The Infinity Gear

Betrayal and Rebirth

"Hey, Issei."

A beautiful young woman with snow white skin, sapphire eyes, and gorgeous red hair dressed in her school uniform currently had her back turned to the boy, unable to see his face and him hers. However, the sudden change in the atmosphere told him that something had changed. Now that he thought of it...his heartbeat was faster than normal. He placed his hand over his chest to feel the thunderous beat within, wondering what the cause of it was.

"Yeah?" He asked.

"What exactly am I to you?" She asked, her voice slightly lower than normal.

...

This question, seemingly harmless, was enough for Issei to lean back onto the balls of his feet. Where was this coming from? Hasn't he always told her since he first rescued her from the arranged marriage with Riser?

"I would have done anything to get you back safely."

"Then I will give up my other arm, and then my eyes if I have to."

"I will do whatever it takes...nothing is going to stop me.

"I am your pawn after all."

He had been there when he was needed, always. It was him that saved her from being Riser's trophy wife, he who fought by her side during the battle with Kokabiel, fought and endured numerous rating games for her, struggled against the Nordic god of mischief, suffered through the impalement he received from Fenrir, the list went on. While anyone in the peerage would, and have, in some cases; done the same; save the part about him bombing the wedding between his King and the flaming turkey; he went through quite the number of tough times for her. Ever since she brought him back to life, he had to witness the murder of his best friend Asia, sacrificed his arm during his battle with Riser, fought with Tannin, a literal, full grown ex-Dragon King to get stronger for her, died to a Nordic wolf, and almost kicked the bucket again when he was lost in the depths of his own negative emotions after Asia got beamed to the Dimensional Gap, activating the Juggernaut Drive and placing everyone in grave danger, himself included.

Was that not enough?

"Huh?" Was all he could say. His head began to cloud with worry and confusion, his already accelerated heartrate beating faster and harder as a foreign emotion constricted it.

"What am I!?" The elevated volume forced the boy to jump off the ground slightly. Did she really have no idea after all they had been through? Issei's eyes welcomed darkness as his lids blocked reality from view, teeth gnashing away at each other without notice. Why couldn't she just see it!?

"I am your pawn after all."

...

Did...did she want more? Was she trying to tell him something?

There are three men in the peerage: Kiba, him, and Gasper, even though he doesn't act like one just yet. Rias treats everyone like a genuine member of her family, yet; Kiba and Gasper don't get the same attention as he does. She also has a deep desire for romance, probably had it since before he even entered Kuoh, hell; possibly longer than that since devils live almost forever. But, even with that, she doesn't try to have sex with either Kiba or Gasper...he was the only one that had been offered her virginity.

Is she in love with me? No...there isn't any question about it. She is in love with me.

If he was being honest with himself, he felt the same. Issei Hyoudou did not just Rias Gremory: president of the Occult Research Club and his King, Rias Gremory: a proud and noble albeit somewhat selfish woman. There was no way he would go through the vast lengths he has for her if there was nothing between them.