There was no mischief in her gaze now. Just curiosity.
"Are you saving it for one of the others?" she asked, voice quieter now. "For Rias?"
"…It's complicated," he said at last.
Kuroka tilted her head. "Is it? Is having this many women pining for you that complicated?"
Raytherion shook his head. "No. That part's simple. The complicated part is… I don't know if I'm ready to give any of you more."
Kuroka hummed. Then, in a voice full of dry amusement, she spoke. "Most boys your age would have allowed any of us to take their virginity already… they would have gladly taken what they could the moment it was offered."
She leaned in again, close enough for her breath to brush his lips.
"Then again…" Her voice dropped to a whisper. "You're not like most boys, are you?"
He didn't answer. Couldn't, maybe. Or wouldn't.
"Maybe that's why they're all drawn to you," she said, brushing a stray white hair behind his ear.
"Why they all…"
She paused.
"Why we all… love you."
His eyes shut slowly. "Love is a strong word."
"I know," she said, with more conviction than before. "I know how strong it is."
She shifted, her thighs tightening around his lap. Her hands moved to his shoulders, resting there.
"You saved me," she said, her voice laced with quiet seriousness. "Not just from execution. Not just from being hunted. You reunited me with the only family I had left. You gave me something I never thought I'd have again…Peace. A second chance."
Raytherion's fingers twitched.
"And you didn't ask for anything in return," she whispered.
His gaze flicked to hers. "I didn't do it so you'd fall for me."
Kuroka chuckled, shaking her head. "You say that, but you flirted with me the day we met."
Raytherion opened his mouth, about to protest, but she gently pressed a finger to his lips.
"I know," she said, amused. "I know. That's just how you are. You didn't mean it in that way."
He closed his mouth again, biting back the reply.
She leaned her head on his shoulder, eyes fluttering closed as she exhaled into the space between them. Her tails curled around his waist, a silent touch full of comfort.
"…My mother loved my father, you know."
He blinked, caught off guard by the sudden words, by the shift in her tone.
"She really did," Kuroka murmured, her voice tinged with wistfulness. "He was a human. A scientist. Cold, brilliant… always scribbling something into his notebooks. She said he made her feel seen."
Her fingers found the edge of his shirt and toyed with the hem absently, her mind drifting elsewhere. "But the truth is… he never really looked at her. Not the way she hoped."
Kuroka's voice dimmed, ears going flat against her head. "He used her. For her body. For her magic. To sate whatever curiosity or lust drove him at the time. I was born not long after. Then Shirone."
She smiled in what he assumed was fondness of the more… pleasant memories. "She tried to make it beautiful. Tried to turn us into proof of their love. She brought us to him once, hoping… maybe hoping he'd see us as something worth cherishing…"
Kuroka gave a dry, bitter laugh. "Isn't that funny? A mother having to introduce her daughters to their father… like we were strangers. Like we weren't his."
Raytherion tried to swallow the lump in his throat. The weight of her words pressed down on him, and what felt like guilt began to swell from his chest.
She noticed. Of course she did.
Before he could speak, before he could offer some instinctive apology or defense, Kuroka lifted her hand and gently touched his lips with one finger.
"No," she whispered. "I'm not comparing you to him. I would never do that, Raytherion."
Her finger slid away, only to be replaced by her palm, warm and soft, cupping his cheek.
"In fact, it's ironic, isn't it?" she murmured. "I'm the one trying to seduce you."
He let out a soft laugh, taking the lifeline she gave him. "Y-yeah…"
"What I'm trying to say is… My mother loved a man who would never love her back. Who never even tried. And it destroyed her."
She didn't look away from him when she said it, just stared into his eyes without blinking.
"But I…" she whispered, "I love a man who did something no one else ever would've done for me. Who gave me back my sister. Who gave me peace."
A tremble worked its way into Kuroka's voice then. "That's why I don't mind waiting." Her lips curled into a smile. "Because when you say it back… I know it'll be real. It'll be you."
Her two tails curled slowly around him tighter.
He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to slow his breathing.
Kuroka leaned forward, her forehead pressing gently against his. She nuzzled her nose against his.
"That's all I've ever wanted," she whispered, "To be seen. To be chosen. Not because I'm convenient. But because I matter."
There were tears in her eyes now. They didn't fall. She held them in place with the same silent strength she had always carried.
He had to speak…
"You do matter. I see you…"
"See?" she murmured, through a laugh. "You make it so hard not to fall for you."
He swallowed hard.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly.
She shook her head against his, brushing her temple against his cheek.
"Don't be," she whispered. "Just… don't disappear. That's all I ask."
Raytherion nodded, not pulling away from her.
Eventually, she shifted just slightly, but only to rest her cheek more fully against his shoulder. Her tails uncurled from around him and draped gently across the bed.
"Ray…" she said quietly, her voice almost reluctant to break the silence.
"Mm?"
"Promise me something."
He glanced at her sidelong. "Depends on what it is."
She smiled faintly at his caution. "Promise me that… when you're ready… whenever that is… you won't do it because you think you're supposed to."
He frowned slightly, confused. "You think I would?"
"I think…" Her fingers traced slow, absentminded patterns over his chest again. "I think you're the kind of person who carries too much responsibility. You try to make everyone feel valued, and one day, you might try to love someone out of guilt. Or obligation."
Her eyes flicked up to meet his. "I don't want that. None of us do."
He let out a breath. "…I promise."
Kuroka's smile returned, softer now. Relieved.
"Good," she whispered, letting her eyes close. "That's all I needed to hear."
Raytherion ran his fingers gently through her hair again, slower this time. Thoughtful.
On the grass of the Lucifer estate, Akeno sat, her legs crossed.
Raytherion stood nearby, a pebble flying from his hands into the trees behind them.
"So," he said casually, turning towards her. "Your birthday's coming up."
Akeno looked up at him, smiling softly. "Mm. How observant of you."
"Yep! What would you like?"
"... Most people don't ask others what they want for a gift."
He winked, shooting a finger at her. "Exactly! I'm not most people! So, little miss sadist in training, what would you like for your birthday?"
"Ugh. I regret telling you about that."
Raytherion smirked, dropping down on the grass next to her. "Too late. I'm never letting that one go. It's a permanent part of your brand now. When I think of Akeno Himejima, I'll think of leather, cuffs, blindfolds and candle wax."
Akeno rolled her eyes, then smirked, leaning in to whisper. "Careful… keep pushing me and you'll be the first one I try it on."
He blinked at the sudden closeness… then booped her nose. "I'd whip that freakiness out of you, but you'd probably like it…"
"You know, I could electrocute you where you sit."
"And yet, I remain shock-free! Either you like me too much or you've gone soft."
Akeno gave him a side-eye. "Or maybe I'm just saving it for a special occasion."
"Like your birthday?"
"Like your funeral."
He laughed softly.
"Anyways, you still haven't answered. What do you want?"
Akeno leaned back, looking up at the sky. "I don't know. Something simple, maybe. A quiet day. Maybe cake."
"Chocolate or strawberry?"
"Why not both?"
"Oho, greedy now."
"I'm allowed. It's going to be my birthday, after all."
He grinned then stood up, walking over to stand behind the training dummy that had been ignored for too long.
"We'll see when we get there. For now, though, I think it's time we started on what you came here to do… use your lightning magic."
Akeno sighed but stood up, forming her magical sigil in front of her.
With a graceful flick of her wrist, a streak of lightning shot from the sigil, hitting the training dummy he was holding onto from behind. It shuddered under his hands from the force,
Raytherion didn't even flinch. Instead, he let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head in amusement.
Akeno raised an eyebrow at his reaction, lowering her hands. "What's so funny?"
"You know that's not the lightning I meant."
Her eyes narrowed, looking at him with annoyance. "You also know why I don't use that lightning."
"Do I?" He asked, feigning confusion as he rubbed his chin. "You'll have to refresh my memory."
"... Mind your words, Raytherion."
Her voice was soft, but had none of the teasing from earlier. There was an edge in it now.
"Come on. Just do it," he whispered softly.
Akeno scoffed, turning away from him and walking towards the manor. Even as she walked away, she heard him continue to speak.
"So… you're gonna run from me the same way you've been running from your power?"
She stopped, shoulders stiffening as she turned back to him.
"You have no right to say that. You don't know what happened. You don't know anything!"
Raytherion's smile didn't falter. The sudden change in their conversation's mood did not phase him. "Well, duh. That's why I asked you to refresh my memory, Akeno."
Her hands clenched at her sides as she glared. "I don't owe you my trauma just because you're curious."
"No, you don't," Raytherion agreed softly. "You don't owe me anything. Not your past, not your pain."
He shrugged as he loosened his grip on the dummy and stepped out from behind it. " But you're the one who came to me to train… I'm not going to stand here while you keep pretending that you aren't holding back because of all this."
"You think I'm holding back because I want to?"
"I think you're holding back because you're afraid," Raytherion said without hesitation.
Akeno's eyes flashed. "You don't know what you're talking about."
"Maybe not," he said, stepping closer to her. "What I do know is that you're scared of yourself. You're shying away from what you could be, telling yourself that it's fine, that you'll get by even if you don't use everything at your disposal–"
"Stop."
She cut him off, her voice no longer angry, just tired. "I didn't come here for… for this, Ray."
"Then why did you come here?" Raytherion asked, his voice becoming a bit more gentle. "If you're going to train, then train, but don't act like you're giving it your all. It's an insult to both me and yourself. You're more than this and you know it."
She didn't respond immediately. Instead, she looked behind her, as if she was going to walk away after all.
When she turned back, she didn't make immediate eye contact with him, instead looking at the ground.
"... I can't use it without hearing his voice," she whispered.
That made Raytherion hum in curiosity. "Your… dad?"
Akeno looked up, meeting his gaze. There were some tears at the edge of her eyes now.
"That lightning… that holy lightning. It's his. A fallen angel's." She spat the words like venom. "Why would I use it when every time I even think of it, I'm reminded of him!?"
"...Maybe you've got it backwards."
She blinked, confused.
"It isn't really his power, is it? You're treating it like something you're borrowing with his permission, like it doesn't belong to you."
He took another step forward. "But it does, Akeno. You're not a shadow of your father's choices. You're you, and no one gets to claim your power but—guess who?–you!"
Two wings suddenly burst from her back. One was leathery and dark. A devil's wing.
The other had pitch black feathers… a fallen angel's wing.
She stepped forward for the first time. "Do you think it's easy for me? That I can just snap my fingers and pretend like this isn't what I see in the mirror every time I wake up!? I… I'm disgusting… my mother died because she fell in love with the wrong person!"
Raytherion didn't respond to her outburst. He looked at her. Not just the trembling lips or the tears that had begun falling down her cheeks, but at the ache behind her voice.
He closed the distance and placed a hand on her feathered wing.
Akeno flinched, at his touch, trying to pull away from him.
"Don't–"
But he didn't back off.
"…So let me get this straight," Raytherion said softly. "You think you're disgusting… because you were born?"
"My mother died," she said bitterly. "because of me."
Raytherion's eyes didn't leave hers. "No. She died because she chose to protect you."
"It's the same thing!" Akeno hissed. "I was proof of her shame, of her betrayal of the Himejima clan! They came for us because I existed.."
"You're right," Raytherion said.
She blinked.
"You're right," he repeated, voice still calm. "They came for you because you were proof of her breaking their rules. Because you were the child of a union they considered impure. But that's not on you. That's on them."
Akeno didn't reply. Her shoulders trembled, expression caught between anger, sadness and confusion.
"And your mother?" Raytherion continued, his fingers curling gently at the edge of her wing. "She didn't die because she loved the wrong person. She died because she loved you. Because she wanted you to live."
"That doesn't change the fact that—"
"She didn't die for your father."
His voice was sharper now. Not cruel, not at all, but still sharp.
"She didn't throw herself in front of her family because she wanted to protect him. She did it for you. Her daughter. Akeno."
Akeno's mouth opened.
Then it closed.
Raytherion's hand pressed lightly on her wing again.
"And this wing? This isn't his. This isn't some stain she tried to wash away. This is part of you. Part of the girl she gave her life to protect."
He looked her in the eyes again.
"How can you hate what your mother died to save?"
That fractured something.
Akeno staggered back, her eyes wide, mouth trembling.
"I—" Her voice cracked.
"She didn't see a mistake," Raytherion continued. "She saw you. And she made her choice."
Tears rolled freely down Akeno's face now, silent and unhidden. Her hands were shaking, fingers curling as if she wanted to hold something.
"You keep saying you hate him," Raytherion murmured, "but I don't think that's the whole truth anymore. I think… you hate yourself. Maybe you don't even realize it. But your own words say it loud enough. Because you survived and eery time you look in the mirror, you wonder if she died for nothing. Deep down, you can't believe you were ever worth saving."
And that fully broke it.
Akeno's knees gave out at the same time the sob escaped her lips.
Raytherion moved without thinking, catching her before she could hit the ground. His arms wrapped around her, steadying her.
She didn't resist. She buried her face into his chest, her body trembling violently with every breath. Her sobs were full of pain, of buried shame and guilt.
"I h-hate him," she whispered through the sobs. "I do. But… s-sometimes I wonder if it would've been better if… if it had been me instead—"
"No."
Raytherion didn't shout. He didn't need to.
It was a single word, but it was enough.
"Don't say that," he said, his voice low but firm. "Don't ever say that."
Akeno let out a choked sound, clutching at his shirt as she shook her head.
"You're here because of her," Raytherion whispered. "Akeno… your mother gave everything for you. Don't take her sacrifice and twist it into something shameful. She loved you, all of you. Every part. So don't turn your back on yourself, on the very thing she fought to keep alive."
Akeno pressed her face tighter into his chest, shame and grief burning her throat.
"But I've spent so long hating it," Akeno whispered. "So long thinking it was the reason she died…"
"Then start over," Raytherion said softly.
"...It's not that easy, Raytherion"
"I know," he said. "It's not supposed to be. But it's still possible. One day at a time. You just have to stop punishing yourself for surviving."
His hand moved to her back, resting gently between her shoulder blades, where one leathery devil wing met the feathered black of a fallen angel's.
"That wing…" he murmured, his fingertips brushing the base of the feathers. "That's part of you, part of the girl your mother gave her life to protect."
A choked sound escaped Akeno's throat, half sob, half laugh.
"You're such a bastard," she murmured through a trembling smile. "Making a girl cry while comforting her? Only you, Ray..."
Raytherion allowed himself a faint grin. "It's a rare gift."
Akeno leaned into him again, resting her head on his shoulder. Her fallen angel wing no longer flinched away. It folded against him naturally, like it finally belonged somewhere.
"…Thank you," she whispered.
Raytherion's reply was almost too quiet to hear. "Always."
She looked up at him. To his lips.
And then she began to lean in.
Raytherion immediately tensed, holding her in place by her shoulders.
"Akeno…"
"Please…"
She sounded so small. Her hands moved to his own shoulders, trying to guide him down to her. She was shaking, but not hesitating.
"You're vulnerable right now," he told her.
"I don't care,"
He frowned, trying to find some other thing to say, to stop her. "I'm not ready for… for this kind of thing."
"But I am… please… please…"
The desperation in her voice was palpable.
With a sigh, he spoke again. "You're not. And if I let you do this right now, you'll regret it."
Her lower lip trembled. "Is it… because I'm not good enough?"
He shook his head with the smallest, amused smile. "Akeno… if I didn't care about you, I wouldn't have said a damn word just moments ago."
She bit her lower lip at his words, but he continued to talk.
"If you really want this… I want it built on something strong. Not something born from grief." Raytherion stepped back slightly, just enough to speak without being overwhelmed by her closeness, but still holding her. "You haven't had time to process what I said to you. You need to figure out what those words mean to you before you decide what you feel for me."
"But–"
"You've spent so long hating a part of yourself. That doesn't go away in one day."
She looked down. Her hands now against his chest. The silence stretched. "… will… you help me?"
Without hesitation, he smiled. "Of course I will. I'm the insufferable bastard who started all this, so it's only right I help you through it all."
He didn't realize he'd just made a promise she'd never let him break.
"Well? How is it?"
Rias's voice came from just behind his ear, soft and teasing. She was draped over him, arms dangling off his shoulders as she leaned forward, her chin resting against the crook of his neck.
Raytherion sat at his desk, barely moving. In front of him was a neatly arranged collection of sweets, all set out with obvious care. They were vibrant in their presentation.
Cherry tarts, strawberry mochi, raspberry éclairs, slices of red velvet cake, and more. All of them shared one trait.
Red. Every single one.
He let out a small laugh, shaking his head as he picked up another mochi from the display. "You aren't very subtle, Rias."
She chuckled, brushing her cheek lightly against his as he chewed. "I never said I was. But I'm being strategic. Conditioning, you know? Sugar equals Rias. One day, years from now, even when I'm not around… you'll taste something sweet and think of me."
"You're terrifying," he muttered flatly.
"Mmm… you say that," she purred, her breath tickling his ear, "but you keep eating. Which means maybe, just maybe… you want it to happen."
He paused mid-reach toward an éclair, his fingers hovering just above the plate. He seemed to debate with himself, but with a sigh grabbed it anyway and took a bite.
Another giggle bloomed against his skin. "See? You can't resist me."
"You made pastries the same color as your hair," he said through a mouthful. "You might as well have written your name in frosting."
"I considered it," she said brightly, completely unashamed. "But that felt a little too obvious, even for me."
He gave a quiet huff of amusement and leaned back slightly, letting his shoulder rest against her chest. He didn't say anything, but the small action was noticed.
She smiled against his skin… then nibbled softly on his ear.
"R-Rias…"
"You stuttered," she whispered, voice dripping with satisfaction. "That's adorable."
"I'm going to regret letting you stay behind me, aren't I?"
"~Not at all~" she sang, immediately plucking another mochi from the tray. "Here you go," she added, pressing it near his lips.
He turned, just enough to look at her with a deadpan stare. "I have hands, you know…"
"Shhh," she whispered playfully, pressing the mochi more firmly to his lips. "Say 'ahhh.'"
He held firm for a few seconds, lips pressed in a line. And then, with another tired sigh, he opened his mouth.
"There's my good boy…" she cooed, her fingertip lingering on his bottom lip before pulling away.
Raytherion chewed slowly, eyes narrowing at her as he swallowed. "You're pushing your luck."
She just smiled. "Maybe… but you're the one letting me push it."
He didn't argue. And that, more than anything, was its own kind of answer.
"You've changed," she said, softer now, the teasing leaving her voice. "A year or two ago you would've bolted the moment I touched you. Now you let me cook for you… feed you… you even let me sleep beside you."
"We aren't doing anything weird," he grumbled, eyes flicking to the side. "Stop making it sound like that."
"Yet," she corrected, drawing the word out. "We haven't done anything yet."
He froze.
She laughed under her breath, clearly delighted by his reaction. "Relax. I'm joking. I know the rules. I sleep beside you, I keep my hands mostly to myself. I'm being very well-behaved."
"Debatable," he muttered.
"Admit it," she said, voice smug. "You like the company."
He didn't respond, and once more silence was its own answer.
She let the silence stretch this time, settling against his back like she belonged there. Her head rested on his shoulder again, arms gently wrapped around his chest now instead of just his shoulders.
"You know…" she said at last, "a lot of people would say this is more intimate than a kiss."
Raytherion raised an eyebrow faintly. "What, you feeding me dessert like a child?"
"No," she giggled. "This. All of this."
Her fingers made slow, idle circles across his chest, tracing patterns with no real rhythm. "I cook for you. Feed you. Sleep next to you. I know how you think… what gets under your skin…"
She kissed just behind his ear.
"…What makes you twitch."
He twitched.
"There it is," she whispered smugly. "Kiss on the lips is flashy. Obvious. Of course I'd like one, eventually. But this?" Her voice dropped as she pressed closer. "This is domestic. This is the quiet part of love."
Raytherion shifted, aware of just how close she was now… but not moving away.
"…From one perspective," she murmured, her lips brushing his skin again, "it's almost like I'm your wife."
That got him to let out a small chuckle, voice dry. "That's a stretch."
"Is it?" she said innocently. "What do you think someone would say if they walked in right now? They'd see me pressed against your back, arms around your shoulders, trays of sweets I made just for you… and you, just sitting there, letting me feed you, letting me be here." She giggled. "They'd probably ask how long we've been married."
He gave a skeptical grunt. "They'd ask if you were trying to bribe me with sugary sweets."
"And I'd say yes… Bribing my way to your heart."
He opened his mouth to respond, but stopped because she leaned forward again, her voice a low purr against his ear.
"You even have that calm, resigned look," she whispered, "... like a man who lost the battle a long time ago and just lets his wife do whatever she wants now."
"You're overconfident."
"Maybe… but like I said earlier, you don't push me away. You never do, not anymore… and that says a lot."
His fingers curled where they rested on the edge of the desk. Her words had shifted, going from playful to something more… fragile.
"I joke and tease and keep trying to get a reaction out of you," Rias went on, a sliver of nervousness in her voice. "But it's because I'm scared that if I stop, even for a second… you'll shut that door I've spent so long trying to open."
She squeezed his shoulders gently.
"I just want to stay beside you, Ray…"
He let his left hand slowly move to where she had her own hands resting on his chest… and squeezed them softly.
"I… know."
Silence settled between them as he held her hands against his chest. She didn't move, and then after what felt like a minute of silence, she whispered.
"I still kind of wonder, though… that day, under the sakura trees… if Sirzechs hadn't interrupted us… would you have let me kiss you?"
He stiffened at the question for just a moment, but she felt it.
Of course she did.
"It would've been so romantic," she murmured. "The way the petals were falling… some of them even landed in your hair. You looked so majestic with your back against the tree. I had you trapped there…"
Her voice took on a note of embarrassment, even as she smiled at the memory. "I was trying so hard to be smooth about it, you know? I even started talking about how beautiful the sakura blossoms were… how they represented love."
One of her hands moved just enough to interlock with his fingers, the other rubbing his chest softly.
"I asked you to train there on purpose," she admitted. "Out of all the places on the estate, I picked that one. Where the trees bloomed the brightest… where the wind blew the petals just right."
He glanced down to his chest, where her hands were. "You planned that far ahead?"
"Of course I did."
She kissed his neck softly before she continued.
"Back then… I knew you weren't ready. You were hesitant about that kind of closeness, but you didn't pull away, not until Sirzechs showed up."
Her free hand's fingers came to a stop above his heart.
"So I'm asking you again, Ray…"
Her voice trembled.
"If he hadn't come… would you have let me kiss you?"
His mind scrambled for an answer, but no clear answer came out.
"I…"
But the rest didn't follow. She laughed wistfully, her hair brushing against him with a shake of her head.
"It doesn't matter. Not anymore. I think… I'd rather not know now…"
He blinked, turning his head slightly in surprise. "Why?"
"Because I used to imagine it going perfectly," she said. "Like in a fairy tale or one of my manga. I'd lean in and kiss you. You'd stiffen up, but then your eyes would soften and then you'd kiss me back…"
A faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
"But that wouldn't have been real. Not for you. It would have been too fast for you, and if you had regretted it, if I had forced you into giving something you weren't ready to give…" Her arms tightened around him. "... that would have hurt more than any rejection."
He was quiet for a moment. Then, with a faint laugh, he said the only thing that came to mind.
"… Maybe it's a good thing your brother has impeccable timing, huh?"
Rias laughed, shaking her head as she rested the side of her cheek against his. "Only you would joke in a situation like this…"
They remained like that, cheek against cheek… until she turned his chair around, looking at him straight in the eyes.
"Ray," she said softly, the name carrying all the weight of what she felt.
"I love you."
His breath hitched, even though he wasn't really surprised by her words.
She smiled faintly, then leaned in just a little closer, her voice firmer now, more certain.
"I love you, Raytherion Gremory."
She didn't expect a reply. That much was clear from the calm way she remained there, her hands on the armrests of the chair as she looked down at him.
"…I won't lie," she added after a pause. "It hurts a little that you won't say it back."
Her smile was sad, but understanding. "I know you're not ready. And I do understand. But I can't pretend it doesn't sting a little."
She let out a breath, something between a sigh and a laugh.
"Isn't that funny? I was so eager to kiss you that day. So ready to throw myself at you like some hopeless romantic, and now look at me… but you know what?"
Her hands gently closed over his.
"This is worth it."
"You're… patient," he said, voice quiet.
She chuckled. "Not really. I'm just stubborn. But good things come to those who wait, right?"
Without asking, she carefully climbed into his lap, her knees settling on either side of him. Her skirt fanned out slightly as she straddled him, Her arms draped around his neck and her face hovered just above his, a blush spreading across her face despite the confidence in her eyes.
"And as much as you pretend otherwise," she whispered, "I know you're starting to fall for me."
He didn't argue… couldn't argue.
Not when he didn't pull back and instead moved his hands to steady her by the waist.
"You wouldn't let me do any of this if you weren't," she said, her voice soft but certain.
He exhaled slowly, gaze drifting. His voice was uncertain. "I don't know how to fall in love… not like you."
"That's fine," she murmured. "You don't have to fall like I do. Just keep letting me do all… this. Let the pieces fall together…"
Her arms tightened around his neck as she tucked her face into the crook of it, whispering against his skin.
"Knowing I'm getting closer… knowing I'm already in your heart, even if you haven't said it yet…"
He could feel her smile before he saw it.
"…it makes me so, so happy."
A small laugh bubbled from her lips. "Because you don't even realize it, do you?"
Raytherion raised an eyebrow. "Realize what?"
She giggled, brushing her nose lightly against his neck.
"I've already won… It's only a matter of time until you admit it."
The Lucifer estate was quiet at this hour, so quiet that the only sounds Raytherion could hear were the faint rustling of wind against his windows and the soft rhythm of his own breathing.
He lay sprawled across his bed, armed tucked behind his head.
He was about to go to sleep when he heard it.
A soft creak at the door, then the faintest shuffle of bare feet across the floor.
Raytherion didn't move, just let his eyes close and waited.
The shuffling grew closer, like whoever it was believed that moving slower would make them invisible or completely silent. The noise stopped right at the foot of his bed.
Then, the blankets shifted, and something small and warm slipped beneath them. He felt the warmth settle near his legs, then it shifted upward slowly. His covers bunched with each movement as the presence crawled up from his knees to his stomach… and then higher, until he felt a soft warmth settle over his chest.
Only then did Raytherion open his eyes.
A head of white hair peaked out from under the blanket. Two white cat ears twitched softly.
And then Shirone popped her head out fully, blinking up at him with her golden eyes innocently.
She didn't say anything, just settled her body more firmly on top of him, Her arms stretched forward until her small hands rested against his shoulders, and her tail batted his legs with every sway.
"…You know," he said dryly, "I seem to recall a certain kitten scolding her sister for trying this exact thing… and how did you get here? Shouldn't you be at the Gremory estate?"
She lowered her head until her cheek rested right over his heart… and then let out a long, satisfied purr.
"Rias said it was fine… and it's not like I'm doing weird stuff," she mumbled softly.
"Oh, I see. Of course, no weird stuff, like a girl sneaking into a boy's bed…"
He caught the faintest twitch of a smirk at the corner of her mouth.
"I'm keeping an eye on you, Ray."
"What? Like a midnight stakeout?"
"Yes," she said, perfectly serious. "You might do something stupid."
Raytherion smirked. "Like what?"
"Like let another girl sneak in."
"I hate to break it to you," he said, "but you are another girl."
"No. I'm the first. Any other girls would be another. I'm the surveillance unit."
He gave a soft laugh. "How convenient."
That got her to glance up. Her golden eyes narrowed, and her voice dropped with an unimpressed deadpan. "You're lucky I like you."
He raised a brow, grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Yeah? That wasn't always the case."
"No," she said bluntly, resting her chin back on his chest. "I used to think you were a pervert."
Raytherion chuckled, brushing a hand over her hair. "Used to?"
"... wrong word. You still are."
"Wow. Brutal."
"You've got Sona, Seekvaira, Rias… and my sister. Even Akeno now," she continued, her tail flicking again. "All of them act weird around you. Like you're some kind of prize."
"I mean… I am a catch."
She didn't even dignify that with a response. Just flattened her cheek against his chest like she was trying to smother herself.
"…You're a good pervert, I guess," she muttered after a long pause.
Raytherion couldn't help but laugh. "Thanks. I'll treasure that one."
He reached up again, this time letting his fingers gently find the base of one of her twitching ears. She didn't fight as he began to rub her ears.
Shirone's reaction was immediate.
Her tail moved up to curl around his hand, as if encouraging him, and her eyes drifted half-shut.
Ther purring became louder as she stretched even more over his chest, like a cat claiming her favorite resting place.
Raytherion switched to the other ear and she gave a soft sigh.
"You really are a cat," he murmured.
"Use both hands."
"How demanding… as mini Neko-chan demands, then."
Each hand found an ear to massage.
"Mmmm…"
Raytherion watched her for a moment, a quiet fondness in his expression.
She had changed from when he had first met her.
She was still Shirone, of course. Still blunt, still dry, but she wasn't wary around him anymore.
There was trust now, from the catgirl who'd decided his chest was the only place worth being.
"…Shirone," he murmured after a moment.
One ear twitched at the sound, but she didn't lift her head.
"You planning on sleeping here tonight?"
A soft hum. "Yes."
"No hesitation, huh?"
"I'm efficient," she murmured, voice thick with sleepy smugness. "I stop the others from doing weird stuff… and I get ear scratches."
Raytherion huffed a quiet laugh. "Multitasking. Impressive."
She nuzzled deeper into his chest, purring faintly.
"Alright then," he said, brushing a hand through her hair with gentle affection. "Permission granted. Surveillance unit may proceed."
They stayed like that for a while.
Her weight pressed against his chest like a living blanket.
Her tail remained curled around his left hand as he continued to rub and scratch her ears with both hands.
Then, after several long minutes of quiet, she spoke.
"…Rias talks about what her wedding dress will look like."
Raytherion blinked, taken off guard. "Huh?"
She still didn't look up.
"She says it'll be red," Shirone murmured. "Because she wants it to match her hair."
He exhaled, something between amusement and resignation curling in his chest. "That girl…"
"When Sona and Seekvaira come over," Shirone continued, "they talk about you. A lot. Sometimes they compare what they do, like they're trying to figure out who's winning."
A helpless grin appeared on his face. "I should start giving out scorecards."
She shifted a little, angling her face to peek up at him through a curtain of white bangs. Her expression was completely serious.
"You think I'm joking."
"No," he said with a quiet laugh. "I really don't."
Her voice dropped to a dry murmur. "They're insane."
"Maybe."
"... Akeno blushes whenever your name is brought up."
Raytherion hummed and nodded softly. "I can't say I'm surprised…"
"She always had a mask on. It was easy for me to see through all her smiles and laughs. But now… it's like she walks around without hiding a part of herself. I asked her why, and she said it was because you were the first person who made her feel like she wasn't broken."
"…And Kuroka?" he prompted after a beat. "What does your sister say?"
Shirone hesitated, pink flushing her cheeks for the first time since she had crawled into his bed.
"…Kittens."
He blinked. "Kittens?"
"She talks about kittens," Shirone said flatly. "In weird ways."
There was a pause.
Then Raytherion broke into soft, wheezing laughter.
"I'm not kidding," she said, clearly unamused.
"No, I believe you," he gasped between chuckles. "I just… didn't expect that."
"She says… she wants a variety. One with her hair and your eyes. Another with your hair and her eyes… She also talks about collars."
"…Moving on," he cleared his throat before giving her an awkward smile. "So, you've been busy, my little informant."
"I hear things."
"I bet you do with those cute ears of yours."
"Mmm-hmm."
Raytherion watched her for a long moment, his expression softening before he exhaled.
"I know," he murmured. "None of them are subtle anymore."
Shirone made another small sound of agreement.
"Rias is too bold for her own good. Sona and Seekvaira are starting to follow in her footsteps. Akeno's quieter, more careful, but the feelings are there. And your sister… well… Kuroka's Kuroka. Enough said."
Still, Shirone didn't speak.
"What about you?" He asked softly.
Her tail stopped rubbing his hand.
Then, in the faintest voice he'd ever heard from her, she said,
"…I don't know… it's not like I don't think about it," she admitted after a moment. "I do. Sometimes."
"Yeah?"
Shirone nodded against his chest. "It's just… hard. To imagine what I want. I didn't think about stuff like that before. For a long time, I thought all I wanted was my sister back. And then you gave her back to me. And now…"
She trailed off. Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"And now… I think maybe I want more. But I don't know what that looks like yet."
Raytherion's voice was barely above a breath. "That's not a bad thing."
"Is it weird?" she asked. "That I feel safer here? Than anywhere else?"
"Not weird at all."
"... You're annoying," she muttered.
He laughed, nodding in agreement. "I've been told that one too many times."
"You're loud. And smug. And you flirt too much."
"Guilty."
"…But I like your voice," she added after a pause. "When it's like this."
"Like what?"
"Soft."
He exhaled gently, fingers drifting through her hair again.
"I can be soft," he said. "Just don't tell anyone. It'll ruin my image."
She rolled her eyes, but nodded.
"That's fine," she whispered. "That way it's only me who gets… this."
"How greedy."
"I'm a cat, Ray… you said it yourself."
"The playboy returns," Tiamat drawled, not looking up from the mountain of sweets spread across the new room she'd claimed ever since her hoarding tendencies outgrew the original.
Raytherion snorted as he stepped inside. "Missed you too, Tia."
She was standing in front of her latest trove, no longer a chaotic mess, but meticulously organized. Chocolate bars were stacked like bricks of gold in one corner. Sour candies glistened in color-coded jars. In her hands was a clipboard, as if she were cataloging loot in a dragon's hoard, which, technically, she was.
"OCD much?" he muttered, walking over to one of the chocolate stacks.
"Neatly organized treasure," she replied without missing a beat, "is good treasure."
Her gaze flicked up sharply when she saw his hand reach out. "Don't touch—"
Too late. He plucked one from the pile, tore half the wrapper off with a flick of magic, and bit into it with deliberate audacity.
Tiamat's eyes narrowed into slits. "You little thief."
He took another exaggerated bite, then held the rest out between two fingers. "Want a piece?"
Tiamat exhaled, a thin, visible wisp of steam leaving her nose as she turned back to her sweets, her horns almost toppling a stack of chocolate over.
"Are you done running around their hearts yet?"
His smirk faltered. Just for a second. "Jealous?"
She scoffed and turned fully to him now, stepping forward. "I'm a few thousand years too old to care about the little games of boys and girls," she said, her voice sharp. "I just hope you know what you're doing."
"I do," he answered, but it came too fast, too defensive.
Tiamat tilted her head, eyes narrowing. "Do you?"
She was in front of him now, close enough that he could feel the weight of her presence.
"Because it certainly doesn't look like it. You spend time with all of them. With care, with charm. You let them hold your hand, let them press themselves against you, giving you parts of themselves… and then, the moment it gets too real, you retreat."
"I never—"
"You've never meant to hurt them," she interrupted. "I know. And you haven't, not really… not yet. But intentions don't shield hearts from being broken."
He dropped his gaze. "They all know I haven't… chosen anyone. That I'm not ready."
Tiamat's expression didn't shift. But something in her voice softened. "And yet they still give. Willingly. That should tell you something."
"…Even the kitten," she added quietly. "The younger one. Her heart's still figuring out what love even means, and yet it's already yours. She doesn't even know how to name it, but it's there."
A silence settled between them.
Tiamat studied him for a while longer, the fire dimming from her expression. Her voice, when it came again, was lower. "…What kind of man were you?"
Raytherion blinked.
"What?"
"In your past life," she added softly, stepping towards him again. Her clipboard was set down. "Before you were Raytherion Gremory. What kind of man were you?"
He laughed softly, waving her off. "Whatever happened to letting me speak about it on my own terms–"
"Raytherion."
Her tone was clipped.
Serious.
Raytherion looked at her, contemplating whether or not to give her what she wanted.
"...I was powerful," he began softly. "Too powerful. The Strongest, they said. From the moment I was born, my path was set for me."
He smiled faintly, bitterly. "And I had people. Good ones. Allies. Even students at one point."
His Six Eyes shimmered faintly as he spoke. "But… I was never really one of them. Even when I stood beside them, fought with them, laughed with them. There was always… a gap. Because of what I was, what I represented."
He lifted a hand, letting sparks of destruction dance along his fingers. "I could do things no one else could. I had to carry the weight of the world and pretend like it didn't bother me. They… couldn't really understand that. The gap was like glass. They could see me… but they couldn't see me."
He let the energy flicker out. "There was one friend. The only one who really understood."
A soft, bitter laugh escaped him. "And then our paths diverged. He chased purity through destruction. I stayed to carry the mess."
Tiamat lowered herself into a cushion across from him, her expression unreadable.
"I killed him," Raytherion said simply. "Eventually. When the moment came, I… I did it. The only person who ever truly understood me died by my hand. Poetic, right?"
"Do you regret it?" she asked, her blue eyes examining him.
His fingers curled into his hair, and he leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees.
"I regret letting him walk that path," he said. "I regret not seeing it sooner. Not stopping him when I still could have."
His voice was heavier now.
"I let him go once," Raytherion murmured. "When he first fell. I didn't stop him. I told myself it was mercy. That he had to choose his own path… I think I just couldn't bear to break the illusion that we were still… us."
Raytherion's voice dropped to a whisper.
"There were so many signs… and I ignored them all. Then it was too late. By the time I killed him… he wasn't even the same person. Not really. The man I killed wasn't the boy I called my best friend."
He held his face with one hand, looking down at the floor.
"I know it's stupid," he added, forcing a smile. "The girls aren't him. These aren't the same circumstances. I know that, but…"
Raytherion didn't finish the sentence.
Tiamat's voice came gently. "You think loving someone again might end the same way."
He didn't respond.
"You're scared that if you let anyone get too close, you'll lose them. Or worse, that you'll become the reason they break."
Raytherion exhaled. "I've been told I overthink things."
"Maybe," she replied. "But this isn't stupidity."
His eyes flicked up.
"It's fear. And fear, at least, makes sense."
Raytherion let that sit for a moment, then leaned back on his hands and looked toward the ceiling. "You asked what kind of man I was," he said after a long pause. "The answer is… I don't know."
His mouth curved in a crooked, self-deprecating smile.
"I was the strongest, but I was also lonely. Desperate to fix a broken world with power that broke me in return."
His smile faded.
"You didn't push him," she whispered softly.
Raytherion blinked.
Tiamat continued.
"He made his own choice, and yes, maybe you could've stopped him. Maybe you missed a thousand signs. But that's not the same as throwing him off the edge yourself. You want to keep blaming yourself as if it will make it hurt any less… but it won't."
He exhaled slowly, like something in his chest had loosened just a fraction. "I just… It's hard not to wonder, you know? If I'd said one thing differently. If I hadn't hesitated."
"You could spend a thousand lifetimes wondering that," she said. "And in every single one, it still would've been his decision."
She looked down, brushing a finger along a jar of gumdrops. "You talk about him like he was the only person who ever truly understood you."
"He was."
"Maybe," she hummed. "Or maybe he was the only one you ever let really try."
Raytherion froze.
Then, as if changing topics, she said, "The girls… they're trying, you know. Each in their own way. They inch closer. Not just physically, but in their hearts. In their trust."
She turned another jar absentmindedly, watching the candies shift to one side. "They reach out, laughing at your jokes, and every time they try to push past your fears, your boundaries… you flinch. You don't shove them away. You don't say no. You just… stall, thinking it's a mercy… Love doesn't exist in limbo, Raytherion. Not forever. Eventually, that limbo becomes its own kind of hurt."
He looked down again. "I'm not trying to play with anyone's feelings," he said quietly. "I just don't want to make a promise I can't keep."
"I know," she replied. "That's why I'm saying this isn't something you're going to be able to answer right away. Not today. Maybe not even this year."
She crossed back to where he sat, lowering herself next to him. "But you need to stop pretending you're immune to it. Stop hiding behind the idea that it's better to give nothing than to risk giving too much."
He exhaled, long and slow. "…I don't know if I can be what they need."
"You already are…"
She smiled at him.
"And that's exactly why they've chosen you."
Author's Note:
I hope this was good.
I hope why he is hesitant to move further and give them more makes sense.
I hope that Akeno's snippet makes sense.
Ajuka wanting to make RDE into something that can heal physical wounds will probably not happen just because I don't want everyone to run around with bottles of Satoray's white stuff healing themselves whenever they get seriously injured.
However, the fact that he's going to try will draw the attention of the Phenex family, which will flow with the next arc being Riser Phenex.
Riser Phenex arc will also be what allows me to change Satoray from tolerating the girl's affections to fully reciprocating.
I wanted this chapter to be where Tiamat starts becoming a romance interest, but then realized this was a woman who is old as hell and would not want to be with someone like Ray who doesn't know what he wants yet. She will only start showing that kind of interest in him when he gets over all this hesitation.
Speaking of Tiamat, there's something I've been kind of avoiding but I might as well address it: I personally imagine her as looking like the one from Fate, but her horns aren't as ridiculously large. I think Roygun's horns are a good size, so I kind of just imagine Tiamat having horns like that.
Uhhh, what else? Oh yeah, returning to the topic of Akeno, I think it can kind of be inferred that he's just delaying the inevitable. He's kind of trapped himself because if he rejects her even after helping her, it will basically be like saying that no one could ever love her even after she's accepted herself. Not even the person who helped her, which would probably make her be in a worse position than she was before he helped her. Of course that won't happen, but it was just an interesting thing for me to think about. I'll have to be careful not to make it seem like he reciprocates her romantic feelings for him out of guilt, though.
Little bit of foreshadowing with the Ajuka snippet as to one of the next girls. I won't spoil how exactly Ravel "joins", but you can take that part of the snippet as a confirmation.