Just Friends?
Pairing: Rias x Akeno
Genre: Romance/Drama
Disclaimer: I do not own High School DXD or any of its characters.
It's painful. Rias Gremory's heart hurts. She doesn't know who to love. Issei or her best friend, Akeno Himejima. It would be right to love Issei as he is her servant and all. But….to fall in love with her best friend? Who is the same gender as her? No…that wouldn't be right. But at the same time, her heart aches for her. She and Akeno have been together every single day, at school, outside of school and so on. They never left each other's sight. If she fell in love with Akeno…
"Nyaaaaa…!" Koneko sighs heavily as she slumps down on the large table where she's organizing papers. "This is taking forever…"
Asia smiles nervously. "We're almost done, Koneko-san. All of us girls are working together to get all the documents together. This is the Occult Research Club after all."
"Yeah, I know…" Koneko lets out another sigh.
Xenovia gives a nod and a smile. "You're doing great, Koneko. Just a little more."
"Okay, fine…" The cute cat girl sits up and does the rest of her work.
Rias giggles and does her part…just a little bit before turning her head toward her best friend, who is working while humming to herself. The Fallen Angel is so beautiful and attractive that her heart won't stop beating from just looking at her. It's so confusing and it makes her chest hurt much more. Should she fall in love with Akeno or just stay with Issei because it's just right?
"Rias-chan?" Akeno says as she approaches her. "Are you alright? You seem a little spaced out."
"Oh, I'm fine," Rias says.
"It's good that it's just us girls organizing," Akeno says as she helps her best friend with the papers. "I wonder where Issei-kun went though."
"He's running a couple errands, I believe," Rias replies as she staples the papers together. "He's taking a lot longer than I thought."
"Fufufu! Well, maybe he's just ogling at other girls, but that's okay~" Akeno says as she hugs her best friend. "It's just you, me and the other girls here at the Occult Research Club~"
Rias blushes. "A-Akeno…hugging me like this in front of them is…!"
"Oh, this is a beautiful sight!" Asia says, who happens to be in front of them all of a sudden. "Two girls hugging one another is so beautiful!"
"A-Asia…!" Rias stutters when she sees the cat girl jump in front of them as well, eyes sparkling.
"Nyaaaaa…! Keep it like that, okay? We want to take a picture…" she says.
Both of the younger ones whip out their smart phones and snap a picture.
"Asia…! Koneko…! Whyyyy…!?" Rias whines. "This is so embarrassing…!"
"Let them do it," Xenovia says with a soft smile. "I love this sight as well. It shows that you two are extremely close."
"Oh, aren't we~?" Akeno says, bending one knee as she presses herself against the crimson haired devil. "We're best friends, so of course we're extremely close! Ara, ara~! I just got an idea! Why don't we show them that we're even closer than ever~?"
"EH!?" Rias squeaks. "Th-that itself is just…!"
"Come on, pleeeaseee~?" Asia begs while having Puppy Dog eyes. "We want to see this for ourselves~"
"A confession, nya…!" Koneko adds.
"N-no confession…!" Rias says. "Just…just…"
Akeno giggles as she caresses the redhead's cheek. "Fufufu! Come now, Rias-chan~"
"A-Akeno…"
The Fallen Angel closes her eyes and starts to lean in close. Rias's heart starts to beat rapidly that she can literally feel it in her chest. This is insane. She's definitely not ready for this. Nor can she even begin to think what might happen when she kisses her. But…this isn't a real kiss right? Despite that, a kiss is a kiss no matter how you look at it. Rias just can't let her.
"Akeno!" Rias says as she gently pushes the Fallen Angel away, making Akeno blink twice.
"Hm? What's the matter, Rias-chan?" Akeno asks.
"I just remembered…." Rias says. "I have something else to do. I'll be back."
She fast walks toward the door and opens and closes it behind her. The other girls just stare at the door Rias walked out of.
"Did I…do something wrong?" Akeno questions as she cups a hand to her own cheek.
**Meanwhile**
Why…why….why…!? Rias thinks as she fast walks down the hall. I shouldn't have pushed her like that! But…she was going to kiss me…making it my first kiss…when it was supposed to be my first kiss with Issei! I've been wanting him to love me and only me for a long time…! But…why wouldn't he tell me those words to me….! Why…!?
She stops in the middle of the hall way, fists clenched. Thoughts of Issei come to her mind, yet it is just vague. Fragments and images.
"No…now that I think about it, Issei has been nothing but a loser, she thinks again. I've been wanting him to pay attention to me more and more and yet…he STILL stares at other girls….including Akeno. That's right. He wanted to be the King of Harem or something like that. He will never see me as more than just a master…his friend…"
She grits her teeth. She can think of no one else but Akeno as to who to love next. Akeno is her best friend and will always will be. There is no way for her to love her more than just that.
I don't want to ruin our friendship if I go that route… she thinks. We'll stay as friends. And that's that.
**A Week Later**
So far, Rias has been more distant from Akeno, except for some occasions like in class, Occult Research Club or just hanging out. But other than that, Rias doesn't talk to Akeno all that much anymore. This makes the Fallen Angel very confused and hurt. Why is Rias avoiding her so much? It pains her to see her best friend distancing herself from her. She definitely needs some serious explanation.
One day, it's so dark and cloudy. The weather reported that it's going to rain soon. The Occult Research Club are together once more, but it's pretty much uneventful today. Issei takes a glance at Rias bending over to pick up a paper she dropped and he is drooling, wanting to see that panty shot. However, he gets struck by lightning and sent flying toward a wall.
"Not going to happen…" Akeno says. "Issei-kun, you've done too much already."
"Nyaa…" Koneko sweat drops as he was sent crashing into the wall next to her. "Next time…do it somewhere else…"
Rias glances over at the burnt to a crisp Issei as he collapses face down on the floor, passed out. "Sucks to be you, Issei…" She closes her eyes and walks away.
Akeno giggles and approaches the crimson haired devil. "Rias-chan, can we discuss something for a moment?"
"Oh, on what? Classes? Something to do with this club?" Rias asks.
"No, something else," Akeno says. "Why don't you come with me?"
"O-okay."
Akeno gently takes her best friend's hand and the two of them head out the door. Asia gives a concerned expression.
"Something the matter, Asia?" Xenovia asks.
"Two hearts…they're trying to connect," Asia says. "At least…that's what I believe."
"Oh…" Xenovia looks up at the door Rias and Akeno walked out of.
Asia clasps her hands together, hanging her head low and closes her eyes. "I pray that a miracle would happen…if not today…then maybe the next day…"
**Meanwhile**
The Crimson Haired Devil and Fallen Angel stop in the middle of the hall. Akeno turns toward Rias.
"So…do you want to tell me what's on your mind~?" Akeno cups a hand to her cheek out of habit.
Rias holds her forearm, turning her head away. "I have nothing to say. Maybe you're just imagining things…"
"Then, why are you avoiding me so much?" Akeno asks. "Is it because I did something wrong? Was that stunt I pulled too much for you last week?"
"I-it's not like that…" Rias says, clenching her forearm.
"Then, what is it?" Akeno puts on a serious expression, taking a step closer. "Tell me. Tell me anything that's wrong. I'm your best friend, remember? We tell each other everything."
"I don't want to…!" Rias shuts her eyes tightly. "Even if you say that, there are some things that even I can't tell a friend…!"
"That's nonsense!" Akeno says. "You and I tell each other everything, so just spit it out already!" And then, she realizes something. "You're in love, aren't you? Are you in love with Issei-kun? Is that why you pushed me away? Because you wanted your first kiss with Issei-kun?"
Rias turns and runs away.
"Wait…stop!"
Akeno goes after Rias, running down the hall and up the stairs. They run all the way toward the door that leads to the roof. Rias slams the door open and runs outside, which just so happens to be raining. She doesn't care if she gets soaked to the bone. She just has to run. But she stops at the edge and pants heavily, hanging onto the fence. Akeno finally catches up.
"Rias-chan!" she calls out. "Please! Just tell me! I can help you! Just tell me anything to fix the problem and I'll do it!"
Rias grits her teeth and clenches her fists. "Anything…? You mean to tell me that you can fix my aching heart…?"
"What?" Akeno tilts her head in confusion.
"Tell me!" Rias turns around and gestures toward herself. "Tell me how to stop my heart from hurting! It's been going on and on and it just won't stop!"
"I-I don't know what you're talking about," Akeno says. "Your heart hurts because…you're in love with Issei?"
"No, I am NOT in love with Issei!" Rias shouts, scaring Akeno a little bit. "I'm…I"m in love with someone else…!"
"Who?" the Fallen Angel asks.
She puts both fists on her chest as tears sting her eyes. "I'm…in love…with you…"
Akeno gasps. "Wha…!? Th-then, if that is true, why didn't you tell me before? You just pushed me away and then left!"
"Because…!" Rias clenches her fists on her chest. "You're my best friend…and you always should be. I don't want to ruin our friendship just because I…I fell so deeply in love with you…." She sobs. "I don't want us to…not see each other as friends anymore…and then let anything worse to happen later on…"
"Rias-chan…" Akeno says softly. "I had…no idea you felt this way…"
"I should love Issei…" Rias sniffles and sobs again. "I should be in love with him. But…he doesn't see me as a lover. He never does! Then, I wanted to be in love with you, Akeno, but…I just can't. And not because we're both girls."
"Why do you think those things?" Akeno asks. "Why is it such a problem of having two best friends fall in love with each other?"
"I heard that a couple at this school did the same thing…" Rias says. "But then…things didn't go very well. They never saw each other as friends anymore…even though they kissed, made love…did all those things couples do…it didn't go very well. They probably moved a little too fast. They eventually broke up…told each other those days are over. They moved on…" Rias gives a shaky sigh. "I don't want the same thing to happen with us. That's why…that's why I…didn't want to be too close to you, Akeno."
Akeno steps toward the crimson haired devil and gently takes both of her hands in hers. She then leans in and kisses her on the lips. Rias's eyes widen in surprise at the sudden kiss, but then she relaxes. She closes her eyes and immediately returns the favor. Under the rain, they kiss. They kiss like they have never kissed before. They intertwine hands and keep on smooching. It feels so good to kiss. Rias has finally had her first kiss…with her best friend in the world.
Once they pull away, Akeno smiles and caresses her cheek. "Listen…people are different. They can love whoever they please. Whether it may work or not, it's still love. Best friends CAN love each other. I still see you as my best friend in the whole wide world, even if we are a couple. The couple that you heard rumors about…sure it didn't work well for them. I feel so sorry for them, yes. But with us? We can love each other….and still see each other as friends. We'll make everything work out. We can decide what the future will do for us."
"Akeno…" Rias sobs again and gently puts her hand on Akeno's. "Thank you…you are…you are so sweet. You know exactly what to say whenever I have problems. Oh, Akeno…!"
She takes the lead in the kiss this time, crashing her lips onto Akeno's. She wraps her arms around the Fallen Angel's waist, pulling her closer and kisses her deeply. She needs more of that kiss. And Akeno is more than willing to accept. Tongues caress each other with moans coming from one another. The rain keeps on drenching them to the bone, but they don't care. All that matters is that they are in their own world, just the two of them.
They pull away and press foreheads together, smiling.
"Rias-chan…~" Akeno whispers.
"Akeno…~" Rias whispers back.
"We'll be friends…and lovers…~" Akeno says. "That's a promise…~"
"Definitely a promise that both of us will keep for as long as we live…~" Rias says.