My Girl Ain't the One That I Saw Coming

A High School DxD fanfiction by Yukikaze101

High School DxD is the property of Ishibumi Ichiei and Fujimi Shobo. If I owned it, the Boosted Gear probably would have modeled after a Cosmo Dragoon and Ddraig would be voiced by John Mulaney (because he's so good at sounding longsuffering).

This is an authorized side-story/semi-sequel to Imaginary Guy117's The Geek and the Gamer (not a continuation, as I've been assured that the author intends to pick it back up). (Between Issei x Aika, the Issei x Sona (w/Student Council) fics, and anything featuring Murayama and/or Not-Evil!Raynare, I'm gonna become completely disillusioned with the canon ships...)

Fluff warning. Lemon warning (lots and lots of lemony action). Silliness warning. Author's musical tastes warning.

"So." Issei smiled wryly at Aika, leaning forward across the gap between their desks. "Question."

"I might have an answer," she answered with a smirk, leaning back in her chair.

Issei had gotten to know her well enough to see the hidden warmth in her eyes. He still couldn't help hesitating before blurting the next words. "Would you wanna go out Saturday night? Dinner and a movie?"

Aika blinked. The two of them were a few months into this dating thing, but so far most of their "dates" were mostly hanging out at each other's houses or the arcade, playing video games and getting to know each other. (Not to mention the more physical side of things. They'd taken to that like a fish to water.)

Just thinking of the last time made the heat rise to Aika's face. It took her a moment to realize that Issei was still looking at her, waiting for an answer. "Um. Yeah! Yeah, I'd really like that."

Issei himself had started slipping into a similar reverie while staring at his girlfriend's face. These two really were on the same wavelength. It took her own blurted-out reply to jar him back to awareness, and another minute for her answer to fully process. Finally, he grinned at her. "Great! I think I know just the…"

He trailed off, and turned to look at the impromptu audience that was hanging on their every word. "Seriously?"

Aika snorted. "It must be a slow news day." She rose gracefully from her chair, reaching a hand out to Issei. "Let's take a walk."

He bobbed his head in agreement, rising and taking her hand. The minute they were through the door, babbling broke out.

"She's completely corrupted him!" Motohama cried out, his voice verging on a wail.

"Who's corrupting who?" Katase shot back. Her tone wasn't much calmer. "I'll bet a month's allowance he's convincing her to creep around with him and spy on the swim team!"

"I'm surrounded by idiots," Murayama muttered. If Hyoudou and Kiryuu were genuinely gaga over each other, more power to them. As long as they weren't perving on anyone else, she'd take it. Aloud, she sighed and said, "Wrong season for the swim team, Yui."

"Well, there must be something it's the right season to perv out over, and I bet they know it!" Katase insisted. She whipped around, her eyes spearing Asia. "Asia-san! Hyoudou's pretty much your brother, right? And Kiryuu goes over there almost every night, right? What do they get up to?"

"Yui, calm down," Murayama said placatingly, shaking her head. Her best friend had become almost obsessed with the idea of Hyoudou somehow waiting for her to let her guard down, before returning with a vengeance. At times, Katase almost sounded like she wanted his attention back on her -

- but Murayama Kaori had absolutely no intention of saying so. She liked having her hearing intact, thank you very much.

Asia blinked and stared at Katase. "They just do homework and play video games. Sometimes they watch movies. They're usually in Issei-san's room with the doors closed. Once or twice I… saw them kissing." Her cheeks pinked cutely at the sheer scandalousness of it.

"It's decided, then!" Matsuda declared. "Motohama, it's our responsibility as Ise's friends to follow him and make sure this romantic dinner doesn't sap him of his manhood!"

"Right!" Motohama stood abruptly, assuming what he fondly assumed was a manly and determined pose. (It really wasn't.)

"I'm coming with you," Katase said, out of the blue. "I'm sure they're up to something."

"Katase-san, I just told you," Asia protested. "I've never seen - "

"That just means they're good at concealing it from you, Asia-san," Katase growled.

"What makes you think we want you to come along?" Matsuda protested, shooting Katase an annoyed look.

"What makes you think I'm giving you a choice in the matter?" she retorted. "Unless you want to discuss this outside with me and my shinai - "

"Enough already!" Murayama spat out, her tone loud and sharp. That finally seemed to pierce the other students' self-perpetuating freak-out. "You're all insane. But if you're going to to do this… I'm going with you. I'm curious too." "And I'm going along to make sure none of you do anything stupid" hung in the air, unsaid but clear as crystal.

The other three just nodded slowly, afraid to provoke Murayama further.

"Why does anyone care?" she muttered to herself. "It must be a slow news day…"

"So you four are going on a double date to spy on Hyoudou and Kiryuu?" Kusaka Reya asked curiously, and was nearly pushed backward physically by the force of all four of them turning their yelling on her. Inwardly, she decided Sona would need to know about this. Both the Devil Kings in the school were inexplicably invested in Hyoudou Issei's love life.

Asia decided it was better not to mention the few times she had seen them kiss. Naive or not, she was pretty sure Katase and the others would go even crazier if she knew those kisses had been nowhere near the mouth.

When people saw that the "Perverted Couple" was out of sight, they tended to assume that Issei and Aika were either sneaking around peeping on other people together… or sneaking around having depraved sex together.

They would have been stunned to see the two of them sitting under one of the trees, looking lovey-dovey. Aika snuggled back against him, while Issei's arms wrapped around her and her hands rested on his arms in turn. He idly nuzzled her neck, and she leaned back with her eyes half-closed.

"You smell good today," he murmured lazily, his tone free of lechery. "Spearmint?"

"Yeah. It's new," Aika replied, and craned her head so she could look at him. "About Saturday. I like the idea, but it's a little out of nowhere, y'know?"

"I guess," Issei said, his cheeks turning slightly red. "But… well…" He looked at her. "I really… heh, well, I really like you, Aika-chan."

"I'd never have guessed," she said with good-natured sardony, and reached up to tap his nose playfully. "Feeling's mutual. You should know that by now."

"Maybe I just like hearing it," he said lightly. "But that's why. I like what we've been doing. But - " He shrugged. "I can't really explain why. The idea of couple-y stuff with you sounds… nice. Maybe it's wanting to show off my hot girlfriend." He smirked at her response, a lazy grin. "Maybe it's just the excuse to walk around holding hands with you, or see you in a cute dress…"

"Enough, already," Aika told him, her own face coloring slightly. She knew exactly what he meant. Neither of them was good at verbalizing the desire for mushy stuff. (Even though they were just fine at doing the mushy stuff. Like, right at the current moment. That irony was not lost on her.) Talking around it, addressing it without quite outright saying it, was the best they could do for now. "I'm convinced. Heh, I have some new things I want to show you anyway."

"Mm. Looking forward to - " Issei's head snapped up as he heard a crashing sound, and his eyes closed in exasperation. "Oh, you can't be serious…"

"Let Katase-chan burn off some energy chasing them," Aika advised. "Lunch is almost over, so let's make the most of it…" She reached up, turning his face back towards hers, and brushed her mouth against his, swinging her thighs over his legs and straddling him. He leaned down, drawing the kiss out, and her lips curved upward slightly as she felt him breathe her name against them. His hands snaked underneath the hem of her skirt, roughly cupping her rump and pulling her down against his lap.

She lingered as long as she dared, her hands cupping his face as their tongues danced. The urge to reach down, tug her panties aside, and guide him up into her was dizzying. Finally, she forced herself to her feet, and reached a hand down to him. "C'mon."

Issei groaned softly, shifting his shirt to cover the bulge in his pants, and took her hand, rising slowly. "Now I'll be spending all afternoon with blue balls. Thanks, Aika-chan." There was no real heat in his voice, though.

"You know you love me," she teased. "Besides, I'm no better off."

"I guess I do," he murmured under his breath, not noticing the newest flush of red to her face, or the delighted expression she quickly smoothed away.

"I really don't get why we keep watching them," Koneko said sourly.

"Slow news day, I guess," Kiba answered philosophically, drawing a reluctantly-amused snort from his fellow devil. "But buchou really wants to keep track of what he's up to."

"Yeah, like he's being so hard to keep tabs on," Koneko countered sarcastically. "He's not even doing anything. He's just making out with his girlfriend."

"I know that, and you know that," Kiba said, holding up his hands. "Maybe buchou is still thinking of convincing him to join her peerage. Or, at least, to work with us. He is the Boosted Gear's current holder, after all. He'd be a valuable ally."

"All that dragon seems to want to do is make baby dragons with the meganekko," Koneko snorted. "How reliable an ally is that?"

"Again, all we can do is guess at what buchou has in mind." Kiba cocked his head, thinking, and nodded as Hyoudou and Kiryuu got up to return to class. "I suppose we could ask her…"

"I'd really rather not know if she's actually hot for him," the rook said with a shake of her head.

Kiba started to chuckle at the thought… and stopped as he thought about it.

Hyoudou was the current generation's Red Dragon Emperor. (That alone would probably win him major points with other low-class Devils if he ever accepted an Evil Piece.) The Boosted Gear's other holders, and those with draconic heritage in generally, tended to attract women (or whatever their preferred gender was) with minimal trouble, also.

But there was one more point to consider. Rias Gremory was, by any estimation, the poster child for "attractive, desirable woman." Even Kiba, whose own romantic stirrings tended to be muted, admitted that. And Hyoudou Issei had - politely, true, and not without some regret, but still - shut her down. Admittedly, the rejection was of an Evil Piece and the life of a devil, not directly of her, but only an idiot would expect them not to be associated with each other.

And the motivating factor for the rejection? A nerdy, sleazy meganekko.

It would not surprise Kiba Yuuto in the slightest if that rejection had somehow made Hyoudou even more fascinating in her eyes.

Being the Sekiryuutei and playing hard to get? To someone used to making men dance to her tune, this could be like catnip... or the early signs of hell breaking loose. Rias Gremory was a Devil, after all, and there was the old saying about a scorned woman's fury...

"...yeah. I'd really rather not know, either," he said softly. Hearing a noise behind him, he turned, and raised his eyebrows to see Saji and Momo also trying to conceal themselves. "...what are you two doing?"

"Kaichou wanted us to keep an eye on Hyoudou," Momo said brightly. "Same as you, looks like."

"Is kaichou also hot for Hyoudou?" Koneko asked darkly.

The temperature around them seemed to abruptly drop. Saji was visibly trembling.

"...now, now, I'm pretty sure she's not," Momo said hurriedly. "She just sees Hyoudou as a wild card, so she's worried he'll do something stupid. I'm sure that's all it is. That's all, Gen-chan…" The last sentence was clearly directed at Saji, and seemed to get through to him; the temperature plummet began slowly reversing itself.

"According to Kusaka, they're going on a date Saturday night," Saji said in a calmer tone, and sighed. "So we're probably gonna have to stalk them during that."

Kiba and Koneko exchanged looks. That probably did not bode well for the two of them.

"My parents are gone this weekend, so we can take the party home after the movie," Aika's text had read, and Issei could hear her suggestive tone in his head. That alone was going to make keeping blood north of his neck a challenge tonight.

The follow-up text read: "6 pm. Come pick me up if you want to actually do this date thing by the book." :p 3

And so Issei stood at her front door, tugging at the collar of his new dress shirt. It, and the new suit he was wearing, felt odd. Not bad, just odd. They hadn't been broken in yet. Asia and his mother had been overjoyed at the chance to drag him out shopping for "real date clothes." And his father had loaned him his credit card for the evening. "I don't care if you eat at the fanciest restaurant in town," he'd said, crying tears of joy. "It'll still be cheaper than a lawsuit!"

Honestly, he thought irritatedly. I guess I can't blame them for being happy I'm not perving out like before anymore, but their reactions are pretty screwed up too!

He raked his fingers through his hair nervously. Asia had tried her best to tame it into something resembling presentable, but had ended up surrendering tearfully. "I'm sure it'll be okay," she'd said encouragingly. "Aika-san already likes you with your hair messy anyway, so - oops, sorry, nii-san."

C'mon, what're you freaking about? he asked himself.

That you're somehow going to screw things up now that you're approaching your relationship with the girl conventionally, Ddraig's voice echoed sardonically in his head.

"I know that already," Issei growled. "Can't you at least wish me luck or something?"

Ddraig's voice chuckled. She knows your secrets and hasn't run away screaming yet. That's usually a good sign.

"I guess it's the best I got," Issei said, nodding to himself. It still took him several tries to ring the doorbell.

The door swung open as if Aika had been waiting for the bell. She was waiting for him, her cheeks a faint but fetching shade of pink. Her hair lacked its typical charmingly messy pair of braids; instead, it was drawn back gracefully into a single thick braid resting against the small of her back, and her bangs were neatly combed. She wore a black bolero jacket over a knee-length sheath dress of the same color and black pumps. She had a purple clutch tucked under her left arm.

Issei suddenly found it hard to breathe. His eyes were taking her in, not sure where to start devouring her. Finally, he managed to choke out a "Wow."

Aika chuckled, her cheeks now slightly pinker. "'Wow,' yourself. If I'd known you were gonna look like this, I'd have suggested a dinner out." Her eyes weren't even subtle in the way she ogled him. The charcoal-grey suit, blue Oxford shirt, and red necktie apparently did wonders for him. "You look almost respectable," she teased, drawing him in for a kiss.

The kiss broke his paralysis, and he responded by sweeping her up in his arms, returning the kiss with gusto. When their mouths separated again, he said, "Seriously, Aika-chan. You look amazing."

"Thanks," she said, her cheeks even more flushed now. "Um. Let's go, before we blow that reservation." She reached out, slamming the door shut. She might have done it a little more forcefully than necessary, to deny herself any temptation.

"Yeah," Issei agreed, his face doing a respectable strawberry impersonation. He made a show of clearing his throat, and offered Aika his arm. She took it, and they walked away from her house.

They only paused once en route to the restaurant. "You guys do realize you're not fooling anyone, right?" Aika asked with a shake of the head, and she and Issei continued walking.

-xxxx-

"What the hell is she talking about?!'" Matsuda fumed.

"Just shut up!" Katase growled at him, starting to grab for her shinai before remembering she wasn't actually carrying one.

"Okay, I'll admit, I'm a tiny bit jealous now," Motohama said with obvious reluctance. "Kiryuu is kind of hot when she actually cleans up."

"Hyoudou looks like a totally different person, too," Murayama said thoughtfully. Feeling the eyes of the others on her, she snorted. "I mean he looks like a decent human being. You two could at least try. I mean, come on." She gestured at their sloppy street clothes. "Yui and I at least dressed like we had plans with boys. You jerks look like you're running to the convenience store in the middle of the night!"

"Don't encourage them, Kaori," Katase protested, pausing in mid-bludgeon. "That'll just make it easier for pervs like them to blend in."

"Like hell we will," Motohama declared. "I'm not gonna compromise myself for anyone!"

"I cannot believe the hills you people choose to die on," Murayama groaned, her eyes searching for Kiryuu and Hyoudou again. "Okay, I think they're far enough ahead that they won't notice us."

"Here they come," Kiba said, just a trifle too loudly.

Koneko made a face, and continued to nibble away at the dessert platter.

There were only so many fancy restaurants in Kuoh Town, so it hadn't been difficult to guesstimate where Hyoudou and Kiryuu might decide to go. Silver Moon was the likeliest bet, being fairly respectable yet not (too) unreasonably priced.

The couple in question entered, arm in arm. Wonder of wonders, they were actually dressed up, and looked semi-respectable. Kiba was close enough for his Devil's ears to pick up the conversation, and thus far it was basic small talk, waiting for the maitre d' to conduct them to their table.

"This is gonna be boring," Koneko declared, looking around for the waitress. Once she had returned, she said, "Another dessert platter, please."

"Wait, did you eat all of that?" Kiba wasn't all that surprised, but still. The girls at school would have been green-eyed with envy at Koneko's ability to devour an entire platter of gourmet chocolate desserts without her figure being affected. At least they were here on buchou's yen, but this was shaping up to an expensive night.

-xxxx-

"Thanks," Issei said to the hostess, and held out Aika's chair for her. She grinned at him and sat, reaching up to squeeze his hand.

"Don't think I've ever been here," she commented as he sat down across from her. "Have you?"

"Once, when oyaji's company sprang for a dinner for everyone in his division as a production-target reward," Issei told her. "Think I was 11 or 12 at the time. Seemed like the fanciest place in Kuoh back then." He reached for the glass of ice water on the table, taking a long sip. "You said you grew up in Kyoto, right?"

"In Uji, technically, so pretty much," Aika answered. "We moved here just after I graduated middle school." She took a sip of her own drink. "Tou-chan is a technical writer, so he can work pretty much anywhere, but I guess he lived in Kuoh when he was a kid."

"Makes sense." Issei looked at the menu, and inwardly winced at the prices. Oyaji, you're a life-saver! "Well, whatever you want tonight, it's all good!"

"Generous of you," Aika remarked, then gave him a good-natured smirk. "Your dad let you have his credit card?"

"Yeah," Issei admitted, looking slightly deflated. "Said it was cheaper than a lawsuit." He rolled his eyes. "I get that they're glad I'm cleaning up my act, but come on…"

"Take it as a compliment," Aika told him. "They trust you again now." Her smirk softened into a smile. "C'mon. I know who you are now, and I really like what I see."

"I know you do," he said, letting his own expression relax into a resigned smile. He reached for her hand.

"Wonder what all your eromanga say about holding hands with a girl?" she said teasingly.

"That you're an idiot if you don't," he retorted without heat.

"You're clearly not an idiot, then."

"Clearly."

They exchanged wry smiles as their fingers interlaced.

-xxxx-

"Man, now I'm feeling kinda guilty doing this," Saji commented. "I mean, listen to them. They actually sound kinda sweet..."

"I know," Momo agreed. "Kaichou's insistent that we keep tabs on them, though." She gave him a look. "Which means that we should be acting like we're on a date, too, Gen-chan."

"I know, Momo," Saji sighed. He wasn't unaware of how she felt about him. For that matter, the attraction wasn't unrequited, either. But he still loved kaichou more, and it wouldn't be fair to get Momo's hopes up… right?

But… maybe for the night…

"I know," he repeated, and squeezed her hand too. The way she instantly lit up at that both warmed his heart, and sent a spike of guilt through him.

A commotion at the entrance snagged his attention, and he craned his neck to look. "What the…"

-xxxx-

"Whaddya mean, we're not dressed appropriately for this restaurant?" Matsuda complained. "Do you know how much this Oppai Loli Rumble shirt cost?!" It was a button-down shirt, true, but that was about all that could be said for it. The shirt was made from cheap rayon, and its garish depiction of that franchise's barely pubescent (yet somehow buxom) heroine was hardly in good taste. (Truth be told, Matsuda had been seriously ripped off.)

Katase facepalmed. "I hate you people so much."

The maitre d' eyed Matsuda like he was roadkill. His tone was still polite as he spoke, though. "Again, sir, I apologize. But the Silver Moon has a dress code, and while the ladies meet it, you and the other gentleman don't."

"Matsuda, Matsuda, you need to know how to talk to people," Motohama chided his friend. He approached the maitre d' with a folded ¥1,000 bill held rather obviously in his hand. "Sorry about my friend. Are you sure you can't find us a table?"

The maitre d' regarded Motohama's smug face, then the crumpled bill, then the student's face again. "Yes," he said flatly.

Motohama's face fell, and he gave the maitre d' a disbelieving look. "But you're supposed to accept the bribe. That's how it works in the movies…"

"Seat me and my friend, please," Murayama said hurriedly. She shot a look at Matsuda and Motohama. "You two… find a coffee shop or net cafe or something. We'll tell you when we're done."

As the two boys left, grumbling, the waitress escorting them said apologetically, "I'm sorry about your dates."

"They're not our dates!" Murayama and Katase protested in unison.

-xxxx-

"Idiots," Issei hissed, his face red. "The hell are they thinking…?"

"They're jealous," Aika said with a shrug. "And they're too stupid to realize that they are." She gave him an affectionate look. "How much more proof do you need that you've changed?"

Before Issei could answer, the waitress appeared. "Can I take your orders?"

Issei gestured to Aika, who said, "The baked lemon pepper salmon, please, with the steamed vegetables."

The waitress scribbled her order on the notepad, and looked towards Issei. "And for you?"

"The butter-basted ribeye with mashed potatoes," Issei answered.

"You're letting me snag some of that," Aika piped up as the waitress wrote down his order.

"Split some of that salmon with me, and you have a deal."

"Done."

"I'll be back with your refills shortly," the waitress promised before leaving. Issei and Aika exchanged wry smiles.

-xxxx-

"Actually, that sounds good too," Koneko mused.

"The steak, or the salmon?"

"Yes."

Kiba sighed, thanking the Maou once again that Rias-buchou had loaned them her credit card.

...although that steak did sound tempting...

-xxxx-

"Oh, this salmon is good. Here, Ise - " Aika speared a generous bite, and offered it to Issei. He half-leaned across the table and popped it into his mouth, making an approving sound.

"Dummy," she said with no derision whatsoever. "You were supposed to take the fork."

"I know," he said with a fond smirk.

-xxxx-

"See? They're acting like a normal couple," Murayama commented. "What were you expecting?"

"I dunno," Katase admitted. "Them to be in a corner booth, using their hands…" Her cheeks heated, and she trailed off, waving a hand vaguely in a "you know what I mean" gesture.

"There are no corner booths here," Murayama pointed out.

Katase lapsed into silence, continuing to look suspiciously in their direction.

Murayama sighed and idly traced a finger around the rim of her water glass. Yes, indeed. Hyoudou and Kiryuu were acting just like a normal couple. Flirting, smiling at each other, sharing private jokes. For some reason, that was both a relief and a disappointment.

-xxxx-

"So, you've been keeping me in the dark about the movie," Aika said curiously. They were making short work of their entrees, and the dessert menu was being perused.

Issei took another sip of his Coke. "Well, I came up with two choices. One was - " He named a specific British blockbuster that had only recently come to Japan, and was rumored to only be shown at select cinemas in Tokyo.

Aika raised her eyebrows. "Mm. That has a certain appeal. What's the other one?"

"You know the little theater on the northeast side of town? The one that specializes in art films?"

Aika did know the theater. She also knew the kind of "art films" that tended to be featured there. They might have had higher production values and more complex stories than porn, but they still had plenty of nudity and softcore scenes. In short, the perfect kind of movie to make out to while affecting to be artsy. "Which ones are playing there tonight?"

"Les Anges Exterminateurs and Black Swan," Issei told her.

"Art films it is, then," Aika answered promptly, an evil smile on her face. That smile disappeared as something occurred to her. "...wait, those are R-18. How did you get us tickets?"

"I found the theater's manager a really rare eroge," Issei answered easily.

"It must have been a really rare one," Aika noted with a smirk. "What would you have done if I'd said the blockbuster, instead?"

"...asked you to wait until next week, 'cause that's when the tickets I got us for that are for," Issei told her, turning slightly red.

"When you plan out a date, you go all out," she said admiringly, squeezing his hand. "You really in the mood for dessert?"

"...not here," he admitted, his blush deepening.

"Me either," she agreed. "At the theater. Get the check?"

-xxxx-

"We need these to go, please," Kiba told the server politely. He indicated the remains of his steak, and Koneko's entire second round of entrees and desserts.

-xxxx-

"They're going, Gen-chan," Momo noted regretfully. She started to signal the waiter.

Saji wasn't sure what made him speak up. "Momo, wait." As she gave him a quizzical look, he said quickly, "We know where they're going, right? And if it's a double feature, they'll be there three or four hours… we might as well finish our dinner, right?"

Momo brightened, and Saji suddenly was sure what had made him speak up. He wondered why he didn't feel guiltier about that.

-xxxx-

"Well, they're in a hurry to leave," Katase remarked.

"Their server seems happy. Guess Hyoudou tipped well," Murayama commented. She glanced down at her half-drunken iced tea, and noted that her friend's drink was in similar straits. "I haven't had much to eat today. Ask the Perverted Duo to track them for awhile?"

"I guess," Katase said, and fished out her phone, sending off a text. "You really seem to buy into Hyoudou cleaning up his act, huh?"

"I think he's a horndog who met a girl who's a horndog, and they're keeping each other in check." Murayama shrugged, trying to suppress an inward twinge. "If it keeps him from perving on anyone else, why not give them their space?"

"It's the 'if,' though," Katase insisted. "We don't know that it won't end up going the other way." Her phone pinged, and she glanced at the screen, rolling her eyes. "Idiots. They're demanding food in exchange."

"I'll get them appetizers to go," Murayama answered, rolling her own eyes. "If it'll shut them up."

Katase sent off the text, and glanced at the screen as the reply came back. She let out a disgusted snort. "They're demanding steaks."

"Tell them appetizers, or our shinais up their heads," the brunette sighed. Her gaze drifted back towards Hyoudou and Kiryuu, who were stepping outside after exchanging pleasantries with the maitre d'. She felt a pang of envy. It would be nice to be on an actual date tonight, she mused, instead of this fool's errand.

They didn't have any trouble getting into the theater. The gyaru-ish woman at the box office barely glanced at them, sparing what little attention wasn't focused on her phone for the tickets. She accepted them with a vague but friendly greeting.

Despite catering to an "artsy" crowd, the small theater's concession stand was little different than a normal cinema. Issei and Aika grabbed two large Cokes and some candy. They had little appetite for anything else. Well, anything that was actually food anyway.

They'd been hand-in-hand, their fingers interlaced, since they left the restaurant. They had only broken that to pick up their snacks, and the moment they were seated, their hands were occupied again.

-xxxx-

"What the hell are they doing here?" Matsuda asked in bemusement. "This place only plays foreign artsy-fartsy crap."

"Maybe that's what Kiryuu's into," Motohama said. "Look up the movies."

"No way. You do it."

"Fine." Motohama pulled out his phone and laboriously typed the movie names into Google. Three minutes later, he looked up, grinning. "Dude, it's artsy crap, but it's artsy crap with nude scenes."

"Really?" Matsuda's attitude turned on the proverbial dime. Neither of them were the kind of person to make note of that tendency. "Let's get in there."

-xxxx-

The bored-looking woman at the box office regarded the two boys with scant favor as they approached. "I'm sorry, tonight's films are R-18," she told them irritatedly.

"That's okay," the shaved-headed one said. "We're both 18."

"Your ID, then," she said.

"You don't need to see our ID," he said in what he clearly imagined to be a decisive and manly tone. (It was neither. He reminded her of some of the would-be "bad boys" from her school days. That cut negative ice with her.)

"Um, yeah, I do, or you don't get to see the movie." The woman's tone was sliding quickly towards sarcasm.

"Well, um, we forgot our IDs at home," the one with glasses said, clearly expecting it to work. "But, ah, we're willing to make it worth your while if you can cut us some slack…" With an expectant expression, he held out a hand, clearly trying to slip her a crumpled ¥1,000 bill.

The woman looked at his hand, and then at him. Finally, she said, "Sorry. No sale. Run along before I call the koban."

"Fucking gyaru," the bespectacled one sneered. "Let's wait down the block. Ise and Kiryuu will have to come that way sooner or later." He and the one with the shaved head slunk off.

The woman snorted and shook her head. No way she was letting those idiots into the theater. Especially not to bother Hyoudou-kun and his date. After all, he'd gotten her the perfect gift for her husband's birthday.

She resumed reading The Sound and the Fury.

-xxxx-

Issei and Aika had known from the start was that physical affection was going to play a major role in whatever they became. There was a certain pragmatic value to not going too far, too fast, especially for high school students. But they had no intention of being one of those hyperchaste couples who took six months to start holding hands, and saved open-mouth kisses for the wedding night.

Consequently, his first visit to her home had ended up with them spending a lot of time making out in her room. Her first visit to his home had resulted in their first experiments with mutual masturbation. Their one-month anniversary had been celebrated with a sixty-nine… well, honestly, several sixty-nines.

When it came to actual sex, however, they had only crossed that line recently. The prior weekend, in fact. They'd done a fair amount of planning and research for it, figuring out how to get the most enjoyment and the least discomfort out of the experience, and they'd mostly succeeded. Since then, though, they'd had little time for anything beyond simple affection.

To be blunt, Issei was backed up. He was dead certain that Aika was, too. The first thing he did when they'd sat was start kissing her. The theater was dimly lit, even before the trailers had started, and not particularly full. The other moviegoers present paid them no mind.

"Ise," Aika murmured against his mouth. There was zero objection in her voice. "Wait till the lights are down…"

"Can't," he muttered, pushing up the armrest between them and reaching up to hold her by both shoulders. "You're too sexy. I'm too horny."

"Naughty boy," she whispered with a lilt as she returned the kiss. Instead of looping her arms around his neck like she usually did, she reached down to his lap, caressing him through his suit pants. "I can tell. Did you even jerk off this week…?"

"Nooo…" Issei groaned into her mouth, murmuring her name like a prayer. He dropped one hand to her own lap, gently pushing the hem of her skirt up her thighs. Aika's lips curled upwards against his, and he could feel gooseflesh as he hiked the skirt higher. "Not since I asked you to dinner." That had been Tuesday. By Friday, he'd been nearly out of his mind, and had been relying on Ddraig as a conversational partner to stay sane.

"Poor boy," she murmured again, and this time took the lead with this kiss. Her tongue slipped into his mouth, curling around his own tongue, while her fingers stroked his bulge harder. "I couldn't help myself… thinking about us being alone here was too hot…"

The kiss finally broke long enough to look down, and what he saw made him want to groan again. The panties Aika wore under the skirt were purple silk with black lace trim, and very skimpy. He'd seen enough AVs to determine from the front of the panties that they were a thong. "Oh god, Aika-chan," he said softly, his tone almost worshipful. "Those are so sexy."

"Told you I had some new things I wanted to show you," she reminded him, her tone teasing and no less loving or lustful for that. Her fingers kept stroking him, starting to play with his zipper. "Be a good boy, and I'll model them for you when we go back to my place…" The house lights finally went down fully, and she tugged down his zipper, pulling his cock out of his pants. "Mmm. You're even bigger than usual. Lucky me."

"L-let me… you too…" Issei was having trouble forming sentences now, but he was able to move. He reached down between her thighs, running his fingertips over her silk-covered mound. She was soaking wet. "Can I…?"

"Heh. You'd better." Aika went on the attack again, pressing her mouth to his in another hard kiss. Her fingers were stroking him harder now.

Issei groaned into her mouth again, half-convinced that the handful of other moviegoers were hearing them, even watching them. He didn't particularly care right now. He carefully tugged her panties to one side, easing one finger into her, then two, while gently pressing his thumb against her clit. Her breath hitched, and it was Aika's turn to groan against his mouth.

"You feel great," he whispered, moving his fingers around, continuing to press her clit. She was slick and snug, and oh how he wanted to bury himself inside her. "God, I want you here."

"Too many people," she murmured in reply, her tone telling him that she was close to not caring. "It's a pity. Mmm, what I'd have done for you if we were the only ones here." Her strokes slowed, becoming almost painful in their deliberate motion, and Issei couldn't keep his hips from bucking eagerly against her hand. She drew back from his mouth, her golden eyes mischievous in the darkness. "Do you want to know…?"

"Yes… please…" Issei gasped, trying very hard not to cry out. His fingers kept working her, rubbing her, and he was pleased to see her gulping and struggling for control too.

"I'd have taken these panties off and put them over your face," she said breathlessly. "So you could taste how horny I've been all night." Her fingers sped up slightly, and he did his best to match the motion. "I'd have hiked up this dress and straddled you right here…"

"Aika-chan…" Issei's voice was threatening to turn into a scream now. This was nearly sensory overload.

"I would have ridden you through both movies." Aika's voice was starting to quaver now, her pussy tightening and relaxing around his fingers. "Milked you dry. Not even put the panties back on afterwards, just walked out with your cum dripping out of me, for everyone to see…"

Her lips curled upwards again, her eyes fixed on his. "Showing everyone I'm Hyoudou Issei's woman…" A whimpering, almost mewling note entered her voice as she squirmed around his fingers. "W-wait a sec - " She awkwardly got up on the seat, somehow managing to kneel without dislodging his fingers, and leaned over his thighs. Her breath was suddenly warm against his cock. "Hi there," she whispered, and took his crown into her mouth with a sound of pleasure.

Issei's head lolled back against the headrest, his free hand scrabbling around until it found the back of Aika's head. His fingers curled into her hair, trying not to grip it too tightly. The muffled noises she was making were threatening to undo him already, and he tried to concentrate on what he was doing to her.

He glanced to his side, seeing that her dress had ridden up to her waist, and that those skimpy panties were, indeed, a thong. That was what did him in, his vision suddenly searing white. He gasped her name desperately as he came, pulsing into her mouth. His breathing slowed and he became aware of her own muffled gasps, as she came with an almost painful tightening around his fingers.

The two of them sprawled there like that for a long moment, only distantly comprehending what was happening on the screen. This meant that a scene with several beautiful French women undressing each other went unremarked upon. Issei stroked Aika's hair lovingly, his heart still slowing down.

Finally, Aika sat up, swallowing as she did so. She looked so disheveled right now, dress hiked up and panties shoved to one side, her thighs wet with her cum. Issei didn't think he'd ever looked better to him, and he told her as much with a whisper.

She leaned in and kissed him languidly, and he could still taste himself on her lips. He didn't care. When the kiss broke again, he pulled her close, and she snuggled in. Finally, she spoke again. "Let's go to the movies more often."

Issei couldn't help a grin and a chuckle. "Sure."

-xxxx-

"Can we go now?" Koneko asked, quietly but vehemently. She had been less than pleased about putting the effort into a teleportation spell for something like this.

"I wish," Kiba said, with all sincerity. "But buchou wanted them followed for the entire evening." He made a face as the subjects of their surveillance started getting affectionate. "Ah. Hmm."

"Oh, great. More of - wait. Is she - " Koneko covered her mouth, looking disgusted. "Oh, you're kidding me! She's using her mouth on - "

"Quiet!" Kiba hissed, covering her mouth. Koneko was not happy about that, but did quiet down. Kiba snatched his hand away as quickly as possible; right now, he did not trust Koneko not to bite him in retaliation.

"She's still doing it," the Rook said queasily. "Why?" She made a moue of distaste. "And the way he's touching her… well, she seems to like that, at least, but still…"

"Don't ask me," Kiba answered uncomfortably. Kiryuu didn't seem to be minding it, at least, and Hyoudou sure as hell wasn't objecting. He distantly wondered what it would be like to have someone who'd like to do that kind of thing with him. Honestly, that was starting to occur to him more and more often.

"...maybe he likes it, and she likes making him happy," he murmured.

Koneko snorted at that. "I'll buy the first part. I can't imagine liking someone enough to do that for them, though."

The two of them watched with what they could only describe as queasy fascination as Hyoudou and Kiryuu brought each other to orgasm, and then slumped against each other.

-xxxx-

"I didn't know you could use other Devils as a conduit for a scrying spell," Saji said admiringly.

"It's something I came up with after some experimentation," Momo replied, her cheeks slightly red. "It doesn't always work right, though."

"Well, I think it's impressive," Saji said, and he meant it. Why hadn't he ever thought to ask Momo about this kind of thing before? Why was it coming so easy tonight? "We don't even have to try to get into the movie, unlike Kiba and Toujou."

"Their sacrifice will be remembered," Momo said with a touch of sardony, and Saji had to laugh at that. He raised his coffee to her, and she dimpled, clinking her cup against his.

After a few minutes of companionable silence, he said, "I think I almost owe Hyoudou and Kiryuu some thanks. This has been the most fun I've had in weeks."

Momo turned even pinker. "M-me too, Gen-chan." After another couple of minutes, in a silence that had gotten rather awkward, she asked, "...you know, they might go on another date. And kaichou might task us to follow them again. We should do this again, so we look more natural at it."

"...you know, I think you're right," Saji agreed, his own cheeks pink now. This would be the perfect opportunity to make sure that what he was starting to feel was the real deal. "How about next Sunday? The amusement park?"

Her face lit up, and Saji had to remind himself to breathe. "That would be perfect."

Aika's phone was connected to a Bluetooth speaker, and was playing one of her favorite playlists. No one else at school would have believed she had one of love songs, by both Japanese and foreign artists.

The fact that the first song on the playlist had been Bryan Ferry's "Slave to Love" would have cemented their reputation as the Perverted Couple. At least, until anyone had bothered reading the lyrics...

The one currently playing as she and Issei slow-danced in her living room was from the 90s, and was by a British band. But damned if this song didn't sum up her feelings as Issei cradled her lovingly. She murmured the lyrics to the chorus as they moved around the living room, and she clung to him:

And it's you and me in the summertime

We'll be hand-in-hand, down in the park

With a squeeze, and a sigh, and that twinkle in your eye

And all the sunshine banishes the dark

And it's you I need in the summertime

As I turn my white skin red

Two peas in the same pod, yes we are

Or have I read too much fiction?

Is this how it happens…?

"Yeah. Yeah, it is," Issei mumbled in reply, kissing the top of her head. She smiled slightly, nestling closer to him.

Her breath hitched slightly as she felt his left hand sliding slowly downward, lingering at the small of her back before gently cupping her rump.

The interlude in the theater aside, it was strange how chary they were with physical affection tonight. At least, beyond the lovey-dovey stuff. It was almost as if there was a spell hanging over them that they were reluctant to dispel.

Maybe Issei was feeling ready. (Well, from the way he'd been pressing against her thighs since they'd started dancing, she knew part of him certainly was.) And maybe she was, too. Her mouth found his collarbone, at first just tickling it with her breath, then feather-kissing along it.

The next song in the playlist clicked on, this one an American R&B song about the passion for one's lover, and willingness to make love at any time, in any place. As the singer described a passionate encounter in the middle of a dance floor, Issei hiked her dress's hem ever higher, his fingers wandering deliberately across the scanty material of Aika's silken thong. "Aika-chan," he breathed in her ear. "Aika…" He left off the endearment this time, his lips ghosting along her ear, as he ground meaningfully against her thighs. "Need you now…"

"Me too," she murmured back, her fingers curling into his shirt. Her heart pounded like a drum in her ears, and her panties felt uncomfortably wet. She was ready to slip them off, and replace them with Issei's warmth.

Issei removed his hands for a moment, long enough to shrug off his jacket, and then reached up to her dress's zipper, drawing it down slowly. His mouth kept nibbling along her collarbone as he started working her dress down her shoulders.

"Mmmph," Aika said eloquently, the slightly cooler air hitting her skin and puckering it with gooseflesh. She let go of his shirt long enough for him to work the dress down to her waist. It puddled around her ankles, and she sucked in a sharp breath as he guided her back towards the couch, his mouth finding hers again. As their tongues danced, he gently pushed her down onto the couch, and resumed kissing his way down her body.

"Ise…" Aika moaned, her eyes half-lidding as the sensations rocked her. She squirmed as he paused at her breasts, gently pushing her bra up over them and exposing her nipples.

"You're so damned gorgeous, Aika," he said hoarsely, before his lips closed around her left nipple. One hand came up to cup her right breast, flicking its nipple with his fingertips. His other one reached carefully between her legs, caressing her through the flimsy material of her panties. "I can't keep my hands off you…" He pressed harder through the already-wet silk, partially working one finger into her through the panties.

Aika's moans gained in volume. "Ooh… mmm, Ise…" Her fingers curled into his hair, her heart thudding like a thunderstorm, and she gasped for breath. "...love you…" she whispered, almost too softly for him to hear.

Issei looked up at her, his own face flushed, and his lips curled up in a smile that made her heart skip for a different reason. "I love you, too, Aika." As he said that, he pressed his thumb harder against her clit.

Aika trembled, letting out a loud moan. Close… that was close, she thought. It took her a moment to realize that his fingers had drawn back. Instead, he started kissing his way down her body. He looked up at her with a smirk, and buried his face between her thighs. He wasn't even bothering to push her panties aside yet, and the combined pressure of the wet silk and his mouth - oh god, he's sucking on my clit through the panties - she was trembling, her entire body heating up.

Issei let out a soft chuckle, making her want to strangle him and fuck him at the same time. His kisses began to work their way outward, towards her thighs, leaving light red marks as he went. As he did this, his free hand was lightly caressing around her mound, teasing along but never quite touching her clit or her core.

I love him so much, she thought distractedly. I'm gonna have to drive him this crazy when I can move again. The rest of her was squirming, and her hands were scrabbling for the couch cushions, or something to hang onto.

Finally, Issei kissed and licked his way back to her core… and bypassed it entirely. Instead, he nibbled his way up to her waist, carefully taking the tiny waistband of Aika's panties in his teeth, and started tugging them downward. His breath was hot against her exposed skin, and she could faintly hear his ragged breathing. It was clear he was just as worked up as she was, possibly on the verge of coming in his pants, and the thought both warmed her and added fuel to her fire.

Issei didn't stop tugging downward until the silk panties were around her left ankle. Without preamble, he dove back between her thighs, his kisses and licks starting at her mound's periphery and slowly working their way inward. Aika began to whimper and shudder, despite attempts to keep her mouth locked shut, and one hand found Issei's head, her fingers curling tightly into his hair. Too tight, as his licking paused for a moment and she heard a grunt of pain. With difficulty, she forced her fingers to loosen, and his mouth continued.

"Fuuuck…" she groaned. "Ise…" He'd always managed to make her come with his mouth before, but that was as much from persistence and eagerness as it was native talent. My boy's been studying…

Issei finally (Finally! she thought, her mind muddled with pleasure) reached her core. He began taking long, slow licks, each one working its from the base all the way up to her clit, over and over. Aika's head had already been swimming, but now she felt like her brain was immersed in liquid, concentrated pleasure. She felt like it would just take one gentle push -

And, as if he'd read her mind, Issei quickly licked his lips, took her clit between them, and started sucking.

Aika arched her back and nearly screamed as she came. Her vision went a searing white for a long moment, blood rushing in her ears, as she tightened almost painfully. She curled her fingers into Issei's hair again, this time with nearly enough force to tear his hair out. As her vision and heart rate returned to normal, she slumped bonelessly against the couch, panting. The fingers entangled into her lover's hair finally relaxed, the brown locks slipping between them.

Issei poked his head up. For a wonder, his full head of hair was still there, if considerably more mussed up than usual. His mouth and chin were still glistening with her juices. He grinned at her, his eyes warm and his pants tented outward in a fashion that even Aika thought had to be painful. "Guess you liked that, huh?"

Aika grabbed his tie and pulled him down to her, kissing him hard enough for their teeth to clatter against each other. The action knocked her glasses askew, and their mouths would probably be slightly bruised the next morning. That was the least of her concerns now. "Get those pants off and fuck me," she told Issei hoarsely when she finally released him.

"You got it," he said eagerly, yanking his tie free and managing to squirm out of his shirt without popping off any buttons. Aika wriggled fully onto the couch and parted her legs, backing herself up so a throw pillow was snuggled against her lower back. She ogled him as he stripped, idly touching her clit; she was still sensitive, but she was also ready, and past ready, for him. Her mouth curled into a huge grin as he finally gave up wriggling out of his pants and settled for pushing them to his knees. She never got tired of seeing her Ise, fully erect and ready for her.

Issei climbed carefully onto the couch, kneeling between her legs. His thick cock pressed against her, eager to push up into her. He leaned over her, looking intently into her eyes. "Ready?" he asked softly.

Aika nodded, craning her neck so that she could kiss him. As their lips met, Issei slid carefully into her, filling her in a single smooth stroke. She gasped against his lips as he did so, and the gasp turned into a moan as he began moving inside her. "Ise," she whimpered as his movements began to speed up. Her legs wrapped around his, as she matched the bucking of her hips to his.

Issei buried his face in her neck, and she could feel him groaning her name over and over again. Her blowjob in the theater seemed to have done little to take his edge off, and his thrusts were hard and fast. That suited Aika; for all the force of her minutes-ago orgasm, it hadn't really taken her edge off, either. She dug her nails into his back and kept meeting his hips with hers, whispering his name like a prayer.

It didn't take them long at all. The way Aika was lying against the pillow, and the angle of Issei's thrusts, meant that each thrust rubbed her clit. (The fact that both of them were young, horny, and in love may have also played a factor.) Effectively, they came at the same time, as he gave one last frantic thrust into her. She clung to him as he pulsed inside her, riding her crest gently back down.

A long moment later, he pushed himself up, looked down at her, and leaned in for a kiss. She returned it languidly, sucking in a sharp breath as he withdrew from her. The edge was definitely gone. Her desire wasn't, however, and from the way he was still mostly hard, neither was his...

"Upstairs?" he asked.

"Upstairs," she confirmed. "You'd better carry me though." She smirked good-naturedly at him. "You weren't exactly gentle, Ise."

"Sorry about that," he said with a sheepish grin. "You've been so sexy tonight…"

Aika colored slightly at the last part. Even after as lewd as they'd just been, his open and earnest affection warmed her in a way mere body heat couldn't. "I'll forgive you. But you still have to carry me."

"Okay!" And Issei swept her up in a bridal carry. Aika blinked, her cheeks reddening further, and not just from the recent exertion. The thought of this happening in a different context flashed through her mind. Her in a white dress, him in a tuxedo…

"Just watch my head as we're going upstairs," she said softly.

-xxxx-

"I mean it! No peeking, not this time!" Issei and Aika had never been shy about changing or undressing in front of each other, for obvious reasons. But, this once, she wanted to surprise him.

"Okay already, I'm keeping my eyes closed…" Issei sat cross-legged on her bed, eyes closed. His suit pants were puddled on the floor, and he was back at full mast, a state of affairs that made Aika squirm eagerly.

She finished putting the ensemble on, and eyed herself critically in the mirror. Wow. Even she thought she looked good. Issei would eat her alive, she thought eagerly.

She turned back towards her boyfriend. "Okay, Ise. You can look now."

Issei opened his eyes, and stared. His cock twitched, and she was half-certain he'd somehow gotten even harder. "Ohmigod," he said softly, his eyes devouring her.

Aika was wearing a lavender plunge-front satin babydoll with lace trim, and a matching G-string. Her cheeks were flushed again, from a combination of arousal and uncharacteristic diffidence. "I take it that you like it," she said softly, idly scratching her cheek..

"You're fucking perfect, Aika," he blurted out, and his cock twitched again.

"Good," she replied with a slow smile, and approached the bed. Issei was sitting near the edge of it, and she gently shoved him backwards, climbing onto his lap. "Let me show you what I wanted to do in the theater…" She lifted the babydoll's hem enough so that he could get a good look at her panties, and how wet they were already, both from arousal and their mingled cum from a few minutes before.

Issei stared, entranced, until she turned his face back up hers and kissed him. At the same time, she tugged the panties aside and lowered herself onto him, swallowing his groan of relief. As they rocked against each other, she wrapped her arms around him, digging her nails into his back. "That's it," she murmured against his mouth, rolling her hips. "Just what I wanted…"

"M-me too," Issei moaned, finally breaking the kiss to start nibbling on her neck. Aika started to tense and relax around him faster, and he rocked faster into her, matching her rhythm. Even if they lacked the frantic, must-get-off-now urgency of a few minutes ago, they was still plenty eager. She felt the pressure building again, albeit slower, and smiled into his hair. This was what she'd been aching for all night: Issei's arms around her as he moved inside her.

"Aika," Issei whispered, his teeth grazing the pale skin of her neck. "This is… you're amazing…"

"Not so bad yourself, Ise," she replied, leaning down slightly so she could kiss his ear, and she gasped at how that made his hips buck faster. "This is what I've been needing. What I'm always needing…" She let out a sound of pleased surprise as he suddenly pushed her back onto the mattress, and stared up at him.

Issei's eyes were roiling with love and lust, and he kissed her again as he shifted slightly. As before, from this position, he was keeping constant pressure on her clit as he moved inside her, and Aika gasped into his mouth again as their bodies rocked together.

They gradually built to the crest this time. Aika felt like she was melting in a warm pool of pleasure, and Issei's soft grunts suggested the same for him. It was almost a surprise when the moment was upon them: Aika's only warning was Issei's sudden hoarse gasp at her abrupt tightening. This time, she went over the brink first, pulling him with her, and as her heart slowed to normal, she slumped against bed, Issei's body sprawling atop her.

She was vaguely aware of something wet and sticky on her fingernails, and noted absently that she should probably kiss his back better later. What was of greater interest to her was the way he was still pulsing inside her, filling her with his cum. She smiled slightly, glad she had convinced her mother to put her on the pill.

Finally, Issei slumped in completion, rolling off of Aika. He kept one arm around her, turning himself so he was face to face with her. He was smiling, a charming combination of smug, silly, and affectionate. "Wow," he said.

"Ehh, it was pretty good," she replied, affecting nonchalance. She managed to hold it for almost a full minute before snickering at him trying not to look crestfallen, and bumped her forehead against his. "Yeah. Wow. Although I'm gonna need awhile before we try anything else."

Issei relaxed, pulling her close, and she savored the warmth of his body. "Sure. Me too."

-xxxx-

There was silence in the ORC clubhouse as the noises died down from the scrying circle. Kiba and Koneko exchanged looks.

Kiba was the first to speak. He was shifting uncomfortably in his chair. "I don't think we should do this again. This is just… it's too personal. I'm starting to feel guilty listening in."

Koneko nodded. She didn't look any more at ease than the Knight was. "Even leaving the ecchi stuff out. Feels like we're seeing something that's not meant for us."

Akeno was silent, her expression unreadable.

"I guess so," Rias said. Her face was as red as her hair, and it was as much from arousal as embarrassment. "Go ahead and head on home."

Once they were gone, Akeno said, "You're not going to erase that recording, are you." It wasn't even a question.

"Probably not," Rias admitted.

"Good." Akeno headed towards the door, and paused. "If I can get a copy of that…"

"Tomorrow, Akeno," Rias said softly. As her Queen nodded and left, she reset the circle to replay from the beginning.

She agreed with everything Kiba and Koneko said. She really did.

That didn't mean she could actually tear her eyes away…

"What time is it?" Issei wasn't sure how long they'd been lying down together. He wasn't completely sure he hadn't nodded off.

"Hang on…" Aika craned her neck to look at her bedside clock. "2:35." She cocked her head. "I guess you'd better head home, huh?"

"I sure don't want to," he insisted. "If I could stay over…"

"I know you would," she told him, and sat up, sliding out of his arms. "Go ahead and get dressed. I'll walk you to the door." She gave him a slight smile, to reassure him that she wasn't angry.

Issei stood and pulled on his pants, watching Aika as she put on her nightclothes. When she was done, she was wearing purple bikini panties and one of his favorite T-shirts, and her hair was back in its usual messy-cute braids.

As sexy and gorgeous as she'd been tonight, this was how he thought of her, how she looked best to him. This was the Kiryuu Aika he'd fallen for like an avalanche.

"What?" she asked as she turned to look at him.

"Just… you look good, whatever you're wearing, however you're wearing your hair." He shrugged, feeling embarrassed. There was something he was trying to tell her, and even now he couldn't find the words.

"I'm glad you think so." Her expression was one of good-natured sardony, but the warmth behind her eyes told him that she somehow caught the gist of it.

As they walked down the stairs, she said, "Hey, how would you feel about taking a trip during summer break?"

"A trip?" he repeated, looking sideways at her.

"Kyoto," she told him. "I was thinking of going back for a couple days. I'd like to show you around." As they reached the first floor, he darted into the living room to retrieve the clothes he'd scattered there. He felt her eyes on him as he dressed.

"That sounds great," he said as he finished buttoning his shirt. No point in tucking it in or putting the tie on. The jacket would be warm enough. "I think I can get permission."

"Good. I have people I want to show you off to," she said with a smile. As he entered the foyer, she straightened his lapels. "Feel like I should be tying your tie for you, too."

"I'd like that sometime," he said absently, and then his cheeks heated again. That almost sounded like an indirect proposal… not that he found the thought unpleasant.

If Aika noticed Issei's sudden embarrassment, she didn't say anything. Instead, she hugged him tightly, and then leaned in to kiss him.

"I love you," he whispered, kissing her one last time.

And another last time.

Okay, just one more last time.

"I love you too, Ise," Aika said, her tone affectionately teasing. "Get out of here. Come back in the afternoon. We both need sleep."

"You got it," he agreed, leaning in for one last kiss.

She rolled her eyes, but relented, swiping her tongue against his lips afterwards. She then pushed him through the door and closed it before he could stretch it out longer.

He stood there, looking at the door, for a long moment, before chuckling to himself and striding back down the walkway. He paused as he reached the street, looking again at the house. "I think I'm gonna marry that girl," he said aloud. Not too loudly, but aloud. It wasn't like there was -

"YOU WHAT?!"

He whirled to stare at his friends, still accompanied by Katase and Murayama, staring at him. From the leaves adhering to their coats, they had to have been waiting in the bushes for hours.

"It's three in the fucking morning!" he said, voice thick with disbelief and exasperation. "What are you still doing here?!"

"Listening to you!" Motohama announced triumphantly, holding up his phone.

Issei stared blankly at it, then abruptly turned red. "You - how?!"

"Remember that meido mobile game I gave you months ago?"

"..." Issei just stared at him, then shook his head slowly. "I am too tired for this."

"I can't believe you're up to that… that kind of stuff!" Katase sputtered.

"...sex with my girlfriend," Issei said slowly. "That's not involving perving on anyone else. That's what you can't wrap your head around, Katase?"

"Yes! I mean, no! You know what I mean!"

"Yeah!" Motohama and Matsuda chorused. "How dare you get laid before we do? Especially after listening to that foreign crap…"

Issei opened his mouth to respond, paused, and just shook his head. He shifted his gaze to Murayama. "Murayama, you have my permission to smack these idiots around. Anything to let me get home before dawn."

"Um, okay," Murayama said slowly. "Ah, good night, Hyoudou." Was it his imagination, or was she actually blushing? "I'm glad you and Kiryuu had a good night."

"Um, thanks. Me too. G'night, Murayama." Issei let his body go on autopilot, working the well-worn path back to his house. It felt like there was something there he really needed to untangle, but he was too tired, and his mind too full of Aika, to know where to start.

I believe this outing went well, Ddraig mused, and Issei nearly jumped out of his skin to hear the ancient dragon's voice after so long. Certainly, you and the girl suit each other well. She'll be a fine mate for you, partner.

"Yeah…" Issei didn't disagree, not at all. In fact, the thought brought a silly, giddy smile to his face. It was probably naive, and immature, and stupid… but he absolutely meant it anyway.

I'm gonna marry Kiryuu Aika. Anyone who doesn't like it can get fucked.

-xxxx-

Aika leaned back against the door, sinking slowly to the ground. A silly, giddy smile was spread across her lips, and she touched them gingerly.

"I'm gonna marry that boy," she said softly to the empty house. "Anyone who doesn't like it can get fucked."

OMAKE 1:

Aika stood up, and let out a sigh. Before she could go to bed, she had to call her aunt.

She summoned a magical circle, one inscribed with Shinto symbology. It floated in the air, turning lazily until "the other end" picked up. A woman's voice said, "Aika-chan?"

"Sorry it's so late, Yasaka-obasama," Aika said. She let her fox ears and tails emerge; it was only polite, when speaking with her relative and ruler. "I wanted to report on the progression of my relationship with Hyoudou Issei-kun." His face flickered through her mind, bringing both warmth and guilt to her heart.

"That's all right, Aika-chan." Yasaka's figure hovered above the floating magical circle like a hologram. It was a sign of her trust in Aika that she appeared in her preferred nightwear; it would have affected the dignity of the Kyoto Faction's leader if it were known that she liked sleeping in old sweatshorts and an oversized Hanshin Tigers jersey. "How are things going?"

"Well. Very well. We had a date tonight, and it went very well…" Aika cleared her throat, shaking her head hard. She was repeating herself. "I believe he'll be open to negotiation within two months. Perhaps less."

"Aika-chan - "

"I'm going to marry him, oba-sama," she blurted out. She knew that her aunt knew exactly how she felt for Issei, even approved in her own way. That didn't stop her from feeling guilty. At some level, she was just as guilty as the Devils for trying to shape Issei's loyalties.

"I know you are, Aika-chan." Yasaka said this gently, reassuringly. "I have no doubts about your feelings for him, or your desire to see him safe. Surely you see that his recruitment into the Kyoto Faction is the best solution for everyone."

"I know. I do see that," Aika said softly. "But I feel like I'm little better than the Devils, sometimes. At least they're being up-front about wanting him, and why."

"Give yourself some credit, Aika-chan." Yasaka's voice was still gentle, but had taken on a note of firmness. "I do. Rest assured, we'll ensure his security as quickly as we can once you've brought him to Kyoto. Do you still think you'll be able to do so during summer break?"

"If you can help make sure we have a private room somewhere, yes," Aika said, some of her natural aplomb reasserting itself. "...and a priest, please."

"It will be arranged. I'll talk to you next time you report in. Do go easier on yourself, Aika-chan." The communications circle winked out, taking Yasaka's hologram with it.

Aika nodded to herself, and began climbing the stairs towards her bed. She already knew it would be cold without Issei.

OMAKE 2:

Aika had just started to stroke Issei when the doorbell rang. "You've got to be kidding me," she muttered.

"I-ignore it," Issei said softly, trying not to whimper.

The doorbell rang again, and this time it was accompanied by a fist thumping on the front door.

Aika groaned, and looked up at Issei. "I'm sorry. I should probably go check…"

He sighed and nodded, trying to tuck himself back into his jeans. As they walked towards the foyer, the knocking became louder, now accompanied by, of all people, Murayama's voice. "Kiryuu! Hyoudou! I know you're in there!"

Aika looked disbelievingly at the door. "...what."

"Just get her on her way," Issei hissed, hunched over even more now.

"Are you even harder now? Just from hearing her voice?" Aika couldn't help feeling amused at that.

"Not when she's yelling that shrilly!" he shot back.

"I can hear you two! Let me in!"

Aika groaned loudly. The first quiet afternoon they'd had in… well, all right, they'd had the entire weekend together, but still! "Hold on," she called out, and unlocked the door, opening it. "What do you want, Murayama-chan?"

Murayama's response was to give Aika a searing kiss, one that made her stumble backwards into the house. While the bespectacled girl was recovering, the kendoka stepped into the house and grabbed Issei by the shirt collar, giving him an equally passionate kiss.

"I can't hold back anymore," she said as she finally broke the kiss. Her face was cherry-red, and her voice almost hoarse. "What you two have together… I want in on it. All I can do is think about it…" She grabbed both their hands, squeezing them almost painfully.

Issei and Aika exchanged a long look. Finally, Issei smiled slightly, and Aika did as well. She leaned in, giving Murayama a long, slow kiss. At the same time, Issei embraced her from behind, burying his face in her neck as he ground slowly against her backside.

As she finally broke the kiss, her cheeks flushed, Aika asked, "Better?"

"Yes." Murayama looked like she was about to start weeping from relief. She then craned her neck so that Issei could capture her lips, while Aika began nibbling on her collarbone. "Oh yes…"

"Let's take this upstairs," Issei said hoarsely. "We'll be more comfortable on Aika-chan's bed."

"Oh yeah." Aika's lips smiled against Murayama's neck. "We'll let you watch first, and then go from there, okay, Murayama-chan?"

"Kaori." The kendoka gulped, but spoke clearly and firmly. "Please. Both of you. Call me Kaori."

Notes:

I really should stress that this is not me taking over the series. This is an authorized sidestory, at best a midquel between what the author has already done and what he plans on writing when he resumes. The omake are just that: extra. (Although, if I were taking over the series, the first omake would be canon. The second one is just smut for its own sake.)

I know that Murayama and Katase don't have official given names, but I've seen Kaori and Yui used quite a bit lately (presumably based upon the first names of their respective seiyuu). They seem as good a choice as any (and Murayama really does look like a Kaori).

The fic's title comes from John Mayer and Katy Perry's "Who You Love." Interestingly, Ms. Perry's verse could very well describe Aika's feelings for Issei:

"My boy, he ain't the one that I saw coming
And some have said his heart's too hard to hold
And it takes a little time
But you should see him when he shines
Cause you never wanna let that feeling go…"

The specifically-referenced songs on Aika's love-song playlist are "Summertime" by the Sundays, and "Any Time, Any Place" by Janet Jackson. I like to imagine she has some Sade and Spellbound-era Paula Abdul in there too.