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"We can make it even," the girl suggested, "We just have to see him naked too."
"Yes," Rias perked up at the idea, "You’re right," then looked at him expectantly as though waiting for him to strip then and there.
He sighed and held up his hands in a placating gesture.
"Why are you here?"
Rias frowned when it became clear he was not about to do what she was expecting him to do.
"We are here to thank you for saving members of my peerage, again."
Raynare made a tutting noise.
"You should learn to keep your pets on a tighter leash. It’s not the first time they’ve broken free."
"Yes, you would know," Rias shot back. The ice in her voice was positively freezing, "If anyone, it is you who needs to be chained on a tighter leash," the composed expression returned and along with it a more taciturn tone, "But I don’t need to worry, do I? Arisato-san has kept you under lock and key for some time now. I am sure if you continue to behave he will let you out of your cage once in a while."
The faint sound of teeth grinding was the only sign the Fallen Angel showed that she was affected.
"It is not a cage. I like it here."
Akeno made a show of studying her surroundings. Her eyes were innocent when she turned back to them.
"I am sure we all believe that."
Raynare gripped the sides of her seat. The creak of wood straining was almost painful to hear. He interjected himself into the conversation before it could get worse.
"How are they?"
Rias tore her attention away from the brooding girl. The familiar warmth spread over her face.
"They are fine, thanks to you. They are still somewhat shaken by the experience, but they are recovering. The mere thought of those exorcists attacking my peerage..." the devil shook her head, "I am disappointed in Issei for going on this mission. I am more disappointed that he did not think it important to tell me about it first. I would have helped him, despite my reluctance on the matter. It is my duty as master of this peerage."
"I would say they are just as shaken by the Persona that was summoned," Akeno smiled teasingly at him, "When are you going to stop surprising us, Arisato-kun? Any more like this and you will start giving us heart attacks."
"Uriel," Rias murmured, her eyes narrowing, "An Archangel."
Raynare leapt at the devil’s hesitation.
"Not so warm to him now, are you, now that you know he can call upon angels as well as demons."
Rias gazed calmly at the speaker. Her lips pursed into a small frown.
"I will not lie and say that I am unconcerned. Angels have always been our enemies. Both kinds. The fact that one of such high rank was near my peerage is alarming, even if it was only a Persona," she sighed, "But then I remember he has not harmed any member of my group, even helped them in some ways, and much of my fears are grounded," her cheeks flushed, "I also remember who summoned Uriel, who can control him, and the rest of my fears are also grounded," her eyes darted towards him, almost shyly, "I would like for him to know that I still think of him as he was before and that my feelings haven’t changed."
He was thankful when Akeno spoke up immediately after. It meant he did not have to reply to that particular confession.
"I wonder what the real Uriel will say he learns his counterpart is this whimsical," the girl seemed amused by the thought, "and this vindictive. And they say Heaven is a compassionate and just faction."
"Which is why I warned Issei against cooperating with those two," Rias said in faint disapproval, "Hopefully he has learned his lesson from both the experience and the punishment I have given him."
He recalled that the boy had mentioned something about that, about punishment. These were devils, not demons, but still he could not help but feel a stab of morbid curiosity. The likes of Belial were not exactly subtle when it came to chastising their minions and he knew just how cruel they could be to those that failed them. Nor was he a stranger to harsh punishments in his previous world. The thought of Mitsuru’s executions still made him shudder.
"What he did..." the words came out slowly, almost hesitantly, and he was surprised he was even saying them, "... it was for a good cause. He might have disobeyed your orders, but if he had not helped those two, things could have been worse."
Rias smiled at that. As did Akeno, though her smile was directed towards the one sitting by his side.
"Oh my, Arisato-kun is now standing up for those among our peerage. To think that in such a short amount of time, we would have become so close."
Raynare glowered, but said nothing.
"You are right, Arisato-san, and I have taken that all into account," Rias said gravelly, "Nevertheless, Issei and the others still disobeyed my express orders. They would have to be punished one way or another."
It was not his place to pry, but his inquisitiveness got the better of him. That, and a slight tinge of worry.
"How did you punish them?"
The devil stared at him with an air of solemn gravity.
"I spanked them."
And just like that, all of his fears vanished. Sometimes, he wondered why he bothered.
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