The Red Dragon King

Chapter 3

'Thoughts'

"Talking"

(A/N: Author note)

Flashback/Time skip

Any photos or videos that are used in this story that I do not mark as mine, belong to their respective creators. Any photos that I have created will be watermarked. I ask that you do not use my photos without my permission, I work hard to create them.

____________________________________

After her conversation with Sona, Rossweisse walked down the hallway thinking of where Issei could be, she had already spent a considerable amount of time looking for him and had checked his usual places, then it dawned on her the one place she didn't check; the roof. Rossweisse made her way to the school rooftop, hoping to find Issei there. The rooftop was a place where students seldom went, making it a perfect spot for someone who wanted to be alone. As she pushed open the door and stepped out into the open air, she saw Issei lying on his back, staring up at the sky. He seemed lost in thought, and for a moment, Rossweisse hesitated, not wanting to intrude on his solitude.

Rossweisse: “Issei?”

Issei turned around, he was surprised to hear Rossweisse call his name; he didn't notice her presence at first. Seeing that she had his attention Rossweisse walked towards him.

Issei: “What do you want, Rossweisse?” He said coldly, he didn’t even address her as sensei like he normally did when they were at school.

Rossweisse was taken aback by Issei’s cold tone, she could feel the anger radiating from him, she took a moment to compose herself before responding. Rossweisse understood that Issei was going through a difficult time and his reaction wasn’t personal.

Rossweisse: “I heard about what happened earlier today. I’m not here to lecture you or to add to your troubles. I’m here because I’m worried about you, Issei. It’s not like you to lash out like that or to skip classes.”

Issei: “I’m fine. It was nothing, I simply lost my cool for a moment.” He said, turning back to stare out into the distance.

Rossweisse walked over and sat down beside him, her expression softening. She saw right through his façade, she could see that he was deeply hurting inside.

Rossweisse: “Issei, this is about more than just you ‘losing your cool.’ It’s okay to feel overwhelmed sometimes. You don’t have to carry everything on your own shoulders. I know you’re going through a lot, especially with Rias and the girls—”

Issei: “No you don't! You don’t understand anything, Rossweisse! No one knows what I’m going through. What could you possibly know about relationships? You’ve never even had a boyfriend! You think just because you show up here, you can make everything better? You can't possibly understand what it's like, being me, dealing with the expectations, the battles, the constant threat to those I care about! You think just because you're here, you can make everything better? You think a few words are going to fix what I'm feeling? You're out of your depth, Rossweisse. This isn't about some lesson you can teach or a problem you can solve with your magic. This is my life, and you're just... you're just pretending to understand!” he said as he stood up

His words were like daggers, each striking Rossweisse hard, the impact of his words leaving her momentarily speechless. Sure she was used to people mocking her about not being able to get a boyfriend, but for some reason hearing it from Issei hit harder. She had come here with the intention of helping Issei, of being a source of comfort, but instead, she found herself the target of his fire.