When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was that familiar ceiling. Smooth, ornate, and carved with faint runes that shimmered like veins of starlight—definitely not the ceiling of my own room.
I groaned. "Oh, great. Either I'm dead, or someone dragged my sorry ass back."
As the fog in my head cleared, I realized where I was. The Underworld. Rias's place.
I sank deeper into the bed, the sheets warm and heavy. Relief should have been my first reaction—after all, I survived Kokabiel and even managed to trade blows with the White Dragon Emperor—but instead, dread settled in my gut like a boulder.
Because memory came back.
The fight. The rage. The pain. The moment Balance Breaker surged to life and painted the world black and crimson. The clash with Kokabiel, the thrill of nearly tearing him apart. And then—
"I like you."
I froze under the covers, heat rushing to my face.
"Fuckkkkk."
I grabbed the nearest pillow and punched it with my bandaged fist. Bad idea. Pain shot up my arm like lightning, forcing a strangled groan out of me.
"Ahhhhhh! Dammit!"
I clutched my hand, realizing then that it was wrapped in thick white bandages, glowing faintly with a sealing charm. My knuckles ached as though someone had taken a hammer to them a hundred times. I flexed, winced, and muttered, "So the Holy Sword really did a number on me, huh?"
It was only then I noticed just how messed up I felt. Every part of me was heavy. My body was covered in faint soreness, little throbs of pain rolling under my skin. My ribs still burned where Kokabiel's spears had struck, my stomach screamed from Albion's knee, and I couldn't even think about my back without feeling like someone had nailed me to the bed.
Still… none of that compared to the shame.
"I like you."
The words haunted me. Over and over. Like an echo on repeat. I punched the pillow again, softer this time.
"Who in their right mind would say something like that to the White Dragon Emperor?!" I hissed. "He's the damn rival of my sacred gear! Not a pretty girl, not some idol, not even—ugh, what the hell is wrong with me?!"
I flopped back on the bed, groaning into the pillow. "That sounds so gay…"
I buried my face deeper until my muffled voice came out pathetic. "Why couldn't I have just said something badass, like, 'Next time, I'll crush you,' or, 'Remember my name.' Nooo, not me. I had to look him dead in the eye and go full confession mode. What's next? A love letter?"
I let the pillow fall and stared at the ceiling again. My hands twitched inside the bandages, burning faintly. Holy energy really was a pain in the ass.
A soft knock echoed at the door.
I froze, immediately pulling the blanket over my head. If it was Rias, or Akeno, or—god forbid—Koneko, and they'd heard me, I might actually die for real this time.
The door creaked open. Footsteps padded lightly across the floor. I peeked out from under the blanket and saw her—Rias.
Her crimson hair cascaded over her shoulders, her blue-green eyes calm, but there was a tension in her face. Worry.
She walked closer, holding a tray. "You're awake."
I quickly hid back under the blanket. "Nope. Still unconscious. Totally asleep."
"Issei." Her tone carried no room for nonsense.
I sighed, lowering the blanket to my chin like a sulking kid. "…Hey."
She set the tray down, sitting beside the bed. She has a serious look. I thought she would give me a kiss or something, but that didn't happen.
For a moment, neither of us spoke. She just looked at me, studying every inch like she was making sure I was really alive. Then she let out a breath she must've been holding for hours.
"You scared me."
Her words were soft, but they hit harder than Albion's punch. I looked away, shame crawling back into my chest.
"Sorry."
"You nearly died," she continued. "Against Kokabiel, you pushed yourself far past your limits. And then you still fought the White Dragon Emperor."
Her voice wavered for a moment. "Do you even realize how insane that sounds?"
"Yeah," I muttered, staring at my bandaged hand. "Believe me, I realize it now."
Silence stretched, heavy but not uncomfortable. I could feel her gaze, sharp yet warm, like she wanted to scold me and hug me all at once.
Finally, I blurted out, "Did you… hear what I said?"
Her head tilted. "What did you say?"
"You know, before I… passed out. To Albion."
Confusion flickered in her eyes. Then realization dawned, and her lips twitched like she was holding back a smile. "You mean when you told him… that you liked him?"
My soul left my body. "You heard?!"
"Not just me," she said, her smile widening. "Everyone did."
"Everyone—?!"
I slammed my head back against the pillow, groaning like I wanted the earth to swallow me whole. "Why didn't anyone stab me before I embarrassed myself like that?!"
Rias actually laughed then, a soft, musical sound that made me want to crawl under the sheets and never come out. "You're ridiculous, Issei. But… that's you."
I peeked at her through my fingers. "You don't… think I meant it, right? I was just—just—"
"Half-dead, bleeding, and delirious?" she offered.
"Yes! Exactly!"
Her laughter grew, and I swore my face burned hotter than her hair. "I feel like you said that because you like his fighting style or something. And on that note, what was with you when you were fighting with Kokabiel? You looked like a completely different person? Can you explain what happened?"
~~~
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