Rias paced the length of her clubroom, the floorboards creaking under her heels with each measured step. Her eyes flickered again to the old clock mounted on the wall.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Two-sixteen.
He should be here any time now.
Unless something came up?
Her teeth caught her bottom lip, worrying the flesh for a second before she released it with a quiet exhale through her nose.
She hoped not. He couldn't teleport on his own.
She would've come to pick him up herself but she had no idea where he lived. And he didn't have a phone. And this wasn't a date, so why would she even offer to pick him up—
She shook her head, hair tickling her ears.
He could run fast. It should be fine.
She turned at the window, retracing her steps, and paused in front of the antique mirror. The glass showed her reflection in muted amber light—the uniform crisp and proper, the white blouse smooth beneath her black vest, and the ribbon sitting at her collar in a perfect bow.
A small sigh escaped her as she gave her skirt a light tug, smoothing a tiny wrinkle in the fabric.
The uniform was a bit too stuffy, but what else could she wear? This wasn’t the same as hanging out with her adorable servants. She was meeting with an older guy to talk about anime and stuff. That meant casual but how casual? A shirt? Maybe a sweater? A dress would be too much. A cute blouse could work too—
She shook her head.
The uniform should be fine. It was better than dressing too casual and making things awkward.
Her fingers moved to her hair, tucking a loose strand behind her left ear. She glanced down at her vest, plucking at the fabric above her bust.
Should she get rid of the ribbon?
Her gaze fixed on the black ribbon for a moment, lips pursed. She pinched one end of the bow and pulled it loose with a soft whisper of silk. She dropped the strip of cloth on the cabinet nearby and turned back to the mirror, fixing her collar so it sat open at the throat.
Maybe pop a button or two open?
She chewed at her lip, pushing a long breath through her nose as her fingers hovered at the top button of her shirt. Then she lowered her hands at her sides.
No. She'd come off as desperate. This wasn't even a date to begin with. Just a casual hangout with an older guy—
A sharp knocking sound on wood filled the room.
Rias whirled around, her gaze on the door. She took one last glance in the mirror and walked up to the other side.
"Come in!"
The door swung open, revealing Alex.
He wore a white top and jeans. The shirt stretched tight around his shoulders and across his chest, the fabric pulling taut with each small movement. The sleeves cut off just above his biceps, leaving little to the imagination.
Rias smiled. Her gaze tracked his arm as he closed the door behind him, muscles rippling beneath tanned skin. The backpack slung over his shoulder shifted, the strap slipping down to the crook of his elbow before he caught it in a smooth movement.
Did he bring snacks?
He shouldn't have. They had plenty and more.
Alex glanced around the room, shifting his backpack to one hand. His eyes found her, and a smile pulled at the corner of his mouth.
"The others still in class?"
She smiled back, a tiny butterfly flapping its wings in her stomach. "Yup. Koneko and Kiba, at least. Akeno is busy with an errand."
It should take her a while to get back. Plenty of time to have fun uninterrupted.
She didn't need Akeno pestering Alex with her antics.
Alex approached, his steps unhurried, that teasing edge creeping into his smile as he drew closer. "Skipping class to meet up with boys, huh? Guess the devil is a bad girl."
An amused breath escaped her before she could stop it.
On second thought, he'd probably resist Akeno's teasing without much trouble.
"Whatever do you mean? This is just a harmless club activity."
Alex stopped in front of her, smirking as his head tilted slightly to the side. His eyes held hers for a beat, before straying south for another.
"I guess it is."
Her smile grew a little wider as she gestured towards the couch. "Come, have a seat."
He walked over without hesitation, dropping his bag in the corner with a casual thud before taking a seat. He leaned back, one arm draped along the backrest and the other resting on his thigh.
"By the way, I also brought Valerie with me," he said. "She's waiting downstairs."
Rias paused mid-step.
"Ah, of course."
Made sense he'd also bring her along.
Rias' eyes darted to the door, then back to Alex. "I'll go unseal Gasper. Be right back."
She spun around and left the clubroom with a slight bounce in her step. The smile stayed on her face as she pulled the door closed behind her, more butterflies dancing in her stomach.
This was going to be so much fun.
<[]>
A quiet snort escaped me as I leaned back against the couch, shaking my head.
"I guess Type Moon is the same, no matter the universe."
Rias nodded along, matching my smile from where she sat beside me, her shoulder brushing against mine. "I kinda expected one of them to be a cheap knockoff. I'm pleasantly surprised though."
"Same."
We shared a look, her eyes bright with geeky enthusiasm, and then we both chuckled, the sound filling the quiet clubroom.
"So, what's your favorite character?"
I blinked as her words reached my ears, my smile freezing on my face. A grimace pulled at my mouth as I glanced down at the table.
"What's with that pained look?" She smirked, head tilting as she studied me with catlike amusement. "Can't choose?"
I sank deeper into the couch, gaze drifting across the room and settling on a random painting on the wall.
Of course I couldn't.
Between Baeber, Sakura, and Medusa…
It wasn’t easy.
I took another glance at Rias and sighed. "You're really gonna make me choose, huh?"
"Girls like decisive guys."
I blinked at the non-sequitur, brows drawing together slightly.
What did that even have to do with this?
"It's a close tie."
Rias shook her head with an exaggerated sigh, one hand coming up to press dramatically against her chest.
"The tragedy."
Then she glanced at me from the corner of her eye, that cheeky smile still playing on her lips. "Let's hear it."
I stared at Rias, lips pursed as I turned over my options. Then, with a heavy heart, I made my choice.
"Medusa."
Her eyebrows rose, lips parting slightly before curling into something cheeky. "Hoh?" She drawled the word out, smile widening as she crossed her legs, her skirt riding up to reveal more of her thick, juicy thighs. "Interesting choice. You like older women?"
A huff escaped me, my head shaking as I looked out the window. "Not in particular. I just like her character."
"Uh-huh,” she said, her voice light and airy. “I’m sure you do.”
I leveled her with a flat look, my mouth pressing into a thin line. "Fine, she's hot, but there's more to her than meets the eye. She has hidden depths."
Her smile grew, a knowing gleam swimming her eyes as she played with a lock or her hair. "Oh, definitely."
A flash heat crept up the back of my neck. "Goddamnit Rias."
The moment the words left my mouth, she winced, eyes squeezing shut as her hand came up to press against her forehead. The smile dropped from her face, replaced by a tight grimace.
My stomach sank. "Shit—Sorry about that. It just slipped out."
"It's fine, it happens sometimes."
Rias massaged her temples with two fingers, her breathing deep and steady. “I kinda too it a bit too far too.”
A few seconds passed before she lowered her hands, her eyes finding mine again as she smiled like nothing happened. "So, who was the close tie you couldn't decide on?"
"Sakura."
Rias stared, smile frozen on her lips. Her eyes went distant for a moment, and then a deep sigh escaped her, her shoulders dropping.
"Worms."
I couldn't help but roll my eyes, letting my head tip back against the couch. "If you like someone enough, you can look past a few worms."
A beat of silence stretched between us.
Rias blinked, her gaze sliding across the room as a beat of silence stretched between us. Then she let out a soft exhale as a genuine smile settled on her lips.
"That's pretty romantic."
I guess?
I'd say it was only fair. Sakura went through so much shit, it was a miracle she stayed sane. The least Shirou could do was not be weird about the worms.
"I can see why it was a close tie," Rias said, glancing back at me. "Sakura and Medusa have a lot in common."
"Exactly. She summoned her without a catalyst, so they're the most compatible out of any other choice."
Rias nodded along, hands folding in her lap as we lapsed into silence.
I eyed her for a moment, and then a smirk came to my lips. "So, what's your favorite character?"
"Kirei."
She said it without an ounce of hesitation, the name rolling off her tongue like she'd been waiting for the chance to say it.
I stared at her, my brain needing a moment to catch up.
"Kirei?" My brows climbed all the way up as a disbelieving smile pulled at the corner of my mouth. "Your favorite character is Kirei?"
"Yeah?" Her eyebrows drew together slightly. "What's with that reaction?"
"Nothing." I shook my head. "I'm just surprised."
And there was something weirdly funny about a devil ranking that fake priest as their favorite character.
"Well, he's my favorite."
Rias crossed her arms, chin lifting the tiniest bit as she looked away with an adorable huff.
And she was making fun of me earlier?
"What do you like so much about him?"
Rias sent me a glance from the corner of her eyes. A moment later, she uncrossed her arms and dropped her hands back in her lap while staring somewhere ahead.
"I like the contrast and the internal struggle between right and wrong. It really adds a lot of depth to his character. And how, in the end, he'd decided to live his life genuine to his true self."
My eyes widened a fraction.
Ah.
I guess that'd appeal to her.
"Kirei's an interesting character,” I spoke after a moment. “You can't really call him a villain, but he's a great antagonist."
Her head swiveled towards me, smile back on her lips. "I know right?"
I nodded, a teasing curl at the corner of my lips. "We would've stopped being friends if you said Gilgamesh, though."
She stared for a moment, her expression frozen. Then her shoulders shook with a peal of laughter. "What's so bad about Gil?"
I cocked a brow, letting the silence stretch for a beat. "You really want me to answer that?"
Her eyes narrowed in challenge, and we entered a staring contest. Then she smirked and uncrossed her legs, the movement slow enough to flash me a tantalizing glimpse of black lace.
Damn.
I made a point to stare until her skirt settled back in place, then looked her in the eye. “That’s cheating.”
She gave a nonchalant shrug. “I’m a devil.”
“Fair.” I nodded, lips twitching with a smirk. “Still though, nice panties.”
Valerie had a similar pair, didn’t she?
“Why, thank you.”
Her words hung in the air as we stared at one another for another beat. Then her composure shattered like fine china, and we both burst with laughter like a couple of idiots.
“Pffft, ‘nice panties’ he says,” she said between chuckles, her shoulders shaking as she held her stomach.
“And what was I supposed to say? Spread ‘em wid—” I choked with a wheezing laugh. “—wider so I can get a better look? Just pull ‘em off for good, will ya?”
She laughed harder.
“That’s an option. A bhaa—” She wheezed, gulping a breath of air. “—bad one though! I totally would’ve!”
I leaned forward in my seat, gripping my stomach as I laughed.
“Bullshit!”
“Nuh-uh! I sleep naked, don’t test me!”
“Oh no, a puh—pervert!”
“Pot calling the kettle!” She jabbed a finger towards me, face red. “You were so stha—staring! I saw you!”
“Who wouldn’t?!”
She kept laughing, only pausing for air. She sounded like a dying hyena, and it made me laugh even more.
“Crimson Ruin Princess?” I took a greedy lungful of air, shaking my head. “More like Crimson Pervert Exhibitionist!”
“Oh, that’s rich co—” She coughed. “—coming from you.” She paused to breathe. “You look like an NTR protagonist!”
A wheeze escaped me, and I coughed, looking at the giggly brat with tears in my eyes. “Dammit, Rhi—Rias! Stop making me laugh! It hurts to bhu—breathe!”
“Never!”
And so it went.
We kept laughing for what felt like an hour with how hard my gut ached by the end of it. I regretted nothing, though.
Rias leaned back, sinking into the plush cushions with a silly chuckle, her arms askew at her sides. Her chest rose and fell with a hypnotizing sway as she closed her eyes while catching her breath.
“Dear Satan…” she said, her airy voice tickling my ears like she’d whispered right into them. “What are we even doing?”
I looked away just as her eyes fluttered open and gulped down some sweet air myself. “Having fun.”
Rias took another breath and straightened herself, wiping a tear from her eyes as her composure slid back into place.
I did the same, minus the composure part as I couldn’t keep the smile off my face.
Because holy shit, this Rias was so fun.
We stared at one another for a while longer while our breathing returned to normal.
"Sooo…" She broke the silence, drawing out the syllable as her eyes flickered between her desk and me. "I guess we could watch some anime?"
Oh, now we’re talking.
"Sure. Got anything specific in mind?"
Rias paused, gaze flickering to the coffee table. A moment later, her eyes flew wide.
"Crap, I forgot the snacks!"
Huh?
She snapped her fingers, and a red magic circle flared on the table. It grew in glowing geometric patterns and spun once before flashing even brighter. The light died down, leaving behind a small mountain of chips, candy bars, soda cans, and what looked like a bunch of Japanese sweets I didn’t recognize.
I stared at the filled table as the last traces of red faded from the air.
"Magic sure is convenient, huh?"
Rias smirked like a proud cat. "Jealous?"
“You bet.” I turned towards her with a flat look. "I thought I'd get some ‘spellz ‘n shit’ but…" I threw my hands up, smiling wryly. "Nada."
She gave a thoughtful hum, one finger tapping against her chin as she looked me over with a smirk. "You did say your cheat power was 'these hands'."
"Yeah but…" I dropped my hands back to my lap with a quiet thump. "Magic. Why couldn't it be magic and these hands?"
"Eh." Rias shrugged one shoulder, waving off with a hand like the whole thing was no big deal. "Magic is not that hard. You could learn it without much trouble."
Not that hard?
Maybe the Devil shortcut version. And even then…
A frown came to my lips. "It wouldn't work. I don't even have that magic juice in me."
She blinked in surprise, head tilting slightly. "Wait, seriously?"
"Yeah."
Her brows drew together, and for a moment she looked like she was concentrating on something only she could see. Then her eyes went wide, lips parting slightly.
"Holy yikes. You're right."
She gave a slow shake of her head, jaw still slack.
"You don't have any magic energy. Why don't you have any magic energy? That's not normal."
I shrugged. "Probably 'cuz I'm from another world."
She stared for a while, lips pressing together. Then she nodded slowly, the expression on her face easing into something lighter.
"Makes sense, I guess…"
"It is what it is." I shrugged, and we lapsed into silence.
Rias picked at the hem of her skirt, and I shifted against the couch cushions.
"Sooo…" I spoke after a moment, drawing the word out like she did earlier. "You said something about watching anime?"
Rias perked up like someone had flipped a switch. "Oh yes, just gimme a sec." She sat up, her head swiveling towards her desk. "I'll bring my laptop real quick."
I held up a hand, palm out. "Wait."
She paused mid-step, glancing over her shoulder, brows furrowed.
"No need." I smirked, reaching for my backpack. "I came prepared."
Rias settled back onto the couch as I unzipped the bag and pulled out my laptop.
"Oh, you didn't have to," she said as I placed the device in my lap. “I could hook mine to a projector and we can watch it on the wall like it’s a cinema.”
Huh. Pretty neat.
"That's nice but…" I gave my laptop a couple friendly pats. "I've got JoJo anime parts one through three on my laptop."
A tense beat of silence bounced between us.
Rias blinked, her jaw going slack. "Forreal?"
"Yup."
An excited smile stretched on her lips. "Oh wow this wasn't even animated yet—" She paused, mouth hanging agape for a beat. "Wait, you got isekai'd with your laptop?"
"Nah, I had them on a USB drive on my keychain."
And I would've made the mother of backups had I'd known.
Rias stared, head tilted slightly to one side. Then her eyes flew wide as a grin spread over her face.
"What else do you have?"
I smirked, flipping open the laptop and adjusting it in my lap so she could better see the screen.
"See for yourself."
I pushed the power button as Rias scooted closer, her thigh pressing against mine with a distracting warmth. The laptop hummed to life, the startup screen glowing in the dim clubroom light as I took a slow, steadying breath.
Aight. Time to blow her mind.
<[]>
"Nah, seriously, you really look like her. Even your powers are kinda similar." Alex pointed a finger at her, smirking. "Just put on a wizard cape and some shoulder pads, and you'd get a budget cosplay."
Rias smiled, watching him with her head propped on a hand.
Lina Inverse…
The name rolled around in her mind with a foreign weight. It sounded kinda badass, though. It was the first time someone compared her to an anime character, too.
Too bad she'd never get to watch it.
Her smile dimmed. "It's a shame we don't have that anime here."
It could've been fun to do a proper cosplay, but that would be a challenge without any reference material. Hard to nail a look when you'd never seen it.
"Yeah, I wish I had a copy of it…" His voice carried a note of regret as his gaze drifted somewhere past her shoulder.
A shame indeed. He should've backed up more anime, but he couldn't have known an isekai was around the corner, right—
She straightened up at a sudden thought. "Don't you have some pics at least?"
Alex blinked, his mouth opening slightly as his eyes flickered back to the laptop. "Not sure. Maybe?" he said, giving the screen a thousand-yard stare.
A smirk twitched on her lips. "What? Don't want me to see your 'homework' folder?" She leaned forward, elbows resting on her thighs as she propped her chin. "Don't worry I won't judge. Promise."
Alex let out a sharp huff, looking at her from the corner of his eye. "I assure you that my folders have very explicit labels."
Her brows climbed up as she met his gaze, head tilting a bit. "Nothing to hide, huh?"
“Nope,” he said, an easy smile playing on his lips.
A low, appreciative hum vibrated in her throat as her eyes shifted back to the screen, where the image of Jonathan Joestar stood frozen mid-pose.
They’d kinda forgotten about the episode, but they still had plenty of time to finish.
Alex tapped on the touchpad, the media player shrinking down to reveal the desktop. He backtracked to the root folder with a few more taps, then double-clicked the one labeled 'Art'. Then he opened the folder labeled 'Unsorted'.
Her eyes flickered to the small number at the bottom of the window, and her brows climbed all the way up.
Hundreds of images peppered the screen in a neat grid view.
Not bad.
He scrolled down slowly through the files, the images sliding past in a smooth cascade. A smirk pulled at her lips as she glimpsed a few spicy pictures mixed in with the rest, and a quiet chuckle escaped her as she caught some of the titles.
Explicit names, indeed.
"Saw something funny?"
His voice held that teasing lilt, like he already knew what she'd seen and was waiting for her reaction.
"You could say tha—wait. Hold on." She leaned forward, squinting as something near the top of the screen caught her eye. "What's that?"
He stopped scrolling after a moment, glancing at her over his shoulder. "What?"
She pointed at the screen, gesturing upwards with her finger. "Go up a bit."
He scrolled up, and the image came back into view, this one with a random string of numbers and letters for a label.
"There."
She tapped it with her finger, and Alex hovered the cursor on top of it, the thumbnail highlighting with a faint blue border.
"Oh, that one?"
“Yeah.”
He double-clicked, and the picture popped onto the screen in full. What looked like a harem of Devil women—oh, an Angel too—dressed in red and black suits, with half of the girls wearing sharp smirks on their faces.
Hoh-oh?
Her eyes flickered back to Alex as a teasing smile curled her lips, widening with each passing second.
"Is that what you're into?"
He met her gaze and gave a nonchalant shrug with a shoulder. "Not really but there's something about hot demon chicks dressed in crisp black suits that just goes hard."
She hummed low in her throat, her eyes narrowing as she searched his face. It stayed neutral, but the slight uptick at the corner of his mouth told her enough.
He was totally into “demon girls,” wasn’t he?
She flicked her hand in a lazy sweep towards the screen. “I’ve never worn a suit, but I think I could pull it off no problem. The horns might be trickier, though.”
She’d have to try a little shapeshifting for that.
The bust might prove a challenge too, but that devil with the hearts in her eyes could fit hers in a vest, and so would she.
"I'll be the judge of that," he said, tone light and playful, but the words hung in the air with a peculiar weight.
She arched a brow and poked him under the ribs with a finger. "Pretentious, are we?"
He didn't even flinch. The muscles stayed firm under her touch while he watched her with that cheeky smirk of his. Taking the challenge for what it was, she pressed her palm flat against his side, feeling it up a little through his shirt as she gave her fingers a playful wriggle.
Not bad.
Not ticklish either.
"If you wanna cosplay, you gotta do it right," he spoke, and she pulled back her hand with a quiet ‘hmph.’
"Who said anything about cosplay?" She pushed her chin up a bit and tossed her hair over her shoulders. "Maybe I just want to wear a fashionable suit?"
And maybe show it off to him and see his reaction.
"Then suit yourself." He shrugged and turned back to the laptop.
She couldn’t help it. A breath rushed out her nose in an undignified snort that shook her shoulders. She covered her mouth and pinned him with a pointed glare.
"That was awful."
"Still made you laugh."
She puffed her cheeks, but the pout ended halfway into a smile.
Alex closed the image with a click and went back to scrolling through the folder, the thumbnails blurring together in a stream of colors.
She sank back into the couch, the cushion creaking softly as she crossed her legs.
A random silly thought crossed her mind, and the words left her lips before she could think twice about it.
"You know," she said, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. "Sometimes I imagine how it might look like if the world was an anime. I guess it's funny to think about it?"
Alex gave her a weird look, his scrolling hand pausing mid-motion as his brows drew together slightly.
A flash of heat surged up her neck, burning all the way to the tips of her ears as she looked away.
What the hell was she saying? That sounded so silly. He'd totally think she was cringe and—
"Haven't really thought about it, but…" He shifted on the couch, a thoughtful hum vibrating in his chest. "If this was an anime, you'd probably be the main character."
She blinked in confusion, her eyes snapping back towards him.
…Huh?
Where the hell did that come fro—
She blinked again as the words finally sank in, then she perked up, a smile blooming on her face. "Really?"
"Or the main love interest." He shrugged, a smirk playing on his lips.
She stared, smile frozen. Another rush of heat prickled at her neck, spreading across her cheeks as her eyes darted to the side.
He was teasing her… right?
Or was he actually flirting?
His cheeky smile hadn’t budged from his face, but he wasn't trying to scoot closer or find an excuse to touch her.
Yep. Just teasing her.
Her tongue poked out to wet her drying lips, and she narrowed her eyes.
Turnabout was fair play.
"Oh?" She dropped her voice to a sultry timbre, tilting her head a fraction to the side. “And who might the protagonist be then?"
Her attempt slid off him like water off a duck's back.
"Depends." Alex swept a hand in a vague gesture. "Does Satan have any long-lost grandkids or something? Or Big G? That'd fit the bill for a supernatural battle harem series."
Rias blinked in surprise. Supernatural battle harem?
Did this world really have that vibe?
Two words came to mind, and her brows drew together.
Huh…
Weren’t the rating games basically that?
She shook her head, pushing the thought away. No, that would be too silly. Even with the magic and supernatural stuff, this was still real life, not some tropey anime world.
"Not that I know of?"
The words came out a little uncertain, though.
Alex shrugged.
"Then it'd probably be some average guy who awakens great power and stumbles into the plot."
She gave him a flat look, her mouth pressing into a line.
"What? No way."
No way this place would have such a lame premise.
And whose harem would it even be?
"Nah, totally. If you can't have a cool guy who's badass and has a mysterious past, you need a bland Japanese dude who stumbles into superpowers so the audience can self-insert easily."
Oh.
Rias looked down at her lap and frowned.
"Otherwise, you'd need a different genre, or the story would just stay niche and fail to gain any serious traction."
Her gaze flickered across the room, and she stared at the old paintings, lips pursed. Then she slumped over with a long sigh.
"You're right…"
"But that's only if we're looking at it from a meta perspective," he said, tone shifting to something lighter. "Otherwise, it could be anyone, really."
Meta perspective?
“Alright smartass.” Rias punctuated with a finger, straightening herself. “What about you then?” She leaned closer, giving his arm a playful bump with her own as she smirked. "Shouldn't you be the protagonist? You did say so when we first met."
She looked up at him, batting her lashes as she waited for a reaction. Her mouth twitched with an aborted pout when nothing came.
"Depends on the genre,” he said. “If this was a comedic deconstruction or a parody of some sort? Probably, yeah." Then a grin broke across his face. "And I was playing it up a bit, y'know? First impressions are important."
A quiet snort escaped her, hand coming up on reflex to hide it.
“But you’re from another world, right?”
“Oh yeah.”
She gave him a knowing look, her smile widening in triumph. "Then you're an isekai protagonist. No take backs."
"If you say so."
He smiled back, and they lapsed into silence.
Alex picked up his glass from the table, beads of condensation trailing on the sides as he brought it to his lips. He sipped at his soda while scrolling again through that folder.
Rias grabbed a chocolate cookie from a half-empty box and popped it in her mouth, chewing quietly while her eyes wandered around the room. Then she swallowed, and her gaze settled back on Alex.
"What was your world like?"
He paused mid-scroll, looking away from the screen with a shrug. "Same as this one, but no magic."
She gave him the flattest look she could muster. "That's a textbook isekai premise."
An amused huff escaped through his nose. He took one more sip from his drink, then placed the glass back on the table, ice cubes clinking against the sides.
"See, that's what I thought too, but then I woke up in the middle of bumfuck nowhere and spent over a year in a barn on my training arc."
He shook his head, sweeping his hand to the side in a half-hearted gesture. "Didn't even get a single clue about my cheat ability and only figured it out 'cause I lifted hard enough to get superpowers.” He scoffed. “I mean, what kinda shitty isekai starts like that, huh?"
Rias shrugged, biting down on her bottom lip as her cheeks hurt from all the smiling. "A funny one?"
"Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up, princess."
She paused, brows knitting as she puffed her cheeks. "Don't call me that."
"Why?" He smirked. "You in that rebellious phase?"
An indignant squeak escaped her mouth as she stared, jaw falling slack and eyebrows shooting up.
"Rebellious phase?"
Alex cocked an eyebrow of his own, lifting one finger.
"You're the heir to an old and prestigious Devil clan."
The second finger went up.
"Your big brother is actually Satan."
And another.
"And you're living in the human world, disguised as a schoolgirl."
He pinned her with a flat look. "You clearly ran away from home."
"Wha—I did not run away from home." Her voice rose slightly. "I'm just experiencing the human culture. Stop putting tv tropes on everything."
"If you say so, princess."
She crossed her arms and looked away but felt a smile pulling at her lips anyway. She stared at the wall for a few beats, then stole another glance at him from the corner of her eyes, watching as he turned back to the laptop with a faint smile.
Something warm bubbled in her stomach.
When was the last time she'd bantered like this with someone who wasn't Koneko or Akeno? Someone who looked at her and didn’t see the Gremory heiress but just a normal girl. Just… Rias.
“Oh…” Alex paused from his scrolling, a frown creeping on his face as he sighed. "It's getting kinda late."
The words hit her like a splash of icy water. She frowned, eyes flickering to the clock.
Ugh, c'mon…
Just when they were having so much fun…
"One more episode?" She gave Alex a hopeful look, palms gripping at her knees as she leaned forward a bit. "Or two?" Or five. "We're almost at the end."
She couldn't stop halfway through. She had to see that last fight animated.
"Alright."
A smile bloomed on her face, and she clenched her hands at her chest, fighting back the urge to pump her fist.
Yes!