By this point, the Gremory heiress looked like the pitch-perfect example of a confident older woman who had her fingers wrapped around an inexperienced younger boy, exemplified by her borderline coy smile.
What about her offer wasn't attractive?
Longer life, more strength, promise of camaraderie and respect.
She was sure that he would accept her offer.
"Nah."
And when he did, she could-
...
"Huh?" Rias asked, dumbfounded. Her visage of confidence and experience fell apart completely at the stupefied expression.
Did he just say no?
Yuki, on the other hand, stared at Naruto with wide eyes, shocked and more than a little pleased that he rejected the red-head's offer, though she honestly wasn't sure why.
"Well...all of that sounds nice and all, but won't I have to give up being human? Not that being human is great and all, but it is a part of who I am. A piece of what makes Uzumaki Naruto...well...Uzumaki Naruto. While I would love to get a family, I don't want to get it while giving up a part of me. Besides, I have a dream that I have to fulfill...and becoming a devil would be a big detriment to that dream. So thanks...but no thanks, Rias-san." Naruto said simply, not at all wavering from his decision.
It was a nice offer, really, but he didn't want to give up a piece of himself just so he could get something else in return.
It just wasn't who he was.
Instead, he would earn everything that he could through his own blood and sweat, that was his usual way of getting things done.
Rias just stared at the blond for a moment before sighing in disappointment, her shoulders sagging a bit.
She was so looking forward to getting another Peerage member that she honestly didn't consider that he would refuse her.
"However..."
Rias perked up at Naruto's voice, turning back to him to listen to his words.
"...It doesn't mean that we can't become friends and allies, right?" Naruto asked easily with a grin.
Feeling her eyelids open just a bit wider than usual, the red-head waited for the other shoe to drop.
She was certain that the blond in front of her didn't just reject a way to improve his body in every way imaginable and become a part of her family...just to offer her his hand in friendship.
Why would he go for the lesser of two options? What was the point in that?
From what she knew of most humans, most would jump at the chance to live longer and improve their body. Especially if she was genuinely sincere about him becoming a part of her family.
So she was understandably stupefied that the teenaged boy gazed upon her expectantly, waiting for her response.
...He wanted to be friends? Allies? Just like that?
He made it sound so easy...
Still, she couldn't stop the amused chuckle that came out of her mouth due to the craziness of it all.
He denied a chance at being stronger, faster, better in almost every way just because he didn't want to lose a piece of himself.
Then he turned around and claimed to want to be friends.
Who did that?
Rias stopped chuckling and looks at Naruto with a smile. "I suppose that will have to do, Naruto-san."
Notably, the lower and more adult-like tone of her voice had faded once she recovered from his offer, and instead was replaced by her normal tone.
Naruto decided that he liked the normal Rias better.
Turning to look at Yuki, who was standing off to the side and watching the events unfold at a distance, the shinobi motioned to her to come towards the assembled group.
Yuki raised an eyebrow in response, before moving slowly to the blond as he turned to now regard the entire group.
"Everyone." Naruto said with a grin. "I have a proposal to make."
Naruto would share his proposal.
And Kuoh, as they say, was never the same again.
Naruto carefully tiptoed inside his house, peeking around to check if anyone was still awake at this late hour.
Thankfully for him, the lights were off, and he heard no sounds.
It seemed that he was in the clear.
Slowly walking inside the house, the blond casually dropped the groceries onto the kitchen floor in order to put it away in the fridge, making sure to be as quiet as possible.
With this accomplished, he then stealthily made his way back to the living room in order to get to his room and rest.
Honestly, he lucked out, since he managed to find a grocery store that was open this late at night to gather some necessary foodstuffs…and stuff.
Now he could just sleep the rest of the night away without much worry.
…Well, mostly.
Now that he had made his 'proposal', and somehow pulled everyone; devil and hero alike, into it, now he had the enviable problem of making sure that it stuck.
That would be a hell of a thing to keep stable.
Before the shinobi could retreat into the safety of his room by passing by the living room, an irregular shape at the edge of his sight caught his attention.
Tilting his head, he easily noticed something irregular on the couch and froze.
"...Mio." Naruto muttered.
On one of his comfortable couches, Naruse Mio was just laying there, resting.
…Well, sleeping was more like it, but why was she there instead of in her new room?
It took all of a few seconds for something to click inside his head leaving his eyes to widen in genuine shock.
Was…
Was she waiting for him to come home?
Throughout his life, no one had ever waited for him to come home before.
This was…just an absolute first for the young man.
So much so that he wasn't sure how he should take it.
Naruto's eyes fluttered, blinking away the faint bit of glassiness that nearly overtook them for a second at the warm feeling spreading in his heart at the gesture.
Rebounding quickly, the youth shuffled past her and went to his room, grabbing a spare blanket to place on the resting red-head.
Cutting himself off mid-action, he thought better of it and snagged two.
.
.
.
.
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