Chapter XXV Epilogue

"I'm gonna be living with you!" Those words entered Issei's mind with confusion as he took a look around to see Rias moving stuff out of a Uhaul. He just watched her explain to his parents that she's moving in. They laugh as they remember the wedding and thank God that they're "perverted" found someone. It drove him nuts, his framed reputation made him feel punished. But what confused him more was the fact that this was being allowed. Reason was thrown out. Sure, let our kid get married before 18, sure move on in! Rias turns to Issei and walks up to him curiously. "Is everything alright?" she asked.

"No no! Of course not honey I just thought we'd do this after high school!" Issei spoke defensively. "Oh, well if that's what you wa-" Issei grabs onto Rias's arm. "NO!" he yelled, hugging her as she started to walk away. Rias turns around puzzled. "I'm just shocked, and nervous. This is all happening so fast." Rias then giggles as she looks at Issei and pecks his forehead. "This is gonna be so much fun!" she says excitedly.

 Some time passed, Issei is now inside the main common room for the Occult Research Club. "Hold still" Akeno said gently as she tried to heal Issei's cursed limb. The arm returns back to normal for a couple seconds until the gauntlet goes back up. Rias's ocean blue eyes stared at the beautiful crimson red armor that covered Issei's hand. That same hand that gets itself dirty to save her life, that caresses her face every morning. The same hand that spun her around at their wedding. The same hand that gets her riled up at night. That same hand that makes her breakfast when she's too tired. It was all right in front of her. Asia and Akeno went to heal it one more time when Rias jumped right in front of them hugging it.

"NO GUYS STOP!" Rias yelled as she clutched Issei's whole crimson arm close to her chest. "Dang it, I wish I could feel with this one" Issei says jokingly. "Shut up Issei!" Rias barked. Tears streamed down her eyes. "It was just a joke I swear!" Issei yelled, but Rias wasn't listening. She hugged the gauntlet close to her as Issei began to feel it powering up. Rias looks up at him and smiles as she strokes his face. "It's fine the way it is, I wouldn't change this for the world." 

Those words stuck with Issei as he sat out in the sun for the rest of the afternoon. He watched as Matsuda and Motohama were now the new hero's of his school. Kids talked about the Red Emperor Dragon, not knowing about Issei's secret. He felt the peaceful warm breeze blow through his hair. Yet watching your friends become hero's was not the same as them being there. "Issei?" Yuuto asked as he joined him under the shade of a tree. "Hang in there, they're alright at basic training, you know." Yuuto said calmly as Issei sat up. 

"I'll see you tomorrow" Issei said as the thought of Rias entered his mind. "I lost my two best men" he sheds a tear as the thought of his friends fighting Riser manifest in his mind. Win or lose, the thought horrified him. He continued to feel the sore aches that were inflicted upon him during their brawl. "I refuse to lose my bride" and with that Issei finds himself armored up in the middle of the woods. His wings stretch as he looks up into the bright blue sky. He takes off, roaring the entire time as the Red Emperor Dragon claims his territory. 

The End