Fate DxD AU

'Or… a mix of all three…? How would I go about that?' Ritsuka sighed before exiting the kitchen. He needed some rest before anything else.

"It's late isn't it?" Grayfia muttered under her breath as Sirzechs took front stage.

"Let us meet now. It's the perfect time and besides we should check to see what kind of boy Rias has taken an interest in." Sirzechs joked as he gave off a big goofy smile which Grayfia shut down with a smack from a paper fan she pulled out of nowhere.

"Nii-san! I haven't taken interest in anyone!" Rias answered far too quickly and her pout was marred by a light pink dusting her cheeks. No one could tell if it was actually out of affection or embarrassment. "Besides… his eyes scare me slightly."

"His eyes? What do you mean Rias?" Grayfia stepped forward while Sirzechs allowed her to take charge.

"I don't know… it feels heavy. His gaze seems to pierce you and make you feel like he knows everything he needs to know about you with just a glance." Rias started as she recalled just how deep his gaze was and the tightness it caused in her heart. It wasn't love… she knew what that felt like whenever she looked at her Peerage. It felt more like… trepidation.

"It felt like he knew you better than you know yourself, isn't that right Rias?" Akeno added helping her King out.

"Yes, that. That's what it felt like. If we push too hard all at once we risk losing any chance at getting him to join my Peerage later." Rias finally admitted a little frustrated that she had voiced her original plan so readily.

"Hm… how about we hide a bit and you talk with him. Use the old Gremory charm and see if you can get him to open up?" Sirzechs cheered his little sister on. "Just no hanky panky, we have youngsters around."

Grayfia quickly smacked Sirzechs one again, followed by a smack from Rias as well. Koneko, Kiba and Akeno chuckled nervously at the scene before them but didn't want to fully draw attention to themselves. The five of them quietly exited the room hiding in a small secret room that they had built to spy on people whenever they were having parties. It had been useless until now though. Rias fixed up her outfit and opened the door to the hallway where she saw Ritsuka slowly climbing back up the stairs.

'Damn it all… he doesn't look half bad…' Rias mentally winced since he wasn't exactly dressed as he was that morning. Instead of the black adventurer's coat and gray pants he now wore a skin tight A-shirt that seemed to be made out of meshed fabric or something and a somewhat thin pair of shorts.

'Well… another woman saw me at my most casual.' Ritsuka balked at the situation before him. Mash had explicitly told him that only she could see him like this… then the others made it clear she couldn't hog him at his most vulnerable. His sleeping clothes didn't exactly have any mystic code enchantments to them.

"Ritsuka, could we speak together for a bit?" Rias called out to him.

"Sure." Ritsuka simply answered. Mentally, he was poised and ready to react. He couldn't do much… but what he could do would at the very least get him out into the hallway. Though that was mostly planning for the worst. "What do you need to speak with me about Rias?"

She seemed taken aback by the casual tone… as if they had known each other for months. Ritsuka had once learned not to mince words, especially when Gilgamesh was involved. It took the prideful off guard to get them to speak freely.

"Oh my… so familiar already. You are an incorrigible man aren't you Ritsuka." Rias flirted slightly giving off a playful wink. Ritsuka could already tell she wanted to be serious with the conversation. Meltryllis did the same thing from time to time whenever she wanted to breach much more serious topics.

"Every meeting and every parting, no matter how big or small, has meaning behind it. To be bogged down by titles or honorifics leaves a lot to be desired and much more to be lost." Ritsuka quoted though he couldn't exactly tell Rias that the heroic spirit Karna had told him that sort of line.

"Um… uh… thanks… for being so informal. I truly appreciate it." Rias stopped cupping her hands in her lap as her gaze turned to the carpet.

"I'll kill him!" Sirzechs nearly screamed out. Grayfia had to twist his arm behind his back to get him to stop… though she was still letting him run his mouth. "That playboy immediately charmed my baby sister so thoroughly with a few words and he has the gall to address her so casually! He's a goddamn Japanese man! Where's the honorifics? The courtesy! I'll murderize that fool for being so familiar with Rias!"

"Enough." Grayfia glared at her husband forcing him to calm down.

"Scared…" Koneko shivered while Akeno did her best to comfort her small companion. Kiba merely looked to the ground trying to not be dragged into anything that could happen.

"No problem. You could say it's a talent of mine." Ritsuka slightly bragged but there was no sense of pride in it. It was more of a matter of fact style statement. Rias quirked her head in confusion.

"Charming women is a talent of yours?" Rias, once again, tried to throw him off guard. It didn't work.

"It's been known to happen when I wasn't trying to. But, no. My talent lies in forming bonds with others. As far as I've been told I seem to be good at getting others to work together for some reason." Ritsuka quietly explained letting a knowing smile painted across his lips as he gave Rias his undivided attention. She seemed taken aback by how this conversation was going.

'What just happened? Why isn't he falling for my charm? Usually every male I talk to ends up smitten with me… oh dear, his eyes are on me again.' Rias suppressed a shudder that tried to run up her spine.

"Bonds, huh? It sounds like you are a leader of some sort." Rias happily pointed out. He remained silent for a moment. The smile turned contemplative.