Chapter Text
It was 3:00 in the afternoon, and it seemed class had just ended for the students at Kuoh Academy. For one particular student, he was too busy napping. That was, until a voice woke him from his slumber.
"Shino...Shino..." He slowly opened his eyes to see a young red haired girl wake him from his slumber. "You fell asleep again."
He slowly rose his head, rubbing his eyes to try and adjust his vision back to normal. "It seems I did." He got up from his seat and grabbed his backpack.
The girl sighed as she stopped him before he could move further. "Look, you need to be at your best. You have a date with that Yumma girl."
"I know." He answered plainly.
A frown developed from her face. "Look. I'm worried for you."
He turned around to face her, his crimson black eyes looking into her turquoise (blue, green) like eyes. "You have nothing to worry about Rias. I'm always this way." His expression made it seem genuine, but she knew he was forcing it to keep her happy.
"Just please. Be careful." She said with a whimper.
His expression softened. He didn't want to make her sad. That whimper already made him lower his guard. "I will. I promise I'll be back safe and sound. Just wait for me at my house."
"Y-Your house?!" She asked, her face turning to the color of her hair.
Shino let out a laugh. "You have a key dummy. You'll be fine." He then opened the door in front of him, "I'll see you in a bit."
"Ok." She answered as he closed the door behind him. She felt worried. Why did she feel as if something was going to go wrong?"
Later that day...
"Sorry to make you wait!" The black haired girl said as she came in a rather revealing outfit. She was wearing a black skirt with a white crop top with a 2000s graphic on It. In fact, her whole outfit looked like something he would be into. Nevertheless, he seemed to like it.
"No, it's fine, I wasn't waiting that much." Shino replied as he got up from the bench, sporting his G-Shock watch and signature black boxy hoodie. It was sometimes very cold for him, even if it was a summer day. "Where would you like to go first?"
"Well, there was a crepe shop we could try?" She asked politely. It seemed she was trying to make it so the both of them could enjoy themselves.
"Sure! That sounds like fun." He agreed as he smiled a bit. Funny enough, He hadn't smiled for a while, so he was going to at least try and have fun.
The next hour had them walking around the shopping district, looking and buying several things. Shino actually started to enjoy the time he had with her. When he was speaking to her and discussing normal conversation things, he felt like he had actually grown quite a bond with her, which was very much unlike him.
As the day came to an end, it seemed they had enjoyed a strawberry chocolate crepe, and he had bought her a necklace that resembled that of a rosary with black gems. "I hope you like it. Black is something that suits most people. It would match your outfits." He said as he gave her the box that contained it.
As she opened it, her eyes sparkled like she had just opened a Christmas present. "This is so cute! For a guy with a reputation of being a loner, you sure are a nice guy!" She said this with hopes of complimenting his action, but he clearly was a bit shocked by the whole loner thing. Yeah he kept to himself and only hung out with Rias and her friends, but he wasn't like….that lonely was he?
"Yeah. Thanks." He said simply. He didn't even know how to react to his new found emotions. "I uh...I had fun today."
"I did as well." She answered as she got up from her chair. "But there is one thing I have to ask."
"Sure. Ask away." She came closer to his ear, but something felt off.
"Can you die for me?" She asked as she jumped back and revealed her true form. She was now a fallen angel, with her black revealing outfit and a light spear hanging from her hand.
Shino jumped back as he was taken aback by her question. Yet he seemed he was all of a sudden realizing what she meant. "I guess its time."
Raynere (Yumma) was about to stab him before she stopped dead in her tracks. "T-Time?"
"Well. Things haven't gone the way they should have. Parents dead. Money is sort of okay. And the only other bond I had was with Rias, but I guess my wish for death has come true." He smiled as he stood there, defenseless. "Just...get it over with."
She was now stunned. He wanted to die? This was all too easy, but this isn't how she expected it to go. She expected him to gravel and beg for mercy. "I-I'm sorry I have to do this! You may possess a power that would jeopardize our plans."
He didn't respond, but instead closed his eyes, further committing to his final wish.
Raynere sighed as she strikes him down, impaling him in his heart with the spear. She felt...sad. She thought she would find pleasure in killing him, but she felt...regret.
Shino started to bleed profusely as he was drifting in and out of consciousness. "For what its worth..." He tried to speak through the blood clogging his throat, "I enjoyed our time together."
"I-I did as well." She answered genuinely. "I'm sorry it had to be this way."
"If reincarnation exists..." He spoke as it became obvious it was his last breath. "May we meet each other again, but on better terms..." With that last word, his breath came out one last time, and there he laid, blood soaked and motionless, earning a tear from the fallen angel.
Raynere put him down on the bench gently, closing his eyes as she got up and flew off, her eyes filled with tears, and her mind filled with conflict and regret.
"Child. Awaken from your slumber." A voice commanded as Shino in an apparent astral form awoke.
"W-Where am I?" He asked as a man with a skeleton face moved towards him. His body was covered with a black cloth, torn and battered.
"You're in the abyss, where those who did not believe were to drift for all eternity. My domain if I can speak freely." He spoke as he looked at the boy. "It seems you've been killed by a fallen angel."
"Yes it seems so." Shino answered. "Though, she looked like she didn't want to."
"That is also the truth." He answered as he summoned a sword. "Let me get straight to the point. I am Death. An entity that predates man and predates God. He and I are of the same gene, yet we both live two different lives. You're currently dead, but soon you will be chosen for something far greater." He gave him the sword, which looked like a boosted gear. "This is your ticket to another chance at life."
"What is this?" Shino asked.
"A boosted gear. One of the many tools that are capable of killing the gods. Even bringing death to God himself. These were passed down from multiple users to ensure victory for the factions of our time. However, I have only one user." He then pointed towards Shino. "You are that user. You will be chosen to become the new host of death."
"This is to ensure I return to the real world?" He asked, clearly baffled by this new burden.
"Yes. However I will tell you this once child. Should you accept, your life will be forever changed. You life now exposed to the world of devils, gods, and others alike. If you choose to deny my request, you will remain here. Floating forever until the end of the universe. Do you accept these terms?" Death asked.
Shino thought about this for a moment. He was dead, but given another chance at life. Maybe he could see Raynere again...
Maybe he could see Rias again. "I accept."
"Good." Death answered as he snapped his fingers, his soul now merging with our young protagonist. "When we wake up, you will be in your room. Your life is about to change, in more ways than you can count." The light started to appear, indicating his soon revival. "And just so you know, this Rias Gremory was the one who brought you to your room."
"I guess I have some explaining to do." Shino answered plainly. The soon to be death was about to face whole new challenges. His life now forever changed. However, what dangers will he encounter, and is there more than just a sword? What if he was...death forever?