Chapter 22: Akeno The Fallen

Villa Terrace

Lucas: "No, YOU ARE MINE!!".

Rias was stunned and dazed by Lucas sudden action. She did not expect Lucas to kiss her like that. Even though she took the initiative to kiss him, it is her first time doing it and what Lucas did made her felt a little hot. She heard the domeeneering words of Lucas and her heart beats wildly.

She looked at Lucas' grinning face. She rushed her head forward and instinctively kissed Lucas trying to imitate what Lucas did just now.

Lucas again was stunned by the sudden action of Rias and he lost his balance. The two fell down on the floor but Rias keeps kissing Lucas trying to open his mouth with her tongue.

'Okay Rias!! You are provoking me!!' Lucas then touch Rias breast and squeezed it. 'Dam*, I am not going to get tired sqeezing this melons'.

*Hmmmnnn* Rias made a seductive moan and got even more proactive. Lucas on the other hand also was going to switch places with him on top but..

"~Ara Ara Rias~ You sure are energetic~" Akeno suddenly appeared and said in a teasing tone.

Upon hearing the sudden words, Rias was startled and hurriedly stood up. She saw Akeno who suddenly appeared looking at her with a teasing smile but she can also feel the jealousy in her tone.

"A-Akeno y-you misunderstood. I-I tripped myself and we both fell down." Rias made a nonsense excuse. She already guessed that Akeno saw everything that happened from her words but she just blurted out those words out of nervousness.

Lucas on the floor rolled his eyes upon hearing Rias.

*Chuckle* "No need to explain Rias. I was actually watching you two for sometime now." Akeno admits.

Rias face turned red as a tomato upon hearing Akeno.

She composed herself for sometime and endure the embarrassment.

"Alright Akeno, can you forget everything you saw? Plssss!!.. Ugghhh I just lost myself there for a moment." Rias said to Akeno with pleading eyes.

Akeno smiled helplessly at her bestfriend. "Rest assured Rias, I am not a blabbermouth." She said assuringly.

Rias breath a sigh of relief and smiled. "Thanks Akeno. You really are my bestfriend. Hihi" Rias made a cute gesture of hugging her friend.

Akeno also smiled and hugged her back.

Rias looked at Lucas who was sitting on the floor, in an indian posture while folding his arms, watching the two of them talk to each other.

Rias: "Lucas, sorry for taking your time this late. I will be going to bed now. Goodnight.." She said hurriedly. Her eyes keep on dodging Lucas and a blush appeared on her cheeks remembering what she have done.

Rias hurriedly looked at Akeno. "Akeno I will be going to bed. You should go too. Goodnight.." She hurriedly walked away as she is too ashamed to face Lucas right now.

"Goodnight Rias.~" Akeno responded while Rias was running away.

The two watched Rias went in the Villa and disappeared. The two then looked at each other but they did not talk for moment.

*Sigh* "You just cock blocked me Akeno. How will you compensate me." Lucas said in an aggrieved tone.

Upon hearing Lucas' words, Akeno was stunned and a blush quickly appeared on her ears.

"Y-you are really shameless Lucas." Akeno stammered a little but composed herself. "Saying those words to me without blushing. Fufufu~" She looked at Lucas with a dangerous smile.

Seeing Akeno's expression who seems to plan something. Lucas quickly stood up and approach Akeno slowly while smiling gently.

"Akeno san, I was just kidding. I am just saving the awkward situation." Lucas said in an awkward tone while scratching his head.

"Why are you also awake this late?" He added.

Akeno looked at Lucas' awkward self and she did not dwell on it any longer.

*Chuckle* "You are really good at words Lucas kun." Akeno helplessly said. She walked past Lucas and leaned on the terrace railing.

She looked into the sky in melancholy.

"I can't sleep and I accidentally saw the two of you here. I also heard some of your conversation." She said without looking at Lucas.

Lucas felt embarrassed upon hearing Akeno and scratched his cheek.

"What if the identy you have is the one you hated the most?" Akeno suddenly asked Lucas.

Lucas raised his eyebrows. 'Another damsel in distress? Tsk tsk tsk'. He slowly approached Akeno to her side and leaned on the railing.

*Sigh* "Akeno, can you tell me about yourself?" Lucas asked her as he looked at her face.

Akeno looked at Lucas from the side for a moment. Her wings suddenly appeared from her back but with two different features, one devil wing and one fallen angel wing.

"It looks ugly, right?" Akeno asked with a bitter smile on her face.

Lucas saw the wings and became curious. He ignored Akeno's words and moved near her. He touched the wings of Akeno and curiously examined it.

Akeno was startled by Lucas' action but did not interrupt him. She felt shy and embarrassed when Lucas touched her wings.

"Fascinating!" Lucas exclaimed and look at Akeno with a smile.

Akeno was dazed upon hearing Lucas.

"I want to hear the story behind your wings, Akeno." Lucas asked in a gentle tone while smiling at her.

Akeno looked at Lucas and hesitated for a moment.

*Sigh* Akeno retracted her wings and stare into the distance...

"My father is a Fallen Angel and my mother was a Shinto priestess from the Himejima Clan. I lived with my mother in the Himejima Clan and as for my father... I don't see him often as he is not always in my mother's side." She narrated in a sad tone.

She paused and changed her tone.

"One day, I saw my mother being killed in front of my eyes by her own Clan because of associating herself to a fallen angel." She said with a tone of despair.

"My father was not there and failed to protect "Mother" that is why I hated him!! If he had been there, Mother would still be here!! I blamed him and I hated myself for being a fallen like him!!" She suddenly said with a tone full of rage and tears suddenly flow from her eyes.

Lucas saw this and just put her hand gently on Akeno's back for comfort.

Akeno wiped her tears and looked at Lucas with a sad smile.

"This wing, I hated it as a part of me." Akeno said with a bitter smile.

Lucas was silent as he looked at Akeno's sad expression.

*Sigh* Lucas looked into the distance.

"Akeno, can I ask you what is your goal now? Your plan or maybe your dream?" He asked.

Akeno looked at Lucas for a moment and looked into the sky. "I want to be by Rias side. To be able to help her when she needs it." She said with a sincere smile.

Lucas was surprise hearing her.

"You don't want revenge?" Lucas asked curiously.

*Chuckle* "Maybe? Maybe not?" Akeno said and looked at Lucas.

"As of now, I want to protect this family that Rias cared and loved." She added.

Lucas looked at Akeno and felt the sincerity from her words. He smiled back at her and patted her head.

"Hey!! I am not a child!!" Akeno protested with a cute pout.

Lucas chuckled when he saw Akeno's cute appearance. He looked away and look into the distance.

"Everything you have experience, from your childhood up to now, makes you who you are, Akeno."

"The happy times, the sad times, the tragedies that fall upon you. Your past.. is what makes your own story full of tales... These are the formula that created you, Akeno Himejima" Lucas slowly narrated in a soft tone.

"Scars, a lost limb, blindness, deafness and many more. Every part of our body has a story behind it. This is what makes us unique with each other and a part of who we are." Lucas added.

He directly looked into Akeno's eyes.

"If you have a dream or a goal, start by loving yourself of who and what you are, as it will be your companion for the whole journey of your life... That is the very first step you must do." Lucas said in a soft tone.

Akeno was silent and looked at Lucas for a moment.

She smiled at Lucas sincerely. She took a deep breath and her body relaxed as if a burden she had been carrying for a long time dissappeared.

She suddenly moved forward and hugged Lucas.

Lucas was surprise but he just extended his arms and hug Akeno.

"Let me be like this for a moment." Akeno said in a low tone.

Lucas just stand in place while hugging Akeno.

"If you want to take the path of revenge or If you want to take the path of forgiveness, we will always be right behind you to suppport you." Lucas suddenly said words of comfort in a gentle tone.

Lucas felt that Akeno's hug tightened.

*Chuckle* "~But I most prefer the Akeno who chooses the path of falling in love to a person named Lucas Agawa.~" Lucas added playfully.

Akeno who was hugging Lucas suddenly became stiff. She raised her head to look at Lucas who also looked at her with a teasing grin.

Akeno blushed but compose herself and smiled back at Lucas.

"~Ara ara Lucas kun~. Is this a confession?~" Akeno teased back.

"~You suddenly become a romantic guy. Fufufu~" she added.

*Chuckle* "~Maybe? Hehe" Lucas responded still grinning.

*Chuckle* "What about Rias?~" Akeno lookes at Lucas sharply while smiling.

Lucas' smile suddenly became stiff. He stopped smiling and scratched his cheek.

"Well, Uhmm, uuuhh, I want it all?" He responded in an awkward smile.

"~Ara ara Lucas, you are really greedy.~" Akeno said in a teasing tone. She actually did not feel any rejection upon hearing Lucas.

"Uhmm, I will take that as a compliment." Lucas nodded while closing his eyes as if approving.

Lucas suddenly felt a soft thing covered his lips.

He already guessed what it is and want to take the beauty down but before he could... Akeno suddenly move away from Lucas arms.

Lucas was left standing in a weird posture. Akeno saw this and chuckled.

"~Fufu. That is your reward for comforting me tonight.~" Akeno said in a sweet tone.

"~Goodnight Lucas.~" She added and walked away in a hurry.

Even though Akeno acted like her usual self, her heart was beating wildly.

'What is this feeling?' She thought as her heart beats fast.

She stopped at a distance and looked at Lucas who have a depress look on his face.

*Chuckle* 'But it is not bad.' She smiled and looked away and she resumed going to her room.