"Come on in Y/N." I open the apartment door and see Azazel drinking on his couch.
"Got enough to spare me a glass?" He pours me a drink and hands it to me.
"So what's brought you here?"
"I'm just wondering why you stood up for me over Sirzechs. If anything I've gained more favor from him than you, but I guess that isn't true."
"I did it as a favor to you." Azazel sets his glass down. "You put yourself on the line against Vali knowing that you could have died, and that takes balls. You don't have to be strong enough for that, the Red Dragon will take care of it, but in the meantime, you still have plenty of room to grow. Being a pure human would put you at quite a disadvantage, but your bloodline has saved you. Tell me, if you could speak to your father right now, what would you say?" I take a second to think.
"I don't know, I've never considered it as an option. I guess I would ask him for guidance, but would he accept that his son followed the same path as he did?" Azazel reaches under the table and grabs a book. He opens a specific page and hands it to me. "What is this?"
"Your chance to speak to not only your father but to Baraqiel and Shuri as well." My finger hits the top of the page.
"Edo Tensei." I quickly skim through the summary. "I can revive them, but they wouldn't be the same as before."
"You're the only person I know who could do it, but it will take time for you to learn how to use it." I close the book. "Hold onto that, there are a lot of things you could make use of."
"So what are you asking me to do?"
"Use the Edo Tensei to bring your father back. Find out how he lived, and what made him as powerful as he was, and use that to push yourself forward. If it works, then use it to let Akeno speak to her parents one final time." I throw my head back and look at the ceiling.
"I don't know if she would want that. I guess I could always ask her, but I would hate to make an empty promise to her." I finish my drink and slam the glass onto the table. "Thanks for talking to me Azazel."
"Hold on a minute. Since you're here there is something that you'll want to know. Sirzechs has ordered that Rias's peerage move in with the Red Dragon Emperor."
"All of them?" Azazel nods his head. "I wonder if he's trying to help Issei gain Rias's favor."
"Vali told me briefly about your relationship with her, said I could use it for leverage how I see fit. Thankfully for you, the drama doesn't interest me. You two can figure it out on your own time, but don't let it affect yours or their development."
"I won't, and for the record, my relationship with Rias is none of your damn business." Azazel smirks.
"Of course, it isn't. As I said, so long as everything stays the course with the growth of the Gremory peerage then there will be no issues." I put the book under my arm and make for the exit. "I'll see you soon Y/N, Rias and her peerage still need to hear the news."
"Great." I leave Azazel's apartment and head back to the school, my mind racing as I try to decipher why Sirzechs is putting everyone together. On one hand, it could help their team and develop their relationships with each other, but I find it hard to believe that's all there is to it.
As I enter the old school building the clock on the wall reads one, leaving me a couple of hours before everyone will gather up for their club time. Gasper has slowly integrated into the school, but it seems like he still has much to get used to. Thankfully for him, Koneko has been with him, but in turn, she doesn't seem to want anything to do with me after what I told Kuroka. My feet guide me into the clubroom, but when I arrive I notice Grayfia standing by the window.
"What are you doing here?" She turns to look at me. "Another summon from Sirzechs, or are you here to watch over me again?"
"Neither, I came here of my own volition. I had the time and wanted to come to speak with you." She points to the couches and I sit across from her. "So tell me, what is your relationship with Rias?"
"Lovers, I guess. I'm not sure where it will lead, but that's where it's at currently."
"Do you see a future with her?" I sigh and shake my head.
"I don't know. Even if everything developed to that point, there is only so long before I die. At the rate I'm going I'll be lucky to see 40, and that's a very short time for a devil to be married." I put my head in my hands. "I'm starting to wonder if this was a mistake."
"You love her, don't you?"
"I do. If everything worked out then we could be together for a long time, but I can't see it going like that." Grayfia comes over and sits next to me. "Love is too complicated, I hate it. Things were easier when the only thing on my mind was staying alive."
"Your life isn't the same as it once was Y/N. You're allowed to love someone, even if it won't last long. Enjoy the time that you do get with her, and when it ends, look back on those times fondly." She puts a hand on my shoulder. "Between you and me, I've never seen Rias so worried about anything before you fought Vali. Whatever happens between you and her, just take care of her."
"I will." Grayfia steps away from me.
"I should be going now." She teleports away and I look at the book in front of me. I open the page containing information on the Edo Tensei and look it over once more, but before I can get too far Rias and Akeno enter the clubroom. My hands quickly clap the book shut and I direct my gaze toward them.
"You two are early." Akeno comes and sits next to me. "How was your day?"
"Good." She looks at the book in my hands. "What is that?"
"Something Azazel gave me, you'll understand why soon."
"Sooner than soon Y/N." The three of us see Azazel in Rias's chair. "I'll wait for the rest of the band to gather before I share the wonderful news." Ten minutes go by and everyone arrives. "There we are, now we can get to the good stuff. Sirzechs has asked that I keep an eye on you kids, and since I've decided to give Y/N the position that was formerly held by Vali, I graciously accepted."
"So you're like our new club manager?" Azazel nods at Issei's question.
"Precisely. Considering the three Sacred Gears in this room and my extensive research into the topic, I figured that it only made sense for me to come and assist with growing all of your powers, but more specifically those of Sword Birth, Forbidden Balor View, and the Boosted Gear."
"But wait, there's more." Azazel smirks.
"The last Uchiha is correct. Sirzechs has sent an order down the pipeline to me. He orders that all members of Rias Gremory's peerage move in with Issei Hyoudou, effective immediately."
"What about Y/N?" Akeno asks.
"Y/N is a big boy, he can handle himself just fine." Akeno turns to look at me.
"Are you okay with this?"
"It doesn't matter if I'm okay with it or not. Sirzechs didn't ask me about it because he doesn't care about my input. If he says something I'm in no position to resist it. Besides, you'll be just fine at Issei's. Sure he may be a pervert and you'll have less space than you're hoping, but I'm sure Sirzechs thought ahead on this."
"Y/N is correct," Azazel affirms. "For now all you need to worry about is gathering your things and getting moved. His parents have already been informed and are overjoyed about it."
"They're also not right in the head for allowing it but I guess it isn't much you can do when a devil sinks their claws into you." Azazel sends everyone off and I walk with Akeno to her home.
"Y/N, is there any reason you can't come with me?"
"I think Sirzechs is trying to distance Rias and me." Akeno groans.
"It seems like the only other person who is okay with it is me."
"You are? I thought you would want to talk about it first." Akeno laughs.
"You're all she wants to talk about sometimes. She tells me all about how she wants to take your pain away and give you the life that you didn't get to have, just like me."
"If that was the case she should be dating you."
"I'm not the one that saved her from Riser Phenex, am I?" She opens the door and we head toward her bedroom.
"Akeno, I'll stay here while you're living with Issei. One of us should be here, it's only right."
"That would make me feel much better." We spend a couple of hours getting her stuff together, and once we're done we take her stuff to Issei's house.
"I feel like I'm seeing you off to college."
"Not yet." Akeno puts her arms around me. "I'm going to miss you. Nobody else knows how to do my hair like you."
"I'm sure Rias would be happy to help you with your hair, sis."
"Are you going to be able to make breakfast without me?" I roll my eyes and laugh.
"Akeno, I'm not helpless." I grab her shoulders and lock eyes with her. "I can take care of myself, and you can too. You were doing just fine before I showed up, and it's not like we'll be far from each other. If you ever feel stressed and need to get away from everyone then I'll be home waiting for you."
"When you're not busy having sex in our living room." We both share a laugh and I hold onto her again. "I shouldn't feel like this."
"You just have to be strong Akeno. This moment was always going to happen, just maybe not under these circumstances." She pulls away from me and grabs her bags. "Before you go, there is something I want to tell you. It isn't set in stone yet, and it may not even be possible, but I'm going to get you a present beyond anything you can imagine."
"What is it?"
"In case I can't do it I don't want to tell you yet, just know that whatever you think it is, you're wrong."
"Can you two have your intimate moment some other time?" I look behind me and see Kuroka and Koneko.
"Later sis, see you soon." I put my hands in my pockets and start walking away. When I turn back to look I see Akeno has already entered the Hyoudou residence, and I look up to the sky. "Shuri, Baraqiel, when did she grow up so much?"
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That's the finale for Season 2. I know this part was a lot of talking, but the next one should have some more eventful moments. If you have any suggestions feel free to let me know, and until next time, have a good one.
-Coop