Author's note:

This sort of happened. I blame Dadlop3 and AngryOwl for this. I posted the idea as a shitpost in discord, and they kept egging me on until I actually wrote it.

If you want to join me on discord, the code is tfUNmUP. It is a community for writers and readers alike - everyone is welcome!

This fic isn't meant to be taken seriously. It takes a while for the tone shift, but it happens. This also doesn't contain the usual amount of polish I put into my content. That doesn't absolve me of criticism, but consider it a warning.

This is a 'harem' fic, but not really. I'll let you determine what you want that to mean.

Hopefully, you'll enjoy it!

'Soon Michael, the world will change. Whether it burns in fire or it bathes in light, that is a decision which no longer lies with me.

It now lies with you.'

Michael stared out past the holy gates, past Jacob's ladder, and looked down at the world below. He knew they were coming: the winds of change would soon sweep through, and he knew the world would never be the same.

But his father's words were now wrong, the fate of the world no longer rested on his shoulders. His eyes focused on the single man - no, boy - who now carried that responsibility, that burden.

The champion that carried the fate of the world: Naruto Uzumaki.

'This will be the final sacred gear, and it will be the one that will save this world or condemn it. I trust you Michael. I trust you to choose a champion that will bring peace to this world.

I trust you to choose a champion that is worthy of it - worthy of my heart.'

He'd never known a god to age, but his father sounded so tired and frail during those final words. He remembered it all: the meeting that he alone had been called for, the final words of the man that he loved more than any other -

- the sound that his chest had made when it had exploded, his hand ripping out his own heart out.

Michael gagged, bile rushing in his throat. Even now, so many years later, the memory haunted him. Every time Michael closed his eyes he saw his father, blood pooling down his chin as he held the still-beating muscle in an outstretched hand.

'Take it Michael, and with it, save the world. You're the only one who can.'

Never in his life had he taken any words so seriously.

So he searched, tracked, and found the most impressive human who'd ever lived - across any dimension. He was a boy with a heart so pure that he should've been born an angel. So instead, Michael had played his cards right and brought the child here - reborn - gifted with one of a god.

Blinking, he heard the wind pick up in the distance. Yes, the winds of change now blew, and he was sure that the world below would feel it soon enough.

He could already feel its warm grasp.

Turning away from the gates, he walked upon streets of gold. The winds of spring would heat the rest of the world, just as they heated him now. His faith was firmly placed with Naruto Uzumaki.

After all, there was no faith in the world stronger than that of the angels.

Naruto Uzumaki hated how dark the night was.

Even with the street lights on, he always caught himself stumbling over something or another. The shoes that he wore never felt natural. No matter how many different pairs he tried, he was never happy, and the lack of light made him a stumbling mess.

Falling over another stone, he grunted and cursed. "Dammit, where the hell am I?"

He knew no one would hear him. This trail was one he walked alone, but even so, shouting always helped cool his burning blood. He crouched low and stared upwards.

The heavens called to him now just as they always did.

He wasn't sure if he just enjoyed the beauty of the midnight-sky - the stars and moon shining in their luster, in their glow, in their brilliance - or if there was something else there that reached out to him, called on him, screamed for him to notice. No matter the time of day, no matter the rain or sleet or snow, he could hear it whisper his name and call him forward.

'Naruto, go forward.'

Yeah! Just like that. He froze and looked at the trees that surrounded his midnight trail.

No, the voice didn't reach out like that.

His head snapped back and forth. Who said that? Who spoke to him?

He was alone right now; he'd been alone all night on his walk home. No one was here, and no one had ever been here beside him.

His heart thrummed in his chest. There was only one explanation, one conclusion that he could draw. His head turned back towards the rocky trail of the night, but everything was so much darker now. It was as if the shadows ate at the light, consumed it, and removed it from his sight.

This place… It was haunted.

A shudder wracked his frame, and goosebumps cropped up along his arms. If there was one thing that Naruto Uzumaki hated more than the dark, it was the creatures that it carried.

The evil and cursed spectres of the afterlife were terrifying!

He turned, eyes frantic, breath heavy. Something brushed against the back of his neck! Oh god, something brushed up against him!

He didn't think; he didn't stay - he ran.

He pushed forward, breaking through the brush, the trees and shrubs biting into his skin while he ran; he pushed onward, body aching and heart pounding, before he suddenly became weightless.

His face came forward and he ate dirt.

Yeah, he really needed some new shoes.

Standing, Naruto rubbed his forehead and brushed the dust and dirt off of his uniform, hoping that there was no permanent damage. After all, he couldn't afford to replace it. He was about to move when something stopped him.

A bright flash of light tore through the treeline, and a blood-curdling scream followed.

Naruto's mouth turned to ash. His knees knocked, his hands trembled. What was that? What happened?

A small part of him - one that told him to turn and run, one that yelled at him as he moved forward, one that screamed in protest when he started to sprint - rolled in on itself, silenced, ignored. His feet, uncomfortable and aching, tore at the dirt underneath like a dog on the hunt.

The light grew and grew and grew - the densely packed trees combed outwards, and a clearing revealed itself. It was as if the small, narrow world expanded. When his eyes adjusted, he saw something that made his hot and fiery and boiling blood run cold.

A student from his class, one that he knew, crumpled to the ground, blood erupting from his corpse.

Issei Hyoudou was dead.

Naruto's breath hitched, his throat dry. A woman - no a demon - stood over him, black wings protruding from her back. She pulled a hand up to her face and laughed, the sound - cruel and inhumane - echoed and carried.

It was the middle of spring, yet he had never felt so cold, so frigid.

"Sorry, your existence poses a threat to us," that creature said, looking down at its nails. "So we took the initiative and moved in for the kill."

It glanced up from its hand, the corner of its mouth turning upwards. "If you want to blame someone, blame God for for putting that Sacred Gear inside of your body."

Naruto took a few steps backwards. His heart went out to Issei, it truly did, but he was dead now. One steps, two steps, three steps - his foot caught and he fell backwards, hitting his head against something hard.

His vision swam.

He turned and tumbled and rolled. He tried to stand, but his legs were lead - he tried to run, but the world quaked and trembled and he fell forward once more. Grabbing a branch, he pulled himself upwards, resting against it.

He swallowed all the air that he could. Eyes snapping shut, he tried to listen for the monster, tried to see if it had followed.

All he could hear was a low ringing.

It built and built, having started quiet - almost unnoticeable - but quickly racing into a canter. It did not stop. The sound persisted, gained speed, and shifted into a full gallop - his chest grew tight, his breathing strained, and his hands came up to clutch his head as it throbbed.

And then, just when it began, it stopped. A breath - a very shaky breath passed his lips. It was dry, strained, arid - and as it left him his entire body deflated. At least he was safe; at least she was gone.

His eyes opened, and his vision cleared of the fog that covered it. The first thing that he saw made his heart surge up in his throat.

Blue met violet, and time itself froze.

The sounds of Issei Hyoudou dying composed a beautiful melody.

Raynare paid him no mind, his body flailing on the ground like a fish out of water. Instead, she looked at her hand. Her lips turned upwards in a silent snarl, a scoff leaving her throat.

Blood. Having spent so much time with him had already stained her, but he just had to go and get his blood on her? A flick of the wrist, a snap of the hand - it was gone, but the sentiment was still the same.

She was tainted by someone so low, something so base, and as her wings forced the air below her, ascending, she had to fight the urge to throw another spear at his simmering corpse - watching the vermin crumble and break into the world would have brought a smile to her face, but truth be told, he wasn't worth it.

Issei wasn't worth the time that she'd have to spend charging the attack.

She started to leave the ground, but something stopped her. A sound, a whisper, a silent cry - it carried on the wind, forcing her to remain on the ground, rooted to the earth.

Right now she was still; right now she was human.

The thought made her teeth grind. Jaw shifting, fists clenching, knuckles popping, shoulders rolling: her eyes cut back and forth, searching for what she'd heard. And then she saw him, a boy with hair the color of spun gold.

He stumbled, tripped, and fell, rolling in the darkness. This bumbling fool, this cretin, he had seen her, had forced her to descend from the heavens that she belonged in just to kill him! Her eyes widened and shook and trembled.

How dare him!

She rushed forward, a pillar of light exploding from her hand. Her entire being went into it, strengthening it, and the heavens themselves screamed in encouragement as she brought her hand forward.

No, it wasn't encouragement.

It was protest.

She stopped short, her attack falling apart. The boy in front of her changed. A golden light erupted from his feet, shrouded him in its glow, giving him the appearance of something otherworldly, something higher.

Something beautiful.

Her knees knocked together and a ragged breath left her throat. She trembled before this boy; she trembled before this god. She wasn't worthy of standing in his presence, and as he started to stir - his pink lips exhaling and brushing her with a warmth that made her cheeks burn, his head tossing his hair about, demanding her eyes to follow, his scent burning her nostrils in a way she loved - she found herself below him, looking up into his closed eyes in a position she reveled in.

But then they opened, and she had to chew on the inside of her lip to stop a squeal. An endless sky expanded before her. His eyes - his beautiful eyes - went on and on, neverending.

They were a sky that she could forever get lost in.

She shivered and shook and turned to jelly - her body became weightless. How was this fair? How was it fair in any way, shape, or form to put someone like this - someone so pure, beautiful, perfect in front of her? What was she expected to do?

Dammit, she just wanted to scream!

Perhaps the floor would be a better place. She could hide there, tune out the rest of the world, and crawl into a hole. If she hadn't fallen from heaven sooner, she would've most certainly done so now.

Something caught her. Arms, strong and hard, stopped her, wrapping around her and holding her upright. She stared up, wanting but not daring to hope, and found herself in the arms of perfection.

"A-are you okay?"

His voice was as golden as his hair. It drew her closer, and before she realized it, her head rested against his chest. She could hear it: the shallow breaths that he took in and released, every shift that he made as he held her, and the sound of his heart thrumming with the intensity of a hummingbird's wings.

Why was he so nervous? Her eyes widened, her breath hitched, and a smile spread across her face. It was too much to hope for, too good to be true. She tried to think of something else, anything else, but the thought refused to leave her.

D-did he love her?

She buried her face further into his chest. It was spring! Why, for the love of god, was it so hot right now?

A hand grasped around her shoulder and pushed her back. He was so gentle in his touch, so tender, so loving. His eyes met hers and cut away. Why was he being so timid?

W-was he going to propose?!

"Are you okay?"

He spoke with more conviction this time. His voice, cut from something hard, was incomparable to stone - and to suggest they were similar was blasphemous. No, it was as if something as precious as platinum came out of his mouth, carrying a weight unlike anything that she'd ever heard before.

She'd tried to kill him moments prior, but he was able to care about her so much? Truly, he carried a benevolence that not even God could match.

Her smile returned. "I'm better than I've ever been," she said, eyes lidded. "I don't think I've ever felt so perfect."

She frowned when he released her, the warmth that she cherished left, and if anyone else had done it she'd have killed them where they stood. But it hadn't been anyone, it had been the man of her dreams, the sky that she loved, it had been…

She didn't even know his name.

Raynare watched him stumble backwards, no doubt afraid to admit the feelings that he thought he could hide from her, but he hadn't realized - she knew, and she would never let him get away for too long. He was hers, and it would always be that way.

"What's your name?"

The question left her lips before she'd even thought about it. Her cheeks heated and her heart dropped. What if he didn't tell her? What if he didn't love her?

No no no! This couldn't be happening! She couldn't stand rejection so early, not when she hadn't even gotten his name!

"Naruto," he said, voice little more than a whisper on the wind. He watched her, beautiful blue following her, and she gave him a smile - one so sincere that it could've only come from the deepest parts of her heart.

"Naruto," she said, savoring the way his perfect name formed between her lips. It was a beautiful name, befitting the epitome of beauty itself.

"I have to go."

Silence.

A divide formed between the two, a crack in the earth so deep that it spanned eternity.

Raynare faltered, eyes wide and heart heavy. Her god… leaving? It was such a foreign concept to her, one that filled her with a sense of dread.

Would she never see him again? Would she live out her life - the days fading into weeks, turning into months and crumbling into years - all without him? Would she have to watch him die alone, without her, and with some stupid slut that wasn't her?

No.

"Wait! You should come and visit me at the church on the edge of town! I-I'd love to see you again…"

The last part came as little more than a whisper. He nodded slowly, turning on his heels and walking away. He must've been late - he carried himself with speed, but didn't run. Her smile returned once more.

He couldn't stand the thought of being away from her, and even though he had to leave in a hurry, he didn't run. It was obvious to her that it was painful.

Naruto wouldn't be able to play coy forever.

That bitch was insane!

Naruto placed his hands on his knees and breathed. The air filled his lungs, expanding them, burning. It'd been so long since he'd been able to breathe.

What the hell was wrong with that chick?

She'd killed Issei, and he'd tried to get away. The next thing he noticed when he could see again were her eyes.

They were cold, lifeless, and filled with such malice that it made him shiver.

He stood upright, starting on the route home. It was already late. He didn't have much more time to waste.

The street lamps lit the stone path well. To think, all of this began because of his fear of the darkness around him. The light was nice, warming, and he relished its embrace.

Just like she'd relished his.

The thought made him stumble. He had extended a hand to help her out of reflex, but she had latched onto him like some sort of leech; he had tried to push her away with all his might, but she had held on like her life depended on it.

He stretched his back, cracking it. Yeah, he was pretty sure that she had broken something with how tight she had held him.

A sigh released from his lips and he shuddered. All he could think about was the smile that she gave him when he had left. The way her teeth had shone in the moonlight, the way her eyes had squinted upwards, the way her face had contorted - the pages of a Lovecraftian horror came to life.

He'd never felt fear like that.

It had gripped at his heart and squeezed, whispered in his ear, and then… it had laid its head against his chest and listened. Was she checking his pulse, trying to gauge his response? He wasn't sure.

He shook his head and rubbed his face, attempting to get some of the sweat away from his eyes. For some reason he'd asked about her well-being. He wasn't sure why, but with the way she'd held onto him something must've been wrong.

Instead of responding, she'd held him tighter, crushing him in her vice. In that moment, he'd thought he was going to die.

The lack of oxygen had made him choke on his words and stutter.

And now, she knew his name.

Climbing the steps to his home, Naruto reached for the doorknob. He fumbled with the key, unlocked the door, and turned, looking for anyone (or thing) that might've followed him home. He was safe, at least, for now.

"I'm home."

Every time he entered his home, he spoke those words. It was habitual, therapeutic, and even though he knew no one would answer, it didn't stop him from hoping, praying, for the day that someone would.

After all, who would answer the questions of an orphan?

The house was empty. As he walked down the halls, the only thing that returned his call were the echoes of his own footsteps. Even they sounded disjointed, separate, alone in a home where nothing was ever together.

He climbed the stairs to his room one by one, smiling at the thought of bed. Hopefully, he could sleep off the problems of the day.

Rias Gremory had nothing to lose.

Her entire life - her entire near-immortal life - wasn't in her own hands. They had stolen it, robbed her of it, and she refused to give up without a fight.

She was in a cage. The walls were strong, and her teeth dulled and cracked and shattered against it, yet she couldn't stop gnawing at her confines, striking against the steel with the remains of her claws - and she couldn't stop fighting for the freedom that she wanted, that she deserved.

After all, animals are most vicious when cornered.

She sighed, buttoning up her blouse. Tonight she took the first steps to securing her future. He was there, in the bed, and his light breathing showed that he still lived - even after that fallen angel threw a spear of light through his stomach. She was thankful for her ability to heal through skinship. After all, if she hadn't had it, she would have lost her chance.

Issei Hyoudou was her trump card; Issei Hyoudou was her only chance.

Yet she had to make sure that he lived long enough to fill that role, especially after tonight. She'd seen that fallen fly away and follow someone after she'd finished with Issei. Rias hadn't seen the man, but she knew that they must have conspired together.

There was a spy in Kuoh.

She wasn't sure who it was, wasn't sure the motive, but she was sure that they would oust him, kill him if need be. Issei had to live long enough to help her win her freedom.

There was nowhere to run, and she would fight back harder than ever.

Turning one last time towards Issei, she smiled. "Sleep well," she whispered, placing a hand on the windowsill. "We'll talk tomorrow."

Her feet didn't make a sound when she touched down. She strode forward, the warm winds of spring running through her hair. The midnight street wasn't familiar, but that wasn't to say that it was unwelcome either.

There was too much risk involved with teleporting to his home. Akeno and Koneko would follow the trail, but it was her job as their king to make sure that she wasn't leading them from bread crumbs into a mouse trap.

No, she was the hunter tonight, and she would show them what a rabid dog could do.

It didn't take long to get there. She offered a brief glance towards Akeno; this was official business, and they didn't have time to exchange pleasantries.

The home was befitting of an agent wanting to lay low: torn in some areas, dilapidated, and showed a lack of maintenance that only confirmed her suspicions. It belonged to someone who didn't stay here often.

Anyone else wouldn't neglect such simple care.

"Akeno, go through the front door," Rias whispered, voice low. "I'll take the second story window, and when I give the signal we'll go in. Koneko, you're with her."

A nod from her queen and rook was all the confirmation she needed. Wings the color of night protruded from her back, carrying her upwards to the window with no sound.

It was then that she saw him.

He stood in the bathroom: his hair soaked through yet still standing upright, muscles corded and strong, and the pièce de résistance: the towel that only covered his waist, leaving his torso bare. Her hand came up and wiped away something running down her chin. She glanced up at the sky, wondering where the rain had come from when there wasn't a cloud in sight.

A small grin tugged at her face. If there was one thing that Rias loved, it was being right.

She couldn't feel any power coming from him at all, meaning that he was human - or at least something close to it. There was no way in hell that a human could look like that and not be involved in the supernatural.

She reached for her phone, but stopped short of sending the message to Akeno. Bottom lip rolling between her teeth, her eyes cut away from the window, and her hand came up - playing with her hair.

She didn't want this.

An idea, one that was so crazy that it just might work, came to her, and a smile spread along her face. What if he switched sides? She could play her cards right, lure him in, and get him to join her, maybe even her peerage.

Her cheeks flooded with heat. Yes, he was already in the game, and having someone that went unnoticed for so long would be a great boon towards her line-up in the future. She knew every student at Kuoh; Naruto Uzumaki - second year, same class as Issei Hyoudou - was no exception.

Eyes widening, her mouth opened and closed repeatedly. Had he been in the game this long? Was he so good that he flew under her and Sona's radar for not months, but years?

What was his goal? No human spent that much time with the fallen angels for nothing. Her eyes shifted, calculating, and her mind raced. What was it that he wanted? What in Kuoh was worth so much time and effort trying to obtain?

She faltered in her step, realization dawning on her.

He was after the most important thing at Kuoh: her, heiress of the Gremory family, wielder of the Bael power of destruction. Sona was the other option - and perhaps she was being a bit arrogant to think this, but she knew which one of them was more highly sought after.

He was a secret agent and she was his target.

She could see it now: him breaking into the club room, hiding in some dark shadow until the time was right, and then…

'You look so beautiful, Rias. I've been waiting on you for so long; waiting for the day that you notice me like I noticed you; waiting for the day that you chase after me instead; waiting for the day that I get to hold you close like right now and whisper these words in your ear.

Waiting for the day that I get to tell you how much I love you.'

Steam erupted from her ears. Her face heated, burned, blazed - and she could hear the blood rushing to her head. When had it gotten so hot? The winds of spring were warm, but right now they were torrid.

"President, are you okay?"

She snapped to attention, Akeno and Koneko rushing towards her. When had they approached? She shook her head. Honestly, she couldn't remember.

All she could remember were those corded muscles that stretched across Naruto's back, the water dripping down from his body after showering, those beautiful blue eyes in the mirror that drew her away from his body and to his face that she just wanted to -

"President!"

She blinked, returning to reality. "President, what's wrong?" Akeno questioned, brows furrowed.

Rias frowned and ran a hand through her hair. "The plan has changed," she stated, dragging each word along the syllable. "I've decided that we're going to try and recruit the person in that home. After all, he goes to school with us."

She noticed Koneko's brow twitch and Akeno's eyes widen. She paid it little mind, instead starting on the walk away from the home. There was no point in blowing their cover by teleporting now of all times.

"We'll call him into the club tomorrow, and I'll expose him there. If he knows what's good for him he will fall in line."

There was no reason to check for the agreement of her pieces; she already knew what their answers were.

Instead, she pushed forward, one step at a time. She had plans to make, pieces to place, and a marriage to cancel - these new pieces would be her next steps towards the freedom she desired.

And then, she'd stake her claim to Naruto Uzumaki. She was his goal, and now he was hers.

Chapter End

Author's note:

Updates for this will be fairly infrequent. It's a story that I'll probably work on when my other projects are stressing me out over something or another. It could be weeks before my next update, so keep that in mind.

Official Beta for this chapter is WesDunne. He's a great guy, and he has some pretty great content on his profile. Go and check him out, if you do feel so inclined. Granted, it is also NaruHina, so I guess this is about as strong a warning I can give you to steer clear if you're not really into that type of thing.

If you're interested in my update schedule, I try to keep all of my current project percents on my profile page. Granted, if it isn't going quickly, I don't really update that, but if I hit my stride and get some words done, that can be a good gauge of where I'm at.

Feel free to review. I always appreciate hearing what people have to say about my content.