So here goes my first ever fanfiction. I had bounced around the idea of a darker, less outgoing Issei for a while, and eventually realized that I was well acquainted with a different protagonist who fit the bill perfectly.

It had taken several weeks for JB to find a school that met his requirements, though those in themselves hadn't been all that stringent.

Wanting to give being an 'ordinary student at an ordinary school' a shot wasn't exactly a complicated wish.

It was that the wish had been made by Kazami Yuuji that made it complicated.

In his home country of Japan, Kuoh Academy was settled upon as the best fit. It had only been co-ed for a few years, and a boy raised by women would probably do just fine as the far less represented gender.

Or he'd be in an ideal position to turn the overwhelming majority of his future peers into sobbing wrecks.

The odds were good, and specifying in which way the balance tipped felt like something that would only give her a migraine.

She'd already had to bail him out of the local precinct over the phone, because he'd walked across county lines with nothing more than a hiking pack and his school uniform.

In a fit of (blonde) insanity, JB had forgotten that Yuuji hated trains, and thus would view an over 175 km hike as a reasonable, logical alternative.

True, when Ichigaya called in, asking for their dog to be let out of its kennel, the matter had been handily resolved, but Yuuji wasn't the one getting to explain that little mess to the higher-ups.

That joy fell to his handler, which was her, and the other issues which were surely on their way would also be dumped on the lap of his legal guardian, also her.

JB didn't regret taking on that role, not in the slightest. Her paycheck probably regretted how much of it was a sacrifice on the altar of'unhealthy coping mechanisms'.

Like Advil, and beer.

A lot of beer.

She was currently betting that her next phone call would come along if (when) Yuuji made his one of his teachers cry.

He'd found slipping into the meandering flow of students to be easy enough. No one paid him any mind in the hustle and bustle of early morning.

A somewhat tall young man with short black hair, bangs just long enough to cover most of his forehead.

Sharp black eyes and an athletic body not quite concealed by the Kuoh Academy's black blazer and slacks. Kazami Yuuji received more than a few envious, and admiring stares.

Of course, 'paying him no mind', if he'd paid them any mind, would have been easily confirmed as totally, blatantly untrue, but that required Yuuji to notice things that didn't directly interest him.

He'd probably even pick up that most of the chatter was centered on some mysterious newcomer, but none of those thing involved the faculty office, or the redhead staring rather fixedly at him from the third floor, so they would have to wait.

Quite possibly forever.

When Rias caught sight of an unfamiliar face wearing Kuoh's uniform, it was nothing more than idle curiosity that let her gaze linger, one hand absentmindedly winding through her crimson locks.

In all likelihood, he was the exchange student Sona had mentioned.

Not that that in itself was all that noteworthy, even if he was kind of cute.

She was an "exchange student" herself after all, and also, she would freely admit, rather cute herself.

What really caught her attention was that her lingering eyes had drawn his attention rather decisively, and that a pair of dark eyes were burning a hole into her own blue.

The spell was broken as those black eyes lazily lowered, the strange boy passing her over without any visible reaction.

Whatever he was looking for, clearly wasn't her.

That one was one to watch, if for no other reason than the uncomfortable novelty of Rias Gremory being dismissed as something of little interest.

"Class, today we have a new student joining our ranks, mind introducing yourself?"

"Kazami Yuuji. I'll be in your care."

The subject in question stood almost to attention, before seemingly catching himself and relaxing a bit.

"Kazami here recently returned from abroad, so he's been away from Japan for a few years. He's only been on home soil for a few days, so make sure you help him out. Any questions for our new addition?"

Hands sprung up all over the room as everyone began talking at once.

"Where'd you move from?"

"How do you like it here so far?"

"What are your hobbies?"

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

Yuuji spent a moment staring over the room, as if waiting for the flood of questions to die down.

"Canada. No complaints. Reading. No"

There was an expectant silence as the class waited for actual answers that an actual teenager was supposed to give, but when their expectations were met with a vacant, disinterested gaze, the boys grumbled and the girls shivered.

Yuuji was an attractive young man after all, and teenage hormones could easily interpret lifeless disinterest as brooding mystery.

For his part, Yuuji was wondering why all the women in his class struggled to maintain eye contact.

A mystery for another time, just like how that blonde near the front of the class was the only one really paying attention.

Chatter died down to a dull hum as Yuuji was seated in a vacant desk by the window.

He stared out the window, idly letting his gaze drift towards an out-of-place reflection.

Something that didn't belong in such a peaceful setting was leaning against its desk, dull eyes staring absently out into the distance.

Oh, that was him.

A shame, that.

Apparently, it was traditional to invite someone to eat lunch with you using the qualifier, 'if no one had already asked'.

This tradition seemed to not take into account that this was his first ever lunch period within these halls, but tradition could be strange that way.

Speaking of strange, why hadn't anyone approached him for 'that' yet?

Was he unremarkable enough that they weren't even going to bother hazing him, or were they simply biding their time until after school?

Either could happen in the manga he'd read that one time.

... That was probably collecting a lot of dust.

Well, worst comes to worst, he could always try running through an intersection with toast in his mouth.

... Hopefully it worked with men as well.

Anyways, a lot of the guys were grumbling about some 'damn handsome', so maybe they were preoccupied taking out their frustrations on someone better looking.

That blonde guy at the front of the class seemed like a good candidate, and unlike Yuuji, the attention he was getting seemed to have nothing to do with being the next new thing.

The tiny white-haired girl that followed him, and dug holes into the back of his head with sharp golden eyes, was a bit of a bother, but she seemed more wary than hostile.

Could be the type that was inherently suspicious of strangers.

Could also be working up the courage to confess, but if she was, he'd pretend he hadn't noticed her immediately.

That was part of being a gentleman after all.

Seeking a buffer from the hustle and bustle that he frankly had no desire to be a part of, Yuuji eventually found himself on the rooftop of the school building.

Surprisingly, someone else seemed to have had the exact same idea.

The first thing that caught his eye was a long black ponytail, swaying in the wind like a silken ribbon.

The next thing to ensnare him were a pair of soft, radiant violet eyes, and a gentle, welcoming smile that shone his way as the door swung shut.

"Ara ara, who would have thought I'd have company in such an out of the way place?"

A soft, lyrical voice greeted him, and Yuuji had to fight down the feeling that he was ruining something beautiful.

The girl- no woman before him was easily the most beautiful Kazami Yuuji had ever laid eyes on.

That long, glossy ponytail reaching almost to her ankles, tied with an orange ribbon, and curves that would make any woman her age (any woman period, who was he kidding) very, very jealous.

On a fellow student no less, if the straining white button-down and dangerously swaying magenta skirt were anything to go by.

Yuuji had never seriously entertained the thought of thanking someone for designing a school uniform, but if he was going to thank anyone, it would probably have to be the person who thought an outfit including a corset would be suitable for the women of Kuoh Academy.

Being confronted by such beauty wasn't nearly enough to make him hesitate, however. JB had worked hard to instill basic courtesy in him.

Huh, there was the scent of lilac and... ozone(?) on the breeze?

Strange combination.

"Company was what I was kind of trying to avoid."

JB had considered her hard work a complete and utter waste.

"My my, so cold, and we've only just met~."

A soft giggle and a slight tilt of the head. If anything, the dismissal seemed to encourage her.

"School is noisier than I expected."

"You say that like it's an unfamiliar thing...?"

"I'm used to smaller schools."

"Well I suppose I'll keep my voice down…?"

"Kazami Yuuji, class 2B."

"Himejima Akeno, 3A. A pleasure to make your acquaintance Yuuji-kun."

Her smile, if anything, became even more welcoming.

The curiosity in her eyes, less concealed.

"Akeno, then. I'll leave you to it."

"No honorific? How bold, I like it~ h-hey! Leaving already? And I thought things were going so well."

Yuuji could almost feel the slight pout in her voice.

"If you wanted company you wouldn't be on the roof."

"Oh, but that was before my cute little underclassman wandered up."

She giggled again, and Yuuji had to suppress the sudden urge to run.

He blinked the thoughts away and released the breath he had unwittingly been holding.

She reminded him of Asako, from the generous build, to the easy smile, to those brittle, empty eyes.

Yuuji did his best to ignore how his pulse quickened in time with her widening smile.

Looking down, it seemed his traitorous right hand had relinquished its grip on the door knob.

"Hey, do you have a girlfriend?"

The girl questioning Yuuji was a pretty one, with long black hair and violet eyes.

She reminded him of Akeno for some reason.

Less endowed to be sure, but he wasn't sure he'd ever meet someone who could naturally win that contest.

Her uniform consisted of a dark red jacket with the letter 'P' embroidered in gold, with a white undershirt, a matching red bow, and a green, plaid skirt.

For reasons well outside of his limited comprehension, this had not been the first confession he'd received in the mere week he'd lived here.

Never-mind the fact that her school uniform didn't match any school in town (he'd familiarized himself), usually the location of choice was somewhere a little less open than a public footbridge.

But her smile seemed honest enough, and the weirdness he was picking up on wasn't the weirdness an 'ordinary student' would likely pick up on, and so far his attempts at that had made his skin crawl, so...

"Heeeyy, did you not hear me?"

She really did wear that pout well.

"No."

"No to which?"

The pout increased in potency, and Yuuji reigned in the inexplicable urge to tug on those cheeks.

"I don't have a girlfriend, if that's what you're asking."

Her sudden smile suggested that was the right answer.

"Then… please go out with me!"

the volume had picked up at the end of that question.

"Why?"

Whatever answer she'd been expecting wasn't that, but Yuuji hadn't caught the hint when every other girl had reacted to his blunt inquiry in identical fashion, so odds of him cluing in this time were low.

"..Because I've seen you walking home this way a few times and I think you're cute?"

A bit contrived, and more than a little odd.

Paranoia could wait.

An 'ordinary student' shouldn't be that suspicious, not unless they were concealing a history of abuse...

...Moving on.

He'd never been confessed to on a bridge before.

That seemed like something to focus on.

Probably.

Ah, what the hell.

"... Kazami Yuuji."

"Huh?"

"If we're going to date, we should at least introduce ourselves."

The blinding smile suggested that he'd finally managed to offer a favorable response to a girls incomprehensible affection, so he supposed that his broken clock was having the first of its two moments today.

It would be odd of him to turn down every confession, or else he'd get a reputation as being unapproachable (the irony was lost on him), so he might as well go with the one that stood out?

"I'm Amano Yuuma, pleased to meet you, Yuuji-kun. Oh I'm so excited thank you thank you!"

She swished her hips back and forth in giddy excitement, raven hair flowing in time with green skirt.

The genuine excitement in her voice helped mask the genuine guilt in his eyes, but it didn't make it any easier to swallow.

"Sunday then? Why don't we meet on the bridge here. Say... noon?"

"That would be great, sure!"

She chirped at him. That blinding smile never faltered.

"I'll look forward to it then."

"Mm!"

She bobbed her head excitedly.

They exchanged their numbers and parted ways, Yuuma waving excitedly as she skipped off.

Only when she was out of sight did his slight smile fade.

Kazami Yuuji was used to the sharp sting of regret, but the freshest wounds are always the hardest to ignore.

Asako had wanted him to live a normal life.

Asako had wanted him to be happy.

Asako would probably wonder what it was about the color violet that seemed so fragile and empty.

'Yuuma' let her smile fade and her feet still as she slipped around the corner.

He was just humoring her, but something told her that his attempt to humor her would be treated with the same gravity as a real first date.

A shame really.

He was kind of cute.

Yuuji pushed the pamphlet into his back pocket without really looking at it. He wasn't that interested in whatever that cosplayer was advertising, but he'd accepted it to be polite.

He adjusted the collar of his dark navy blazer, sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

He had a date after all, and putting in the effort was important.

The jacket was complemented by a white T-shirt and simple, well-fitted slacks ending in leather loafers.

Yuuma waved happily from the bridge as he came into view.

She cut quite the adorable figure in her little purple dress that matched her eyes, with a short jacket to match her dark hair.

Yuuji offered her his arm like the gentleman JB had drilled him to be.

Lunch at a little cafe, where Yuuma ate her parfait with stars in her eyes.

Yuuji ate whatever fruity, colorful confection she'd teasingly put in front of him.

It probably had a name, and probably wasn't meant to have a coppery aftertaste.

Yuuma dragged him into a clothing store, trying on a few outfits, before doing a sudden 180 to use Yuuji as a live model.

She wasn't petty, so the jealous stares of the other women in the store had no influence on that little change of pace.

Just like Yuuji's raised eyebrow made it clear he hadn't noticed.

The day passed by in a blur, and as they walked into the park had in hand, Yuuji had just about worked up the courage to tell her he'd enjoyed the day.

The courage to pretend the whole thing hadn't made him feel faintly nauseous, and more than a little guilty.

To say something other than how he didn't understand her smile at all.

She had something to say, so he supposed he'd just lie to her afterwards.

They sat down together on the bench, and Yuuma's near constant smile strained just a little, whatever she'd been hiding finally beginning to bleed on through.

"Hey Yuuji, I really had a lot of fun today. So could I ask you a little favor?"

"Sure."

As long as it wasn't another date or another anything. As long as it wasn't accompanied by that damn smile.

She looked away for just a moment and sighed, a resigned, exhausted sound.

"Would you die for me?"

So faint it almost couldn't be heard.

His response was lost in a great gust of air as the clearing exploded with whirling feathers.

And 'Yuuma' was above him, gazing down at him with cold violet eyes.

Held aloft on massive black wings that had erupted from her back.

"For what it's worth, I really did enjoy our date. And it's nothing personal. Blame God for giving you His gift."

Yuuji hadn't moved.

An angel?

"Goodbye Yuuji."

She raised her hands, and a soft red light coalesced into something hard and sharp.

Yuuji remained still.

He was watching her with that same blank, almost bored expression that never quite seemed to leave him.

But inside, he was wondering if this time, it was okay.

After all, someone had sent an angel.

Was that you, Asako?

Asako didn't answer.

The spear that pierced his heart and erupted from his back was answer enough, he supposed.

He smiled gratefully up at the angel.

The last thing he saw of the Angel were a pair of silvery trails, running down her cheeks.

The smile died as his vision began to fade.

I don't understand.

Why was she so sad?

Nothing of value has been lost.

She'd done the world a favor.

She'd done him a favor.

Red light bathed the clearing as Yuuma flew away.

Don't look so damn guilty.

Man, he must have screwed something up.

Hey, Asako...

The crimson grew brighter, and brighter, as his eyelids grew heavier, and heavier.

Please... let me try that again.

The sun rose like it often did, and Yuuji stretched and rolled out of bed.

He was pulling the curtains open when the issue with his situation became apparent.

He gazed down at the scars covering his body, and noted that they were just that.

Scars.

No fresh wound- scratch that, no hole in his chest.

'Yuuma', if that was really her name, had revealed herself as an angel and skewered him through the heart.

Well, he couldn't exactly check beneath the skin, but he certainly wasn't feeling dead.

It was the morning after his first date in Kuoh, and here he was, very much alive.

Not many people could say that after their first time being murdered, he supposed.

So, probably a dream.

A very vivid dream, that he'd had after getting home, to the house where he'd lived alone, and changed into the sweatpants he'd worn to bed.

After parting ways with Yuuma.

All of which he had no memory of, since there was a big gap in his memory, at least the size of the gap that should have been in his chest.

His head hurt, and the sunlight streaming through the curtain certainly wasn't helping.

...Dammit, he thought he'd really managed it that time.

Unfortunately, his heart had seen fit to beat the same mocking rhythm as always.

So in review...

He hadn't told JB about the date, and who else did he really talk to?

Akeno?

They'd only spent one lunch together. She was quite the school idol he'd found out, along with that redhead.

... Whatever her name was.

Okay, so Akeno mostly came to mind because she was pretty, and literally owned the only other name he could remember over the last week, so progress wasn't great.

Guess he'd just retrace his steps and see if he'd bump into 'Yuuma'.

... After school though. His headache wasn't getting any better, but he'd read that early absences were viewed with suspicion.

This time, the morning run didn't offer any clarity at all.

His headache left him at the school doors, but Akeno seemed rather taken aback when he bumped into her, he must have really looked like shit.

After the excuses, though, she was friendly enough.

It was kind of cute how she hard she had to work to restrain herself, and not fuss over a near stranger.

She was probably one of those 'big sister' types that were allegedly common among upper class-men.

... His sources needed review.

That little white haired girl followed him around some more at lunch.

Maybe it was just a normal day after all.

Seemed she hadn't worked up the courage to approach him yet, but Yuuji wasn't in the mood for another confession yet so that was alright.

Not while it was still unclear if the last one had really happened.

Part of him still tried to deny it, but dreaming an entire day in detail was a bit much even for him, Yuuji was at least confident that he wasn't that far gone yet.

School flew by in a haze, leaving him to retrace his steps in reverse.

Most don't revisit the scene of the crime, but a crime scene and blood stains would definitely prove something had happened at the park.

Something 'definite' would be welcome right now, when he wasn't even sure he'd bled in the first place.

He had been a little short on time to examine the wound.

Heh, that seemed normal too, didn't it?

Little steps.

The park was as peaceful and empty as it had been the night before. No Yuuma, no blood stains-

A shiver ran down his spine.

He hurled himself to the side as something smashed into the cobblestone.

Yuuji whirled to find a spear of blue light skewering the space he'd once stood.

His eyes followed the flight path, and found they didn't have to follow it very far.

"You're not Yuuma."

It sounded a bit like an accusation.

"Yuuma? Is that what she was calling herself? Raynare did love her little games."

The owner of the deep voice was floating above him on pitch-black wings that reminded Yuuji of a crow.

A thin, tall man in a long coat and wide brimmed hat. He curled his lip, as if he was looking down at something he'd scraped off his shoe.

Something less than an insect.

"I'm surprised you notice me, much less scurried out of the way. Cockroaches must be at least good at that much, I suppose. Now that you're a foul little Devil, however, this is just going to hurt even more."

"Don't sound so excited."

A devil?

A cockroach?

He was awfully creative with his name calling.

But that confirmed things. If Yuu- no, Raynare was real, then last night had really happened.

Since for whatever reason he was still alive, it seemed Asako hadn't decided to let him off just yet.

... Maybe next time.

She conjured the portal as fast as she could.

Of course he'd wanted answers. Of course he'd gone looking.

What else would he have done?

Rias should have known better, but she honestly didn't think the Fallen Angel would be audacious enough to try again so soon.

And she had never imagined there would be more than one.

Naive.

So when Koneko reported that filthy male crow flying overhead, she poured everything she had into making a portal directly to him.

Her connection to him through the Evil Pieces she'd put in him was so weak, she could hardly feel him at all.

Strange, given he'd needed every single one of her Pawn pieces.

At this rate, Koneko would be forced to intervene, and she wasn't ready, not for a Fallen Angel out for blood.

Not one, but two of her precious servants were in danger, all because she wasn't strong enough.

You failure.

She had expected the worst when she burst into the park, ready for battle.

Akeno was on her way, but there was no guarantee her Queen would make it in time.

No guarantee that-

The stench of blood and burnt flesh struck her like a hammer.

The cold, dark eyes of Kazami Yuuji followed up with equal force.

Scorched and bloody, wobbling in place...

Something mangled and dark clenched tightly in one fist, splattering a slow stream of crimson onto the cobblestone.

Loose black feathers drifting on the wind.

Behind him, a limp shape lay face down on the ground, the only noticeable feature the crow-like wing extending from its back.

One wing short of a pair.

Past that, a pale-faced Koneko, unharmed but with her back against the trees, legs quivering like mad as she stared on in mute horror.

The wet, feathered rag in his hand hitting the ground with hardly a sound, Kazami Yuuji straightened to his full height.

In spite of herself, Rias took a half-step back, crimson light staining the air as she braced herself.

Looming over her like some grim, blood-drenched specter, Yuuji took a single step forward, and collapsed face-first onto the ground.

So there's out first chapter down. One successful harem protagonist for another, but the similarities end quickly. Be warned, this is going to earn it's M rating. Yuuji doesn't always play nice. Read, rate and review, and I'll see you in the next chapter.

And for those of you who don't know, Kazami Yuuji is the protagonist of Fruits of Grisaia, which I highly recommend.