Chapter 54 : Tempus Fugit - Broken Dream
"I'm so, so sorry Prima-chan!" Rias anxiously babbles at me while giving her best attempt at breaking my rib cage while hugging me a little too tightly, "I never thought it'd go that far, or-"
I exhale through my nose, banishing my annoyance away, before hugging the bumbling girl back.
"As I've said yesterday, don't do that again, and we're good." I magnanimously diffuse the situation, even if I sure as hell have a good reason to be mad at her, before stepping back and out of her embrace, giving Akeno a little polite nod as a greeting.
"I won't! I promise!" The crimson headed devil swears to me with a determined -and a little cute- look, fists clenched tightly in front of her.
I give the reason for my recently increased blood pressure a fond eye roll, before moving towards Kuoh High's gates as the bell rings.
"So…" I trail, a bit leadingly, cocking my head in the two devils' direction, my bag negligently thrown over my shoulder as usual.
"So?" The Gremory heiress echoes, fidgeting a little even as she steps next to me.
Which is a good thing, because I'd be quite cross with her if she had already done away with her left-over guilt so soon.
"Your brother is certainly something." I point out amusingly.
The devil stumbles in her steps as she registers my remark, before groaning audibly, her Queen's barely muffled titter the only indication that I'm not the only one finding some semblance of schadenfreude in her King's behavior.
"Don't remind me, uh." Rias bemoans, "As soon as he sees me in an informal context, he always acts like that, it's embarrassing! I thought I was going to die of shame!"
Suddenly, her head whips in my direction, eyes open a notch too wide.
"Please, tell me he wasn't like that when you were talking with Grayfia-nee and him?" She low-key begs, almost going teary eyed.
I snicker a laugh, before shaking my head in the negative.
"No, he wasn't." I assuage her worries, before wincing a little, "He was more… Business-like and cold, I'd say. Kind of gave me the impression that I was talking to a mob boss looking out for his sibling and that I wouldn't enjoy it if he didn't like my answers."
"Ha ha, you're, ha, so funny, Prima-chan." Rias laughs, a very forced and frankly on the wrong side of the hysteric scale kind of laugh, "Such a wild imagination. That's an artist for you, I guess!"
Admittedly, managing not to snort aloud as the crimson headed devil tries her best to misdirect is a struggle.
"Maybe it's because I'm not rotting my brain with second rate shounen anime?" I wonder airily, a finger on my lower lips while simultaneously winking at Rias' Queen.
"Eh! You take that back!" The clearly offended heiress snaps, viciously poking my ribs with a finger, "Stop dissing Drag-So-Ball, or we will have words!"
"I'm afraid I cannot." I answer 'apologetically', "It isn't dissing, after all, if there's no substance in the first place."
"Y-You, argh!" The crimson headed devil stutters, before huffing and turning her head away in the typical 'I'm not speaking with you anymore' behavior, complete with crossed arms under her busts.
I let out a snicker, which is promptly echoed by a not-so-discrete giggle from a certain Queen.
And on this note of casual ribbing, all is right in the world once more.
My life went back to its usual semblance of normalcy afterward, even if I did spend an unnecessary amount of time complaining, at length, to Toroko-san about my abysmal luck in the following days.
My coach didn't begrudge me for it though, once he properly understood how the whole thing had rattled me in the moment. It's not everyday that who amounts to basically a non-entity on the supernatural chessboard makes a wave big enough to invite on themselves the attention of one of the most powerful motherfuckers of the block.
Considering I managed to do just that, on two separate occasions, I think me bitching about it while pumping iron was entirely justified.
I thought I was about done with this whole debacle by the end of the week, after having surreptitiously confirmed that the situation at Kuoh High had somehow deflated like an old punctured tire due to what I could only assume was a generous application of mind-whammy, my 'peers' now suddenly very o.k. with Rias' latest fashion statement, until Friday evening swung by and killed my feeble hopes decisively.
Or, more accurately, my customary mind-sweep of the town informed me that there were, once again, two suns waiting for me in front of my goddamn house after my gym session.
A groan, a curse, and a walk almost spent exclusively bitching later, and I found myself facing the terrible duo for the second time, one radiating Excitement and Giddiness, while the other faintly smelled of Resigned Annoyance.
Three guesses as to who is whom, and the first two don't count.
Pulling off my earbuds after adopting my best 'totally taken aback' face, I could only great the Satan of Internal Affairs and his Super Maid of a wife for the second time of the week.
"Gremory-san, Gremory-san," I start politely, albeit with a hint of caution leaking through my voice, giving each of them a short nod, "I wasn't expecting you?"
"Ha ha, indeed, Hanako-chan!" The Super Devil answers with a slightly bashful laugh in a manner startlingly similar to his sister, eyes all crinkled up and rubbing the back of his head, "It's just, there has been a new development. Could we…?" He trails off interrogatively, gesturing toward my house.
"Of course, if you will." I answer after a short beat, not feeling suicidal enough to deny the guy who can potentially turn my insides out if he feels like it and I don't feel him coming.
A short while later, a kettle has been put to boil in my kitchen -I may not adhere with most Japanese customs, but I do actually appreciate their rules of hospitality- and the three of us -sans shoes- are seated in my living room, me facing the power couple as they sit on the couch.
Holding back a laugh at the idea that one of the underworld's leaders is currently sitting where I routinely have sex with my girlfriend, I decide to cut to the chase.
"Sorry if this is a bit abrupt, but why are you here tonight, Gremory-san?" I ask 'curiously', albeit having already a vague idea of what all this is about, before affecting a more concerned mien, "Is there a problem?"
Empathy for the win, after all.
"No harm done, ah ah! And no, there is not. I cleared the air with Ria-tan and I's parents, and my lovely sister loves your work to bits." The Satan laughs good-humoredly, before gesturing to his side in his wife's direction, "It's just that I managed to convince my wife once we were in a more private setting-" To his right, Pink and Purple spikes around his spouse, and I have a pretty solid idea as to how he 'convinced' her, "-and I'd like to call upon your services for myself."
"Under certain conditions." Grayfia 'reminds' him, giving him a pointed look.
"Under certain conditions." He nods in assent, with the ease of the husband used to keep his wife happy.
I humm under my breath, before darting a little amused look the Super Maid's way, something onto which she seems to pick upon, if the very faint darkening of her cheeks is anything to go by.
"That must have been a pretty convincing argument, then." I can't help myself but allude, "I recall you being quite vocal in your denial earlier this week."
"It was adequate." The silver headed devil answers smoothly, and I have to refrain myself from snickering at the betrayed look of her crimson headed husband.
The kettle choses this precise moment to whistle, and I rise myself fluidly out of my seat.
"I'm glad you were able to solve this disagreement, then." I cock my head to the side, "You two look cute with each other, when you drop the professional facade. I'd have hated to be the reason for a lengthy spat."
If the two actually seem a bit touched by my words, for they are genuine, I do not comment on it as I about-face, waving over my shoulder.
"Lemme fetch you your tea and some paper, and we can get started."
I sit myself once again, Grayfia having graciously offered to pour the tea for us while Sirzechs and I start to brainstorm.
"Right, first off, I'm just going to ask you to agree to one thing before we start." I tell the Satan while locking eyes with him, trying to convey as much seriousness as I can in my countenance, "I'm not entirely ready to 'open shop', as they say, and, quite frankly, I do not want to do so until I leave Japan. May I have your word that you will not reveal my existence to your foreigner friends if we do this?"
The super devil seems momentarily taken aback by my question, Surprise ringing around him in the Empyrean, before slowly nodding.
"If that is what you wish, then I'll be happy to agree. But didn't you already make some waves?" He asks a little pointedly.
I give him a lazy one shoulder shrug.
"The situation apparently calmed down quickly enough at school, so I should be in the clear, kind-ish?" I wobble a hand, "I think Shitori-san did something, but I don't know what exactly."
He stares at me for a few seconds, before seemingly taking a decision.
"I may have to at least explain Rias' situation to a few people who know her abroad, but I will stress out your desired wish to be left alone until you open your practice properly to them." He argues my point.
Traduction: he will have to explain things to Serafall, and probably Ajuka and the one I always forget the name because it concerns in various degrees two siblings of the Satans.
He is also probably banking on the fact that I'll eventually cave in to his sister's advance and get reincarnated at some point.
"Two years and a few months of continued tranquility while I finish my studies, that's all I ask for in exchange for my art." I explain plainly.
He takes a moment to mull things over, before nodding.
"Agreed." He ends up saying.
I'll take it.
I give a grateful nod to Grayfia as she slips a tea cup in front of me, Sirzechs quietly mumbling a 'thanks love' as she does the same for him, before turning to face her fully as she sits herself next to her husband once more.
"Could I trouble you now for your conditions, Gremory-san?" I ask her, a questioning eyebrow raised intently.
"Of course." She answers, her cadence as even as usual, "The result shouldn't be bigger than a fifteen centimeter square, it shall be monochrome and not on any visible body part when wearing a suit."
"Easily done." I answer with a smile, turning myself back to the super devil, "So, what did you have in mind exactly?"
He beams an enthusiastic smile my way, and I confirm in the privacy of my mind that those are apparently inherited genetically.
"You see, Hanako-chan, I was always a fan of music-" He starts to talk, and an idea comes instantly to my mind.
I wonder if he'll like it?
I stop pulling on Beauty as I straighten back in my seat, giving one last assessing glance to my preliminary design.
"It's… Uncommon." I prelude, banishing the unease creeping along my spine as I look at my current subject, "Tell me what you think about it? And, above all else, if it doesn't suit you, tell me immediately."
Even if Curiosity waft around the both of them, Sirzechs is the first to answer me with another easy smile.
"Well, don't leave me hanging."
I flip my notepad in their direction.
Instantly, Surprise, then Nostalgia tinged with Regrets circles around him, which is admittedly a load better than the slowly rising Outrage of his wife.
…I may have miscalculated?
Grayfia goes to open her mouth, her cheeks red-
"...It's perfect."
-only to be brought short by her husband, and forcing her to snap her head in his direction, her ire vanishing in favor of Bewilderment.
"Husband?" She asks, her astonishment clearly leaking through her voice.
"That's the one." The crimson headed devil answers with determination, eyes boring through the drawing with such intensity that I'm almost afraid it'll catch fire, "It's… The perfect memento. To remember why."
Silence falls over the room as the two devils digest the situation and I try not to let my relief show on my face too much.
"I'm glad you like the idea." I eventually risk, only earning a distracted nod in answer as he remains captivated by my drawing, "Do you see anything you want changed, or…" I trail off.
"How soon?" He simply says, voice calms, echoes of Determination coiling around him.
For what? I do not know.
I tilt my head in thought.
"It's not really big? If you can swing by Rias' house this Sunday, it shouldn't take me longer than a couple hours, three tops." I eyeball, this time properly taking into account my subject's supernatural regeneration.
"Sunday it is." He answers with a nod, "Thank you, Hanako-chan."
Lightning quick, one of his arms snake around his wife's waist to pull her closer, prompting her to let out a startled 'eep' totally at odds with her usual countenance.
"And thank you, love, for letting me do this." He gives her a winsome smile-
-and I get treated to the impossible view of the Strongest Queen blushing like a maiden in love.
My life is fucking weird.
I let out a low exhale as I shut down my needle, rolling away from the medical bed.
Sirzechs' eyes instantly snap in my direction, his right arm still held immobile by the weight of his own head while he holds an open book with his left.
"Is it done?" He asks, his voice betraying his impatience more than it echoing wildly in the Empyrean.
"All that is left is to clean up, so, a few more seconds." I answer with a smile, shaking my hand a little to deal with my cramp while taking a towel with the other.
Barely a minute later, I give him the go ahead, the book snapping shut and left forgotten on the bed as he strides powerfully toward the full mirror in the room.
I join him a few seconds later, taking in his powerfully built form, rippling with muscles, as he poses slightly to the side, admiring the new addition to his body, trailing along his right side.
Like Grayfia had asked, it isn't the biggest tattoo there is, nor it is the most colorful.
It is a rather simple thing, truth be told, a masculine silhouette on his knees, head downcast and hiding his eyes, his shoulders slumped, holding an acoustic guitar with its fretboard broken and its cords snapped.
"Do you like it?" I eventually ask after a beat of comfortable silence.
Sirzechs takes a deep exhale, before nodding solidly, once.
"I do." He answers, before eventually asking, "Did you name it."
"I did." I reply, eyes boring on the tattoo's reflection, "Broken Dream."
Another pause.
"It's a good name. A fitting one." He eventually says.
In the end, it took Rias coming looking for us to wrench the both of us out of our contemplation.
[AN: Fuck it, I'm going bank on this idea of mine.
Hope you enjoy, xoxo]