Format clarifications:
"Fuck" = normal speech
'Fuck' or fuck = mental thought or communication with Ddraig
[Fuck] = Ddraig mentally communicating with Issei
"[Fuck]" = Ddraig speaking out loud
o.0.o
"Barakiel. What do you want?"
After having my head stuck halfway through the rocks of rock bottom, I couldn't be made to care. So when Vali asked if I would mind having Barakiel over, I said, "Why the fuck not?"
"Have you forgotten your promise Sekiryuutei"
I close my eyes. Of course the damn crow was here about his precious daughter.
"I've never seen her in so much pain…Not even when her mother was killed…or when she left me"
Barakiel was literally choking up with tears.
"Vali told me about what happened…"
I snapped, "Then you should understand why I wouldn't keep such a ridiculous promise!"
I felt my teeth clench in rage at the idea that I could be held accountable for someone who literally gave jack shit about me.
"And plus, aren't such banal promises only demanded of, I don't know, a daughter's boyfriend?! Something I never was?!"
"[A dragon's word is a promise of ultimate regard. Don't bring shame to our race Issei]"
Oh what terrific fucking timing by my wonderful Partner!
"My promise was to 'take care of her'…I took care of her! She's safe and sound isn't she? She hasn't been vaporized by Loki or blown up by the Khaos Brigade right?! And she's safe from your esteemed peer, Kokabiel, right?"
Even as I spit out bullshit from my mouth (of course I know what he actually meant), my heart creaks as my mind wanders to Akeno. Her smile…her beautiful oppai pressed against me…her af-ffectionate hugs- NO! They weren't genuine! They couldn't be… Rias and Akeno were just playing me, right!?
"…Sekiryuutei-sama*"
My eyes jump out of my head. What the fuck?! Did Barakiel really just use that suffix?!
Barakiel kneels before me, his head bowed in submission.
"I beg you Sekiryuutei-sama, please- please at least hear my daughter out! I will do anything for you to even consider forgiveness! I cannot live while my daughter is in such pain…not again…I will give you anything, whether it be a god's head or eternal servitude. Please…I beg you…"
Akeno-san must really mean the world to Barakiel…to offer himself like this…
[Issei, it wouldn't hurt to listen to what Akeno has to say. You didn't give any of them much of a chance to explain or understand your situation]
Yo-you're right Ddraig…It wouldn't hurt to listen- I need to get over her…and the rest; maybe this will help.
[Issei…]
I took a deep breath, before resting my hands on Barakiel's shoulders.
"Barakiel, don't kneel before me- you haven't done anything wrong... I can't ask of anything from you. I do request that you do not reveal my location to the Devils… or anyone else for that matter," I sigh, removing my hands as Barakiel stands up.
"But I will see your daughter…Not because of a promise, but because I want closure too. I want to know why…why they went so far in their little games."
"Akeno loves you… you may not believe me, but she loves you with all her heart," whispers the fallen angel.
I laugh.
"I'll have Vali handle all the logistics- I'll see her Barakiel, but don't believe it to be for her sake."
o.0.o
"Akeno…"
"WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING!?"
Barakiel inched closer to his daughter, trying to comfort her with a hug.
"DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH H-HE HATES US?! HOW COULD YOU THINK IT'D BE A GOOD IDEA TO ASK IF HE WANTED TO MEET ME?!"
"Akeno, it's not like that, he's agr-"
"YOU'RE CRAZY THINKING HE'D EVER SPEAK TO US AGAIN…!"
Barakiel gritted his teeth in frustration. Perhaps it would have been a better idea to start off with Issei's agreement to the meeting.
When Vali messaged him about the time and place Issei had agreed to, Barakiel was overjoyed. Even if there was only a small chance of reconciliation, it still brought hope to Barakiel's weary heart.
He didn't expect telling his daughter would be the hardest part...
"Issei will meet you alright!"
Although he hated to raise his voice, Barakiel was left with little choice. Luckily, it was effective.
"Fa-father? What did you just say?"
Akeno wiped her tears from her face as her father began to explain.
"I begged the Sekiryuutei to meet you Akeno…and he agreed," Barakiel didn't bother sugarcoating his desperation. Who wasn't desperate at this point? Both Sirzechs and Michael were growing fearful that reconciliation with Issei may no longer be possible. Rumors of offering Issei even a Maou-ship weren't completely off-base.
"He actually agreed?" Akeno was taken aback. She was so sure that Issei hated her with the passion of a raging star…Hope began to fill her heart.
"Yes… meet him here…and remember not to tell anyone of this. Issei made it abundantly clear that he would not come if there was even a chance of others…"
Akeno hated to go behind her master's back, but if it was for Issei…
"Of course father. Thank you…"
o.0.o
A/N: Hey ya'll! I'm back! XD
But in all seriousness, I'm at a crossroad right now… I know for a fact that I want Kuroka to appear in the next chapter, but I don't know to what extent (as in, full blown romantic stuffs + sex or just mindless sex). I probably won't have Kuroka as Issei's long-term partner, but I will (at the very least) use her as a transitional tool in Issei's healing process.
So leave me your thoughts! I haven't set anything into stone yet (hence why this chapter was so short) so everything helps!
*-sama: An honorific reserved for those held in deep respect and seen as a superior. Used for gods as well.