A/N: As promised, here's chapter eight! PLEASE SEE AUTHOR'S NOTE BELOW
ALSO THANK YOU FOR THE INLFUX OF VIEWS AND FOLLOWS!
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN Highschool DxD
CHAPTER EIGHT: DUALISM
'So, what do you think I should do?'
'I hardly think I'm the right person to discuss this with.'
'You think talking to Issei would be better?'
'You have a point.' Kiba says, throwing a ball towards Caleb. The latter somehow convinced Kiba to cut class with him and play catch for a while, also to get advice regarding his ex-girlfriend. 'I'm sure you both could talk it out, Hide-kun.'
It was only Caleb's first day back at school, and already he was messing around. The school field was empty, save for him and Kiba playing catch. Donning his a t-shirt and a gray baseball cap, the young half breed throws the ball back to his friend before answering.
'I know.' He says, 'But, if I'm gonna win her back, I'll need something to make an impression, or impact her with. '
'You could buy her a gift.' Kiba suggests.
'Already part of it.'
'Take her to the amusement park?' Caleb's throw is off and goes over Kiba's head, prompting him to give the former a look.
'Uh, I don't think so.' Kiba scoffs at his statement.
'Hide-kun, we've faced devils, and priests, I doubt a talk with a girl would throw you off this much. I advise that you go talk to her about your feelings.' He retorts, throwing Caleb the ball one last time before taking off his glove.' You should do that, while I get back to class.'
Caleb considers Kiba's words, watching him walk off the field towards the school building. He looks up at the sky, taking in the heat. He lets out a breath and exclaims, 'Yeah, I can do this, I can fucking do this!' Before running off the opposite direction.
No reason to be nervous. Caleb thinks to himself. He was outside the Ma Ri's and her family's hotel room, cradling a few things he had bought. They were composed of a large pizza, a bouquet of flowers, and a small, red box that was delicately wrapped with a ribbon. Really no need to be nervous.
He knocks twice, how he would always do so at Ma Ri's window, when he used to sneak up to her house. To his relief, it's her who opens the door.
'Hide?'
'Heyy.' Caleb says, his nerves getting the better of him. Ma Ri, on the other hand, is completely amused.
'And what's all this?' She asks, leaning on the door frame, gesturing to his gifts. 'Is it my birthday already?' Caleb swallows a lump in his throat.
'No, it's uh, for you.'
'I could've guessed that.'
'Oh so you were expecting me to give these to you.' He states triumphantly, so far he wasn't screwing up. Ma Ri laughs at his remark.
'Don't just stand there, you'll attract the nosy neighbors!' Ma Ri says while taking the bouquet off of Caleb.
Their hotel room was fairly large. With the living room the first thing greeting Caleb. A well sized kitchen in the room to the right of it, and the bedrooms leading off in a corridor to the left. The room itself had a beige motif that gave off an air of elegance, and to Caleb's knowledge, priciness. Ma Ri's family was pretty well-off, after all.
'*Whistle* Quite the hotel room.' He says, walking around, and setting the pizza he was holding on the coffee table, while was Ma Ri smelling the flowers.
'Roses? Really?' She asks quizzically, raising an eyebrow at Caleb. To which he simply shrugs. Ma Ri laughs and puts the flowers in a vase.
'So.' She says, taking a seat beside Caleb on the sofa. 'What brings you here?'
'What, I can't visit?'
'You know what I mean.' Caleb gives off a sigh. It was now or never.
'Look, about us-'
'Hide.'
'No, let me finish. I know that we broke up a while back, and we agreed to be friends and all.' He starts, moving closer to Mari and grabbing her hands.
'I just, wanted to ask if you wanted to start things up again, that's all.' Caleb looks at Ma Ri expectantly, the latter looking apprehensive.
'Hide. Look. We didn't just break up because you were moving. Even you would know that's a horrible reason-'
'It is, actually.'
'But! You would've been upset with me otherwise.' She says before Caleb could once again interject.
'You know how I'm the eldest child right? And this whole, taking over the business stuff going on? Well it's all of that, plus me needing to get my own priorities in order first. Like my family. There's a lot of pressure right now, and honestly I can't see us wading through all of that.' Caleb is once again about to cut in, but Ma Ri quickly follows up.
'Us, or me and anyone else for that matter. I can't juggle a relationship with that. I'm sorry, Hide.' Caleb clears his throat, not noticing the lump this been formed there. 'Hide, please. I need my best friend right now.' She says, grabbing hold of Caleb's hands. The latter biting his lip.
Caleb takes a few moments, looking around the room, Ma Ri looking at him. He multiple, s over what was just said to him. The feeling of rejection slightly creeping in. He'd only ever been serious with her, so this was a big issue for the young teen.
Caleb looks back at her, and smiles sadly.
'You know, I gotta admit, this is really soul crushing.' It's now Ma Ri who is smiling sadly, Caleb continues.
'I thought I'd be here, and I'd be able to win you back. While this is clearly not the case,' he says, gesturing between them, 'I get that this is important to you. And if my heart and my pride have to break just the tiniest bit, then it's fine by me.' He breathes out, unconsciously rolling his eyes. Ma Ri laughs at the gesture.
'It's obviously not fine.'
'Oh it's not.' Caleb joins in on laughing, letting the light mood linger for a bit, before speaking again.
'Look, we were best friends before all of this, if that's all I can be right now, then I'm fine with it. As long as you're happy.' Ma Ri is visibly relieved at Caleb's words, saying her thanks to him.
'Just don't tell Fujiwara about the best friend part. Not only because I'm his best friend, but also because getting friendzoned sucks.' Ma Ri laughs, before finally letting go of Caleb's hands, a sad look in her eyes.
'Look Hide, I promise I'll tell you everything soon, just, give me some time to sort things out, okay?' Caleb pretends to consider her words carefully, even donning a serious look on his face.
'Deal, but only if you take this back.' He pulls out the small box he was holding, undoing the ribbon and taking out its contents. It is revealed to be a silver necklace, with a small circular pendant containing a ruby in the middle. 'You gave this back when we broke up, but this is still yours, so keep it.' He says. Taking Ma Ri's hand and placing the necklace on it. Ma Ri breathes out a sad sigh.
'Deal.'
'Son of a bitch.' Caleb whispers as he tries to open his apartment door. His keys had slipped, resulting in them falling. He angrily punches the door. 'Damn it!' He says. His words are met with the door opening, revealing Rias' curious face.
'Good evening?' She starts, Caleb simply walking past her and plopping down on the couch. The former walks over to the kitchen counter, eyeing him carefully.
'Kiba told me about your chat earlier today.'
'Oh did he really?' Caleb retorts, feigning interest. 'I'm guessing it didn't go well.'
'Really what gave you that idea?' He says sarcastically, prompting Rias to furrow her eyebrows. Caleb lets out a frustrated sigh. 'I'm sorry.' The scarlet haired girl goes over to the couch and sits beside him.
'Do you wanna talk about it?' She asks, Caleb looks over to her, seemingly considering, then shakes his head. 'No, no. This is all just giving me a huge headache.' He says, pinching the bridge of his nose. Rias nods, allowing a few moments of silence befall them.
'Did it really go that bad?' Rias presses on, her interest piqued by Caleb's dejection.
'Caleb, come on.'
'Sorry. It's just, it didn't go like I hoped it would. I mean, she didn't wanna get back together, but we were still friends! I had dinner with her family, we were alright, we laughed at stuff, and things were fine!" He shouts, letting out a sigh and running his hands through his hair. Rias looks over to him, eyeing him with worry.
'That many affirmations in one sentence says otherwise.' She nonchalantly says.
'She just shut me out! Okay? I'm fine, not getting back together, and being just friends. But she didn't say anything! There was obviously something bothering her. That's not fair, not to me or to her.' Rias listens intently, letting Caleb vent out his frustrations, all of which he could not let out earlier to Ma Ri.
'I'm worried about her, not as her ex or anything, as her friend. She's never been like this. Even our friends are worried her.' Rias nods, trying to understand what Caleb was trying to say to her. She doesn't respond, however, she merely lets the silence of the room envelope them both.
A few minutes pass before he finishes, and they're once again sitting in silence. By then, Caleb was slouched halfway down the couch.
'Why are you all quiet?' He suddenly asks, catching Rias off guard.
'What?'
'You're all quiet. Usually you'd be taking her side, or trying to torment me, or something. What's wrong with you?' Rias laughs at Caleb's remark. 'That's a nice way to ask me if I'm all right.' Caleb shrugs.
'Just some family things, diplomacy and all that.' She says quietly. This piques Caleb's interests, as he turns to face her, albeit still slouching. 'What kind of diplomacy stuff? Does it involve the club?'
'No, not really, it's just my father arranging a few meetings with other elite families.'
'Huh.'
'Huh.'
'Sounds boring.'
'Oh, it is.' Caleb looks back up at Rias. 'You sure you're alright?' She lets out a small laugh at his concern. 'I'm fine, Caleb. Really.' The former looks around the apartment for a minute, then turning back to Rias.
'Wanna get some dango?' Rias raises her eyebrow at him, who was already reaching for their jackets. 'Dango, at this hour?' The raven haired teen shrugs. 'We'll go find some place open.'
While the pair originally set out to find an open dango shop, they instead stumbled upon a 24-hour Ramen store, much to their delight, as this particular night was chilly.
'So we end up at a Ramen store?' Rias asks Caleb, who approvingly nods in response. 'That we did, and honestly, I'm not complaining.' He says as he starts eating his Ramen. Rias follows suit. The two starting up idle banter while eating.
'Did you know, that when you eat hot food you're not really warming yourself up? You're actually cooling yourself down.' Rias coughs at Caleb's random remark.
'What?'
'Like now, we're eating Ramen. You'd think you're warming yourself up, but your body is actually cooling of as a response to the heat of the food.'
'So, if. I eat ice cream, my body heats up in response?'
'Exactly.'
'So I'm warming myself up then, and I'm cooling myself down now?'
'Yup.'
'That's, good to know. I think?' Caleb laughs at Rias response. Finishing off his Ramen, and paying for them both. He beckons over to Rias, who had just finished hers. 'Let's go.' He says as they step out.
'So how's your headache?' Caleb looks over to Rias who was matching his in step, and shrugs. 'The Ramen stopped it.' He says, cheekily.
They continue to walk in silence, both their minds preoccupied with their thoughts. At least, until Rias suddenly stops dead in her tracks in the middle of the road.
'Caleb.'
'What?!' He says, doing a complete 180, expecting the worse. He instead startles Rias, who in turn startles Caleb. The duo stare at each other for a little bit before laughing at themselves, then settling down. 'What?' He finally lets out, chuckling.
'I need to ask you something.' She answers, suddenly serious.
'Okay,' Caleb says, 'Shoot.' Rias takes a moment, then blurts out.
'What's your opinion of marriage?'
'What?'
'What do you think? About marriage?'
'Are you asking me to marry you?'
'Caleb.'
'Right, not the time. Sorry.' He says, scratching his head. Marriage huh? He thinks to himself. 'Uhm, what about it, specifically?' Rias walks closer to Caleb, a glossed look on her face.
'How about, arranged marriage? Would you agree to it?' Caleb's brows furrow. 'Are you getting married?'
'No. I'm asking for your opinion.'
'Are you telling the truth?'
'Yes.' Caleb gives Rias a look, but decides to answer her query.
'That depends, if it was a good guy, could provide for you, and actually cared for you, it would probably be fine. Have you met him yet?' He eyes Rias carefully, waiting.
'Yes.' She breathes out. Caleb's eyes widen, and so does Rias'.
'I KNEW IT.' Caleb shouts, eyes wide, and a finger pointing at Rias. His shout was partly triumphant, partly bewildered, and partly because of disbelief.
'Keep your voice down!' Rias quickly covers his mouth and pushes him off the street, continuing their trek back home. It's not until they get there that Rias answers Caleb's unrelenting questions.
'You're getting married!' He once again exclaims. Rias runs her hand through her hair, in clear frustration.
'Caleb-.'
'Holy shit!'
'Caleb-'
'Who the fuck is this guy?'
'If you could just-'
'Why didn't you say anything?' By then, Rias had had enough of Caleb's hysterics, and grabs him.
'Caleb!' She shouts. Pulling Caleb's face so close to her that their noses were pressed gains each other, the act effectively shutting up the latter.
'It's not final. Yet. It's still, being discussed.' She says softly, so soft it was almost like a whisper, reflecting her disbelief in the entire situation. To her surprise, Caleb gently pries himself off of her, then puts his hands on her shoulders.
'Is this why you were so out of it today?' Caleb didn't need an answer, Rias' silence was enough of an answer.
Caleb himself didn't know what to say, so instead, he opts for action. Against his better judgement, he carefully pulls Rias into an awkward hug. Immediately regretting his decision.
To his surprise, though, Rias hugs him back, the silence of the apartment wrapping itself around them. A short while after, Caleb feels his shirt start to get wet. His mind is immediately sent into panic, looking for a way to calm her down.
'Hey look. It's okay.' He starts.
'You don't have to marry this douche. Screw whatever your folks decide.' Caleb cringes at his own words, and tries to think of better things to tell his master. 'You've got me, us. This guy'll have to go through the entire Occult Research Club before he gets his hands on you, okay? We've got you.'
He could feel Rias' grip tighten around him. Admittedly, it was starting to hurt, so he decides to break their hug, putting Rias within arm's length. He smiles at her, and, albeit teary, the latter is able to return it, before going back for a hug; Caleb could only laugh at her response.
A/N: As an apology for my super late update to this story, here is chapter eight! I deviated from my usual chapter titles, because along with the Dragon King Awakening Arc, this arc is crucial for Caleb's development in the story. Yes, he'll finally be doing something. Two crucial questions arise from this, though:
WHAT he'll do, and WHICH path he'll take. This is where I NEED YOUR HELP in deciding his path. Details about it will follow in the coming chapters.
As for now, please leave a review, it really means a lot reading your suggestions and criticisms. How's my writing? Did it become shit over the years? Is the story losing focus? Leave a review for me to read!
Kai out!
