow, senpai! You really came prepared today! How responsible!” Mio beamed, petting my head like a proud mother.

I...I had a lot of mixed feelings about that. But I needed to stay on message. Haqua’d kick my ass if I messed this up, and not in the way I like.

“-I’ve got one for you, too…” I muttered, finally getting it out.

I’d done it, and it had only taken ten hours, give or take.

“Really, senpai?!” Mio pulled her hand back to cover her mouth, her eyes practically sparkling.

Fu~ck, she's cute.

"Yeah, it's probably not too exciting, but I'm sure it'll still be good enough. I-it's OK if you don't wanna eat it, though…"

I sounded every bit like a lovesick teenager shyly fumbling their way through a conversation with the girl they like. Being treated like a dog honestly embarrassed me less.

I actually had no idea what Haqua had actually packed for us, considering she’d never even packed a meal for me before, let alone someone that she was trying to hook me up with.

That...actually made me really damn worried, but I’d already opened my mouth, so it’d look weird if I didn’t pull out the wrapped bundle Haqua’d sent me off with.

“Awww, I’m sure it’ll be great, Senpai! Ehehe, I can’t wait to try it!”

“M-Me too…” I whispered, undoing the pink cloth that bound Mio's box, somehow wholly unprepared for what lay inside.

Okay, fine… This one’s on you, Rina, you should've guessed it'd be like this.

I don't even know where she'd found one so cutesy, but Haqua had picked out an incredibly girlish box for Mio, absolutely covered in hearts. I'd say it looked made for a schoolgirl, but there isn't a high schooler alive brave enough to head to class with something like this.

I'm an adult, I should be calm enough to weather something like this, but with Mio around-

"Ehehe, Senpai! I had no idea you had such cute tastes! That's adorable~! Is that one mine?

“Y-Yeah, sure is…"

-I felt like I could crawl into myself and disappear. I hope my smile didn't look too pained when I handed her the box, but I wasn't optimistic.

God, where the hell did Haqua even get that thing?

Oh, fuck. If it’s like that on the outside, what about on the inside…?

Before I could try to stop her, or at least try and sneak in some peek of my own meal to be a little prepared for whatever ridiculously cutesy arrangement of food was undoubtedly inside, she’d already taken the box, a giddy smile spreading from ear-to-ear.

I swallowed hard as she took off the lid, painfully aware of the sweat beading on my forehead as the tension mounted.

“Ehehe...Senpai, you shouldn’t have…”

I was practically shaking as I peered forward to see just what kind of grave Haqua had dug for me.

At first glance, though, it just had me drooling more than anything else. The box was absolutely packed, and it had me eager to open up my own—at least, if Haqua was even half as generous with mine as she was with Mio’s.

That being said, all I could really think about was the huge nori heart laying on the bed of rice within. I'd expected something more over-the-top from Haqua, but it still embarrassed me to no end handing her something so…dorky.

"Aww, this is so sweet, Senpai! It looks like something right out of a shoujo manga. You're the best, y'know that? Everything looks so yummy, too? Ohhh, this chicken is so mouthwatering, gosh!"

Mio giggled, happily holding up a piece of chicken in front of my face with her chopsticks.

"Say 'ahhh', Senpai!"

"M-Mio?! No way! I'm not gonna-"

"'Ahhhh!'" she teased, giggling happily.

"Mio…"

"'Ahhhhhh~!'"

Gah, you're so cute it kills me, Mio! How am I meant to reject that, huh?"

"A-ahhhhh…"

I opened my mouth wide, and Mio popped in a piece of chicken.

I chewed slowly, watching her expectant face all the while.

It was delicious. Of course it was, and now it was spiced with just enough humiliation to really pack a punch.

Mio is extremely dangerous.

"Ahaha! Tasty, Senpai?"

"Mm, it's really good…"

"I bet it is! I didn't even know you could cook, senpai, but I bet you're a world-class chef!" she said, taking a piece for herself and letting out a happy, delighted sigh. "Oh wow… That's so yummy! You're even more amazing than I realized, Senpai!"

She looked so happy, but I wasn't about to keep stealing any more credit for someone else's work.

"I'm glad you like it, but Haqua made it, actually. She's way better in the kitchen than me.

“O~h, and you helped decorate it afterwards, Senpai? That makes sense! I haven’t ever heard you mention cooking before, so I was honestly kind of surprised when you told me about it! Still, I think you both did a great job!”

That's…still off the mark, but that's a little better, I guess. I can ride in Haqua's coattails just a little bit, I suppose.

“Th-Thanks, Mio…” I conceded, turning to open up my own lunch.

I was a little disappointed to see that Haqua hadn’t left any lovey-dovey touches in mine, but there was a little handwritten note on the lid that killed me far more brutally than any nori heart ever could.

「Show her a good time <3」

I grabbed the note, crumpled it up, and threw it into the trash as quickly and stealthily as I could. Thankfully, I don’t think Mio saw.

“But wow, she’s a really great cook, huh?”

“Mm, she told me she barely did any cooking before she- uhh, before we got married,” I said, quickly stopping myself from spilling that I had, in fact, summoned my wife. “So she’s surprisingly good, all things considered.”

“Gosh...it’s kinda sweet, having the two of you looking after me like this…”

I looked over at Mio, and was honestly kind of surprised to see a very familiar, shy blush painting her cheeks a soft red. It was so nostalgic… I kinda wanted to go over and pet her head, maybe call her a good girl. Dogs can call people that too, there’s no law that says they can’t.

“Mm, when I told her I’d be helping you out til late tonight, she wanted to do something nice for the both of us to help us get by OK. It’s nothing too special, but-”

“Nuh-uh, it’s extremely special to me, Senpai. The food’s really yummy, and you both put a lot of care into it, but you’ve had my back since the moment I started working here. Even when things have been tough, just knowing that you’re here for me always helps me get through whatever life throws at me. It’s hard not to smile when I think about you, Senpai, and now that I have you and Haqua backing me up, I feel unstoppable, ehehe!”

Mio was so damn cute that I could hardly take it. Even though it was a little embarrassing to hear everything she’d said, I couldn’t help but feel that I needed to match her sincerity. She deserved at least that much.

“Y-Yeah… I guess...y’know, I maybe haven’t said too much about it, but there wasn’t ever much about this job that ever made me all that happy, Mio. The pay’s pretty good, but it barely feels worth it when I don’t get enough time to actually live for myself. When I watched Kanon laying into you on your first day, I just knew I had to stop you from getting as run down as me, so I leapt in to help. You had far too much light in your eyes for a place like this to turn them as tired and dead as mine, ahaha…”

“Ehehe, Senpai’s the sweetest! My brave, tiny protector’s been looking out for me this whole time~!”

I chuckled, blushing softly, and continued.

“And y’know, I didn’t even really have any friends before I met you. Back in high school I was decently popular, but as soon as I entered the workforce it felt like my entire life just fell away. When you started hanging around me, I felt invigorated in a way I hadn’t in years, honestly. Of course, with work being so bad, that meant I’d been bumped up from 99% dead to a mere half-dead, but still, being around you made everything a little brighter, ahaha…”

“Remember what happened after you helped me out with Kanon, Senpai?”

“Mm, but say it anyway,” I smiled.

“Lunch came around and I asked, of all people, Iori to eat with me. I wasn’t trying to suck up to her or anything, she just looked pretty lonely and sad and I thought she wanted a friend. She rejected me pretty harshly though, ahaha…”

“Did she ever apologize for that, by the way? She really laid into you…”

“She did! Pretty profusely, actually. You were still sick at the time, but she was practically crying when she did. I’d pushed past it forever ago, but I guess it had really sat with her. She’s…really earnest about doing better by us, huh?”

“Yeah,” I nodded, grateful that whatever Haqua had done really had seemed to make it easier for Iori to be a brighter, warmer person. “I’m glad she apologized. You definitely deserved it.”

“Oh, it’s OK! But I felt pretty dejected afterwards and you definitely noticed that, huh?”

“Hard not to. You’re like a puppy sometimes, Mio. Had your tail between your legs and everything,” I grinned, ignoring that really, I was the only one here with a tail.

“You’re calling me a puppy?” Mio chuckled. “I guess you’d be the expert on dogs, huh Senpai?”

I bit back the urge to yell as I reached a finger up to my neck and shyly fiddled with my collar.

“But, diligent little doggie that you are, you walked right up to me once Iori left and took my hand with a smile, walking me all the way to your favorite restaurant and buying me a ton of food. Crazy to think a cutie like you can be so chivalrous, huh?”

It was hard for me to tell how different Mio’s recollections of me are now that she knows me as…well, this. A small runt, a ‘diligent little doggie’, as she put it (which, you guessed it, got me all sorts of excited). But I was glad that memory was still intact. It was precious to me.

“Your smile got bigger and bigger with every bite you ate, y’know? I just knew I’d done a good job cheering you up, ahaha!”

“Mm! I had a good first day here, a~ll thanks to you, Senpai!” Mio grinned, reaching over and gently petting my head. “My protector did an amazing job then, and she still does an amazing job now~!”

“Yeah, I’ll always look out for you, Mio. No matter what,” I grinned. “I guess looking out for you also helped remind me that beneath all the fatigue, the fire I had before I worked here wasn’t totally dead. It had gone down a little, sure, but when it came to taking care of my cute kouhai, it burned just as bright as ever.”

“Wo~w! Senpai’s cool again today, huh?”

“I’m cool every day, Mio,” I chuckled shyly, finishing up the last of my meal.

“Ahaha, I don’t mean to give myself all the credit, though. You’re strong as hell, Mio. Still, seeing you smiling all the time, how upbeat and friendly you are no matter how hard things get. I guess it makes me feel like I actually did something worthwhile, that I really made a difference here, you know?”

“Senpai…” Mio murmured, putting the lid on her own box.

She had the sweetest blush on her face as she got up from her seat.

“M-Mio…?”

My adorable kouhai didn’t say a word as she walked over to my seat, leaned over, and wrapped me into a tight hug. So tight, in fact, that she was practically lifting me out of the chair, pulling me in tight against her body.

…

She smells so good…

I could have stayed like that all night, honestly, proofreading be damned. I had the feeling Mio probably would’ve gone in for that too.

“Hey, Senpai…?”

At least, I thought she would have, but I had to admit that even I started to lose confidence when she eased off the hug a little, her blush deepening as her voice rose to an embarrassed squeak.

“Y-Yeah?”

“I know that...well, the office is pretty lax on our dress code, especially these days, and it’s not my place to pry, a-and I’m not trying to be a prude or anything, honest! But…”

What is she trying to…

Oh.

Ah, fuck...I forgot...

“...You don’t, um...happen to have…piercings, do you…?”

Ahahaha, who would have guessed? I haven’t forgotten shame after all! What a marvelous discovery!

GAHHHHHHHH!

I was raging in my head at myself, knowing that even I couldn’t pass the buck to Haqua for this one. There was no reason I had to keep the nipple rings in at work, considering I could change what I was wearing—piercings and all—at any time. Hell, I could even remove them right now, pass it off as Mio just imagining things, and what a pervy, overactive imagination it would be!

...But, nope, I’m a loser dog. That masochistic itch of mine would be scratched far more by actually admitting it to the girl I was so sweet to just minutes earlier.

Wan wan. Wan wan. Wan wan.

That’s me.

“W-Well...y’know… Y-yeah, I do… They’re rings…”

“O-Oh! Ahahaha…” Mio laughed nervously. “I thought I felt something there, but I wasn’t too sure ‘cause, uh, you’re the first person I’ve known to wear anything like that. A-and I didn’t even know you did till now… S-sorry if that’s awkward! I was just curious, that’s all! That’s so like you though Senpai!”

I was dying from Mio’s sweet, sympathetic smile, and clearly-in-over-my-head attitude.

That’s so like me, huh? Shit, you don’t know how right you are, Mio…

I probably don’t need to spell it out, but our hug ended pretty quickly after that, with Mio lowering me back into the chair with all the delicacy and care of someone handling an armed bomb.

She was clearly nervous as hell.

Can’t say I wasn’t, either, or that I didn’t blame her.

“Haah, that food was delicious, Senpai!” she exhaled, sitting back at her desk and turning completely away from me. “Thank you so much! Oh, and thank Haqua for me when you get home tonight! Gosh...nothing in my snack drawer beats a home-cooked meal like that!”

She punctuated her sentence by cracking her knuckles, a sure sign that she was fixing to get back to her writing as quickly as possible. Even from behind, though, I could still see that the blush in her cheeks had now spread to her ears, painting them a rosey pink.

“Y-Yeah, of course! Maybe I’ll ask her to make us food more often,” I said, suddenly too shy to even think about bringing up my thoughts on the scene she’d asked me to read.

“Oooh, I’d love that!”

Bless that girl for working so hard to keep things friendly, even though she couldn’t look me in the face at all, and kept her eyes locked firmly on her monitor.

I sort of wanted to clear the air between us again, to get her all cheery and giggly, but I had just given her a lot to deal with, so I figured it was best to try and follow her lead and get back to what she was doing.

The silence that set in over the office was pretty damn immediate and isolating, broken only by the sound of Mio typing and the occasional cough.

Then I noticed even that had grown quieter, and glanced over at Mio to see her staring blankly at her screen, barely doing anything.

“Mio?”

“Hwha?!”

Yep, like I thought, she was zoning out. Just calling her name had her bolting upright, scrambling about in an effort to look like she was at least halfway focused on her writing. It was almost kind of nostalgic to see, a reminder of how easily embarrassed Mio used to be.

Haaah, her flustered face is so cute, too! N-Not that this is the time to be happy about that sorta thing...

“Uh, anything I can help you with, Mio?”

“Oh, uhh… I’m OK, I’m OK!” she assured me, putting on the most forced smile I’d ever seen. “Nothing to worry about here, Senpai!”

“OK...if you say so…”

After a short pause, I heard her clear her throat and got back to typing. Slowly. Very, very slowly. She was managing a record of maybe three words per minute, if I had to guess.

But it wasn’t like there was much I could do to make it any easier on her, being the nipple-ring-haver that was clearly consuming her thoughts. She was obviously super nervous, and I knew that bringing up her writing would only make her antsier.

So instead, I figured I’d have more luck clearing the air between us by going in a different direction. And hell, if I was lucky, it might lead to more between us.

“Oh, I texted Haqua about the meals, by the way. She says she’d be more than happy to cook for us whenever, as long as it’s not too often.”

That was a complete lie, though I’m sure Haqua would have probably said something close to that if I’d texted her tonight. Anything to help me get closer to Mio.

“O-Oh, yeah? That sounds great, Senpai! How nice of her!”

She softened up a bit, but was still clearly tense.

Alright, fine, Mio. If that’s how you want to play things, I’m not gonna hold back. I’m a demon, ya know? You don’t stand a chance!

“Haaah, it’s really great having someone like her in my life, you know? She’s just really easy to talk with and be around, and she’s always going out of her way to make me feel loved…”

What parts of that were embellished for believability? I’ll never tell.

“Y-Yeah?”

She was nibbling at the bait, at least.

Admittedly, I was nervous as hell about pressing any further with my plan, but, well, in for a penny, in for a pound.

“She’s su~per kind and laid back, too. We were talking the other day, just about love and all that, and how it’s something that really is kept way too locked up, and that people need to spread it around more instead of acting like it needs to all be saved for just one person.”

Mio didn’t say anything, but I could feel that the silence in the air now was different from the nervous pauses earlier. 

I had her.

I was practically shaking from anxiety, but there was no stopping now.

“And I know you’re always looking out for me, Mio-”

I heard her let out the tiniest, lovey-dovey sigh before she could stifle it. Never doubt the power of personal appeals.

“-But I wanna be clear that neither of us are seeing anyone else or anything like that. But we even ended up saying that loving more than one person, as long as you’re actually talking it out with your partners, is just a sign of your heart growing to love more freely, and isn’t really something that should be looked down on. I mean, I’d heard of polyamory and all that before Haqua, but I guess it never really made much sense until I really spoke with her about it, you know?”

Well? How’s that, Mio?

I could hear a squeak as she turned in her chair.

“I-I wanna see ‘em!”

“Bwuh?!”

“You…wanna see-”

“Your rings, Senpai! I really wanna see them!”

Mio had the neediest, most eager look in her eyes. She was completely serious about this.

I felt my brain shut off. Mio had delivered a blow so devastating I didn’t even know how to comprehend it.