His demonic power flared up with anticipation, leaking into the world in wisps and waves. Almost like a mist that followed his will. It rolled up and moved in irregular patterns, only staying visible because Diodora concentrated on it.

He extended his hand, and fire erupted from the palm. He turned it around, and the flames condensed into a single point. Only to vanish a second later.

He frowned and stiffened his fingers, feeling the crystal-like new skin on them protest as a small lightning spark erupted between them. Harder to create than fire, to control as well. But wholly within his grasp.

"Hey." Miyuzuin placed a hand on her hip, her expression as unfriendly as usual "I did the thing."

"Well, thank you." Diodora dispelled his power, flexing his fingers to help the numbness recede "I thought it'd take you longer, honestly."

"Diehauser Belial's been… Helpful." Miyuzuin shook her head "Although his insistence on criticizing my fighting style is a bother."

"He's a devil, seeing you fight must give him goosebumps." Diodora chuckled "Coffee?"

Miyuzuin showed him a small smirk.

"Are you sure you want to offer me that?"

Diodora shook his head now.

"Have you always been this cheeky? Or are you in a particularly good mood?" He honestly couldn't tell, but curiosity revealed itself in seconds.

He wanted to know, his desire grew and all he could do was keep his features in check as his resolution came back to haunt him. He suspected this is how addiction feels like. Incessant, difficult to ignore. But the only thing that separated him from the original Diodora, if he gave in, was rationality. So he reigned his feelings in.

He'd have to win Miyuzuin over, let her realize that her place was by his side. He had to be patient, treat her the way she wanted to be treated. Build that mutual respect and trust that his coma had taken away from him.

Patience, patience. The best way to get involved in someone's life, after all, is persistence and to avoid overwhelming the other person.

"That obvious?" Miyuzuin scoffed, looking away while letting herself in.

After coming back from his outing with Rias, Diodora came back to the apartment and rested. Or, well, he spent some time alone. Thinking, practicing with his demonic power. Something that his time in isolation left him as some sort of tic, but also just so he could sober up after spending the whole morning hanging out with Rias Gremory.

Before, when he came to Kuoh Town for the first time, he hadn't allowed himself to spend too much time around anyone from Rias' group. He had feared that he'd be caught red handed, that something would go horribly wrong and the idea only relented by keeping some distance. All good manners and perfectly respectful distance, nothing that could be reproached. But now, without the looming threat of his allegiance being discovered, Diodora found himself actually being able to be around them without feeling anxious.

And thus, the dilemma. He had been proved right when Fate Weaver appeared. Things did start happening, someone did come after his head. Even if he didn't die in the end. And Diodora already had direct contact with Serafall, Azazel, and maybe even Sirzechs. He should be able to seek them out and find them opening their doors to him. If for different reasons.

He didn't need Rias or her group, not anymore. And Fate Weaver would probably come back and try to claim Issei's original ties to them. However twisted by Fate Weaver's particular nature.

Yes, but… So what? Diodora didn't feel like he should just step aside and let the guy do as he pleased. The devils themselves aside, Diodora felt unmistakably compelled to be a bother. If only because the bastard had to do with Diodora's broken body. And, no matter how friendly his conversation with Rias, Diodora had no intention of forgiving either of the Miracle Children.

What to do…? What to do indeed.

"Ah, it's alright. I don't need anything." Miyuzuin spoke up once Diodora had approached the small kitchen adjacent to the living room. The space wasn't that big, not as before at least, but it still annoyed Diodora that she had waited until he walked that way to tell him that.

He gave her a dirty eye, and Miyuzuin looked away. Almost guiltily.

Diodora narrowed his eyes.

He twisted his own mind, letting demonic power wash over him and momentarily release him from his physical pains. The world lost some color, figuratively speaking, and Miyuzuin's form melted away as Diodora overwrote whatever spell had been implanted in his mind with his own Autosuggestion.

He turned to the kitchen, to the counter that separated it from the living room, and found Genshirou trying to place a small cake on it without making noise.

"Interesting. Is that your doing or his, Kuroka?"

"What gave me away, meow?" The catgirl huffed, smiling cheekily as Genshirou groaned. Letting the cake down in defeat.

"I told you he'd figure it out." Genshirou looked so dejected that Diodora actually chuckled, forgetting the fact that they had tried to trick him in favor of figuring out what exactly was going on.

He didn't release his Autosuggestion, but he allowed his curiosity to flow unimpeded.

"Too much expression. Miyuzuin has feelings, I'm aware. But she's so demure about it, like she's trying to restrain herself." Diodora finished walking to the counter, where he ran a finger through the dark brown cream on top of the cake. Something started bothering him while he tasted it "By the way, how did you know about the coffee thing?"

"And here I was confident in my impersonation abilities." Kuroka walked toward one of the couches and dropped right in the middle of it, crossing her legs and getting one arm over the back rest "Maybe the Abomination gave you some knowledge?"

"How did you know about Miyuzuin's attempt to escape?" Diodora insisted, more forcefully this time "Did she tell you?"

"Yeah, meow."

"Tsk." Diodora looked away, forcing himself not to bite on his thumb as the revelation sank in.

"It's not like it was a secret." The real Miyuzuin popped from the door, a more neutral expression on her face compared to Kuroka's attempt. Carrying two tubes with several colors under her armpit "And I did tell them it was a bad idea. Look at this, they have confetti. And I don't think you'd want to sweep it off the floor."

"I can always burn it away." Diodora pointed out.

Miyuzuin shook her head.

"Don't be stupid, you'll burn down the whole building again."

The only reason Diodora didn't see Olivia's face right then was because of his mental spell.

"Right." He turned to the blond guy… Or, well, young man now. Who had fallen silent for some time now "And you? I don't think I taught you to go along pranks like this."

"Actually, it was my idea." Genshirou replied sheepishly "We didn't get to tag along yesterday, and I forgot to ask if you'd like it two days ago, so… Surprise?"

Diodora showed him his teeth.

"I made you wait, huh."

Genshirou's smile grew even larger, his eyes a bit wet.

"A bit, yeah."

Diodora opened his arms, sticking the crutch to its position with demonic power, and invited Genshirou into a hug.

Again, the blond's developed muscles forced Diodora to breathe with a bit more force, but the warmth that Genshirou radiated made it so the exchange didn't feel uncomfortable at all. In fact, Diodora felt a lot better in that place. Being held so tightly, being cared for. If he hadn't activated his mental spell, he might've cried a bit.

"Sorry for the wait." Diodora spoke once Genshirou released him "I didn't mean to give any of you any more trouble."

He turned to face the three of them, with their different expressions. Genshirou looked overjoyed, while Kuroka remained relatively happy but distant. Miyuzuin, on the contrary, looked a bit moved. But still keeping her expression in check. Diodora would've liked to hug them all but…

But…

He used his demonic power to pull them all in, startling Miyuzuin and making Kuroka hiss. He hadn't known them for that long, true. But in this place, when they did this small thing for him, he felt something deep in his soul feel at peace. He felt… Satiated. Placated.

At least in that very moment.

"Thank you so much…"

"This is a bit awkward, meow. But sure." Kuroka had been sandwiched by Genshirou and Miyuzuin, her face stuck between the guy's chest and Miyuzuin's ribs.

Diodora released them, and only then did he realize that Miyuzuin's face was closer to his than he anticipated. If he leaned in, his nose would've touched her lips. Which startled him in turn, since he had straightened his back to its maximum reach.

Had Miyuzuin always been this tall?

He noticed Kuroka had grown too. She looked more like the character behind the screen that he knew. More mature, more developed. It had been more obvious with Koneko, and originally he thought that differences between the screen and reality were unavoidable but… There she was. The same as Genshirou's bulk up, the difference surprised Diodora. He almost felt like it wasn't real.

He smiled bitterly. If he hadn't arrived in this world as Diodora, he would've been able to see the changes occur. He'd one day realize that these people had gone on with their lives, that they accomplished things and worked to fulfill their own dreams. And yet… It hadn't been like that.

A single mistake, and Diodora might not even have woken up.

"Are you going to cry, meow?" Kuroka interrupted his thoughts, tilting her head "Please don't. It's really awkward already."

"It's okay, Diodora-san! We're here!" Genshirou bumped his fist, still radiating positivity "Take as much time as you need. We'll figure out a way to get back your health so fast you won't even notice, then we can work together to bring down the bad guys once and for all."

"Which reminds me." Diodora spoke up as he let Autosuggestion go. He faced Miyuzuin "What about the thing I asked of you?"

"I don't see the point." She replied while crossing her arms "It's done. But I think it's a waste of time."

"Then why did you do it?"

"Last time, you got this guy his Vritra powers." Miyuzuin pointed at Genshirou with her chin "I thought it was something similar this time."

"Eh. Those two Sacred Gears should be able to create the first holy-demonic sword, under the proper stress." Diodora explained, waving his hand in a 'so-so' manner "You tell me."

"It does sound important." Miyuzuin nodded "I think the only time I've heard of something like that is with the legendary sword… Laevatein? I don't know, my lore is kind of fuzzy at the moment."

"Really?" Diodora pulled back his head, surprised.

"Conflicting legends about whether it's a demon sword or a holy one." Miyuzuin shrugged.

"Ah, makes sense."

"Well!" Genshirou took a step back, clapping his hands "Since we couldn't go all 'surprise!', I guess we can go straight to eating?"

"Sounds great, meow." Kuroka went ahead and dragged a seat for herself at the counter "Genshirou's cooking! Genshirou's cooking!"

"Did you bake this?" Diodora asked, letting himself be led and have his seat be pulled for him "Thanks."

"Yeah." Genshirou pushed the seat back closer to the counter, looking a bit embarrassed "It's cheaper than buying one."

"Ah… Sorry for asking."

"It's okay. I'm saving up for my siblings' college." He gave Diodora a thumbs up "We don't lack money, I'm just being a responsible adult for them"

"You're an amazing brother." Diodora sounded a bit more bitter than he intended to "I'd have liked to have one like you."

"Ehehehe…" Genshirou scratched the back of his head "Thinking back on it, Diodora-san always protected me… I feel like you were kind of like that back then."

Diodora scoffed.

"Nah. If I had a brother… Yes. He'd hate my guts to no end." He stared up, feeling like a part of him wanted to be bitter. But he didn't manage to.

In here, with these three people by his side, Diodora felt mostly complete. He did miss his sister's 'shut up, cricket' from time to time but… Well.

Having the attention of those that belonged to him felt incredible. He could totally see himself getting used to this.

"The knife is on the counter, by the way." Diodora told Miyuzuin.

She showed him her cross.

He scoffed and took it.

"Wait…!" Genshirou and Kuroka stepped back, and Miyuzuin caught Diodora's wrist, but she immediately noticed his crystalized hand giving out just a bit of smoke while handling the thing "Huh."

"Yeah." Diodora handed it back, giving Miyuzuin a pointed look. The only time she wanted to be funny, and it almost screwed the whole thing. Diodora felt like he had to be strict with her on this "I didn't just injure myself. I lost part of my body in that church."

He flexed his fingers, dispersing the uncomfortable feeling of having touched a holy object. He saw Kuroka nodding.

"You feel somewhat empty, yes." She ran a finger through his hand, and some strange energy got pulled in "Hmmm, how did you even carve yourself out like this? Meow."

"I was supposed to break." Diodora admitted "To shatter. But a healthy and constant application of Phenex tears seems to have kept me alive enough to heal."

Kuroka gave him a very serious look.

"Are you stupid, meow?"

"I have zero fighting experience." Diodora admitted.

"That explains so much…" Miyuzuin gave him a thousand yard stare "Wait, how come…?"

Diodora gave them the most innocent smile he could muster.

"Oh, that's because I'm not the real Diodora. I'm just some random guy that woke up in his body one day, and I've been trying to figure out what the hell is going on since then."