DXD: A Shidou Koujiro's

Kouji had eaten dinner with Irina many times before over the years, but he couldn't remember the last time they had a silent meal.

His sister was uncharacteristically non-hyper verbal, which terrified Kouji in ways words couldn't properly describe. Whenever he thought about Irina, her outgoing and extroverted personality always came to mind first.

It was the one thing people knew about her, she was loud and always happy. So to see her silent with no smile on her face, fear wasn't the thing he thought he would be feeling today.

"So…" Kouji cleared his throat as he ate his lasagna. "How was your job?"

"Oh stop it," said Irina. "Do you really think asking about my job is the right thing to do right now?"

"Well what do you want to talk about?" asked Kouji. "I didn't think talking about how the world wants me dead was an appropriate dinner topic.

"

Irina smiled. "Have you ever thought about going back to Japan? You loved it in Japan, didn't you?"

"Well…" said Kouji. "I mean it is where you and dad are from.

I did have fun…but do you think it's safe?"

"I don't know really," Irina sighed. "Kouji I don't know what to do.

I'm not a high ranked exorcist so I don't have the pull to get information on the demons who experimented on you. I'm not the best fighter so I don't know what I'm going to do when someone more powerful comes…I don't know what to do Kouji.

"

This was a first. He had never seen his sister so rocked.

Her hands were trembling and she looked on the verge of tears. All his life, Irina had been a rock for him.

She never cried, her smile never left her face, but now…

"Why don't you trust Karina and Aespa?" asked Kouji.

"Because what if something happens?" asked Irina. "Dad and I have spent years practicing what to do when the time came but we never expected…this.

The whole world will want you dead or captured soon and we never prepared for that. What if Aespa just wants the same?"

"Do you think they do?" asked Kouji.

"How…How can you trust people so easily?" asked Irina. "I know you like them as an idol group but come on little brother, they're angels who can and will kill you if you prove to be a threat.

"

"Because somebody taught me to have faith in people, right?" Kouji smiled. "Irina I'm 15 years old, and you have to admit I'm a lot more mature than other kids my age.

I mean look at King? Do you think I really can't take care of myself when the time comes?"

Irina sighed. "Fine…fine.

Maybe you're right. You're my little brother but…I guess you've got to be your own person too.

If you want to trust Aespa then I'll trust them too. "

"You're still my big sister you know," Kouji smiled. "It's not like I'm running off with a new family.

I'll still come to you for help whenever I need it and of course you can come to me too. We're still family.

"

"Okay, okay I get it," Irina smiled. "Now finish your dinner before I start crying.

I'll be out of the house for a bit though. I have to finish up my job before dad comes home.

He'll kill me if I forget the paperwork. "

"Paperwork, huh?" asked Kouji. "Sounds exhausting.

"

The rest of dinner felt like the good old days. It had been a weird few days however dinner with his sister somehow anchored him to whatever normal life was like before all of this.

In that moment Kouji wasn't some kind of terrifying hybrid who needed to be put down, Irina wasn't an exorcist who hunts demons and monsters. In that moment, they were just brother and sister having a normal meal.

"Alright," Irina got up and stretched. "Mind finishing up the dishes for me? I've gotta get the paperwork done before midnight.

"

"I got it," Kouji gathered up the dishes as Irina put her coat on.

"Remember to lock up if you're going out," said Irina. "But please don't go out, especially not with how things are right now.

Call me if anything goes wrong and if you really, really, really need it…there's a sword stashed under the couch. It's nothing special but it's a prototype Holy Sword so it'll do fine for now.

"

"Oh…kay," said Kouji. "I'll be fine Irina.

Go on. Love you.

"

"Love you too!" Irina closed the front door behind her as she left.

Kouji took a few seconds to take it all in, the emptiness. There really wasn't a single person here besides him in this house, so why were the hairs on his neck standing on end?

He never liked this feeling. Even when he was alone, Kouji always felt like there were eyes on him.

It was the same situation as the monsters under his bed and the man who followed him. He was never truly alone…

"I thought she'd never leave. "

Kouji calmly washed the dishes in the sick and sighed. "Why exactly didn't you just use the front door? She's not here so she wouldn't exactly try to kill you.

"

"But where's the fun in that?"

Karina crossed her legs as she sat in his seat at the dinner table. She had changed her clothes, wearing an oversized T-shirt that hung over her shoulder and a black bandana on her forehead.

"This is fun to you?" asked Kouji.

"It's not to you?" asked Karina. "Surely you have to admit, this is the most fun you've had your entire life.

The realization that none of it was in your head, that it's all real, doesn't it excite you even a little bit?"

Kouji never said it aloud but…she had a point. All his life being told that everything he had seen or heard were just figments of his imagination.

Taking countless medication, the psychiatrists, the hours at the hospital…to know that all of it was true. It gave him a sense of relief and excitement for what else there was out there to see.