Read the original script for John Wick several times while writing this chapter. It's a bit different than the movie and the differences are pretty glaring. It explains Wick's previous 'professions' for one, and the dude talks a lot more. I won't tell because I think the movie's done it better by hiding his identity and giving him less lines

Praise be good directors

And the immortal Keanu Reeves

Nuff said, enjoy, folks

Rending Ruins

Chapter III

||Moving Forward, Eyes Dead Set||

There came a time where all we wanted was a little moment of solitude. The little break from all the currents of the world; a moment of complete stillness and noiseless. A downtime. A moment to relax and let everything cleared itself like a fresh whiteboard, free from stains, before we start filling it up with scribbles on how to tackle a certain problem in our life.

But it was a challenge for Issei to let himself 'slow down'. He always had a complex of busyness in his system. Busy getting the girls to like him. Busy getting the girls off him when they 'liked' him a bit too much. Busy smashing the head of impertinent devil to the edge of a very expensive end table who didn't know better than to swindle a bit of money just because he thought Sirzechs wouldn't notice. Busy worrying about some up-jumped selfish pricks who deemed themselves as the 'villains of the world' with all of their supremely shortsighted plan. Busy stopping them from actually succeeding those plans.

Busy thinking about her.

When she was there, when she was gone.

Always her.

Only her.

This time was no different. Crouching on top of the roof, he stared into the white world under the blazing sun, unblinking. Cold winter wind breezed through him, lifting his messy brown hair off the nape of his neck for a brief moment. His stare was empty like an abandoned tunnel, but his mind was sharp and clear. Focused and ready.

He broke down, yes, but Issei had never been one to stay down forever. Never was, never will. The pain was fresh but his resolve only scorched brighter. Falling was easy, but there was only one way up.

When you had ups and downs, you eventually learned how to 'trick' yourself into thinking that 'downs' were simply 'ups' waiting to happen. As long as his wife's murderer remained at large, nothing in or out of this world could bring him down. On the contrary, actually, he'd tear them down if needed be. He would go through hell just for her. She was his everything.

And when a man lost everything, nothing he wouldn't do. A Dragon much worse.

After a deep breath, he swiftly scaled down the roof, the balcony, one foot after another and one grip after another, as he descended his way to the back entrance.

Everyone needed breaks to continue on living. He just had his.

Break

Awkward silences were never her favorite, but Akame did like silences, good or bad, so she didn't really mind the still air. The living room was as quiet as it was outside with its howling wind. Her new 'Master' had been out for his own appropriate time, but way more than she expected.

The silence finally got to Leone, who stretched her arms and let out a yawn while her yellow eyes observed the unmoving silver maid.

"SO~" she started, her tone chipper as per usual. "What's between you and him eh?"

"What's it to you?" Grayfia remained reserved. Stiff. Hard to imagine she could shed a tear if she hadn't earlier.

"Ehhh, don't be so cold. It's cold enough already outside." Funny, coming from someone who wore practically nothing to cover her stomach, arms, neck, thighs, and legs. "You two some an old flame or sumthin'?"

Grayfia rested her silver eyes, and let off a sigh.

Akame simply watched as she wanted to see how long the maid could last under Leone's constant pummeling.

"Hmm? I didn't hear a 'no'~ Is that right? Come on. No need to be shy. Spill me the beans; promise I won't talk unless I get heavily bribed."

"I find it hard to imagine him working with someone like you."

"Ouch." Leone feigned her pain. Akame knew tiny insults like that wouldn't get through her thick skin. The cold didn't either, thanks to the beast within her – or just her own, really. "Well the guy defines it as 'working together' but I've got a feeling I'm just gonna work 'for' him, honestly. BUT! I won't get into technicality cuz' I don't care as long as I get paid. You, though, cared. So what's in it with you and him hm? Hm? Were you two a thing before, y'know. He jumped to another ship?"

The devil glared at her, her eyes practically colder than winter, yet burn hotter than the summer.

"Oooh- hit a nerve did I?" Leone winced, smirking still. "But wow. What kind of girl that he'd pick over the Frosty Ice Queen? What's she like? Pretty? Cute? Prettier than thou? Cuter than me?"

"That's not for me to say."

Born a beastmen, and coupled with her naturally stubborn determination, rejection was not something she accepted easily. "Oh come onnn! He'll never tell me that! Let me in on this juicy secret of yours."

"And you think I will?"

The pugilist shrugged. "Won't hurt to ask."

It took all her resolve to keep Grayfia from annihilating this blonde whelp from existence, showing nothing but a composed face and at most a strained neutral smile. If not for the fact that this assassin would be working under him, she'd probably have.

"Leone, I think you've teased her enough." Akame stepped in before things turned ugly. They were still recovering and she'd rather not put her life in danger over her friend tongue-in-cheek figure of speech.

"Aw, but you know me Akamecchi; enough's never enough."

The unlikely trio froze at the sound of a clicking door, but relaxed as they realized it was likely to be him. Shortly after, Issei emerged from the hallway.

Grayfia almost immediately stood up. Genuine concern replacing her stoic façade. Seeing her upturned red lips caused him to smirk. Still the same woman he knew a year ago; ice cold on the surface yet mellow in the core.

"And speak of the devil." Leone tittered, waving a two-fingers salute. "We were just talking about you. How's ya feeling big guy?"

"Sufficiently adequate." Issei replied without putting much thought, though it wasn't really a lie.

"Big words for a big guy."

"My 'big words' vocab is far smaller than you'd think." He said, settling to just lay his shoulder against the wall instead of joining the hot seats while Leone giggled in childish mirth, probably thinking about some immature 'mature' jokes that involved measurements and dicks. "Why don't you two get some rest."

He wanted to talk with the icy maid. That was blatant enough. Still, one last shot. "Ehh… shooing me at my own house eh?"

Issei paused. "…Fair point. Let's get out of here then."

"Wha- NoooO! Gossip here! Promise I won't listen!" and then Leone added with a very tiny voice that Akame had often heard whenever she played the gadfly. "…too much."

There were four people in this room but it appeared one of the 'adults' simply looked like an adult while the teenage one had been clearly forced to be the mature one in their partnership.

But Issei wasn't going to shine light on it. Not now, anyway. "Just play nice for me, will you. Don't snoop around, this is private."

"Aight, aight. Fine, fine. Sheesh, you're even talking to me like I'm a child or something." Leone booed.

"Growing old doesn't always ensure maturity, as it appears so."

"Ohoo- the silent professional actually has a sharp tongue when allowed to taste some freedom of speech eh? Surprise, surprise."

He smirked. Leone impressed Issei as she successfully made the Stoic Ice Queen Grayfia rolling her eyes, openly annoyed.

But that was enough talk. Like unzipping a dress, Issei tore the fabric of reality itself; opening a black slit at the air in front of him, revealing an enormous space inside it.

Naturally, the assassins freaked out in their own unique manner. Akame was surprised at first, confused at why there was a black entryway inside her newly purchased home.

Leone was more eloquent with her surprise; "WHOA- THE FUCK IS THAT?!"

"It's my safe space." Issei replied bluntly, taking the maid's hand as he entered the black void. "It's the Void. We won't be long. See ya."

As the two entered, the black dimensional gash shut itself like a wound closing. Unnerved, both Akame and Leone waved their hand at where said door was hovering in the air, feeling nothing but air, and a sudden reminder that this guy was really, really someone they shouldn't have fucked with from the start.

Break

In the empty dimension known as the Void; where nothing less impressive than a Dragon could live in, the perfect spot to talk undisturbed, and stars and galaxies decorated the giant room like lamps, except more stellar and downright magnificent, giving a rather romantic scenery despite its inhospitable nature.

A neat trick he begged a certain Dragon of 'Infinity' to teach him so he could have uninterrupted sweet lovin' with his haremettes, or when he wanted to be cheesy and clingy without someone saying a nearby settlement needed his help.

At least, until he tied the knot.

The fact that this was the only place in the known dimensions where the Dragon could be openly intimate and affectionate was something Grayfia knew all too well, and despite his trouble, she couldn't help but trace back to a time when they would spend some alone time here. Where she could be freer with her emotions she had to bury deep down.

Inside the protected space where the Void couldn't rip her apart, Issei lied back against the invisible wall, crossing his hands, adopting his usual posture.

"What a coincidence eh? You happening to be in my hometown right when I visited it."

That was a light tease, Grayfia realized. "I suppose you haven't heard. Kuoh is under Rias' supervision now."

Issei raised an eyebrow. "Oh? The young spoiled miss finally get her own city to play with? Good for her."

Grayfia shook her head. "You don't need to belittle her. She's doing well, all things considered."

"Is she? So why are you there, babysitting her?"

Nothing seemed to go past him, she rued. "A small betrothal problem. Something she's expressed to be 'vehemently against'."

Issei snorted. Devils and their whole politically arranged marriage. A good reason for him to leave that forsaken world. He'd never pawn of his children for some favors.

But having kids was the last thing in his mind.

"So who's the lucky bloke? Belial? Can't be a Bael, can it. Not really sure about how you deal with the whole incest-thing, but Sai is Rias' distant cousin eh?"

"Lord Bael would never allow another of his kin to tie a knot with the Gremory." Grayfia said, somewhat bitterly. "It's Riser Phenex. You know how he is, Issei."

"Hah! That playboy?" He laughed, widely smiling. "He's a decent guy. All Phenexes are. A bit arrogant but, hey. He's hardly the worst from your people. Besides, people change."

"People change. Devils don't. They remain stubborn to their belief." Grayfia replied swiftly, shifting among the void to close their distance.

Issei snorted. "Yeah, you tell yourself that. First time we met, you'd gave me frostbite just looking at you. Icy and cold and focused on your devily-dooty to a fault." As Grayfia approached him, he beckoned her with an opened hand. "But deep down inside, you're all warm and cuddly. You're like a Russian Siberian Bear."

"That's some comparison you gave me."

He sniggered. "What's wrong with it? You are pretty deadly and cold."

She let out a defeated sigh as she lied at him, resting her face against his hard yet soft chest. She felt the rings he wore as a necklace, and felt a little bit guilty that she couldn't control herself better.

"I've missed you." She didn't bother to hide it. In truth she had longed for this day to arrive once again. "…I wish we could've met under better… circumstances."

Issei squeezed her shoulder, squeezing her against him. "Me you both."

The two stayed together in their mutual embrace, content at the silence, as Issei slowly slid down the transparent wall, and sat on the transparent floor. Grayfia clung onto him the whole process, almost getting teary due to how long it had been.

"A year without you was the longest year I had gone through."

That elicited a smirk from his rugged face. "Oh you silver-tongued devil you-"

She glanced up at him, staring at him at the upper edge of her eyes, her pearly cheeks dashed with light red, granting her the ever-so-devastating puppy eyes. "Tell me if I'm wrong to say that."

"Well, no. I'm a guy. Normally we're the cheesy ones. Of course we like it when a pretty girl flirts with us. It strokes our ego in the right way."

Grayfia huffed, giggling softly. Smiling softly. "You're a strange man to bluntly admit something like that."

"You loved this strange man. Which one of us is stranger?"

"Love." The Defrosted Ice Queen corrected, brushing her fingertips against his jaw, feeling its growing stubbles. "Present tense."

She studied his expression. Conflicted. Silent. Which was understandable and expected. Normally, he would have smirked with a smug arrogant air. Another something silly she never thought would prefer on seeing. Anything was better than this.

"Yeah. Present tense." Issei muttered, agreeing. She was gone but he loved her the same. "You know, I honestly didn't expect something like this ever happening. Strange isn't it? I lived in a world where a life doesn't mean shit unless you're strong. But the idea that the same thing can happen to me was beyond me. Not to me. I thought being the Satan's Enforcer would make me immune to things like losing my loved ones."

Her red lips fell to a bitter frown. She clutched his hand as she listened.

"It's only when I met her it finally hit me. Hell, maybe I shouldn't have fallen in love with a bloody human, but hey… you know how it is."

It was nigh impossible to control who you fell in love with. A lesson this once Foolish Dragon had taught her.

"I don't mean anything against you or anyone else, or comparing you to her but… Yeah…" Issei whispered, unsure if he could go on, but knew enough that he needed this to force himself. "She uh… she made me feel human, I suppose."

Something Grayfia and the rest of his former girls failed to realize; that there was something else beside their body that this man wanted most. When everyone around treated him like some kind of controlled monster, Issei just wanted to be seen and treated as no different than any normal human beings would; as a person.

"I tried to be very careful. Tried to plan for everything for her. For two years I've been careful. Got out of that damned world just for her. She was such a good girl. Sometimes awkward but, she's a good girl. I guess being untouched for a whole year made me lower my guard, and then she—" He paused, swallowing the pain. "Shouldn't have blinked."

A beat.

"Not once. Not ever."

He tightened his grip on her hand, almost like he was afraid she would leave too. He choked on a sob, scratched his eyes to swab the tears he couldn't blink to get rid of, and cleared his throat. He decided it was enough tears for a day.

Grayfia did the same, sucking air to her lungs, exhaling as she wiped her own tears. Something inside her once wondered if she could have taken her place; as the wife of the Dragon, but she admitted she couldn't.

History would repeat itself apparently. She couldn't fill her shoes when she was alive. Now she couldn't fill the hole she had left.

Issei coughed then, causing her to flinch. "Anyway, thanks for listening."

"Thank you for telling me." Grayfia replied, offering a smile he responded feebly. "…Then… what do you plan to do…?"

"Tell you the truth, I don't know. It's obvious I'm going to find whoever did it. Break their world. Every single bit of it. Their grandchildren be damned. But after all that?"

And that reply singlehandedly reminded her to the beast she was talking to. Every leader needed a mad dog at his side. Somebody who couldn't be predicted- somebody who could be deathly mad in the head. He was Sirzechs' Beast, only difference was, he was now a Loose Beast.

It terrified her that he spoke with conviction. As though he knew his words would be right, that his words were a promise of an action he was bound to commit.

"I thought I was a monster. And I was fine with being that, until she turned me back. Now what am I supposed to be now that she's gone? When you find that one person who connects you to the world, you become someone different. Someone better. When that person's taken from you, what do you become then?"

"…I wonder the same too." Grayfia concealed her own share of pain, sitting up beside him, no longer laid against him. He was that someone for her, even if she wasn't his. "So then… how do you plan to find them? Do you need to hire those assassins?"

He chuckled. "Heh- you don't like the blonde one much, do you."

"She reminds me too much of her." Grayfia skulked, pouting a cute tiny pout that she would never let anyone other than him to see.

"Who, Kuroka?" Issei's chuckle grew louder. "…Yeah… I doubt she'd play nice with a lion. She'd probably say lions are just big cats."

"Which they technically are." Grayfia added. "I've seen her working for a noble a few times, but I can't seem to see what she has with her."

"You didn't know either huh? Ddraig had no idea either." Issei raised his brows. "I thought she had Nemean Lion, but pretty sure that's Regulus. Unless he died somehow."

"He's fine. Him and Sairaorg has developed a strong bond. It's a shame Lord Bael refuse to accept him as his own."

"Not surprised. Your old Devils are like the boomers of my world. Blaming their kids for everything while refusing to accept reality." Issei surmised as Grayfia rested her face on his shoulder.

And he rested his on top of her silver crown in exchange – right after he snatched away her maid headdress.

"Hey."

"It tickles." He reasoned. "It's not like I won't give it back to you or anything."

"You are such a child." She groaned in response.

"You're going to miss that child." Issei joked. "Back to the Lioness- I'm bad at mythologies. What do you think she is? You think she has Aslan?"

Grayfia disregarded his blatant joke. "…Perhaps the Egyptian one?"

"I thought they only worship cats. Anubis is a dog though…"

"A jackal." She corrected. "Azazel mentioned an Egyptian lion-headed God of War, if I remember correctly. I don't know if there's a Sacred Gear containing its soul, however."

"Heh. Sacred Gears used to be so rare, now everyone has it. God is like Oprah." Issei balked.

"You haven't answered my question." Grayfia reeled back, realizing it was about time for her to return to her duties. "What need do you have for those assassins? You alone are enough, I'd imagine."

"Eh, well." As she got up, Issei did too. "I'm not good at the sneaky stuff. Sirzechs send me to destroy a palace, not skitter inside it."

"Fair point." Though it wasn't exactly a palace he destroyed, but a third of the Underworld as he annihilated Qlippoth and then Hades for letting Samael cripple Ophis, ensuring a degree of order the Satans could maintain.

Sometimes she felt strange to be able to talk someone who could and have brought cataclysm if he so much wanted to. She almost pitied whoever thought it was a good idea to murder his wife, for whatever reason it was.

"Will you be alright?"

"'Course I will." Issei snorted, almost sounding offended. "Gotta have to if I want to get that sweet, sweet revenge." He playfully flailed his clenched fist, pretending he was an angsty teenager. It got a titter out of her. "Will you?"

Her silver-grey hair flounced as she tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"Well… you seem to still have an attachment to yours truly… maybe I was concerned if I'll have to prepare myself in the future. I did swear to never hurt you."

Grayfia smiled. "You hurt all of us once you chose her, Issei."

"Ay—yeah. Touché." He awkwardly rubbed his neck.

"It's fine." Grayfia assured, splaying her hands as she embraced him one last time. He returned in kind. "You don't need to force yourself for any of us. Let it heal. I promise I will wait for you, as I have had all this time."

Issei sighed, hugging her tight. Smelling her sweet fragrance. "Really now, I don't deserve any of you."

"You changed us when no one could." She giggled, smiling softly with both her red lips and silver eyes. "Of course you do. There's no other like you."

His grin started to form. "Gee, stop. You're gonna make me blush."

Grayfia looked up at him. Years ago he was barely her height. Now he had grown a complete head from her. Once skinny and frail, now armed and tough. Once innocent and naïve, now he wouldn't even think twice about killing.

He had become quite the monster under Sirzechs' guidance. Letting him go was perhaps the hardest thing Sirzechs had ever done.

She smiled fondly. "It's hard to imagine the perverted boy would grow up to a man such as you are."

He stared at her lips. So lush and red. She was nibbling a little bit of her bottom lip, a subtle invitation he had learned to understand, but one he couldn't accept this time.

"Normally, this is the time where I'd kiss you." He paused for a moment. "Wow. Don't I sound like a conceited arsehole. I sound like every billionaire in those romance novels."

"I didn't know you read novels."

"Nah. Well… She did." Issei's smile broke a little.

Grayfia giggled, breaking away from him. "It's alright."

"Really. I do. But… It doesn't feel right…"

"It's okay, Ise. I understand."

"No. I need to be clear with you. It's only right." He stared at her dead in her eyes with a fervor that nearly set her heart ablaze. "I want to kiss you, but I can't when I can only think of her. I don't want to lie to you."

Hearing his reason, Grayfia's smile melted. "I know. That's why you're a dear to me still, despite everything. I hope you can look back at the time you spent together with a smile soon, Ise. It's hard, but I'd say you'll manage."

Her words caused him to pause. "Wow, I—" Issei couldn't believe it. Back then it was him who had to melt her heart, and now the roles had been reversed. "Well uh. How the turntables indeed. Thanks. I uh… thanks."

"As you would say… 'don't mention it.'" Grayfia smiled. "So what exactly will you have them do?" She asked again, ending his stupor. "Sirzechs is using all his resources to find them as well. What makes you think they'll fare better than his spies?"

"Well… Other than the fact that his spies had never once caught them snooping around his own office?" Issei gave her a smirk as he ripped open another dimensional rift that would bring them back to where they were before; at his old house's living room, where his two assassins were found lazing on the couch, seemingly waiting for him despite his order.

"Because they're my spies now, Grayfia. Going along with history, anyone with Dragon steroids are generally better than those who are without."

Break

Akame sat up straight and welcomed him while Leone kept snoring silently on the couch. The maid left not long after the two returned in their house.

"Right," Issei said, staring out at the door, then at Akame's crimson eyes. "I think I know who I want you to snoop around first. Not today, of course. You two have some rest for tomorrow."

"Yes?" Akame looked almost excited, despite her duller demeanor compared to her partner. Then again, Leone was pretty hyper.

"Ever heard of Rias Gremory?"

To be continued

Alternate chapter title: Dragon Steroids

Fianceé helped me write Grayfia's exchange and she came out fokin adorable. Change my mind

Aight cya bois in maybe a couple weeks. Keep healthy and wash your feckin hands. Follow and Favorites and Reviews are a must to keep my motivation and spirits high, don't let ya boy the unpaid writer down