Chapter 1: Prologue: The Letter
Notes:
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for making it this far. ❤️
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“By the way, Mammon,” Levi broke the silent in the living room with a flat voice. “There’s something I meant to tell you. Just so you know, I’ve changed the password to my account linked to Crowe.”
“Wha?!”
“Pff…” Levi smirked. “Don’t you wha? me loool. And so you know, it doesn’t have anything to do with TSL this time.”
“WHA?!”
He rolled his eyes. “You keep sneaking into my room, using my password to order Crowe around and make him do all sorts of stuff. So that’s what you get!”
Mammon growled low in his chest with his hands on his hips. “All I did was borrow it a li’l! Like, don’t get your panties in a wad!”
“Of COURSE I’m getting my panties in a wad!” Levi snapped back at him. “What do you expect?! I work HARD to save up Devil Points, and then you go and spend all of them!” Levi’s cheeks were getting pinker and pinker, signalling the start of a true tantrum. “You even used my Akuzon account to order CAR PARTS! I thought I was going to cry! They should call you the Avatar of.. of… of Huge Jerks!”
“Like, don’t go and change your password at the drop of a hat!” Mammon’s cheeks were getting red too. “I did all of that research, now I’m not gonna get anythin’ for it!”
“You can take your research and shove it! I don’t want you to get anything for it! Loool. I changed my password to something only CHISE and I could ever guess! Too bad, so sad! Lolol.”
Asmo sighed with annoyance as he dipped his nail polish brush back into the glass vial. “…Wow. This argument is SO pointless. And yet I have to sit here listening to it. Poor me…”
“If Chise were at least here right now,” Belphie grumbled from his nest on the far couch, “this would be more bearable…”
“Okay, stop saying that,” Asmo pleaded. “You’re making me even MORE depressed.”
“Wait though, Levi…” Beel lifted his eyes from his bag of candy to address him. “The only Crowe in the house is in your room. And we’re always hanging out there anyway, right? So it’s better if we can all just use it whenever.”
Levi gave him a baleful look. “Then quit hanging out in my room all the time looooool. I mean, you guys come over to game too much loooooool”
Asmo sighed. “The longer his ’loooool’, the more annoyed he is. Have you noticed?”
“More like 'the more annoying he is',” Belphie grumbled as he turned to curled up on his other side, facing away from them all.”
Beel shrugged. “Well, when Chise is around, we all sort of hanging out there naturally. So now it’s a habit.”
“Hmph.” Mammon sat down heavily, low in the seat with his arms crossed. “It’s always ‘Chise this, Chise that’ with you guys. Ya never shut up about Chise…”
Asmo shook his head with a roll of his eyes. “I don’t want to hear it from YOU, Mammon. Out of all of us, you’re the most distraught. I see how you’re always checking your D.D.D, hoping for a new message…”
“SHADDUP!”
“…You’re the loudest one here, Mammon,” Lucifer said with a sigh of exasperation as he paused in his passing of the room to admonish them all.
“FUCKIN…!” Mammon whipped his head over at the sound of his voice. “LUCIFER! What’s the big idea sneakin’ up on me like that?! Next time you walk into the room, say somethin’!”
“…I’m heading out.”
“Heading out?” Asmo tilted his head. “Where?”
“The Demon Lord’s Castle. I may be back later. Go ahead and have dinner without me.”
“Right, whatever,” Mammon grumbled, slouching even further in his seat. “Bye…”
Beel sighed as Lucifer whisked himself off. “…The second he said ‘dinner’, I felt hungry…”
“You woulda felt hungry whether he’d said that or not, Beel.” Mammon rolled his eyes. “You’re always hungry…”
“…Did Lucifer head out somewhere?” Satan asked as he poked his head into the room.
“Yeah,” Belphie answered, voice muffled by his pillow. “He just left. Said he’s going to the Demon Lord’s Castle.”
“Oh…” Satan sighed as he came into the room with an arm full of envelopes. “We have a giant stack of mail from when we were gone, so I thought I’d bring it to him…”
“Oooh!” Asmo wiggled in delight from his place on the floor as Satan set the stack down near his nail polish with a huff. “I know there are love letters for me in there, right? Come on, let me see!”
He paused in his reaching, with a blink of confusion.
“…Hey, wait a minute…” He picked one up in particular. “What’s this? Looks like it’s from the Celestial Realm…?”
Mammon was finally broken out of his grump as he lifted his chin to take a look. “Say wha?”
“No way!” Levi leaned forward to snatch it from Asmo’s fingers. “Lemme see!”
“Ugh! Don’t be RUDE, Levi!”
“…Wow, you’re right,” Belphie said with a touch of surprise in his voice as he turned his head too. “It has Michael’s seal on it.”
“Heh heh…” Mammon smirked as he snatched it next. “Let’s open it up…”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Beel asked with a frown of fearful concern. “It’s addressed to Lucifer…”
“All right, let’s do this,” Satan encouraged as he fought to his the twitch of a smile. “We’ll say that Asmo thought it was a love letter for him, and he opened it by accident.”
“EXCUUUUSE ME?!” Asmo narrowed his eyes at him with a scoff. “Why are you making ME the bad guy, hm?!”
Mammon shrugged, smirk deepening. “I mean, he said you did it by accident, right? Stuff happens.”
“It’s a letter from the CELESTIAL REALM!” Asmo protested. “Addressed to LUCIFER! I hardly think he’d believe that I mistook it for a LOVE letter!”
“What does it say?” Belphie asked in his almost-neutral voice as his eyes followed Mammon while he ripped open the envelope.
“HEY!”
“All right, calm down,” Satan shushed them all. “I’m about to read it.”
“I WAS–“
“…’I write to you regarding the following two candidates for the RAD Student Exchange Program. After due consideration, I have approved them for participation of the program.’ It’s signed by Michael–”
Satan stopped.
“Hey, hold on a second.” Asmo had stood to look around his brother’s shoulders to read along with him, frowning now. “The ’two candidates’ he listed… Look at their names…”
“Wh…” Mammon sucked in a breath when he finally snatched it back to look for himself. “Yo, you’ve gotta be kiddin’…”
“What is it?” Even Belphie was sitting up from his nest of blankets, peeking up from his tousled hair in curiosity.
“I… uh…” Mammon swallowed nervously, and then abruptly crumpled the letter in his fist.
“MAMMON!” Asmo scolded him shrilly. “THAT LETTER IS LUCIFER’S!”
“…I gotta go.”
“What?!”
“GOTTA GO!” Mammon repeated as a shout over his shoulder. “GOTTA, UH, Y’KNOW, DO SOME THINGS!”
“WHAT THINGS–?! Aaaand, he’s gone.” Asmo sighed with a shake of his head. “What an idiot… I am NOT taking the fall for this.”
Mammon ran fast, as fast as he could, to the Demon Lord’s Castle, with horrible realization gripping his racing heart.
3 Months Since Saying Goodbye
“Chise…”
I scrunched my nose with a soft whine.
“Chiiiiseee…”
“Nnngghh…”
“You'cw overslept, sleepyhead…”
“WHWAT?!” I bolted up into a sitting position with a sharp gasp, eyes wide in panic. “LLLAAATE?!”
Solomon burst out into gleeful laughter as he watched me try to scramble, trapped in between our bedsheets while I flailed uselessly.
“WHAT TIME?!” I finally managed to start clawing my way out.
“Fifteen minutes until they open…”
“SHIT! Shit shit shit sh– MFFPHHBLBB!”
More cheerful laughter. “Oh noooo! Tink found you!”
“DAMMIT, TINKERBELL!” I spat out a mouthful of fur just as she bumped her head against my tongue again with a hungry merp. “Can you get her breakfast for me, Solomon?!”
“Ahaha. I’d already planned on it.”
“I am soooo sorry…” I rolled my ass out of bed to land right on the floor. “Terrible start to your date day. Dammit…”
He watched me next hop around into my pants with a fond smile. “It’s fine, love. The day isn’t going anywhere.”
I sighed as I touched my necklace. “I should tell Sim– OOOMPH! SOLOMON!”
He grinned at me with a mocking growl as he dragged me back into bed with him, arms pinning my own to my sides in a tight embrace.
“Solomon!” I kicked uselessly as I turtled on my back over top of him. “Not funny!”
“You get ready, I’ll call him. So you can apologize to us BOTH on speakerphone for your horrible, unthinkable error!”
I rubbed my knuckles into the dark circles under my eyes with a growl. “You’re so mean.”
"Up late studying, were you?" Solomon hummed as he casually thumbed at his D.D.D. screen. "Don't make those a habit, I'd hate to lose my adorable apprentice to an unstoppable descent into insanity. It's happened before, you know!"
"I'm really close to getting this stupid shit over with. So yeah, there's been a sleepless night or two." I grunted a bit as I tugged on a sock. "But it's just for now."
"Hi, Simeon!" Solomon broke out into a light, musical greeting as he grinned at his D.D.D. screen.
"Solomon! I see you're still at home? I was just about to call either you or Chise!”
"I'm sooooo sorrrrryyy..." I moaned as I threw myself over Solomon's shoulder into the camera's view. "I overslept. I'm so sorrrryyyy."
Simeon burst out laughing with a shake of his head. "Well now, that's quite unlike you! Don't tell me that Solomon is rubbing off on you now?”
"Huh?" Solomon pouted. "I don't oversleep! I'm what Chise bemoans as a 'morning person!'"
"No, but you're very often late!”
"Nuh-uh!"
"Yuh-huh!”
I rolled my eyes. "Well, while you two continue to flirt, I'm going to finish getting ready."
"I'm not flirting!"
"Neither am I!”
I groaned as I padded towards the bathroom. They were hopeless.
–
"Well?" I turned to Solomon breathlessly, arms struggling into my jacket sleeves still. "Are you going to teleport us or not?!"
His eyes sparkled teasingly. "Oh, it's teleporting that you want, is it? You don't want to go through the pains of old fashioned human world travel and be even MORE la--"
I grabbed his hand with a growl. "Let's GO, old man!
"Aww...!" He pouted at me petulantly. "Was that really necessary, honey?"
"Dammit, wait! Did you feed Tinkerbell?!"
He laughed with a shake of his head, ENTIRELY too amused. "Yes, while you were in the bathroom. Now, shall we do our best to give Luke a jump scare in the café kitchen?"
"Solomon—!”
–
"D'AAAAAAAH…!” The sound of Luke's shrill scream.
And then I was on my tailbone, spluttering for some reason, my one arm stretched up above me with my hand still attached to Solomon's.
Who stood perfectly upright and giggling down at me.
"Y-You... do that..." I paused to let out a long wheeze. "On purpose..."
"Nope! You just suck at it."
"Hate... you...."
"...Um, Luke? Oh!" Simeon's expression brightened from his concerned frown. "Well well! Decided to take a shortcut into work today?"
"They could have WARNED me!" Luke chided us with a sulk.
I wheezed again.
"The wife insisted!" Solomon dropped my hand to ruffle my hair, before stepping forward to take Simeon into his embrace.
"Not... wife...!"
"Happy wife, happy life!" he cooed to me over his shoulder.
Simeon was grinning with a glint in his eye. "Oh, I like that one!"
Both Solomon and Simeon had decided that it'd be hilarious to call me 'their wife' once Mammon's ring had been discovered on my finger. Now it was the annoying running joke between my two boyfriends who took great joy in teaming up to mess with me.
I was dreading the day when I'd be back in the Devildom and they did it in front of the brothers. I saw it in Solomon's eyes the very first time he had cracked out the wife joke. He would be doing it ASAP just to create chaos.
I didn't REALLY care about what they'd taken to calling me, even as a tease. It was knowing that Solomon was patiently waiting for the right moment to piss everyone off with it that was the real problem. Every time the word left his mouth, it was like he was dangling the threat in front of me, delivering it with a knowing smirk that got me bristling.
Which was the point, of course.
I glared at his cackling laughter.
I was the next one taken up in Simeon's embrace while he also helped me to stand. "Thank you for agreeing to take my shift today, sweetheart. I really appreciate it."
"I'm sorry I was late..."
"No need." He kissed my cheek sweetly. "You're the one doing me a favour here."
"I'm glad to. I want you two to have…time to yourselves."
He squeezed my hands in his as he stepped back with a smile. "Next time it will be you and I who will get the time. We’ll foist a shift upon Solomon to make it even."
I finally gave a reluctant smile. "Well, I won't say no to that."
"We'll handle the café for you just fine, Simeon!" Luke piped up with a determined grin. "Chise and I have got it covered! You and Solomon go have fun on your date today!"
Even Solomon had to give an actual sly-free smile at that. "Thank you, Luke. It's about time Simeon could be convinced to take a break."
Luke nodded grimly. "Yeah. He's the worst at resting."
"Ah, well, it looks like there's already a customer at the door!"
"...Oh shit!” I hissed under my breath as my eyes darted to the clock on the wall. "Supposed to open two minutes ago!"
Solomon laughed as I rushed out, with Simeon shaking his head with a smile.
"Don't worry, Chise!" Luke called out after me. "Everything is ready out there!"
Solomon took Simeon's hand to raise the back of it to his lips for a kiss. "Ready to go, Sim?"
Simeon blushed prettily with an embarrassed smile as Luke darted past them muttering 'blurgh' under his breath. The boy ran away making gagging noises anytime he happened upon a casual public display of affection. Which... happened a lot lately... with both Solomon and Chise visiting and working alongside them fairly often now.
He squeezed his love's hand back with affection, eyes soft for him as he met his look of fondness. “Ready, Sol. Let’s go."
I sighed with a slump of my shoulders as I leaned back against the countertop of the back-of-house kitchen. We’d made it through the morning rush, and I’d just gotten through the lunch rush preparations with a few moments to spare.
A half second to breathe.
I didn’t like having time to myself to think. Not if I could help it, anyway.
Being left behind in the human world again by my demons wasn't exactly easy, but it WAS easier this time. Both my bonds with Solomon and Simeon, and even Luke, had grown a great deal deeper.
We'd almost started to become a sort of family of our own...
No, not sort of. We had. Simeon, Solomon, and myself, with Luke as our adopted ward. He was ultimately Simeon's responsibility in the end, of course, but Solomon and I had willingly begun to step into larger roles in his life as well. Like two step parents.
It wasn’t just the café. Our own home that Solomon and I shared had become the ‘hub’ of our family life after the café closed for the day. I real family home… Between the four of us.
I mean, they DID also come here to come to a deeper understanding of the human world. So Solomon and I took on a little bit of the mentorship role in that regard as well. Sort of like how Barbatos had filled in as a demon role model for him in the Devildom. We were the humans that he looked up to, in this case.
...Though maybe we weren't the greatest example of 'the typical human life'.
So I wasn't quite as lonely with this new little family of mine. Movie nights, sleepovers, game nights, taking turns with shooing Solomon from the kitchen, even adopting a family cat…
I had summoned Satan, and Belphie, and Beel. And then Belphie AND Beel. I even successfully summoned Asmo for the Pride Parade back in June. And I loved it. Loved them. Loved seeing them.
But it'd only be for a weekend.
Because they were in school.
And so was I.
I'd enrolled in courses over the last few months at the Academy of Magic here in the human world. It was all the way over in England, so I had been given a sort of portable talisman that allowed me to teleport there and back home without having mastered any teleportation magic of my own to do it myself.
But it meant that time was no longer truly my own, and I found very little of it for rest. Between the time zone differences of west coast Canada and England where my classes were held during THEIR day, as well as my continued apprenticeship under Solomon, and my relationship with him and with Simeon AND working the occasional shift at the café to help out...
Up at midnight Canada to make it for my nine a.m. classes in England during the week. Studying materials from both the Academy and Solomon's own homework for me when I got home. Practical magical demonstrations on the weekend with Solomon, along with working the café, and dating them both, and stepping up to take Luke so they could have time to themselves as a couple, too.
The brothers had all agreed with me that this would be best, if I didn't summon any of them for a while to get through the slog. It meant that'd I'd be back together with ALL of them sooner... If I focused on my studies for now.
I hated it.
But I was so close. So close. This close. My final exams for the courses I'd been taking were just around the corner. Just another few weeks. And once I'd proven myself to Solomon by showing him my final grades...
He'd let me go.
"…Chise!” Luke poked his head around the doorframe. “New customers!”
I nodded to him with a smile, peeling myself from off the counter to follow him out. “On my way, kiddo.”
Lunch rush began.
"Thank you, my love," Simeon murmured with a turn of his head, to catch Solomon's eyes with his.
Solomon let out a soft, sad sigh as he wrapped his arms around Simeon’s bare torso from behind, leaning forward to meet Simeon's lips with his own. "...Even with my power, I can only give you temporary relief, and privacy. It's a powerful curse. I am so sorry."
"Mm." Simeon reached up to trace his fingers along Solomon's jaw, his touch gentle. "You cool the burn, and keep my secret. How could you possibly believe that you need to apologize in any way? It'd be unbearable without you."
"Perhaps Chise’s power could..."
"Please," Simeon whispered, dropping his voice low. "No. Please don't even think to burden her with such a task. It's bad enough that I burden you."
"You are NOT a burden," Solomon whispered back hoarsely. "Don't even think it. And she wouldn't think it, either."
"I know," he sighed, turning his face forward again while he leaned back into Solomon's embrace. “But this is the curse I agreed to endure. It's blasphemy enough that I dodge part of the consequence through you. It’s hardly tolerated as it is."
"Blasphemy..." Solomon brushed a couple slow, gentle kisses along Simeon's shoulder, before resting his chin on it with a sigh. "That's an angel's word, you know. You don't have to say such things anymore."
"Old habits will die hard."
"As for 'dodging consequence'... You're no longer their's. They decided that." He held him tighter. "You're mine now. Under my protection. And Chise's. That they still keep their claws in you like this is an offense to OUR world now, Simeon. So, yeah, I'll be soothing these burns, thank you. Better than waging a war on the Heavens, if they tried to stop me."
"Don't say that," Simeon pleaded quietly. “Don’t make this another Solomon versus the Devildom. It’s already tense enough. I got off lucky because they fear you and Chise."
"Good."
"NOT good. Do something stupid, and they'll do something stupid in turn, out of that fear. I can’t have Chise be… any more of a target. At the very least, she can’t take part in the healing. She has power, but none of your experience. You’re stronger in spirit.”
"In that case..." Another kiss on Simeon's shoulder. "You'll accept my healing without complaint. It's a compromise for us all."
Simeon sighed in resignation. "...We keep having this same conversation."
"Yep. And I'll keep having it until you stop whining. Until you accept an act of love without feeling like you're so thoroughly undeserving of it for once."
"You keep saying that, too," Simeon pointed out. "And I know you're not just talking about this."
"Yep. I'm talking about telling Chise, and letting her love you through pain. Imagine that!" Solomon shook his head against Simeon's hair. "Letting people love you makes them feel loved by you as well, you know."
"Chise says that..."
"Yes, she taught me that as well."
"I will. I'll have to... soon." He sighed. "Now that we're going back to the Devildom... Lucifer himself figured it out. It's only a matter of time before another brother who isn't as mum notices too."
"Chise herself is piecing it together, Simeon. If she hasn't already. Though I suspect there is a deep denial there…"
"That..." Simeon looked down at his hands. "Is the point… She doesn’t even want to know…"
"No," Solomon said firmly, one hand coming up to grip Simeon's chin to turn his face back towards him. “Allowing her to live in denial is so much worse. It's unkind, ahuvi. You think you’re doing this out of love, but it is unkind. That… goes for Luke as well."
Simeon squeezed his eyes shut against Solomon's frank gaze, letting out a shuddering sigh of pained shame. Only Solomon had the heart to speak these hard truths to him. Not even Lucifer spelled it out in such a way. It's why he had fallen so in love with him in the first place. This human lover of his did not sugar coat anything for anyone’s sake.
“Come on, Sim,” Solomon murmured to him, cupping his face to pull him back into a tender kiss. “I can think of a few other ways I could heal that hurting heart of yours.”
Simeon smiled, genuine and sweet, for this loving man of his. “And I can think of a few ways to give my thanks back.”
“Mmm…” Solomon deepened the kiss, as he leaned them both to the side, back down onto the bed.
4 Months Since Saying Goodbye
“Sweetheart…” Simeon rocked us from side to side in his hug with a grin. “How funny is it, that I’m congratulating you on your stellar report card like you’re one of Levi’s human anime 'school girls’?”
“Ugh…” I tried pushing him away with a grin of my own, but he simply laughed at my futile efforts. Even angels were goddamn strong. Though it wasn’t as if Solomon couldn’t pin me down for a good tickling either. “You’re the one embarrassing yourself here, old man.”
He gasped with dismay. “But! That’s your nickname for Solomon! Not for me!”
“Well,” I sighed with a smile, “no more midnight mornings.”
“Thank goodness for that.” He placed a light kiss into my hair. “We can have true movie nights back again, without you falling asleep with Luke at eight. Your flippant commentary throughout and your devotion to bowl after bowl of ice cream makes the nights much more entertaining.”
I grinned up at him teasingly. “Meh. I’m sure you and Solomon haven’t minded. I have, after all, noticed that I seem to wake up in the spare room with Luke fairly often on those nights.”
He at least had the courtesy to blush. “Aha… You two are kind, to take turns, to… share your, err, bedroom… But anyway…”
“Pffff.” I laughed with a shake of my head. “What was that? Thanking for use of the marital bed?”
“Okay, you just said that, not me!”
“Do NOT tell him.”
He winked at me. “Call me old man again, and I will.”
I sighed. “Deal. You’re my sweet, eternal angel instead, who ages so gracefully.”
“Aha…” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t know about that. Anyway, I expected Solomon to be here this morning with you, fairly running in circles with pri–"
And then, Solomon teleported into the living room, mid-Simeon-sentece, mid-Solomon-singsong-yelling with said pride.
“Oooh, my adorable apprentice!” He took me from Simeon’s arms with a grin. “Dean’s list! Top of her class! Going down in Academy of Magic history!”
“Not top,” I corrected. “Just… near it.”
“Oh, please. Top in ALL practical applications! With a plaque in the hall of fame with her name on it to match.”
I relented with an embarrassed smile of my own. “Okay, I guess, yeah. Though that wasn’t what I set out to do.”
“No?” Simeon’s usual gentle-and-kind smile quirked into a little smirk instead. “So you didn’t summon Belphie and Beel together in one go to show off…?”
“That was SOLOMON’S idea for the final exam. I didn’t… QUITE know that no one had ever done that before.” I glared up at my exuberant mentor. Tricked, yet again.
Solomon stopped his excitable rocking of me with a sweet smile, cupping my cheek affectionately. “That’ll show those stuffy old fogeys–"
“You’re way older than them, old man.” I rolled my eyes while Simeon tittered behind his fingers. “I feel like I’m half ‘adorable apprentice’ and half 'smoosh your apprentice in their faces as your way of flexing’ to you.”
“Really?” Solomon raised his eyebrows at Simeon. “Do you see the difference in either…?”
Simeon sighed with a patient smile. “I can’t say that I do.”
“I hate you both.”
“So…” Solomon grinned at me again while ruffling my hair, entirely ruining it. “Movie night? We’ll celebrate with as much takeout as we can fit in our bellies, all of us together.”
I nodded. “Movie night. And then… discussion, of my future. Starting tomorrow.”
“Ah, yes!”
It took me by surprise, his enthusiasm for that nearing conversation. He’d been despondent over it now and then when it came up. I mean, he tried to hide it, tried to be excited for the progress in my studies, but on a personal level…
It was going to change everything.
But he loved me. And he'd promised.
***
Luke had been put to sleep, and I had been allowed a mid-afternoon nap to finally combat the jet lag I’d been living with for the last few months.
It felt good, to be cuddled between them both.
Felt right.
Felt inevitable, that Solomon would kiss my neck first, and then Simeon, who kissed my hair.
It was leading to this. Had been, for a while. Simply slowed down by my busy schedule, really, to bloom a little more naturally between us. The cuddles had become more and more… comfortable.
“Okay…” I huffed a shaky laugh. “You can do that, but we’re not going all the way until we’ve talked about it fully another time.”
“If you insist,” Solomon murmured as he trailed his knuckles down my arm.
Simeon laughed into my hair too. “No, she’s right. We should do this right, for all our sake.”
Solomon sighed. But it wasn’t one of disappointment. Soft lust there, as he leaned further against me, fingers trailing over the shape of my jaw.
I turned my head easily with the soft pressure he pressed there, to have his lips capture mine in a sincere kiss. Not particularly deep, but lingering, and loving, while Simeon leaned in too to stroke at Solomon’s arm, nuzzling under my ear with the tip of his slender nose.
“How far…?” Solomon murmured, breath warm on my lips.
I shivered as his hand left my chin to stroke at my breast through my shirt. “Not all the way. Not fully unclothed, either, to stop temptation.” I said the last teasingly, though the shake in my voice was unmistakable to them both.
“Agreed…” Simeon moved his lips to my neck now while he pressed over Solomon’s hand to cup my breast more firmly.
I raised my hands to cup both of their jaws while their lips moved along on my skin. “I love you both…”
”I love you both,” Solomon whispered back, an unmistakeable smirk in his voice at the game he started.
Simeon laughed again, breathy against my collarbone. “No, I do. My… humans. Beautiful humans…”
Solomon was lifting my shirt up, and up. I curved my back from off the couch briefly so that he could settle the rolled fabric under my arms, for him to pet at my bra. Simeon trailed his fingers lightly down the center of my ribs to my belly, his touch gentle and soft.
“Solomon’s obsessed with my breasts,” I explained to Simeon teasingly.
“Hey…!”
But Simeon only chuckled. “Well, that makes complete sense to me…”
I tilted my head. “Huh?”
But it was Solomon who was smirking again. “I like chests. Simeon likes his nipples touched, did you know? That’s how we both found out…”
“SOLOMON!” Simeon hissed as his eyes went wide, a deep blush spreading over his cheeks.
“Really?” I looked at Simeon with a pout. “You never told me that…”
“Mmm…” Solomon giggled as he pulled one of the cups of my bra down. “So he refuses to let you please him as well…? Typical…”
“You too?!”
“Both of you…!” Simeon sighed in exasperation, but my hand was already reaching for him, to finger under the bottom hem of his shirt, sliding up his toned belly. I sighed with a fluttering of my eyelashes as Solomon took my breast into his mouth, flicking his tongue over the bud of it while his other hand slipped into my bra’s other cup to pinch at me. Simeon watched my face with awe, watched how Solomon rolled his hips to hump at my leg while I let out a barely audible mewl.
“The two of you…” he whispered in wonder. “The most beautiful sight of my whole life.”
And then I had him inhaling sharply through his teeth as I found his chest, rolling his own nipple with my fingers in a soft pinch. The bud much smaller than mine… I’d never touched a man like that before. I bit my lip as it hardened at my touch. Smaller, but responsive to my pinch.
He swallowed, and gave a slow nod as he held my gaze, reading my soft hesitation. “G-Good…”
My other arm was wrapped around Solomon, my hand sliding through his silver hair, the silk of it flowing through my fingers. Simeon cuddled in closer with a sigh as his own fingers found the waistband of my pyjamas, to tug gently at their drawstrings. No panties, as he dipped his hand inside, to stroke just over top of where my folds began, at the mound between my legs.
“C-Can you two…? Kiss…”
Solomon huffed a soft laugh under his breath, the air tickling my breast. “Like the thought of that, hm…?”
“N-No…! Shut up… Just… love… you two being together…”
“Kidding,” Solomon assured me, his smile evident in his next kiss on my skin, before he pulled his face away to catch Simeon’s eyes. “Well, Sims?”
“Always, Sol,” Simeon whispered back with sincerity in his voice, his hand leaving my pants as he reached both to cup sweetly at Solomon’s jaw, pulling him close.
They met with soft sighs. I whined at the sight of them, the familiarity between them. They both leaned over to press on me while their lips moved gently, and I nuzzled at Simeon’s cheek affectionately while they kissed so close.
Solomon broke off first to turn his face, already so close to mine, to brush the next kiss on my lips. And then Simeon too, sharing the other side, while I simply moved mine to capture the rhythm of their own. Then I was turning my head slightly, back and forth, for full lipped kisses from them each, while they occasionally did the same to each other. Our breaths warm on each other's faces, damp from the moisture of heating air and wetted lips. Solomon’s arms around my waist, Simeon’s arms around us both, my fingers on Solomon’s cheek, the others stroking Simeon’s thigh. Solomon trailing his fingers back up to my breasts, Simeon’s hand leaving Solomon’s back to come between us all, dipping into my pants again. Further, further, cupping between my legs, his thumb swiping lightly over the lips of my sex, though he did not part me yet.
I sighed as my hands trailed towards their own arousals, both of their’s straining and evident and hot through the fabric of their own nightwear, jumping at my touch. Solomon’s easiest to find as I slipped my hand into the now-unbuttoned pocket at the front, while I gently pulled at Simeon’s waistband on the other side of me. He lifted his hips, wiggling them down to release himself, his generous arousal springing free to my touch. I lifted mine next, for him to pull down as well. Past my knees, so that I could spread my legs more for him, a whine in my throat. Solomon’s mouth on my breast again, both Simeon and I gasping as he wrapped both my hand as well as his own over Simeon’s cock, while he groaned against my skin when I did the same to him in his pants.
I slowly moved both of my fists up and down, mewling lightly again as Solomon sucked hard, as Simeon parted my folds to run his fingers through the silky wetness that began to cover me.
“Finger her,” Solomon groaned against my breast. “Please, Simeon. Make her moan for us.”
“Ffff…” I shivered, and then let them have that moan when Simeon slipped two fingers into me, slick and easy, while I squeezed their cocks tighter from the pleasure that bloomed within my belly.
“I want to eat her out…”
“I know. Are you going to let us blow you in exchange…?”
“…T… Together…?”
A bit of tentative awe in his voice. I hoped it’d be irresistible to him after all.
“Please,” Solomon begged again, with a breathy whisper.
I whined my own pleading as well. Wanted, wanted to have both our mouths on him, both of us between his legs…
Simeon pressed his fingers into me a little harder. “All right.”
His voice was shy.
“Good. Then you can have her.” Solomon kissed my breast again, before pulling away. “I think we need to move this to the bedroom. Just in case.”
I swallowed with a nod of agreement.
And then I was picked up, carried between them both, Simeon’s fingers still pumping lightly inside me as I groaned.
–
I was lying back, held by Solomon behind me while I cried out softly with a roll of my hips at Simeon’s next flick of his tongue. Solomon kneaded my breasts slowly; his erection, pulled out from his pants and pressed to my mid-back, pulsed in time with each of my moans. I tilted my head back with a gasp as Simeon slipped his fingers back inside of me while he gave my clit another suck, the tilt pressing my forehead into Solomon’s lips for him to kiss tenderly. I was wrapping my thighs around Simeon to hold him to me, while Solomon sighed and nibbled at my ear next, beginning to hump his hips up against my back a bit more rhythmically.
“So good,” Solomon murmured into my ear, with a harder pinch of my nipples that made me cry out. “He looks so good down there between your legs, bent over, with no pants. Doesn’t he look so good down there, Chise?”
I cracked my eyes open slightly to look, and then moaned at the sight. Those sexy hips of his in the air, his shirt pulled up a bit for a partial show of his backside, revealing the slender, narrow shape of his body. I felt Simeon shiver against me, giving my clit a harder suck in revenge, making me cry out again.
All the while, his fingers pumping, and pumping, getting faster and faster.
“Imagine me,” Solomon continued in a murmur, “behind him like that…”
“Fffffuck…” I groaned, with another, more insistent roll of my hips. Simeon groaned against my sex as well, his shoulders rolling forward, his eyes squeezing shut.
“He hardly ever lets me…” Solomon gave my ear a little lick. “Such a pleaser… But if he’s busy pleasing you, well, maybe he’ll let me have him at the same time?”
“Solomon,” I gasped. “Simeon! Simeon! F-Ffffaster!”
The sound of my slickness filled the room, his fingers coated in my creamy fluids. Faster, pumping faster, the lewd sound punctuating the air while Simeon panted shakily against my sex.
“She’s close,” Solomon said to Simeon, voice hoarse.
Simeon whined into my pussy with agreement, the breath he let out warming my clit further. Sucking, sucking, pumping, pumping, I was building close with noisier cries, back beginning to arch a little bit tighter.
“He’d find it hard to please us both, right?” Solomon continued shakily. “S-So… While he’s… on you… I’ll…”
“Ohhh stars please I’m close, I’m gonna, I’m gonna….”
“We’ll teach him that it pleases us to please him, right…?” Solomon was huffing against my neck, voice deepened with his husky lust, thrusting his hips into my back in earnest. His hand was between us now, trapped there, gripping his cock while he fucked through his fist, through the pressure of my weight that bore down on him. “When you… you have him, wh...while I take him… Between us… We’ll take care of him for once… Right, Chise…?”
My back snapped into a rigid arch as I strangled out a cry, and then I was awash, awash as Solomon grabbed me tighter to him with a hiss, squeezing my breasts hard. I choked out a sob as I felt him release against my back, his own body going rigid as well as his hot, sticky seed painted us, while I twitched hard in his arms. And all the while, Simeon groaning between my legs, his hand on his own cock now, fisting it while he sucked at me and fucked me with his other hand. I was squeezing his head to me tightly, wrapped him with my thighs, while I choked and writhed, held firm by Solomon behind me as my body struggled on its own. And then his hand clapped over my mouth before I could howl too loud, growling softly in my ear with his smothering of my voice.
I let out a long, strained moan, muffled behind Solomon’s hand, my lashes fluttering as I finally relaxed back into him, relaxed my hold over Simeon’s shoulders. Solomon purred sweet encouragement into my ear that I couldn’t even begin to process through my bliss, while Simeon dropped me from his mouth to pant noisily for air against my inner thigh. Solomon’s seed – trapped wet between my back and his belly.
“A-And now,” Solomon panted hoarsely, “we give him our thank you. Right, Chise?”
I sighed softly, a smile twitching the corners of my lips.
Simeon swallowed as he watched Solomon sit up further, with me still on his chest, my arms reaching for my angel. “Ch-Chise… Sol…”
“Come here, silly man,” I invited him, with my shaky smile. I reached weakly, holding out my fingers to him, while Solomon kissed my cheek from behind.
He sighed in resignation with a small smile of his own, before crawling forward on the bed fully; He reached into my embrace, to take up my mouth with his, pressing softly. I sighed too, in satisfaction, at the taste of myself on his lips. Solomon leaned forward with a hum over my shoulder, inhaling my scent against Simeon's cheek, before kissing the corner of his mouth too. And then they kissed, sharing me. Sharing me. I sighed out my desire again as I ran my fingers down Simeon’s ribs, watching the two of them, watching Solomon’s tongue dart out to swipe across Simeon’s bottom lip, before sliding into his mouth. They rolled and rolled their kisses, heating, deeper, tongues slipping into each other’s mouths with tilts of their heads, tasting me with each other.
“…She tastes…”
“So good…”
“Mmpphh…” I nuzzled in shy embarrassment against Simeon’s cheek, as I reached for his cock that hung heavy between his legs.
“Yekirati. How many times has he let you swallow him?”
“…Only once…”
“Pfff.” He laughed with a shake of his head at the sulk in my voice. “Typical. You go ahead, then.”
A moment of insecurity at the implication. “Y-You…?”
“Not much more than you, I can assure you of that!”
“H-Hush… you two…” Simeon gasped, before his eyes rolled back, letting out a moan as I slid my hand down the length of his shaft. He crawled up once more to push his cock through my fist more firmly, with a small hump.
Solomon patted the space beside him. “Here, Sim. Lean back here.”
He let out a shuddering sigh as his cock slipped from my hand to allow for him to roll onto his tailbone, to shift himself back until he was beside Solomon, shoulder to shoulder.
“Good…” Solomon murmured, as he cupped his face to bring him into a kiss, while I rolled off of Solomon and onto our angel, to trail kisses down his chest. I lifted his shirt up as I went, offering his chest to Solomon, who dutifully drifted a hand down from his jaw to roll a nipple between his fingers. Simeon moaned sweetly, a higher moan than his usual, making me smile with a giggle as I reached his navel with my kisses.
“Being so good for us…”
“Mmm…” I caressed Simeon’s cock lightly with my fingers, my nose dragging across the swollen, engorged head of him, making him shiver.
“I’ll let her wet you a bit,” Solomon whispered huskily as he moved his own mouth to Simeon’s neck, pressing tight kisses to the peak of his throat while Simeon whined shyly. “And then we’ll both…”
“W…” Simeon groaned with a roll of his shoulders once Solomon reached his chest to lip, before taking a shallow bud to suck. Once I’d kitten-licked at the pool of pre-cum that collected in the dip of his tip. “W…Wait… Won’t last…”
“Guess I’d better get down there quick,” Solomon murmured, before he nipped hard, making Simeon cry out.
I took the distraction to push his head past my lips, taking him into my mouth with a sigh through my nose. With him in his half-lean, he saw it all, watched the two of us work on him slowly, Solomon’s mouth moving down to join me while he twisted his other nipple between his fingers. Once Solomon had reached the bottom of his belly, he ran the flat of his tongue back up firmly, dipping to his navel briefly before reaching his ribs. And then down, down he went again, while I made a sucking noise in my throat as I swallowed him down further.
He kissed the corner of my mouth gently, making me smile, making me drop Simeon from my mouth to turn and kiss him back. Sweet, quick pecks, with me giggling as I felt Simeon’s keen eyes watching us. I felt Solomon take my hand again to guide us both to the base of him, to grip around his girth together.
“Stars, you two…” Simeon whispered shakily. His eyes shone, brows drawn together with love and desire. “I love you both so much… You’re so beautiful together.”
“We love you, Simeon,” I whispered on another sigh, as I began to trail kisses down the length of him; Solomon hummed his agreement softly as he took over the head of him, taking him between his lips.
I moaned at the sight. Simeon’s cock in Solomon’s mouth. Further, and further in. Mouth wider than mine, taking him with more ease, while I began to pump at the bottom half of his shaft, while I gave light little sucks to his skin. He let out a soft, choking sob in the back of his throat as he watched his two lovers slowly work him with tender kisses, loving nibbles, the hum from Solomon’s own throat vibrating through the length of his cock.
I went further and further down, past my hand that masturbated his base.
He shot forward with a cry once I’d taken one of his balls into my mouth, gently sliding my tongue underneath it, while I cupped the other with a gentle roll of my palm. He was keening now. Hands in Solomon’s hair, pushing him down to swallow more. Shaky fingers of his other hand curled tight into our sheets. A sheen of sweat forming on his brow while he open-mouthed panted, soft cries in between, with every full bob of Solomon’s head. And watching, watching us love him between his legs.
Gasping, rolling his hips, shaking, fingers flexing in and out of curls through Solomon’s hair. Shuddering. Shuddering.
Solomon tapped my chin. I came up just as his mouth left Simeon’s cock, for me to swallow down eagerly in his place, taking him in quickly to begin bobbing in earnest. Simeon’s fingers in my hair now, and then Solomon’s, as they directed my bob, pushing me down and then releasing me while I gurgled and huffed in air. Solomon’s hand masturbating his base quickly, the flick of his tongue against Simeon’s balls, before taking one into his mouth as well, sending our angel straight over the edge.
With a cry, with an arch of his back, Simeon came. Hot ropes of his cum splashed over the back of my tongue, and I swallowed down eagerly, the sound a wet gulp deep in my throat while Simeon pumped his hips with each flood of his seed. His other hand that wasn’t gripping my hair flew down to grip the base of himself over Solomon’s hand to masturbate furiously to intensify his release. Solomon chuckled in amusement as he let him, riding him through while our lover's back crashed up and down against our pillows.
Until with a low cry, a curl forward, and a shudder of his shoulders, he spilled the last trickle of himself onto my tongue.
I hummed with satisfaction as I lapped the remains of him, while he uncurled himself to lay back with a soft groan, exhausted from the exertion of his powerful orgasm.
With Solomon and I, smiling, continuing to kiss him lightly until he softened fully under our lips, allowing him to rest. And then we kissed each other, with Solomon’s tongue prying apart my lips, to taste his lover as well.
“I love you,” he whispered against my mouth.
“I love you, ahuvi…” I kissed him again.
And then we went up to our exhausted, blissed angel, to embrace him too.
–
“My back is sticky…” I muttered grumpily after we’d had enough of rest in each other’s arms for humour. “I can feel it peeling… Thanks for that, Solomon.”
He giggled into the side of Simeons’s neck. “Shall we all shower together, then?”
I pouted, narrowing my eyes in suspicion. “I said no full nakey…”
“Full nakey?” He smirked as he turned his face to look at me directly from across Simeon’s chest. “Someone’s a bit tired.”
“…Shut up,” I sighed. “Fine. But just kisses in there… Tired…”
They both nodded, with Simeon brushing my hair back from my face, before Solomon leaned over him to kiss the tip of my nose. “All right. Agreed.”
“And one of you wash my damn back really thoroughly…”
Simeon chuckled under his breath. “Deal.”
“A-And then… um…”
“And then Simeon sleeps with us.” Solomon reached beyond me to stroke Simeon’s arm that was around my shoulders “Right, Sim? You’re one of us, after all.”
Simeon smiled his gentle smile, and let out a sweet sigh of satisfaction. Of affection. A peaceful sound that tugged on my heartstrings. “All right. We’ll shower. And I’ll stay in here tonight. With the two of you.”
“Mm. The three of us,” I murmured, while I snuggled into him. “Partners. Family.”
Solomon chuckled as he watched me snuggle in deep. “Didn’t you want that shower?”
“Mmmff… In a bit…”
///
“Okay,” Solomon said in his light voice, smiling gently as he held my fingers in his. “Ready?”
I’ll admit to a moment of deep nervousness as I swallowed. “Do you think I am…?”
I’d heard stories of teleportation ‘mishaps’.
…None had sounded like a very pleasant experience.
He squeezed my fingers encouragingly. “Most definitely. Now. This is the the incantation for a teleportation spell… 'In the name of the sorcerer Chise, I command you! Create a path where there is none, and lead me where I wish to go!’"
I nodded mutely.
“Once you start getting the hang of teleportation magic, you’re free to shorten the incantation as you see fit.” He reached up to rub his thumb over my cheek affectionately. “But remember, the shorter you make your incantation–“
“–the more mental energy and magical power the spell will require,” I finished for him. “I know, Solomon.”
“Aha…” He had the grace to blush a bit. “Of course. You’ve just come so far, in such a short amount of time…”
I took a step closer to him, giving him a reassuring smile. “I know how you’re feeling, Sol. It’s bittersweet.”
“It sure is.” He kissed my forehead. “So, moving on. Time to review what you’ve learned. Try reciting the incantation for a teleportation spell.”
With a deep breath in from me, we both stepped away from each other.
Quiet for a moment.
He gave me an encouraging nod.
“…In the name of the sorcerer Chise, I command you. Create a path where there is none, and lead me where I wish to go.”
“Perfect.” He nodded to me again. “Just what I’d expect from my very talented apprentice.”
I smiled with a roll of my eyes. “It’s just words, Solomon. I haven’t initiated anything yet.”
“Well then, what are you waiting for? Time to take the plunge.” A soft smile. There it is. The tinge of sadness at the corners of his eyes.
“Sol…”
“Just like we’d talked about. There and back.”
I sighed.
Focused.
Another breath.
"In the name of the sorcerer Chise, I command you! Create a path where there is none, and lead me where I wish to go!”
…And then I was flat on my ass in the grass, rubbing at my tailbone with a groan.
He burst out laughing as he turned towards me. “Good! That was wonderful, Chise! You teleported and reappeared behind me, just like you were supposed to. Looks like you’ve got teleportation magic down!”
“…Just… like that?”
“Mhmm…” His eyes twinkled with pride. Teacher versus lover, he often was torn between his two roles. “Which means, through the sheer power you possess, you should be able to teleport across whole worlds as well. Congratulations!”
“Just like that…”
He giggled. “Just like that. And now, I need to say this: You really are a quick learner, which makes teaching you all the more rewarding. But as great as that is, I feel like there’s something sort of… ‘lacking’ about our current situation.”
I raised my eyebrows at him.
His smile turned into a smirk. “Training all the time gets old, don’t you think? It’s too much work and not enough romance.”
Now, I was rolling my eyes. “Seeking more reassurance, are you?”
“Hmm, does it seem that way?”
I huffed a laugh. “Why don’t we go out on a date next time? It’s been a while.”
He grinned. “Oh, I’m glad you agree! I’m always up for that.”
“It was your idea to put this enormous workload on me.” I sighed with a shake of my head. “I couldn’t have done any of it without you, you know… And I don’t just mean because you’re my teacher. I love you, Solomon. That love isn’t going anywhere. I promise.”
He smiled sweetly at me, eyes shining with fondness. Until the moment was broken by the buzzing of his D.D.D. in his pocket, that he reached for with a look of surprise.
“…Yep, it’s me,” he called into the receiver with his friendly tone. “Yeah, no problem.”
And then he scrunched his nose in distaste. I giggled at the look.
“…Right,” he said, with a roll of his eyes. “Got it. I’ll be right there. See you in a bit.”
I grinned at him.
He laughed with an annoyed shake of his head. “Sorry, something just came up, aaaand it’s sort of urgent…”
“Sucker.”
He stuck his tongue out at me with a cute smirk. “We’re going to have to wrap things up here for today. But I’ll be in touch later, ahuvati.”
“Take care, dear teacher.”
“Hmph…”
It was my turn to stick my tongue out at him. “Ahuvi. Good luck with whatever it is.”
He laughed with a wink.
And then, he was gone.
No incantation.
I shook my head with a fond smile, pride in my heart, and then promptly yelped when something smacked right against my forehead. I blinked rapidly in surprise as it floated slowly to the ground, coming to a rest at my feet.
I stared down at it with a frown.
A red envelope.
Addressed to me.
“…What the hell?” I muttered as I bent down to pick it up, examining it front and back–
I froze.
The back…
My eyes widened. The wax seal firmly affixed to it, holding it shut…
Diavolo’s sigil.
I wasted no time in tearing that seal open, breathless now, heart racing. Hope? For what? Not sure. But a desperation of some sort gripped me. But a letter…? Why…
I gasped as the world around me, and all of its singing sunlight, faded into… dark.
Well, darker. Indoors now…
I was now standing in RAD’s student council room, with Diavolo standing before me, arms stretched wide with his familiar friendly grin.
“Hey there, Chise! How’ve you been?!”
I gawked. “Wh-What?! Diavolo…?!”
“I hope everything’s going well?”
“Am I in the…?!” I looked around, before pressing my fingers tight to my lips at the faces around me. My eyes filled with tears. My boys, looking in my direction expectantly.
Diavolo chuckled. “If I startled you, I apologize.”
None of my boys moved towards me. I frowned in confusion. Not… quite…
“Diavolo, what’s…?”
“You’ve just opened a message that I made for you here in the Devildom and then sent up to the human world,” Diavolo continued on to explain. “This is actually a type of letter, you see. It seems real though, doesn’t it? Almost like I’m right here in front of you.”
I stepped forward towards him hesitantly.
But instead of brick under my feet… soft grass. I looked down with a frown. No grass. Man… Magic. Yeah, I’d trade a human world waffle maker for this sort of technology. I guess.
“The Devildom mail service can deliver letters across worlds, which is how–"
“HEY, I see what you’re doin’ there, Lord Diavolo!”
I turned with a gasp, tears immediately in my eyes again.
Mammon, my Mammon, hands on his hips, with a low growl in his throat. “And it isn’t fair! Why do YOU get to talk to Chise and I don’t, huh?!”
My sweet fool, ready to challenge even the Prince of the Devildom himself for even a moment with me.
“Yeah, I want to send a letter to Chise, too,” Belphie cut in next. The second most likely to fight a bitch for me.
“If you get to talk to Chise, WE get to talk to Chise!” Levi added with sulky misery in his voice. “It’s the LAW!”
Diavolo raised an amused eyebrow, letting out a loud snort.
“…Okay, no it isn’t, but still.”
“Chiseeeeee!” Asmo called with a wave as he bounced with a wave. “How are youuu?! Good?!”
“How’s your training coming along?” Satan called to me softly, a fond smile on his lips. “I miss you, dove.”
“Have you been eating enough?” Beel finally spoke up with earnestness in his voice. “Last time you didn’t eat enough. Oh, but I guess you have Simeon’s BLTs every day now. Ugh, lucky… Guys, um…”
“Yeah, yeah, you’re hungry.” Mammon rolled his eyes. “And anyway, Belphie, you talked to Chise on the phone just YESTERDAY!”
Belphie smirked as he rested his chin on his fist. “Hmm. Did I? I guess that’s true.”
“Well, I had Chise like one of my Devildom posts only minutes ago!”
Not true, it was a couple of hours ago, but I let Asmo have it. Errr… well… would have, if I were there. Not like I had any choice at the moment.
“Oh yeah?!” Mammon stomped his foot in his growing tantrum. My husbando tsundere. “Well like… like… don’t forget about ME! I was Chise’s FIRST, ya know!”
I burst out laughing with a shake of my head. “Baby…”
“Come on,” Belphie cut in with a roll of his eyes, ignoring Mammon. “A phone call is obviously worth more than a like on Devilgram. Since you actually get to talk to each other and all.”
Asmo pouted with a crossing of his arms in front of him. “But that was yesterday, right? Whereas my thing happened today. Just minutes ago, in fact!”
“Hey, quit ignorin’ me!”
“You were Chise’s first what, Mammon?” Levi rolled his eyes. “I don’t even remember, lolol.”
“Whaddya mean?! Just like how SHE was YOUR first, Levi! So SHADDUP!”
Levi sunk deep down into his chair, face immediately crimson as his head bumped on the back of it.
Satan rolled his eyes as well. “I think he means he was the first total idiot Chise ever met?”
“BOOM!” Levi whispered fiercely. “Sick burn delivered to Mammon and Leviathan, if we follow Mammon’s logic…”
Satan shrugged. “Wasn’t my intention, but that’s fine, too.”
“HEY!” Mammon scowled at him. “That’s NOT what I meant!”
“Think about it, though,” Belphie cut in again, determined to add more fuel to the already-roaring fire. “All you have to do is press a single button to like a post, right? But a phone call takes time. Way more time.”
“When two people share the sort of deep personal connection that Chise and I do, time doesn’t matter!” Asmo’s voice was rising into a shrill scolding. “A Devilgram like between us means more than a shallow phone conversati–"
“Quiet, all of you,” Lucifer ordered sternly, glowering around at them all. Dark and stormy as always.
I wanted to sit on his laaaaap.
“Ugh, tell that to BELPHIE!”
“No, tell it to Asmo!”
“Hey, YOU TWO!” Mammon began to full-on shout at them. “How ‘bout you listen to what I’m sayin’ h–"
“ENOUGH!”
Mammon yelped as he abruptly sat back down in his seat.
Diavolo was chuckling with a fond shake of his head. “…So, can I go ahead and tell Chise what this message is actually about now?”
I turned back to him, hands pressed over my hammering heart.
Diavolo’s face grew more serious. His ‘Devildom business’ face, kind of an uncommon sight to behold. A sight that would often bring me nervous anxiety, as it often came along with a delivery of bad news. “Chise, there’s something very important I’d like to talk to you about. So I’d appreciate it if you could come down here to the Devildom as soon as possible.”
“You… want me to…?” I whispered in disbelief. Invited. Just like that.
Beel quirked his head to the side in curiosity. “You want to talk to Chise about ’something important’? Really?”
“Uh-oh!” Asmo leaned forward with a worried frown. “Don’t tell me you’re going to ask Chise out on a date or something?!”
“…How many times do I have to tell you to be quiet before it sinks in?”
“Oh, Lucifer dear!” Asmo simpered with wide, sparkling eyes. “Don’t get angryyyy. You know I hate that!”
Diavolo sighed with exasperation, but his smile returned. “Well, I’ve said what I needed to say, so that’s all from me. I’m waiting for you, Chise.”
With a nod, and then a wave, and a cut-off cry of protest from Mammon…
They were gone.
I blinked painfully against the sudden sunlight.
Their mail system could use a bit more work on the exit, to be honest.
“…My boys…” I whispered to myself, feeling a tad dazed. That was… a lot of sudden emotion that I’d just been unexpectedly doused in with no time to prepare.
To stand in the same room as them all again, so suddenly…
Slowly, a smile grew on my face.
Teleportation gave that to me now. Unlocked that pleasure for me. For real. On the tip of my tongue… really real… for them all. To have it all, at last. To have both worlds. Finally… both worlds.
A new beginning.
All of them…
But Barbatos hadn’t been in that room.
It’d been a while… He’d only invited me a couple times to sleep over, and a couple more times to have tea in the evening. Both of us had been incredibly busy. First him with the start of the term, and then me, enrolled in mine. As much as I regretted it, I knew that was just how it had to be for a bit. I knew that he regretted it too, and understood as well. But still…
He wasn’t inside the letter. I hoped he was doing okay. I missed his face… Missed his spiced scent, his rich voice that was touched by his lisp, his warm breath against my lips as he kissed me in the night.
The heat in my chest flared further.
Yeah. All of them.
I pulled my D.D.D. out from my pocket as it buzzed a couple times. Honestly, with them on my mind, and yanked so suddenly away again, it was a little jarring to see that the text wasn’t from any of them.
Solomon: Let me guess, you’re about to teleport to the Devildom for the first time?
Solomon: Good luck, Chise. You can do this.
Chise: I can’t help being nervous.
Solomon: Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. You’ve trained hard for this. Now it’s time to show just what you can do.
Solomon: See you, Chise.
Solomon: 😘
Solomon: Sooner rather than later, I hope.
Chise: Absolutely. ❤️ See you soon for that date.
Solomon: Perfect. ❤️ We’ll catch up then.
Chise: I love you, Sol.
Chise: Oh, feed Tink tonight.
Solomon: I love you too. And don’t worry, I’m on it. 👍 Tinkerbell shall not perish while under my watch.
Chise: …Why do you have to word it like that.
Solomon: No harm shall come to even a single whisker while in my care. Consider her under the personal protection of Solomon the Wise.
Chise: Seriously.
Solomon: Quit stalling. 😉
Chise: I’m not stalling. I’m GENUINELY concerned about my cat now.
Solomon: 😘 Tink and I will be waiting for you when you get home.
I took in a deep breath, and smiled with a firm shake of my head.
What a loser.
”…In the name of the sorcerer Chise, I command you! Create a path where there is none, and lead me where I wish to go!” My smile turned into a wide grin. “To the RAD council room!”
Whirling vertigo…
And then I was whisked back to Devildom, by my own lips, by the power of my own life’s breath.
Notes:
See you soon. 😘
Chapter 2: Chapter 61: Aurora Borealis
Notes:
*my internet is out for a few days as I wait for maintenance to check it out, finally finish this chapter, uses my phone’s hotspot to go post it, trips and falls flat on my face because AO3 is down for maintenance*
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
"Create a path where there is none, and lead me where I wish to go! To the RAD council room!”
But that’s not really where I wanted to go, right?
Well, apparently not my soul, anyway.
Because once again, and I’d truly have to investigate this little trend of ours, I was pulled to…
"OOOMMPH…!”
…Satan.
“Ughhh… OW… What on…”
We stared at each other.
“…Chise?!”
I grinned at him. “Well, well. Our natural gravitational pull strikes again.”
“Chise!” Slowly, slowly, the realization was catching up to him. Slowly, his grin came on in full force. “Chise! Is that you?!”
I giggled. “Hi.”
“It’s actually you, right?” His eyes were sparkling. “I’m not hallucinating? This isn’t some sort of trick someone’s playing on me? I haven't seen you in–"
I kissed him soundly, deeply, my fingers pressed to his delicate jaw as I snatched his next breath away. And again, and again, I kissed him.
“…Hells, Chise…”
“I missed you so much…”
And then I was squawking as he flipped me over with a laugh, to pin my hands to the side of my head with his, lacing his fingers in mine.
And then kisses me, and kissed me.
”…What was that flash of light just now…?”
“Hrrrmmmgg…!” I squirmed in realization. Where the fuck WERE WE?
NOT in the student council room. NOT in the House of Lamentation. NOT–
"…The hell? Is that… Satan on the floor down there? Who’s he got pinned?”
“Shhnntnnnn…!”
“Is he… wait… Is that the human chick from last year? Are they…?”
Satan growled deep in his chest, a menacing sound the had the demon students on the upper level of the library who were looking down at us flinch hard.
"…You know what. Let’s take the long way ‘round.”
“…Y-Yeah. Let’s go.”
“Pfffff!” It was when I finally let out a wet, almost-spit-take of laughter that he released my lips with a burst of laughter of his own, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.
“Well, well, well…” He repeated my cadence with a grin, still pinning me down. “So we meet under landing-on-top-of-me-from-the-air circumstances once again.”
“Like I said,” I cooed, “that gravitational pull of ours.”
He lowered his voice into one of fondness, losing the flirt to be replaced with soft pride. “I figured you’d be showing up soon.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Did you now?”
He chuckled as he relented on his hold on me, sitting back on his knees instead to start helping me up. “So, let’s go see Lord Diavolo and let him know you’re here. Then he can fill you in on what’s up.”
“Guess our habit of kissing in libraries will have to be revisited at a later date…”
He winked at me. “Let’s plan on that. Also, as much as I enjoy having you on top of me, you really do need to work on your teleportation landing.”
“Oh? You like me on top, do you?”
“Aha. …Shut up.”
Simeon turned to the sound of the café bells, expression turning from polite friendliness to soft kindness. “…So, you've finally let our little bird fly away, have you?"
Solomon smiled back, though it was one of his gentler ones. As Chise had said... bittersweet indeed. "There is the human saying that if you love something, you should let it go. And then, if it comes back to you, it is truly yours after all…"
"Ahhh..." Simeon smiled to himself as he turned to the coffee grinder. "Wisdom in that..."
Solomon sighed as he took a seat at the closest table. "Supposedly."
"She will always come back, Sol." Simeon shook his head with a soft tsk. "When will you start believing in that for yourself?”
He laughed softly. “Maybe once it happens another time or two…”
“And you call me stubborn in love.”
Solomon looked around. “Quiet in here today. Where’s Luke?”
“You just missed our morning rush. I sent him off to run a few errands.” He looked at him in understanding kindness. “So, have you had breakfast, Solomon?”
“I had something to eat before I left, yes. Could I have a cup of your Eden coffee, though?”
Simeon laughed as he gestured towards the machine he now had running. “Of course. I was getting that started for you the moment you walked through my door, Sol. And I’ll make sure it’s exceptionally good, just for you.”
Solomon seemed to cheer up a little bit, his smile a bit brighter. “Any coffee you make it always exceptionally good, Simeon.”
“That’s quite the compliment coming from you, my coffee fiend. I’m honoured.”
“So the café is doing well?”
“You’re in the calm before the storm, believe me,” Simeon said with a laugh as he poured. “We’ve gotten a few new regulars this week, actually. Word is spreading.”
Solomon sighed. “I’m sorry that I haven’t taken any shifts in a while… If you’d like, I could help you prep for lunch in the kitchen today?”
“Ahaha…” Simeon’s laugh turned a bit tighter. “It’s kind of you to offer, but that won’t be necessary.”
“Luke always hogs the kitchen… Never lets me back there…” Solomon was openly pouting with round eyes, trying to tug on Simeon’s heartstrings.
“Yes, well…” He dropped his voice into a whisper. ”We can’t have our customers dying on us, after all…”
“Hm? Sorry, did you say something?”
“No, nothing.” Simeon came around the bar with a wide grin, two cups in hand. “All right, here you are. Simeon’s special Eden coffee.”
Solomon returned his grin, successfully diverted with caffeine. “Thanks, Sim.”
“I take it you’re here for a reason?”
“Hmm? What?” Solomon took an innocent sip. “I can’t just stop by to say hello?”
“You can, of course.” Simeon leaned back in his chair with a shake of his head. “But the look on your face says there’s something you want to talk to me about.”
“…Simeon…”
“Sol…”
“You said after her exams, when she wasn’t as busy–"
Simeon tore his gaze away from his with a look of shame. “I’m working on it. Thinking… about it. About what to say… How. To say it.”
Solomon looked down at his drink quietly for a moment. “…I hear that an acquaintance of ours will be heading to RAD as a new exchange student.”
“Really?” Simeon replied softly, suddenly very interested in his cup as well. “You don’t say.”
“This isn’t like you, Simeon. We need to have a talk. A real talk. I want to help you.”
Simeon swallowed quietly, still looking down, still not meeting his gaze. “…Can you come by my apartment after closing today? We’ll talk there.”
Solomon nodded, before reaching across the table to take Simeon’s hand in his. “It’s going to be all right, Sim. We’re going to figure this out. You’re mine now. You’re under my protection. Chise and I…”
“I know… Thank you. For everything that you do.”
Satan sighed as we headed down the winding stairs of RAD. “I guess I should message the others and let them know you’ve arrived. I’d rather not, honestly. But if I don’t tell them now, it’ll just spell more trouble for me later.”
“Ouch…” I winced. “They still haven’t forgiven you for your surprise summoning, I take it.”
“Ugh. Separately, they’re annoying enough, but easily cowed. But Mammon, Levi, and Asmo whining at me all at once? It’s intolerable.”
“Huh. But Asmo’s gotten summoned now!”
He rolled his eyes as he stopped at the next landing to pull out his D.D.D. to type out his doomed message. “As if that technicality would stop that diva… Okay, done. And you know, you owe me a back rub later for the flattening.”
I smirked at him. “You’re just trying to get me alone in your room.”
“Me?” His eyes widened in mock-surprise as he pressed his fingers over his heart. “I’m not sure what you could be implying.”
“Mhmm. Still…” I gave him a sheepish look. “I’m sorry for messing up my teleportation spell.”
“Hmm…” He shook his head with fondness in his gaze again. “In a way, I guess you didn’t mess up, right? Because you teleported straight to me. Were you thinking about me at the time?”
I giggled a bit. “Perhaps we shall never know the truth. I’ll only say… that the heart wants what the heart wants.”
Ever the romantic, that little comment rewarded me with a smile, as he leaned forward towards me again. “Is that so…? Pff… You’re really cute, you know that?” He tugged me to him by my waist. “I’ve been wishing I could see you, too. You’re all I’ve been able to think about. Maybe that’s why you managed to teleport to me. Because we both missed each other so much…”
“I love you,” I managed to get out, just before he kissed me again. Gently this time, as though he could hardly believe I was real.
As if on cue… When his lips parted from mine… In a soft whisper;
“…It really is you, right? I can barely believe it.”
“I’m here, Satan.” I reached up to brush my thumbs on his cheeks. “And I can teleport. The waiting is over now. I’m here.”
He shook his head with a sigh as he pressed his forehead to mine. “I really missed you, Chise. All this time I’ve been wishing I could reach out and touch you, just like this…”
“You’re blushing…”
“Hah…” His expression of tenderness, almost sad, broke into an embarrassed smile as his blush deepened. “Shut up.”
"CHISEEEEE!”
He sighed. “I should have given us at least five more minutes before texting.”
“Mm, here we GO-UHHGH!”
I was almost thrown straight down the next flight of stairs, only caught my Satan’s quick-thinking grab on the both of us.
“Oooh, I don’t believe it!!!” Asmo squealed as he nuzzled and nuzzled me while I wheezed in his arms. “Chise, it’s REALLY YOU!”
“You almost killed her just now, Asmo,” Satan scolded with a growl.
The bubbly demon attempting to fully snuggle into my arms as though he could climb into my skin with me ignored him completely. “The moment I saw Satan’s message, I ditched the group of fans I was with and came here as fast as I could! Ugh, I’ve missed you so so SOOOO MUCH!”
I relented with delighted laughter, always lifted into giddiness by his spirit. “I missed you so much, Asmo…”
“Asmo!” Satan was physically trying to pull him off now, pink cheeks turned red as he frowned with annoyance. “Come on, who just walks up and throws their arms around someone with no warning, huh? Don’t you know how imbalanced Chise is?”
I pouted. “Imbalanced?!”
“The stairs, dear–"
“Aww, I can’t help how much I adore Chise!”
“Stop evading!”
Asmo giggled as he thrust his face against my neck to nuzzle there next. “Ah, that wonderful sceeeent! You even smell like you, Chise!”
“Of COURSE she does–"
I choked as he pressed his nose hard into that rather fragile spot on the center of one’s throat. “Love… you… but can’t… breathe…”
“Ooh, say that again!” he purred huskily. “Tell me I’m adorable, that I’m beautiful, that you only have eyes for me!”
“…She literally just said she can’t breathe.”
“She said she LOVES ME more than ANYONE! That’s what she said!”
“You’re truly the most delusional of us all,” Satan sighed. “It kills me to say that even Mammon has more moments of clarity than you.”
“How DARE you, Satan!” Asmo snapped at him with a glare, before immediately turning to me with his sugary sweetness again like a flipped switch. “Anyway, oooh, guess what?! I have something to show you!”
“Hey, whoa!” Satan made a grab at Asmo as he grabbed at my hands with a giggle to pull me away. “First we need to go see Lord–"
“I KNOW, Satan!” Asmo was full-blown scowling as he tugged me between himself and his brother while I sighed in defeat. “Don’t worry, I’ll totally take Chise to the council room after we’re done! Come on, Chiseeee! Let’s go PLEEEEASE!”
I suddenly broke free from Satan’s grip with a yelp to crash into Asmo’s arms. Asmo cackled at the victory.
“Toodles, Satan! See you later on!”
I heard a deep sigh, and an exasperated “Honestly…” come from behind me, before I was near-falling down the stairs after Asmo.
Asmo hummed as he chaotically kicked at a classroom door to swing it open. “Great, no one’s here!”
“…Who are you, Mammon?” The chronic door-kicker.
“Shhh! I’m excited! Okay, so, I told you I had something to shoooowww you, right?” He turned to me with a cute little wink. “What do you think it is? Go on, guess!”
“Pff.” I raised my eyebrows in unsurprised amusement. “Pulling me into an empty classroom? Alone? I don’t really feel comfortable saying it out loud.”
“Oh my, Chise!” He smirked at me meaningfully, but couldn’t hide the blush on his cheeks. “What’s going through that naughty mind of yours, hm?!”
I smirked at him. “I’m calling you a slut, actually.”
“If I’M a slut, then YOU’RE a slut!”
I giggled. “Okay. Conceded.”
“Don’t get me wrong, though…” He winked at me again. “If you’re up for that, then I definitely am, naturally? However…” He turned away from me to fiddle through his purse for a moment, humming, until turning back around with a beaming smile. “What I want to show you is… THIS! Ta-daaa!”
“Nail polish!”
“Yeeeees! It’s a new type of nail polish designed by yours truly!” He sighed as he brought it close to his face to inspect it. “Isn’t it just beautiful?! It’s multicoloured, so it looks like the aurora borealis from the human world! The first sample just arrived today. It’s a very special formula containing water from the Phantom Spring!”
“That’s actually…” I took a step closer to peer at it. “I’ve… never seen a more beautiful polish in my whole life. That’s gorgeous, Asmo.”
He suddenly lifted his eyes from the little bottle, catching my gaze. Stared at me in surprise.
I blinked back. “Asmo…?”
“I… um…” He gave me a sweet little smile. “I missed you very much, kitten.”
“Oh, Asmo…” I smiled widely at him as I pulled him to me by his hips. He curled the little bottle in his fingers to his chest between us. “I missed you too. Very, very much.”
“This, um… heh…” He was blushing openly now. “Well, let’s just say you’re my little muse, mmkay? And, well, you know, all the designs I d-do are i-inspired by…!”
I tucked a lock of his strawberry hair behind his ear as he choked up a bit, before sliding my hand to the back of his head to cup him to me for a kiss.
He sighed shakily into it, moving his pretty pout back against mine sweetly.
“Mmm…” He gave me a fond, close-lipped smile as I pulled away, my face still close. “I thought of you while I designed it. That’s what I’m trying to say.”
“And now, it’s my very favourite polish in the whole world.”
He sighed happily, before shaking his head free of the vulnerable moment. “All right, Chise! To the desk here, and then hold out your hand for me, okay!”
I did walk to that desk.
And I did sit down in the chair tucked into it.
And then I made a terrible mistake, as I presented my hand to him.
One that I didn’t even realize I had made…
Until he wordlessly pointed to the ring that was on my left ring finger.
We both stared at it. Me, in horrible realization. Asmo, in abject shock.
“…What,” he finally started, after a loooong stretch of silence, “is that.”
Not phrased as a question. A demand for answers. An accusation.
“A… ring…”
“…I CAN SEE THAT IT’S A RING, CHISE. WHAT IS IT DOING ON THAT FINGER.”
“I-It… fits… that… Gods dammit.” I wiggled it off and thrust it into my pocket.
He stared at me for a moment, jaw dropped. “…Do you really think putting that in your pocket is going to erase what I just saw?!”
I groaned as I lowered my face into my hands. “Stop saying that like… that.”
“You know what?” He immediately perked up, though there was still a crazed sort of desperation to his eyes. “It has been a LONG and EMOTIONAL day and I am too tired for… that.” He waved his hand towards his pocket. “But you bet your butt we’re not done with this conversation.”
I sighed in defeat. “I know…”
He fiddled with the cap of the polish for a bit, twisting it back and forth, before letting out a sigh of his own. “…Solomon?”
I snorted. “No.”
“Not Simeon, since you have the necklace…”
I shook my head.
He paused for a while. A long while. Chewing on his lip just a little bit while he thought. Just a little bit, so he didn’t ruin his lip gloss, or the skin.
“Well,” he sighed. “He HAS been threatening it for a while… It’s not like it’s THAT much of a surprise.” He shook his head. “More than anything, it’s surprising that it’s actually a NICE ring. Very you…”
“Hah…” My reply was deflated and weak. “Yeah… I was surprised too…”
“All right,” he muttered grumpily, before finally twisting the cap off with a renewed grin. “Let’s do this!”
“Asmo…”
“Oh, don’t get me wrong, petal. I’m going to KILL HIM. KILL HIM DEAD. I’LL SMEAR THAT GREEDY IDIOT BASTARD UNTIL HE’S NOTHING MORE THAN WET PASTE UNDER MY HEEL. HE’LL WISH HE’D NEVER BEEN CREATED IN THE FIRST PLACE ONCE I’M DONE WITH HIM. Anyway…! Nails, please!”
I was abruptly reminded that I was living amongst actual real demons again, with powers that could potentially bring whole worlds to their knees…
Over something as mundane as a sibling squabble.
I sighed again as I laid my fingers in his waiting palm.
–
He sighed happily as he pulled the brush away from its last stroke on my hand. A sound I immediately latched onto with hope. “Okay, all done! Hmm… and they’re absolutely adorable, if I do say so myself. And see how the colours mixed over top of my own polish that was underneath on my pinkies, now that they’ve dried too? It turns into this beautiful overcoat…”
“They’re beautiful, Asmo.” I giggled. “I didn’t realize I’d be pulled over to get the Asmo manicure treatment within, like, ten whole minutes of being in the Devildom.”
“But of course. It’s been so long since I’ve felt your hand in mine…” He rubbed his thumb along the side of my hand. “This is just so wonderful…”
Carefully, so as not to ruin the drying polish, I entwined my fingers in his.
He giggled. “Oh my. Are you trying to seduce me, Chise?”
I smiled as I brought his hand up to brush a kiss on the back of it. “So what if I am?”
He blushed as he looked at our entwined fingers. “…Your hands are so nice and soft and smooth. I never want to let go of this hand, ever.”
“I missed your touch too, Asmo.”
He giggled again. “So, what do you say to a pedicure next–"
“So this is where you’ve been.”
Before I had even turned around to fully see him, I was out of my chair like a shot, hurtling in a run towards Belphie.
“Be CAREFUL of your nails, Chise!” Asmo pleaded.
Belphie’s usual lack of expression was instead filled with eager joy as he caught me to him in a tight hug. Eyes alight, a true smile, he kissed the crown of my head over and over again.
And then I was squeezed even tighter as Beel came through the door as well, to take us both into a big Beel hug.
“We finally found you, Chise!” Beel grinned down at me from over Belphie’s head.
I was genuinely fighting back tears, trying not to lose it. “I’ve missed you two so much! I’m so so sorry they made me dismiss you so quickly during my exam! That was so rude…”
Belphie chuckled. “Yeahhh, you owe us for that. Still, the look on their faces when you pulled it off was pretty priceless…”
“A memory I will treasure,” I sighed.
He hummed as he tucked my hair behind my ear. “So, you really came to the Devildom, as promised. We’ve been waiting a long time for this, you know?”
I pressed my face to his chest with a happy hum. “I can’t wait, Belphie… To be home…” With my attic sandwich. It was if Beel heard my thoughts as well, as he petted my hair. Maybe he did.
“Ugh, honestly!” Asmo hugged himself with a roll of his eyes. “Things were just starting to get good, and then you two had to show up.” He dropped his voice into a mutter. "Twins… Not fair… But also, super ew, they’re my brothers…”
Beel gave him a nervous look as he delivered the bad news. “Lucifer’s looking for you, Asmo.”
Belphie nodded. “You’d better go see him now, or he’s going to get angry. And you don’t want that.”
“Fine, whatever,” Asmo scoffed, looking entirely too nonchalant over the prospect of a Lucifer-summoning. “I’ll go see Lucifer. Happy now? But before I do that…” He popped the lip of his polish open again with a grin. “You two need to let me try out my new nail polish on you!”
Belphie gave him a blank expression. “…Wait, what?”
–
“Oooh, this is so much FUN!” Asmo squealed as he skipped on ahead of us towards the stairwell again. “I can’t stop now! Who shall I target next?! WHOEVER I SEE FIRST, THAT’S WHO! OH! Everyone take off their shoes! RIGHT NOW!”
“You got to do my and Belphie’s nails, Asmo,” Beel called out to him in his deeper voice as he strode forward to catch him. “That’s enough. You’re done. Come on, time to go see Lucifer.”
“Ugh, Beel!” Asmo scowled as he was captured. “Stop, don’t drag me away by my COLLAR! It’s so unromantic! Carry me away in your big, muscular ARMS!”
“Seriously?” Belphie sighed. “That’s the part you have a problem with?”
"BEEL! LET GO! I SAID CHERISH ME! Ugh, it's no faaaaair!” Asmo whined as he was dragged away. “I’m not done! I want to do someone else’s nails nowwww!”
“…It’s a good thing Beel’s so strong,” Belphie said in a mutter as the sound of Asmo’s protests began to fade from down the hall. “There’s no way I could drag Asmo off by myself with him kicking and screaming like that.”
“Belphie…”
We turned to each other at the same time, to take one another into our arms again.
“Chise…” he sighed into my hair. “I’ve really missed you. You wouldn’t believe how much…”
I kissed his chest. “I have some idea…”
“You know, maybe it’s the excitement of seeing you again, but…. I don’t feel sleepy at all right now.” He chuckled. “It’s been a really long time since I’ve felt so awake. So, Chise, let me see those eyes of yours…”
I let him tilt my chin up to face him with a smile as I ran my palms up his uniform jacket, until my fingers were tracing the shape of his tie.
“Come closer,” he murmured, face nearing.
“Already…”
We met in a kiss that I hummed softly into with a sigh. We were very, very special, him and I. And true to Belphie form, he wasted no time in deepening it, tilting his head to the side to capture my lips more firmly, pressing while I inhaled sharply.
This stairwell was getting a lot of action today, I thought, as his hands drifted down to my hips to pull me tighter to him. And I guess my body was really reacting to the joy of seeing them again, because I was really, really, starting to get–
But then he pulled his mouth away with a frown, looking around. “…What was that noise?”
I blinked as I looked down between us in surprise. And not at the erection that strained in his pants. Because that obviously wasn’t a surprise.
“Wait, did that come from my stomach?”
I snorted out a laugh. “That growl could have rivalled one of Beel’s very own!”
He chuckled softly with a small blush. “I guess you’re not all that I’m hungry for.”
“Pff. Horny cheeseball.”
“Well…” His grips on my hips tightened. “I don’t think I can take this anymore. The craving, it’s overwhelming… Chise, would you help me satisfy it?”
I clucked my tongue. “We’re in the stairwell at RAD, Belphie. At least find an empty classroom–"
“I’m really hungry, Chise.”
I burst out laughing again. “Wow, that is…” Exactly how flirting ends up going with Beel. “Well then. All right, Belph. Let’s stop at the cafeteria or something.”
His face fell. “But it’s closed…”
“Well, the little store next to it usually has their leftover bread on sale right now at the end of the day. Beel usually–"
He snatched my hands in his with a cheeky grin. “Let’s go!”
–
“Mmm…” He sighed in satisfaction. “That’s good. I guess they weren’t very busy today. They had a lot left over to choose from.” He seemed to come back to himself a bit, and looked at me with a sudden touch of uncertainty. “Want some of this, Chise?”
I had been watching him with deep bemusement. “You’re… satisfied with all of this? Hit the craving spot?”
“Huh?” He looked down at everything that was laid out in front of him, all of it half-munched on already. “Yeah, I just meant I was really hungry. The urge to eat was overwhelming.” He chuckled as his eyes flitted back up to mine with a sly smile. “I take it you were hoping I was ‘craving’ something else?”
“Pffff…” I looked away with a blush. “I mean… It would have been… kinda hot…” And would have been a very Belphie thing to attempt.
“Mmm, this roll is stuffed to the brim with filling. It’s amazing.”
I looked back at him in surprise, and then laughed softly under my breath – with a patient shake of my head.
He tilted his head. “Why are you smiling like that, Chise? Do I have food on my face or something?”
“Mmm…” I smirked as I leaned over, reaching. “You got some of that cream on your mouth.”
…Okay. I guess I was really, really horny.
He blinked as I wiped it away with the pad of my thumb. “…Did you get it? Am I good now?”
I giggled, before tasting it for myself. “Hm. All right, I’ll admit, that is pretty good.”
He sighed with another small blush. “I guess I look like a child right now. It’s a little embarrassing, actually…”
I smirked at him. “Aside from the rest of this bread-devouring phenomenon of yours, that part is nothing out of the ordinary.”
He scowled. “What do I look like to you, a weak teenage boy?”
“Pff… Kinda.”
“Oh NOW you’ve gone and done it,” he warned me with a smirk of his own, wagging his finger in promise. “Anyway. I don’t mind YOU doing something like that for me, but it’d be a cold day in the Devildom before I’d let anyone else do it. So you’d better keep it a secret.”
I rubbed the toe of my shoe against his shin from under the table as I looked at him fondly. “Secret is safe with me. We’ll add it to the pile of all our others.”
He went straight back to his munching, choosing another from his spread. “…Oh wow, this other roll thingy is really good, too.”
I shook my head, bemused once more. We were dipping in and out of the flirtation like his easily-distracted twin and I. “You’re going to end up sick to your stomach.”
“Are you worried about me, Chise?” He gave me one of his sweeter smiles. “Thanks. But I still don’t feel full, even after eating this.”
I rolled my eyes. “Maybe you should let it settle. That bread is going to expand in your stomach and make you explode into a gooey dough mess.”
He looked down at all of the food in front of him with more uncertainty to his expression. “I have to admit, I do think it’s a little strange. Suddenly, I was dying of hunger, you know? It came out of no where.” He considered for a moment. “Hmm… I guess I should be good now.”
I raised my eyebrows. “You’re ‘good’? You sure? I was just teasing. Well, sort of…”
“Aha… Nevermind, I was just talking to myself. What do you say we get going?”
“All right, sure.”
But I still wrapped the rest of the bread to store it in my bag. Bringing food along with me, as I did for Beel when we hung out. Just in case. I guess even the least active of us can have a burst of sudden hunger, especially if they’ve forgotten to eaten all day or something? Which sometimes Belphie does, since he tended to sleep through his meals…
Still…
Very odd.
Satan cleared his throat as he walked into the student council room with a nod. “Sorry I’m late.”
“Hello there, Satan,” Diavolo greeted him genially as he waved with his glitter-covered hand. “Good job handling Chise.”
Lucifer turned from what he was hanging up on the wall as well. “Did everything go as planned? Have you managed to buy us the time we need?”
“Yeah. Asmo’s keeping Chise busy right now.”
“In that case, help us get things ready for the party, Satan.” Levi sighed nervously. “There’s way too much to do, and not nearly enough of us to do it.”
He nodded again as he continued into the room. “Sure. That’s what I was planning on doing. So, what should I help with?”
Lucifer inclined his head to the side. “Why don’t you lend Barbatos a hand?”
Barbatos shook his head. “I’ve finished all of the pastries and desserts.” He narrowed his eyes. “…Young Master. Glitter can be difficult to remove from one’s clothing.”
Diavolo smiled sheepishly, scolded like a toddler during a craft session gone wrong.
“In that case, Satan, you can help with the decorations.” Levi pointed. “I need to blow up all of these balloons, but there are just so many.” He placed another on the manual pump he was using with a sigh. “I’m nowhere near done…”
“All ri–"
“What the…?!” Levi jumped back with a yelp. “G’aah! Wh-What’s going on?!”
Lucifer glanced at him with raised eyebrows. “What’s wrong, Levi?”
The balloon… was expanding.
“This balloon is blowing ITSELF up!” Levi took a panicked few steps back, eyes wide. “A-And it’s not STOPPING!”
“Levi, quit fooling around.”
“Wh-Wha?! What do I do…?! D’ah, HEEEEELP!”
“Hey, Levi!” Satan scolded with a frown. “Exactly how big are you planning on making that balloon, anyway?!”
“I’M TELLING YOU, IT’S NOT ME!” Levi shouted back in protest. “I’m not the one blowing it up…!”
“Ah, I see.” Barbatos nodded his understanding as he watched the situation unfold, fingers touching his chin in his assessment. “It would seem that someone slipped a cursed balloon in amongst all the normal balloons. Hmm…”
“Come on, you can sit around analyzing how this happened LATER!” Levi called out again, truly panicked now as his back hit the wall. “We need to do something! LUCIFERRR! CUUUURSE! GET IT, GET IT!”
“…I’m not a curse-finding sniffer dog. You’re a capable adult, are you not?”
Diavolo shook his head with a frown. “Just go ahead and pop it!”
It was still expanding, with Levi flailing and squawking behind it.
“Stab it with a fork or something,” Lucifer continued scathingly as he turned back to the banner. “Anything sharp should do the trick.”
“Ugh, what’s UP with this thing?!” Satan was now stepping back in a panic as well, letter-opener blade in hand. “I can’t manage to pierce it! LEVI! Summon Lotan, right now!”
”Mfffr…! Cr-Crushhhnnngk…! Cannothhphth!”
“Seriously?” Lucifer sighed. “Shit.”
“This is bad,” Diavolo agreed, finally coming to terms with the situation as well. “At this rate, the rest of us are going to end up crushed by it, too. Barbatos, quickly, how can we break the curse?”
Barbatos shook his head with a resigned sigh as well. “I’m afraid our only option is to let the air out through the opening of the balloon.”
“The opening?!” Diavolo’s eyes widened as he began to step around the swelling balloon to examine it. “…Where is it?!”
“Heyyfff, Levi! Quit stepping on my foot!”
“I’dvelovvvd b-b-bth, can’t… mnove… Mrrfly…!”
Lucifer sighed. “A pity. Levi is gone.”
“…Young Master, if you could please stop fighting me. I’m trying to protect you.”
“Barbatos,” Lucifer replied with deep dryness, “that’s not Diavolo you’ve got your arms around. It’s me.”
“…Ah. My apologies.”
“…Is this really the time for polite apolog–"
“Focus, everyone!” Diavolo cut in. “We have to find the opening! If we don’t act quickly, the party is going to be ruined–"
"YO YO YOOO! I’m back from runnin’ errands! Hehe. Today was bonus points day at Hell’s Kitchen, so…”
Mammon stopped short, and then began to gawk.
“G’AAAH! WHAT THE HECK’S GOIN’ ON?!”
"Mmfffng…!”
“Ah. So Levi is still alive…”
“I suppose he is rather good at holding his breath, given who he is.”
“MAMMON!” Satan called out.
“Ah, well. It appears that he’s still alive as well.”
“Don’t sound so disappointed.”
“FIND THE OPENING OF THE BALLOON!”
“WHA?!”
“Just do it, fast!” Lucifer called out from the other side of the room. “Find the opening and let the air out!”
“The opening?!” Mammon was panicky as he crab-walked back and forth to find it. Or, rather, crab-ran. “Y-Ya mean this part here?!”
“PROBABLY…?! JUST DO IT.”
“Sure am glad I brought along this corkscrew for the Demonus…”
“JUST FUCKING DO IT!”
“A’ight, here goes nothin’…!”
A very loud, very rude sound erupted throughout the air with a forceful whoosh that slammed Levi back into the wall with a yelp, just as he had been released. He slid down to the ground with a wheezing groan.
“Ah.” Barbatos nodded his approval as he stepped back from Lucifer. “It seems the balloon shrank back down to normal size.”
“W… We’re saved…” Satan wheezed.
“…I thought I was going to die…” Levi choked out with a small sob.
Diavolo was beaming. “Excellent work, Mammon!”
Barbatos inclined his head towards him. “Yes, it would appear you’re actually capable of doing something useful every once in a while.”
“Well, only on the rarest occasions,” Lucifer added. “He causes many, many more problems than he solves.”
“Yo, what’re you insultin’ me for?!” Mammon shot back in outrage. “Like, I just SAVED YOUR LIFE! AND YA KNOW WHAT ELSE?! THE DAMNED PRINCE’S, TOO!”
Diavolo snorted in amusement while Barbatos narrowed his eyes.
“So let’s hear some gratitude! You oughta be singin’ the Great Mammon’s praises! Get down on your knees and show some respect! Anybody else would be gettin’ a reward, so COUGH UP!”
Lucifer smiled. “Great job, Mammon. Very impressive. Thank you so much.”
“Grr…!” Mammon growled as his cheeks reddened, fists bunched at his sides. “C’mon, say it like ya mean it! …Meanie!”
“Barbatos…” Diavolo blinked. “How are your pastries and desserts still intact over there? Yours is the only table left standing…”
Barbatos chuckled. “My, my. It seems that you are right, Young Master. Who can truly say? What a relief, in any case.”
Lucifer gave him a baleful glare as he crossed his arms in disapproval.
“Mm…” Belphie sighed in frustration. “Even after eating all that, I still feel like it wasn’t quite enough.”
I pulled out another roll from my bag. “Here, Belph… Though there’s not much left now. Just warning you.”
“Thanks…” He took it from me with a frown. “I bought out the entire stock of bread and stuff earlier, so, I don’t know why–"
We stopped in our tracks at the sound of shrieking that was coming from the other end of the outdoor school ground’s.
Belphie turned to look at me. “Did that sound like Asmo to you…?”
His voice broke me out of my confused stall. My eyes widened as I grabbed Belphie’s hand. “Yeah, and it didn’t sound like his temper tantrum squealing.”
He shook his head as he followed me dragging him along. “I thought he went to the student council chambers with Beel? What is he doing–“
"EEEEEEK! Someone, help me! Please, I’m dying!”
The sound was much closer, just behind that hedge.
Belphie sighed. “This better not be one of his–"
We rounded the corner, and stopped short again.
“Ah!!” Asmo squealed as he flung his single free arm out towards us from flat on the ground. “Chise… Belphie…! Heeeelp! I’m being CRUSHED!”
“Beel?!” Belphie rushed forward in panic.
I wasn’t far behind. “Why is he unconscious, Asmo?! Are you okay? What happened?!”
“No… I’m NOT okay!” He was breathless as he struggled harder, certainly not helping his own situation. “Beel’s asleep… on top of me!”
I raised my eyebrow as Belphie shook Beel’s shoulders. "Asleep…? Are you sure?”
“He’s ASLEEP?” Belphie added in incredulity.
And so he was, the truth of Asmo’s words proven by a Beel-level snore.
“Yes! Asleep!” Asmo confirmed with exasperation. “We were on our way to the council room, when he suddenly fell ASLEEP! He toppled over and landed right on top of me. He’s so heavy! I can’t moooove! I can barely breathe! I’ve yelled at him over and over to waker up, but it’s no use…!”
Both Belphie and I were already grabbing the large slab of sleeping demon on each shoulder to at least get him sat up so Asmo could try wriggling out.
“What’s wrong with him?” Belphie muttered in concern. “He’s never done anything like this before.”
“Instead of worrying over Beel, maybe you could worry about ME right now?!”
I sighed. “We’re trying, Asmo. Here… try holding onto my arm to pull yourself out.”
–
We’d at least gotten Asmo slid out now, but Beel was still out cold.
“Beel?” Belphie tapped lightly at his twin’s cheek. “Hey, Beel… Come on!”
“Ugghhh…” Asmo groaned from his new spot on the ground, sat up on his palms. “For a while there, I really thought that was going to be the end of me…”
“This is so strange,” I murmured, as I tried lifting up one of his eyelids.
“It’s no use,” Asmo sighed. “I’ve tried everything, and he just won’t wake up.”
“Like one of Belphie’s ferret-death-sleeps…”
Asmo watched the two of us, brows drawn together in worry as well. “So what do we do? Just… leave him here to sleep?”
“We can’t do that,” Belphie said firmly. “We’d better carry him to the council room. Then we’ll figure out what to do next.”
“Errrr…” I raised my eyebrows at him. “Beel is made of pure, unadulterated muscle.” And the three of us aren’t exactly the strongest of the family.”
“There’s no WAY we can manage that on our own,” Asmo agreed. “We’ll have to go get help instead.”
“Yeah, you’re right.” Belphie sighed as he sat back on his heels. “Chise, could you stay here with Beel for me?”
I settled down next to Beel to take his limp hand in mine. “Of course. I’ve got him, don’t worry.”
“Great, I appreciate it.” He gave me a quick kiss on my cheek, before standing up. “And I think Beel would feel safer knowing you’re here with him, too. Thank you, Chise.”
I gave him an encouraging smile. “Hey now. I love him too, you know.”
“Heh.” He stooped to drag his fingers through my hair briefly. “I know.”
“Let’s goooo, Belphie,” Asmo cut in as he took him by the hand.
“Ugh…” Belphie tried uselessly to struggle out of the hand-holding. “Chise, take good care of Beel for me. Thanks again.”
“You don’t have to keep thanking me, Belph,” I said softly.
Belphie gave me a nervous nod as he was dragged off by Asmo.
And then, I was left with Beel.
Breathing evenly in sleep, with an occasional snore.
I looked down at his sweet, relaxed face for a moment, before reaching to gently trail the back of my knuckles down his warm cheek. I shifted closer to cup my hand against his jaw, leaning down to brush a small kiss on his sightly parted lips.
He actually stirred at that.
I laughed softly. Of course he did. Belphie was the same way, after all. I should have thought to do it earlier.
So I did it again, and waited, leaving my nose pressed lightly to his as I watched his eyes twitch a bit.
“…Chise?” Beel murmured, eyes cracking open a tad, vision clearly unfocused still. “It’s… really you, right?”
I smiled gently down at him as I ran my fingers through his hair. “Hi, Beel baby.”
He swallowed, a blush touching his cheeks as he became more aware of his surroundings. “I was having this dream… You were there, and we kissed…”
“Mmm…” My smile broadened while I stroked his hair, brushing the thick ginger strands back from his forehead.
“Usually when that happens, I wake up to find that it was all a dream. But I’m not dreaming now.”
“Oh, Beel, sweetheart…” I leaned down to rest my palm over his chest while I tucked my head under his chin. “I’m right here. Right now. And I’m not going anywhere. Whenever you want to kiss me, you get to kiss me.”
He sighed happily as he wrapped his arms around me. “You’re really here this time… good. Though I, um, want to kiss you one more time, Chise…”
I lifted my head up with another smile as I neared him again.
Kissed him again.
Beel’s kiss. The best kisser of my whole life. I leaned down into him with a warm sigh, half-curling around him when he held me just a little tighter in response. Lips moving. Warm.
He blinked at me, lips parted as our kiss broke. “…Uh-oh. I thought that would be enough, but it’s not. I don’t want to stop, Chise. I want to keep kissing you…”
“So keep kissing me,” I murmured, as I dipped back down to him. And kissed him. Deeply this time. Much more deeply, and with a soft swipe of my tongue on his bottom lip, which had him taking a shaky breath in surprise as his hand came up to slide into my hair in response. A soft sound of desire for him escaped from my lips, coaxing a small sound from his.
…Holy crap. Pull it together, Chise. You’re at school in the public gardens. Diavolo did not need to get that incident report on his desk.
I was nearly half on top of him when I finally cleared my throat, forcing myself to pull away from him, my face flushed very red.
A little breathless himself, Beel blinked with a deeper blush of his own at my clear act of passion, before frowning in confusion. “Wait. Was I really asleep just now…?”
I nodded, swallowing down my shakiness. “You really, really were.”
His frown deepened as he thought about it. “…Ah, that’s right. I was taking Asmo to the council room, when I suddenly felt really drowsy.”
I shook my head. “So you fell asleep out here in public, just like that?”
He nodded, expression worried. “I can’t believe I did that. That’s like something Belphie would do.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “And he’s been… acting weird.”
“Weird? Is he okay?” He looked around. “What happened to him? I don’t see Asmo anywhere, either…”
“Don’t worry, he’s okay. They went to get someone to help carry you when we couldn’t wake you up.”
“Ohhh, okay.” He finally sat up, though he still held me so that I wouldn’t topple over. “Well, now that I’m awake, I don’t need anyone to carry me. I’d better message them to let them know. Let’s head to the council room. Everyone will probably be waiting for us there.”
“Quite impatiently, I can imagine…” I sighed. “We’ve taken long enough. Let’s go, Beel.”
He was the one who helped me stand, picking me straight up quite easily, before lowering me to plant both of my feet back down on the ground. My gentle gentleman. I took his hand as we headed back inside.
“…Um, Beel?”
The room was dark.
Beel tilted his head. “Huh…”
“Did everyone else already go home…?”
Maybe we really had taken too long.
But just then, I heard a whisper.
"Three, two, one…!”
"SURPRIIIIIIIISE!”
Asmo bounded towards me, squealing, to throw his arms around my shocked body. “Welcome back to the Devildom, Chise!”
“DAMMIT, ASMO!” Mammon shouted at him as he scrambled forward too. “I was s’posed to say that! We agreed I’D do it when we planned this thing!”
“Did we?” Asmo cooed mischievously. “Whoopsie! Teehee, I’m so forgetful sometimes!”
…I had a feeling that Mammon was in for some wicked provoking now that Asmo knew about the thing.
“Liar! I know you did it on purpose! You STOLE my line!”
Mammon.
Mammon.
“Come on, quit arguing!” Levi chided them with one of his flat expressions of annoyance. “We worked hard putting this party together. Don’t ruin it.”
Asmo giggled, letting me go knowingly as I darted forward in a full run, with a choked whine in my throat.
“BABY GIRL!” Mammon grabbed onto me tight as I threw myself into his arms. “Chise Chise Chise Chise Chise Chise Chise…! So ya know, this whole surprise party thing was MY idea!”
“Mammon, Mammon…!”
“It wasn’t any of them, it was ALL me! The GREAT Mammon!”
“Oh Mammon!” I choked the words out, eyes shining with tears as I looked up at him. “You’re the best!”
“D’wha…!” He abruptly came back to himself, blushing deep. “Wh-Wh-Whoa…! What’s the big idea, h-hu-huggin’ me in front of…!”
“You’re hugging me…!”
“L-Like, who does that?!”
“I see you smiling, Mammon,” Beel cut in with a smile of his own.
“Sh-Shaddup! I’m not smilin’! This is how I always look, okay?!”
That big goofy grin of his. I whimpered, eyes as round as dinner plates. Which only made him blush even harder, as he looked down at the kitten-y expression on my face.
“Just so we’re clear,” Levi cut in next, “Mammon’s not the only one who deserves credit here. I’m the one who ran over to see Lord Diavolo so we could get permission to have the party in the council room. And I planned out all the decorations, too!”
Mammon growled deep as I tore out of his arms to run to Levi next, throwing myself against him. “I love it I love it! I love the decorations! You’re amazing! You’ve got amazing taste! You’re so creative! Levi!”
“Y…Y…Y…” He was fairly hyperventilating as he short-circuited. His brain seemed to latch on to the only sense it could find left. “S-S-S-So you appreciate them?! W-W-Wait, Chise, d-does that mean you noticed the colours I used?!”
No.
“…Yes!”
“The party decorations follow the same colour scheme as Ruri-chan’s outfit!”
“Yes! It does! I love it so much!”
“Wow…” His voice warbled emotionally. “You really are amazing, Chise. You have the eye of a true otaku. You notice all the same stuff!”
Well, I was honoured that he had decided that I was… a fellow otaku.
Sort of.
Satan sighed deeply. “Getting the place decorated turned out to be a way more taxing job than it should’ve been, though.”
“D’aah! Shhhh! Don’t bring that up, Satan! W-Wait…” Levi looked down at me in his arms with sudden realization. “CHISE?! Y-Y-YOU’RE HUGGING ME…!”
“All right, Chise,” Lucifer cut in with a chuckle. “Grab your glass.”
There was absolutely no struggle in letting Levi go from my grip. He simply slumped, near-limp, dazed.
Lucifer had come forward to hand me said glass with a fond smile. “It’s Demonus. It’s been a good long time since you’ve gotten to have some, right?”
I was looking up at him kitten-eyed now, quiet as I stared at him. He wasn’t one to throw my arms around.
But it was the expression on my face that he needed. He dropped his voice as he touched my cheek affectionately. “I’m glad you made it back, Chise. Well done.”
“I. I. I teleported!” I blurted out.
He chuckled again in amusement at my girlish outburst. “Yes, you’ve really come into your own as a sorcerer.”
“I-I said I’d do it. To see you.”
“Pfff.” He was laughing now. “You sure did.”
“…That’s it?” Mammon stared at us. “You haven’t seen each other in all this time, and that’s all you have to say?”
Belphie shook his head. “Actually, when two people don’t need to say much to understand each other, it just shows how close they are.” He shot me a wink.
“What?!” Mammon stared at him now. “Since when?!”
“Oooh, Chise!” Asmo bounced towards me again. “Guess what? We’re going to be getting some new exchange students at RAD!”
I blinked. “New…?”
“You’ll NEVER guess who–!”
Mammon slapped the back of his head.
“OW! What the HECK, Mammon!”
“All right,” Diavolo interrupted with a chuckle. I had completely glazed over him. “That’s enough chatting for now. You can catch up with Chise later.”
I stared. Stared at Barbatos, actually, who stood behind Diavolo with his hands clasped behind his back as usual, eyes kind as he met my gaze.
“It’s time we had our toast!” Diavolo broke out into his signature grin. “So, everyone’s got a glass, right? Here’s to you, Chise! Not only have you come back to the Devildom, but you did it on your own! After working long and hard to master teleportation magic.” His eyes were entirely focused on me, sincerity in their warmth. “We couldn’t be happier to have you back.”
"CHEEEERS!”
I simply held out my glass as it was clinked against again and again, grinning, with tears in my eyes that I was fighting really hard not to shed.
–
“I took the liberty of preparing some assorted pastries and desserts,” Barbatos said quietly. “I’m afraid it’s not much, but I hope it will suffice.”
His rich tenor seemed to ring in my ears, my heart latched onto their sound so hard.
“Wow.” Satan looked them over, impressed. “Did you make all of those yourself, Barbatos?”
“I did, yes. But they were all very simple recipes. Nothing particularly noteworthy, I’m afraid.”
"Everything you make is noteworthy, Barbatos,” I said quietly.
He fought against his blush, but lost. “Ah, Chise…”
“I agree, you’ve done well,” Lucifer concurred. “These are more than good enough.”
He bowed at his waist. “You honour me, the both of you.”
Mammon nudged me with a grin. “Chise, you’d better have some of those quickly, before Beel wolfs ‘em all down…!”
But he stopped as his eyes came to a rest on his brother.
“Wait, what?”
It was Belphie who had a pastry in each hand, and another in the crook of his arm, with one of them being slammed through his teeth hungrily. “Mm…! That poison strawberry pudding inside of this is amazing. And this hundred-eyed lizard pie is incredible, too.”
“Hey…?!” Levi glanced at the other twin. “Beel, are you feeling all right?! Like, you haven’t even touched any of the food!”
Beel shook his head. “I’m just not that hungry.”
We all stared at him. Even Barbatos gave him a look of open incredulity.
“…Okay, uh…” Levi blinked back his shock. “What does that mean? Is it a sign of the end times? Is that it? Some kind of big catastrophe is about to happen?”
“Actually…” Beel pressed his forearm over his mouth with a yawn. “I’m feeling really sleepy…”
Lucifer frowned.
“Chise, your glass is empty,” Diavolo said as he leaned towards me with a grin. “We’ll have to pour you some more Demonus. I have to say, I’m jealous of you humans. Since Demonus doesn’t get you drunk, you can drink as much as you want.”
“And it really is good to drink on its own, even without the buzz.” I smiled at him eagerly. “So, you said you wanted to talk. What about?”
He shook his head. “Why don’t we discuss that later? I don’t want to monopolize your time right now. Lucifer and his brothers would hate me if I did. I’ll be calling a student council meeting sometime soon. We can talk about it then.”
I nodded. “Sounds good.”
“Chise!” Mammon called to me. “Get a load of this! While you’ve been away, ASMO has been runnin’ around the Devildom hittin’ on everyone in sight!”
…Uh-oh. We were treading dangerous territory.
Asmo’s eyes sparked with fury. “No I HAVEN’T! Everyone keeps hitting on ME, not the other way around! In FACT, Chise is the ONLY one I want to hit on right now!”
I snorted. “That’s kind of weird for you.”
“…Kinda actually, yeah!”
“Don’t you go sayin’ that! No flirtin’ with Chise!”
“I’ll kill you, Mammon!”
“Wha?!”
“Mammon,” Satan cut in, “after you won that money at the casino, you went and lost it all the very next day. In fact, you ended up in five times as much debt as you won!”
I sighed. “So this is how it’s going to be, huh?”
“HEY! It wasn’t FIVE times as much, okay?!” Mammon snapped back at him. “It was more like three… all right, MAYBE four!”
“Anyway, Chise…” Levi smiled at me happily, eyes lit. Four months since we’d seen each other… “How are things up in the human world?”
I smiled back at him. “It’s been lonely without you guys around. I missed you so much.”
He nodded with a bit of puppy-dog sadness. “Well, you’re not the only one who’s been feeling that way. Trust me.”
“Levi! Quit hoggin’ Chise! And Chise, how ‘bout you talk to ME now, huh?!”
Levi rolled his eyes. “I’m not hogging anyone. It’s not MY fault is Chise doesn’t want anything to do with you.”
“Wait, WHAT!? You wanna fight, is that it?!”
I watched the two of them squawk at one another with exasperated fondness. They were the worst.
“What do you two think you’re doing?” Lucifer cut in tersely.
They both eeped as they froze in place, mid-yelling.
“We’ve just been reunited with Chise. This is a very happy occasion. I know you’re not planning to ruin it by causing trouble…?”
“It’s all right, Lucifer.” I grinned. “It wouldn’t be a party with you guys if a fight didn’t break out.”
He scoffed. "Do your best not to encourage them further, Chise.”
The rest of my demons distracted by their tipsiness, I tried to slip discreetly through his 'doorway' from the RAD council room into the Demon Lord's Castle kitchen, but, well...
He chuckled quietly, back still turned to me as he was bent forward to pipe something on the counter in front of him. "Do you think I cannot feel it when my portals are put into use, Chise?"
“Heh. Guess there's no getting the drop on you this time."
"No," he agreed softly as he straightened, half-turning to give me a gentle smile. "Did you come to say a personal goodbye before the party comes to an end?"
I returned his smile, eyes shining bright as I went to him. "Not really a goodbye this time though, it is? I'm hoping for a more permanent hello."
"Well then..." His eyes followed me as I walked around the kitchen island, until I came to stand before him fully. He put down his piping bag, before offering me his hand. "Hello again, Chise."
"Hello again, Barbatos," I returned softly, before stepping into his arms.
He snapped his portal shut, before wrapping one arm around my middle, with his other hand cupping the back of my head.
I giggled. "Oh no, I'm trapped."
He chuckled in amusement, and I relished the rich vibration of it under my cheek. "It wouldn't do for an officer of the student council and instructor of our esteemed Academy to be caught embracing... well, you."
I sighed as I relaxed in his arms, wrapping my own around his slim middle tighter. "Can't have that. I missed you, Barbatos.”
His fingers lightly brushed through my hair, the touch delicate. "I apologize that we have not had much time together."
"Not your fault at all." I finally raised my face up to look at him. "We were both busy. I couldn't even find the time to ask."
Those same fingers in my hair slowly, evenly, smoothly slipped around, until his fingertips were grazing along my jaw.
"We shall have to make time for our lost time..."
Trailing, until they came to a gentle rest just under my chin, to tip me up.
My lips met his sweet kiss, always so soft and delicate, even when pressed to mine harder than his usual. Which this one wasn't, as it wasn't the time nor the place for him to truly relax, but he lingered against me all the same. Kisses had become a staple between us, even if we had trouble stealing them from each other sometimes. Moments of privacy came rarer than seeing each other at all. We had to strive to create those moments between us when we could.
I smiled against his lips. But now I was here, and free. To steal more pieces of him.
I felt him smile in return as well, before he quietly pulled away, his expression, and his gaze, fond. "Welcome back, Chise."
I slid my arms back around until my palms rested on his chest, where I laid my cheek again with a sigh. "It's good to be home, Barbatos."
He cupped the back of my head to him again, his chin coming to a rest at the top. "It is good to have you home.”
Quiet for a moment. Held there.
Until I tilted my face back up again.
The next kiss that he placed on my lips was meant to be one of dismissal, really, to gently urge me to rejoin the party that had begun to wind down… That’s why I had come here, after all. To have a moment to say hello, before goodbye.
But instead, as our lips met again, there was an explosion in my core.
And I kissed that man, as I had never kissed him before.
What was wrong with me, what was wrong with me, what was wrong with me–
My one hand on the back of his neck, the other roughly dragging up through his silky green hair, I pushed my body flush to his as I leaned up on the tips of my toes to kiss him so soundly that I stole the breath away from us both. I made a little noise in the back of my throat as I crushed myself to him desperately, while he shuddered out a breath of shock against my lips…
Before kissing me just as deeply, his own hands dragging up my backside to press me to him. His palm laying flat between my raised shoulder blades, his other hand in my hair to cup the back of my head again. A sharp inhale through his nose, and even more of a tilting of our heads to the side. Messier, and messier, kisses getting messier, pressing him into the counter behind him with my body. I shuddered in his arms as the heat pooling between my legs began to demand so, so, so much more of him. And him… Oh stars. I keened at the press of… him. Firm against my belly. For the first time, I felt him.
I abruptly came back to myself with a gasp, wrenching away to stumble back into the kitchen island behind me. Staring at him, wide-eyed. And him, returning my look, arms hanging limp at his sides as he stared in shock.
Holy shit.
“...O-Oh stars! Barbatos! I am so so sorry, I-I think I just got… caught up with everything, and then seeing you–"
He took in a breath, face flushed. “…I missed you too, Chise.” A careful step forward. And then another. Until I was lightly pressed between him and the counter behind me this time. “...And you are going to make me behave improperly if you continue to torture me so..."
Lips on mine again. Pulled close. Pressed to him. Tamer. Though the tameness held on only by a thread. The both of us felt just how easily it could snap.
“…Th-That would be a real shame," I murmured shakily between his next kiss. "A very real shame, if you behaved in such a way..."
"You are bold today..."
I really, really was.
"But so are you,” I whispered back.
"Hmm." He considered me in his arms for a moment, before sighing. "While I would, indeed, like to invite you into my room this night, less than a full night's sleep would be bad for your meeting with the Young Master." He quirked a smile. "I suspect, as well, that my bedroom would be besieged by the Seven, leaving my desire for you insatiated in any case."
I stared at him. "Less than... night's... sleep..."
He simply looked back in amusement.
"Hah... I thought..." My reaction to flirtation that tried to catch me off balance was to return it as best as I could. "Only off-the-clock Barbatos was 'okay' with indecency."
Though I was usually only able to pull it off as smoothly when I WASN'T too badly caught off guard.
Which I had been, of course.
And Barbatos was very, very smooth in his rebuttals.
“You cannot entice me so brazenly and not expect there to be consequences. Asmodeus is not the only demon who can ’tell,' Chise."
I hissed in a breath through my teeth. He chuckled in amusement at my reaction again.
Though it was the both of us who were blushing now.
He shook his head. “And I am still, after all, a hot-blooded demon. And more importantly... I am just a man."
"...You really do want me."
He clucked his tongue with another shake of his head, though the sound was one of amusement still. "How could I possibly make that any clearer to you, Chise?"
I took in another breath. “…You know… You’ve asked before, multiple times, how I feel about you."
He considered for a moment, before giving me a single nod. "It seems that I have."
"I'd like to ask the same of you." I swallowed nervously, still holding him, as he held me. "Right now..."
"Hmm..." He thought for a moment, though his eyes were still alight. "As I recall, part of your last answer to me was that you were 'falling for me'. Does that still ring true for you?"
I was studying his face carefully. "I asked you first."
His expression softened. "You are dearer to me than even I let on. A feeling that I find difficult to articulate. But you have my heart, Chise. My thoughts, and my dreams, are taken up by you, and I take joy in that. That is the truth..."
"And so then my answer to yours," I said softly, "is that I feel the same way."
"Do you?"
"Yes."
"The allow me to be bolder, and be forthright with exactly what I mean..." He smiled as he pressed his fingers under my chin again. "You are precious to me. You have become very precious. I will say this only one time for now, until I next have you in the privacy of my room. I love you, Chise."
My breath caught in my throat, my eyes widening. I'd been expecting it, of course, but still... Hearing it rocked me harder than I expected. And hearing it so casually said to me… With no doubt or hesitation in how he said it… Like he had said it to me a thousand times already.
Not like he ever said anything without meaning it. That wasn't like him.
And he was looking at me expectantly now.
"I love you too," I whispered.
He smiled sweetly, the corners of his eyes lifting with the sincerity of it. "You should rejoin your family now, Chise…"
"They're not... going anywhere for a bit."
He chuckled. "Allow me to expand on my meaning. You should rejoin your family before they realize that we are the only two missing from your party, and that we have been absent for quite a while now. And before… their suspicions become firmly justified."
I. Went. Red.
His smile broadened.
"Aha... R-Right..." I smiled in weak embarrassment. "I suppose that would be the smart thing to do."
He sighed with regret. "It seems that so very often, the 'not smart' thing to do turns out to be quite a bit more 'fun'. Do you not agree? Alas…"
My. Cheeks. Burned.
And I wanted him so, so badly.
But I just gave a small, tight nod.
And with that, he snapped his fingers with another chuckle, gaze still holding mine as he opened the portal behind me once more.
“I will be seeing you soon, Chise.”
Beel yawned long and wide. “I’m tired. REALLY tired…”
Diavolo nodded. “Well then, why don’t we go ahead and wrap things up?”
“Oooh! I have a question!” Asmo bounced in his seat. “Where’s Chise going to be staying here in the Devildom?”
“Why…” Diavolo blinked in surprise. “But she will be stayng at the Demon Lord’s Castle, naturally.”
I choked.
Heeeere we go.
“Yes,” Barbatos agreed. “We’ve set aside the room with the very best view.”
“Whoa, HOLD ON!” Mammon’s face immediately went red, and I’m pretty sure a sweat broke out on his forehead along with it. “Chise is TOTALLY staying at the House of Lamentation! I mean, C’MON!”
“That’s right,” Satan said as he leaned forward with a touch of his own desperation. “The House of Lamentation is like Chise’s home in the Devildom.”
“Except this time around, Chise isn’t an exchange student, but a guest here.”
Barbatos nodded. “Yes, and guests must be shown proper hospitality.”
I giggled as the whole room erupted into chaotic protest. “Come on, you two. That’s a bit much of a tease, isn’t it?”
Diavolo burst out into cheerful laughter as he relented.
Barbatos quirked a smile as he held my gaze. “Ah, well. It was worth a try…”
I hunched shyly with a blush, returning his smile.
Author's note:
*sniffle* *sobs*
Thank you Fallen_Time for more Chise fanart, this time in digital.
I just absolutely adore... How you nailed her personality. Like, omg. Her poses and expressions are so dynamic, and capture both her sweet and sassy side. Even though Chise is a self-insert of sorts, I'm not a particularly overly feminine person myself and I'm non-binary, but I purposely write Chise as being quite in tune with her femininity which you have captured sooooo well. She's cute. She's sweet. She's sparkly. She will grab you by the ear and drag you down the hall to Lucifer's study while yelling at you to 'STAY'. And then she will angrily shake her fist at God in her spare time.
I am so touched. ;u; Thank you SO much.
Fallen_Time has more artwork on tumblr: xxfallen-timexx
(I don't know if I should do hyperlinking on ao3 or not so yeah there's that, go forth and follow)
Notes:
Something I’ve noticed in Act 3 & 4: The devs have shortened to story considerably per chapter. The subchapters are over rather quick with fewer lines of dialogue. Sigh. Act 1 & 2 I broke down the chapters into 2-3 sections (14k+ words) very regularly, but now each chapter adds up to 8-10k words max pretty consistently, and soon I won’t even have the extra hard/side missions to add in, making them even shorter. Boooo.
Which is why I did so many intermissions in the last act to flesh out characters and relationships (don’t get me wrong, I super enjoyed those). You’re going to see more of that trend in Act 4 as well. I have a lot to flesh-out and tie-up anyway, especially with the addition of the three new side characters that take time away from the rest of the crew in the main story plot.
Act 4 is my least favourite canon-wise for its rushed writing. But that's what FANFIC IS FOR!!! And I have a lot of plans for it outside of that. *insert the crow sticker that says “YES!” with the arm gesture*
Chapter 3: Chapter 62-A: Quench the Eighth
Notes:
Once you reach the smut cut, there is a CW for incest, rough Belphie-filth sex, and sex while under magical influence (well ain't that a new one *adds to the tags*). I shortened the chapter so those who want to skip can just stop at the cut.
Chapter Text
“And here we aaaare!” Asmo sang as he swung my hand back and forth in his between us. “We’ve arrived at your home in the Devildom – the House of Lamentation!”
“Hey! Asmo! Quit tuggin’ on that side, you’re makin’ my hand slip in hers!”
Asmo glared over my head at him. “Skill issue, Mammon!”
“Freakin’ punk…” Mammon turned back at the gate with a snickering smirk. “Hehehe. I sure do feel sorry for the others.”
“Lucifer said he had work to do, right?” Levi was coming up from the rear, not looking particularly pleased at not getting one of my hands to hold, as if he would even dare.
“Yeah. But Satan, Belphie, and Beel are just straight-up losers! They couldn’t cut it in a knock-down, drag-out fight!”
Asmo raised his eyebrows. “By knock-down, drag-out fight, you mean the game of rock, paper, scissors we played, right?”
“Wow…” Levi muttered in pity as he caught up to stand beside us. “Chise is about to walk inside the house for the first time in forever, and they don’t get to be here for it. That’s like… if they were planning on making an anime starring one of your favourite voice actors in their very first lead role, but then the author of the manga it’s based on get into a fight with the production company over the character design, so the anime version never happens! THAT’S the level of ‘sad’ we’re talking about here.”
“Wow… That’s BEYOND sad,” I agreed.
“I know, right?”
“Um… sorry, but I’m not really sure what you just said.”
I patted Asmo’s shoulder. “Like if they discontinued your favourite poison strawberry-scented perfume because poison strawberries went extinct.”
Asmo gasped in shocked horror. “Chise! Don’t you DARE say something like that out loud! Don't even THINK THAT!”
I nodded. “It’s a grave thing.”
“Anyway.” He looked up beyond the gate with a smile. “It’s been forever since we’ve walked through the front gate with Chise, am I right?”
“I’m so excited right now…!” Levi said in squeaky whisper.
“Come on, Chise!” Mammon grinned at me. “We’ll head inside together… you and me! Just like the very first time, eh?”
“Oh NO you don’t, Mammon!” Asmo snapped at him. “Chise is going to walk through that door with ME.”
“Hey!” Levi pursed his lips in a flat line. “Don’t forget about me! I’m here, too!”
“Shaddup!” Mammon rounded on them both, hands on hips. “I’m goin’ in with Chise, and that’s that!”
“Um, nooo! I am!”
“Wh… HEY!” Levi pointed ahead of them. “While we were yelling, Chise went straight inside lol.”
I poked my head out. “…Are you guys coming or what?”
“SAY WHAT?!”
“Ooh! Chise, wait for meeee!”
–
There was a rather large lump in my throat. I was only able to get the whisper out.
“…Home sweet home…”
This is the House of Lamentation. It’s one of the dorms here at RAD. Well, it’s not JUST one of the dorms. It’s the dorm reserved for student council members. Me n’ my brothers.
I slipped my hand in Mammon’s. He gave it a squeeze.
“Welcome back, Chise,” Asmo cooed sweetly.
Levi turned to me with a grin. “It’s good to have you home again!”
If you wanna survive even a day here in the Devildom, you’d better listen REAL close to what I’m about to say. If it ever looks like a demon is about to attack you… run away. Either that, or die.
How about this? I vote for YOU to die, Mammon.
I grinned back at him.
“Sure took ya look enough, though!” Mammon scolded me. “Do you know how long I’ve been waitin’ on ya?!”
Of them all – aside from Lucifer, who had the power to get around it anyway – he was last on the list to be summoned. While he did express a lot on how he felt about that, I knew he had hid the true depths of his distress and panic over it. It had gutted him. For once, he held deep regret for his powers. Powers that he rarely even resorted to using. I knew he would have traded them for me without hesitation if he could.
I gave his hand another squeeze.
His eyes darted to his brothers, before he gave me a smirk. “Okay, Chise. C’mon! First stop’s my room! I’m gonna show ya the brand-new wheels I got for Demonio!”
“What?” Levi gave him a flat look. “No. Chise is coming to my room to play games.”
“Tch, listen to you two! Chise has only JUST arrived in the Devildom, you know? First things first, time for a nice, relaxing bath.” He looked at me with a beaming smile. “Which the two of us will be taking together, naturally!”
“Hey!” Mammon growled at him menacingly as he pulled me closer to him. “A relaxing bath, as if you’d actually let Chise relax!”
“I say we’re gaming!”
“As if! Chise totally wants to see my new, improved Demonio!”
“Sorry, but it’s bath time!”
I smiled as I shook my head. “The three of you are the true divas of this family. Did you know that?”
Levi gaped. “…ME?!”
“Yes, Levi. Perhaps especially you.”
–
My eyes were immediately drawn to a curious antique box that sat in the middle of the common room’s coffee table. Normally that table was ‘decorated’ with a scattering of textbooks, notebooks, beauty products, and Beel crumbs. But that had all been cleaned off – presumably for this single box.
“Huh?” Levi almost crashed into my back when I had stopped with a confused frown. He followed my line of vision. “What are you looking at? Oh, that box there?”
“Yeah. Kind of sticks out like a sore thumb given what’s usually there.”
“Oooh, Chise…” Asmo tugged my hand with a smile to lead me towards it. “What do you think is inside, hm? Quiz time! Guess guess guess!”
I raised my eyebrows. “I couldn’t even begin to–"
“I SAID GUESS.”
Mammon and Levi were looking at me expectantly too, shining grins on their faces.
“A, uhhh… present?”
Asmo giggled. “Close, but not quite!”
Levi raised his hand. “Okay, I’ll give you a hint. It’s something really important to us.”
“Yep!” Asmo beamed. “Like, presents for us!”
Mammon nodded. “Guess I can’t argue with ya there.”
I reached for it, but Mammon snatched it with a grin, holding it in one hand at his chest while he pinched the small clasp. “Okay, ready? One, two, three…!”
“Ta-daaa!”
My expression softened as I took the box from Mammon’s hands, looking down at its contents. “Oh, you guys…”
Asmo giggled again. “The correct answer was ‘letters from Chise’! We begged you to send us letters, and you remembered! We were so happy… There’s something special about getting a letter written by hand, you know? You can feel the love that went into it!”
It had been part of the compromise we’d made when I had to talk to them about holding off on summonings to focus on my studies. I walked my fingers through each envelope with a smile. Every single one was present and accounted for. It’d been real fucking strange, handing them off to a crow that just kept showing up until I was ready to give it one.
Mammon didn’t admit to the crow or anything. But I literally had his crow's mark on my thigh, so it didn’t take a genius.
That crow got a lot of peanuts. Kinda missed him.
“We ended up deciding to leave the box here in the living room,” Levi explained. “But only after having a huge fight over who would be in charge of keeping it safe. We nearly destroyed the house in the process, actually.”
“Right, exactly.” Mammon rolled his eyes. “LEVI here went and summoned Lotan again, if ya can believe it.”
I shook my head. “Oh, I can believe it.”
“Only because YOU grabbed the box and tried to run off with it!”
It was my turn to roll my eyes. “You sillies. It was SUPPOSED to be shared by you all like this, not HOGGED.”
“Oooh, get this, Chise…” Asmo smirked at me. “Ever since we started leaving the box here, Mammon has been sneaking in every day to look at it when no one’s watching.”
“WHA?!”
I giggled. “Also unsurprising…”
“I-I dunno what you’re talkin’ about!” he protested, very loudly. “That wasn’t me!”
“Pfff. You can deny it all you want, but you’re not fooling anyone.”
“Shaddup!” He went pink in the cheeks as he pointedly looked away. “…Like I care!”
I nudged him with a smile. “But I do.”
“Guh… Grrr…”
“Oh look.” Asmo’s smirk deepened, hands on his hips now as he turned around. “The cleanup crew is here.”
Levi waved at them to get their attention. “Hey guys!”
“Finish cleanin’ up over there, did ya? All right, good work.”
“…Why are you talking like you’re the boss of us right now?” Satan sighed in exasperation. “I mean, come on. You’re Mammon.”
“Wh…!” Mammon glowered at him. “I totally outrank you, middle kid! Show your older brother Mammon some respect!”
For myself, I was looking over at Belphie. Who had an armload of food again, and a very full mouth.
“Wh… Belphie?!” Levi looked at him in disbelief. “Are you STILL eating?! You spent the entire party wolfing down everything in sight!”
“Yeah.” He shrugged. “I kind of got hungry again. So I picked up some poison strawberry cheesecake crepes on the way home.”
“Seriously…?”
I eyed the food he carried. “That’s… more than some poison strawberry crepes, Belphie.”
And Beel… Beel yawned from behind him.
Asmo tilted his head with a concerned frown. “You look pretty tired, Beel…”
“Mmhm…” Beel barely committed to the response, mumbling his words. “I think I’ll take a bath and go to bed.”
Belphie nodded. “Yeah, I could actually use a shower myself. Let’s go, Beel.”
We stared after them as they walked off together.
“…Man,” Mammon muttered. “What’s the deal with those two?”
Satan shook his head. “They were like that the entire way home.”
“Yeah…” I frowned in concern. “They’ve been acting strange all day.”
Levi nodded too. “Something weird is going on with them.”
“…I’m going to go check on them, actually.”
“But Chiseeee,” Asmo whined. “You only just got here.”
I gave him a sweet smile in compensation. “I promise I’ll be back later. I mean, duh. I’m here now, Asmo.”
He beamed back at me. “That’s right! You’re here now! Okaaaaay, see you later then.”
Mammon growled low. “HEY. ASMO. Don’t go kissin’ her cheeks like that!”
***
Both of them were shirtless already, half-heartedly preparing for baths, but I knew they had waited. It was like they sensed it. Maybe they could smell my desire too. My incredibly powerful desire.
I felt feverish. Walking in as though I were in a dream.
Belphie pulled me into his embrace with a sigh. "There you are. Took you long enough."
I giggled as I gripped him to me. A bit desperately. "I was only a minute or two behind..."
"Too long," he murmured, before pressing a hard kiss to my mouth.
"Dunno what it is," I whispered. "Just... Just need you two. Please."
"We know..." Beel had come up behind me, dragging his fingers down my back as he kissed the top of my head. "We could tell."
"You need two," Belphie murmured again, his hands pressed to my cheeks to keep me facing him. "Both of us. You want two, baby? Needy..."
I slid my palms up his chest with a sigh. "Love your body..."
He chuckled. "Love yours."
"Love Beel's," I whispered, as I pressed back against the giant behind me.
Beel stroked at my hips. "So small."
I did get this insatiable when sex got going, of course. But to be like this, to GO to them in this way, already feeling like I was going insane. It felt like I was about to cum right there in their arms. I was already shaking. So were they.
"Thought you were tired, Beel," I whispered in concern.
He tipped my head back away from Belphie's lips to kiss me instead. "Being with you makes it go away a bit."
Belphie had conceded my lips to Beel to drag his teeth down my exposed throat that Beel bared to him. "Mmm... Not as hungry... Like she makes things... complete. Something missing that’s come back."
He started on my pants, his tugging rough and shaky, betraying his need. Maybe I influenced them too. They'd waited. It hadn't been likely that I was going to be here like this. It wasn't fair to the others. I should be with the others. It didn't make any sense to be here.
But I was here anyway.
And being undressed by them, as I raised my arms for Beel to drag my shirt off from over my head. And then he leaned back a bit to work my bra, while Belphie lowered himself down with my pants. And panties. Impatient. He always was. Just wanted to rip my clothes off to get at me as fast as he could. I groaned at the thought, at the anticipation that thrummed in me. And then shivered as he licked at my slit on the way back up.
He rubbed his cock back and forth between my legs, having already unbuckled his uniform and pulled himself out while I had been kissing Beel's sweet yet insistent mouth. Beel dropped his hands from my jaw to open his fly too, and then he was picking me up, arms around my ribs, to level me more to their height, for both of them to slide their cocks between the apex of my thighs together.
I shivered. Their cocks were rubbing, side by side, as they pumped themselves there, using the soft flesh between my legs to harden themselves even further. If that was even possible. Soon, my thighs were slippery with their spreading pre-cum, for them to slide back and forth easily with mutual sighs. My feet were lifted off the ground as I was pressed flush to Beel, whimpering as they used me for themselves, their shafts rubbing my folds, but only sometimes did one slip to truly graze through my wettening heat.
"We should do her just like this," Belphie whispered hoarsely. "Between us just like this. Standing."
"Yeah," Beel agreed, voice strained as well. "Between us. If I can fit."
I moaned as I clung to Belphie's shoulders, pulling him even flusher to me, as if demonstrating. Or assenting. ...Begging.
"Heh..." I could hear the smirk in Belphie's voice as he kept up his rhythmic sliding. "I think she wants that too. Well, you were getting it anyway, baby slut. You wanting it just as bad just makes it easier for you to take."
"Fuck," I whispered. "Fuck me. Please."
"Come on, Beel. Let's go to the bathroom with her. Easier cleanup anyway."
"What about you? You're shorter?"
Belphie clicked his fingers impatiently as he pointed towards a solid-looking shoe rack. "I'll flip that over to stand on the underside.”
“Don’t break it. Lucifer’ll be mad.”
“I won’t.”
“All right then, sounds good.”
And then Beel simply peeled me away from his brother to carry me, my back still pressed to him, towards their bathroom, using his foot to push open the door. Belphie followed in shortly with his 'stool’ under his arm, as well a the blessed bottle of much-needed lube.
"Put her on the counter and spread her legs. We'll get you in her first. Like usual." He smirked at us. "I'll let you fuck her ass by yourselves first before we switch. I want her ass right now anyway. But you better get to that quickly if you want her there next time.” He caught my gaze. “Hear that, whore? I’m letting Beel have your ass. My toy. Don’t forget to thank me when he does.”
I nodded weakly.
Beel nodded as well as he deposited me onto the cold surface, hands now on the sides of my inner thighs to spread them apart, his massive cock straining forward as he looked down at my entrance. "Sounds good."
I was panting, eyes darting between them both. The nonchalant way they handled me turned me on so much. Every time. Just a natural teamwork between them as they planned around me, positioning my body, discussing what to do with me.
I looked over at Belphie, faced flush, voice sticky in my throat. “…I’m. Your whore."
His smirk deepened. "So you remembered your place. Legs and ass spread for your twins to fuck.”
Beel sucked in a breath as he reached to take the lube from Belphie, listening intently. He never spoke to me like that. But he seemed to listen to Belphie speaking like that raptly, if not shyly as well, as though he couldn't believe it. Interested and curious about the taboo. Not doing it for himself. But he certainly didn't try to interject.
Belphie noticed as he came towards the both of us while Beel drizzled a very generous amount of lube on his enormous girth, his hand fisting up and down to spread it. "Our shared whore. Holes to stuff. Maybe we should 'spit-roast' you sometime. Make you choke on cock while the other slams you forward into it rough from behind. On all fours, a twin on either end, connected by their whore."
Beel swallowed as he tipped the lube over me while I tilted my hips towards it. I shivered as the cold hit my heat directly, moaning as Beel rubbed it through.
"Maybe we'll both fill you with cum in each hole. His cum in your mouth, MY cum in your mouth. His cum in your pussy, MY cum in your pussy. Him unloading into your ass. Me following riiiight behind, using his cum as lube.
Beel and I both hissed through our teeth as he pushed his fingers into me to lube my entrance slicker.
"We won't let you pause or clean in between. Just drip. You’ll lay there all quiet until we’re hard again for you. Maybe I'll cum on your back, too. Maybe in your hair. Maybe all over that sweet, pretty face of yours again. Remember when I did that to you, Chise? Remember when I creamed all over your face? How you whimpered when it got aaaall in your eyelashes, so you couldn’t see? Poor baby."
I whined at the memory, nodding as I continued locking eyes with him, feeling Beel nudge against my entrance as he lined himself up. He was still listening. Shivering at the thought. Of his brother having done that. And perhaps of him, doing the same. I wondered if he’d dare. Or just fantasize about it. Or just get off on his brother doing it in front of him.
"Filthy," Belphie muttered with a smile as he watched, arms crossed, while Beel began to push. "Used up whore. Cum dumpster. Cock sleeve. Cum slut. Beg for it."
"Beel..." I groaned. And then I cried out at the forcing stretch. "Oh gods, Beel...! Please!"
He hissed through his teeth again as he pushed. Harder. More hurried. Fueled by Belphie's words, and my desperation. Too fast. My cry lengthened into a long sound of pain.
"Beg for him."
"BEEEEEL!" I cried out. "HAVE ME! GIVE IT TO ME! GIVE ME YOUR–"
I SCREAMED as he thrusted with a grunt, with force, a snap of his hips, tearing through my resistance, from empty to full. My scream was piercing. And then I fell back to land with a thump against the mirror behind me, eyes wide, silent in shock. Maybe I was even hurt. Belphie would take care of it. Hurt. Inside hurt. Bones hurt? I was okay.
I slumped on his impaling cock as my thoughts ran absently.
Belphie chuckled. "Oops."
Beel swallowed as he looked at me with anxiety.
"She's all right. What a good girl for you. Gave you a nice hole. Begged for it. So you rewarded her for being a good girl. Right? Gave her what she screamed at you for."
"Yeah..." Beel reached to stroke my hair, before turning my face towards him again. I locked eyes with him. Still in there. He studied me. I gave a single, small nod, eyes still wide, lips still parted in shock, but a small nod nonetheless.
"Mmhm. That's a baby whore for you. Wants it sooooo badly, and then surprised when she gets what she asks for. Amateuuuur. But that's what I like about her. You never learn, do you, Chise? Tsk."
I took in a deep breath, eyes still locked to Beel's. "...Fff... Fuck... me..."
Belphie laughed under his breath.
Beel hissed again, eyes fiery. And moved. Pumped his hips while I groaned, lolling my head to the side again. Bursting at the seams with him. Slumped on the counter against the bathroom mirror while he began to take up an even rhythm. Not slow. Not fast. Just opening me up for him, coaxing my walls to slicken even more for him, to accept him.
"Good," Belphie purred. "Not so hard, was it? Well, hah, you know what I mean."
Beel began to grunt as he continued thrusting, picking up speed as he locked his eyes on our joining now. Slick, slick, I laid in an awkward forward-curl, my back curved uncomfortably as I took him. His arms hooked under my legs to hold them open and in place for his cock, watching himself plunge in and out of me.
Speeding up, speeding up. I was making quiet little huffing sounds as I looked down at my belly too. At how it seemed to bulge with his shape, the way I laid like this. Still within my shock, not crying out, just having the breath knocked out of me every time he thrusted forward. Little breathy 'ungh’ sounds. The noises getting louder only because he began to truly slam. While Belphie watched. While my pleasure snuck up on me. I’d already been right there anyway, from the moment I’d decided to follow them to their room.
I shuddered as I came, back flexing up and down painfully against the now-sweat-sticky mirror, my eyes rolling back as my fingers curled into my palms. Beel held my thighs open more firmly as they tried to both twitch to the side, while my spine and elbows made thumping noises with my spasms. While I contracted uselessly.
My head lolled to the side again with one of my shudders, and I watched Belphie, glazed, as he watched us both intently, masturbating his cock in rhythm to Beel's rough thrusts inside of me. I began to roll slower, rolling, shoulders rolling, back rolling up and down, hips rolling, as I descended.
And then I gasped sharply, my searing in my lungs snapping back to it all.
“Theeeere you are. Welcome back.” Belphie smirked again, fisting himself near-furiously. "Good slut. So pretty. Come on, Beel. Don't finish in her yet. She’s not done."
Beel obeyed with a sharp gasp of his own, abruptly switching to rolling his hips slowly, if not still forcefully. I groaned long and low as my lashes fluttered. So deep. Cervix burned.
"All right. Pick her up, cock still inside. Take her into the shower. Hold her close."
He was trapped in me, as I was trapped on him, fitted together so tightly that he would not hook out of me without real effort. So when he picked me up, held me to him under my thighs, when I wrapped my legs and arms around him to hold myself to him, we didn’t even come close to unjoining.
Instead, I choked on a sob at the intense pressure. Pleasure, as my body still thrummed from my first high. Of him seated deep, deep inside me, and stretching me, from wall to wall. Enormous, in my small tunnel.
Inside of me, while standing with me in his arms.
I huffed noisily, open-mouthed panting my desire while I clung to him. Not done. Burned inside.
And Belphie. Belphie simply walked to us once Beel had me open and ready, his palms underneath me spreading my cheeks. Belphie, who casually placed his stool to step up on it with a pleased sigh. And then lined up behind me. Trapping me between them, standing while I wrapped myself around Beel, Belphie's cock gently prodding against the small pucker of my ass.
Merciful drizzle of generous lube, which he spread around with the tip of his cock, dipping into my entrance slightly to pool it there a little more. And then, his hand snaking around to grab at my neck.
"What a whooooooore..." he hissed into my ear. A low hiss, so low that to Beel, I'm sure, it simply sounded like that. Just a hiss. But the menacing word delivered under Belphie's breath...
I screamed, screamed in Beel's arms while he pressed into me without mercy. Screamed as my ass stretched wide by my Dom's cock. Delivering my pain to me. His little sub, desperate, swollen with two cocks now as he broke through, broken through the resistant entrance of my ass. Tunnelling into me, reintroducing, my body screamed with the deep, overwhelming pressure as I welcomed him in again. It’d been two months since he’d claimed my ass last.
I shuddered violently. More more needed them so horny core on fire needed. Lusted.
“Please…” I begged hoarsely, weakly. “Help… Take…”
Belphie nipped hard at the lobe of my ear. “We’ve got you.”
They wasted no time to start moving me, gasping against my neck, into my hair, bracing me between them with both of their arms around me in a tight embrace. I was held there, suspended, clinging onto Beel’s hard body as I open-mouthed cried out with every desperate plunge of their cocks inside of me. Speeding up, fierce, feral, growls, grunts, taking me together. Beel groaning deep in his chest into my hair, Belphie panting in sharp gasps against the back of my head, their foreheads pressed together over top of me while they took me.
And then Belphie grabbed a fistful of my hair, yanking me back to crush a rough kiss to me, shoving his tongue into my mouth to thrust it in and out messily between my teeth. Groaned into me as he adjusted his legs and hips wider to take harder. Bit, and then tugged on my lip sharply, before licking up my cheek with the flat of his wet tongue, grazing near my eye.
He tilted my head back further with a pull at my roots, and spat directly right in my open mouth. I choked in abject shock as his saliva slid to the back of my throat. But otherwise, I had nothing else in me to flinch, my eyes not even widening. Beel was fucking blissed himself. I felt his teeth, sharp on the fragile peak of my throat, so I doubted he’d even noticed Belphie’s humiliation of me going on above him. I simply looked back at Belphie in glazed defeat as I accepted the treatment while I was wrecked between my legs. Like a good subby.
“That’s exactly the look I like to see in your eyes, baby,” he hissed fiercely. Hoarsely. "You’re mine."
And then he abruptly thrust my face back down before he let go of my scalp, making me yelp as he slapped the back of my head back towards Beel, who simply kissed my forehead before pressing his chin to the top of my head again to cradle me once more. Lip bruised, cheek wet, mouth sticky, I dry-sobbed into Beel's neck.
Back to moving fluidly, hips snapping, thrusting in perfect tandem. So that I was filled, stretched to my max, and then abruptly empty, and then filled again. I was senseless in their arms, my eyes squeezed shut tightly, hunched and tense, pinned between my two demons while I dug my nails deep into Beel’s muscles. A little human caught in between them to take for themselves. My demon twins. And their human girl, shared without any hesitation between them.
Here, I was not the master of their pacts with me. I was theirs. Beel had me like an animal. Belphie cracked the whip.
Belphie bit me, hard. Beel growled low and deep, feral. I was senseless, simply taken and awash, but my body built of its own accord. Every plunge that hit straight up inside of me seemed to press my core up and up and up with them. From my entrances to my belly to my tailbone, up my spine, up to my chest, pressure pressure pressure, electricity and heat.
"Bel..phhh… Bee-eeel…” My eyes rolled back as I began to shudder. My voice was hoarse. I had stopped crying. Stopped screaming. Lungs on fire as I began to twitch violently in their arms.
Beel growled again. "Want her to cummm on me..."
"Fuck her ffffuck her fuck her," Belphie panted. "Whhh...ore. Fffuck. Ours.”
”Ourssss,” Beel hissed fiercely.
I didn't even register their possessive, feral growling over me as I was thrown over the edge. If anyone had walked in and found us like this, they’d probably be ripped to shreds in the twins' territorial throes. I threw my head back again noiselessly with the tight contracting of my body, and Beel immediately captured my lips with his to thrust his tongue into my mouth as well, stealing the little breath I still had. I couldn't respond with anything more than a strangled gargle and wider opening of my jaw as he found my tongue for himself to suck on it fiercely, pulling it out of my mouth to take between his own lips. Belphie was nipping and nipping and nipping, taking flesh in between his teeth to tug, to bite down hard, before quickly dropping it for another spot, his demon's fangs leaving deep marks. Grooves of teeth markings that’ll bruise.
All the while riding me through it. And I kept cumming. The Lust I had been contending with all day since arriving back in the Devildom stoked to a scorching infernal, fed, relieved with every spearing plunge, and then begging for another when they pulled away. I contracted around them both, both tunnels, my body's attempt at arching through it all with each electrical shock up my spine denied with the press of their bodies that trapped me. I vibrated in place instead, choking through spasms.
"Cum with me," Belphie gasped. "Beel fill her. Fill that slutty cunt of hers. FILL it. Do it, Beel! Filling her ass… I’m filling her ass! Right now! RIGHT NOW!”
I felt him explode inside of me. More than physically. I saw stars burst in my vision as his pleasure washed through me along with his seed, overwhelming me with my own high, immediately made limp. And then Beel exploded next. I was scorched by three orgasms, one on top of the other, all at once. They held me as they ground their cocks up with groans while they pumped their loads together inside of me, their slumped doll filled between them.
Belphie had been right. It’d been after I had earned my stars, I think. Maybe because I had dedicated them to my twins in their respective virtues, maybe because of their own stars on my wrist; maybe because of the extent of my own power that had been unlocked, feeding into them; maybe a combination of it all. But the triad was undeniable now. I’d joined their link. My earth-shattering orgasm had driven them feral and tipped them together, as they tipped me beyond spacing. I was nearly fainted.
They were already done, I realized, somewhere deep inside of my blissed mind. Cupped gently between them now, thumbs rubbing my temples tenderly.
They both lowered me carefully, panting, cocks pulling away, tugging out of me as they curled me on the blessedly cold shower floor while I dripped sweat and our cum. Belphie passed on his usual creampie indulgence to prioritize taking care of me, turning on the shower instead. Cold water suddenly doused me, making me groan as my muscles contracted again in shock, and then warmth, and then steam. They both got down on the floor with me, shaky in the knees anyway, but more for my sake so they could gently wash their soul-sister down.
Caring for Lilith's daughter. I could kiss her right now for giving them to me like this. So we could be this together. I had a family in them. My brothers.
My head lolled against Beel's chest as he held me with a kiss to my plastered hair while Belphie soaped my body and cleaned my legs tenderly. Did I faint? Because now Belphie was wrapped to me, cooing over the sound of the roaring showerhead above us against my chest, while Beel carefully tipped my head back so he could shampoo my hair without getting it in my eyes. I sighed, lips parted, eyes closed, warm and happy with my scalp massaged in his gentle hands.
I was rinsed, kissed sweetly, praised for being so so good, told that I was so loved. They showered themselves one at a time while the other sat to stay with me.
And then I was wrapped in a couple towels, hair blowdrying, as they liked to do for themselves; and then I was wearing Beel's shirt with a bottle of water at my lips, gently encouraged to sip. And then I was snuggling them both. Beel spooning, Belphie facing me, but cuddled in a curled-up ball in my arms that I had wrapped around him, head tucked under my chin. Like a little kitten.
"Tired..." he murmured. "Nap..."
"Hungry," Beel sighed. "Wonder what's for dinner..."
"Didn't we already have dinner...?"
"Did we...?"
"S'okay... Second dinner if we did..."
"After nap..."
"Yeah. After nap..."
Themselves.
I relaxed with an exhausted, relieved sigh, realizing too that the searing fire deep inside of me had finally been quenched. Finally doused.
Dozed in my attic-sandwich cuddle puddle.
Chapter 4: Chapter 62-B: Ambush the Losers
Chapter Text
I’d left my twins in their room after waking before them to unpack my things in my own bedroom. Yeah. My own bedroom again. And I felt very, very refreshed. Weirdly refreshed. Like a really big weight had been lifted from my shoulders.
Maybe that nap had finally beaten off the jet lag I’ve been experiencing over the last few months.
Peace, however, does not last, and I was very quickly discovered.
Which was perfectly fine. That’s what I’d come here for, after all.
“So, this is what it comes to…” Levi started in a dry tone. “All three of us hanging out with Chise at the same time. And we’re stuck playing cards of all things.”
“I mean, what else can we do, right?” Asmo sighed unhappily. “Considering we couldn’t decide which one of us would get to hang out with Chise first.”
“Maaan…” Mammon looked down at his hand glumly, cross legged on my bed with his chin resting in his palm. “I was planning on showin’ Chise Demonio, but now that’s all ruined.”
I rolled my eyes. “You guys are so dramatic! I’m here! You can show me Demonio later.”
'Show me Demonio’ my ass. Unless that’s what he was naming his–
“Hey Chise,” Belphie popped his head in with a smile, cow pillow under his arm. “I thought I’d stop by and hang– Oh.” He narrowed his eyes at his three brothers crowded around me. “I didn’t know you guys would be here. Great.”
“Yo, what’s with that look, huh?! At least try to HIDE how disappointed you are!” Mammon glared right back at him. “And you ALREADY took Chise away! Like, what was up with THAT?!”
Belphie ignored him to meet my eyes again with another smile. “Feeling better now?”
I smiled verrrrry shyly back as Mammon glanced at me at the question. “Yeah, actually. Much better.”
He nodded. “Me too.”
“Hey.” Beel poked his head around my doorframe over top of Belphie’s. “Hope you don’t mind some extra company.”
All of our eyes widened at the sight of Beel’s enormous armload of food.
“Wow…” Asmo blinked. “That’s a ton of sugary junk food you’ve got there, Beel. Are you planning on eating all of it?”
Beel shrugged as he began to lay out his treasure into, apparently, organized piles. “Is that a problem?”
“I mean, no…”
Belphie yawned as he crawled up onto my bed to butt in between Asmo and I.
“Hey!” Asmo scolded him. “I was here FIRST!”
“Belphie, are you feeling sleepy?” Levi asked, a bit hesitantly.
“Yeah…” Belphie curled up, which pushed Asmo away even further as he wedged himself in. He was basically on both of our laps with his insistence. “But I want to hang out with Chise.”
Spoiled brat.
“…Okay, what’s the deal?” Mammon looked between them with a frown. “They seem to be actin’ normal again, huh?”
“Yeahhh…” Levi looked at them doubtfully too. “It really felt like something wasn’t quite right earlier, but now everything seems fine.”
Mammon shrugged as he turned his attention back to his cards. “Meh, guess we were just imaginin’ it.”
I blushed as Belphie peeked up at me from under his fringe with a smile.
…Weird. Hot? Weird. But also hot.
“All right, enough about that.” Asmo waved his hand dismissively. “Let’s play some cards! I’ll deal you two in, okay?"
I’d woken up in Mammon’s embrace, my back cuddled to his front. There was something about him, his body, that just made me feel like… I fit there, perfectly. Perfectly cupped. He wasn’t too heavy. Wasn’t too warm. His shoulders just broad enough for his arms to wrap comfortably around mine. My hips perfectly flush to his lap in a natural half-curl on our sides. Like the perfect height. A teaspoon in a tablespoon. With his warm breath on my neck. Back in his arms again.
Until the cheeky brat of a demon who had fallen asleep on my other side started to poke my nose with a soft giggle.
I cracked my eyes opened blearily, blinking sleep away, my befuddlement slowly giving way to a glare as he kept doing it.
“Moooorning…” he cooed softly.
I sighed. “Hi, morning boy. I do not relate to you and your kind.”
He giggled again. “You’ve slept a looooot… Come ooonnn.”
"Chise, I’m coming in."
I slowly sat up at the sound of Satan’s voice coming through my door, Mammon’s arm sliding down from mine to land in my lap as the knob turned.
“Good morning. I came to let you know that breakfast is rea–"
He stopped with a frown.
Asmo beamed at him prettily. “Good morning, Sataaaan!”
Satan stared at him. "…Asmo? No, don’t tell me YOU spent the first night here in Chise’s–"
Beel let out an explosively loud snore from down on my floor, before falling silent again.
He did that.
“FYI, I wasn’t the only one!” Asmo pouted. “Unfortunately…”
I laughed softly. “Morning, Satan. You missed the sleepover.”
“…I see that now.” Satan shook his head as he scanned my room. Everyone except for Lucifer and himself were there. “Unbelievable. So you and Asmo are the only ones awake?”
Asmo wiggled in place, making Mammon huff in his sleep. “Well, we were having so much fun playing cards last night that we ended up staying up really late. Then we all got tired, and it was too much of a hassle to go all the way back to our rooms, so we all just fell asleep right here!”
I rolled my eyes. It hadn’t quite gone down like that. They had all sat their asses down, arms crossed, each one of them declaring that no, they weren’t moving, the other should leave, nope, not going to happen, nuh-uh. And then they had all grumbled themselves to sleep.
Asmo and Mammon somehow got lucky enough to curl up to me just by virtue of having been sat next to me while playing cards, which was probably on purpose now that I thought about it, and Belphie slept like a curled kitten at the end of my bed. Beel and Levi were sprawled on the ground. I watched in amusement as Levi scratched at his cheek in his sleep.
“Chise,” Satan sighed, “if they’re bothering you, feel free to tell them so. Trust me, it’s for the best.”
Jealousy there.
I laughed. “I had fun. But… next time, please join.”
“Ah…” He swallowed with a blush. “Well… in that case, okay. By the way, Asmo. What are you doing over there? I can tell you’re hiding something.”
I raised my eyebrows as I turned my head towards him as well. And then looked down at my lap.
“Oooh… busted?” He giggled as he wagged a tiny brush. “I’m actually doing Mammon and Levi’s nails. I’m going to make them look so cute!”
I looked down at Mammon’s half-polished nails. “…They’re going to kill you, you know.”
“Noooo!” He pouted again. “Since I did the twins’ nails the other day, I thought I’d do Mammon and Levi this time! What about you, Satan?” He looked over at him with puppyish hope. “Would you like to try out my new aurora borealis nail polish? I designed it myself!”
He shook his head. “Not right now, thanks. Anyway, hurry up and come to breakfast.”
“Juuuust a second. I’m not quite done yet!”
Satan rolled his eyes, turning his attention back to me as I carefully slid the rest of the way from Mammon’s embrace. “Chise, Lucifer asked me to let you know our plans for the day. He wants you to come with us to RAD this morning, and then stay for the student council meeting after school.”
I raised my eyebrows in surprise. It’s not like I had a class schedule or anything. “Got it.”
I guess I got to pick who I shadowed today.
He smiled at me. “Just don’t forget and head home after class by accident.”
I blew him a kiss. “I’ll be at breakfast soon.”
He ducked back out quickly to hide his next blush while Asmo cackled quietly on the floor at his embarrassment, with Levi’s lax hand in his. Truly the overlooked chaotic middle child, the worst of his antics eclipsed by that of Mammon and Levi’s, but still antics nonetheless.
I shook my head with a smile as I headed towards my bathroom to get ready.
Belphie waved his hand in front of Levi’s face with a frown. “Hey, Levi… Come on!”
Beel went ahead and fully smacked the back of his older brother’s head with his palm. “Our next class is about to start, Levi.”
“OW! HEY! Hold on a second! I’m really close to having something great happen here!”
“Hey, Levi.” I took a seat at the free desk nearby. “Playing another one of your otome–"
“YEEEEEEAH! ALL RIGHT!” Levi sat back with a grin. “I just hit it big in the online casino… REALLY big!”
I frowned. “Like… Did Gambler Kitty come out with a new app…?”
He didn’t even seem to be listening to me, with his eyes glued to his D.D.D. screen. "Oh man, nothing beats the thrill of playing Jackpot!”
I raised my eyebrows. “You’re playing… Jackpot?”
Belphie shook his head. “The fact that he’s playing around on a D.D.D. app is nothing new. But an online casino… really?”
“Yeahhh,” I agreed. “That’s just weird. I mean, gacha games are one thing, but…”
“Yeah, it really is. I mean, this isn’t Mammon we’re talking about.” He scratched at his cheek with a frown. I’d have to tell Asmo his skin was getting itchy again so we could dump him in another bath like a yowling cat. “And that look on his face–"
“Hey, Belphie… Chise…” Beel tapped me on the shoulder with concern on his face. “Take a look at what’s happening over there. This is pretty crazy, too.”
I followed where he pointed.
And frowned as well.
Mammon, legs up and crossed on the desk, tie loose and wrinkled as usual – but…
“All RIGHT!” He grinned at his D.D.D. screen as well. “I maxed out my intimacy level with Devilina, and it gave me a still shot of the scene where you profess your love! Oh mannnn, Devilina is like, WHOA! I’m totally crushin’…!”
I narrowed my eyes. “Devilinina, huh?”
Belphie stared at him. “…Is Mammon playing an anime dating game…? And not just that… he looks like he’s really enjoying it.”
I leaned forward with a glare.
Beel shook his head, brows drawn together in confusion and concern. “What’s going on here…?”
“Hey, QUIT IT!” Levi gave Beel his signature flat-look. “What do you think you’re doing?!”
Beel shook his head as he kept shoving him forward, one step at a time, like a herding sheepdog. “It doesn’t matter. Just come with me.”
Belphie coaxed ahead of us. “Bring him over here, Beel.”
I stood to the side, crab-walking sideways so he couldn’t dart. Tag-teaming.
“Forget it,” Beel growled, as he grabbed Levi by the collar instead.
“Don’t DRAG me away!” Levi snapped at him as he flailed for balance. “Come on, seriously! I was just about to win big! AHHHH!” His eyes widened in horror as he got his D.D.D. screen back in his face. “See what you DID?! They decided to quit on me and leave while they’re ahead! DAMMIT! If I’d just kept going, I was about to win 100,000 Grimm, guaranteed!”
I rolled my eyes. Sure.
“What’re you thinking, huh?! This is all YOUR fault, you know?! Why’d you interrupt me while I was playing?! You guys owe me 100,000 Grimm! …And so we’re clear, I mean 100,000 Grimm EACH! Now pay up!”
I shook my head. “What is happening to you, Levi? You sound like Mammon!”
“Isn’t it obvious?!” he snapped at me, waving his D.D.D. screen in my direction. I blinked. He never spoke to me like that. “Look, I just had 100,000 Grimm go up in SMOKE! Ugghhh, I don’t BELIEVE this! And DON’T compare me to Mammon. I do NOT like being compared to Mammon!”
“Calm down, Levi!” I pleaded with him.
“Calm down?!” He glared at me. “How do you expect me to do that?! I just lost 100,000 Grimm! I mean, seriously?!”
“Levi…” Belphie sighed with a shake of his head. “Don’t talk to Chise like that. Are you even listening to yourself right now?”
“You’re acting weird,” Beel agreed. “And you’re hurting Chise’s feelings. What’s going on with you?”
“That’s it!” he snapped again, face turning red. “I’m not wasting any more time talking to you guys. I could be hitting it big right now!” He began storming off in the other direction from us. “I’m going to the Darkness racetrack, and make back what I lost. So stay out of my way, okay?”
“Levi–“
“Let him go, Chise,” Belphie growled, eyes flashing.
“Pssh.” Levi pushed past him next. “Later…”
Belphie shook his head. “…What’s wrong with him? I don’t get it.”
I sighed. “The two of you…You don’t remember yesterday?”
Belphie raised his eyebrows at me. “Oh, I remember yesterday, Chise.”
I gave him a flat look. “Not what I meant! Come on, let’s go find Lucifer. Obviously this is getting serious now.” And personal.
Lucifer was grim, bracing himself for the worst as he followed us to the next classroom. “So you wanted to show us something?”
“What’s going on here?” Satan brought up the rear, curious. Another curse expert I had grabbed along the way.
Belphie gestured with a sigh as we all stepped through the door. “Exactly what it looks like.”
“We were hoping you could tell us what’s going on here,” Beel added.
Mammon looked up from his screen at our approach. “…What?”
I pointed at him. “They’re being mean!”
“I mean, yeah, but that’s not the point, Chise…”
“Why’re you all givin’ me that look, huh? Like ya think I’m gross or somethin’…”
Belphie rolled his eyes. “I mean…”
“Eh, don’t even say it.” Mammon slumped in his chair with a surly look. “You’re thinkin’ I’m a scumbag, an idiot, a moron. That I’m nothin’ but a giant ball of greed in the shape of a demon, right?”
Satan nodded. “Pretty much, yeah.”
Mammon’s face fell. “See?! I knew it! Ya know what? You’re right.”
Satan and Lucifer blinked in surprise as they exchanged glances.
“I’m lower than low, worse than trash. I’m a giant, worthless loser that doesn’t even deserve to live!”
“MAMMON!” I cried out in protest, eyes going wide. “Don’t say things like that!”
Lucifer sighed, rubbing at his temples as he grasped the situation. “So. Suddenly Levi’s wild about online casinos and High Roller’s Racetrack, and Mammon is spending his time playing… dating sims.”
Beel nodded seriously, though the way he rubbed at his wrists betrayed his anxiety. “Levi’s obsessed with money, and Mammon’s hyper-negative.”
Lucifer frowned as he considered Mammon for a moment. “…They must have switched bodies. That much seems clear.”
Satan shook his head. “Except, it doesn’t look like they switched places completely. Only partially.”
“Only their Sins,” I pointed out.
“Their Sins certainly influence them, but… Their entire personalities seem to have been affected.”
“As long as we’re on the subject…” Lucifer glanced at the twins. “Beel, Belphie, you two were acting strange yesterday as well.”
“Yeah, that’s true,” Satan agreed. “Belphie kept stuffing his face, and Beel seemed tired all the time. Almost as if Belphie got Beel’s appetite, and Beel got Belphie’s constant drowsiness.”
…I did not offer up my own ’not feeling well yesterday’ experience, but I soaked in the situation as best as I could to find some answers for myself, too.
Belphie sighed as he considered. “Hmm, now that you mention it, you might be right…”
”Might be?” I raised my eyebrows at him. “You ate an entire store’s bread supply.”
Beel shook his head. “First it was me and Belphie, and now it’s Mammon and Levi…”
Belphie glanced at me too, but didn’t offer me up on a platter for roasting, thankfully.
Lucifer sighed. “So then something must have happened to both demons in each pair to cause these changes.”
I frowned.
I thought.
We all thought.
But it was my eyes that widened. “…Shit.”
They all raised their eyebrows at me.
“Chise?” Lucifer was the one to ask. “Do you have any ideas on what could be going on?”
I sighed in defeat. “Dammit! It was Asmo’s NAIL POLISH!”
I was going to KILL HIM.
“Yep,” Satan immediately agreed as the realization hit him too. “That’s got to be it.”
“Nail polish…?” Beel blinked. “You mean the stuff Asmo used to paint our nails yesterday?”
Belphie frowned. “Wait, did he use it to put on Mammon and Levi’s nails too?”
I nodded. “Yeah, just this morning… Satan and I watched him do it.”
Satan nodded as well. “He secretly painted their nails while they both slept.”
“Aha…” Lucifer heaved another deep sigh. “I see…”
And then, frowned, as he turned to look at me.
“…Didn’t he paint your nails too, Chise?”
I went red in the face.
He stared at me, though his expression was neutral as he waited for my answer.
“…Yes,” I squeaked.
“Did he… also happen to paint his own nails? …At the same time?”
I swallowed. “He… painted both of his pinkies… to show… me…”
Belphie slapped his forehead with a groan. "Idiot! No wonder…”
Satan looked between us. “No wonder what?”
“Nothing!” My squeaky-toy voice was shrill now.
“Well, Chise?” Lucifer let the subject slide for the time being. “Do you remember Asmo saying anything in particular about it?”
“He, um…” I thought back. “He said it was from some sort of spring? Ghost spring? Ghostly spring?”
“…Phantom Spring?”
“Yeah!”
“Ah…” He nodded his understanding. “So the nail polish contains water from the Phantom Spring. Well, that explains it.”
Beel frowned in confusion. “You mean the Phantom Spring can make people swap personalities?”
“Not normally, no. But there are exceptions. They must’ve drawn from the fountain on the exact day that a curse of reflection happens to be present in the water. Like the night before a full moon, something along those lines.”
“Ah…” Belphie nodded his understanding next. “And then when Asmo used the nail polish on two of us at the same time, the curse took effect.”
“Which causes personality traits from each person to reflect onto the other, switching them around,” Satan sighed. “Aha…”
They all glanced at me.
“…The sins are a powerful and deeply compelling experience,” Lucifer muttered under his breath. “Not meant to be experienced in such force by humans.”
Satan cleared his throat as he looked away. “…Just two pinkies, right?”
Holy hells.
Belphie just shrugged. “So, how do we get them back to normal?”
“What made the twins go back to normal?”
“Yes,” Lucifer said. “Whatever happened with them, I feel like that should provide a hint as to what to do.”
They all stared at me again.
I knew exactly what was running through their heads.
What had made the twins AND CHISE go back to normal after they’d all disappeared together?
“Oh hells…” I whispered in horror under my breath.
We’d gone back to normal after we’d…
Holy GODS…
Did Mammon and Levi have to–
“I think I know how,” Beel offered, interrupting my thoughts.
“Beel!” I hissed.
Belphie chuckled. “Hear him out, Chise.”
–
“I see…” Lucifer nodded. “Well, I’m not certain this is going to work, but it’s worth a shot. Chise, will you help us turn Levi and Mammon back to their normal selves?”
Satan nodded as well. “She’ll be essential with those two.”
“…What is it, Chise?” Levi was walking towards me to meet me in the RAD gardens. “Why’d you want to see me out here?”
I raised my arms.
“I don’t really have time for this right now. Ugh… seriously, it’s unbelievable! I lost a FORTUNE playing High Roller’s Racetrack! I was SUPPOSED to make back my 100,000 Grimm, but I lost even more instead! This sucks…”
”Hear me!”
He stopped short. “Huh?”
"Spirit of Water, rain down upon the demon before me! In the name of the sorcerer Chise, make it so!"
“Bffurgle…!” Levi went tumbling away from me by the force of the powerful torrent that erupted in a tide from my feet; rolling, spluttering, coming to a sprawled stop on his back while he hacked up a lung. “…Hrrggh… I-I got… water all up my… my nose…!”
I sighed as I lowered my hands to rest them on my hips with a nod. “My work here is done. Hopefully.”
“What do you think you’re doing, Chise?!” he whined as he flailed like a turtle. “I mean, dousing me with water with zero warning?! How could you?! I know I’m just a worthless, moody shut-in of an otaku, but even so! That was pretty mean, don’t you think?! …Wait a minute.” He stared at his D.D.D. in his hand. “What am I doing messing around in an online casino?”
I let out the biggest, heaviest, most relieved, deepest sigh of my entire life, my spirit almost leaving my whole body from the weight that fled from my shoulders and up into the heavens.
I – nor Mammon – had to fuck Levi to break him from the curse.
“Ugh, and High Roller’s Racetrack?! I could care less about that… And look at their UI…! This is terrible! Who even DESIGNED this crap?!”
I grinned as I ran to him, throwing myself on top of him to plaster him back down into a crushing hug. “I KNEW I like the normal you better!”
“Wh…?!” He wheezed from me landing on him, cheeks bright pink as his eyes went wide. “Wh–Whoa, hold on…! S-Sure, you SAY that!”
I nuzzled into his neck, squeeing happily.
“But I know what you’re really thinking! ’Hahaha, he’s such an otaku. He doesn’t know the normie ways! It takes literally nothing to get him to fall for me! Lol!’”
I cupped his face in my hands with a grin, pulling him up into a half-sitting position.
He swallowed as his pretty cat-eyes gazed into mine. “…F-Fine, you’re right. I’m just an otaku who doesn’t know the normie ways. And it takes literally nothing to get me to fall… for…”
I brought his face to mine, kissing him deeply with a happy sigh. He squawked quietly against my lips for a moment, before kissing me back shakily; moving his lips with a hesitant, anxious eagerness. I’d missed that kiss. My hands slipped down from his cheeks, and wrap my arms around his shoulders, pulling him up closer.
“…Aw…” he said quietly as our kiss broke gently, his face red now. “Y-You think if you do that, it’ll make me happy? I-Is that it? L-Like, if I said I wanted more, would you actually DO–”
I kissed him again. Pressing harder. Firmer. Dragging him forward by the collar of his uniform jacket now as I balled my fists into it while he merped.
He was panting by the time I let him go. Face, ears, neck, chest. Red. His pants… tight. “Ch… Ch… Nnk… N-Now my heart’s pounding a mile a minute, a-and it’s all your fault… Y-You have to do something about that, Chise. So, why don’t…” He paused to swallow again, and then resumed his panting as he placed his hands on my hips. “Wh-Why don’t you come a little closer…”
Someone had been practicing his seductive speechcraft.
I smiled sweetly at him “Hey, Levi…”
“Y-Yeah…?”
“We’re in public. Just so you know.”
“W-WE’RE IN…!” He looked around us in horror, before screaming, “WHAAAAAA…?!”
“Oh man… whoa. Is there anything better than a tsundere who wears glasses?”
I found him alone in the colosseum on the bleachers. I had a feeling. This place was usually abandoned unless there was fangul practise or a full-on game, so Levi usually ditched to come here when he was feeling overstimulated. It didn’t take a genius.
I clasped my hands behind my back as I sidled up slowly to get the drop on him.
“Like, Devilina is great, too. But when it comes to overall looks, it’s hard to top Mako.”
“…So that’s your type, huh?”
“WHAA..?!” Mammon whirled in his seat with a cry of fear. “…DAMMIT CHISE! What’s the big idea, sneakin’ up behind me like that?! You nearly gave me a heart attack!”
At least he was still a scaredy-cat down in there.
“Devilina,” I repeated. “Tsundere with glasses, huh? And Mako… soooo pretty. Right? Man, they sound weirdly great!”
“I mean, I’m as surprised as you are,” he answered obliviously, making me narrow my eyes. “But there’s somethin’ about Mako that sorta reminds me of you, Chise. It’s hard to explain.”
“Hm.”
Yeah, so what? So what if I was getting jealous over a dating sim character? SO WHAT?!
“Anyway, what’re you doin’ here? Like, I came here ‘cause I didn’t want anyone botherin’ me while I game!”
“Hmm.”
“I’m busy tryin’ to unlock all the still shots of Devilina and Mako. Now shoo, off with ya!”
I raised my hands.
"…What’re ya–"
"Spirit of Water, send forth a CATACLYSMIC DELUGE!”
He scrambled to his feet at my words, screaming, running, but who could outrun me? Who could outrun my tsunami? I was powerful. Chise, the powerful sorcerer.
FUCK YOU, DEVILINA.
Glub glub glub glub glub glub…!
By the time I was done with the place, the entire floor of the coliseum was under a few inches of water while the storm drains worked overtime to gulp it all down with shallow, swirling whirlpools. Little waterfalls from the second story drizzled down rather prettily as well. Mammon was soaked. I was soaked. I splashed over to him as he spluttered noisily, sitting up with a wet gasp to get his nose out of the water. I stood over him, arms crossed.
He looked at me like I’d gone completely insane. “…YOU TRYIN’ TO KILL ME OR SOMETHIN’?!”
“Me...? Kill you? Why! I would NEVER!”
“Like, what do you think you’re doin’?! I mean, what if Devilina and Mako end up catching a cold?!”
I raised my hands again.
“D’AAAAAH! WAIT WAIT WAIT! …Wait. Hold on, what am I even thinkin’?!”
I glared down at him. “That’s what I would like to know!”
“Video game characters can’t catch colds!”
“You’re right, they sure can’t!”
“That’s just crazy!”
“Yeah!”
“UGH! And look at my game system!” He held up his handheld console with a look of despair, giving it a shake. Water spilled out from its seams. “It’s soppin’ wet! How am I s’posed to sell this thing if it’s broken?! It’s a limited edition, y’know?!”
I brightened, giving him a beaming smile. “You want to sell it?! For money?!”
“What the hell else would I sell it for?!” He glowered at me. “Anyway, I can’t NOW! UGH! There are hardly any of ‘em out there. Even used, it should sell for 40,000 Grimm at lea–“
He let out an explosive sneeze.
And then looked up at me with a blush.
I grinned at him as I sank down to land on his lap. “Poor baby. How about I warm you up?”
He glared again. "Well, YOU'RE the one who doused me with water like some kind of magic nutcase who’d lost her mind! The fuck’s Solomon been teachin’ ya, huh?! That dumbass chowderhead! You’d better do somethin’ to make up for all that! So hurry up and warm mmm–"
I had grabbed him roughly by the front of his shirt, yanking him forward to crash my lips into his. He gasped sharply into my mouth as I took his breath away, and then made a noise deep in his chest when I tilted my head to slip my tongue into his mouth.
He immediately threw his arms around me with a growl, leaning me back with the force of his own returned kiss, tongue meeting mine with sparked eagerness. Hands pressed tight on my back, his fingers curling into claws into my jacket. I straddled in his lap as I huffed shakily into his mouth between our rolling kisses. Thick, sopping wet hair – I slid my hands up into it, my own curling fingers squeezing the water out of his locks to run in rivulets down his neck.
We were both panting as we finally broke our kiss to come up for air. My legs were half-wrapped around him. Both our faces were pink.
“…B-But listen,” he continued hoarsely, eyes glazed. “You need to learn how to dial it down sometimes! I mean, you didn’t just sprinkle a little water on me, no. Ya left me drenched!”
“Mmm…” I dipped my head to kiss at the corner of his mouth, before reaching his jaw. I squeezed more water out of his hair.
He swallowed. “…Or were you just feelin’ jealous? Is that it? You were jealous of… what’s the name again? Y’know, the character from that game I was playin’?”
“Devilina?”
“Ugh, who even cares…”
I giggled. He growled softly, before relenting with a huff of a laugh as he pulled me into a hug.
“You’re the only one for The Great Mammon, ya dummy…” I heard the grin in his voice against my ear. “Pffwhehe. Beneath that fiery exterior, you’ve actually got a real cute side to ya, huh? So… what side of Chise am I dealin’ with right now?”
"Your Chise…" I came back up to his face, pressing my lips to his, more gently this time. A single one, as I caressed his cheek. “Who maybe got a little jealous that she didn’t get aaaall your attention…”
He gazed into my eyes as I pulled away. “…That so? And what other hidden sides of ya are there, anyway? ‘Cause I want you to show ‘em to me. Even the ones you don’t show anyone.”
“My my, Mammon,” I murmured against his lips. “I hit you with a spell, and you get all excited on me? You’re a masochist after all…”
“…Shaddup…” he growled, before kissing me fiercely again.
Diavolo was doubled over with raucous laughter.
“Hey!” Mammon glowered at him, hands on his hips. “It’s not funny!”
“Exactly, it isn’t!” Levi’s mouth was in a flat line. “The game system I lent Mammon ended up getting drenched!”
Lucifer nodded to me in approval. “Good work, Chise.”
I let out a deep sigh of relief. “I’m just happy they’re all back to normal.”
“Oh yeah?” Levi slouched with a sulk. “Well I’m NOT happy about the 100,000 Grimm I lost! Do you KNOW how hard I worked to save up all that money? It was supposed to be for this year’s fan events and meet and greets! I think I’m going to cry…”
“Ahhh…” Diavolo wiped away tears from his eyes with a grin. “I have to say, I’m impressed you figured out that water was the key to reversing the effects of the curse.”
Lucifer nodded again. “The key was talking to the twins. Beel realized that they stopped acting strange after… taking a shower yesterday.”
Bless Beel’s sweet innocence that led him to reach for alternative conclusions. We were all perverts. It was Beel alone who was free of such sins. …Mostly.
“That led us to theorizing that dousing someone with water would reverse the effect of the curse. So I asked Chise to give Levi and Mammon a nice, cold, involuntary shower.”
It was the solution we had all desperately clung to.
Levi glared daggers. “Wait, that means you could’ve used WARM water if you’d wanted, doesn’t it?!”
I shrugged. “Seemed like a pain to add to my incantation.”
“And cold water is so much more invigorating,” Lucifer added with a smirk.
“Grrr…” Mammon slumped in his seat. “Seriously, what kinda sadists are you people?!”
"Asmo’s the one responsible for putting you through that little ordeal. If you want to be mad at someone, be mad at him.”
We all turned to the demon who was pouting prettily in his seat, batting his lashes at us. “Ooh, umm… Sowwyyy…”
“What were ya thinkin’, Asmo?!” Mammon growled at him. “I mean, ya even got CHISE caught up in all this! Like, you’re the AVATAR OF LUST and ya PAINTED NAILS WITH CHISE! Ugh… Nasty…”
“Yes…” Lucifer growled too, deep in his throat. “How unfortunate…”
Satan sighed. “Two pinkies…”
He had kept repeating that ever since the revelation.
“I didn’t knoooow…” Asmo whined as he slid even further down his chair, almost disappearing from sight entirely. “I’m really sowwy, Chiseee… I didn’t mean to…”
I sighed. “I know, Asmo. It’s okay. It was an accident.”
Barbatos, who had been standing by quietly as usual, suddenly widened his eyes in stark realization; he somehow managed to stand even straighter while he blushed prettily from behind Diavolo’s chair.
I groaned inwardly at the look on his face.
Yeah buddy; you’d been my victim, too…
“Now now, Lucifer,” Diavolo interjected with a nervous chuckle. “After the way you tore into Asmo for what he did, I think he’s learned his lesson. So why don’t we move on?”
“…Please,” I begged quietly.
He cleared his throat with a nod. “I believe it’s time we started the student council meeting…”
I let out a sigh of relief.
“To start off, Chise, it’s time I told you what it is you want to know. Namely, why I asked you to come to the Devildom on such short notice.”
Asmo perked up a bit. “Wait, is this about what I think it’s about?”
“…You wanted to discuss something with me, right?”
“I did, yes. And I thought we could do that here at today’s meeting.” He cleared his throat, before smiling, officially putting the awkwardness behind us all. “Before we left the human world, you threw an ‘until we meet again’ party for us. And I’ve been doing some thinking about what the seven brothers here said to me at that party.”
Beel frowned. “What we said to you…? Oh, right. That.”
I frowned in confusion. I’d kind of been a bit drunk.
Until.
My eyes widened as they locked back onto the prince's. “About me joining the family?”
He chuckled at my eagerness. “At the time, I could barely believe my ears. And the fact that Lucifer joined them in their plea made it all the more shocking to me.”
Lucifer cleared his throat self-consciously. “To be clear, I didn’t join them. They dragged me along, that’s all.”
Diavolo gave him an I-don’t-belive-you-whatsoever look. “Anyway, I don’t know whether or not this will turn out to be the answer you’re looking for, but until we can explore the possibility of the thing that was specifically requested – something that the House of Lords are most certainly going to push back on – I think the compromise I am about to propose is worth giving a shot.”
“I’ll do anything,” I said quickly.
Mammon sat up straight, intensity in his eyes. “Wait, what do ya mean by giving it a shot?”
We were both thinking the same thing: about the ring in my pocket.
Diavolo looked between the two of us with serious understanding in his eyes, nodding to us both. “There are still many invisible barriers that divide the three worlds. For you to overcome these barriers and bring someone from a different world into your family, it will require a certain amount of understanding and acceptance from those around you.”
I’d fully prepared for that. Diavolo wasn’t all-powerful, and I’d slowly had to come to accept that. He had final say, maybe, but the House of Lords was also very powerful. I didn’t know the extent of Diavolo’s actual magical power as a demon, though I’m sure it was incredibly impressive, but the House of Lords was also made up of powerful upper-ranking demons.
But it also wasn’t about physical power. Could he brow-beat the Devildom and force them all into the future he envisioned? Maybe. But what would that actually change? Not hearts, certainly, which was the true goal. Not through tyranny.
I’d honestly barely hoped that anything would actually come from the brothers’ pleas. Demons were very long-lived, as were angels, and it seemed that their politics moved at a snail’s pace to reflect that, as they didn’t really have the generational changes that came with short-lived humans. I didn’t expect anything to actually meaningfully change for Mammon and I within my lifetime.
Which defeated the purpose for myself. But it was a nice thought… That the boys’ request, and my life here, would have at least triggered a change for the future of the worlds beyond me, after I was gone. Marriage-wise, anyway.
Maybe the boys would be open to falling in love again, and have that…
“Why is why I’d like Chise to join us once again here at RAD. As an exchange student.”
“Eeeeeee!” Asmo squealed as he bounced in his seat. “Wait, does that mean Chise would stay with us in the Devildom again?! It totally does, right?!”
“Seriously?!” Levi was grinning from ear to ear. “Oh wow, this is… this is AMAZING!”
I smiled. I’d already expected that, though I was a touch disappointed. Solomon, I knew, had already suggested that I continue my studies in the Devildom after my term in at the human magic academy was over. I knew that had sort of been in the works behind the scene for me. I thought there would be more? What did that even change? It’d already been accomplished.
Though I guess it did buy more time for other solutions.
“Hold on.” As if hearing my own doubts, Satan leaned forward, expression serious. “I wouldn’t celebrate just yet if I were you. Lord Diavolo, what exactly are you trying to get Chise to sign up for? What’s your angle?”
I blinked my own confusion as I turned my focus back to Diavolo as well.
Diavolo chuckled with a knowing smile. “That’s a good question. Allow me to explain. Our last exchange program was meant to provide an opportunity for cultural exchange among the inhabitants of all three worlds. But nothing more than that. The program was conceived as merely a starting point on the path to mutual understanding.” He nodded to me, eyes gleaming. “But Chise ended up being more than we could even hope for when she was chosen. Isn’t that right?”
“Me...?”
He chuckled again with a shake of his head.
“You have changed more than just the hearts of those present in this room,” Barbatos added softly. “You are well-regarded among the students and staff alike here at RAD. The Young Master had plans, of course, to further acceptance after the successful completion of the first exchange program initiative; but we did not quite expect the extent of change that you have left in your wake, Chise. We believe your influence has opened many doors, and has helped accelerate future plans that were in the works.”
I blushed as I looked down. “I don’t know. That’s… a lot of credit.”
“All of it well deserved,” Lucifer added softly.
“Indeed.”
Diavolo nodded too. “This time, the goal of the program is to make a stronger case for mutual understanding. Directed at everyone both inside and outside of the Devildom.”
“All right…” Mammon said slowly. “Well, I don’t really understand the particulars of what you’re sayin’ here, but either way, if Chise becomes an exchange student, it means we all get to be together for a while.”
“A while…” I said softly.
Belphie smiled down the table at me. “You’re going to say yes, right Chise?”
I nodded. “Of course. But Diavolo… I don’t really see how this is any different from last time, other than… everyone already knowing me.”
“Yes…” Lucifer quirked an eyebrow. “Isn’t there something else you’d like to say as well, Diavolo? The issue you wanted to discuss with Chise… It wasn’t the exchange program, was it?”
I frowned. “So there is more?”
Diavolo gave a single nod, folding his arms in front of him seriously, focused entirely on me again. “Let me get straight to the point. Chise, how would you like to be an officer on the RAD student council?”
My jaw dropped.
And the room around me, the demons present, erupted into chaos.
Demons on their feet, Asmo shrieking, Levi also shrieking, Mammon tripping to fall flat on his face as he tried to run to where I was for a hug, Belphie looking stunned, Beel beaming, Satan also looking stunned, Barbatos raising his eyebrows in mild amusement.
Lucifer, arms crossed, sighing in exasperation.
“…You want to make Chise a student council officer?” Belphie finally repeated in disbelief.
Satan’s eyes were wide. “Are you being serious, Lord Diavolo?”
He nodded. “Naturally. I wouldn’t joke around about something like this, would I? Though I admit, I do understand your surprise.”
Barbatos nodded. “If Chise joins the student council as an officer, it will send a powerful message to all three worlds. Everyone will see just how close we are, and how deeply we trust each other. As someone who will likely become one of the greatest sorcerers of all time next to Solomon himself, the Young Master believes that there could be no better person for this role.”
I was literally speechless. Lump in my throat aside, it was like there wasn’t even any breath in my lungs to use for speech. I was frozen in place. Mammon finally made it over to me to clap a hand on my shoulder while he wheezed, winded from tripping, rubbing at his sore knee.
“…Wait,” Beel spoke up in the chaos, “don’t tell me you’re planning on making Chise do 'the thing'?”
Lucifer nodded as he leaned back. “It’s required of anyone who joins the council, so yes.”
Mammon straightened. “For real…?! Y-You…! But she’s HUMAN! Like…?!”
“It was the only way to get the more conservative members of the House of Lords to agree.” Diavolo grinned at me. “And they only agreed to it because they think you will fail and maybe die in the attempt! I’m counting on you to prove them wrong, Chise.”
I wheezed out a loud, hacking cough, my lungs finally sucking in air in my shock.
He laughed at my expression. “Ah, I don’t mean to frighten you!”
I stared at him.
“But in order to become a student council officer, tradition dictates that you must undergo a trial. And naturally, it isn’t easy. You can accept this challenge, and commit yourself to doing what it takes to join the council, or you can decline. The choice is yours, Chise. But I can tell you this – we need you. So, what do you think? Will you do this?”
Maybe die in the attempt.
They all turned to look at me, each one of them holding their breath as they waited.
“Of course.”
"Chise, might I have a moment?"
Oh hells.
Don't let this be happening.
I did my best to smother my grimace into more of a soft, guilty smile as I turned slowly on my heel. "...Hi, Barbatos."
Both of our faces were a touch red.
He cleared his throat quietly. "I just wanted to apologize–"
"Absolutely not." I held out the flats of my palms to stop him. "There's absolutely no need. It’s me who should be apologizing, f-for…”
“Not at all, the fault is–”
“A-And… I meant every single word that I said to you. All of it. And I don't... regret."
As the words poured out, I felt the heat on my cheeks grow hotter and hotter.
“But I..." He stared at my palms for a moment, before focusing back on my face with a small swallow. "I see. Very well. In that case… I regret nothing either. Not a moment of it. It was…"
"…Chise? Are you coming?"
"SHHHH! SHE'S WITH BARBATOS!"
"Shut up! You’re the one who's yelling!"
"Quiet, both of you."
I gave Barbatos a small smile as I lowered my arms back down to my sides. “Guess I should…”
He returned my smile – apology in his eyes, despite my insistence – before giving me a humble bow.
I curtsied low, before turning to hurry after my boys, trying not to look like I was outright fleeing from him.
Gods. We may have actually... While I was… Why did it have to be HIM?
“…Chise.”
I turned on the spot in surprise, eyebrows raised. “Lucifer?”
He was approaching me on the cobblestone streets from behind me, where I was leaned over the rail of a bridge in thought. “So you decided to go out for a walk? At this hour?”
“How about you, Lucifer? What are you doing out?”
He shook his head as he came to stand beside me, crossing his arms with a look of disapproval. “What do you think? I came to track you down, obviously. I know I’ve warned you before not to go out alone in the Devildom at night. What if something were to happen to you?”
I giggled. “Aww, are you worried about me?”
“If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t have come all the way out here to track you down.”
"You're too overprotective." I pouted with a flirty batting of my lashes. "Your 'little lamb' is growing up, you know."
He scoffed, though the quirk in the corners of his mouth betrayed him. “She will always need me."
"Feeling threatened over my newfound independence?” I smiled as I took a step closer to him. “Don’t worry. I’ll always need you, you know."
"Hah…” He relented as he lifted his hand to brush my hair back from my face affectionately. “I suppose there are very few demons now who could actually pose a threat to you. You really have grown strong, haven’t you Chise? I’m very proud of you.”
“I did it all for you, Lucifer.” My smile turned into a grin. “Well, for the family.”
He chuckled with a shake of his head as he watched me take another step closer. “Well then, I should really praise you more. Or would you prefer a different sort of reward?”
“I’d like a kiss, actually.”
“Hmm. Out here in public?”
I played with the front of his coat, curling my fingers into the fur lining before looking back up at him sweetly.
He huffed a laugh as he gazed back down at me. “…If that’s what you want, then that’s what you’ll get. Anything for you.”
“Anything for me…” I murmured as he neared, before he pressed his lips to mine. He lingered there. A single kiss, but stretched, his hands coming up to cup along my jaw to hold me there.
He brushed a second one, brief, light as a feather, before breaking it off with a chuckle as I chased him for another. “…So, are you going to need more than just a kiss? Because I’d like to do even more to reward you.”
I gasped in flirty delight. “I get more?!”
“Let’s just say I’m in a very generous mood…” He smiled as he let my jaw go to slip an arm around me, pulling me back to stroll with him through the streets. “It’s chilly out here at night. Stay close to me.”
“You’re just trying to lead me back to the house. All safe and sound.”
“Hah…” He smirked without answering the accusation, turning his attention to the street before us. “Here I am again, walking down the street in the Devildom with my arm around you. It’s almost hard to believe.”
I leaned against him with a sigh, his warm coat draped over my shoulders with his arm. “We’ve come a long way, huh?”
“A very long way…” he murmured, seemingly lost in thought for a moment. “…Chise. Today at the student council meeting, you agreed to Diavolo’s proposal.”
“I did…” I looked up at him as we walked. “But what else could I do?”
He nodded. “You should know that the trial for admission onto the student council isn’t easy. But now that you’ve committed yourself to the challenge, you have to succeed. All of us are going to do everything we can to support you. You can do this, Chise. I know you can.”
“I know, Lucifer.” I reached up to my shoulder to take his hand in mine. “Don’t worry. This is what I want more than anything. To be with you for good.”
“That is all that I want as well, lamb. I believe in you.”
Chapter 5: Chapter 63-A: Test For Tests
Chapter Text
Mammon – back straight, hands on his hips – faced the lot of us in the twins’ rooms, looking quite like a drill sergeant in stance… and tone of voice.
“All right, listen up! This is a really important mission. We CAN’T mess it up. Succeed, and you live. Fail, and you die. But if you’re willin’ to braver the dangers involved, the payoff’s gonna be wild! And why’s that? Well, I’ll tell you…”
I sighed. “Is this another MLM pitch, Mammon?”
He glared at me. “An M-L-Whats-It?”
“You know exactly what I mean.”
Belphie shook his head. “Enough with the theatrics. It’s annoying.”
“Wh… HEY! It’s NOT annoyin’!”
“Soooo,” I decided to take the bait. “What’s this about a ‘mission’ anyway?”
Asmo sighed. “Why even bother asking, Chise? Mammon always makes everything sound way more dramatic than it is. I mean, this is just going to turn out to be another one of his pranks, right?”
Levi scanned the faces around him. “If this is a prank, then that must mean the victim is someone who’s not in the room with us now, huh?”
Beel looked around as well. “…Satan and Lucifer aren’t here.”
Belphie smirked. “Exactly.”
I sighed. “Uh-oh. Belphie’s involved.”
“We’ve come up with a plan to use the personality-switching nail polish to prank Satan and Lucifer.”
“Belphiiiiie.” I rolled my eyes. “I thought Satan was your ally?”
“Satan is my brother.”
I snorted. “Right, right. And you’re the little shit younger brother.”
Asmo leaned forward eagerly. “So parts of their personalities will be reversed?!”
“No way!” Levi sat up straighter with a grin. “Like, that sounds epic!”
“Phwehehe…” Mammon sniggered behind his fingers. “Yeah, somethin’ like that happened to ‘em once before, so it’ll be like round two!”
I groaned. I had very thoroughly been in the middle of that ’somethin’.
“Nothin’ ever gets to them… until now! Hehehe, I can already see the looks on their faces. They’re gonna FREAK!”
Beel shook his head, expression worried. “But this is Satan and Lucifer we’re talking about. Do you really think the plan will work?”
Belphie was grinning now. I very rare sight. Almost as hopeless as Satan when he did it. “First things first, let’s go find them. Come on, they should be in the music room.”
Levi snickered. “You can tell Belphie’s the youngest by how excited he is to cause trouble loooll.”
“You guys are going to be killed.” I stood with a stretch. “Aaaanyway, have fun dyin–“
Belphie and Mammon as they each snatched one of my hands from above my head to yank forward.
“YOU’RE coming with us.”
“Nnnoooo…”
–
“…So, whaddya see?”
We were all peeking, heads stacked, around the doorframe into the music room. Except for Mammon, who was too chicken.
Belphie was snickering behind his hand. “Yep, they’re both in there. Lucifer’s sitting at the table on the far side of the room drinking tea. And Satan fell asleep while reading, so he’s out cold.”
“YES!”
I smacked Levi’s shoulder with a hiss.
He lowered his voice into an excitable squeak. “We’ll never get a better chance than this!”
“Yeah…” Beel agreed from above me. “It should be pretty easy to paint Satan’s nails, huh? But I dunno, what about Lucifer…”
“Shhh!” Levi hissed. “Don’t make any noise!”
“YOU shhh, Levi!”
“Chise, you’re up.”
“Wh... Why me?!”
“Shhhh!”
Belphie pushed me through. “Get Satan first.”
“But…!”
"You’re the only one who can get close enough to either of them. Including Lucifer.”
”This is peer pressure at its finest,” I hissed at them.
Before tiptoeing in slowly, trying not to catch Lucifer’s eye in particular. Sooo casual. Just going to sit near Satan. Very casually.
“Oooh…!” Asmo squeaked as he snuck up with me. “Satan’s got such a sweet, peaceful look on his face right now. It’s absolutely adorable. Maybe I’ll give him a little kiss on the cheek?”
“Asmo!” I hissed again as I twisted off the cap of the polish. “You’ll wake him up.”
–
“…Chise.” Belphie slowly sidled over. “Did you manage to paint his nails?”
“Yep, they look fabulous.”
“That wasn’t the point.”
“All right then.” Mammon nodded as he stood over me. “C’mon, let’s put some distance between us and Satan ASAP.”
We sidled to the other side of the room.
This was so fucking stupid. I was absolutely certain that Lucifer was aware of what was going on now, and was simply watching to see what I would do next. If it were just the rest of them, he’d have intervened by now, I was sure. It was me he was allowing to bumble around while he watched on in amusement. I’d been watching him out of the corner of my eye this whole time, and the fact that he hadn’t even glanced our way…
“So, next up is the biggest bastard of ‘em all… Lucifer.”
Beel shook his head. “I still don’t know how we’re supposed to paint HIS nails?”
Asmo giggled. “I guess we’re just going to have to pin him down and climb on top of him?”
“You always find a way to make everything dirty lolol.”
“I’ve noticed since you lost your virginity to Chise that you’re not as grossed out!”
“…Climbing on me won’t be necessary.”
I sighed heavily. Mammon gasped noisily.
Belphie’s expression was loose and casual. “Lucifer, were you listening in on us just now?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” He rolled his eyes at us. “I wasn’t listening in on you. You were all talking so loud that I couldn’t help but hear everything you said. Now. Come here, Chise.”
I pouted prettily. “They made me do it…”
“Gee. Thanks, Chise.”
But Lucifer chuckled softly with a light smile. “You want to paint my nails, don’t you? Well, be my guest.”
He turned to me properly, and offered me his hand.
I stared at him with apprehension. Belphie narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
“…This definitely isn’t how I expected this to go,” Beel muttered.
Asmo shrugged. “Still, I don’t see a problem with it, right? After all, he said it himself. He wants his nails painted! Chiseeee, be sure to make them look really cute, ‘kay?”
I smiled weakly at Lucifer. “It… is a lovely colour…”
“It is indeed.”
I swallowed nervously as I laid down the first brushstroke, cheeks pink under his direct gaze. His small smile. One of fondness? Affection? …A sinister smirk? It was too slight to tell.
“Is it just me,” I heard Belphie whisper from behind us, “or is something not right here? Lucifer knew exactly what we were plotting, but he was more than happy to let us stroll up and paint his nails anyway. It doesn’t make sense.”
I was sweating heavily as I stared directly at Lucifer’s nails. He chuckled as he kept listening in.
Mammon shrugged. “S’long as we get results, it’s whatever.”
“…Hey, you guys…” Satan sighed as he pressed his palm to his forehead from the couch. “What’s with all the noise?”
Beel looked over at him in surprise. “Satan, you’re awake?”
“Yeah. I guess I must’ve dozed off at some point.”
“…Asmo.” Belphie glanced at him. “We did both of their nails at pretty much the same time. Which means they’ll be swapping parts of their personalities any second now, right?”
“That’s right! Oooh, I can’t wait!”
Lucifer lightly blew across one hand. “Satan, you’re in charge of dinner tonight, right? If you’re stopping by the grocery store today, go ahead and pick up some bread. We’ll need it for breakfast tomorrow morning.”
Satan tsked irritably. “I don’t need you telling me. I was going to pick some up anyway.”
“And we’re out of shadow hog bacon as well.”
Beel slurped noisily. “Mmm…”
Satan nodded. “If I’m going to the butcher’s, maybe I should pick up some smoked meat or maybe even some fish, since they have a sale on there today.”
Levi’s eyes darted between them. “…Is it just me, or…?”
Asmo was hugging himself now. “Nope, it’s not just you…”
Beel shook his head. “They haven’t changed at all.”
“I don’t get it!” Mammon growled in frustration. “Why not?!”
I rubbed the bridge of my nose. “We’re all idiots.”
Lucifer chuckled again. Yeah, his smile was the sinister smirk. “Have you forgotten who you’re dealing with? Even if you subject Satan and I to a reflection curse, it doesn’t actually change anything.”
Levi groaned in dismay. “So it was all for nothing?!”
“Meh…” Belphie sighed, bored now. “That’s no fun at all.”
“But my life or death mission…” Mammon groaned as well. “It can’t end like this!”
Satan frowned at the lot of us, at our looks of despair. “What are you even talking about?”
“Ahaha…” I ran out the door, leaving the rest of them to their fates.
Lucifer: Nice try, brat.
Lucifer: You’ll be dealt with later.
Chise: 😭
" Whoever wishes this door to open must say the secret phrase! What is the most precious item I have ever entrusted to you, Chise?"
“The ‘With Me’ script.”
"Secret phrase confirmed. You may enter."
He was bouncing excitedly on his heels by the time I’d opened and come through the door, hands stuffed in his pockets, eyes shining eagerly.
“So, you remember the secret phrase we thought up together, huh? That makes me so happy!”
I grinned at him. “That reminds me… I can actually give that back to you now.”
He shook his head vigorously, mouth pinched in a flat line of denial. “Yours!”
I giggled. “Fine. Mine. For now, it’ll stayyyy… With Me.”
“Ugh, seriously?! Laaaame.” He rolled his eyes as he abruptly stopped his bouncing. “Anyway, Chise! It sure took you long enough! I’ve been waiting FOREVER for you to get here.” He pointed to his monitor that’d been paused. “I couldn’t take it anymore, so I went ahead and started out TSL viewing party without you.”
I raised my eyebrows. “A viewing party of one so far, huh?”
“Whatever, nothing new. Okay, so check this out…!” he squeaked happily as he dove for his PC mouse again. “We’re almost up to the Bloody Supper scene between the Lord of Fools and the Lord of Masks! Oh man, wow. No matter how many times I watch it, it still gives me goosebumps! Oooh, I almost forgot! You have to see this, Chise!”
I shook my head with a smile as I began to lay out the snacks and drink I’d brought with me for us, letting him fly around and natter in his excitement. Now he was bouncing around a TSL-themed shelf of his.
“While we were apart, my TSL collection grew even more impressive! L-Look…! B-B-B… BEHOLD!”
This was my cue to stop what I was doing to look directly at him. He was holding up a CD that he’d enshrined in a special case.
“It’s the elusive one-time-only run of the TSL stage play! It’s just breathtaking! More precious than life itself!”
My cue to be incredibly impressed.
“Holy crap!”
This demon was more precious than life itself to me.
I started walking towards him with a little glint in my eye. I’d come to… like the passionate gushing.
And interrupting it very suddenly.
"This is the performance where the understudy filled in as Henry at the last minute for one show only, after the actor who normally played him was in an accident. And wow, the acting… It’s amazing! Absolutely amazing! The second run changed up the cast completely, so this truly is a special treasure, to the point that it should probably be preserved for future generations, as one of the greatest pieces of cultural heritage in all the three wor–"
He jumped at the sound of knocking on his door, mouth immediately pursing into a flat line of annoyance as he glared at it. “Ugh, honestly! I was just getting to the most interesting part! Who’s there?!”
More knocking. I giggled. I guess I wasn’t going to get Levi alone tonight after all.
He rolled his eyes. “Whoever wishes this door to open must say the secret phrase! What is the most precious item I have ever entrusted to Chise?”
"…A Devildom-style vampire bat sandwich."
“Wh… NO! Come on, what does that have to do with anything, Beel?! You just named one of your favourite foods!”
”You said you’d give me some limited-edition TSL-themed treats, so I came by to get them.”
I gave Levi a surprised look. “Did you really?”
“BZZZT!” Levi’s face just got grumpier. “Error confirming secret phrase.”
"…Hey, Levi. It’s me."
I was laughing softly behind my hand now as he started growl-grumbling under his breath, his hands in his pockets again.
"I came to return the TSL art book that I borrowed from you."
“Both reasons seem legit,” I pointed out to him.
“Hmph. Whoever wishes this door to open must say the secret phrase! What is the most precious item I have ever entrusted to Chise?”
"The ‘With Me’ script."
“Secret phrase confirmed. You may enter. WHAT A MINUTE.”
I burst out laughing at the sudden dumbfounded expression on Levi’s face.
“How’d you know that, Satan?!”
Satan shrugged as he waltz in with a smirk.
With Beel following right behind him. “Great. Thanks to Satan, I made it inside. Honestly though, how was I supposed to figure that out?”
Levi glowered at him. “If it were easy to figure out, it wouldn’t be a very good secret phrase now, would it?! I have no clue how Satan knew it.”
Satan looked around in clearly-suppressed interest. “Were you watching the TSL films with Chise?”
“…Maybe.”
He sighed with a shake of his head as he laid down his loaned art book on Levi’s desk. “I’m impressed that you never get bored of them.”
“And yet…” I smirked at him. “It’s funny how you just happen to be returning the art book you borrowed at this exact moment.”
“Pff…” His cheeks went red as he avoided my amused, accusatory look.
Beel shook his head too. “How many novels are there in the original TSL series at this point?”
“WH…!” Levi perked up with a grin.
Satan sighed again.
“My DEAR younger brother, I’m so glad you asked!”
Beel grimaced. “Oh no… I shouldn’t have done that…”
“There are eight volumes at this point, but number nine should actually be coming out soon! The internet has been abuzz with rumours and theories about a reconciliation between the Lord of Masks and the Lord of Shadow, but now some people are thinking that the exact OPPOSITE might happen instead! If so, we COULD see a repeat of the famous Bloody Supper scene between the Lord of Fools and the Lord of Masks, in which case, Henry would eventually find himself in a VERY difficult position to say the least!”
Satan rubbed at his temples. “…Beel, what were you thinking?”
“Sorry…”
“Now that you’ve gotten him started on this, he’ll be going all night.”
“Yeah…”
Levi was grinning from ear to ear. “HERE! LET ME SHOW YOU THIS ELUSIVE ONE-TIME-ONLY RUN OF THE TSL STAGE PLAY…!”
I’d fallen asleep on the mattress with Levi and Satan, while Beel was draped over the pile of pillows nearby. At some point during the night Levi must have woken up and blearily crawled himself into his bathtub again I guess. Satan had rolled away in his sleep. More blanket for me.
I sighed with a scrunching of my face, slowly becoming aware of my surroundings again.
I’d been woken up by a little kiss on my lips, and fingers tangling gently into my hair from my forehead. Warm touch. The spicy musk of his scent. He smirked once he saw my eyes begin to flutter open.
"Hi, wifey."
“Mmm…” I giggled softly against his lips. "Hi, husband. Lucifer finally let you go, did he?”
“Shaddup…”
“Oh no. Uh-oh… Speaking of husbands… I have some bad news for you."
“Wha?"
"Asmo saw the ring..."
He hissed through his teeth.
"Shhh..."
"Ugh. My room or yours?"
"Yours tonight."
"Then get your ass up and let's go."
–
"Dammit, Chees." Hands on his hips, he narrowed his eyes at me. "And you thought I'D spill the beans!"
"TO be fair," I countered, "you thought you would too."
"What! Nuh-uh! No I didn't!"
"We both know that's a lie," I teased. "Well, Asmo has always been good at keeping my secrets. He’ll just torture you for a while."
"Huh?!" He growled. “What secrets?! The hell other shit does he know about ya that I don't?!"
I just smirked. "And ALSO to be fair, it happened because wearing it had become so normal and comfortable and every day–"
I stumbled back with a startled squeak as he pressed himself hard up against me in a sudden, desperate kiss. His hands gripped my hips just quick enough to stop my back from hitting the edge of his pool table behind me too hard, but I hit it hard enough anyway for the breath to be pushed out of my lungs from the smack of it on my back. He leaned me back, and back, the pressure of his kisses desperate and hot.
***
I threw my arms around him with a soft noise of need in my throat after finally recovering my bearings, curving my back to press my body fully flush to his. He groaned in response to me, hands wandering from my hips to slip around to just below my ass, where he yank up towards him to send me tipping over onto the table on my back with a gasp.
"R-Right here?!" I was panting with a breathy laugh as his kisses began to trail from my lips to my jaw. "The edge part isn't really comfortable for back and forth...!"
"Gonna eat your sweet li'l pussy out," he huffed, reaching my throat at the same time as his hand came up to hold the back of my neck. "Gonna taste ya. Right here." I moaned as he reached my collarbone. "And then I'm gonna put my cock right in ya somewhere else. Fuck if I know where. On the floor if we dont make it to the bed in time."
"Fuck, Mammon." I was fighting with my pants now as he kept going down my body, his hands wandering up my shirt now to pull it up so he could place hot kisses down my belly.
I shook my head as I looked down at him in awe. “I want to tell you to take your shirt off, but… how can a man be so damn hot in just a t-shirt and jeans?”
He lifted his head to smirk at me. “Your model fiancé, eh?”
I grinned back. “Shut up… and show me your stripes.”
He chuckled as he leaned back to whip the dark t-shirt off from over his shoulders, and I bit my lip as I ran my eyes up and down his body hungrily, watching as his white stripes bled from his neck down. Neck, shoulders; firm, muscular chest and abdomen…
He shook his head, still smirking as he went back to my belly. “Your turn, baby… Wanna see your tits while you’re squirmin’.”
“Mmmff…” Off went my own shirt, arching my back to unclasp my bra, serving to press my stomach up to meet his lips more firmly while he gave my navel a little lick. He was unbutton me at the same time, and then tugging while I rolled the arch of my back down to a lift of my hips.
“Ffffuck…” he murmured shakily, lust making his voice hoarse. “White panties make that little wet spot so obvious, did ya know that?”
I whined in embarrassment, and he clucked his tongue when I tried to close my legs self-consciously.
“None of that…”
A firm lick against the fabric, making me groan my need with a loll of my head, my arm coming up to rest over my forehead.
“Smell good, taste good…” Another lick, fingers working there way through the side to graze down the folds of my slick heat. “Feel good, so wet…”
“So wet for you,” I breathed shakily, with another roll of my hips. “Please… Stop teasing.”
“But I’ve been waitin’ for you for so long…” His tongue pushed, pushing the fabric in between my folds, and I mewled as the texture of the cotton grazed rough against my clit while his index finger dragged down to the dip of my entrance. “Mmff. Waitin’ to hear you beg for me.”
“Tease…”
“Pfff…” But he relented, hooking his other hand into the band in the center-front, pulling the elastic, mouth moving to start down over at from the top of my mound, kissing, kissing, slow, too slow, making me groan and roll and lightly kick his shoulder with my heel with a whine.
And dragging my panties down over my hips, another raise of them to drag over the curve of my ass, down my thighs. He was grinning eagerly at the sight between my legs as he freed me from them over my ankles to drop to the floor.
I bit my lip again while spreading myself open wider, my hand snaking down for two fingers to part my folds for him, sliding them down for another to slip through the slickness of my sex. I watched in satisfaction as his lips parted in awe while he watched me hungrily, eyes locked there as my fingers played with myself.
He swallowed, cheeks red, snapping his jaw closed again before letting out a sigh. “You’re… fuckin’ dripping… I can see it.”
“See it…?” I whispered, before dipping my teasing finger into myself, curling it into my entrance. “You can see how wet I am…?”
“Glistenin’…”
I swirled, both of us sighing out shakily at the lewd sound I made within myself.
Until I pulled my finger, pulled my wet fingers away to look down at them between my thighs, whistling out another breath at the milky white there. I looked back at the greedy hunger on Mammon’s face as I reached, palm up, fingers stretched to offer them to him.
“Come suck them clean.”
He hissed through his teeth. “Fuck…”
And obeyed, face nearing to the apex of my thighs again where I lured him with my fingers. He took them into his mouth with a groan, enclosing them with a press of his lips, and then a suck, with his tongue sliding along their length while I twisted them in his mouth. I lowered my thighs to rest my legs over his shoulders, hooking my knees over them to pull him closer to me, digging my heels into his shoulder blades.
I slipped my fingers out of his mouth, his reluctance to let them go making a wet pop, making me giggle.
But the humour was lost to him in his own lust, and he dove for me, my body responding with a tense shiver and a sharp gasp as he ran the full flat of his tongue through my folds, bottom to top.
"Fuck you taste good.”
“Mammon, for fuck’s sake,” I pleaded. “Please, fuck, please, ohhnng god…”
Two fingers, thank the stars, two fingers, and I was throwing my head back as he sunk them in quickly, taking my clit up with his mouth to run his tongue over the bud between my lips with a growling hum in his throat that vibrated through me. Slow pumping, but firm, and deep, and twisting, just how I liked it, exactly how I liked it, my thighs tensing with a shudder over his shoulders and neck while I squeezed him even closer to me. Not enough, not enough to make me cry out, but my head was lolling back again with low moans that fell from my lips with every slide inside of me.
Licking, flicking, dropping me from his mouth to swirl the tip of his tongue over my clit, another flick, before taking it up again with a hard suck. Rhythmic, in time to his fingers, harder, softer, harder, softer; a pinpointed press, direct and sharp and electric, and then an overall swirl, hot and reverberating and rough.
And faster, faster, while my hips rolled and my moans grew more forceful.
“Mammonnnnn…” I groaned, pressing the heel of my palm tight to my forehead before sliding my fingers up to grip the roots of my hair. “Mammon pleeeease… curl, curl…”
He huffed a chuckle.
And then I cried out loud, throwing my head back as I abruptly slapped my hands to the table to push myself up into a sitting position, as he pressed exactly there, right there, hard into my g-spot.
And then he was off, truly eating me out now, truly finger-fucking me, while I squirmed and writhed and open-mouthed cried, legs shaking, hips bucking into his face in time to his pumping and twisting and insistently curling fingers. He focused there. What I liked. What would make me cum. Taking my clit gently between his teeth with a little growl of desire to gently nip lightly instead. But it was enough. Pressure of his teeth, enough, intense, sensitive fingers, slick, wet, hot, building, heat, searing, electric.
“I’m cumming I’m gonna cum oh shit oh shit Mammon Mammon MAMMON!”
His growl was husky, wordless as he kept the sharp pressure on my clit. But fierce, and begging.
I tucked my chin to my chest with another scream of his name before peak stole my breath away to come to a choking halt in my throat. I hunched, tensed, shuddering, heels digging hard into his shoulders while my thighs locked tight, thrusting his face right up to my sex. I felt him, heard him inhaling, exhaling, sharp as he huffed his fiery excitement through his nose, his soft bite on my thrumming clit intensifying with his own tensing.
The sound of my nails dragging against the felt of his pool table as my fingers curled tight added itself to the sound of his fingers pumping my wet sex, his huffing, growling, my occasional chokes, and he was watching my face, of course, and I could barely look, but I looked back, open-mouthed, trying so hard, because he liked that, my eyes barely open, his holding mine with burning intensity.
And then I was crying out again while throwing my head back, the demand of my lungs snapping my rigidity, and the electricity spread into a pooling burn of bliss as my peak began its dive. I panted nosily, moaning low still as he kept his fingers pumping. Slowly I laid back down with a groan. Still my hips rolled to him, but the rest of me was relaxing down. Body slowing, mind still foggy with bliss.
“Holy fuck…” he whispered against me as he finally dropped me from his teeth. “You’re the hottest babe… The best girl, such a good girl…”
I moaned again.
“Came so good for me, huh baby?”
“Mammssss…”
“Fuck…” He pulled his fingers from my heat to examine them with wonder. “All over my fingers. You’re drippin’, baby. Just drippin’.” He raised himself up a bit so I could watch him suck them, before he reached to offer them to me with a smirking grin.
I opened my mouth obediently, groaning again as he slipped them between my lips to suck. He tugged my limp hips down a bit to bring me closer to him, leaning over me to kiss around my mouth while I sucked, before prodding under my lip, asking to join. I opened my mouth wider, meeting my tongue with his, before we both worked to lick me clean from his fingers. Him eagerly, me, lazy and slow.
The moment he pulled his face away, he was smirking at me again. "Think you can give me another one, baby girl?”
Snaking his hand back down to dip in, fingers wetted by our tongues.
"Plee-ee-eease..." I moaned at him. "Want you inside..."
"Hmm..." He pressed his fingers up on my g-spot again, making me arch my back with a hoarse, exhausted cry. "Already in ya, baby."
He was pumping his fingers again while I mewled and bucked my hips against him, rolling them in time to the slick sounds of his fingers moving inside of me. My head lolled slowly from side to side, useless, my eyes squeezed shut while my fingers curled lightly into my palms. Lazy, foggy, body still thrumming, sensitive, but it felt so far away, yet so hot.
"I think you could give me another," he purred in amusement. "Make ya REALLY ready for me. Gonna slide so easy into you, baby. So I can take ya hard and fast the moment you're on my cock. Won’t take long. Won’t take ya long."
"Fuck, fuck," I moaned with another arch of my back. "Mmmammon please, please, been wanting, dreaming, want..."
He growled lightly in his throat with a mischievous grin. "Been thinkin' of me up in the human world? Playin' with yourself while ya missed me?"
"You knoooow," I moaned again. "You knnnow I haaave..."
"Mmm... I know. I've got the pictures on my phone that prove it. Pretty, pretty pictures, that I use aaaaall the time. Jerkin’ myself to you."
"Mmmmine..."
He curled his fingers tighter inside of me. "Got my pictures too, baby?"
"Mmmff... Your picturesss..."
"Hard for you."
"Wet... for… nnggyah!”
He twisted his fingers inside of me again, making me throw my head back with a cry. "Yeah. I can hear that. Hear that you're wet on my fingers. So wet for me. 'Cause you're such a good girl. Right, darlin'?"
"Mmfff...! Mammon! Mammonnn!"
"Close again, huh?" he chuckled. Everything in his voice, his cocky grin, his confidence pumping inside of me screamed teasing amusement. He was studying me carefully, greedily as he coaxed me up. Talkative now. Dirty now. "Needy needy needy li'l baby. Say that you're my needy baby."
"I'mmmm...!" I gasped. "Yours! Your! Needy baby! Need you! MORE! Mamms, PLEASE! I'M! GONNNN...!"
He growled, his voice going husky now as he quickened his pace. "Not gonna make it to the bed. Soon's your done with this I'm flippin' ya straight to this floor. Just like our first time. Just like our second time."
"I'M CUMMING!"
"Havin' you right on the floor 'cause you drive me fuckin' wild, baby girl. Can't get my clothes off fast enough to thrust into—"
My orgasm exploded into stars behind my eyes as my back arched sharply with my choked scream. My fingers curled over the polished wood edge of the table, scratching, while my voice strangled into wet gurgles, my thighs parting wide in my rigidness too as I came around his pumping fingers again.
"Cum cum cum cum cum, Chise, come on, baby, there's a good... girl... Holy fuck..."
I heard him panting as he watched me, always watching my face, sometimes making me look back at him, but this time studying my open-mouth, my eyes that were squeezed shut, how my arched back curved forward with hunched-over shoulders as my orgasm thrummed through me.
He pressed and pressed and pumped and twisted in time to the twitching of my hips and thighs that were in the air that signalled the beat of my contractions. Fire flooded my body, already sensitive to my previous, my second earth-shattering as it rode above what had already seared in me before.
"Fuck it, fuck it, fuck it, need–"
I was abruptly dragged off the table before my high was even close to its end. My shoulder blades bumped, probably painfully, but I didn't feel a thing, the only thing the searing flame inside of me. On the floor, back writhing up and down, while Mammon shakily unzipped himself, the fingers of his other hand still stuffing me again and again, right up to his knuckles.
Until he slipped them out of my dripping heat, covered in cum, to be replaced by a hard thrust of his cock. Right to the hilt. From empty, to full.
I screamed at the searing stretch, at the shock, the pleasure, the heat, and then writhed while he fucked me hard, fast, desperate, feral with his panting while he took me through the remains of my orgasm. But the shock of it to my core just laid another right on top of it, and I was screaming through my third as I was wrenched right back up into another peak before I’d even had the chance to bliss out again. His palms gripped the underside of my thighs, pulling them up above his hips while he had me with slamming thrusts, red in the face, ferocity in his eyes.
“Hells… babe…” he grunted, words forced with every thrust. “You’re... so... TIGHT… fuck!”
I shuddered again and again. He timed his thrusts to it once more, but his hips still snapped desperately quick, three pumps of his hips for every shudder of my orgasm. Giving mine, getting his. I held his intense gaze on my face before my lashes fluttered again while my eyes rolled back, my mouth open in a near-silent, choked-out cry. I was simply cumming. Full minutes, cumming, my core so hot that the piercing of him against my cervix just felt like kisses that added just a little extra heat to the already roaring flames, feeding me further.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck, Chise, fuck, not gonna… been a... while. Look at ya. Holy ffffuck."
I opened my eyes again, though I couldn't see the details of his features through the haze. Blurry outline of his tanned skin tone, white hair, vague white shapes of his stripes down his body. Horns to thin to even make out.
“Like my cock, do ya? Big for ya, baby? ‘Cause you’re… so fucking tight, holy ffff… big in ya… so… haaaah…”
So big. So big. Friction. Everywhere. Hitting. Everywhere.
My eyes were glazed as my rigid muscles began to relax, my nails that had been biting deep into my palms relaxing into little curls as well. My body yielded completely under him as I gurgled a sigh of deep satisfaction, limp while thrusted up and down by the force of his slamming hips, surrendering to let him take us the rest of the way.
"Oh ffffuck that's what I... like... seein'..." he panted, voice husky and strained as he picked up his pace, wild and falling out of rhythm now as he neared. "Nngg, not gonnn... last… with you lookin’ like that… Look at your tits, too. Yep, fuck, I’m gonna…"
I could only mouth the word 'cum' and 'please' and 'fill', again and again, fighting the fluttering of my lashes.
Slamming, slamming, my body lolling in my bliss, trying to meet his eyes again, half-lidded and vision blurry.
"Gonna fill ya... so much cum you'll... be drippin' for days..."
"Ffffll..." That's all I could get out. Fill. Like always, Mammon.
He slammed forward with a husky cry, letting go of my thighs to fall on top of me, just as he began to release his pumping seed. He ground his hips hard with deep, throaty moans, as I keened softly above him while he filled me with his demon-hot cum. He slapped a palm down beside me while he gasped, groaned, squeezed his eyes shut, hips moving with each flood, head falling forward to press between my breasts. So much. Even for him. Been a while. Waiting for me. To give it.
And then he was sighing shakily, sinking down harder on top of me, hips stilling their grinding rolls. And I was full of him again, at last. I sighed immediately after. A sound of satisfaction again. Felt the wetness between my thighs spreading. Either swallowing or flooded by him, always wanted that in me.
He wrapped his arms around me, curving my back up a bit to get them under. Cheek pressed over my heart. Catching our breaths as we floated through our post-orgasm bliss together, still joined, even with his softening and the generous slickness between my legs that was beginning to pool.
Taken on the floor like a couple of horny teenagers again that couldn't keep their hands off each other. I let out the breathiest laugh I could manage, the sound barely audible, but he felt it in my chest, and he laughed breathlessly too as he pressed his cheek harder against my racing heart.
I felt a soft brushing of his thumb, rubbing back and forth in a soft swipe. Heard him cooing. Husky-soft.
"Good girl, my good girl…” He reached up to tangle his fingers in my damp hair with a sigh. “So good... So good... Baby girl..."
"Mammon..." Barely a whisper.
Soft kisses. "Baby... Missed you..."
"Perf..." I took in a shaky breath to try again. "Perfect..."
"Nah, baby. You're the perfect one here. So perfect... Always comes back to me."
"Always..."
"Goin' with ya tomorrow, by the way." I felt his lips brush against me in a soft kiss again. "To your meeting with Lord Diavolo. ‘Kay?"
I nodded weakly. "Mm...kay..."
"Wakin' up with ya tomorrow. Shower. Breakfast. Walk you to RAD. Be with ya. Together."
"Love you..."
"Dammit, baby. I love you too." He sighed in exhaustion. "Let's get ya a bit cleaned up, ready for bed. My bed. How's that sound, huh?"
"Love you..."
He laughed at my hazy repetition. "Love you too, silly. Damn, I got ya good this time.”
“Always…”
“Pfff… You’re a nut.”
///
“Diavolo was really specific on the time I had to be there,” I explained to him as we walked, hand in hand. “Kinda weird, but… Anyway. Thanks for coming.”
“Pfff. I mean, yeah, of course.” He grinned down at me with an encouraging squeeze of my hand. “You’d best thank the Great Mammon for his good deed all day, ya hear? All day! I’m your master, after all. And a master’s gotta look after his servants, right?”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m not that nervous that you have to lay it on so thick.”
He snickered noisily as he pulled me along. “So, you’re meetin’ him in the RAD council room, right? Well, it’s close to the time to get inside, so let’s get goin’.”
“How do you know?”
He nodded towards the other end of the courtyard. “That looks like Serun over by the mailbox. He’s picking up the mail. Means it’s already eleven.” He rolled his eyes. “Y’know, for a demon, Serun’s a real pipsqueak. As windy as it is out today, I’m surprised he hasn’t been picked up and carried away.”
“Pff. He’s bigger than me.”
“Exactly. Better not let go of my hand, huh? Don’t want ya flyin’ away on me, puny human.”
I stuck out my tongue at him.
He startled with a jump as he whipped his head back to the school entrance, catching sight of something out of the corner of his eye. “Whoa, hey, check it out! A huge stack of papers just came flyin’ over from the school building.”
“What are those… fliers?” I frowned as I went to reach for one. “Wait, no. They sort of look like documents?”
“Ugh, there ya go again, pickin’ up random stuff. Don’t come cryin’ to me if something bad happens.”
“Just because you fall for curses all the time…” I blinked down at the paper in my hand. “What even is this…?”
Mammon read out loud over my shoulder. “‘Regarding the new exchange students. This term, RAD will play host to Thirteen and'…”
He stopped, sucking in a breath.
“Raphael…” I breathed in shock, finishing the sentence for him. “Wh… Raphael…? But. Wait. I… I don’t understand… B-But what about…”
“Hey, hey.” He tapped the paper. "Says here that it's the two NEW exchange students. See? They don't even mention ya. So it don't even include Luke or Simeon..."
"Ohhh..." I breathed out a sigh of relief. "I missed that. Thanks.”
“Anyway.” He grabbed the paper from my hand to narrow his eyes at it, his other hand on his hip. “What’s this s’posed to be? Why’s it mentionin’ them?”
“So…” I looked up at him with nervousness in my eyes. “Raph…ael…”
I guess you could say his job was to look after Michael’s needs, no matter how unreasonable.
Michael’s needs… no matter how unreasonable.
He glanced down at me, paper still held up. “Yeah. You must’ve heard of him before, right?”
“…Yeah…”
Every time I’d heard his name said in the past, it was tinged with apprehension, or outright anxiety. Even fear, in Asmo’s case.
He shrugged casually. “Everyone knows Raphael. He’s a seraph who works for Michael. Sorta like one of his agents.”
“But… What’s he… doing here? Now there’s two seraphs that have left the Celestial Realm…?”
He shrugged again. “Anyway. Who the heck is this Thirteen?! THAT’S what I wanna know! Like, what kinda name is Thirteen?”
“If they’re in the exchange program, that must mean they’re either human or an angel, right…?”
“Hm.” He tilted his head with a frown. “Don’t know of any angels named Thirteen. Not an angel name, that’s for sure.”
“I guess it could be some eccentric human name…”
He snorted derisively. “‘Nother friend for ya, then.”
I rolled my eyes at the implication in his tone.
"Don’t touch that!"
I jumped as I spun around at the disapproving shout, the voice unfamiliar to me.
Uniform perfectly pressed and correct, tanned skin like Mammon’s, and… magenta-purple hair of all things, that curled over his forehead. Hands on his hips, with a haughty expression on his face.
A demon.
And he was staring at me.
I stared back at him.
“…So, it’s you.”
I blinked in confusion. “Um… Excuse me?”
He tutted in annoyance. “It’s bad form to pick up someone else’s documents and start looking through them, you know? Don’t they teach you that in the human world?”
Mammon was rolling his eyes. “Oh look, Diavolo’s little buzzing brown-nosing gnat.”
The ‘little buzzing gnat’ turned his glare on him. "Mammon."
“You need to learn to keep the insults to yourself, Mephisto,” Mammon drawled in annoyance.
‘Mephisto’ scoffed. “Obviously no one ever taught you manners.”
“Say that to me again!”
He rolled his eyes. "You as well, obviously. Though I was talking to the human here. How could Lord Diavolo choose a human like this?” He ran his eyes up and down my figure. I turned red in outrage at the frank look of disgust. “Out of everyone he could have picked…”
He stepped forward, snatched the paper from Mammon’s hand, and then marched off back into the school.
“Whoa, HOLD ON!” Mammon called after him. “Aren’t ya even gonna thank us for pickin’ up your stupid paper?! Hey, I’m talkin’ to you! …Man, who does he think he is, just walkin’ off like that?”
“Who the hell was that asshole?”
“Pfff.” He slipped his hand into mine again. “He’s a nobody. Just ignore him, Chise. He’s not worth it. C’mon, let’s get goin’. We should jog or somethin’ or we’re not gonna make it for the 'strict arrival time'.”
“Ugh…” I stumbled after him as he pulled me along again.
“I gotta say,” he muttered as we climbed the stairs together, “you’ve been REAL busy since you got to the Devildom, haven’t ya, Chise? Like, what’s up with that? I mean, the day before yesterday you had the student council meeting, right? Then yesterday you went out with Asmo to buy groceries for dinner… And today, Lord Diavolo asked for you, so now you’re off to see HIM… Like, quit fillin’ up your schedule with all of this stuff.”
I raised my eyebrows. “…Want to hold hands again?”
“Hey, are you even listenin’ to me?!” He glanced at me, cheeks reddening. “Wait, don’t tell me you think I’m feelin’ all sad ‘cause I haven’t gotten to see you ’til now? Don’t get the wrong idea. It’s not like that!”
“Pff… Message received.”
“…Although, um… like, you know… If you’re dyin’ to hold my hand ‘cause you’re sad about not getting to see ME, well… I guess I don’t mind.”
I stopped briefly, smiling up at him as I fished in my pocket. “Here. You can hold my hand while I wear this.”
He sucked in a breath as he watched me slide the ring back onto my finger, cheeks turning even redder as I held out that hand to him to hold.
“…Dammit,” he muttered, fighting a losing battle with suppressing his cheesy grin. “C’mere.”
He snatched my hand in his with a firm squeeze, his thumb brushing over the stones.
I giggled as I pulled him along this time. “That’s what I thought. Silly tsundere.”
“You knock it off, wifey.”
“Hey! That’s no way to speak to your wifey!”
“Aw…” He was grinning broadly now. “Sorry, wifey… Honey bunny bae.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Chise, hello!” Diavolo welcomed me in his booming voice. “So glad you could make it!”
“…I see you’ve brought Mammon with you,” Barbatos added from his side. “Is he your assistant for the day?”
I brought my wrist up to laugh into it with a glance at Mammon, who was immediately taking offence.
“Whoa, hey!” He scowled directly at Barbatos. “I’m no assistant! I’m Chise’s MASTER!”
If Barbatos was the type to burst out laughing, he would have. His cheeks went pink as he suppressed the urge, though he sure smiled in amusement.
Diavolo, on the hand, laughed hard enough for them both, while I devolved into giggles.
“It’s not funny!”
“Aha…” Diavolo shook his head with a grin. “Chise, I’m sure you know what it is I’ve called you here to discuss. I want to talk to you about the trial you’ll have to pass in order to become a student council officer.”
I nodded. “I figured…”
“Or, rather, I suppose I should say trials," he corrected himself. “Since there are actually three of them.”
Mammon was making a low growling sound in his throat, making me frown in confusion. And a touch of anxiety.
“You’ll do them in order,” he continued, his expression growing more serious with each word. “So after clearing one, you’ll be allowed to move on to the next. Incidentally, the trials are different every time. And I won’t be able to tell you what you’ll have to do in any of the trials until just before they begin.”
I nodded. “I understand.”
Standard evaluation, and one I’d already had to hurtle through when Solomon had tested me.
“If you’re unable to pass any of them, that’s it. You’ll be immediately disqualified.”
I sighed. “I understand…”
“Trials,” Mammon muttered darkly, before glancing at me with a rather intense look in his eyes. “Chise, are you seriously plannin’ on going through with this?”
“Mammon?” I asked him quietly. “What are you getting at?”
A flicker of guilt passed over his face. “Look, if this gets to be too much, we’ll find another way… to be a family. Okay?”
I shook my head in confusion. “You don’t actually want me to do this? Is it that bad…?”
He looked away from me with a sigh. “I mean, I’m not sayin’ THAT, but… y’know…”
I touched his arm with a frown.
“Ah, I remember what happened during your trials, Mammon,” Barbatos spoke up.
“Oh, right!” Diavolo’s eyes widened too in realization, before his face broke out into a grin. “You mean his very close encounter with hellfire? He was nearly roasted alive!”
I stared at them both, open-mouthed. “…Uhhh… Hellfire…?”
“STOP IT!” Mammon snapped at them. “That’s enough! Story time’s over!”
“Ahahahaha!” Diavolo burst out into booming laughter again, throwing his head back at the apparently amusing memory, eyes meeting Barbatos'. “He ended up with a badly scalded behind, didn’t he? I’m sure it was awful!”
I laughed a bit at the sudden visual, but a little nervously. I didn’t want my ass literally burned either…
“Indeed,” Barbatos nodded, the corners of his eyes lifting in his genuine amusement. “I must say, it looked quite painful.”
…Barbatos was awfully tease-y with Mammon today.
“Hey! I told you, story time’s OVER!” His face was bright red as he glanced at me.
Diavolo shook his head as he wiped at his eyes. “Well, regardless… We have high hopes for you, Chise. I’m sure you’ll prove to be more than up to the challenge.”
“…Thanks,” I replied, with a bit more uncertainty to my voice.
“However, before we get started, I’m afraid there’s another matter to attend to.”
Mammon glowered. “There’s more?! C’mon! The trials are bad enough!”
Diavolo shook his head with a sigh. “To be completely honest, the RAD Newspaper Club says they plan to report on every single detail of your trials, no matter how small…”
“Okay…” I said slowly. “I take it that’s going to be an issue?”
Diavolo brightened. “Was that a pun?”
“…Sure.”
“Chise…” Barbatos’ face had fallen into one of seriousness now as he held my gaze next. “I suspect they intend to raise questions about whether you are worthy to undertake the trials.”
“I see…” I sighed. “So I take it there are demons who oppose my candidacy?”
Diavolo nodded. “I won’t lie to you… there are. After all, a human has never become a student council officer before.”
Mammon put his hands on his hips with another glare. “That’s crazy. If anyone’s got a problem with Chise joinin’ the council, I’ll knock ‘em into next week!”
Diavolo smiled warmly at him. “Now now, Mammon. No need to get violent. I think this is a good opportunity for us, actually.”
“He’s right, Mammon,” I assured him quietly.
He narrowed his eyes. “Whaddya mean?”
“If we play our cards right, we’ll be able to show all the other demons out there that Chise really is worthy of being a student council officer. So, in order to do that, I’m giving you a preliminary task to complete before beginning your trials.”
I gave him a flat look. So… four trials, then.
“There’s a magical card hidden somewhere on the school grounds, and I want you to find it.”
Mammon frowned. “A magic card…?”
“Now, listen carefully,” Diavolo continued. “You have until four p.m. today to complete this task.”
I hurriedly looked at the time on my D.D.D.
Just over four and a half hours…
“The card in question contains a message with information on your first trial. We expect you to search for it on your own, Chise. However, you’re permitted to ask for help from student council officers up to three times. If you’re unable to find the card in the allotted time, it will mean the end of your candidacy.”
I hissed through my teeth, deciding not to reply quite yet so that I could hide the depth of my annoyance before exploding in this room again.
But Mammon did it for me. “Seriously?! You’d reject Chise before even administerin’ the trials?!”
Diavolo nodded. “Correct. Incidentally, Chise’s status as an exchange student would be revoked as well in that case.”
“Oh for FUCK’S sake!” I finally yelled out, my face red as I clenched my fist around my D.D.D. “What does ANY of this have to do with proving anything…?! Diavolo!”
“I realize it’s quite severe,” he cut in. “But I know you can do this, Chise.”
I glared at him with pinched lips, refusing to meet Barbatos’ eye to gage how rude he considered me being towards his master. I didn’t fucking care. I was tired of Diavolo’s version of stupid, thoughtless 'GAMES'.
“And before I forget, numerous fake cards have been planted on the school grounds as well. So be careful. Good luck, Chise. I wish you success. Your task starts… now.”
“Wh?! WHA?!” Mammon gaped at him. “Just like that?!”
I took in a deep breath, mustering the will to keep my voice steady. “…Lord Diavolo.”
He sighed. “Yes, Chise?”
"How many more inane ‘tests’ am I going to be put through before I've proven that I'm worthy of being seen as equal to the demon species during my time here throughout this so-called equality-building 'cultural exchange program' of yours.”
His expression fell into one of stung hurt. “…Four, Chise. Including this one.”
Without replying, without looking at Barbatos or Diavolo anymore, I grabbed Mammon’s hand with a growl of my own to drag him back out of the council room.
Pissed.
Chapter 6: Chapter 63-B: Play Pasto To Pass Time
Chapter Text
I. Was. Fuming.
Stomping my way down the hall with Mammon in tow.
“…Man, this sucks,” he muttered. “Now Lord Diavolo’s got us on this wild goose chase.”
“I’m so fucking sick of this,” I hissed through my teeth. “Stupid karaoke room GAME. Stupid amusement park STUBBORNNESS. Stupid student council ‘trials’. STUPID preliminary… What does this even prove, huh?!”
“I mean, it’s one single, puny card, and RAD’s HUGE! Where are we even s’posed to start lookin’, huh?!”
“Three realm peace my ass,” I growled. “What GOOD is going to do if the one arranging it HIMSELF still doesn’t GET IT.”
“…You all right, Chees?”
“Does it seem like I’m all right?!” I whirled on him, my anger burning so hot that tears of frustration were stinging in my eyes. “This is just so… stupid!”
He sighed, before tugging on my hand to pull me into his arms to hold me close. “I know, baby.”
“If we can’t find the card by four p.m., I won’t even get a SHOT!” I buried my face into his tie. “They’ll revoke my whole placement here and just… just send me…”
“I know, baby.” He slipped his hand into my hair, cupping the back of my head with a kiss. “That’s way too gods damned severe. Like, this is all because the newspaper club had to go stickin’ their noses in our business. If they hadn’t done that, we wouldn’t be in this situation.”
I growled low in my throat. “I doubt that, to be honest. There had to have been another way! Something other than… finding a card somewhere in RAD on a time limit.”
“Dammit… But look. We just… gotta do it– wait, wait, what’s that? In the classroom there?”
I turned my head to see where he was pointing with a frown.
“Hey, check it out! That looks like a card!” He let go of me, entering the classroom to reach up, grabbing at something that was tucked into the frame of a painting. “See–”
We both yelped, jumping backwards away from each other at the small burst of energy that sparked out of the card.
We stared at the ground in confusion.
“…What’s goin’ on?” He frowned at it. “The second I picked it up, it turned into a pair of glasses!”
I groaned. “So this is what he meant when he said there were a bunch of fakes.”
“Maaaan…”
“Wait!” Something else colourful caught my eye. “There’s another card stuck to the leg of the chair over there.”
“All RIGHT!” Mammon bent down with a grin. “This time it looks like the real thing! There’s even a message written on it.”
I looked over his shoulder to read out loud. “…'Sorry, try again.’ …With a heart drawn on it.”
“Grrr!” Mammon slapped the card down onto the desk. “That rotten prince thinks he’s REAL funny. He’s got a lot of nerve messin’ with us!”
…It was written in Barbatos’ tidy handwriting.
“Stupid stupid stupid stupid,” I muttered as I grabbed Mammon’s hand again. “I LOVE you, Mammon.”
“Uhhh…” Mammon stumbled after me in confusion, giving the card on the desk – and the pair of glasses – a final glance before following me out. “Love you too, babe?”
Said back to me with a tinge of awed fear in his voice.
Lucifer’s shoulder collided with that of another’s, hard enough to cause even him to stumble slightly with a grunt.
“Hey!” Mephistopheles, coming from around the corner, glared daggers at him. “So you’re just going to bump into me and then not even bother to apologize?”
“What do you mean?” Lucifer scowled in annoyance. “You’re the one who bumped into me.”
Mephisto’s eyes were drawn to something that had clattered to the floor. “You dropped something. A fountain pen.” He sniffed arrogantly. “Well, you can just pick that up yourself.”
And just like that, rude as hell, he took off.
Leaving a glowering Demon of Pride behind.
–
“Hey there, Lucifer,” Diavolo hailed him in greeting as the more dour-looking demon strode into the student council room. “Your timing is perfect. The RAD Newspaper Club just brought over an advance copy of their next issue.”
“Yes,” Lucifer replied, a little tightly. “I just ran into Mephisto outside, actually.”
“You look a bit tired, Lucifer,” Barbatos spoke next as he rose from his seat. “Care for some tea?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“I’ll prepare some for you right away.”
“Lucifer, I’d like you to read through this article as well when you get the chance.” Diavolo held the stack of documents towards him as he passed by to take his seat. “It’s about Raphael and Thirteen. ‘What Will RAD’s New Exchange Students Bring to the School?’ Oooh, good headline… I love it! It’s making me even more excited than I already am!”
“You certainly seem to be in a better mood again, Young Master.”
Diavolo fixed a smile on his face. “Naturally! After all, we’re getting new exchange students! And no one is more excited about that than me!”
“A better mood 'again'?"
“Ah, well…” Diavolo grimaced.
Barbatos cleared his throat lightly as he turned his back on them both to prepare the pot. “Chise was… unenthused over the task she had been given.”
The depths of which were quite unexpected, even for him. Annoyance, sure. But…
How many more inane ‘tests’ am I going to be put through before I've proven that I'm worthy of being seen as equal to the demon species.
Well… He had done what he could to quietly object and redirect, but the Young Master had gotten his way in the end in his excitability – and, truthfully, in his tunnel-vision anxiety as well, with the House of Lords and the RAD Newspaper Club both breathing down his neck in tandem. If he had seen her objection through such a lens, however…
Lucifer sighed. “You mean the silly ‘games’ you keep making her play? Imagine that.”
Diavolo’s expression fell into sad, puppyish hurt. “You think so, too…?”
He rolled his eyes. “Perhaps if you viewed her as the human adult that she is, despite her very young age; at least by an ageless demon’s standards. She is no young angel Luke, either. And she is also no idiot brother of mine, who must all be led around on fishing lines like donkeys plodding dully after their carrots to complete their tasks. If you would not even slightly consider making me run around looking for cursed cards to prove myself, consider doing away with the idea for her next time as well.”
Both Diavolo and Barbatos had the good sense to look a little shamed by the terse chiding. Lucifer was very much not in a coddling mood today.
Diavolo swallowed as he wilted with guilt. “That is…”
“Anyway, Diavolo, I take it you need me to sign all of these documents here?”
“Yes, if you would…”
“All right.”
He lifted his pen.
And he tried.
He really did.
But he could not.
He really could not.
Literally, he could not.
And he stared down at the papers in front of him in frustrated confusion.
“Lucifer?” Diavolo glanced over at his sudden stillness. “What’s wrong?”
“…The moment I picked up my fountain pen, I was hit with some sort of curse. Now whatever I try to write comes out looking terrible.”
“Hmm…” Barbatos came to stand over him to take a look. “…I must admit, that IS quite illegible, yes.”
Lucifer sighed in annoyance. “Well, it doesn’t look like I’m going to be able to do any of my paperwork today.”
Diavolo frowned in concern. “You’re telling me it’s a curse? On your fountain pen? That is troubling… Well, none of the documents there are urgent. You can take care of them tomorrow.”
“Indeed,” Barbatos agreed. “We’ll simply have you sign all of that tomorrow. Along with tomorrow’s paperwork as well, of course.”
Lucifer sighed again.
“Do you have any idea how your pen might have ended up cursed?”
“I have my suspicions, but I can’t say for sure…”
Satan: 🥳
Satan: I just heard from Mephisto.
Satan: He says he managed to switch out the fountain pen. The operation was a success.
Satan: Lucifer has probably already been hit by the curse at this point.
Satan: We did it, Belphie.
Levi: Uh loool.
Asmo: Wait. Did he just send that to everyone by accident?
Mammon: Oh man, is it just me, or are they in REAL trouble now?
Levi: Nice self-own. And just when he thought they’d won looool.
Levi: I notice Belphie didn’t say anything looool.
Mammon: Oh you know he’s squirrelin’ away somewhere right now.
Asmo: Suckers!
“…Lucifer?!”
Diavolo gawked at the rush of dark energy that erupted into the room; the source of it was sitting, arms crossed, in the chair nearby. Lucifer, in full demon form.
“Lucifer, your tea is– ah.”
“I’ll have it later,” Lucifer said quietly. “Just leave it right there for me, thanks. I have some business to take care of first. With Satan and Belphie.”
“I see. Very well.”
“I was in a bad mood already. They will pay for this…”
“Well then.” Barbatos nodded his polite understanding. “I’ll just make some fresh tea for you when you return.”
Diavolo winced. “Lucifer, try not to be too hard on them, all right?”
Lucifer rose from his chair with a sigh, still fully demon, his wings whispering on the floor as they dragged a bit. “I can’t make any promises.”
They both watched quietly as he turned with all the casualness in the world to leave.
At least there were no classes on this day for students to be caught in the cross fires of the Seven again.
“…Sounds like he’s going to be dishing out some punishment…” Diavolo whispered excitedly under his breath as Lucifer strode briskly from the room. “Maybe I’ll go watch…”
Barbatos quirked an eyebrow with a glance. “You mean go watch them for your own amusement? Young Master, what am I going to do with you?"
Levi fairly skipped into the classroom, eyes glued to his D.D.D. screen while he hummed a catchy little tune under his breath. “…Ruri, go Ruri! Ruri Hana, yeah! Yeah, yeah, yeah! Okay, so on my way home today, I’m going to pick up volume five of Sunny With a Chance of Bunnies. And then when I get home, I’ll pop in Dungeons of Terrors and continue from where I left off.”
And then he paused in his nattering at the desk he had chosen, looking down.
“…Wait a minute.” He lowered his D.D.D, leaning over to take a closer look. “What’s this? There’s a pair of glasses here. I wonder who they belong to? Wait, does anyone in this class even wear glasses? Ugh, blah blah blah, student council officer lost and found…” He sighed in annoyance. “I wonder if they’re prescription or just for show? Let’s see…”
He put them on. Blinked a few times.
And then beamed “Cool! Not prescription! I’m TOTALLY keeping these for cosplay. Too bad, so sad–"
“Ah, Levi! There you are!”
Levi spun around with a shrill, girly shriek, his hands coming up to grip the edge of the desk behind him to re-balance himself.
He stared at his brother in confusion. “…HUH?!”
“I thought maybe you’d gone home already,” Asmo said. “What’re you doing hanging around in here still?”
“PFWHA?!”
“Hey, have you seen Satan?” Asmo frowned. “It seems Lucifer’s looking for him.”
“Wh… Wh-wh-wh…?! Wh-What am I doing? What are YOU doing?! I mean… cosplay?! You know we’re at school, right?!”
“I’m sorry, what?” Asmo’s frown melted into a look of confusion. “You want to see me in cosplay?” He looked Levi up and down with a giggle. “I mean, I suppose I could put on a little show for you… but it won’t be cheap, you know? Also, I charge extra for pictures and touching. Ooh, Levi, is this what you’re into?! …Do you have any pictures of Chise?! Ohhh because I KNOW she’s done that for you… if you told her! OH-EM-GEE, HAVE YOU TOLD HER?! I COULD TELL HER FOR YOU. SHE’D TOTALLY–"
“What’re you talking about?!” Levi stared at him. “You’re the one forcing me to see you in THAT! LMAO You should have to pay ME for subjecting me to this! I didn’t ask to see you in THAT, Asmo!”
“Umm, sorry?” Asmo was back to frowning again. “I have no idea what you’re even talking about. …Then again, I guess that’s nothing new. I hardly ever understand you.”
Levi looked Asmo up and down. “You don’t understand ME?! YOU’RE the one acting bizarre here, Asmo! WHY ARE YOU WEARING A BUNNY COSTUME?!”
“Still, I have to say, you’re being even weirder than usual. I wonder, could theeeese–" He reached towards Levi’s face, “–be to blame?”
“The glasses? I found them just–"
Levi blinked as they were carefully pulled off his face, his vision blurring slightly like before.
“…G’AH, WH… WHAT THE?!”
Asmo giggled.
“What happened?! How’d you change clothes so quickly?!”
He tsked. “Really, Levi, sweetheart! Do you NOT pay ANY attention in class? I thought you were one of the better ones of us who could sense magic?” He shook his head. “I’m guessing these glasses are to blame. Let me see.”
He put them on, and then giggled again.
“I knew it! It was the glasses.”
“What?! Wait, what do you see?!” Levi went red in the face, the memory of Asmo as a bunny burned into his brain. “What do I look like?!”
“Well, your face is the same, but you’re wearing Satan’s clothes! …Which is really random, actually.” He frowned down at them as he took them off of his face. “Maybe they’re cosplay glasses?”
“COSPLAY glasses?”
“You know, glasses that make it look like someone else is wearing whatever you’re thinking about. Oooh!” He brightened in understanding. “I was thinking about Satan when I put them on just now, right?! So I saw you dressed up like him!”
“…But that doesn’t make sense. It’s not like I was thinking about rabbits when–"
“OOOOH LEVI IS THAT WHAT YOU’RE INT–?!”
“Oh wait, that’s right!” Levi brightened too. “I was thinking about volume five of Sunny With a Chance of Bunnies! …Let me see those! I want to try another animal!”
Asmo tilted his head as his older brother put the glasses on his face again. “Well?”
Levi grinned. “Oh man looool! No way lolol! You’re a puppy now!”
Asmo giggled as he took them back. “Okay, let me see again! …Hehehe! Levi, you look so cute in that!”
“HEY!” Levi’s face went red again. Wrong brother to be playing this game with. “You’d better not be imagining something weird! You aren’t, are you?!”
But Asmo just gasped, eyes going wide with mischief. “…Listen, I just had an idea, and it’s kind of good, actually.”
Levi swallowed nervously. “…Yeah, something tells me we might be thinking the same thing…”
“If we look at Chise through these glasses…”
“…We could dress Chise up however we wanted…?!”
"Honestly," came an exasperated sigh from behind them. “It’s always like this with you.”
Both of them squeaked guiltily, Asmo snatching the glasses off from his face to try and hide them from…
Lucifer.
Who had his arms crossed, narrowing his eyes at the two of them in deep disapproval. “Put two or more of you together, and you start getting ideas in your heads. Bad ideas.”
“Uh-oh…” Levi whispered under his breath in fear.
“Luciferrrrrr!” Asmo tried to purr in a silky sweet voice, biting his lip with a coquettish batting of his lashes.
“I’m confiscating those glasses.”
“Whaaat?! Aww, pweeease…!”
“Noooo…!”
I raised my eyebrows in surprise at the demon who turned the corner in the courtyard, heading towards me.
“Ah, Chise. So this is where you’ve been.”
“Lucifer!” I found myself smiling genuinely, and feeling more at ease. “Um, nice glasses? The red rims suit you…”
“Thank you.” He nodded to me as he fell in step beside me. “I spoke to Diavolo. He tells me you have to hunt for a magic card before you can begin your trials.”
My expression darkened considerably.
“I thought I’d come check on you to see how things are… going…” He stopped to peer up at the clattering sound that came from above us.
“Heeeeere cardie cardie…!” Mammon called out as he wobbled his way across the roof. “Come out come out wherever ya aaaare! Dammit, I said COME OUT, ya son of a…!”
“…What exactly is that idiot doing up on the roof?”
I sighed. “He flew up there… to help me look for the card.”
First time I’d ever seen him actually put those wings of his to use. I’m sure he had initially done it as a way of distracting me from my bad mood, and to cheer me up some.
I mean, I wouldn’t say that it cheered me up considerably exactly, but it had been really hot.
…And now he was actually up there. Earnestly looking for it. Sort of.
Lucifer sighed heavily with a crossing of his arms. “Whenever there’s student council work to be done, he always tries to weasel his way out of it. But as soon as you need something, suddenly he can’t wait to help. He really is hopeless.”
I laughed as I looked up at my silly demon up on the roof. “Hopelessly in love.”
“Ugh… spare me.” He shook his head. “But from what I understand, you’re supposed to track down the card on your own. You’re only allowed to ask student council members for help three times.”
“Well, yeah…” I gestured up above me.
“We can only assist you if you specifically request it. Otherwise, we can’t intervene. So if you didn’t ask Mammon to help, and he ends up finding the card, you’ll be immediately disqualified.”
I stared at him. “…Are you kidding me? So if he finds the card up there…”
He nodded.
“For fuck’s…” I looked back up again. Watched as Mammon let out a shriek when he almost lost balance.
I sighed. “Eh, we both know Mammon’s not going to find it.”
Lucifer snorted. “You can’t be certain of that. Stranger things have happened.”
“HEY, CHECK IT OUT, CHISE!” Mammon was swaying back and forth now as my attention turned back to him. “I found a card!”
“Mammon!” I cried out. “Wait!”
“Mammon, don’t flip it over!” Lucifer called out as well.
“Huh–? D’WWAAHHHH!”
We both watched as the pulse of the card’s magic caught him off-balance, his reeling tumbling him right off of the roof and straight into a bush that had – very luckily for him – been right below.
Lucifer and I shared a glance at the sound of his groans.
–
“Aha, interesting I was wondering what all the noise was about.” Belphie had joined us at the sound of the commotion that he’d heard from all the way inside. Which was probably considerable, with the way his body had slammed down on the roof tile when he fell. “Still, it’s a good thing the card Mammon found turned out to be a fake, huh?”
Mammon glared at him. “Meow meow meow meow!”
“True, yes,” Lucifer agreed. “If he’d found the real card, Chise would’ve been disqualified.”
“Meoooow!”
Belphie turned his attention to me. “So, what did the message on the card say?”
I sighed. “It said ‘Cats are just so adorable’.”
“Pff.”
Lucifer shook his head. “He doesn’t look any different, but he’s lost the ability to speak. He can only make cat noises.”
“MEOOOOW!”
I giggled as I went to him, reaching up to run my fingers through his thick hair. “You’re so cuuuute.”
An immediate blush hit his cheeks. “Meow?!”
I laughed again. “Guess he understands speech, still.”
Belphie had wrinkled his nose in disdain. “Sorry, but I still can’t get past trying to understand how you can think that’s cute.”
“If you manage to find the real card, he should change back to normal,” Lucifer explained.
“Meow! MeOOW!”
“…Hey, Lucifer, what’s the deal? You told me to come, so here I am.”
I pressed my fingers over my lips to hide my snicker at the sound of Satan’s voice, before all of us turned to him.
“But I don’t see any cat–"
“MEOW!”
Satan stopped in his tracks, eyes going wide.
“Meooow!”
“What the…?” His eyes darted from mine to Mammon’s. “What’s going on?”
“See for yourself.” Lucifer gestured. “It’s exactly how it looks.”
“…I don’t follow.”
“Well, I’ll be going now.” Lucifer laid a gentle hand on my shoulder. “Good luck, Chise. Show us what you can do.”
My face fell. “You’re leaving?”
“I’ll be around if you need me, duck. But weigh the help you ask of us carefully, all right? That is what I ask of you in turn.” He leaned his face down to murmur the rest quietly, closer to my ear. “…As well as ensuring that both Satan and Belphie come home with you afterwards.”
“Huh? Why wouldn’t they?”
“MEOOOW!”
“…He looks like Mammon, but he sounds like a cat…” Satan whispered to himself in disbelief, his eyes flashing with intense intrigue as he stared
“Meow meow meow!”
“…Come here, you.” A slow smile of delight spread over Satan’s face. “Who’s a good kitty, hm?”
Mammon hissed with an arch of his back as his brother stepped closer with his hand outstretched.
“Aww, there’s no need to be frightened,” Satan said with a light, relaxing coo to his tone. “Come here, it’s okay. Want to sniff first? There’s a good boy.”
Mammon hissed furiously.
“Now, now. Let’s see, do I have any liver treats left in my bag still…?”
“…I guess Satan just loves all cats no matter what?” Belphie sighed from beside me.
“Satan, umm…” I looked down at the crouched demon with mixed feelings of fondness and embarrassment for him. “You going to be here for a while?”
“I want… to hang out with Mammon for a bit.”
Belphie snorted.
“And play with… cat toys.”
Mammon growled with a narrowing of his eyes, but slowly leaned forward to sniff at Satan’s fingers.
“All right, love.” I shook my head in disappointed amusement. “Have fun…?”
“Thanks,” he whispered absently, not even glancing in my direction.
Belphie was the next to slip his hand into mine, giving me a small smile. “So, you’re looking for that card, right? Is it okay if I join you as you search?”
I smiled back at him with a nod. “Just as long as you understand the rules.”
“…Better than Mammon did.”
“Yeahhh… Let’s go.”
–
“So, what have the cards you’ve found so far looked like? Here, let me see them…”
I handed them over with a grim look.
He looked down at them in his expressionless-Belphie-is-exasperated-Belphie way. “Uh, what’s up with these messages? ‘Glasses,’ ‘Cats are just so adorable,’ 'Sorry, try again’…”
“Yeahhh…”
He huffed in annoyance. “Okay, that little heart at the end of that one is completely unnecessary and really irritating. Something about it just rubs me the wrong way.” He looked back up at me. “Did Lord Diavolo make these?”
“I can’t see anyone else coming up with ’teehee’ messages like him.”
He shook his head. “After that day we spent together at the human world amusement park, I thought I was finally starting to warm up to him. But I guess I was wrong.” He sighed. “Okay, I need to stop thinking about this. It’s only making me even more irritated.”
I had started to get fired up about it all over again as well, so I linked my arm in his with a nod. “You know what, I think you’re exactly who I need at my side right now.”
He chuckled in dark understanding as we both tried to tamp down on the slow-burning fury. “So, what’s next? Where are you planning on looking?”
“This way, Belphie. And keep me lightly pissed off as we go. Just enough to feed into me a bit to keep that fire stoked, but not enough for me to burn this whole damned place to the ground.”
He smirked with a light of delight in his eyes. “You’ve just described my whole life’s purpose, Chise. Honestly, though. What would you do without me?”
“Burn this whole damned place to the ground.”
“One of these days, I might just let you do it.”
–
“I was wondering where you were taking me.” Belphie looked around, expression serious now. The clock was ticking. “So, you think your card might be here in the library?”
“Let’s just say I have a feeling.”
He sighed in exasperation. “Well, if it really is here, that just means it’ll be even harder to find. After all, it’s not like we can flip through every single book looking for it.”
“Shelf S684.”
He blinked in surprise. “Huh?”
I grinned as I tugged him forward. “Shelf S684.”
“S684?” He frowned. “Hmm, if I remember correctly… That’s where the human world novels are shelved, right?”
“Yeppers.”
“Okay then, you lead the way.”
–
“That book…” Belphie took my hand again to look down at the novel in my hands. “Is that The Tale of the Seven Lords? I noticed that you walked straight over here and immediately reached for it. Why is that?”
I held it up a bit for his inspection. “You don’t feel that…?”
He shook his head. “Not sure what you mean.”
“I can sense the card’s magic.”
“Seriously?” He blinked in surprise again. “Wow, that’s really impressive, Chise. That means your magic has grown even more powerful.”
I smiled at him. “You know, Belphie… I can’t help but think that you help make it more powerful in a way.”
“Oh?” He returned my smile with a keenness in his own. “Well, that’s nice to hear.”
I laughed, amused by the sly little weave. “And yet you don’t seem particularly surprised.”
He hummed secretively, his smile still in place. “In any event, go ahead and open that book so we can see whether your card is actually in–"
I was already doing so.
And doing so cute him off mid-sentence as we were enveloped in a harsh light, with a sudden dry warmth in the air that made me choke in my throat a bit. Magic.
I really wish ‘harsh light’ wasn’t such a thing in magic. A girl can’t be wearing sunglasses all the time to protect her from sudden curses, illusions, forced teleportations, fireballs, and the occasional yank into God’s room for a vaguely threatening one-sided conversation.
I looked around with a sigh as the light began to fade into a sepia-toned room around us. Illusion magic, surely.
“…What happened?” Belphie asked at my side as he protectively dragged me a step closer to him by his hold on my hand. “That was magic just now, wasn’t it? It felt like some sort of spell went off…”
I looked around with a frown. “Where are we? This actually looks familiar…”
"D’AAAAAAH!"
We both flinched – or, well, I jumped cleaned into the air with a shriek as cool-cat Belphie simply flinched in surprise – before tensing as we exchanged glances with one another.
"Levi."
Who came stumbling around the corner, tripping on the hem of the long dark robes he wore. “Wh… Wh-wh-what’s going on?! I-I…” He looked down at his getup, gawking in shock. “I LOOK JUST LIKE THE LORD OF SHADOW!” And then, he brightened with excitement. “Wait, don’t tell me this is some sort of freeform choose your own adventure RPG? Looool!”
“…Why do you sleep with him.”
"Belphie!" I hissed. “Nunya!”
“I’m not going to fall for the ‘nunya' joke. Anyway, Levi…” He turned back to his older brother. “What’s with the getup? Listen, you have to stop cosplaying at school. It’s embarrassing. Have some pride in yourself.”
“You’re the one to talk lolol!” Levi pointed at him with a grin. “I mean, have you looked in the mirror lately? Loool!”
“Oh!” My eyes widened as I turned my attention back to Belphie again. “You… didn’t look like that a hot second ago.”
“What’re you talking ab…” He looked down at himself. “What the…? How did this happen?”
A moment ago he had been wearing his RAD uniform, but now… He was in a fantasy outfit, in mage’s robes, with a veil that draped over his head.
“You’re dressed as the Lord of Emptiness!” Levi clapped in delight after he’d gotten back to his feet. “And Chise, you’re dressed as Henry?!”
“Huh...?” I looked down at myself as well. “Oh… Guess I am.”
Generic ‘penniless world-weary fantasy traveler’ outfit, with the exception of the high-quality cape that hung around my shoulders, that Henry had traded his old cloak plus a magic tome for to a tinker.
Levi was bouncing on his heels with pure joy. “Oh wow, THIS IS AMAZING!”
“But what’s going on?” Belphie looked around in flat confusion. “One moment we’re in the library, and now suddenly we’re here dressed like this.”
“Oh, I was in the library just now, too.” Levi shrugged. “Lucifer sent me there on an errand.”
I sighed. “I guess that card had something to do with it. Another fun little curse or something.”
Belphie nodded to the card that I had clutched in my hand. “So there really was one inside of the book, then.”
I looked down at it in confusion. “I didn’t realize I’d already touched it…”
“Hey, there’s something written on it.” Levi came to us the rest of the way, flipping my wrist a bit to show us. “Says ‘You must defeat the Lord of Shadow’. W-WAIT. DOES THAT MEAN ME? YOU HAVE TO DEFEAT ME?”
“Yeah,” Belphie said dryly. “That’d be you.”
“Before the two of you scrap…”
“Before I knock this coward straight on his ass, you mean,” Belphie corrected me.
“…Before that, what’s that thing over there?” I pointed. “The table is the only piece of furniture in the room, and there’s something on top of it.”
Belphie squinted his eyes. “Some sort of board game? Eh, whatever. We’ve established that this isn’t the right card. So, Levi.” Belphie stretched his arms over his head, clasping his fingers together so that his knuckles cracked. “Mind if we toss a few attack spells your way? You know, take you out nice and quick?”
“What!? YES, I MIND!” Levi backed away hurriedly, eyes wide. “Chise, please talk some sense into Belphie for me!”
“I really don’t have a lot of time, Levi,” I pleaded. “Belphie, quick–"
“DON’T ENCOURAGE HIM!”
“Well, the card says ‘You must defeat the Lord of Shadow’.” Belphie gave him a flat look as he explained it again slowly. “Which means we have to defeat you, doesn’t it Levi?”
“Ugh, you don’t understand!” Levi pressed his lips into a flat line. “When it says you should defeat me, it means defeat me at that!”
He pointed towards the table.
Where the board game lay.
“…Oh.”
Levi sighed in frustration at our slow grasp. Which was fair, actually. My defence was that I was kind of stressed out. “This must be Pasto, the board game that appears in volume eight of TSL! I’m sure of it! That’s when the Lord of Shadow and the Lord of Emptiness play each other in Pasto. It’s everything leading up to that moment that’s truly epic. You see, the Lord of Emptiness spent an entire century as a prisoner of the Lord of Corruption before Henry eventually rescues him, so Henry’s the only one he trusts. But he takes refuge in the Lord of Shadow’s castle, and while he’s there, the Lord of Shadow invited him to play a game of Pasto.”
I opened my mouth to speak.
“And at first, there’s this really awkward energy between them, but over the course of their game, they start to open up to each other, and…”
Belphie snored softly.
We both looked at him in surprise. Well, Levi, more in offended shock.
He glared at him. “Seriously?! Hey! WAKE UP!”
“Belphie…” I poked at his shoulder. “While you’re standing and everything?”
“Mm… Is he done talking yet?”
“For your information… NO! I’m not! So… their Pasto match eventually ends in a tie, but by that time there’s a budding friendship between the Lord of Emptiness and the Lord of Shadow, and before parting, they agree to have a rematch someday to determine the true winner. HOWEVER, the next time they meet, they end up arguing over which one should get to claim Henry as their retainer, and so they end up playing Pasto to decide THAT, which–"
Belphie snored again.
“Hey! Come on, WAKE UP!”
“…I don’t wanna. Sleepy time.”
“Ugh! Hearing you use that cutesy talk is SO irritating!” Levi growled at him. “Because it’s GENUINELY cute and now I’m all jealous!”
While it was adorable, I tsked as I looked down at my D.D.D. screen. “Okay, all of us need to stop fooling around and get this show on the road. Levi. Sit. At the table. Now.”
“Okay!” He turned towards it, leading us forward as he lowered his voice into a deep and haughty tone of command. “Now then, I shall explain the game of Pasto to you. Pay attention, and prepare to be enlightened!”
“Stars…” I sighed.
“Okay, why are you talking like that?”
“Silence, Lord of Emptiness!” Levi bellowed at him regally. “From this point forward, you are to address me as the Lord of Shadow!”
Belphie sighed. “Here we go. He’s roleplaying again. Great…”
Levi slammed his palms onto the table, making the pieces jounce.
“Careful!” I chided him.
“Now, listen carefully. Pasto is a board game pitting two players against each other. There are two types of game pieces – spool-shaped and cone-shaped. It’s an ancient game, and well worth learning!”
Belphie slumped down into one of the chairs with a look of annoyance. “Every time you open your mouth, it gets more and more irritating.”
“The game board consists of thirty squares, arrange in three rows of ten each. This is your battlefield. It is here that the game takes place, as players move their pieces from square to square. In order to move, you must first toss four flat throwing sticks. These can land face up or face down. If, for example, three of the four were to land face up, you would be allowed to move three spaces. Victory is awarded to the player who manages to get all of their pieces off the board first.”
My heart sank in my chest as I looked down at the board with dismay. My opponent… the previous commander of the Celestial Realm’s navy, brilliant strategist in his own right even outside of that, and biggest TSL nerd in all of existence.
Levi was very difficult to take on in games of strategy. Few bothered trying.
“Huh…” Belphie leaned forward to examine the board for himself. “So it’s a relatively simple game, then. Sounds easy.”
“Pfffhahahaha!” Levi broke out into a bout of cocky laughter. “Ah, simple-minded fools and their misguided beliefs!”
“…You’re really getting on my nerves,” Belphie bit back at him darkly.
“Listen to me,” Levi said, abruptly turning serious again. “This game tests whether you can effectively and efficiently move your own pieces while simultaneously blocking those of your opponent. In a way, it’s a microcosm of life itself! A truly sophisticated game that requires luck, strategy, and intellect!”
“Right, whatever.”
Levi sniffed in his snobbery. “I imagine amateurs such as yourself will have a hard time grasping its complexities. So, why don’t we make it two against one? I’ll play you both!”
I leaned forward right away. “Accepted.”
It may be the only way.
Because Belphie was the tricky one.
He smirked at me. “You can work together, applying both of your insufficient intellects to the task. That should make for a much better game. For me.”
I watched as he began to organize the pieces on both sides. “Are you an experienced Pasto player, Levi?”
He flinched. “…Not Levi.”
I sighed. “Are you an experienced Pasto player, Lord of Shadow?”
"Much better, Henry.”
Belphie rolled his eyes. “So which is it? Are you experienced or not?”
“Ugh, come on!” Levi snapped at him, cheeks going pink. “Do I REALLY have to spell it out for you?! What I’m saying is that, well, you know… I-I do have a Pasto board as part of my collection of TSL paraphernalia, but I… sort of don’t have any friends to play it with…”
I sighed in relief.
“So you’re telling me you’ve never actually played before?”
“…Well, I mean, I… guess you could say that?”
Belphie looked at him blankly. “And yet you think you can take on both of us at once? That’s some confidence you’ve got.”
“Sh… Shut up!” Levi slumped in his chair with a glower. “Anyway, enough talk. Let’s play!”
“…So, what do you think, Chise?” Belphie slid his eyes to me. “Want to play Levi in this game?”
I frowned in confusion. “Well…”
“You’re allowed to have student council officers pitch in and help you up to three times, right?”
I sat up straighter. Shit. I’d almost forgotten. I had to actually ask… And I only have three requests.
“If you want,” he continued with a soft smile, “I’d be glad to help you win this thing as your first ‘assist’.”
I nodded to him. There was no helping it. That’s what the condition was for, and I couldn’t afford to keep playing this stupid game over and over again until I was finally released from here to continue my search. “I’d love your help. Yes. Help me win this, Belphie.”
He chuckled fondly. “With the two of us working together, we’re sure to wipe the floor with my loser brother.”
Levi pinched his lips tight again. “Don’t call me a loser!”
“Well, Levi?” I turned my attention back to him. “I mean… Lord of Shadow. What’s first?”
He cleared his throat. “Well, Henry. Pick up a single stick and give it a toss. If it lands face up, then you get to go first, hero.”
“Okay…” I picked it up.
And threw it.
Too hard.
Sending it skittering across the floor.
“…Ah.”
“Chise…” Belphie gave me an exasperated look. “You didn’t have to put so much force into it. You flung it across the room.”
“Sorry…”
“Hmph, well.” Levi stood smoothly from his chair, walking over to it briskly with his robes swirling around his feet. “Let’s see how Henry’s throwing stick landed…”
I held my breath.
“FACE DOWN!” Levi broke out into that cocky laughter of his that was really grating on me right now. “Which means I go first!”
He was smirking as he returned to the table, eyes on me. “Well then, prepare yourselves, for the Lord of Shadow is about to make his throw…!”
The sticks skipped around on the table, before coming to a rest.
He gasped. “What luck! All FOUR of them landed face up!”
“Great,” I muttered.
“This constant playacting is REALLY irritating,” Belphie sighed.
“All right, Henry…” Levi nodded to me with a look of smug satisfaction. “Your turn. Go on, hero. Gather up your sticks and give them a throw.”
“…On the table, Chise.”
“Yeah, yeah…”
I rolled them from my palm gently.
Belphie peered down closer at the table to inspect them. “…Let’s see. Looks like three of the four landed face up. You get to move three spaces.”
“Pfffhahahahaha!” Levi broke out into deep laughter again. “And they call you a hero. Is that the best you can do?! How supremely disappointing!”
I was already planning my revenge in my head as I glared at him.
He grinned as he reached for his own sticks. “Well then, I supposed I’m up nex–“
Belphie held up his hand. “Not so fast.”
Levi glanced at him in confusion, mid-reach.
“You said it’s two against one, remember?” Belphie reminded him with a soft smile. “Which means I get to go after Chise, right?”
Levi’s face fell. “Wh… But… huh…?”
“Uh-oh…” I cooed.
–
“Three out of four throwing sticks landed face up, so… One, two, three… there.” Belphie smiled as he leaned back in his chair. “All right, game over. Chise and I win.”
Levi let out a high whine in his throat as he stared down at the board open-mouthed. “…H-How could this… happen…!”
The room went blindingly white once more.
I blinked against the pain as the library came back into focus.
“…Oh. Everything’s back to normal again,” Belphie said. “Looks like the magic wore off.”
“Leviathaaan…” Levi moaned in despair. “You will never live this down! NEVER!”
“No, you won’t,” I chided him tersely.
“How could I actually LOSE?! At PASTO of all games?!”
“You’re in SO much trouble for being an asshole again, Levi.”
He whined shrilly as he squeezed his eyes shut against reality.
“And stop making that noise!” I rubbed at my temples in annoyance. “You sound like a whale in labour.”
My comment only made him wail harder.
“Hells, Levi…”
“Well, it was your first time playing too, wasn’t it?” Belphie shrugged. “That’s just the way it goes, right?”
“No, that ISN’T just the way it goes!” Levi snapped at him, before falling back into a moaning sobbing noise. “This is awfuuuul. I’m not fit to be called a TSL otaku! In the end I’m just a… just a NORMAL otaku…!”
Belphie sighed as gave up on him to turn to me instead. “So, the card in the library turned out to be another fake. And to make matters worse, it’s already two p.m.”
I fumbled with my D.D.D. to confirm. "Fuck."
“So not only was it the wrong card, but it also cost us time since we got caught up in that little TSL role-play. What a disaster…”
“I only have two bloody hours left!”
Belphie winced. “You have to find the real card by four p.m. to avoid being disqualified, don’t you?”
“Yes, Belphie,” I bit, though my frustration wasn’t really about him asking.
He touched my shoulder comfortingly, softening his voice. “I know you can do this, Chise. You’re going to find the real card.”
“I should've known this would happen,” Levi dry-sobbed in despair. “This is me, after all. Of course. Of course…”
I took in a shuddering breath under the weight of Belphie's hand.
“I’ll be rooting for you. Good luck.” He leaned his face down closer to my ear. “And put that ring back in your pocket if you don’t want Levi or anyone else seeing it.”
Chapter 7: Chapter 64: A Riddle In the Rules
Chapter Text
"Meoooow."
Barbatos paused in his stroll with a frown.
"Meooooow!"
“…What could that be?” he murmured quietly as he started towards the noise. “A lost cat, perhaps? And yet, it sounds familiar…”
He stopped in his tracks.
Satan’s back was turned to him while he was squatted down, giggling. “Okay, I’m going to throw the ball one more time. Ready?”
“Meooow!”
“One, two, three!”
“Mrrrrrow!” Mammon’s eyes lit up with delighted excitement as he went chasing after the bouncing ball. “Meowmeow!”
Barbatos cleared his throat lightly to announce his presence.
Satan fell backwards with a squawk to land on his ass, before whipping his head to look back over his shoulder. “…Oh.”
They stared at one another.
“Uh…”
“…Pardon me. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
Mammon’s cheeks went bright red as he dropped the ball from his clawed grip. “Meowmeow meowmeooow!”
A cry of protest – and an attempt at a daft explanation – that appeared to fall on deaf ears. Because he was, after all, a cat.
Satan’s face similarly coloured red as a look of defiance lit up in his eyes, the words flooding out of his mouth for them both. “Stop looking at me like that. This isn’t what you think. Anyway, it’s your master’s fault to begin with. This was one of HIS pranks.”
Barbatos looked between the two of them in confusion. “…The Young Master did this…? Ah, of course. One of the cards.”
“MEOW!”
“Hmm. While I don’t know exactly what magic he used, I’m aware that he cast various spells on them.” The corners of his lips lifted into a soft smile. Juvenile amusement. “Well then, enjoy yourselves.”
“Meow meow meow!”
“Whoa, hold on!”
“Meoooow! MEOW!”
He sighed. “A walk in the forest to clear my head, and this is what I get…”
“Hey! Chise will be mad if you don’t listen!”
Barbatos paused in his turn, with a brief closing of his eyes. “…Yes?”
“Apparently what Mammon’s trying to say is, ‘You can’t just leave me like this. I’ll die if anyone sees me!’”
“Meow!”
“More’s the pity. However, I understand him well, as I am fluent in the tongues of beasts.” He tilted his head as he turned back towards Satan. “Though I’m impressed you’re able to understand him so well yourself. I take it that when you love cats, you learn to understand their speech?”
Satan shook his head. “Not necessarily. It’s just that I know how Mammon thinks.”
“Meooow…”
“I understand what it is you want, Mammon.” Barbatos’ eyes flitted back to the other. “But Satan, may I ask why you stopped me as I was about to leave?” While invoking her name in threat?
Satan sighed. “Because the truth is that I don’t want to be stuck here with cat-Mammon either.”
“MEOW?!”
“But every time he starts meowing at me, I feel this urge to keep playing with him. I can’t help myself!”
“Meoow!”
Satan’s expression fell into one of despair as he looked up at Barbatos pleadingly. “So, what do I do?”
Barbatos lifted one shoulder slightly, at a loss himself. “I have no interest in being a part of this any longer, thank you. You’re free to do whatever you like.”
“Barbatos, wait!”
“MEOOOW!”
“I’ll tell Chise on you if you don’t help!”
“Meow!” – The sound was smug.
Barbatos sighed in irritation while in a mid-turn again, before reaching into his pocket to produce a little feathered figurine. “Here, have this cat toy. It should keep him busy.”
“Meow…?”
Satan blinked in his surprise. “Why do you even have that…?”
“A countermeasure, to lure forth the natural enemy of the you-know-what’s.”
“…What…?”
“I am a cat person.”
He threw it.
It sailed over Mammon’s head, bouncing across the path to land half in the bushes that lined it.
“Meow meow meow meow MEOW!” Mammon went bounding after it with a sparkle in his eye.
Satan gasped in delight – with a little squee in his throat – before going pink again under Barbatos’ judgmental gaze. He darted his eyes away with a defeated clenching of his jaw. “…Grr. So cute. Look, I know it’s Mammon, but he’s just too cute…!”
“Oh dear…” Barbatos sighed as he finally turned away to go back whence he came; unobstructed, and unchallenged. “I very much regret walking in on this. I will be taking my leave now.”
With any luck, in a thousand years hence, he will have forgotten all about it.
I sighed in near-defeat as I paused in one of the hallways of RAD.
One of the many, many hallways of RAD.
At a crossroads.
RAD was large. RAD was… massive, actually. A state of the art building for sure.
What the hell was Diavolo thinking?
I looked down the hall that led towards the east wing, feeling glum and helpless.
“…Cafeteria next, I guess…”
Though I didn’t have high hopes.
–
Beel was there, of course. I guess all of the council members had been called in today. Ah, which made sense. I was, after all, allowed to call on their help. So of course they were floating around.
Half helpful, half unhelpful.
Though, really, what else did I expect from Mammon and Levi?
Loved them to death, but oh my god–
“Oh, Chise, it’s you.” Beel ran his tongue over his teeth just in case they were covered in chocolate, before giving me a warm smile. “I was wondering who’d just walked in.”
“Hey, Beelz.” I sighed as I took a seat across from him. Temporary respite… “Have you seen any cards around here?”
“Cards…? Hmm.” He gave it some serious thought for a moment, before shaking his head. “Nope. Sure haven’t. If it had a picture of food on it, then I might’ve noticed. But otherwise, probably not.”
I nodded. Like I said… Loved them to death…
“This is just my opinion, but…” He gave me another encouraging smile. “I think you should search for it someplace you wouldn’t normally go. A lot of the time that’s where I end up finding food people have hidden.”
I smiled warmly back at him. Of course. Like, in people’s lockers, or…
I blinked as an idea hit me.
“Good luck,” he continued. “I hope you find your card.”
“Beel…” My smile widened as I stood to lean over the table, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “I love you. Enjoy your desserts.”
“Thanks, Chise. I love you too.”
–
Someplace I wouldn’t normally go.
Someplace… a student normally wouldn’t go.
I didn’t really have super high hopes or anything, but it felt like a small little light I could hold onto. At least, some sort of tangible, physical goal.
I headed towards the wing where the teachers’ offices and lounges were housed.
“Hm...?”
I gawked at who I found there. “OH MY GOD!”
“Ah!” Solomon jumped at my shout, before he burst out laughing. “Chise, you startled me! I was wondering who’d come in… We don’t usually get visitors here.”
“Chise!”
“WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING HERE?!”
Simeon laughed in delight. “You found Purgatory Hall’s hangout!”
“This is a teacher’s lounge!”
Solomon nodded, deep amusement in his eyes. “And I am a teacher.”
“You’re a SUB! For potions and runes! …SOMETIMES! And also, I MEANT WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING HERE IN THE DEVILDOM?!”
He giggled. “Aww, come on! I’m also your teacher, too!”
I stared at them for a moment longer, before crossing the room at a run to fling myself down on top of them both in a wide hug. Or, as wide as I could manage, as I pulled them both into a tight embrace, nearly knocking all three of our heads against each other’s.
Simeon was laughing again as he slipped his arms around me too. “I could get used to greetings like this…”
Solomon was grinning at me. “And I should start this off by congratulating you.”
I blinked. “For what?”
He shook his head with another laugh. “You managed to successfully teleport to the Devildom for the first time. That’s wonderful!”
“Oh!” My eyes widened. That now seemed… so far away. “I guess I did do that!”
“Pffff! Only you would say something like that, sweet apprentice.”
“Ah, the nature of the teacher-student relationship.” Simeon pulled me onto his lap with a fond smile.
“Hmph!” Solomon gave him a pouty look. “Simeon, is it me, or are you really intent on emphasizing the ’teacher-student’ part?”
He gave an innocent look back. “Well, you are teacher and student, after all. Isn’t that right, Chise?”
I grinned too. “Didn’t you just say that was the case, Solomon? I think you even put a little bit of emphasis in there yourself.”
“I thought I was dating the both of you for your kindness and compassion?” He sighed in mock-dismay. “So much for that.”
I kissed his cheek. “How’s home? How’s Tink?”
“Everything and everyone is fine! I didn't do anything strange while you were gone."
I narrowed my eyes. “…Why would you say that…?"
He blinked. “What do you mean?”
“That’s a very odd thing to say.”
“I don’t think it is, actually. It’s the truth, after all.”
I narrowed my eyes even further, and he broke out into another delighted grin.
Simeon shook his head in amused exasperation. “Anyway, Chise. The reason that we’re here is that it’s official – we’re going to be participating in the short-term exchange program as well. Which means we’re going to be classmates again.”
“Good!” I sighed in relief, before looking at him with curiosity. “You’re not going to wear your uniform again?”
“Hm?” He looked down at himself with a frown. He was wearing his human clothes. “Ah, because I’m wearing this? I decided I’d wear the clothes I wore up in the human world, yes. I sort of took a liking to them, you see. They’re quite comfortable”
“Hm.” I smiled at him teasingly. “Finding them more breathable than your skin-tight angel’s clothing, are you? Though I don’t know, those shoulders and hips of yours aren’t getting quite as much oxygen…”
Solomon burst out laughing.
“Aha…!” Simeon blushed with a self-conscious smile, fighting not to meet my eyes as I determinedly to try look into his with a flirtatious smirk. “Only you humans would shame a man in such a way.”
I gave it up to look around with a frown; though I don’t know what I expected, as he would have announced his presence immediately if he were actually here. “…Is Luke also going to be an exchange student again?”
Simeon nodded. “He was heading off to submit his paperwork for the program. He’ll be overjoyed–"
"Chise…?"
I turned my head with a smile.
“CHISE!” Luke bubbled as he ran towards us. “It is you!”
We all oofed as he threw himself onto the pile I’d started.
“Luke!” I pulled him into a tight hug.
“Mrph…!” He wheezed. “Hey, give me some warning before squeezing me to death, Chise! I can barely breathe!”
My Purgatory Hall family.
My human world family.
“Oh!” My eyes widened again in concerned realization. “But what about the Angel’s Halo?!”
“We went ahead and closed down for the time being,” Luke explained. “We’ll open up again when we get back to the human world, at which point we’ll implement the new breakfast menu I came up with!”
I lifted my eyebrows in surprise as I looked back up at Simeon. “Back to the human world again after this…?”
He nodded, softness in his eyes.
While relief flooded into mine.
“By the way, Chise,” Solomon cut in with a touch on my shoulder. “I was talking to Barbatos earlier. He tells me you’re trying to become a RAD student council officer?”
I glared at him. “Don’t pretend you didn’t know.”
“Ah…” He quirked a guilty smile.
“…WHAT?!” Luke yelled near my ear.
“Wow…” Simeon blinked his similar surprise. “Is that true?”
I pointed an accusing finger at Solomon. “Let’s ask him.”
“Now, now.” He gave me a pacifying look, that I never fell for. “It was ran by me when I proposed enrolling you again. I’ll say that I very much approve of it as a show of human progress here in the Devildom, but I do NOT have any say in how they go about making you an officer.” He sighed. “…Or on your expulsion if you fail the trials.”
“WHAT?!” Luke shouted again, making me wince.
Simeon looked between the two of us. “I think we’re going to require a bit more of an explanation here.”
“All right…” I struggled from being pinned between Simeon and Luke. “Let’s sit like normal people first, though. My leg is super falling asleep.”
–
He nodded. “Ah, so that’s the situation. I see…”
“How can you be so CALM about this, Simeon?!” Luke was red in the face as he struggled with his shock. “I mean, a human becoming a student council officer at a DEVILDOM school?! That’s… that’s… I mean…!”
“Sorry to interrupt, Luke, but I can’t help being curious…” Solomon’s eyes flicked down. “I notice you’ve got something in your hand there. Would that happen to be a card?”
“Huh?”
I straightened considerably, eyes widening as I followed Solomon’s pointed finger.
“Oh, you mean this?” Luke held it up with a frown. “I found it a minute ago. It was poking out from under the flower vase right over there.
“That’s one of my cards!” I cried out.
“WHAT?!”
I held out my hands in panic. “Don’t turn it! Pass it!”
“As if you even need to ASK!” He thrust it towards me like it was a burning coal. “I don’t like the idea of walking around with it anyway. I mean, who knows where it came from or what it might do…!”
I sighed with relief as I took it from him. “Luke… You have SO much more sense than the brothers.”
He looked deeply offended by the remark. “OBVIOUSLY!”
Simeon looked down at the card in my hand doubtfully. “So, you’ve encountered cards that make you talk like a cat, or force you to play Pasto. Hmm…”
I rolled my eyes. ”Thanks for that, by the way.”
He gave me a sweet smile. “Hey now. I made the game rather simple to learn. You’re quite welcome. But truly, it seems like Diavolo is having quite a bit of fun with these, isn’t he?”
I pinched my lips tight.
Solomon learned forward to study the card with a frown. “So, the fake cards basically prank you in random, unpleasant ways, huh? The question now is… is that card the real thing or yet another fake?”
I glanced at him. “…You can’t tell?”
He shook his head quietly. I sighed. I didn’t press on if it was a ‘could’ or ‘would’ thing. We both knew I’d be mad if the answer was ‘would’, while at the same time that we both knew we couldn’t risk me being disqualified on a possible breaking of the rules if he got involved.
My question was unfair. I touched his knee in apology.
Luke squirmed in place. “Ugh, I’m all nervous now…”
“Well, there’s no helping it,” Simeon sighed. “Go on, Chise. Flip it over and see what it says.”
I did.
“…’Time to play shiritori’?" Solomon frowned again. “Wait, that’s that game where someone says a word, and then you have to say a word that begins with the last letter of THEIR word. And if you say a word ending with ’n’, you lose. I don’t understand, though. Why does it want us to…”
Luke yelped, and Simeon and I gasped as we felt the commanding fingers of magic suddenly grip at us all.
We all opened our mouths to speak.
But no sound was coming out.
“O…” Simeon sucked in another breath. “Oh! Solomon’s last word was ’to’, so if I choose a word beginning with ‘o’, I can speak!”
We all straightened, mildly panicked.
“K…” Luke started, “Kind of crazy if you ask me, but good job figuring that out!”
My mind was racing.
Don’t end on 'n'.
“Tell me you’re joking,” Solomon continued for us. “We can only speak if we follow shiritori rules?”
I really did want to creatively curse Diavolo out in my answer, but with what was on the line, now was not the time nor place. “So, how do we break the spell?”
“Let’s do our best to figure that out sooner rather than later,” Simeon sighed.
“Right…” Luke agreed. “If anyone has any good ideas, I’d love to hear them!”
I swallowed anxiously. “Maybe there’s a simple way to solve this.”
“Simple?” Solomon added. “I hope you’re saying you know what to do, because talking like this is kind of hard.”
“D… D…”
We all looked at Simeon in horror.
“Dude, it just hit me!”
We all choked in shock at his choice, pink in the face.
“There’s only one way to end a game of shiritori!”
I would have gone with ‘Don’t worry, I know how’, et cetera.
But you do you, Sim.
Solomon brightened with a grin. “I hope you know what he means, Chise, because you’re up next, and this is getting crazy.”
I hesitated.
Time to play shiritori.
I sighed with relief, returning his smile. “Yep, I have just the solution.”
“WH…!” Luke’s eyes widened in horror.
We all waited, breaths caught in our throats.
“Y…”
We all turned to Solomon with delighted gasps of relief.
He giggled. “You did it! The spell wore off! All it took was finishing with a word ending in 'n’!”
Luke looked between us all in confusion. “Huh?!”
I laughed as I ruffled his hair, feeling giddy with relief. “The card didn’t say we had to win. It wasn’t like the Pasto game at all!”
“Ohhhh!” He tipped his head back with a groaning sigh. “Thank goodness…”
“Whew…” Simeon sighed out. “I’m sort of worn out after that. That card’s spell was genuinely powerful.”
“Certainly had a vice grip,” I muttered, adding it to the growing pile of grudges I was holding against Diavolo today.
“Ahhh, that was fun!” Solomon grinned around at us all. “I should curse some cards for our next game night!”
“Do not.”
Both Simeon and I had said the words to him sternly, while Luke could only let out a whimper of fearful protest.
I abruptly came back to myself. “Holy sh–"
I slapped my hands over my mouth to stop myself from swearing in front of the literal angel child of purity.
Solomon and Simeon frowned at me in confusion.
I leapt to my feet in a panic. “I’m running out of TIME!”
“…Solomon, I finally found you– Ah, good, you’re all here.”
I whirled towards Satan.
Beel was nodding to me from behind him. “And Chise is with you. I’ve been looking for you, you know.”
“Me...?”
“Hey there, Satan, Beelzebub!” Solomon lifted his hand in cheerful greeting. “It’s been a while!”
Simeon smiled at them affectionately as well. “It’s been a while since we’ve had you over in the human world, but seeing you two here in front of me now, I really feel like I’m back in the Devildom!”
“You both seem like you’re doing well,” Luke added shyly.
Beel gave him a big smile. “Yeah, you too, Luke. And as always, you smell delicious.”
“WHOA!” He leaned back against the couch cushion with widened eyes. “I know it’s been a while, but I’m NOT good, okay?!”
“I don’t know, you look pretty sweet to me.” I smirked as I leaned down towards him. “Mind if I nibble on you?”
“N-NO, I DON’T! I don’t want to diiiiiie!”
“You don’t mind if I nibble on you?”
“I DON’T!”
“You don’t mind?”
“Pfff…” Simeon shook his head with a smile.
“That’s what you’re worried about?” Solomon laughed lightly. “I think you’ve got the wrong idea, Luke.”
His cheeks went pink. “Changing the subject! Satan, you said you’d finally ‘found us’. Have you been looking for us?”
He nodded. “Yeah, for the three of you Purgatories. Lord Diavolo asked me to find you. Simeon, Luke, Solomon… I need you to come with me to the council room.”
I sucked in a breath.
“Ah yes.” Simeon nodded back to him as he stood up smoothly. “We were planning on heading there, actually. But then we got caught up in a game of shiritori…”
Satan gave us – me – an exasperated look. “Come on, this really isn’t the time to be playing games.”
I rolled my eyes. “Believe me… I’d rather be doing anything else. I’d set my pants on hellfire at this point.”
“But what brings you here, Beelzebub?” Solomon asked him.
“Lucifer asked me to come check on Chise.”
Satan sighed with a touch of anxiety. “You have until four p.m., right Chise? That only leaves one more hour.”
I nodded, swallowing down the heavy lump in my throat.
Simeon gave me a worried look. “You’d better find the real card sooner rather than later…”
Beel nodded his agreement. “So, what’s your next move, Chise?”
“I’m coming with you guys.”
Satan blinked in surprise. “With us…?”
“Time to shove Diavolo’s precious rules straight up his ass.”
“HEY!” Luke glowered at me. “No swearing!”
“Errr… Right up his princely rectum.”
Solomon wrinkled his nose. “That’s… also an unpleasant visual.”
“Ah, Simeon and Luke!” Diavolo greeted them warmly as each one stepped into the council room. “And Solomon, too! Hello! On behalf of the student council, welcome to RAD! We’re glad to have the three of you back in our exchange program.”
Simeon nodded at him with his kind smile. “Hey there, Diavolo. Thank you for having us again.”
“Glad to be back!” Solomon quipped lightly. “As always, I plan to enjoy my time in the Devildom to the fullest.”
“…I’m only doing this because I have to, okay?” Luke mumbled with a hunch. “Michael asked me to come, so… here I am.”
“Yes, of course!” Diavolo beamed at them. “It’s wonderful to see you three again. Thank you for coming!”
“Chise…” Barbatos cut in, in his quiet voice. “You came along with them? If I’m not mistaken, you have to find the card by four p.m., correct? Are you sure this is the best use of your time?”
While his words were very to the point, I heard the anxiety for me in there.
“Yeah…” Beel twisted his hands nervously with a glance at me. “I was thinking the same thing… I know Simeon, Luke, and Solomon had to come, but why did you decide to come with them, Chise?”
Satan smiled at me, eyes glittering with pride. “Actually, I think Chise is on to something here.”
“Barbatos…” I met his eyes with mine.
He straightened a bit in surprised confusion, clasping his hands behind his back. “Yes, Chise…?”
“Tell me where the card is.”
I think this was the very, very first time that I had ever seen Barbatos’ mouth drop slightly in shock.
Staring at me.
…While Diavolo broke out into raucous laughter, the sound ringing loud around the high ceilings of the room. “Ahahahahaha! BARBATOS! Looks like Chise has you there! Oh, now THAT was good!”
Barbatos blinked once, broken out of his shock, before he let out a low chuckle of amusement. “I see… You’re ‘permitted to ask for help from the student council officers up to three times’. So you’re invoking that privilege for the second time right now.”
Solomon was laughing too, though the sound had initially been drowned by Diavolo’s booming laugh. “Yep! I’d expect nothing less from my apprentice. Nicely done.”
“Great thinking, Chise!” Simeon smiled at me with delight. “I’m impressed.”
Satan chuckled as well. “You know, the Devildom really is more interesting when you’re here, Chise.”
Diavolo was still doubled over with laughter.
“Young Master,” Barbatos sighed in exasperation. “Perhaps you should try to contain your laughter?”
“Oh come on!” he wheezed with a grin. “How can I not laugh right now? Ahahahahaha! You’re always doing things to remind me that me thinking highly of you is justified, Chise. But every once in a while you take me by surprise and completely exceed my high expectations. Wonderful… just wonderful!”
I didn’t look at him. I kept my eyes on Barbatos.
“I must admit,” Barbatos added as well as he looked back at me, “it is a clever approach. Since you’re allowed to ‘ask for help’, that would include asking questions of any sort. And… here I am.”
“Here you are,” I agreed.
“Oh, okay, I get it.” Beel smiled warmly. “Good thinking, Chise. That was really smart.”
Luke was grinning with his own relief. “Sooo, does this mean you’ll tell Chise where the real card is?!”
Barbatos glanced at Diavolo, suddenly looking a touch unsure. Looking for direction.
I sighed as I followed his look. I wasn’t at Barbatos’ mercy. We were at the prince’s.
“I have to say, this is an interesting turn of events.” Diavolo tilted his head in thought as he considered us. “But we can’t just reveal the exact location of the card.”
I felt fiery in my fury. “So you’re changing the rules for yourself, are you? While holding me strictly to them. Is that your idea of playing fair, Lord Diavolo?”
“I agree,” Satan added. “Looks to me like Chise just outmaneuvered you here.”
Diavolo raised up his palms. “Now now, calm down. I didn’t say I wasn’t going to give away any information at all, did I? I’ll give you a couple of hints. Are you ready?”
”Actually,” I bit, as I cut him off. “I believe I just asked Barbatos for his help.”
They both looked at me directly at the scathing tone in my voice, taken aback.
“…Right,” Diavolo conceded, voice a little quieter. “That you did.”
“Or are we changing all of the rules now?”
Barbatos, quiet, hesitated again as he glanced between us, hands coming unclasped from behind his back for one to curl his fingers over his stomach instead.
Diavolo cleared his throat self-consciously, before returning Barbatos’ glance.
I blinked – we all blinked – as they shared a few words in a language that I couldn’t even possibly begin to pinpoint the origins of. It sounded unlike anything I had ever heard. Alien to me entirely.
And, apparently, to all the rest of them, including the other demons in the room; even Solomon looked just as stumped. Though also intrigued, of course.
Barbatos nodded once, before turning his attention back to me. “Your first hint, Chise, is that it is not anywhere inside the RAD school building.”
I sighed. “So it’s outside…”
I really had been running in circles in here.
“There is also a second, more important hint,” he continued. “And it is something you already know, Chise, because it was told to you back when the Young Master first explained the rules.”
I frowned at him. “What…? I don’t remember getting any hints.”
He bowed his head. “I was there at the time as well, and I can assure you that the Young Master did indeed give you a hint.”
Satan shook his head with a look of deep thought. “Lucifer explained all the rules to me too. Are you saying there was a hint hidden in there?”
“That would be correct.”
“Huh, a hint hidden among the rules…” Satan caught my eye with a look of intrigue. “Interesting.”
“Among the rules…” I repeated quietly to myself, desperately trying to think back on the exact wording.
Solomon nodded. “I see you still enjoy a good riddle, huh Satan?”
“So, it’s not in the school building, right?” Simeon touched my shoulder, worry in his eyes. “Well then, there’s no time to lose!”
Beel nodded his agreement. “It’s a waste of time standing around here chatting. Come on, let’s head outside and look for it, Chise. I’ll go with you.”
I grabbed his hand. “Let’s go, Beel. You and me.”
“Yeah. We make a very good team together.”
“Good luck, Chise,” Solomon called out to me, with a wave and a smile.
I looked over my shoulder as I left. “Thank you as well, Barbatos.”
He gave Diavolo, who had been quiet throughout the whole exchange, another brief glance. “...There is no need, Chise. I wish you excellent luck.”
“I guess the only part of the RAD grounds we haven’t searched at this point is the area behind the school…” Beel looked around with a serious expression as we walked down the less-maintained forest path. “Then again, there aren’t many spots to hide stuff out here. Besides a hole in one of the trees, or inside some bushes…”
My heart was sinking in my chest with each step we took. “Let’s… keep our eyes on the bushes for now. If we don’t find it, we can look up in the trees on the way back…”
If we made it that far.
He nodded as he took one side of the path to examine as we went along, while I took the other. We were both quiet now, slowly panicking as we tried to be thorough but quick in our search.
Until Beel paused to lean down a little further. “…Hey, I found something.”
“Beel?” I jogged up a bit to catch up with him. “A card?”
“Yeah.” He pulled it free from the branch with a smile, handing it over to me face-down. “You think this might be the one you’ve been looking for all this time?”
“Please, please…”
I pleaded to no one.
Beel rested his hand on my shoulder. “It’s okay, Chise.”
My fingers that gripped the card were trembling, but I let out a sigh at his touch. This steady demon of mine…
“…Found you! Heeey, Chise! Beelzebub!”
The kid. I looked down at the card in my hand for another moment, before turning towards him with a small smile.
He was running up the path towards us, all smiles. “Simeon said you’d be here, and sure enough!”
I held out my arms to meet his hug, carefully keeping the card turned over. “What’s going on? What happened to Simeon and Solomon?”
“Oh.” He scrunched his nose a bit. “Apparently they had to talk to Diavolo about something. They’re still back in the council room. So, I’m here to help you look for that card!”
“Actually…” Beel nodded to the card in my hand.
Luke stepped back with a gasp. “It can’t be–“
“It is,” Beel said with a smile. “We found it inside some bushes just now.”
“Is it the real card?!”
“We haven’t actually looked at it yet,” Beel answered for me. “So we don’t know for sure.”
I didn’t know if I could face this potential disappointment with the kid at my side, where I would have to try to hide my true depths of it. We hadn’t found another in a while. Time was running out.
“Well, what are you waiting for?” Luke bounced on his heels. “Take a look! What’s it say?!”
I flipped it.
I stared down at it.
We all did.
“It’s… It’s another fake,” I whispered to myself, feeling my eyes immediately well up with tears. “Another fake. Just another game.”
“‘Say a hundred nice things about someone else,’” Beel read quietly.
“What…” Luke frowned in disappointment. “This must be another one of Diavolo’s games! Ugh, honestly… What a letdown.”
“Yeah…” I swallowed. “All right. Let’s play.”
There wasn’t anything else I could do.
“But we don’t have TIME for that!” Luke protested. “It’s just a fake anyway. Let’s forget about it and move on to–“
He tried to move.
I sighed.
“Wh-What’s going on?! I can’t move my legs!”
“It’s the card’s magic,” Beel explained. “It’s not going to let us move until we do what it says.”
“What?!” Luke cried out again. “But we don’t have time for this!”
Beel sighed, trying to keep his patience as well. “Either way, we’d better go ahead and say a hundred nice things about someone. So, who should we compliment, Chise?”
I smiled at him. “Belphie should be an easy one, huh?
That put a smile on his face as well. “Belphie? Yeah, that will be easy. First of all, Belphie is kind.”
I nodded. “And he’s always watching out for others in his quiet way.”
“And he can fall asleep aaaanywhere in three seconds flat.”
“His pillow always smells nice.”
Luke frowned. “Is that even a compliment…?”
–
“Okay, whoa, hold on…” Luke raised his fingers up. “You realize you’ve rattled off way more than a hundred things about Belphie by now, right?! But we still can’t move, can we?!”
I stared at him in dismay. “We have?!”
Beel’s face fell. “That’s weird. I guess that means we still haven’t done what the card wants?”
Luke gave me a nervous glance. “All right, let’s start over. Oh! The whole reason we’re here searching is to help Chise out, right? That gives me an idea! Beelzebub, let’s say a hundred nice things about Chise!”
I blinked in confusion. “Huh? Me?”
“Okay then, here I go.” Beel immediately launched without a second guess. “Chise is brave.”
“Mmhm, yep!”
I hunched a bit. “Ugh…”
“And kind to everyone.”
“Yeah, definitely!”
“Chise is someone you can always count on.”
“Ooh, I totally know what you mean, yeah!”
“And Chise makes a great cockatrice fried rice omelette.”
Luke gave him an exasperated look.
“…And an amazing Orthrus bacon sandwich.”
“Beelzebub… You’re drooling.”
He blinked in surprise. “I am?”
Luke sighed. “You are. Once you get on the topic of food, nothing good ever comes of it. So why don’t you change the subject for now.”
“Okay.”
I looked between the two of them quietly, my heart squeezing in my chest. I hoped things could just… keep being like this. Somehow. Even if I didn’t make it.
“Since becoming a sorcerer, Chise is stronger than ever.”
“Ah, Beel…”
“Yeah, good! Keep it up!”
“Chise smells even better than a 4000-year-aged cheeseburger.”
“Wha! BEELZEBUB!”
“Chise is as irresistible as a piping hot inferno dog–“
“I said NO food!”
“–as cute as a poison strawberry vile soultrap mille-feuille, and–“
“Aaaand you’re not stopping…”
I giggled quietly, wishing in the moment that I’d begun to record all of this after all.
–
“Chise has nice handwriting. And…”
“This is it!” Luke whispered in excitement. “The next one is number one hundred!”
Beel met my eyes with a warm smile. “Just being around Chise makes me happy.”
“I love you so much, Beel. You make me happy too.”
The pressure in our shins suddenly released, making us all gasp.
“…I can move again!” Luke cried out with a grin as he looked down at his feet.
“Yeah,” Beel said with a relieved nod. “Looks like the spell is broken.”
“Aha…” I tucked my chin under with a blush. “The embarrassment hasn’t worn off yet, though…”
“This is no time to sit around feeling awkward because someone complimented you, Chise!” Luke chided me. “We have to find that card, and fast!”
I looked down at my D.D.D.’s screen with a sigh.
–
“Weird…” Beel muttered worriedly at my side. “It doesn’t make sense.”
“Yeah, I know,” Luke sighed in irritation. “We’ve searched high and low, and all we’ve been able to find are fake cards. I don’t get it.”
“Ah–“ I fumbled with my D.D.D. in my hand as it went off.
“Is that YOURS, Chise?!” Luke looked at me with excitement. “You think it might be Diavolo sending another hint?!”
Satan: There are any number of possible answers, but only one that’s ever true!
Chise: I love you, and your enthusiasm, very, very much.
Chise: But I’m busy at the moment.
Satan: 😉
I shook my head. “Not Diavolo.”
Luke scoffed as he read around my elbow. “What kind of message is that?! Is Satan poking fun at us or something?! We only have ten more minutes until four!”
Satan: The time limit is a hint.
Satan: If I explain it to you, you’ll be disqualified.
Satan: So I won’t say anything else, but I’m sure you can figure this out, Chise.
Luke frowned in confusion.
“The time limit is a hint…?” I looked between the two of them, also at a loss.
Beel shook his head. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
I wasn’t going to make it.
“Heyyyy!”
I wasn’t even surprised anymore, or the least bit energetic as I turned towards Solomon’s musical greeting from behind us.
“We’re finally here!”
“Sorry it took us so long,” Simeon said as he walked beside him. “Our conversation ran long.”
“Simeon! And Solomon, you came to help too!”
“Everything okay with you guys?” I asked quietly.
“Mmm.” Simeon took me into his arms.
“…Did you see the message I sent?!”
I looked up from over Simeon’s shoulder in actual surprise this time, drawn to the sound of Satan’s voice coming up from behind them as well as he jogged to catch up.
Beel’s brows were drawn together with genuine worry. “You mean about the time limit being a hint? Yeah…”
“Satan…” I kept my voice low. “I don’t know what you mean by that. And… the time. I don’t think…”
Simeon released me from his hug as Satan took me by my shoulders to give me a direct look. “Think about it. I know you can figure it out, dove.”
I shook my head.
“What are we going to do?!” Luke said in a high voice of anxiety. “We only have five more minutes until four p.m!”
I looked back down at the card in my hand.
You have until four p.m. today to complete this task.
“Four p.m…” Beel murmured to himself. “That’s when I have my mid-late-afternoon snack…”
“How many afternoon snacks do you have, anyway?!”
Further back… The whole picture… The whole of it.
Be within the student council chambers at eleven fifteen sharp, Chise.
“Wait…” Simeon’s eyes widened a bit. “Do you think he actually meant–“
“Right, yeah…” Solomon straightened. “Maybe he didn’t mean ‘You’re allowed to search until four p.m.,’ but rather, ‘After four p.m., you won’t be able to find it anymore’?”
Well, it’s close to the time to get inside, so let’s get goin’.
How do you know?
“Think about it,” Simeon continued in hushed excitement at the looks of confusion. “Twice a day at eleven and four, there’s a small demon who comes by RAD, right?”
My eyes widened.
Hey, check it out. That looks like Serun over by the mailbox. He’s picking up the mail. Guess that means it’s already eleven o’clock.
Beel’s eyes widened as well. “Oh, I get it. So the card must be hidden–"
“In the mailbox,” I finished for him, feeling faint.
I looked at the time on my D.D.D.
“B-But what are we supposed to do?!” Luke looked around at us all in panic. “We only have two more minutes until four p.m.!”
“Yeah…” Solomon gave me a worried look. “Even if we sprint the whole way, we can’t make it to the mailbox by then.”
“…Beel?!”
We all turned to him in shock as he abruptly changed into his demon form, wings spreading out from behind him as he locked eyes with mine.
“I’ll carry Chise there myself,” he said firmly. “I should be able to get us there in time in this form. Let’s go, Chise!”
“Do you trust me, Beel?” I whispered to him, as he put his arms around me to pick me up.
He blinked down in confusion. “Of course, Chise. With my whole life.”
I smiled warmly at him as I wrapped my arms around his broad middle. ”In the name of the sorcerer Chise–“
Solomon’s eyes widened. “Chise, what–“
"–I command you! Create a path where there is none!"
Simeon’s mouth dropped. “Teleportation magic?!”
“CHISE!” Solomon chided me in panic, arms raising. “Wait! Are you seriously planning on teleporting both yourself AND Beelzebub?!”
"–And lead us where we wish to go!"
“CHIS–"
–
We gasped as we both tumbled to into the courtyard together, with me rolling a little further away.
Terrible landing.
“…Chise,” Beel wheezed as he rolled to his knees. “Did you just use teleportation magic to bring both of us here?”
“The mailbox!” I gasped, pointing at it, though my eyes were glued to Serun striding towards it. “Serun! Card!”
“Right!” He nodded as he jumped to his feet, breaking out into a run.
“Smash!”
“Only choice,” he agreed. “I’m your assist number three. Well, here goes nothing! Hrraaaah!”
And with that, he was ripping it clean from his hinges with a roar of effort, metal shredding like goddamn paper as he tore it in half.
With poor Serun, scrambling back with a piercing shriek of abject fear, before falling straight onto his ass.
Beel panted as I met him at a crawl to where the pile of mail lay. “Is the card in there?!”
I saw it.
Beel saw it at the same time as me. “A glowing card…”
I reached, and touched it.
”…CONGRATULATIONS, CHISE!” came a booming voice from behind us. “Well done finding the card. That concludes your preliminary test. You pass.”
I abruptly relaxed with a sigh, the adrenaline fleeing my body all at once, leaving me a shaking huddling mess on the ground.
“CHISE! BEELZEBUB!” came Solomon’s voice shortly after. “Did you find it?!”
“From the looks of things, I’d say the answer is yes,” came Simeon’s voice next, smooth and sweet and proud of me.
“All right!” Luke cheered. “Way to go, Chise!”
“Good job, Chise,” Beel murmured to me as he pulled me into his lap. “Very good job.”
Satan was chuckling. “Beel? How long do you plan on staying like that?”
Beel looked around at his wings. “Oh, right…” And changed back, though he still held me as I shook.
“Thank you, everyone…”
I was very very stressed and felt very very strung out.
“Well, that’s one of your special skills, Chise.” Simeon was kneeling down beside us now, fingers running through my hair. “You make everyone around you want to help you.”
“Yeah, true,” Luke agreed with a grin. “When Chise needs something, I can’t help wanting to volunteer.”
“Well done, Chise.”
It was Lucifer’s deep voice that finally made me raise my head up from off of Beel’s chest.
He nodded at me with a smile, eyes shining fond. “That was a well-earned victory. Though as much as I’d love to celebrate your success… That mailbox was school property. I understand you were out of time, but even so, you chose to smash it?” He sighed. “Honestly, who would do that?”
I barked out a reluctant laugh at the absurdity of his sudden lecturing.
“Beel, you share responsibility for this. Couldn’t you have suggested some other way of retrieving the card?”
“Sorry…” Beel mumbled, shame-faced.
I caught sight of Barbatos bent at the waist further away behind him, helping poor Serun up with a pull of both his hands in his own.
Everything was just... normal again.
Solomon sighed in amusement, though there was relief in the sound as well. “Looks like Lucifer’s getting set to deliver another one of his endless lectures, huh?”
Satan shook his head with a smile as he looked down at me. “He acts like he’s mad, but I know what’s really going through his mind. He’s happy that Chise passed. You can see it on his face.”
“…Did you say something, Satan?”
He rolled his eyes. “Don’t pretend you didn’t hear what I just said.”
I sighed. “Is Mammon still a cat…?”
Diavolo burst out into cheerful laughter again.
“So…” Solomon nudged Simeon’s arm lightly with his elbow as they walked up the path leading to Purgatory Hall’s main doors. “We’re back.”
Simeon chuckled lightly as he watched while Luke was skipping on ahead. “We sure are. To be completely honest, I never thought we’d be back in Purgatory Hall again so soon.”
“Yeah, I know.” Luke spun back towards them with a nod, walking backwards for a bit. “It hasn’t been that long since our last stint in the exchange program.”
“Does this place bring back good memories for you?” Solomon’s voice was casually teasing.
“I-I mean!” Luke’s cheeks immediately went pink again as he scowled at the sorcerer. “It’s not like I WANTED to come back or anything, okay?!”
“Well, Luke?” Simeon jutted his chin forward with a smile. “We’re here. How about you go ahead and unlock the door?”
“Right…” Luke hopped forward, trying to hide his embarrassment while he fumbled for the familiar key.
–
Simeon sat close to Solomon on the sofa of their common room with a wistful sigh. “It hasn’t changed a bit, has it? Though, I guess there’s no reason why it would have.”
Solomon nodded as he draped his arm over the back of the couch behind Simeon. “You know, I sort of feel like I’m back home in a way.”
“Yes, I know what you mean.” Simeon turned to him with a smile. “It’s good to be back!”
Solomon started for a second as his grey eyes met Sim’s blue, face suddenly quite close. He had a very darling face. His features were so delicate, his smile so kind, eyes curved with the sincerity of it.
He smiled back at him as he enclosed the arm he had over the back of the couch around Simeon’s shoulders instead. “Yeah. Just like the House of Lamentation is Chise’s second home, this place holds a special place in our hearts as well.”
“Nothing beats the Celestial Realm, though…” Luke added in, though his voice was cheerful rather than homesick. “But I guess I’d be willing to think of this as my SECOND home, sure.”
“All right, what do you say we do this. To celebrate being back in our second home, let’s throw a party tonight!”
Solomon’s smile turned into a grin. “Hey, good idea! I’m in! I’ve been making sure to practise my cooking every day, you know?”
The other two blanched immediately.
“This will be a good chance for me to show off everything I’ve learned!”
“That’s won’t be necessary!” Luke cut in quickly. “I’ll do the cooking tonight! Just leave everything to me! PLEASE! No arguments!”
“Solomon…” Simeon fixed on a pained, loving smile as he leaned his head more towards him, resting his palm on his arm. “The thing is, Luke really wants to treat us to a meal. Just look how excited he is…”
“SO excited!”
“As his elders, why don’t we go ahead and let him handle this?”
Solomon looked between the two of them, brows drawn together. “Really…?”
“Sooo excited…”
“Well, in that case…” He relented with a nod. “I guess I wouldn’t mind letting Luke handle cooking duties tonight. All right! I’ll be sure to make a REAL feast for you sometime soon! So look forward to that!”
“Ahaha…” A touch of a grimace showed through Simeon’s smile as he patted Sol’s arm.
“Ahahaha… hah…” Luke sighed as he slunk towards the kitchen.
–
“Luke really seems to be in high spirits, huh?”
Simeon nodded against his shoulder. “Well, he’s been into baking for a while, but lately he seems to have developed an interest in cooking as well. He’s been working hard at The Angel’s Café as well, helping me run things there. He’s become quite the young manager.”
Solomon brushed his thumb down the other man’s shoulder. “…Simeon.”
“Yes?”
“When, Simeon…”
“…No, not yet.”
“This isn’t wise…”
“…I know you said it's unkind, but..." Simeon's voice wavered, and he had to pause to collect himself. To watch Luke for a moment, before continuing. "Just... Just look at him. He's happy, Solomon. How could I even think to take that away...? How is that not unkind too?"
Solomon’s arm left Simeon’s shoulders so that he could take both of his hands in his, to rest them in a ball on Simeon's lap. "You don't deserve to suffer for the sake of others, Simeon. And your friends want to support you. I want to. Chise wants to. Luke wants to, too. There can be new happiness, if you’d let us have it with you. You're being just as unkind to yourself, if not more."
Simeon sighed. "Are you saying that from experience?"
"Absolutely."
"Chise has really changed your perspective on some things, huh?"
Solomon gave him a small smile. "Maybe some new interpersonal reflections…"
He laughed lightly, though the sound was as sad as it was warm. "It's about time. The confidence suits you. You're more... open. You've been hiding in there for a very long time."
"And you've been hiding for your whole life."
"Ah, well... Touché..." He sighed again. "Maybe I haven't changed as much as I thought."
"Uh, excuse me?" Solomon raised his eyebrows. "You defied Michael, and your Father. You're here, in the Devildom. You have a café in the human world for star's sake. You HAVE changed, Simeon…”
Simeon’s eyes turned back towards the kitchen. “Maybe I haven’t decided if I approve of this new me yet… Maybe I’m afraid for him to meet those that loved who I was.”
“No.” Solomon put his arm back around him to pull him close, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “You have nothing to be–“
“Hey, guys!” Luke popped his head out from the kitchen with a grin. “Do you have a second?!”
Solomon nodded at him. “What’s up, Luke?”
“It turns out that the kitchen is fully stocked with everything we could need!” He beamed excitedly. “So what do you say we invite Chise and the others over to join us?! I’ll make us all a feast!”
Solomon squeezed Simeon by the shoulder with a smile. “What do you say, Sim? Want Chise to come over?”
“Oooh, good idea.” Simeon returned both of their smiles. “Instead of a ‘welcoming party,’ maybe we can call it a ‘glad to be back party’?”
“In that case, we’d better let them know ASAP.” Solomon reached for his D.D.D. on the table. “They might have already started dinner preparations over at the House of Lamentation.”
“Got it!” Luke was bouncing with excitement now. “I’ll let them know too! Who should I call? Chise? Or maybe Beelzebub… G’AH! I forgot! I was heating up some water, and I left the stove on!”
“Heh.” Solomon leaned back with his D.D.D. “Luke sure seems to be enjoying this.”
“Yeah,” Simeon agreed. “He claims he’s only here because he has to be, but he’s actually been looking forward to coming back to the Devildom. When I see him smiling like that… And seeing him with Chise today…”
Solomon sighed as he ran his fingers through Sim’s hair. “One day soon, she’s going to grab that necklace of yours…”
“I know.”
“Simeon… If this gets to the point where I have to choose…”
“Yeah,” Simeon replied quietly, leaning over to rest his cheek on Solomon again. “I know. I know. I’m sorry, Sol.”
Chapter 8: Chapter 65-A: Surrender Of Control
Notes:
....This chapter is like 8k words of smut wtf.
The SECOND smut scene goes to the end. And it’s… something that I’ve NEVER written before, and proooobably isn’t everyone’s thing lmao. It’s certainly not MY thing, but everything seemed to be leading up to this somehow? We do it for HIM this time.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
***
“You’re right,” Simeon said softly. “That’s what I needed. To be with them all again.”
“Your family,” Solomon agreed, naked with him, hard for him, and leaning forward on his knees in Simeon's bed. “Yours lovers. Your brothers. Your son. Under one roof again. You’re so loved…”
Another healing touch, where one kiss on his scarring led to another on his shoulder, led to another on his lips. A gentle removal of their clothes courtesy of Solomon, who undressed him slowly from behind to reveal his bared back, undressing himself slowly, until he turned him – the very best angel to have ever been born in the Celestial Realm – to face him.
“You bless me, you know that…?”
Solomon huffed a quiet laugh. “…If I neck heaven,” he murmured, with a kiss pressed to Simeon's skin, "you are there... And if I rest in sheol,” another kiss upon his neck, "...you are there.”
"Solomon..."
"I revere you..." He crossed the peak of his collarbone. "And I am fearfully and wholly made by you..."
"Hah... All right..." Simeon sighed as he closed his eyes, slowly settling back. "Oh that you, heaven, slay the harmful for me…”
"My dear ruah…”
Simeon snorted softly in amusement. "Blasphemer..."
"You're the one who just called me heaven." Solomon finally raised his face from the kisses he placed on Simeon's chest, with a teasing smile on his lips. "...And I sin for you gladly, in any case."
Simeon cupped Solomon's cheek, his thumb rubbing slowly on his skin. "Heaven is my home with you and Chise."
"Yes." He pressed Sim's hand tighter to his face. "Shalom, ahuvi. You're home here. With our sweet ahuvati."
“She once said that... she would be my refuge."
"Mmm." Solomon's smile widened a bit. "We will both be. And you are mine, and hers, and ours."
"You know," Simeon dropped his voice into a whisper, "being human doesn't seem all that terrible a curse after all."
"Yeah, well. You angels have always been foolish like th–"
Simeon cut him off, making him gasp in surprise as he abruptly rolled him. Rolled them, together, with Solomon on his back.
They stared at one another. Solomon, up at him, with awe. Simeon, down at him, with a loving smile, and soft eyes.
He leaned down, noses touching now, gazing into him. Down further, for their lips to meet. He laced his fingers in his, mouth rolling again his, body pressing against his, dragging his hands up to rest on either side of his head.
"Sim..." Solomon said hoarsely, between another kiss, another roll of his hips. He dragged his shin up against his slowly, before hooking it around the back of his thigh to pull him closer.
"Sol," Simeon murmured back to him as he pushed forward to lay Solomon down, pressing the backs of his hands to the pillow his head rested under. "I love you..."
“Ahuvi… I love y–"
Another kiss cut him off, while Simeon's knee nudged his thighs apart. He pressed his body down onto Solomon's a little heavier while his slid his hard member up against Solomon's own. Sol sighed shakily as they rubbed, rolling, pulsing their need against one another in the contractions of their muscles. Simeon left his mouth to trail kisses down, one hand leaving the lacing of his to trace along the curve of Solomon's jaw, for mouth and fingertip to meet under his chin.
"You're so good at this," Solomon breathed in a husky laugh as Simeon continued down the center of his throat, pressing light kisses to the swell of the apple there. "I want to make you feel good, too..."
"You always do," Simeon murmured between the feathery grazing of his lips as he reached his collarbone and beyond. "Feels so good to hear your beautiful moans, feels so good to be inside of you, feels so good to watch you finish from me, feels so good to finish in you..."
Solomon could only let out a shaky sigh now in response while Simeon continued down his chest, down to his belly, that swelled up and down from his quickening breaths. Down past the narrowing of his hips, where Sol's cock twitched against his throat in anticipation.
"Feels so good..." Simeon continued, as he reached the base of him. "You taste so good." Lips meeting his shaft, while Solomon whimpered lightly. Simeon laid his palms flat on his thighs to slide them up gently, while he tilted his head to the side to brush his lips, still feathery-soft, along the length of him. "Perfect, right here."
"Simeon..." Solomon swallowed the continued shake in his voice. "Please, need... Wet."
Simeon gave only a little, with a little smile to go along with it. A little lick of his wetted tongue on his tip, humming softly while he tasted the pre-cum that had begun to pool there, the sound sweet to Solomon's own ears. He shivered as Simeon ran the pads of his fingers up the length of him next, following along where he had trailed kisses.
"You're teasing... please," Solomon begged quietly, before a small smile of his own tugged at the corner of his lips. "After all I've done, don't I deserve a little more?"
"So much more," Simeon agreed, before daintily taking the hot, swollen head of Sol between his lips in a soft, wet suck. Solomon arched his back in a soft gasp at the moment of delivery, of both mouth and the gently squeeze of Simeon's hand at his base as he made a fist around his girth.
He swallowed him slowly, head pressing on further towards his lap while he ran his tongue in a curve around the circumference of him. Solomon let out a soft, high whine despite himself, a desperate sound, so unlike the control of his facade outside of the bedroom with him. A noise that he only revealed in his surrender, out of trust.
He went on and on about pleasing Simeon. But knowing that Solomon trusted him to relax himself in Simeon's presence when he worked so hard to be so human, to be the most powerful sorcerer, was pleasing enough to Sim. That he could draw it out of him.
He hummed again, low in his throat this time, as he continued down his shaft, back past the back of his throat, taking him down the vibrations of his throat, swallowed him nearly entirely. He paused there while Solomon let out another soft mewl again, muscles contracting as he breathed through his nose, before slowly sliding his lips up back to the under-swell of his swollen head.
Solomon choked on an impatient sob when Simeon flicked his tongue to taste him again, before swirling it there in the dip of his small slit. Simeon squeezed the base of him once more, before sliding his fist up slowly, through the slick of the saliva he left for it, while he swallowed down again to meet his knuckles. Solomon gave a soft roll of his hips while his head tipped back in a soft moan, fingers curling into his palms that rested near his head.
And then Simeon was sucking him, fisting him; parting, and then meeting, parting, and then meeting. Slow, wetting him as he allow himself to drool to wet his palm further, until he was slowly beginning to glide up and down, the bob of his head on Sol's lap increasing in its pace. Simeon's eyes were trained on Sol's chin, Sol's throat, as his lover tipped his head back again with a gasp while his spine arched upwards to push his chest up. His hands came down to curl his fingers into the sheets instead to grip them while he parted his thighs further in even more surrender.
Simeon blew him, up and down, humming, groaning for himself while Solomon squirmed beneath him. Trying not to test his patience, not to thrust himself straight past Simeon's fist and back down his throat again, to fuck his face proper. So hard to refrain. Not while Simeon's fist was there. But he slowly kicked his leg out, dragging his heel hard down the sheet of the bed while the toes of his other curled, his knee of the other drawn up for shin to meet thigh.
He was writhing now, head lolling back and forth, fingers flexing in the blankets, heel dragging up and down. An uncurling of his other knee while the other drew up to switch sides. And then again, and again.
Nearing.
"Simeonnn,” Sol choked hoarsely. "Nearly, nearly, Sim, ahuvi, please… Keeeep… goinng…"
Simeon groaned low in his throat again, his fist coming down now along with his mouth. No longer meeting in the middle, for longer strokes of both. Deeper past his lips, higher up with his fist. And faster.
“Ssssims…!” Solomon was keening with every heaving breath as he finally began to cut loose even further. Grinding up now, loosened, longer, thrusting up into Simeon's throat with even descent of Simeon's lips, Simeon's hand. His hips pumped now – small, but insistent. Insistently quickening Sim's blowing. Panting now, eyes glazing.
Simeon made another noise. A noise of begging. Pleading, a high whine, eyes still locked onto Solomon's face, his tensing jaw, his eyes squeezed shut.
“Going to…!”
Solomon’s words were cut short as he finally gave over. Tipped over. With a cry, with a sharp arch of his back, his fingers flying down to grip the roots of Simeon soft, dark hair, his cock began to pump his load.
Simeon groaned with a fluttering of his lashes as he felt him. Felt his release. His cock inside his mouth, the intensity of his seed rushing from his base to come erupting from his tip, making small sounds of the forceful push of it that rang between his ears. Then Solomon was sitting up with another cry, back curving the other way while he pushed Simeon further into his lap. Sim's hand left his base so that he could swallow him down, cock sliding into the back of his throat, for Sol's seed to release right down into it to fill his belly. Simeon didn't have to do anything further.
He allowed Solomon to push his head down while he rolled his hips up into him, using his mouth, his throat, to cum into. Simeon sucked a bit, rolled his tongue a bit, groaned, vibrating his chest and throat, but otherwise, remained still for him, fingers curling into the softness of his inner thighs while he let out a held breath through his nose as his eyes fluttered shut.
And then Solomon was groaning, the curve of his spine relaxing while he fell backwards to rest again with a final loll of his head. Bliss overtaking him as his groan gave way to a soft, tired panting. Release ended.
Simeon smiled over his softening cock as he slowly pulled off from him, a gentle lick at his tip to lap the final drooling that sent Solomon hissing lightly through his teeth. He dipped his head down to rest his cock gently into his mouth when he finally left it. Resting it there, wet and spilled.
He sat up with a sigh of satisfaction as he gazed down at his sweet, spent love, who slowly turned his head back to lock his eyes to Simeon's again while he panted. Sweet man, lax for him.
Simeon dipped his fingers into his own mouth, spitting lightly. Hole lax for him. He palmed himself now with the slickness of his saliva, before doing it again, one hand pushing Sol's knees up while he other gently wiped spit to his entrance. Solomon obeyed the arranging of his body, lips parted while he kept his eyes on Sim's own still, who held his gaze while he lubed him slowly. Spitting, rubbing, swirling, palming, a couple fingers pushing in to ready him that made Sol moan tiredly again.
Until Simeon was pushing the back of his thighs up further, his arm pushing against both the back of his knees, while his eyes left Sol's to guide his own throbbing cock to his entrance. Finding him there, and gently swirling his tip to wet himself further in the slick he had made.
He flicked his eyes to Solomon's flaccid cock, and then smiled in his gentle way at the sight of it twitching again. The first sight of second life, while Solomon watched him with bated breath.
"Relax," he reminded him softly.
Solomon nodded quietly, lips still parted, before his lashes fluttered with Simeon's push. And then a groan, when his push turned insistent. Inevitable. A gasp, when his tip began to enter, swelling with the spearing head of him. Curling his fingers into his palm again with a soft cry as Simeon's head worked itself in with a light popping sensation, signalling the swell of the underside had entered. And then a smooth pushing, a smooth filling of his inside, the pressure increasing under his tailbone, sliding, until Simeon seated within him fully. Lap meeting Sol's ass as Simeon ran his hands up the backs of his thighs to hold him under his knees.
"Good..." Simeon praised him with a smile, joined, thumbs grazing back and forth under his legs in approval.
Solomon groaned in response, feeling his half-hardening cock twitch its own pleasure as well.
"Need more time to stretch?"
He shook his head slowly. "Please, Sim..."
"Mmm..." Simeon gave a shiver of his own, before he began to move back experimentally, watching Sol's face. Who only groaned again with a fluttering of his lashes as his walls collapsed back in place from his absense. Tight, filled, but relaxed, wanting.
And then he pushed back in, just as slow, with Solomon's head lolling to the side. And then out, pulling out, absent again, thinning. And then thickening again.
"Please," Solomon whispered hoarsely in another beg. "Take me. Fuck me."
Simeon pushed harder, quicker on the next. Solomon moaned his pleasure and approval and beg with a tilt of his head. Smoothly, without pausing on either end now, Simeon began to quicken his pacing, back and forth in a rhythmic rocking of his hips. All the way in, and then pulled half out now. Smaller strokes, but quicker, and where Solomon needed him to be as he pushed up against the spot that sent a thrumming heat through his body. His cock was fully masted now, beginning to jounce against his body with every rock of Simeon's hips.
Simeon slid his palms up from under Solomon's knees to rest them on their tops now with a slight press, tilting his lover's hips back further for a tighter joining. Solomon gasped with a slow whine as he reached up to place his own palms over Simeon's knuckles, capturing his gaze with a nod of assent, pleading still in his eyes.
Simeon smiled back, and then thrust hard. A slamming, that made Solomon cry out. And then another slamming, and another, Simeon's smile fading into a parting of his own lips as his own pleasure thrummed from the tip of his cock inside of Solomon down his shaft to pool and spread and sear through his belly. He moved now for true, snapping his hips back and forth with a growing desperation of their own. How could Solomon not think he got enough, enveloped on his cock, speared as he was, while he cried out in time to Simeon's delivering blows inside of him? To finish in him after all that pressure, all that friction, that masturbated himself?
Simeon began to pant down, patient expression giving way to an intensity as he took for himself as well through Solomon's writhing. Slamming his hips, rutting hard, swallowed into his ass again and again, the heat and tightness of his walls pulling at him with every thrust. Sleeving him, he thought lewdly, sinfully, but fuck it, he took, love making long gone, a desperate reaching inside of Solomon now.
Wanting more, more, as the fire in his belly, the pleasure that sung along the length of his cock, built and seared. He began to pant in time with Solomon's cries and moans and mewls and groans, watching his lover come undone underneath him while he lolled his head back and forth uselessly in surrender of his body. Simeon pressed forward on his knees even further, folding him completely, making Solomon cry out his pleasure loudly with every full, slammed joining of them. Thrusting, thrusting.
Solomon's hand left the top of Simeon's to come down and grip his own bouncing cock that slapped on him noisily with its heft. He fisted himself furiously as his cries began to choke out hoarsely, his back arching again. Simeon nearly growled at the sounds of him, the sounds of them. The slapping of skin on skin every time they met in force, Solomon's choked cries, the friction of the sheets that rubbed underneath him.
Solomon was heaving breaths in and out now, cries now hoarse gasps for air as he neared, tears pricking the corners of his eyes as he began to glaze again.
“Sim, Sim, Simeon… Feels…” he gasped shakily, fisting himself desperately, movements skittering wildly as it fell out of rhythm. “Going t…” He gasped again. “Sim…!”
"Come on, Sol," Simeon begged him as he dug his nails into his knees while he quickened his pace. "Give me another, love. Let me see you cum. I'll give you mine. I'm going to cum. Going to cum."
"Mmnfgg!" Solomon could only reply, before he snapped again, his back arching sharp again, lashes fluttering again, mouth dropping open, fist stilling at the base in a hard grip, as he came.
He began to paint his stomach in milky-white splashes, ribbons of half-opacque seed erupting to cover him in streaks from belly to chest. His eyes rolled back as he gasped, rigid and shuddering and trembling hard, while his cock twitched in his hand with every pump of his cum on himself. Pulsing, pulsing, his whole body twitching with each contraction deep within him, deep inside his roughly massaged ass, that burned through his balls to erupt from him in hot strings.
Simeon groaned at the sight, glazed immediately, lips resting in a parting of his own, as he slammed into Solomon hard once more, to cum inside of him at the same time. He trembled his own release, filling him up hot with seed, eyes scouring the sight of Solomon, traveling up and down from his face twisted in pleasure and his body covered in the proof of it while his chest rose and fell in heaves.
Simeon came hard into him, cock twitching and pulsing and erupting into Solomon's guts while he left the marks of his nails that he dug into him on his knees. His body was snapped straight over top of Sol, belly heaving. And then slowing, groaning, his body sagging from his rigidity when he ended. Both of them sighing together in satisfaction. Exhaustion. Bliss. Relief.
Simeon gently parted Solomon's knees again so he could sink down and down, to rest, spent and tired, cheek pressed over Solomon's racing heart. Sol lazily hooked one around over around his back to hold him while he panted weakly, the rise and fall of his chest under Simeon's head. Both spent, blinking lazily. Simeon shakily wrapped his arms around Solomon's middle, pushing under his back to do so, to hold him, while Solomon's other hand came up to slide his fingers into his dampened hair. Not petting, just there. Trembling lightly as they rested against once another. Simeon felt his softening, but Solomon's grip was tight, even relaxed as he was.
Wordlessly, they nodded off together, still joined.
///
Mammon: The spell wore off! No more cat Mammon!
Mammon 🥳
Mammon: You wouldn’t believe how awful it was.
Mammon: Satan wouldn’t stop messing with me! He kept waving that cat toy around over and over and over.
Lucifer: Really? Because I heard that you loved it. That you were purring, in fact.
Mammon: Yo, I’m not a cat, OK?!
Mammon: 😤
Levi: I guess the transformation must’ve worn off when Chise found the real card, huh?
Mammon: Yo, Levi. You’re in charge of dinner tonight, right?
Mammon: Fix somethin’ special to make the Great Mammon feel better!
Levi: For example?
Mammon: I’m kinda feelin’ like shadow tuna sashimi.
Levi: 🙄
Lucifer: 🙄
“…Lucifer.” Diavolo shook his head grimly, arms crossed over his chest. “Take my advice, and reconsider what you’re about to do here. If you choose to do this, there’s no going back. Things will never be the same between the two of us. Are you sure you won’t end up regretting this?”
Lucifer had his eyes locked to Diavolo’s, with a casualness apathy that borderlined uncaring cruelty towards his lover. “Give it up, Diavolo. I’ve already made my decision.”
“Ahh…” Diavolo grimaced as his expression darkened into a look of bitter resignation. “How could you do this to me, Lucifer? You’d really move your bishop there? Seriously?”
“Time’s up, Diavolo. Your move.”
He sighed. “You truly are evil, you know that…?”
Lucifer sat back with a smirk. “You flatter me.”
“All right then, I’ll make my move. Here…”
“…Wait a minute.” Lucifer frowned as he straightened again. “What have you done?”
Diavolo’s face broke out into a beaming grin. “And just like that, the tables have turned! Looks like I have the advantage now.”
Lucifer sighed with exasperation. “And you accuse me of being evil? Take a look in the mirror.”
“Well, what can I say?” Diavolo chuckled. “Still, we both know that you don’t REALLY care which one of us wins at chess, do you? So, tell me, what’s the real reason you came to see me?”
Lucifer was silent for a moment as he studied the board. “…It’s about the RAD Sports Festival. I heard you’re dividing us into teams of three by drawing names at random.”
Diavolo raised his eyebrows in amusement. “That’s right.”
“I’d like you to make an exception for me, and allow me to specify who’s on my team.”
Diavolo shook his head, though his expression was still warm. “I’m afraid I can’t do that.”
“Really?” Lucifer finally flicked his eyes back to his, giving him a direct look. “There’s nothing I could say, or do, to make you reconsider?”
“No. I have to reject your request.” Diavolo’s face turned a tad more serious. More formal. “If I make an exception for you, then I’ll have to do the same for everyone who asks. You must know that, Lucifer.”
Lucifer tsked. “I am just ‘everyone’ now, am I?”
He merely chuckled.
Lucifer let out a heaving sigh. “If you could just hear my reasoning–"
“I’ve brought some tea for the two of you,” Barbatos cut in smoothly as he approached with a serving tray.
Diavolo went back to a friendly grin, nodding towards his butler genially as he set the platter down. “Thank you, Barbatos. It smells wonderful.”
Barbatos inclined his head towards Lucifer. “I assume you’d prefer your tea on the strong side as usuall, Lucifer?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“…Speaking of our teammates for the event,” Barbatos continued, as he bent to pour. “It just so happens that Mammon is on my team. Which already has me feeling very anxious.”
Lucifer grunted his sympathies. “You have my sincerest condolences, Barbatos. Do let me know if I have to kill him.”
“Simeon happens to be on my team as well, by the way,” he added in a softer voice, meeting Lucifer’s eyes while he said it.
Lucifer stared at him, eyes locked to his. “…Is that so?”
Diavolo chuckled good-naturedly. “I’m well aware of your reason for coming here today, Lucifer. You’re concerned about Simeon now that he’s lost his special powers. So you were hoping he could be on your team, weren’t you?” His expression softened. “Because if you can keep him close, you’ll be able to protect him.”
“…I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Lucifer leaned forward to grasp the handle of his teacup between his fingers, lifting it towards him. “I just came here for a game of chess.”
Diavolo snorted in amusement. “Yes, I’m sure you did. In any event, we’ve already drawn the names for each team. It’s too late to change them now.”
The corners of Lucifer’s lips quirked into a small smile. “As long as Barbatos is there, there won’t be any need for me to step in.”
Barbatos gave him a half-bow of acknowledgment.
“So, now that that’s settled…” Lucifer reached forward. “Checkmate.”
“Wh…!” Diavolo shot forward abruptly to assess the damage in shock. “Did you see that, Barbatos?! Just when you think you’re safe, he moves in and strikes the killing blow.”
“I take it I’m going to need to prepare a second cup of tea for the two of you?”
“Correct,” Diavolo replied in a near-growl. “All right, Lucifer. Time for a rematch.”
It was Lucifer’s turn to chuckle in amusement, shaking his head fondly.
“Though, since you are here anyway, Lucifer, and since you have me sooo cornered…” Diavolo gave him a hopeful look. “I’m wondering if I could get a little support from my dearest friend and ally?”
Lucifer’s amused chuckling abruptly ceased. “…You’re not fooling me, Diavolo. I know that look of yours. What is it that you want?”
“Oh, you know…” He tucked in his chin a bit so that he could blink prettily across the table at his dour opponent. “I was wondering if you could perhaps… cheer Chise up a bit?”
Lucifer returned his look with a baleful expression. "Cheer Chise up a bit?"
“She was so very… upset, you see. I was just wondering if you could perhaps talk to her, or…?”
“Me?” Lucifer rolled his eyes at him. “You think I am the one best suited?”
Diavolo blinked in confusion. “Why, well… yes? I mean, the two of you–"
He scoffed. "She needs a soft touch right now. Why not ask Barbatos?”
Barbatos flinched in surprise. “Me…?”
“Oh my. You’re not soft with her...?"
Lucifer gave him a Look. "Have you ever known me to be a soft man, Diavolo? Consider carefully."
Diavolo sunk down in his seat with a bit of a pout. “No…”
Barbatos sighed. "The day that I am the one who has come to be described as the softest..."
"You'd never have thought you'd live to see it, as ancient as you are."
"Indeed, my exact thoughts described."
"You two are so mean…” Diavolo took a breath, and then swung his puppy-dog gaze towards Barbatos, eyes pleading.
"...Young Master, are you suggesting I take leave from my duties to go on a date with Chise in order to pacify her current cross temperament, of which you were the cause?"
Diavolo smiled weakly. "Do you think it will work? Pleeeease? She’s so much HAPPIER after she’s spent time with you!"
He tutted in annoyance. "You do not have to beg me to spend time with my lady. I would... not need any such urging, or incentive."
Lucifer sighed in irritation. "Take care that she doesn't find out that you're trying to throw Barbatos at the problem, Diavolo. I can guarantee that the revelation would make the situation SO much worse. For the both of you.”
Diavolo wilted a little further. “Well… I won’t tell, if you don't.”
“Believe me, I will feign entire ignorance. But while we are on the subject…” Lucifer resumed his glowering at him while he crossed his arms. “If you’re looking to avoid stooping to such tactics in the future…”
Diavolo nodded eagerly for him to continue.
“I’m quite certain that she sees your treatment of her to be an underestimation of her capabilities. You belittle her in the same breath as you praise her, all the while insisting that she is of vital importance. Of course she feels like the token human, Diavolo. She IS the token human.”
“…Oh…”
He rolled his eyes as he continued. "You don't make her feel needed in her own right as the person that she is – only in that she is a symbol, and one that absolutely must exceed all expectations, or be excluded from the table entirely. I cannot believe that I am the one who is saying this, but you put a truly discriminatory amount of pressure on the girl at every turn.”
Diavolo stared at him for a good long moment, jaw dropped.
“…I’m in really big trouble with her, aren’t I…”
Barbatos sighed. “I think I am going to require a cup of tea for myself, as well…”
“Barbatos!” Diavolo gave him a serious look, eyes flashing with intensity. “You must do everything you can to make her feel like the princess that she is!”
Barbatos made a small sound of disgust. “Actually, if you’ll excuse me a moment, I believe I will be serving up the Demonus next instead.”
“Oh now that is just a GREAT idea! Please do that.”
"Fools…” Lucifer shook his head. “How the Devildom has stood this long with the two of you at its helm..."
“All right, everyone. No peeking, okay?”
“Okaaaay!” Asmo sang from the common room. “Oooh, I wonder what the surprise is!”
“Is it snacks?” Beel asked from behind his own hands covering his face. “I hope it’s snacks…”
“Maybe a human waffle maker?” Levi’s hopeful voice.
Beel gasped. “I would like that, too!”
“An espresso machine would be nice, actually,” I heard Belphie sigh.
“I dunno,” Mammon drawled with a tease. “Bet it’s somethin’ lame.”
I rolled my eyes as I entered the room. But of course, the only one who hadn’t obeyed me was Lucifer, who met my eyes with a blank expression as he pressed his fingertips to his temples. A headache, born of a hangover. Couldn’t say I pitied him in that case. Though I was about to give him another one.
His eyes flicked from mine down to what I was holding.
And what I held, was a calm Tinkerbell in my arms.
I’d had to ask Solomon to teleport her for me, given my penchant for teleporting into the air still to land on Satan.
Lucifer stared. And then glared. "...No."
"Too bad."
"I said no.”
Everyone opened their eyes in confusion at the exchange.
Satan’s stared in shock for a moment, before his knees buckled, and then gave out from beneath him entirely. He sunk to the floor with a high-pitched whine, a look of yearning bliss on his sweet face.
I shrugged. "You actually don't get a choice. I have a cat now."
"I will not allow–"
"She's my responsibility. Where she lives, I live." I raised my eyebrows at him. "Understand what I'm saying?"
"It will stay at Purgatory Hall."
"SHE will be staying RIGHT HERE!" Satan turned his face to look up at him while shouting. "AND HER NAME IS TINKERBELL!"
"Ooooh!" Asmo beamed at us as he hopped forward to pet her. "She's soooo cute!"
I smiled as I scritched under her chin as well. "Barbatos gave me permission."
Lucifer crossed his arms. "Barbatos has no say. And of COURSE he would–"
"I told him there was a rat!" I beamed at Lucifer. "And this was the compromise. Tinkerbell, or Barbatos ripping down the walls of HOL around our ears, brick by brick."
It's not like I had lied. We did have rats.
“Also, he told me to tell you to ‘make her happy’. Would you like to pet her, Lucifer?"
How could he glare any deeper? He managed to. "No."
"So she's staying, then.”
Lucifer growled at me darkly.
“Do you really, REALLY love me, Lucifer? As much as you say?” I batted my lashes at him. "...Am I not your little lamb?"
Satan had dragged himself into a crawl towards me, his legs seemingly useless under him. He finally reached and grabbed at my ankle with a blissful sigh. I giggled as I knelt down so he could greet her again.
She immediately started purring louder once he sunk his fingers into her fur.
"She remembers you!"
Satan whined.
“You only get ONE,” Lucifer said as he turned on his heel, and marched away. “But don’t come crying to me if it gets into the underground tomb and gets devoured by Cerberus.”
Good point. I’ll have to spell that stairway somehow.
"We wooooon!" Asmo sang. "We get to keep Tinkerbeeeell!"
"Now," I started to explain to Satan, "Solomon, Simeon, and Luke might request her royal presence at Purgatory Hall for a weekend every now and then. They've grown very attached to her too. Understand? No territorial behaviour. We share Tink with the world."
Satan could only nod with a whine as he kept petting her.
“Cool!” Levi said with a grin as he came over as well. “Um. As long as she doesn’t touch Henry.”
“Maybe she’ll be nice to sleep with,” Belphie said.
“Eh, all right, I guess I’ll allow it,” Mammon added, which made me roll my eyes again.
Finally. Finally. HOL had a cat.
“Also, Beel, if you eat her, I will never speak to you again.”
“And I’ll kill you,” Satan hissed fiercely under his breath.
Beel nodded with a serious expression. “I understand… It will be like how I didn't eat you when we first met.”
I narrowed my eyes. “…Okay.”
Didn’t want him to expand on that.
***
I knocked on Satan’s door, doing my best to hide my nervousness.
I’d planned this out for a while for him. Even practised it a bit…
”Come in.”
Of course it was okay if he rejected it. But it was a vulnerable thing for me, too, in a different way. I took a breath as I turned the handle to his room. He liked to tease me, but he kept it light-hearted, and never mean.
I’m sure he wouldn’t make me feel bad about it, if he wasn’t interested. But wouldn’t it always hang over us? Maybe for a bit–
I jumped with a squeak as Tinkerbell darted out with a weave through my legs.
“Aw…” He smiled as me as he came to meet me at his door. “Well, off she goes. She was being pretty patient anyway.”
I laughed with a shake of my head. “It comes as absolutely NO surprise that she was in here.”
He gave me a fake-hurt look. “Were you looking for her, then?”
I shook my head again. “I was just looking to hang out with the most handsome demon to ever walk the Devildom.”
He raised his eyebrows at me. “Here? In the House of Lamentation?”
I shut the door behind me with a smile.
He was studying me carefully. “What’s up, dove?”
I don’t know why I bothered trying to hide my nervousness around him. He was almost as bad as Belphie in how he could sense me now. Sensed… or just knew me deeply, intuiting emotions. Reading me. His partner.
He’d come a very long way.
“I also wanted to come here to thank him.” I took his hands in mine. “You were the one who figured out how to solve that stupid riddle. I literally finished with a single minute to spare because of you. If it weren’t for your hint, I’d have been kicked out of the program.”
He smiled warmly at me. “Thank me? I got everything I could possible want out of it, too. I get to keep you. Plus, you brought Tinkerbell here. I got two whole prizes out of my good deed.”
“Oh, okay…” My own smile turned into a smirk. “So I guess you don’t want the other surprise I got for you?” k
“Hmm…” He tilted his at me, intrigued. “I didn’t quite say that. You can surprise me whenever you wish.”
I trailed the tip of my finger down the center of his chest. "I have an idea that I've been thinking about. Would you like to try?"
He raised his eyebrows in bemusement, though his eyes flashed with intrigue. "That depends. Are you going to tell me what it is, first?"
I smirked at him. "See, you're smart. Not committing until you know the details."
He chuckled. "I'm only playing your game to humour you, little dove. I'll do anything for you, and you know it."
"Weeeell... You'll be the one experiencing magic this time."
His expression went from one of intrigue, to eagerness. "Is that so? I do like it when you show off your magic."
"But I'm going to need some extra permission here," I continued, "because I'll be calling on our pact, too."
He simply shrugged. "When a demon agrees to make a pact, they are agreeing to give up certain freedoms." A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Isn't that right, master?"
I'd gone into this hoping to be the one in control here, but damn if he wasn't always able to make me blush.
He chuckled, smirk widening.
"That's not the point!" I protested with a pout. "And I'm only that kind of master with Mammon and Levi when they get rowdy."
"Don't forget about Beel, our third most Chise-commanded brother when he goes for the entire fridge. However..." He relented on his teasing, smiling now as he trailed the back of his knuckles down my arm. "I pacted with you because I trust that you wouldn't do me harm, dove. Call on it when you will."
"You SAY that, but..." I pressed my finger lightly to the tip of his nose. "You're not exactly one who's happy to give control away. In fact, you're quite fond of keeping it."
He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Am I? I hadn't thought about it."
"You are," I insisted. "So if I use our pact to stop you from moving... Or touching...?"
He laughed. "I suppose that WOULD be a new experience for me, yeah. But I'm not opposed to the idea."
"Would you please tell me if it gets to be too much...?"
He nodded immediately. "Absolutely. You have my word."
"I'm trusting you, okay?"
"Good. I'm trusting you, too." His eyes sparkled in delight. "Plus, I like seeing this confident side of you. You've come a long way since you first came to the Devildom, you know...?"
"Oh, shut up..." I was blushing again with a little smile. “Now take off your shirt, Satan."
“Jumping right in?” That flirty look that I so loved was back in his eyes again. "That wasn't a command, I noticed."
"Did you?" It was my turn to smirk at him as I took a step towards him, towards his bed. "Well, aren't I being nice. For now."
"Hmm..." He took a step backwards to follow me as well, his arms crossing to pull up the hem of his shirt until it was lifted off over his head.
My eyes ran up and down his lean form hungrily. "You're so sexy…"
“Are you going to let me see you?”
“A little bit…” I giggled self-consciously as I slowly pulled my own shirt up over my head, aware of his hungry stare. “For now…”
I wiggled out of my pants, before stepping out of them.
“Chise…” He shook his head. “How did I get so lucky? You’re truly beautiful.”
I took another step forward. “You are too, you know… You truly are the most beautiful demon.”
He took a step back, shins bumping against his bed. “As long as you think so.”
Another step forward for me, with no where else for him to go.
"Lay back," I whispered, laying my palm in the center of his chest to push him down lightly. "Flat on your back..." Leaning down with him, over top of him, to press a kiss to his lips.
He was stroking my arms, my shoulders, making his way up to run his fingers along the shape of my jaw while we both rolled soft kisses against one another. He shifted to the side so that he laid himself out properly length-wise down the bed, allowing me to truly slide over top of him. My hand slid up from his chest, up his neck, to cup against his cheek while I sighed into his mouth.
“Now…” I licked at his lips lightly, flirtatiously. "Hands above your head.”
He gasped in shock as his hands abruptly wrenched themselves upwards to pin themselves above him, the sudden jerk of it breaking our kisses, leaving him staring at me, wide-eyed.
I smiled sweetly as I reached up to adjust them, clasping his hands together for him as though he were bound and tied there. "Okay?"
He laughed softly. "I'm okay."
"You'll stay like that,” I kept commanding, "until I release you…”
And then I leaned down again, taking his chin firmly with my fingers, holding him in place to lock my eyes to his.
"...Until you beg me to release you. To let you touch me. That's going to be the game, Satan. How long can you resist not touching me?"
"Hells, Chise..." He was going pink in the face as his glittering green eyes held mine. "You are... so sexy."
I simply smiled as I slowly walked myself back on my knees, down his body, slowly, laying a hand back on his chest to trail it down along with me. Until I settled down in a straddle on his mid-thighs.
He watched me, committed to breathing evenly still, as my fingers undid the clasps of his belt. And then his button. And then the zip. I dragged the belt apart further with a tug through the belt loops, smoothing his fly open with my palms. I giggled at the sight of the straining bulge in his pants twitching in his excitement, making him laugh softly as well.
He hummed with a smile as I began to see-saw his pants and boxers down over his hips. "You know, I don't exactly know what sort of game you're intending to play with me, but it seems to me that I'm the one who wins out no matter how I look at it."
"You think so...?" I leaned over to plant trailing kisses from his navel downwards, following the slow pull of his clothes.
"It might be a struggle not to touch you, sure, but it seems that I'll still nnmmff. Nnkk. Ah..."
His chest heaved a few times when I caught him off guard to kiss at the base of his cock that I now had half revealed, while I ran my fingertips lightly over his straining shaft.
"What was that, love...?"
"Hah... Ah..." He tilted his head back with a sigh as his cock was pulled free by me to bounce up, hitting my chin lightly. "I-I mean. I'll..."
"Plan on holding out...?" I murmured, before giving the engorged head of him a little lick, making him gasp again. "You don't have to touch me to cum..."
"Mmm... H-Hells, Chise..."
"Don't have to touch me for me to..." I licked him again. "Blow you, and then ride you, until you cum..."
"Ch-Chise..."
"Here are the rules..." I curled my hand around the base of his cock in a fist, pointing it towards my lips. "If you need to stop everything completely, you'll say red light. If you need to pause and check in, to talk, you'll say yellow light."
"Mm... Sure..."
"And when you're begging to touch me, and can't take it anymore..." I looked up at him with another smirk. "You'll say green light, okay?"
"Hah..." He swallowed as he watched my lips near the tip of his cock. "What if I don't. Nnk. Say any of those."
"Then eventually I'll let you cum. Without touching me. But once you cum... It's over. Scene ends."
He shook his head with a look of bemusement. “Well. Rules are rules."
"Yes..."
I slipped him between my lips with a sigh, my jaw slowly stretching, widening as I took his pulsing member into my wet mouth. He bit his lip with a soft groan, cheeks pink as he watched his cock be swallowed in by me, inch by bare inch. I huffed through my nose as I strained through it, eyes already watering, while I held his gaze.
Already as far as he could go. The fist I held firm over his shaft bumped up to my lips that I pressed around him, to keep him from forcing any further in.
But he tried anyway, with a cheeky thrust of his hips, skittering through my teeth.
I held firm, squeezing with my lips, my fist, pressing on the underside of him with my tongue, before moving my head back with an exhale through my nose. And then swallowing again, his shaft slick and wet now, back again, slow, the shallow ridges bumping in small swells through the press of my lips. He sighed as he relaxed into it, his thighs relaxing further apart with a small roll of his hips.
Back and forth, up and down, I blew him, a slow yet firm working of my mouth, lips, tongue, and hand. He was wet from my drool. I was pushing myself. It was slow anyway. May as well. And he was hissing once I reached the depths that I could. Holding back. He liked face fucking me. But he was being very good, and very patient. Curious, I suppose, about the game, and not wanting to end it too soon for himself.
I had the satisfaction of making him gasp again as my other hand came up to palm lightly against his balls. I took both of them in my hand to roll them gently, side to side, in little waves, a little rhythm that I matched with my slight increase in speed of my mouth on his cock. I rode him like a wave, steadily, no pauses, just an ebb and flow, feeling a steady rise in the shake of his thighs around my head. His fingers curled in their 'restraint', his toes following suit as he turned his face to the side to blow out air to keep himself in control.
Red in the face, though. And desperation in his eyes.
I squeezed his cock hard, my next swallow a jamming of him right down to the back of my throat. It got the reaction I wanted. A sudden cry from his lips as he threw his head back, his hips tensing as he lifted his knees up. I bobbed now, up and down on him, pressing his balls flat up against him to roll between himself and my palm while I fisted his drool-wetted shaft hard and fast. I didn't take him in as deep, but I was huffing as I sucked the swollen head of him earnestly, eyes watering again, lips and chin wet while my drool soaked his cock.
"Oh sh, oh shh, oh shit Chise!" he cried out again with a hard buck of his hips that made me choke noisily. "Fuck fuck fuck you feel– That feels– Please!”
I moaned lightly in my throat while I took him as hard and as fast as I could. He was thrashing now, bucking, thrusting, trying to fuck my face. Couldn't. Not in the way he truly wanted to. Otherwise he would be holding my head down to his lap with his hands while he bucked into me to make me gag on him. He'd be rutting and growling while I squirmed and choked until he blew his load down my throat, or flipped me to take me the rest of the way.
But he couldn't, restrained as he was. He kicked his legs out with another cry, trying to his his face in his shoulders, the toned muscles of his arms, chest, and abdomen flexing tantalizingly. He bucked, and I gurgled wetly, did make a choking sound for him, but I was able to dodge away from the worst of it while he thrashed for me.
"CHISE OKAY SERIOUSLY!" he finally cried out as he tried to withdraw this time rather than chase for more. “YELLOW DON'T END YET."
My lips left him with a wet pop, and I giggled weakly at his next desperate whine, before giving myself time to pant and catch my breath.
Which he was likewise doing, trying to calm himself as his feet still squirmed under me, hips twitching as he fought off his near-release, fought not to cum even with me no longer on him. His chest rose and fell with his heaving breaths as he struggled for control again, mouth open and face red.
“You okay, Satan?”
“Mmff…” The sound was terse and strained as he glared at me. “Yesss…”
"Ahhh, poor baby..." I cooed in amusement, though a bit hoarsely.
He simply groaned as his head lolled to the other side, eyes squeezing shut.
"No green light yet? Could have held me down, could have came right down my throat, filled my belly right up with your hot–"
"Sssstop...!" he begged with another groan. "Otherwise..."
"Hmm. Too close, even with no touch?"
"Mmmff... Just... Give me a minute." He resumed his panting as he tipped his head back, pointedly not looking at me. But slowly, regaining his breath, his cock twitching a little less rhythmically.
I smirked down at him while I watched his struggle. "Harder than you thought it'd be?"
He finally let out a more even sigh. "Hush, you..."
"Honestly," I continued to coo, "I hadn't even planned on that part. I mean, I was definitely going to start off with sucking your cock–"
"Chise pleeease..."
“–but I didn't really think about that being part of my little game. It was just supposed to be a light little appetizer to wet you." I trailed little circled over his belly with my fingertip. "So let me know when you're ready for the main course, baby."
"Fuck..." he huffed, giving his eyes on more big squeeze, before opening them to meet mine again.
I rolled lightly from over top of him, landing my feet on the floor to stand beside the bed. "Still want to win, huh?"
He sighed in amused frustration, his eyes glued to my chest as I unclasped my bra from behind me to let it fall to the ground. "What does winning even mean here...?"
"I don't know..." I hooked my thumbs into the band of my panties. "You either get to cum without touching me, or cum while touching me."
He laughed under his breath while he shook his head, before biting his lip at the sight of me stepping out of my underwear to stand naked before him.
I swung my knee back over the bed, to the other side of his. Straddling once more.
"Personally...?" I was walking forward again on my knees, leaning down to kiss his neck. "I think you'll like touching me. I think you'll beg for it."
"Is there even a winner or loser in this...?"
I lifted my head up to smile at him. "You're going to beg me, you're going to give up all of your self control, and it's going to feel SO good when I let you. But you're going to be sooo embarrassed after, so much so that you're not even going to want to look at me. It's going to be VERY cute..."
He was going pink in the cheeks again, but self-consciously, with a pressing of his lips.
"One option is going to be embarrassing, while the other is going to be SUPER embarrassing. So, which one sounds more like winning to you?" I moved up a little more to brush my lips against his. "That's actually going to be all up to you. What are you going to trade?"
There was a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. "I cannot even imagine what you could possibly do to me to make me feel like that."
"Remember, Satan. Red, yellow, green." I brushed another kiss to him. "It's okay if you don't want to play. The moment I show you what I’m really getting at, you can say red."
He snorted softly, a look of defiance in his eyes now. "I'm good. I'll play."
I smiled at him. Of course he would. His ego demanded it of him, now that he'd been challenged.
I lifted myself up on my knees again, sitting up above him, before positioning myself over top of him exactly where I needed to be. Where he wanted me to be. The desperate desire in his eyes burned into mine, and my smile turned into a smirk as I slowly sank down into a straddle. Until the head of his cock came to slide between my folds, to rest at my entrance.
"Ready, heart?"
He shuddered underneath me. "I want to be inside of you."
"I want your cock inside of me." I trailed my fingers up along his length. "You have a very good cock, Satan."
He swallowed, face going pink. "You feel very good to be inside of. Tight… To fill."
It was my turn to shudder at his words, as I began to sink down on him. Pushing against the tighter resistance of myself, the tighter fit of his swollen head, until we both let out deep sighs as he tugged into me. His chin lifted with a strained huff from his lips as I kept up my sinking, opening for him, as he stretched me. My lips parted at the shallow breath I took the moment the gently curve of him pressed through the soft spot of my g-spot, before gliding past and up, swollen inside of me, until I seated.
"Fuck..." He breathed out the swear with a momentary squeeze of his eyes shut, before meeting my gaze again. Both of our chests rising and falling in uneven breaths. My belly thrummed where the tip of him lay in me, pooling heat, flaring with desire.
"What a good cock," I whispered, voice hoarse. "Feels so good to ride."
His chest rose a little higher with a deeper breath at my words.
"One day..." I began to lift my hips, slowly sliding him out of me. "This cock is going to fill me up, to make a baby."
He immediately hissed through his teeth, expression going fierce. “Don’t. Or I'll do that for real. Right now."
I giggled softly as I lowered again. "So desperate..."
He was panting heavier again. "J-Just. Just. Do what you want. Please."
I began to ride a little faster, rising and falling onto his lap, my thighs shaking with my need. I leaned down to press my palms to either side of his ribcage to hold myself up, tilting my pelvis to lean over him, making him groan from the new position while my pussy pulled up and down on his cock.
Slick, wet for him, the evidence slowly increasing in volume in our ears, gliding up and down on him easily now that he was inside and I'd accepted him. He groaned at the noise with a thrust of his hips. And then another, and another, following my measured pace. Both of us wanting him so badly to wrap his arms around me to hold me in place for him to wildly take instead.
But his hands stayed above him, restrained. So he pumped his hips, with me swallowing the top half of him, until it turned into deeper thrusting, longer strokes, from tip to base, that elicited a drawn-out moan from me as he began to pierce deep. We went from a slow beginning to a crass rutting of each other, harder, faster, familiar to us, no need to hold back. I clocked my head against his jaw with a cry as he began to take me wildly from below. I was shuddering. Flexing. Tensing. It was time.
"H... Hear me!” I cried out into his neck, my eyes squeezed shut. "Grant me temporary form, so that I appear as an animal!"
His eyes went wide as his pace slowed. "Wait, what?"
"I would take the form of a feline!" I sat back up with a desperate gasp for air. "Chise the sorcerer commands thee, let it be done!"
He stared at me as he watched the change, thrusts ceased entirely in his shock while I continued to bounce on him.
It didn't take long. Solomon's had been immediate when he had changed us all, but mine gripped a little slower. The felt-like ears spread from the top of my head, and I felt the fur that soon covered my cheeks and back and hips and thighs warm me. I felt an odd sensation of whiskers that licked the air with a new sense for me. I felt how my nails curved and sharpened a bit. Not a full transformation, of course. Anthropomorphic. But enough.
I felt my tail drag smoothly along his thighs, his knees, from behind me. Soft, and part of me. A muscle that was there and I seemed to immediately grasp. I gave it a twitch for demonstration. And then a longer swipe.
It was certainly an odd feeling. But this wasn't for me. It was for him.
But the expression on his face…
THAT was my thing. The look on his face. That was for me.
I smiled at him with pointed fangs.
"Chise..." he breathed, cheeks going pink.
I giggled breathlessly as I leaned forward, pressing my forehead to his jaw to rub against him with a flick of my ears.
And then I looked at him, before giving the tip of his nose a dainty little lick. "Meow..."
He cried out with a slam of his hips that sent his cock searing right into me.
I screeched at the sudden piercing of my cervix, eyes squeezed tightly as he took me wildly again, desperate, open-mouthed cries ripping from his throat while he slammed his cock up into me with a force that knocked my breath out again and again from my lung. I cried out with every sharp joining, one hand on his belly, the other pressed to my own, while I let him take me like a starved animal.
My tail came around to drag over his belly as well. Weakly, glazed, half-closed, my cat-pupiled eyes met his again, my mouth open in a gentle o with my pleasure while I began to choke on my cries. I shuddered, and went rigid. I came. Rocked back and forth harshly. Lashes fluttering. The heat in my belly exploding into a white hot pleasure that shot through my entire body, thrumming, contracting. Contracting on him, tightening in pulses around his thick cock.
"Chise, Chise, Chise! Let me touch you, want to touch you!"
"S... Say it..." My voice was forced out through the tightness of my throat.
"Green green green–!”
"Satannn..." I moaned weakly. "I release you..."
“–GREEN! OH HELLS."
He sat up to throw his arms around me with a cry as he kept slamming into me. One hand slid up hard over my spine to the back of my neck, before he dragged his fingers up through my hair to scratch his nails near the base of one of my cat ears. Oh fuck. I immediately shuddered with a moan as my rhythmic bouncing on his cock skitted with another flush of pleasure his touch gave me, thrusting me up into another high, another peak. His other hand was sliding down my tailbone to grasp gently at the base of my tail, before smoothing the length of it through his palm while he choked emotionally.
I felt myself begin to purr, my eyes rolling back with hoarse, mewling moans while I shuddered with each desperate thrust of his hips. I rocked against the rhythm while I continued cumming, continued contracting.
I yelped as he abruptly rolled us. On me now, driving into me, driving while I gasped at the shockwaves that pulsed hard in my belly with every spearing of him. I couldn’t tell if it was the slamming of him into my cervix that felt so fiercely hot, or the electricity of my orgasm that originated there as it shot through the rest of my body.
“Chiseee…” He pressed his face into my soft, fuzzy neck with a broken-sounding sob. "I'm gonna cuuuuummm..."
I mewled against him again. And again. Little strained meows that I pushed out of me in force, the purr in my chest rumbling up my neck and vibrating against his face.
He thrusted with a cry, thrusted and thrusted, cumming, thrusting through it, spilling seed as he fucked my body desperately, the sound lewd and wet and messy as he smothered us both with hot seed from within. He stroked and weaved my tail through his fingers with a surprising gentleness despite the rest of his shuddering rigidity.
And it was hot. His cum was exceptionally hot, even for him. I gasped sharply, eyes widened with the shock of it as it seared. It burned a bit. Not to the point of really harming me, but it did burn. I said nothing, shuddering as it stoked my fire further. I simply came again, the orgasm blooming hard through my now-limp body, making me groan uselessly as I was dragged down into the undertow of its flood, lost within it entirely.
His desperate cries were turning into deep, rumbling moans as his thrusts came to a circular grind inside of me instead. He brought my tail up to caress it against his cheek, seemingly absently as his body began to relax, as his eyes began to glaze over, the fog beginning to grip at him. I cupped his face gently to have him look at me properly. Bliss in our expressions, as we gazed. He looked at me in a vague sort of awe, a quiet worship, a slow blinking of his eyes.
He sighed out a held breath as he began to descend. I followed suit, closing my eyes for a moment as exhaustion rolled over me as well. He ran a shaky hand down the soft curve of my waist, petting me lightly.
“…You feel so nice..." he whispered shakily, the words almost sounding broken. "I... I didn't..."
“I know…" I smiled at him, shaky and weak, but still sincere. "You okay...?"
He swallowed, cheeks going bright red. "Don't tell... anyone…? This… was…"
"You know I won't." I kissed the tip of his nose lightly. "Just us. Just me."
He sighed out his relief. "Sorry for... asking..."
I giggled lightly. "I warned you, right…?” I hummed softly in satisfaction. “So, which was it? Did you end up winning the game...?"
He sucked in a shaky breath as he pressed his cheek back over top of my slowing heart. "...Y-Yeah… I… I won..."
And I won, too. Taking his control away, to give him this. Truly relaxed, truly surrendering to me, truly trusting. We'd both won. I giggled again as I felt his cum begin to leak through our joining with his softening inside of me.
No losers here.
Notes:
I don’t even know how to tag this? What genre is it? Cosplay? Roleplay? ……..Is this furry sex? Please advise...
Chapter 9: Chapter 65-B: The Bloody Hunt
Notes:
Yeah… I didn’t get assigned to the 400-metre hurdle sprint in grade 7.
Anyway, I literally did not proofread this at all. Typed the last word and pressed play. Byeeee.
Chapter Text
Solomon: 🙋
Solomon: I'd like to ask you something if I could.
Solomon: It's about the RAD sports festival.
Diavolo: What would you like to know?
Solomon: I was wondering if you've finished deciding who's going to be on what team?
Diavolo: We have, yes.
Solomon: This might seem like a weird thing to ask, but...
Solomon: I'm sort of curious to know who's on Simeon's team...
Diavolo: 😊
Solomon: Hmm?
Diavolo: 😊
Solomon: I'm not exactly sure what you're trying to tell me here, but...
Solomon: Can I take that to mean that I shouldn't worry?
Diavolo: 😊
Solomon: 😊 Thank you.
“This doesn’t make sense. It’s just wrong. You and I didn’t even want to play that game with Levi in the first place, Satan… So why are we being forced to watch anime with him as a penalty for losing?”
Satan sighed, staring at the screen before them glumly without seeing. “Just grin and bear it, Belphie. Have you forgotten that he nearly summoned Lotan on us earlier?”
“You two!” Levi snapped at them, mouth in a flat line. “Pay attention! This is no ordinary episode of Magical, Mysterious Jane: Peony Phantom, okay? ‘A Pretty Peony Sports Festivall!’ is truly a god-tier episode! The writing in this episode is amazing, but what’s better is the direction.”
Belphie blew out an impatient breath through his nose, chin resting heavily in his palm.
“The way Jane stands there with her signature ponytails and red headband tied around her head, it seems impossible for her to lose. And then when she finally passes through the finish line, it’s like the director knew exactly how to pull on fans’ heartstrings. Seriously, at one point, I swear I might have directed this episode myself with how the things I love about this show hits on the emotional aspect of the plot!”
“Speaking of sports festivals…” Satan turned to Belphie. “RAD is going to be holding one soon, huh?”
Belphie, the Avatar of Sloth himself, sighed at the idea. “Yeah, now that you mention it, I guess that’s true.”
“NOOOOO!” Levi sat forward with an eager whine, despite his words. “The girls tripped and fell on top of each other while running the centipede race! Look at Jane…”
“Pervert…”
“‘The centipede race’?” Belphie frowned as he looked across from them again. “Ah, that must be their word for a demonpede race. Meh, what’s the point of racing with their legs tied together, anyway?”
“We’re talking about JANE and company tumbling down during the race!” Levi snapped again. “Surely there is some special meaning to that!”
Belphie shrugged noncommittally. “Doubt it. That just seems like a good way to wear yourself out. Oh, but…” A quirk of a smile met his lips. “If Lucifer was the one to trip and fall, then I’d probably want to see that.”
Satan sat up straighter, immediately intrigued, gears turning in his head. A slow smile spread over his face. “That’s it!”
–
“Solomon. We want to ask you a favour. One that involves putting your renowned magical skills to use.”
Solomon quirked an amused eyebrow at them both, and what Satan held in his hands, while crossing his legs as he leaned back in his chair in his room.
“We need you to put an enchantment on this rope. …And no questions.”
Solomon brought his tea up to his lips to hide his smile. “Not going to ask your sweetheart, you two?”
“We’re talking about a very strong enchantment,” Belphie answered. “You’re known for that talent, specifically. We need to make it so that you won’t be able to break free of it easily.”
Satan looked a tad sheepish. “And Chise, err, sometimes misses the little details. Too broad still.”
Didn’t want the thing to attack them as though it had a mind of its own and latch to their legs against their will… permanently.
“Hmm…” Solomon’s smile widened. “I notice that you both seem to be grinning. Would this happen to involve Lucifer?”
Satan scowled. “Didn’t I tell you not to ask questions? …Just as Lucifer is about to make it to the finish line, we’ll use this rope to trip him up.” Another devious smile spread across his face as he looked down upon his weapon in his lap. “Right when he’s so close to victory that he can taste it, he’ll suffer the agony of defeat…”
“…So much for not answering questions,” Belphie sighed.
But Satan giggled, far gone. “I can picture it now. That unbearably arrogant look on his face morphing into one of pain and anguish… It’ll be a sight to see. Hehehehehe…”
Belphie glowered from out of the corner of his eye. “Um, Satan… You’re saying everything that’s running through your head out loud.”
“Eh, I figured it was something like that anyway.” Solomon shrugged as he leaned forward to take the rope from Satan. “So why not!”
Satan brightened. “I knew it!”
Both demon brothers felt the crackling of strong magical energy that swept over the hemp from Solomon’s grip on it. Very strong. Good. Good.
“Here you go.” He held it out to hand it back. “I’ve put an enchantment on the rope. As soon as someone’s legs are entangled in it, the enchantment will trigger. Breaking free of it won’t be a simple matter.”
Belphie smiled one of his rare, appreciative smiles. “Thank you, Solomon.”
He nodded, before looking at Satan directly. “If you’re going to use it on Lucifer himself, you might want to reinforce the enchantment using a magic item of some sort. Just to be on the safe side.”
“Okay then!” Satan leapt to his feet with a grin as he ran his fingers over his treasure. “We’ll stop by Hocus Pocus on the way home.”
“Right,” Belphie agreed as he stood slower. “We need to make this rope so strong that not even Lucifer will stand a chance against it.”
“Levi. Pass me the Death’s Door sauce.”
“Say please, Beel,” I chided.
“Right… Levi. Please pass me the Death’s Door sauce.”
He was the only one I could get to do that without complaint.
“Again?” Levi shook his head with a look of disbelief. “You’ve practically buried your food in it at this point. It’s weird enough that you want to eat something so spicy in the morning for breakfast, and you’re telling me you want to add MORE?”
He shrugged. “I like the extra spicy kick. Makes it taste better.”
“Oh, come on.” Levi rolled his eyes. “Since when do you fuss over flavour? I mean, your whole ’thing’ is that you’ll eat anything that fits into your mouth.”
“Hey, that’s enough,” Satan scolded. “It’s too early for stupid arguments. You’re ruining breakfast.”
“Pass it, Levi,” I ordered. “He said please.”
Levi grumbled as he handed it over. “There’s nothing stupid about it… I made breakfast this morning, and now Beel is insulting my work! You get what I’m saying, right Chise? You must know how I feel…”
I shrugged. “My grandpa used to put horseradish and pickles on his peanut butter and jelly toast in the mornings. Beel’s isn’t weird in the least.”
Beel looked over at me, intrigued. “Is that good…?”
“No, Beel. It’s weird as hell, and I’d judge you for it. Anyway, just let people have their preferences.”
“Preferences?” Levi shook his head again. “Well sure, but still! There’s such a thing as going too far, right? Some things are just wrong!”
“Yeah, well. Strawberry jam, peanut butter, horseradish, and relish is wrong. Hot sauce on eggs isn’t bad.”
Beel slurped, eyes sparkling.
“No, Beel.”
“Here Beel,” Belphie said sweetly from beside him. “You can have my bacon.”
“Thanks Belphie.” Beel smiled warmly back. “I can always count on you to come through for me.”
“Wh… You didn’t even listen to a word I said, Beel! But you’re listening to Chise and Belphie!”
“Whatever.” Mammon rolled his eyes. “Changin’ the subject, I hear we’ve got that thing comin’ up soon. Uh, what was it called again? Like, y’know… the thing.”
I nodded sagely. “The things.”
“Shaddup, you.”
“Why are you staring down the table, Mammon?” Asmo batted his lashes flirtatiously at him. “Is it because I look so unbearably radiant this morning? It must be hard sharing a table with the most beautiful creature in all the three worlds.”
“Wh… NO! C’mon!”
Lucifer sighed. “I take it you’re referring to the RAD Sports Festival.”
“Right, THAT!”
“Oh yeahhhh…” I sighed too. “Thaaaat…”
“Listen to you, pretendin’ like you know what we’re talkin’ about.” Mammon smirked at me. “You’re not foolin’ anyone, Chise.”
Levi nodded. “Like, you remember when we had that human-world-style field day event over at RAD, right? Well, apparently Lord Diavolo thought it was a blast. So now he wants to make it into a recurring thing. Basically, it’s an event for cheery extroverts and the last place you’d ever find an otaku and a shut-in like me. So I’ll be skipping that, FYI.”
I groaned, thinking back to the year I’d last been part of a Sports Festival in a human world school, where my gym teacher had praised me profusely for my commitment and determination when I knocked over one of the hurdles I had been trying to clear, which broke my sprinting stride, causing me to knock over every single hurdle after that. Peers had laughed. Friends – all field hockey stars, somehow – had winced in second-hand embarrassment for me. I didn’t know that I was allowed to stop when that happened. Piano training had kicked in, in my panic. All of my piano teacher’s words, flashing through my brain: Keep going, brain said. Shake it off, brain said. Play it cool, brain said. Be confident, brain said. Own it, brain said.
'The audience likely won’t even notice the single mistake in the music', brain said… as I left a very obvious trail of scattered hurdles in my wake, that the teachers had to painstakingly right again after I was done wreaking havoc upon them.
…I was not the athletic type.
“Oh no you don’t, Levi,” Satan cut in crossly. “The new exchange students are going to be at this year’s event, so attendance is compulsory. We went over all of this at the student council officers’ meeting, remember?”
“Urgh…!” Levi slid down in his seat. “I forgot… Ughhhh, kill me now…”
“Compulsory attendance…” Belphie sunk to rest his chin on the table, glum. “It’s hard to think of anything worse.”
“I’m with you, un-athletic otaku and Avatar of Sloth…”
Belphie sighed. “I hate that…”
“Wait a minute, Chise,” Beel said with his mouth full.
“Swallow your food, Beel.”
He swallowed. “What’s that you got there in your hand?”
I’d been playing with it, twirling it, re-reading it over and over again. I suppose I was being a little obvious, in my anxiety. I sighed as I held it up with a wiggle of my fingers.
“Ah, okay.” He nodded his understanding. “I recognize it now. That’s the card you found inside the mailbox, right? After we broke it open.”
Asmo leaned over towards me to look at it with a frown. “‘You must complete a special mission during the RAD Sports Festival.’ So, what IS this special mission, hm?”
“It’s a stupid non-hint…” I shook my head. “I’m calling it right now. Literally worthless.”
“All right, enough chitchat,” Lucifer cut in sternly. “Hurry up and eat your breakfast.”
“Yes, daddy,” I muttered under my breath.
He glared at me, the twitching of his jaw promising future bedroom-related consequences. Asmo let out a "pppffff!" from beside me, hopefully being the only one other than supersonic-hearing Lucifer who had heard me.
“You totally know somethin’ about this, don’t ya Lucifer?”
“Tch, no fair!” Asmo complained too. “Why are you always the only one who knows all the fun secrets, Lucifer?”
“Yeah, that’s what I’m sayin’!” Mammon looked around at us all, looking for further backup. “You think you’re so special just ‘cause you’re the oldest! Well, I’m tired of bein’ bossed around, you evil, scheming, son of a…”
"What was that, MAMMON?"
He squeaked, suddenly very interested in the shadow hog bacon on his plate.
Belphie sighed. “Idiot…”
“Chise… Hello.”
I turned with surprise at the sound of the smooth voice to my side. “Barbatos! Good morning! It’s good to see you.”
Barbatos was smiling at me, eyes soft. “It is good to see you, as well. I take it you are on your way to your appointment to see the Young Master?”
I nodded. “I am. I’m surprised you’re not with him already.”
“I was just about to head to the RAD council room myself, actually. If you don’t mind, I’ll go ahead and walk over there with you.”
I smiled at him warmly. “Please do…”
He fell in beside me, the both of us moving forward together, his hands clasped behind his back. Perhaps to deter us both from touching, though I knew better than to touch him publicly in the halls of RAD. “I am, however, curious to know the reason for your appointment. That is, if you don’t mind sharing.”
I laughed with amusement. “You’d find out anyway, being there.”
“That is true.”
I flashed him the card that was in my hand. “I was hoping to get a bit more clarity on this supposed hint.”
He hummed lightly as he glanced at it. “I see. So you’d like to know what the instructions on the card mean. Well then, it was wise of you to make an appointment to see the Young Master prior to the RAD Sports Festival.”
“Barbatos…” I hesitated for a moment. “I’m sorry about my outburst the other day, in front of you. Towards your… Master.”
He nodded. “Please, there is no need. In fact, Chise… I would like to express that, if it can be helped…”
“Me too…” I looked down at the card in my hand. “I’ve been thinking the same thing. Let’s not do this… I'm going to be mad at your master sometimes, but I don't want that to bleed over into us. At the same time, I need you to understand that your master is not mine, and I'll be absolutely disagreeing with him on some things.”
“Yes. The two of you certainly found yourself at odds now and again.”
“I’m really sorry if that puts you in an awkward place.”
He chuckled. “Truthfully, while it goes against my instinct to defend his position, seeing him humbled by a human does amuse at times. A subjugate of his is a different matter, of course. But you have taken no such pledges to the crown. It’s… funny.”
I snorted with laughter. “As long as you think so.”
“You give us both a different perspective on some matters,” he said quietly. “I learn from you as much as he does. Solomon himself does not express the heart of such matters so eloquently as you.”
“Eloquent?” I shook my head. “I’d hardly call outbursts like mine eloquent…”
“You must believe me when I say it is the truth. It is why…” He hesitated. “It is why the Devildom so needs you. And I regret to acknowledge that in complete honesty, we need you more than you need us, and it is… not fair to you.”
I sighed. “I do want to help… I think the goal is admirable. It’s just that… I feel kind of blackmailed into it. I don’t need to be…”
He nodded slowly as he looked down at his feet. “Your heart is used against you. I understand. It is my hope that such tactics will cease after this.”
We both stopped, looking forward now.
“Well, here we are,” he said. “The council room.”
“Yeah. Here we are.”
He glanced at me. “…So, are you going inside? Or do you have reason to hesitate?”
“There’s magic that’s not supposed to be there.”
He raised his eyebrows at me. “Quite a small amount. Impressive. While I understand you want to exercise a bit of caution, surely you do not intend on just sitting out here?”
“Hm.” I raised my hand.
“Ah, I see…” He smiled in amusement. “So you’re using magic to open the door? Clever.”
The moment the doors were opened by my wind, a bucket fell down from above. It landed harmlessly on the ground in front of us. I don’t know why it’d been bothered to be spelled with an invisibility charm. It’d already been on the other side.
He nodded at it as we both looked down. “Even after being away from the Devildom for so long, it would seem you still have a good nose for danger. Also, I should acknowledge your use of magic without incantation. Well done.”
I looked over at him in amusement. "Were you going to just let that hit me, Barbatos?"
He chuckled. "I had faith in your abilities. But should you have proven a bit distracted, perhaps I would have leapt at the chance to save the damsel in distress from coming to any harm on my watch?"
I smiled. "So you were looking to show off for me too, huh?"
He smiled back. "I suppose we shall never know now."
"Ugh, what was THAT?! Honestly, I don’t believe it!"
I whipped my head back to the door in surprise.
A woman’s voice from inside?
“Mister Bucket Number Three was supposed to land on your HEAD, not the floor!”
I glanced at Barbatos. He nodded at me, before taking the first step to go inside. I followed, suddenly feeling quite anxious.
The moment I cleared the door and stood in the room, I stopped in my tracks, mouth falling open.
“Hmph. I must say, you look nothing at all like I thought you would based on the rumours. You’re so much more… ordinary. I mean, I assume you must be the novice sorcerer he was going on about?”
I gawked at her. Just gawked. Shocked to speechlessness.
She was so strange.
She was so punk.
She was so hot.
Her hair, obviously, had drawn my attention first in its vibrancy. Long locks that hung to her chest, parted down the center, hot pink at the roots that lead into a bright purple through the rest of its length.
But her eyes… those were what captured me next. Bright, bright, bright neon green. The irises very large, taking up the near-entirety of her eyes. A magenta-pink ring lined around her pupils.
And wow. Her pupils. Slitted even more than Levi’s, top-to-bottom, more cat-like than even his somehow. Perhaps because her irises were so large. She truly had the look of a cat in those eyes of hers.
And the rest of her… She only ‘wore’ the RAD uniform jacket, though it was simply tied around her waist, 90’s-style. A scrunchie on her wrist, too, spoke of that era. Instead of the rest of the uniform, she wore a half-laced crop-top, midriff on display, while sporting ripped tights as pants.
And she wore a leather collar around her throat.
She was so, so, so so so so hot.
And unlike any demon I had seen in the halls of RAD. Unlike anyone I had ever seen before. Like an entirely different species of creature.
And she was so so so so so so hot.
I managed to get out something that sounded like words.
“…M-Mister… Bucket Number Three…?”
She scoffed. “Yes. You’ve got eyes, don’t you?” She pointed at my feet. “I’m referring to the bucket that was perched above the doorway just now, obviously. But enough about that. I’VE got a bone to pick with you!”
“Uhh…” I blinked. “Huh?”
“You have SOME gall barging into someone else’s home unannounced like that,” she scolded. “And then to top it off, you didn’t offer me so much as a ‘How do you do?’ I mean, really. It’s almost as if no one ever taught you manners!”
I glanced at Diavolo in confusion.
He chuckled at my confused look. “Now now, perhaps you should slow down and take a few deep breaths? I’m sure Chise is feeling a bit bewildered at the moment.”
That was a massive understatement.
“…'Barging into someone else’s home'? What…?”
“Don’t worry about that, Chise.” Diavolo shook his head with a grin. “It’s okay. You had no way of knowing.”
“It’s not ‘OKAY’ as far as I’m concerned!” the woman bit back with a frown.
“Chise, do you remember the time you and the others visited the reaper’s cave?”
I flinched hard. “…Y… Yes…”
His grin broadened. “Well, she happens to be the owner of said cave! Which is to say–“
“Which is to SAY,” she cut in, “I should need no further introduction.”
“You’re…” I was gawking again.
“I am Thirteen.”
“Thwehhth…” I stared at her. “Een…”
She’s a reaper.
She’s a REAPER.
A REAPER.
HERE. MAD AT ME.
A REAPER.
I said it to myself in my head, but couldn’t accept it. So, I short-circuited instead, going round and round in circles. And made stupid noises while I was at it that had Barbatos and Diavolo chuckling.
She frowned at me. “…Seriously? This is Solomon’s revered apprentice? Why are you looking at me like that, hm? In case you haven’t noticed, I’m holding out my hand.”
I slowly looked down. She was, indeed, holding out her hand.
She smirked at me. “I believe it’s customary to shake someone’s hand when you first meet them? So, come on.”
I stared at it.
After a while, she sighed. “I should’ve known an old trick like that would never work. Really, you’re no fun at all. If only you’d been foolish enough to shake my hand, I was going to surprise you with ten billion volts of electricity. Hmph, Solomon’s students always turn out to be the worst people.”
Honestly, I’d only passed on the volt of certain death because I was busy being frozen in place.
I slowly looked back up at her. “You’re a… reaper.”
She gave me a very serious ‘are you stupid’ look. “Well, what ELSE would I be? Of COURSE I’m a reaper.”
Oooh… ooooh! Solomon! This reaper friend of yours… is he hot? Oh! I suppose the reaper isn’t necessarily a ‘he’. Maybe a ‘she'? A beautiful she…
Well, it’s a matter of taste, really. But I guess I do find them quite attractive.
I hissed out a sudden breath as I narrowed my eyes at her.
Which just served to deepen her frown. “The heck…?”
“Allow me to formally introduce the two of you, Chise,” Diavolo cut in. “This is Thirteen. She’s one of our new exchange students.”
The racing of my heart only increased.
“My goal is to bring harmony to the three worlds, and that requires us to broaden our horizons. We need to be able to see things from a variety of different perspectives. And reapers don’t fully ‘belong’ to any of the three worlds, you see. So we decided to invite Thirteen here to study with us at RAD.”
We continued to stare at each other.
She finally crossed her arms. “…Exactly.”
“Now then, there’s someone else here you should meet as well…”
I continued to stare at ‘Thirteen’.
“Allow me to introduce you to our new exchange student from the Celestial Realm. I’m guessing you may have heard of him before?”
I whipped my head over to him with wide eyes. He was gesturing to the side.
I slowly followed where his arms were swept towards. Another person. A man. Standing unassuming to the side of me. “…Raphael…”
The angel nodded. A single nod. “Correct.”
Voice quiet, and matter-of-fact. Neutral. Apathetic. Void of emotion.
All which matched the expression on his face as well.
And true to Celestial Realm fashion, this angel showed a lot of skin too. Even more than Simeon, with his entire midriff exposed to show his sculpted abdomen. His well-muscled shoulders and biceps were on display as well. He wore a black cropped short, skin-tight, the same stretchy fabric as Simeon’s, with the long black fingerless gloves like his as well. He wore a white, sleeveless jacket that came down to the back of his shins, collared with a decorative trim. Otherwise, he wore white slacks and boots. Looser than Simeon’s.
His grey-silver hair, darker than Solomon’s, was layered and covered his forehead. He wore a simple geometric crown of gold, with a slim gold tassel that hung to one side. His skin was lightly tanned. Not as much as Mammon or Diavolo. But a bit more olive in tone than the rest of the former-angels.
And despite the serious way in which he carried himself, he looked… quite young. The shape of his eyes were delicate, and the blue grey colour quite soft. A bit like Solomon’s, but somber, and maybe even a little sad.
Immediately, I felt a slow-burning anger that I held against him.
From everything I’d been told about him, he represented the Celestial Realm in a way that Simeon, nor even Luke, did.
Represented their inflexibility. Their rule of law. Their compassionless way of life, when compassion mattered most.
Represented the opposing of the rebellion.
Represented Simeon’s pain.
Michael’s errand dog.
I hated him for it. For all of it.
Hated him. Wanted nothing to do with him.
I touched the feather pendant around my neck, but did not call to my angel. Couldn’t let him feel this. Just needed to think of him, and his calm, and his kindness.
Raphael’s eyes flicked down to what I held for steady comfort, though he remained expressionless.
I’d done it automatically in my sudden protective concern over Simeon, but if he wanted to turn the gesture over in his head to see if there was a hidden meaning behind me touching it in that moment while I looked at this obvious Michael-planted spy, so be it.
Let him know that I know. Let him know where I stood.
With Simeon, always.
“Young Master,” Barbatos cut in quietly, with a concerned glance towards me at the sudden shift in my energy. “Perhaps we should finish with the introductions? We’re short on time…”
“Ah, right, of course.” Diavolo nodded genially. “Well, I suppose it’s time I got down to business. Let me tell you why I called you here.”
I crumpled the card in my fist. “But…”
“Not to worry, Chise.” He nodded again, but at what I held in my hand. “I understand you’re here regarding the ’special mission’ mentioned in your card. When you told me you wanted to talk to me about that, I decided it would be a good time to introduce you to Thirteen and Raphael here.”
I took a deep, strained breath. “…Thanks.”
“What kind of response was that?!” Thirteen scowled at me, crossing her arms again. “You have some sort of problem with us? Is that it? Hmph. I knew I didn’t like you…”
The other woman than Solomon found attractive, and a supposed ‘angel’ who represented Simeon’s hurt, and the condemning of my ancestor?
Yeah, I felt a little miffed.
“We’ve decided to mix things up a bit for this iteration of the RAD Sports Festival,” Diavolo continued obliviously. “It’s going to consist of two large-scale races where everyone participates. And in each case, there will be obstacles to overcome.”
Oh hells, please, please don’t let there be hurdles…
Could this day get ANY worse…?
“The first of the two events is the Bloody Scavenger Hunt, which is going to start right after we’re done here.”
I straightened immediately, fists clenched again. “Are you… for…”
Barbatos cleared his throat lightly.
As tolerant as he just assured me that he was, we had… guests. That weren’t necessarily friendly towards the Devildom crown.
I subsided with a glare instead.
“You’ll be in teams of three, and you have to work together to make it to the finish line. Those are the rules.”
Fuck.
I connected the dots immediately.
“Now just a moment, Diavolo,” Raphael spoke up. “When you say ’teams of three,’ certainly you don’t mean to say that the three of us will be–“
“This time around, one of the purposes of the Sports Festive is to help our new exchange students break the ice and build positive relationships. Thirteen, Raphael, you two will be on the same team. That’s already been decided.”
Raphael flicked his eyes away, evidently done with it all already.
“Excuse me, what’s that look for?” Thirteen frowned at him. “I’m not happy about this either, for your information. I have no desire to be paired up with some arrogant, self-important angel.
Same.
On a VERY deep level.
“I didn’t say anything,” he replied monotonously. In a way, his lack of emotional expression reminded me of Belph–
No. Nothing like any of them, I reminded myself.
“Well, I figured I couldn’t just ask an angel and a reaper to work together without running into a few problems.” Diavolo gave me a warm smile. “That’s why I’d like you to join them, Chise. In a support role.”
“Me?! Dia…” I took a breath. “Lord Diavolo, shouldn’t they be integrating with the demon student body, to promote Devildom tolerance…?”
I didn’t give a flying fuck about building relationships between angels and reapers. I wasn’t sure why Diavolo cared about that, either.
He shook his head. “I’d considered that, Chise, believe me. However, I also considered how, in the past, the trials for becoming an officer of the student council–"
Fuck.
“–played upon the unique qualities of each of the Seven, while also remaining to be a challenge for them. Chise, you are being brought into the fold as a uniting force between worlds. What better way to challenge you than to test your ability to unite beyond that of demons. Here, we have two exchange students who are neither human, your specialty of course, or demon, the race of which whom you have come to know so well after integrating in our society as you have. I’d say that’s a task worthy of being called a 'special mission,' wouldn’t you? A true test of rising to the occasion at its height.”
I glared at the sense it made. Bristling visibly.
And completely unable to argue against it.
And briefly wondering what Mammon’s hellfire-scorched ass had to do with his ‘qualities’.
Also, the hint in my hand truly was useless. It was more like a dangling intrigue than it was a means of preparation. He could have had Barbatos write ‘teehee! congrawulations~ uwu 💖’ on it, and it would have served similar purpose.
Called it.
Thirteen rolled her eyes. “You really expect us to participate in some ‘Bloody Scavenger Hunt’ as part of your Sports Festival? Ridiculous.”
I was getting quite the ‘a little more eloquently spoken version of Mammon’ vibe from her, with all her harsh complaints and protests. Which Levi did as well, but she was much cooler.
Well, it’s a matter of taste, really. But I guess I do find them quite attractive.
I tch'ed audibly, making her frown again.
“I can hardly believe I’m saying this, but I agree with the reaper,” Raphael said with a haughty tilting back of his chin.
I glared at them both. “Are you SURE about this, D-Lord Diavolo?”
“Of course, Chise.” He crossed his arms in front of him with a smile. “They need help, and I can think of no one better suited to the task than you. You were, after all, in the same position as them, nearly three years ago now! I’m sure you can relate to their experience with this world, and share with them everything you have learned as an exchange student yourself.”
I glared at the further sense he made.
“Chise, if one or both of them decide to give up at any point, you’ll be the one held accountable.”
I closed my eyes as I rubbed at my temples. “Right.”
“You’re in the support role, which means you’re responsible for ensuring they work as a team. The three of you are the same here at RAD; you’re all exchange students. So try to get along, will you?”
Thirteen scrunched her nose. “Eeew, no thanks.”
Raphael said nothing. Just blank apathy. While Belphie always had a slack boredom feel to his monotonous lack of expression, this guy seemed like he was constantly taut, a bowstring ready to let loose somehow, unrelaxed and serious, his posture perfectly upright. Straight and narrow to Belphie’s loose, lazy slump.
Like a soldier waiting for orders.
Maybe he was a bit more like Lucif–
“Diavolo! You’re supposed to be out there starting the opening ceremony now!”
Speak of the… demon.
I turned towards his deep, scathing voice as he strode into the room with a cross of his arms.
“You didn’t answer any of my texts, so I had no choice but to come get you myself.”
But unlike Belphie and Raphael, Lucifer did express his emotions very often.
Anger, arrogance, and irritation.
“Don’t get so worked up, Lucifer,” came Solomon’s very different voice from behind him, light and musical as ever. “It’s okay. So what is the opening ceremony starts a little late? It’s not like anybody’s going to complain.”
Lucifer stiffened, going straight.
I followed his gaze.
Raphael had stiffened too, somehow even straighter than he already had been.
“Hello, Raphael. It’s been a long time.”
Raphael was still expressionless, yet there was more of an open stare meeting his eyes, a whole focus.
“What’s the matter?” Lucifer gave him a quirk of a smile. “Are you really that shocked to see me looking like this?”
“…Hello, Lucifer,” he finally returned, entirely bland and neutral. “It has been a long time, yes.”
“Hey there, Thirteen!” Solomon grinned with a wave. “Long time no–“
“SOLOMON!” She immediately yelled in fury. “Stay back, sorcerer! NOT another step closer!” She clapped her hands together, before pulling them to stretch out a small… void that she had made appear between them. “Let’s see how you like my Sticky Sticky Spiderweb Bazooka Number Twelve! Take THIS!”
“Wait!” Lucifer interrupted with a shout of his own. “You can’t just pull out a weapon inside the–"
Too late.
“Whoa, duck!” Solomon said in small panic, before doing just that, right before Sticky Sticky Spiderweb Bazooka Number Twelve’s flying spiderweb could hit him in the face.
“Raphael, look out!” Lucifer called out to him.
I’d already raised my hands. Useless mad sorcerer.
"Spirit of Wind, protect him!"
The words rushed out quickly, but I got it out in time, the wind I called upon erupting just as quick. Interesting.
The spiderweb trap went flying out the door of the council room instead.
Raphael glanced at me. I saw mild curiosity there.
I didn’t meet his gaze. Not even a word of thanks.
“Oooh!” Solomon grinned at me. “So, you conjured a quick spell to shield Raphael from harm. That was some nice and quick thinking, Chise.”
“No thanks to you,” I muttered.
“And you pulled off a shortened version of the incantation! Very admirable!”
“Solomon, what do you think you’re doing?!” Thirteen scolded, hands on her hips. “You weren’t supposed to duck out of the way!”
Solomon pouted at her. “Well, can you blame me? Most people don’t just stand there when someone fires a bazooka at them.”
We heard a long, yelling shout come from out in the hallway.
Lucifer looked over his shoulder with a frown. “What was that?”
“It sounds as though some unlucky soul got caught in the crossfire…” Barbatos sighed. “Honestly…”
I winced. “Ooh, that’s awful…”
Lucifer rolled his eyes. ”You’re the one–“
“Well, it’s their own fault!” Thirteen glowered past the door. “If they had any sense, they would’ve kept their distance.”
…Very Mammon-like in her rationalizations.
“Maybe show a little concern?” Solomon raised his eyebrows at her. “Someone might be hurt.”
“Well,” Lucifer sighed, “let’s go see the damage…”
–
We all stepped out together.
“WHAT’S GOING ON?!” Mephistopheles whirled at our presence. “Some giant WEB came flying at me out of nowhere!”
I shrugged a shoulder. “Oh, it’s just him.”
“Mephisto. So that’s who we heard shouting,” Lucifer said, just as unconcerned as I.
“Mmm!” Solomon’s eyes sparkled in amusement. “Luckily he managed to avoid being hit, huh?”
“What’s going on here?!” He jammed his hands on his hips as he glared at us haughtily. “The opening ceremony showed no signs of starting, so I came to see what the problem was. Only to be FIRED on! What is the meaning of this?!”
“Hey, give that back!” Thirteen pointed. “That’s my Sticky Sticky Spiderweb Bazooka Number Twelve ammo!”
“Is THAT what you call it?” Mephisto rolled his eyes. “You have a truly awful naming sense. Aren’t you a little embarrassed?”
She bristled immediately, clenching her fists at her sides. “Excuse me, WHAT did you say?!”
“…Raphael, what do you think you’re doing?” Lucifer sighed in exasperation, arms crossed. “This is no time to be fooling around…”
“I’m not fooling around,” he replied quietly, engrossed in his chosen task. “I was trying to clean up this spider web, but now I’m tangled up in it.”
…This was going to be a long day.
“Tch, honestly…” He frowned. He actually frowned. “I want no part of this insanity!”
The first bout of emotion that he’d shown so far, and it was frustrated annoyance bordering on anger.
“How do you think I feel?!” Mephisto countered.
Lucifer glanced at the prince, who had fixed a pained smile on his face. “What did you say the point of this competition was again, Diavolo? To help everyone break the ice, and build positive relationships with the new exchange students?” He swung his eyes to me next. "On Chise’s shoulders? I’d say your plan is already on the verge of collapse.”
“Now now, don’t be so negative!” Diavolo let out an overly-loud, nervous laugh. “Give it more time. We’ve only just begun!”
I sighed. So even Lucifer had doubts.
Great. Just great.
I was so going to fail.
But then I felt a hand come to a rest on my shoulder. I looked up, while Lucifer looked down.
He gave me a warm smile, crimson eyes soft for me. “That’s not what I meant, little one. I cannot think of anyone else better suited for this challenge. You will succeed – after all, you promised to stay by my side. Isn’t that right?”
I saw Raphael’s eyes widen slightly in confusion out of the corner of my own.
I smiled back at him. “Right. Thanks for reminding me. I’ll try not to let you down, Lucifer.”
He chuckled softly. “As if you ever could. Come along now.”
“Hmph!” Thirteen stomped off ahead of us. “Get a room or something! Gross…”
“See, Lucifer?” Diavolo grinned as he followed after her. “Squishy soft! And allowed to be more public, unlike other squishy softies in the running.”
Lucifer glared, while Barbatos followed his master with a chuckle. I was just left incredibly confused by the exchange.
Raphael was the last to follow along, hesitant and unsure.
Good.
Luke sat up straighter with a turn of his head. “Ah, it’s Diavolo and the others. So they’re finally here. The opening ceremony was supposed to have started a long time ago, and it’s like they don’t even care. This is exactly the sort of stuff that drives me crazy about demons…”
I took a seat next to him with a sigh. “You don’t even know the half of it, kiddo…”
“Do I even want to know?”
“It’s as boring as it is irritating. So, no. Long story.”
“I hate this soooo muuuuuch!” Levi dry-sobbed dramatically from behind me. “I hate it I hate it I hate it! This event, these normies, these happy extroverts, I HATE IT ALL! I’m going to go back to my room and play games! I CAN’T TAKE THIS IT’S SO AWFUUUL!”
“Quiet, you’re embarrassing me!” Luke snapped at him from over his shoulder. “Stop making a scene. You’re being ridiculous. You could really learn a thing or two from Belphegor, you know! Look how quietly he’s waiting for the opening ceremony to st…”
I snort-laughed under my breath.
Belphie, sitting upright, was totally fast asleep.
“DON’T FALL ASLEEP!” Luke snapped at him, to no avail. “Ugghhh, come on! How could they stick me on a team with THESE two?!”
“Oooh…” I winced. “Really? You’re on a team with Levi?”
“You’re singling out ME?!” Levi sniffle-sobbed harder. “Well, it’s not like I'm surprised. It must be because I’m such a worthless, gross–"
“Because you’re literally sobbing dramatically in front of the entire student body of RAD, Levi, not because you’re an otaku with hobbies.” I reached back to pat his knee comfortingly. “Don’t worry.”
He squeal-whined harder as sunk his face down to hold his head in his hands.
Belphie let out a soft hum in his sleep as he tipped to the side to rest his cheek on Luke’s shoulder.
Luke groaned. “The event hasn’t even started, and I’m already worried about how this is going to go!”
“…Oh no. Tch…” On the other side of Belphie, Asmo was opening up his compact mirror with brows drawn together in worry as he fluffed at his hair. “My bangs are messed up. I’m going to have to fix them. Oh! Oh MY! But just LOOK at me in this mirror! I have to say, I look amazing with messy hair as well!”
Beel, crunching on a bag of chips further down, tipped the bag towards Asmo in offerance. “Want some of this, Asmo? I brought a bunch of snacks and stuff in case I end up getting hungry while we’re here.”
“No thanks,” Asmo sighed. “I’m watching my weight. Also, Beel, if you end up eating all of that now instead of when you’re hungry, then what’s the point?”
“But I am hungry…”
“Listen,” Satan hissed from behind them as he leaned forward. “There are more important matters to focus on right now. I assume you two know what I’m talking about, right?”
Asmo rolled his eyes. “Even if I said I did,–“
“We can’t lose to Lucifer’s team, no matter what. In fact, we need to use this as an opportunity to crush them. I’m talking utter humiliation! You two are on MY team now. So make sure you keep that in mind.”
“Ouch,” I muttered in sympathy. “Satan’s with Asmo and Beel…”
“I mean, it could be worse…” Luke whispered back. “I feel the most sorry with whoever is getting Mammon on their team…”
“Good point…”
“Hmmm…” Asmo turned his head from side to side to inspect himself in his mirror. “You know, my skin looks just perfect today! It has such a beautiful lustre!”
“Down with Lucifer…” Satan hissed fiercely as he leaned back again.
I sighed. “Well, I guess they match each other’s freak a bit… in different ways.”
Levi whimpered again behind me. “I don’t want to be heeeeere…”
“Levi…” I sighed. “Be a good boy for Luke and Belphie and I’ll play games with you at the next available opportunity.”
“P-Promise…?”
“If you’re good.”
“Thanks, Chise,” Luke whispered.
“Mayan, what a drag,” Mammon said with a heavy sigh as he stretched. “You’re tellin’ me that we don’t get anything for winnin’ this thing? No fabulous prizes? How do they expect me to get pumped up for this if there’s no reward in it? Once the event starts, I’ll just slip away while no one’s lookin’…”
“…You most certainly won’t be sneaking off, Mammon. Not as long as I’m here.”
I looked over my shoulder in surprise at the sound of Barbatos’ voice, who swept his tailcoat behind him to lower himself smoothly down in his seat.
“Ugh, Barbatos…” Mammon muttered rudely, before his eyes went wide. “Wait, don’t tell me that YOU’RE–“
“That’s right,” he replied with a small sniff. “I’m on your team. It’s going to be you, Simeon, and I.”
“Pfffffff!” I covered my mouth with my hands, face going pink as I fought off my hysterical laughter.
“The Young Master put a lot of work into this event,” he continued, endeavouring to ignore me. “So I expect you to make every effort to win.”
I didn’t know who I pitied most. Mammon, or Barbatos.
“Maaaan,” Mammon groaned with a slump in his seat. “Now this is even more of a drag…”
I giggled as I caught Barbatos’ eye. Give him hell, Barbatos.
A twitch of a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
“Hmm, between the two of them, the difference in motivation level is impressive,” Simeon said quietly from the other side of Levi. “I don’t like what that says about our prospects…”
I shook my head. “You have Barbatos. I can’t see how you could possibly lose, honestly.”
Barbatos inclined his head with a chuckle. “You award me too much credit. Wrangling Mammon is no small task.”
I nodded. “Full-time, in fact. I’ll give you that.”
“HEY!”
“But I’m sure you’re up to the challenge.”
He chuckled. “I wish you excellent luck with your team as well, Chise.”
I groaned.
“STOP FLIRTIN’!” Mammon snapped at us.
I went pink in the face as I turned my head back to the makeshift stage with a grin.
The two new exchange students stood to the side of Diavolo as he prepared his speech, waiting to be introduced.
“I know Raphael well,” Luke whispered to me, “but… this is the first time I’ve ever seen a reaper.”
I nodded. “Not what I expected either.”
“Her name is Thirteen, right?” He frowned. “She seems sort of scary. Something tells me I’m better off avoiding her as much as possible.”
She didn’t seem particularly kid-friendly, yeah.
“Umm…” I chewed on my lip for a moment. “So what about Raphael? What’s he like?”
“What’s Raphael like? Hmm, how would I describe him…” He gave me an uncertain look. “Well, it’s usually hard to tell what’s going through his head. Since he doesn’t talk much and all.”
“I kind of got that impression, yeah.”
“But Simeon once told me that if you put a spear in his hand, he’s more terrifying than any demon…”
I sighed. Soldier.
“Hey guys,” Solomon whispered as he took the seat beside me. “Show’s about to start.”
We all ceased our conversation at the sound of Diavolo clearing his throat into the microphone for his address.
“Thank you for your patience, everyone.” He nodded side to side, including all the crowd. “We’re now ready to begin the opening ceremony. First, I’d like to introduce you all to RAD’s new exchange students. I’d like you to meet the angel Raphael, seraphim to the Celestial Realm. I’m sure many of you are already familiar with him, even just in reputation.”
“…Hello.”
I glanced back over my shoulder at Simeon. My heart sunk at the seriousness there. His kind veneer replaced with a sort of self-conscious tension that was unlike him. A very personal look, one that I’d caught in a flickering moment of private vulnerability. But he caught me looking at him from the corner of his eye, and he melted the expression away to give me his soft smile.
I reached behind me, stretching a little uncomfortably, but determined to take his hand. He reached forward to take mine with a soft squeeze.
“Yikes…!” Mammon squeaked. “I’d heard Raphael was supposed to be comin’ and all, but… he’s really here!”
Levi was whimpering again, voice pitched high in anxiety. “He was always getting mad at us and do that thing where he’d make it rain down spears.”
I raised my eyebrows at them. ”Rain down spears?”
Levi let out a sad dog-like whine.
“And next we have Thirteen,” Diavolo continued through our muttering conversation, “who happens to be a reaper.”
“Hey,” she said in a bored tone. “The name’s Thirteen.”
So punk. So cool.
And then… she looked over our way.
I blinked. Was she looking at me…?
“Solomon, is it just me, or is that reaper shooting you a REALLY dirty look?” Luke whispered to him.
I looked between the two.
Ah.
…She sure freaking was.
“Hm?” Solomon smiled sweetly, eyes bright. “I’m sure you’re mistaken. You must be imagining it.”
“Imagining it?” Luke looked back at the glaring reaper with a shudder of fear. “I don’t know, it looks AWFULLY real to me…”
I should say that I’ve only ever seen this reaper looking angry.
Huh? I thought the reaper was your friend?
Wellllll, I like to think so. But I don’t know if the feeling is mutual.
‘Attention, Solomon. You damned pest of a magician. Just TRY sneaking inside my cave while I’m gone and I promise you, I’ll make you pay. I’ll take your candle and trample it, boil it, knead it, flatten it into a paper-thin pancake, and chop it into a million pieces! Then your soul will be MINE, you boneheaded fool!’
Written in blood, at the entrance to her home…
Huh. I guess I’d forgotten about that part.
Solomon waved back at the infuriated reaper with a bright smile.
“Hmph…” I turned back to the announcement, ignoring Simeon’s sudden bemused look on his face at my scoff before he could connect any dots.
He tapped his finger on my hand that he still held to get my attention back. I ignored that, too. I chose instead to stew in my bristling immaturity.
“...As your referee for this event, I’ll be waiting for you all at the finish line. Well then, with no further ado, I hereby declare the RAD Sports Festival underway! So give it all you’ve got, and leave everything on the field. But remember to keep it sportsmanlike.” He grinned excitedly around at the crowd. “Let the festival begin!”
“Um, what was this first event called again?” Asmo frowned as he hugged himself. “The Bloody Scavenger Hunt?”
Beel looked around at us all. “What are we supposed to do…?”
Satan sighed. “Lord Diavolo just explained all that. Weren’t you listening?”
No, we had all been gossiping.
“Well, don’t blame me,” Asmo protested. “I was too busy looking at myself in the mirror.”
“And I was busy eating, so I missed what he said.”
“Honestly…” Satan glared at them. “Ugh, fine. Okay, listen up. Each team is going to be given a slip of paper instructing us to find something. We have to obtain whatever it tells us to, and then head to the finish line inside the colosseum. The first team to make it wins.”
“Hmm…” Asmo looked around in confusion. “So, where’s this slip of paper you mentioned?”
“HI!!!”
Asmo and I jumped with shrieks, while Levi fell back with a squawk.
“Here you are!” Little D Number Two grinned from ear to ear. Though that might have just been his goopy face. “Your assignments!”
Thirteen wrinkled her nose, arms crossed without taking the offered paper. “Why can’t you just tell us? Presenting us with written instructions seems overly dramatic to me.”
I sighed as I took it instead. Already being difficult, I guess. Great start.
“Does the assignment vary by team?” Raphael asked of the Little D.
“Oh, you bet it does! And each one is tailored to be especially challenging for the team in question!”
Greeeeat start.
“Ah. Well.” Raphael sighed in irritation. “I honestly wish you hadn’t gone to all that effort…”
“…D’AAAAAH! OH NO… NO NO NO NO NO NO NOOOOO!”
I startled as I looked over to watch Levi’s sudden outburst of a meltdown as he stared down at his paper with wide eyes.
“Ugh, would you quiet down?” Thirteen frowned in annoyance. “You’re hurting my ears.”
“Leviathan!” Luke chided as he hopped around the taller boy to try and read. “What do you think you’re doing?!”
“NO!”
“You need to let us see that piece of paper,” Belphie said sternly. “Otherwise, how are we supposed to know what our assignment is?”
“NO… NO, I CAN’T! I WON’T! ABSOLUTELY NOOOOT! If anyone sees this, I’ll DIE! Seriously, I’ll drop dead right here! In fact, I’d RATHER die!”
“Just calm DOWN, okay?!” Luke made another grab for it.
Levi stumbled back. “Stay away! STAY AWAY FROM MEEEEE!”
Belphie sighed. “Wait a pain in the…
I frowned. “Levi…?”
“D’AAAAH!” Somehow, his eyes widened even further, near-bulging in his head as he whipped around to look at me. “Chise, STAY AWAY! D… D-D-D… DON’T COME ANY CLOSER!”
“Why, exactly…?”
Belphie was glowering at this point. “If our goal is to damage my hearing, you’re doing a good job…”
“That’s it!” he moaned in despair. “I’m going home, where I know I’m SAFE!”
And then he just……..
Ran away.
We all stared at his backside as he took off like lightning.
I’d never seen the guy run so fast.
“…Belphegor!” Luke spun to him in a panic. “We have to go after him!”
And then he took off, too.
“Seriously…?” Belphie sighed with a darkened annoyance as he followed after Luke. “Ugh, why am I stuck dealing with this…”
“Hey, come back!” Thirteen called out to him. “You dropped something…”
“Seems you’re late,” Raphael said. “They’re gone.”
“Oh dear, what do we have here?” Little D Number Two shifted nervously. “It’s the slip of paper with the assignment for Luke’s team. This scenario wasn’t in my instructions…”
I rolled my eyes. I’d never say it to his face, but… Levi, you’re such an idiot.
“Really? Oooh!” Thirteen grinned down at it as she unfolded the paper. “Let’s take a look!”
Raphael took a step forward. “Now wait just a second…”
“Come onnn, what’s the harm?” Thirteen’s eyes gleamed mischievously. She had a bit of Satan to her, too, when he was being unreasonable. A Mammon-Satan mix? …Yikes. “They’re the ones who dropped it and ran off, after all.”
“…He just ran away screaming his head off after he looked at me, sooo, Raphael, I’m going to have to side with Thirteen here.”
“Well, how about that…” Thirteen smirked at the inflexible angel. “Turns out somebody here actually knows how to listen to reason. Now, let’s see what it says…”
I took a hesitant step towards her. She allowed me to look down at it too.
She smelled good.
Shut up.
She frowned. “…’Someone Leviathan loves’? He has to bring someone he loves to the finish line? What kind of ‘assignment’ is that.”
I snorted. “Ah. Makes sense.”
She gave me a weirded-out look. “It does? What kind of people are these demons?”
“Unreasonable ones.”
“Why would he feel the need to run off like he did?” Raphael mused quietly in his confusion. “His face was bright red.”
“Someone he loves… hmm…” Thirteen tilted her head as she considered the paper again. “Well, I guess that IS sort of a tricky one… I mean, if you were to ask me who I’M in love with, no one comes to mind. But if you asked me who I HATED, I could tell you in an instant!”
…I saw that they were both extremely hopeless on the matter.
But also, relief flooded me. So it was Solomon alone I got to be grumpy with.
Well, that was nothing new for me.
She finally gave a shrug as she tossed the paper over her shoulder. “Well, whatever. On the more important matters. What does ours say?” She smirked. “If it says ’someone Thirteen hates,’ then this is going to be easy.”
“Right…” I looked down at it as I unfolded our own. Thirteen leaned forward curiously. Her lipstick was pretty.
“It doesn’t.”
I jumped a bit. Raphael had come closer too, head leaned over.
“Apparently we have to obtain ’the grimoire in Solomon’s possession’.”
I fucking groaned.
“Nyehehe…"Thirteen looked demonically delighted, with an evil-looking smile that spread over her face. “Perrrrfect.”
“Okayyy,” Thirteen cooed as she peeked through the door. “This classroom looks empty. Perfect place to be somewhere quieter to discuss strategy.”
“Great,” I muttered, as I pushed inside first. “Now… What were they THINKING?! How could they expect us to get that?! Ugh! He’s such a… tricky asshole!”
“Well, you heard what the tiny demon said,” Raphael replied. “The assignments are tailored to be especially challenging for each team.”
“Maybe so, but still…” Thirteen tapped at her cheek in thought. “This is a little beyond the beyond, right? I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to get the drop on the man, but we’re going to need a serious plan in place here.”
“Of all the things they could ask for,” I sighed. “Solomon’s grimoire… He keeps those damned things close.”
Raphael sighed. Probably at my un-angel-like expletives.
“They really expect us to bring them THAT.” She landed her hands on her hips as she looked at my directly. “Well, ‘apprentice,” what do you suggest? Suddenly I’m feeling motivated. I can’t wait to do this! I mean, we’re tasked with stealing something from SOLOMON! What could be more fun? Anyway, all we need to do is capture him.”
“Wh?!” I had to laugh at that. “You want to… capture Solomon?!”
I had to admit, I would like to see us do that.
“I really doubt it will be that simple. I’m sure Solomon isn’t an easy person to ‘capture’. And remember, he’s on Lucifer’s team.” Raphael shot me another curious glance when he’d say his name. “Which makes it all the more difficult.”
I returned his look coolly. “Afraid of Lucifer?”
His expression was bland as he delivered his answer. “I’m not afraid of him, no. I just mean to say that… Any conventional strategy is likely to fail. For it to work, we’d need an especially good plan.”
Yep. He was afraid of Lucifer.
Or at least intimidated a bit.
I raised my eyebrows at him. “Any thoughts? After all, you know him.”
“We could create trouble among his brothers. Even back in the Celestial Realm, whenever there was a problem involving his brothers, it was all Lucifer could focus on. If we wait until he’s distracted to make our move, we’ll be able to get close to him.”
“Ah…” I looked away at the sense in his strategy.
So he… did kind of know him.
“Get close to him?” Thirteen crossed her arms again. “And do what, exactly?”
Raphael looked a bit unsure at that. “Well…”
She rolled her eyes. “Sounds like a pretty terrible ‘plan’ to me. Don’t you have any better ideas?”
I raised my hand a bit. “Let’s try this. Target the team in general.”
“And how do you suppose we do that?”
“First, we have to find whatever Lucifer’s team is after before they do.”
“Oooh!” Thirteen grasped the plan with another grin. “And then we’ll use that to blackmail them into handing over the grimoire, right? That’s PERFECT!”
Maybe I was beginning to like her a bit. She was… kind of fun. She had a sort of infectious enthusiasm for going against the grain.
Raphael frowned. “The question now is…what is it they’ve been tasked with finding?”
“Let’s start by spying on them,” Thirteen suggested, with excitement quivering through her whole body. “So we can see what they’re up to!”
“All right,” I agreed. “Time to go find them and fuck up their day.”
Raphael sighed again.
Thirteen, however, cackled in delight. “Time to go kidnap a Solomon!”
We only needed the grimoire, but sure, whatever. We could bodily throw the madman over the finish line and it’d still count, right?
Time to get payback for all the times I’d had to throw my ahuvi bodily out of our kitchen.
Thirteen and I skipped eagerly out of the classroom with devious snickering noises, with Raphael trailing behind with a disapproving shake of his head.
Chapter 10: Chapter 66: Octopus Pot
Chapter Text
“Okay, Satan!” Asmo bubbled with excitement. “What’s our little slip of paper with our assignment say?!”
Satan handed it over. “See for yourself.”
“Hmm, let’s see…” Asmo took it from his fingers. “We have to bring… 'Some of the sweet treats Luke brought along.’” He giggled. “Wait, I thought this was supposed to be hard?! I mean, that’s so easy!”
Satan shook his head with a confused frown. “The assignments were supposed to have been tailored so that each team would find them especially challenging.”
Asmo shrugged. “Well, maybe that isn’t true of all of them? Either way, why don’t we find Luke and see if he’ll part with some of his sweet treats?”
“Yeah, good plan. Let’s go, Beel.”
Beel sighed. “But I’m hungry…”
“Well, DUH!” Asmo rolled his eyes. “You ate all your snacks earlier, silly!”
–
“Hey, there he is!” Asmo beamed. “Yoo-hoo, Luke and Belphie! Can we talk to you for a second?”
“Asmodeus…” Luke tilted his head to look behind the demon. “Ah, and you’ve got Satan and Beelzebub with you. Good, this is perfect timing. You haven’t seen Leviathan around, have you?”
“Levi?” Satan shook his head. “Nope, sure haven’t.”
Luke sighed in defeat.
“Well, we’ve lost track of him,” Belphie explained. “We know he ran off in this direction, but that’s it.”
“Yeah…” Luke looked down at his feet glumly. “He took off with the slip of paper with our team’s assignment on it. So unless we find him, we have no way of knowing what we’re supposed to do…”
Satan quirked an eyebrow in interest, knowing exactly how to play this. “…What do you say we make a deal? We’ll help you find Levi. And in exchange…”
“We’d like Luke to give us some of those sweet treats he brought with him!” Asmo sang out.
Luke frowned in confusion. “You just want some of the sweets I brought? I mean, sure. I don’t mind…”
He pulled his bag forward, off from one shoulder to rummage through for a container.
Belphie narrowed his eyes. “How did you know that Luke brought sweets with him?”
“Hmm?” Asmo batted his lashes sweetly. “Oh, well… we just assumed, you know? Since it seems like something he’d do.”
“I have some cupcakes.” Luke pulled the lid off, looking down at them in inspection. “Will these do? …G’AH!”
Beel grabbed the whole container and swallowed it.
“BEEL!” Satan whirled on him. “You IDIOT! Why’d you EAT them?!”
“Uh-oh…” Asmo whispered under his breath.
Beel shrugged, picking out a piece of plastic from his mouth. “I mean, I’m not sure what you expect me to say. The whole point of cupcakes is to eat them. What else did you expect me to do?”
Satan stared at him, at the piece of plastic held between his fingers, dumbfounded for a moment. “…The whole POINT is to complete our ASSIGNMENT!”
“Aha.” Belphie nodded. “Knew it.”
“You scared me…” Luke whimpered. “For a moment there, I thought you were going to bite my entire arm off…”
“Regardless… BEEL!” Asmo rounded on him too, hands on his hips. “No eating the treats Luke gives us!” He sighed as he turned back to Luke with a pleading look. “Luke, could we trouble you for something else?”
“Sure, I don’t mind sharing…” Luke rummaged in his bag again with an anxious glance at Beel. “Here, have some cookie–"
Beel reached forward and tossed them down his throat.
“BEEL!” Satan shouted at him now. “What did we JUST tell you?!”
“Sorry, I sort of did that by reflex…”
“GO sit in the corner! RIGHT now!”
“Okay…” He backed away quietly, with puppy dog shame.
“It’s okay,” Luke assured them. “I have more. I have these marshmallows–"
Beel leapt, straight-up tearing them away from Luke’s fingers with his teeth.
“Beel… That’s. It. You’re hopeless.”
“…Sataaaan?” Asmo side-eyed him nervously. “What are you doinnnng?”
Satan snapped what he had pulled out of his bag, staring Beel down. “I’m going to use this special magic rope to tie him up. If he can’t move, he can’t eat.”
He whipped it right at him.
“…Ow.”
“Hey… Satan!” Belphie clenched one fist to his side as he fished in his pocket with the other. “What do you think you’re doing to poor Beel? Don’t tie him up!”
He unstoppered the vial, and threw the contents at the rope, where it sizzled a bit.
“Oooh, is that a magic charm for lifting curses?” Asmo raised his eyebrows, impressed. “My my, you really came prepared…”
“Since the ‘cursed card hunt’ fiasco, yeah.” Belphie touched his twin’s arm. “Beel, are you all right?”
He nodded with a smile. “Thanks, Belphie. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”
Asmo sighed. “So, Luke… Do you think we could have one more treat? Please, do it for me!”
“Fine, if you insist, since you agreed to help find Levi… but this is the last thing I have to give you, okay?”
“…Beel.” Satan addressed him tersely through gritted teeth. “You know what that means, right?”
His energy was filling the room. Demonic energy, of Wrath, the anger thrumming through the air.
“You understand that if you eat what he gives us, then…”
Beel nodded, expression serious. “Yeah, I know. I’m not stupid.”
Luke sighed. “All right, here. You can have this candy–"
Beel snatched it, crunching it between his teeth in the space of a single heartbeat.
Asmo grimaced. “Oh dear…”
He swallowed it.
Satan emitted exploding energy with his transformation.
“…Uh, Luke?” Belphie glanced at him from under his fringe. “Is it me, or does it look like things are about to get very… real?”
“Yeah… I was thinking the same thing…”
Satan began to chase a fleeing Beel down the hall with a snarl. “TEXT CHISE FOR YOUR FUCKING ASSIGNMENT WHILE I GO KILL MY FUCKING BROTHER.”
“Hey!” Belphie shouted at him, before shrugging after a moment with a sigh. “Eh, Beel’s faster.”
“He sure is,” Asmo sighed as well, before following the trail of wretched energy that Satan left in his wake.
Belphie: Chise…
Belphie: Do you know what our assignment is?
Chise: Oh, yeah.
Chise: You have to bring the person that Levi loves over the finish line.
Belphie: …So, that’d be you.
Chise: Ah,
Chise: Well,
Chise: You got me there.
Chise: But I’m a little busy right now, to be honest…
Belphie: Shall we play another game of hide-and-seek?
Chise: I’d rather not.
Belphie: Come out, come out…
I sighed. Freaky little fucker. And he knew how to home in on me, too.
Had to move faster, before it was ME who was bodily thrown across–
“G’uh…! HEY! Give me some warning before stopping in your tracks like that!” Thirteen scolded Raphael. “I ran right into you!”
“Quiet!” he whispered, standing stock-still. “It’a Lucifer and the others. Solomon’s there, too.”
Thirteen pinched her lips shut as we all peered quietly over the rail of the stairs.
“…So what’s the plan, huh?” Mephisto asked in his haughty tone, hands on his hips. “Because we’re not getting anywhere just standing around like this.”
“We don’t have much of a choice, since we can’t manage to decipher the instructions they gave us.”
“It’s really is cryptic, yeah,” Solomon agreed in his light voice. “Let’s see, what did it say on that slip of paper again?”
“'An octopus pot – fleeting dreams under a summer moon.’”
Thirteen and I glanced at each other in confusion. Raphael tilted his head. We crept back a bit to discuss.
“What did he just say?” Thirteen asked with a frown. “An octopus pot – fleeting dreams under a summer moon? Those were their instructions?”
“That doesn’t even make sense,” I whispered in agreement.
“Shh... quiet,” Raphael chided us. “We can’t have them knowing we’re here.”
I frowned as I strained to hear more of the conversation coming up from below.
Solomon’s voice. “Hmm, I’ve heard of ‘octopus pots.’ They’re special pots that function as traps for catching octopuses.
"Octopi!" Thirteen hissed.
“Shh…”
“GODS he drives me batty…!”
"Shh…!"
“It’s possible that it’s actually some kind of metaphor,” Lucifer said. “I’ve heard they have a term in Japanese… I believe it was ’the octopus pot effect.’ It’s what happens when someone is too caught up inside their own little world. They end up being blind to the changes taking place around them.”
“Well,” Mephisto added, “I’ve heard that a ’summer moon’ is sometimes used to symbolize a cool summer’s night.”
Lucifer sighed with contempt. “How exactly is that supposed to help us?”
“I don’t know! How is YOUR thing supposed to help us, huh?!”
“…They won’t get anywhere at this rate,” Raphael murmured. “They’re just standing around arguing.”
“Exactly.” Thirteen leaned forward to look down a little more with a narrowing of her eyes. “We should beat them to the punch, and solve their riddle while they waste time bickering.”
Raphael sighed as he thought. “An octopus pot… fleeting dreams under a summer moon… I feel as though I’ve heard that somewhere before.”
“Lucifer mentioned Japan,” I added. “Could it be some sort of Japanese poem?”
Raphael’s eyes widened. “That’s it! I remember Simeon telling me about it once, long ago. In its original language, it’s a haiku. Written by Matsuo Basho, I believe.”
“Simeon did…?” I frowned. “Seriously? You remember the author and everything?”
“Hmm, the question is… why is Lucifer’s team the only one whose assignment came in the form of a riddle?”
I shrugged. “Maybe it only looks difficult, but it’s actually simple, like their initial theory. Lucifer and Solomon tend to be over-thinkers.”
“Ah, I see.” Raphael nodded. “Since they’re likely to overthink it, they would spend more time than necessary pondering its meaning.”
I giggled a bit. “That’d be pretty ironic, actually, if that’s part of it. Ahhh, and they literally just said it out loud but didn’t get it… So them…”
He looked away from me. “Yes… It is like Lucifer to do that.”
I raised my eyebrows at him, but he didn’t meet my eye. Uncomfortable that I knew them as he did, or used to? Better than him now?
Fine by me.
“Hey,” Thirteen cut in, “whatever they’re tasked with finding has to be somehow related to a student at RAD, right? Because in that case, the answer can’t be THAT difficult.”
I frowned again. “That could be true, actually… So far, everyone’s assignments have involved interacting with another team in some way.”
“Are you saying that you think ‘octopus pot’ actually refers to something simple?”
“Ooh, hey!” A grin spread over Thirteens face. “That reminds me! Speaking of octopus pots…”
She clapped her hands together again with a snicker, before pulling something out of her void-portal.
“Take a look at Ozzie Octopus Number Two here,” she introduced smugly. “I just got done making a few improvements to him, you see. What do you think? He’s life-sized!”
My jaw dropped. "Thirteen! Are you serious right now?! Put that away!”
“Huh? What?”
“Where did that come from?” Raphael asked in confusion. “It’s huge.”
“Not the point!” I hissed.
“Whatever, it doesn’t matter. Just listen! Because I’m about to regale you with the heroic tale of Ozzie Octopus Number One!”
I sighed. “Octopus pot…!”
“And it’s a type of trap,” Raphael said slowly.
“So, assuming that this was the perfect opportunity, I decided to try to capture Solomon. However–"
“Thirteen!” I hissed again. “Your octopus! Instead of a trap meant for octopuses–"
“OctoPI!”
“Octopi! Whatever! Instead of a trap meant for octopi, the octopus IS the trap! YOUR TRAP!”
“In which case, they might end up being the ones coming after us…” Raphael finished for me.
“Excuse me?!” Thirteen glowered at us. “Have you listened to anything I’ve said?!”
“…Well, I can tell you that he’s been listening to what WE’VE said. As have you.”
I sighed. “Busted. You’re as bad as Levi with his toys, Thirteen…”
“How DARE you say that to my face! …Which one is Levi again?”
“Hmph.” Mephisto was climbing the stairs towards us with a glare. “I thought I heard some sort of commotion coming from up here…”
Lucifer was shaking his head in disappointment. “If you were going to eavesdrop on our conversation, you really should’ve done a better job.”
“Lucifer…” I smiled sweetly at him as I put a breathy sort of awe in my voice.
"Lamb."
Oh dear. That had been quite the predator-meets-prey tone.
This was 'I’m not fucking around' Lucifer.
So I turned to Solomon, who was coming up from behind him. "Ahuvi!!"
"Well well!" He grinned at me. "Now isn't that just a lovely smile! Is that all for me?!”
Thirteen hissed like a cat beside me.
"Hey, so..." I batted my lashes prettily at him. "Wanna give me that grimoire you've got on you?"
He raised his eyebrows. "Huh?"
Thirteen smacked her forehead. "For real? EW! Have some standards!"
"I don't see YOU helping out here!" I hissed at her again.
“Hmm!” His eyes sparkled with interest. “What do I get out of it?"
I brightened. "Whatever you'd like!"
"Would you lift the ban on the kitchen?"
My face fell.
Thirteen gasped in despair. "EVIL!"
Even Lucifer turned a little green. “Raphael? You were eavesdropping on us, too?”
“…It’s not what you think. I just happened to be with them when they–"
“Please, don’t make excuses, Raphael.” Thirteen rolled her eyes. “You don’t need to answer to THEM.”
“I wasn’t making excuses. I just–"
He really did sound very young.
“That’s right, we WERE eavesdropping on you. So what?”
“Ahahaha!” Solomon laughed in delight. “You’re not about to stand there and let them shame you, are you Thirteen? That’s so ‘you’!”
I growled at him with a narrowing of my eyes.
“Oh my?” He pouted at me. “What on Earth did I do this time?”
“Knock it off, Solomon! How about I test out Ozzie Octopus Number Two on you? Let’s see just what it can do! I’ll take out you AND your teammates in one go!”
“Thirteen!” I stared at her, wide-eyed. “Don’t–!”
“All right, Ozzie. Do your thing!”
She threw it at them while cackling maniacally.
It slammed heavily into Mephisto first, who’d been in front, nearly sending him tumbling back down into the others. A bunch of purple sparkles erupted from it on impact.
“This new version of Ozzie Octopus comes with an extra-special feature. It makes you see visions of whatever it is you desire!”
“Wow!” Solomon grinned at her. “As always, you really went to extra mile, huh?”
“Please…” Lucifer shook his head with a crossing of his arms. “These ‘visions’ might fool a child, but if you think we’re going to fall for them, you’re wr–“
“I don’t believe it!” Mephisto gasped. “A bottle of golden Demonus! Those are so rare they’re legendary!”
“Hmm…” Solomon tilted his head with a tut of disappointment. “Well, looks like he fell for it. That didn’t take long.”
“Ugh, honestly…”
“Chise…” Raphael said quietly from beside me. “You know a binding spell, right?”
“Yeah…?”
“Use it on Mephistopheles. Now’s your chance. The visions have him in a confused stupor.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, searching his face intently. He simply looked a bit bland, if not mildly puzzled by my look.
“Fine. I bind thee, and rob thee of thy freedom!”
“Look at you shortening the incantation again like a pro!” Solomon sang sweetly. “Just what I’d expect from my talented apprentice! Well done, sweetie!”
“Is this really the time to be marvelling at Chise’s magic?” Lucifer asked dryly.
“Urgh…!” Mephisto wheezed a bit as he rooted in place. “Damn! I can’t move… Wait a second, it just hit me! I figured out what the riddle means! The ‘octopus pot’ it mentioned is actually that strange contraption Thirteen just used on us! It’s not referring to a trap for an octopus, the octopus is the trap!”
Thirteen and I exchanged glances.
“Bit slow on the uptake, isn’t he?”
“Yeah.”
“Anyway, 'STRANGE CONTRAPTION'?! Watch how you talk about Ozzie!”
“Hahahaha!” Mephisto burst into laughter. “How do you like that, Lucifer?! I just solved our team’s riddle… ME!”
Lucifer glared at him. “Considering you’ve just been incapacitated by a binding spell, that smug expression on your face seems a little out of place.”
“Well then, hurry up and LIFT THE SPELL!”
“Honestly,” he sighed, “always in need of something, aren’t you…”
“Aww…” He lifted my spell off so eeeasilyyy.
“Looks like he broke it,” Raphael confirmed.
“Well then, I guess this is going to be easier than we thought!” Solomon smiled sweetly. “So, would you mind handing over Thirteen’s Otto Octopus Number Two?”
“It’s OZZIE!” Thirteen snapped at him, clicking her fingers to apparently drag Ozzie back to her. “And do you honestly think we’re just going to give it to you?!”
Raphael gently took our wrists in each hand. “I believe it’s time we made a quick exit. Goodbye for now!”
We booked it out of there, with Raphael half-dragging us along. I heard Lucifer sigh in annoyance from behind us.
“Dammit,” Mammon hissed through his teeth as he stomped through the forest park that was behind RAD grounds. “With Barbatos here watchin’ me constantly, I can’t slip away like I was hopin’ to… Well then, I guess I’ll just have to win this Bloody Scavenger Hunt thing. Then I’ll go to Lord Diavolo and coax him into givin’ me a reward…”
“I heard everything you just said, Mammon,” Barbatos said smoothly from behind him, both him and Simeon trailing not too far behind.
“HEY! Don’t eavesdrop on the Great Mammon when he’s talkin’ to himself!”
“Ahah…” Simeon shook his head. “For someone who was just talking to himself, you were far too loud.”
"THIS IS SO NOT FAAAAAIR!"
They all paused at the blubbering sobs that were sounding from further up the path.
Simeon blinked. “Wait, what was that?”
“I believe it sounded like Leviathan?”
“What’s the deal now?” Mammon rolled his eyes. “Is he cryin’ or something? Why the heck does Chise put up with him–“
“OKAY, SURE!” came another blubbering sob in response. “SURE, Chise is the only one my heart REALLY belongs to, okay?! The one I lost my v-card to and everything!"
Barbatos tilted his head to the side in confusion. "What is a 'v-card'?"
Mammon grimaced.
"Still, I’m not about to walk up to Chise like something out of a shoujo manga and be like, ‘Listen, the instructions said I’m supposed to bring the person I love to the finish line. So would you come with me? You will, won’t you?’”
“A shoo-jah what now?”
Barbatos chuckled quietly. “Ah, well… It seems my challenge was well targeted.”
“Pff!” Simeon glanced at him. “That’s quite the sly smile you have going on there, Barbatos.”
“Hmm? You must be imagining things. This is simply the way my face looks.”
“…I can’t do that! Don’t be stupid! I don’t care if it means we can’t win… I’m not embarrassing myself like that! I’m happy to spend the rest of my life having normies make fun of me for being a sad, moody otaku, okay?! You got that, idiots?!”
“Surely you didn’t write all of the challenges, Barbatos? That would be a bit unfair, no?”
“The Young Master took great pleasure in writing half of them, especially after he had learned that I should be teamed with Mammon.”
“Ah, I’m sure he did…” Simeon looked down the path again after Levi. “Oh my. It seems he ran off shouting at the top of his lungs…”
“Oh my indeed.” Barbatos tilted his head with a perplexed lifting of his eyebrows. “Perhaps my assignment for that team was a bit more effective than I had intended.”
“Man, what’s his problem?” Mammon rolled his eyes again. “I don’t get it.”
"…is why… …from Solomon… ….away…"
“Hold on…” Mammon turned his head with a frown. “I hear a voice comin’ from somewhere…”
“That’s Raphael.” Simeon nodded towards the direction the sound was coming from. “I’m guessing Chise’s team is over there with him.”
“Quiet,” Barbatos murmured. “We might benefit from hearing whatever it is they’re discussing.”
“For real?!” Mammon grinned as he crept forward. “Oooh, what’re they sayin’…?”
"So then, that… …Solomon always keeps close, and he takes it with him wherever he goes, right?"
“Yes, I’m sure of it. That book is very precious to Solomon, after all.”
“…Can’t… keep… running…”
"Ugh, humans..."
“Aww, poor Chise…”
“Hey, did ya hear that?” Mammon looked back at them. “Our instructions said to find ’the Book of Incantations carried by someone close to you.’ Sounds like Solomon’s the one who’s got it!”
Barbatos frowned. “We still don’t know whether the book they mentioned is actually the Book of Incantations.”
“You didn’t write theirs, Barbatos?”
“It would have been… improper for me to… That is… I recused myself for conflict of interest. And lack of impartiality…”
“Pff…” Simeon smiled with a shake of his head.
“All right!” Mammon rounded on them with another grin. “We’ll get to Solomon before they do, and take the Book of Incantations for ourselves!”
“Wait, listen,” Simeon urged. “We don’t know whether the book Solomon has is actually the Book of Incantations that–“
”This is just AWFUL!”
Barbatos sighed in exasperation. “What is it this time?”
Simeon turned down the path, towards where they’d come from. “It sounds like someone’s running this way.”
“ALL THIS RUNNING IS MAKING ME SWEAT!” Asmo panted. “I’m going to ruin my makeup!”
“I don’t get iiiiiit!” Luke sobbed. “Why is he chasing after ME as well now?!”
“Beel, hurry…!”
“DON’T YOU RUN FROM ME, BEELZEBUB! THIS IS THE DAY I FINALLY MAKE YOU PAY! I’M GOING TO TAKE THIS EXTRA-STRONG ENCHANTED ROPE AND TIE YOU UP SO TIGHT THAT YOU’LL NEVER BE ABLE TO GET FOOD INTO THAT MOUTH OF YOURS AGAIN! IN FACT, WHY DON’T I ROAST YOU OVER A SPIT AND FEED YOU TO FUCKING CERBERUS?! IT’D SERVE YOU RIGHT! GLUTTONOUS DEMON INSIDE THE BELLY OF THE GLUTTONOUS MUTT! COME BACK HERE SO I CAN KILL YOU DEAD FOR GOOD.”
“Wait, did he say he had an extra-strong enchanted rope?!” Mammon turned back to his team again. “Man, we could TOTALLY use that! YO, SATAN!”
Satan turned his head as he charged up the path, slowing at the distraction.
“How about you calm down, huh buddy?”
Simeon winced.
“WHAT do you want, Mammon?! I don’t have time for this!”
“Man, it looks like you’re tryin’ to chase down Beel. But he’s even faster than me, y’know?! Look at ya! You’re just slowin’ yourself down carrying that rope, right? Why don’t I hold that for ya? Come on, Satan. Take a deep breath and just chill! What do ya say?”
“He is right, Satan,” Barbatos added in his calming voice. “Perhaps you could talk things over, and come to a peaceful solution? Just what would Chise say?”
Simeon shook his head. "This cannot possibly work–"
Satan sighed, shoulders slumping as his horns and tail retracted back into him. “…Yeah, you’re right. I should know better than to lose my temper like that…”
“Oh, well, never mind then.”
“I suppose I have invoked the name that matters.”
“BOOM!” Mammon grinned as he held up his prize. “We just scored ourselves a magic rope! That 'Book of Incantations carried by someone close to you’ is gonna be mine for sure now! All right then, time to go find Solomon!”
"Mammon, hold on–"
He was gone.
Belphie sighed as he came back towards the noise, the lack of evil energy also signalling the end of drama. “Damn. He ran off with our magic rope. We were going to use that to trip up Lucifer, Satan. Remember? After all that trouble…”
Simeon grimaced at Mammon’s retreating backside. “Seeing as our team shares responsibility for any trouble Mammon causes, I suppose we’d better go after him.”
Barbatos tutted quietly. “Our team’s ’special challenge’ was clearly meant to be Mammon himself.”
They both sighed as they followed him off.
Luke came up from behind Belphie, panting. “I… I don’t really understand what just happened, but thank goodness it did…”
“Ugh, this is just awful,” Asmo sighed. “I need to find someplace where I can fix my makeup.”
“…Hmm.” Satan frowned as he looked up the path after them. “Book of Incantations?”
Belphie nodded. “That’s what he said.”
Satan was rummaging in his book bag. “Do you think Mammon was talking about this Book of Incantations here? I’ve been carrying it around in case I get an opportunity to use it on Lucifer.”
Luke gasped. “So then the one Solomon has must be–"
“A different book, yep,” Beel finished for him.
Asmo sighed again. “Not my problem!”
“Heh…” Belphie smiled. “Suckers.”
“Hah!” Thirteen smirked over her shoulder as I lurched after the two of them, panting. “Looks like we lost them. Even they shouldn’t be able to catch up with us now.”
“Stop.” Raphael said, as he did just that, holding his hand out. “That’s them just ahead, blocking our way.”
I stumbled to a stop with a wheeze, doubling over.
Thirteen glared at the approaching men. “I don’t get it. How?!”
I scowled. “Dammit… Solomon! Teleportation is playing it cheap! Ass…”
“Greetings again!” Solomon grinned. “So, why don’t you just hand over Ollie Octopus, and we’ll all be on our way? Because if you don’t, we’re going to have to do this the hard way…”
“It’s OZZIE! Get it through your head!”
I sucked in a breath of air as I felt Solomon gathering his power. "Spirit of wind! Send forth a gale!"
“Whoops!” Solomon slapped it away abruptly with a swipe of his hand, eyes widening a bit with surprise. “Oh my, Chise! Well, I guess I can’t blame you for being a little grumpy.”
“Nice going, Chise,” Raphael said from behind me. “Keep repelling Solomon’s attacks with spells of your own.”
“Don’t need you telling me…” I muttered under my breath as I raised my hand. I grunted as I sent forth another dense bolt of air to slap against Solomon’s, scattering leaf litter throughout the courtyard with their collision.
“I see you’re managing to keep up with the speed of my casting!” Solomon beamed at me while I gritted my teeth in concentration. “You’ve really improved, haven’t you Chise?”
“Shhhhut!” I sent another. He countered. “It!”
“Well done!” He laughed in delight. “I couldn’t have asked for a more amazing apprentice! Or a more adorable one!”
“You condescending jerk of a sorcerer! Feeling a little infantilized here!”
“You do? Oopsies!”
“Hey! You two!” Thirteen shouted at us. “Stop flirting!”
“Hm?” Solomon gave her an innocent look. “Flirting…?”
“Are you talking about Solomon and Chise?” Lucifer asked sourly, expression darkening.
Thirteen clapped her hands together again. “Let’s see how you like Gigachomp Chameleon Number Five here! Take THIS!”
“…Chise!” Solomon called out to me, eyes widening. “Look out!”
I yelped as the goddamn thing nearly hit me, but I’d been pulled right into Solomon’s arms, held against him as it flew past where I’d just stood.
He sighed in relief. “That was close. Really close.” He cupped my jaw to turn my face up to his. “Are you okay, Chise? You’re not hurt?”
I blinked at him in shock. His sleek silver hair framed his frame prettily as he looked down at me, shining with a glow in the moonlight.
“You’re so beautiful, Sol…”
“Oh!” He blushed prettily. “Well, thanks! Goodness, you’re so cute…”
“HEY!” Thirteen began to scold again. “You weren’t supposed to DODGE that! And then YOU threw yourself in front of Chise?! Where do you come off?!”
“Thirteen,” Raphael sighed, “just whose side are you on here?”
“That doesn’t matter now,” Lucifer said in a dangerous voice that had me lifting up my head to look at him. “Because that attack of yours put a hole in the side of the school, Thirteen.”
I followed his gaze.
“Ooooh…”
Solomon winced above me. “Yep. That’s definitely a hole in the school!”
“An attack on RAD is an attack on Diavolo’s rule…” Lucifer bit tersely as he stepped forward. “Which means your fight is with me now.”
“Fine!” Thirteen stuck her tongue out at him. “Bring it on!”
Oh hells, brat behaviour. She was in for it now.
“Wait a minute.” Raphael raised his hands. “Lucifer, calm down if you would. Thirteen, don’t forget why you came here to begin with. What are you thinking, flying off the handle like this?”
She frowned. “Shut it! You keep out of this!”
“…Whoa, not so fast, Chise,” Solomon whispered sweetly into my ear with a smile. “I’m not about to let you go over there and rein in Thirteen. Your fight is with me.”
“You… You CHEEK!” I cried out as I struggled, but he held me firmly against him with a giggle of delighted mischief. “I am going to KICK YOUR ASS, SOLOMON!”
He kissed my hair daintily.
“I’m GOING to tell Simeon!!”
He pouted. “That I saved you from an explosion that tore a hole in the school, held you close in my arms, and kissed you lovingly?”
“UGGGHHH! RAPHAEL, A LITTLE HELP HERE PLEASE!”
Raphael looked between Solomon and Lucifer with a bit of a lost look on his face. “What are we supposed to do…”
I rolled my eyes. Wasn’t he supposed to be some crazy powerful mentor leader seraphim…? Sure seemed unsure of himself in high-stress situations.
“YO, STOP RIGHT THERE!”
I looked up again, wide-eyed. “…Mammon?!”
Hands on his hips, he was smirking down at our ’squabble’. “Yo, guess what?! I totally overheard everything you guys just said! Don’t worry, the Mammon is here to settle this whole thing for ya!”
I stopped squirming in Solomon’s arms to narrow my eyes at him.
Raphael sighed, closing his eyes with an irritated shake of his head. “Seems it’s time to take out my spear. I hadn’t expected to need it so soon…”
“Could’ve taken out your spear a hot five minutes ago,” I grumbled.
“Whoa, hey!” Mammon’s eyes widened as he held out his palms as if to ward him off. “Don’t joke around about pullin’ out your spear. It’s not funny!”
“I wasn’t joking.”
Barbatos stepped up behind him. “You have a bad habit of drawing negative attention to yourself, Mammon.”
Simeon waved too. “Yes, it really is impressive how much effort he put into that pointless bluster. Though I guess that’s nothing new for him.”
“Hey! No more cute comments from the peanut gallery!” Mammon snapped at them. “Anyway, just listen to what I’ve got to say!”
“SIMEONNNN!” I called. “TELL SOL TO LET GO OF ME!”
He laughed with an amused shake of his head. Unhelpful.
“Sim! I saved her from that hole in the wall over there!”
“You did?! You saved our girl?!”
“I saved our girl!”
“Oh, Sol!”
Only Lucifer and Barbatos seemed to pick up on that little nugget. And Lucifer looked extremely displeased by the implication. Downright pissed, actually, as he turned his head to glare daggers at Solomon. Barbatos simply looked up at the sky in his discomfort, not meeting anyone’s eyes as a soft blush spread over his cheeks.
I groaned.
“I SAID LISTEN! You guys need to stop tryin’ to settle every little problem by fightin’ about it! At this rate, RAD’s gonna be nothin' but rubble by the time you’re done.”
I narrowed my eyes again.
“And this is the RAD Sports Festival, right?” His smirk returned. “If you’ve got a problem, you should naturally settle it with some sorta competition.”
I was narrowing my eyes so hard I could barely see. “What are you plotting, Mammon?”
“Maybe he’s not the real Mammon?” Solomon offered. “After all, Mammon would never say something that sensible.”
“C’monnn, it’s really me! The Great Mammon, Avatar of Greed, in the flesh!”
Barbatos sighed behind him. “Unfortunately, it is true.”
“Whatever. Just listen! What do ya say we settle this with a demonopede race? You know what I’m talkin’ about, right? It’s where everyone on your team ties their legs together, and then you race.”
Solomon and I glanced at each other.
“…Oh. Like a centipede race.”
“Ah.”
Lucifer crossed his arms, eyes dark with suspicion. “Earlier you kept going on about how you couldn’t care less about the sports festival. And now you’re trying to convince us to race?”
“Shaddup! Like, sometimes even I get fired up about somethin’ about makin’ money, okay?!”
Barbatos tutted with a shake of his head. “Apparently, he wants to win the competition and then pester the Young Master to give him some sort of ‘fabulous prize’ as a reward.”
“Such a ‘Mammon’ thing to do,” Simeon sighed. “He really is hopeless, isn’t he?”
I narrowed my eyes again.
“Yo… Barbotas, Simeon! I thought you two were supposed to be on MY side! So how ‘bout you quit insultin’ me and back me up here!”
“Mammon’s motives may be impure,” Barbatos continued, “but he does have a point. If you keep fighting, someone may get injured. I’m sure that’s not what the Young Master would want. Also…” He gestured towards the blown hole in the wall. ”That.”
“Eh?” Thirteen looked over to where he was pointing. “What about it?”
He sighed again, likely very much regretting allowing his master to choose such an exchange student. “So perhaps you should give this ‘demonopede race’ a try?”
“Well, now that you put it that way…” Thirteen placed a pretty, slender, well-manicured feminine finger to her chin, the hand with the cute scrunchie– Okay, whoa. “I guess I wouldn’t mind trying it.”
“It would be a way of resolving this peacefully, yes,” Raphael agreed.
Simeon nodded to the other team. “Lucifer, Solomon, Mephistopheles. I take it you’re okay with this arrangement as well?”
Solomon shot a glance. “What do you think, Lucifer?”
“…Very well. We’re in.”
I sighed. “Seriously, Lucifer? You can’t be this naive.”
He gestured to the wall. "That, is unacceptable."
Solomon hummed lightly as he finally let me go. “See you on the other side, cutie. Where I’ll be waiting!”
“Shut up.” I stomped over to my team, still suspicious, but clearly outnumbered.
“Honestly…” Mephisto rolled his eyes. “I can’t believe I’m about to be forced to tie my leg to Lucifer’s. What did I do to deserve this?”
“Great!” Mammon walked down between the teams. “I’ll tie your legs together now, so line up next to each other!”
I refrained from an audible grumble as Thirteen and Raphael took up their place on either side of me. I did not want to touch either of them. Especially Raphael.
–
Mammon, hands on his hips, looked from side to side in inspection. “Team Lucifer and team Chise, you’re all tied together nice and tight, right?”
…I suddenly felt very, very vulnerable. Mobility had been greatly restricted tied like this.
I felt Raphael stiffen a bit beside me. Yeah. He was realizing, too.
“All right…” Mammon grinned. “Then we’re all set! And now that Solomon here can’t move, I’m just gonna swipe that little treasure of his offa him!”
I nearly stumbled back entirely with a yelp when my occasionally-supremely-surprised-me demon actually used an un-incantated spell to…
In the blink of an eye, he was sudden grasping a book he had yanked from Solomon’s bag.
My jaw dropped.
“Hehehehe!” He snickered at Lucifer’s team. “You idiots totally fell for it! Those ropes are enchanted and the spell that’s on ‘em isn’t gonna be easy to break!”
“…What?” Raphael, slow on the uptake again.
Solomon sighed. “So that’s what this was about…”
"'So that’s what this was about’?” Thirteen rolled her eyes. “You almost sound like you’re AMUSED, Solomon! You idiot! How could you let someone like MAMMON just walk up and rob you?!"
“Dammit, Mammon!” I glowered at him. “Did you really have to tie ME up to do that, too?!”
“Oh, darlin’, darlin’, darlin’…” He smirked at me. “Nice try, baby girl. I know your team is lookin’ for this as well. You gotta admit, this was a good plan, right?! I mean, look at ya! I got BOTH teams that coulda stood in my way trussed up like a bunch of gobblin’ turkeys!”
“You’re in SO much trouble, mister!”
“Eh…” He winked at me. “You’ll get over it.”
I growled.
“All riiiiiight!” He laughed at my reaction as he pumped his fist up in the air with a grin. “I got the item our team is after! The Book of Incantations is MINE!”
Raphael looked over at the two of us. “Did he say 'the Book of Incantations’…?”
“Phwhehehehe…” He turned on his heel, walking back towards the school. “Now that we’ve got this, we’re golden! All we gotta do is head to the finish! And with Chise and Lucifer’s teams all tied up, we’ve got first place locked up! We’re gonna win the Bloody Scavenger Hunt!”
Solomon giggled, smirking now.
Simeon frowned after him. “Something’s not right…”
“Ah, so you think so too, Simeon?” Barbatos nodded. “It does indeed feel a little ‘off’.”
“…Hmm, what should I ask Lord Diavolo to give me as a reward…”
Simeon turned back to us. “Chise’s team is after Solomon’s book as well, right? Is it possible for two teams to be assigned the same item…?”
“You’d better check to make sure the book you’ve got really is the Book of Incantations, Mammon,” Barbatos called out after him.
“…..Sell it the Book of Incantations for cash, too…. Gonna be rich…! ….Can’t stop laughin’!…”
Simeon sighed. “He’s not listening to anything we’re saying. He’s too caught up in his fantasy world.”
“That would seem to be the case, yes.”
“Whatever, forget about that idiot over there and untie our legs!” Thirteen ordered them. “AND BE QUICK ABOUT IT!”
I wiggled my ankles a bit as I looked down at our feet. "May the curse that binds us be undone!"
“OW…!” Thirteen hissed as she tried to jump a bit, wobbling the three of us when the electric shock hit her ankles. “Hey, what do you think you’re doing?!”
“It’s no use,” Raphael sighed, stock still. “The spell he put on the rope is too strong.”
Barbatos nodded to the side. “It is actually Solomon’s magic that binds those ropes.”
I sighed. “Ah, damn… No wonder…”
“It’s Solomon’s magic?” Mephisto turned his head towards the culprit in question. “What do you mean?”
“Hmm?” Solomon blinked his innocence.
“Mammon decided to ‘borrow’ an enchanted rope from the ‘Anti-Lucifer League’. They’d been planning on using it to play a prank on Lucifer.”
Lucifer glared at me. “Oh really…?”
“Whoa whoa whoa!” I protested. “That was the boys! Solomon, what the hell?!”
“Wait, did I make a magic rope for them?” He frowned with a pretty bite of his lip. “Hmm, I don’t recall…”
“Well,” Simeon sighed, as he turned away from us. “Looks like we’re going to have to go after him, Barbatos…”
“Waaaait!” I called after them. “Barbatooos! Come onnnn! You’re strong! REALLY strong, huh?! You can free meeee! BARBATOS! BARBATOS! GET BACK HERE, BARBATOS!”
Both of my partners continued onwards in their stroll towards the indoors, feigning an acute bout of hearing issues apparently.
“Oh, so it’s going to be like that, huh?! ALL of you are in SO much trouble! EverySINGLE one of you!”
Mephisto was glaring at Solomon. “It really isn’t easy being teammates with an idiot…”
“To think he actually got to the grimoire before us…” Thirteen was glaring at the doors to RAD. “How could we be outwitted by MAMMON?! Ugh, unbelievable!”
“Lucifer!” I hissed across from us. “De-curse! Come on! That’s what you do!”
“Ask nicely.”
“What?! I’m not in a very nice mood, to be honest!”
He’d only refuse if he couldn’t.
And he was too Prideful to admit it.
Ass.
“Are you sure that was the grimoire he took?” Raphael asked, leaning forward to look past me at Thirteen. “Mammon kept calling it 'the Book of Incantations'.”
“Hey, Solomon.” Mephisto nudged him. “You’re the one who enchanted these ropes, right? So do something!”
Solomon looked between teams, expression earnest. “Wait, what about the demonopede race, though? We’re not going to do it?”
“Oh my fucking–"
“Hurry up,” Raphael sighed impatiently. “Unless you’d like to learn what it’s like to be on the wrong end of my spear?”
“All right, fine…” Solomon gave him a petulant look. “I’ll free us.”
“…OW!”
They got shocked, too.
“…Huh.” Solomon blinked down at their feet. “That’s weird…”
“What just happened?!” Mephisto snapped at him, offence written all over his face.
“Well, I tried lifting the enchantment, but my spell reflected off the rope.” He tilted his head in consideration. “He used a magic item to reinforce my enchantment, and then added a carefully-constructed barrier on top of it all.”
I sighed. He really did go the extra mile when it came to humiliating Lucifer.
Lucifer frowned. “What did you say?”
“For something Mammon did, that’s very elaborate,” Raphael added, slow on the uptake once more. “Back in the Celestial Realm, the pranks he and his brothers would pull were much more childish. They’d dig pits for others to fall into, hollow out the pages of one of Michael’s books and leave a frog inside…”
“If I recall, it was you who made the mistake of opening that book, wasn’t it Raphael?”
“…You remember that, do you?”
“I’ll never forget the look on your face in that moment.”
I narrowed my eyes. “You two seem pretty close…”
Lucifer smiled softly at me. “Does that bother you? Raphael and I go back a long way, after all.”
I subsided into quiet.
And so did Raphael, who flicked his eyes away.
Until I broke the silence. “…Oh, it was SATAN, by the way. Obviously. Satan reinforced the ropes. Mammon could never. Curses and enchantments are basically his bane. It’s like he’s attracted to traps. Honestly, it’s a miracle he didn’t get tangled in the ropes himself.”
“…Ah...” Raphael looked down at his feet. “I do not know Satan. Or about… Mammon with curses.”
“Whatever, who cares?!” Thirteen glowered at the sorcerer across from us. “Solomon, DO something about these ropes!”
He sighed lightly. “I’d love to, but any spell I try to cast is just going to bounce right off. Oh, hey! Come to think of it…”
“What?” Mephisto leaned forward eagerly. “Have you thought of another way of lifting the enchantment?”
“No. I just remembered the advice I gave Satan.” He smiled brightly. “I said if he planned to prank Lucifer, he should really use a magic item to reinforce the enchantment on the rope. But the reinforcement shouldn’t last for very long. I’m sure it only have a few minutes left. Even so, they did a good job with it!”
“…Yes, they really did.” Lucifer smiled so sweetly, his voice so soft with admiration, that it made us all shiver a bit.
“Come again?” Solomon asked, feigning obliviousness.
“Ugh, that’s it! I can’t take this anymore!” Mephisto glowered around at us all as though we were the gum on the underside of his boot. “I refuse to stand here and endure this disgrace any longer! I’m going after Mammon!”
“Hey, stop trying to move!” Lucifer snapped at him, as Mephisto began to do just that. “We’re still tied to you!”
“Mephisto…!” Solomon lurched forward with an oof, trying to keep balance. “Come on, quit it! D’ah…ahhhh!”
Had to admit, seeing the three of them face plant into the ground was quite satisfying.
Lucifer.
Solomon.
And even Mephistopheles in there as a bonus.
Quite satisfying, to watch them tumble into a tangled heap of rope.
“Oooh… Lucifer, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to land on top of you!” Solomon’s face fell into a look of ‘earnest’ regret. “I don’t want to think about what Diavolo will say to me if I injured his–“
“Just get off of me, Solomon! You’re… actually heavy!”
“In case you haven’t notice, you’re BOTH on top of ME! Hurry up and get off, NOW!”
Thirteen snickered. “Look, Lucifer’s team is completely exhausted! Now’s our chance to get the drop on them!”
I shook my head at her. “For what reason?! We need to break free and go after MAMM–“
“Hey!” Raphael’s brows drew together in worry as we began to unbalance. “Don’t make any sudden movements, or you’ll–“
Thirteen shrieked as she began to tip, threatening to take the two of us down with her.
“THIRTEEN!” I hissed as I shot out my arm over her stomach. “There’s a STRATEGY to demono… centipede… whatever!”
“Chise, what are you doing?!” She scowled at me, pointing to where I touched her bare belly. “I know you did that as an excuse to get touchy-feely with me!”
“Wh…!” I went bright red as I snatched my arm back. “Nnno! I was CATCHING you, you… p… punk!”
“PUNK…? Is that the best you got?!”
“Y…Yeah!”
She shook her head. “Well, you ARE Solomon’s apprentice, I guess you can’t help being an idiot too…”
“Hey!”
“…Are you two going to get off of me or what?! Come on!”
“I wish I could,” Solomon sighed with ‘deep’ regret. “But it’s hard to move with our legs tied together like this.”
I rolled my eyes. “Solomon, in your old age you really should know better than to enchant random ropes at the request of unhinged demons looking for revenge on their older brother!”
He pouted at me. “Old man…”
“Do something, Raphael!” Thirteen finally snapped. “You’re an angel, aren’t you?!”
Raphael sighed in annoyance. “Don’t call on angels for help only when it happens to be convenient. It’s inappropriate.”
“Seriously?” I glared at him. “And are angels all as pompous as–"
“That’s it.”
We all whipped our heads back towards Lucifer.
“Wh…?!” Mephisto squirmed harder in his alarm. “Lucifer, you aren’t seriously planning to–?!”
He sure was, as he erupted into his demon form. “I’ve had enough of this idiocy. I’m putting an end to this right now. Then I’m going to find Mammon and string him up. THEN I’m going to find SATAN and string HIM up.”
He tore through the rope.
“He just tore off the magic ropes, barrier and all…”
“Thanks for the playback commentary, genius!” Thirteen snapped at Raphael.
“Honestly…” Mephisto glowered as Solomon was abruptly rolled off from on top of them all from the sudden release. “This is a little excessive.”
“Ahh, maybe so.” Solomon grinned from on the ground. “But at least we’re free now! Thanks, Lucifer.”
“Now…”
The three of us squeaked, cowering as Lucifer approached us, his massive wings spread out. Raphael because shivering beside me.
Guess he wasn’t used to seeing his old friend like… that.
“I’ll be taking that octopus pot of yours, Thirteen.”
She gasped in dismay as she turned her head towards me in panic. “He’s going to steal my Ozzie Octopus Number Two! Ch-Chise, Raphael! Do something about these ropes NOW!”
Raphael sniffed with a turn of his head. “That’s an awfully bossy tone considering you’re depending on us to save you…”
“Come ON, Raphael,” I pleaded with him. “There’s a curse reinforcing this! Angels HATE curses!”
He sighed. “Ugh… fine.”
I sighed in relief at the golden energy that enveloped the three of us, trying not to show my admiration for the strange magic that was so… untouchable to me, while as natural as breathing to him.
The ropes quivered, and then went slack around our shins and ankles.
“All RIGHT!” Thirteen grinned. “We’re free! Why didn’t you just do that in the FIRST place?!”
“Angels–"
“You’re NOT in the Celestial Realm,” I snapped at him. “You’re an exchange student in the Devildom competing with a TEAM who’s relying on you!”
He blinked at me quietly, lips parting a bit.
“Forget the demonopede race.” Lucifer crossed his arms as he closed the gap between us with long strides. “You’re going to hand over that octopus pot, or else…”
“I’m not about to let you have your way, Lucifer!”
“…Thirteen, what are you doing?”
She giggled. It was a very cute sound, even with it being full of confident malice. “I thought this might happen, so I prepared a special surprise. Behold!” She clapped her hands, expanding her ’storage’ portal I guess it was. “Ozzie Octopus Number Three!”
“DON’T BRING THAT OUT!” I shouted at her.
“…How is that any different from the last one?”
“What a rude thing to say! He’s CLEARLY been upgraded!”
“Number Two, Number Three… I don’t care WHICH octopus you give me. Hand one of them over… now.”
“Ohhh no,” I whispered as I shrunk back. “He’s in mean dad mode…”
“Considering the form Lucifer is in right now,” Solomon called out from behind him, “I think you’d better give him what he wants.”
“That book Mammon ran off with looked like the grimoire,” Raphael reminded us. “We really need to go after it. But as long as we’ve got the octopus pot Lucifer’s team is after here with us, we’re stuck dealing with them.”
“Then what exactly do you suggest we do?!”
I gasped. “Wait. We’re all headed to the same place…”
“What are you on about now?”
"Create a path where there is none!"
“Chise!” Solomon scolded with a disapproving frown. “Beelzebub was one thing. Teleporting THREE is not–"
"And deliver the octopus to the colosseum! The sorcerer Chise commands it to be so!"
Mephisto was visibly taken aback by my strategy. “The octopus…”
“Ahh..” Solomon’s frown melted into a delighted grin, eyes sparkling. “So you used magic to teleport just the octopus to the colosseum. How brilliant! What a good little apprentice you are!”
I felt my cheeks burn hot. “Shut up, Sol… I’m not a kitten…”
Lucifer sighed. “Which means that both the grimoire you’re after and the octopus we need are waiting for us in front of the finish line. I see…” He smiled at me tenderly as his wings and horns began to retract. “Very smart.”
“Okay, now…” I grabbed Thirteen and Raphael’s hands. “We go! In the name of the sorcerer Chise–"
Solomon sighed. “Ugh... Chise, what am I going to do with you…”
"–I command you! Create a path where there is none!”
“WHAT?!” Thirteen shook her hand in alarm, trying to break free of me.
"–And lead us where we wish to go!"
I heard Solomon’s own incantation as I – we – were whisked away by mine.
–
To land in a heap in the coliseum.
“Ow…” Thirteen winced. “Seriously…?! What’s the big idea! I didn’t SAY you could teleport me!”
Raphael rubbed at his spine with a quiet glare.
I groaned, since they’d both landed on top of me. “Get off of the weak human, pleeease…”
I heard a tsk tsk tsk from nearby. “Haven’t quite gotten that landing down yet, have you ahuvati?”
“Shut up…”
“Uh-oh, bad news! Look!” Mephisto pointed. “Mammon’s team just handed over the book they found to Lord Diavolo!”
Lucifer nodded. “It would seem they have, yes.”
“…That’s all you have to say?” Mephisto shook his head with a scowl. “Shouldn’t you be more concerned right now?!”
“…Lord Diavolo, we got it!” Mammon was smirking as he held it up over his head. “We’ve brought you the thing we were supposed to find. The Book of Incantations!”
“Hello there, Mammon!” Diavolo greeted him with a grin. “Congratulations on making it to the finish line.”
“Boom!” He held the book out in front of him with both hands. “Check it out! The Great Mammon’s tram just took FIRST place! Which means that reward is ALL MINE! Treasure city, here I come!”
Diavolo chuckled in amusement as he took the book from him to examine the cover. “Just on problem… I’m afraid this isn’t the Book of Incantations.”
“Say wha…?”
“I’m afraid that means that your team is disqualified, Mammon.”
“SAY WHAT?!”
Barbatos sighed with irritation. “This is why we begged you to make sure you had the right book…”
“Well,” Simeon laughed good-naturedly, “that’s just the way it goes when you’re dealing with Mammon.”
“You gotta be KIDDIN’ me!” He snatched the book back from Diavolo, staring down at it. “I did ALL that work to get my hands on that book, and you’re tellin’ me it’s a FAKE! Pff, whatever… Forget it, I’m done!”
He tossed it straight to the ground with grunting force, before bringing his heel down on it.
“Hey!” Raphael called out. “What kind of fool flings a grimoire onto the ground?!”
Thirteen's eyes widened in alarm. “Oh no, this is bad! The grimoire landed right next to Ozzie Octopus Number Three!”
I frowned at her. “What on Earth does Ozzie have to do with–"
“Aaaand now he’s starting to glow now.”
“Are you…” I turned back with a sigh, before my eyes went wide with confused fear.
“That light…!” Solomon came to my side. “Is that what I think it is?”
“It looks like summoning magic!” Mephisto yelled out over the din.
“Thirteen…” Raphael glanced at her. “What on Earth is that octopus of yours doing?”
“His NAME is OZZIE! Ozzie Octopus Number Three! I put a magic seal on him… one that’s a bit rare. I was hoping to use it to lure Solomon to us…”
“Hmm…” Solomon shook his head. “This definitely isn’t good.”
“Mammon!” Lucifer barked at him. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“…Uhh, I just remembered that I’ve got stuff to do.”
“Don’t you dare try to run away. You’re the one who got us into this mess to begin with.”
Mammon yelped as he was grabbed by the roots of his hair.
“Guys…” I was still staring at the light. “It’s growling…”
“Wh…” Mammon’s eyes went wide too. “What’s THAT thing?!”
A great, wretched beast, with a lion’s fierce forefront and head, and a vicious goat’s head that gnashed its teeth behind the lion’s shoulders, eyes bloodshot. Its serpents tail hissed with a baring of its fangs; a lethal promise that dripped from its mouth. It was a twisted, unnatural creature. The lion’s eyes burned, while the goat rolled its own, with the snake snapping at the air as it swung to turn its gaze towards us all as well.
“That would be a chimera,” Solomon answered simply.
“A CHIMERA?!” Mephisto gawked at the monstrous creature that stepped out of the circle. “What’s a chimera doing here…?”
“There happens to be a piece of paper tucked inside the pages of that grimoire, with a drawing of a magic seal for summoning… a chimera. The impact triggered the summoning spell. And to top if off, it seems the magic seal on the octopus made the beast even fiercer.” He smiled with a sparkle in his eyes. “I have to say, that’s one impressive chimera. It really came out well.”
The lion opened its mouth, thick saliva drooling from its mouth signifying ravaging hunger, before it roared its challenge. The goat screamed its own battle-cry from behind it.
“Oh, great, so it’s just a– wait, wait, WAIT!” I stumbled forward to scream his name in horror. “SIMEON! SIMEON! MOVE AWAY!”
“Simeon!” Lucifer called as well. “Look out!”
Mammon frowned with a shrug. "Simeon shouldn’t have any trouble dealin’ with some chimera though. I mean, angels can use the power of their blessing to–"
But Simeon was frozen in place, eyes wide at the creatures approach.
“Yo, what?! Why isn’t he usin’ his power?! SIMEON!”
“SIMEON!” I continued to scream at him, begging. “MOVE! MOVE! RUN!”
The creature roared as it began its charge.
”SPIRIT OF WIND,” I shrieked, “CHISE THE SORCERER COMMANDS YOU–!”
“Simeon!” Raphael stepped forward, arm reached out towards the monster, with a blast of powerful light that seared into the beast; the blast threw it across the room as it let out a deafening shriek from its three mouths.
It twitched in the rubble that fell around it. I fell to my knees.
“Brother…” Raphael was walking forward in front of me, holding out his hand towards my angel who had also fallen to the ground. “Simeon, are you all right?”
“…Yes,” Simeon replied quietly, as he took his offered hand to stand. “Thank you, Raphael.”
“Whoa, hey, whoa…” Mammon had paled considerably. “What’s the deal, Simeon?! You feelin’ under the weather or somethin’?!”
I was shivering as Solomon helped me to my feet as well, and then supported me as we went to our angel.
“Like, why didn’t you use the power of your blessing to make a barrier…?”
“Hush, Mammon,” I murmured shakily as I took Simeon into my arms, though I think I leaned on him more than I held him to me. “Just… Sometimes people just…” Freeze up. I held onto Simeon tighter as he shook against me. “Oh, Simmy…”
He buried his face into my neck, hugging me tight. “I’m all right, sweetie…”
Tears flooded my eyes at his words.
Mammon huffed. “But–"
“This isn’t the time to be peppering him with questions, Mammon,” Raphael chided as he turned to him, standing between them both.
“Oops, right…” He glanced to the side. “Chimera…”
“We will take care of it from here,” Barbatos cut in quietly as he focused on the beast that was rising back to its feet. “Lucifer, Solomon… help me out if you would.”
Solomon left me with Simeon, turning towards the chimera, face serious. “Of course.”
“Be careful,” Lucifer warned as he straightened too. “It’s wounded and angry.”
“Wait.” Diavolo held up his hand. “Not so fast.”
Lucifer stopped.
As did Barbatos, immediately straightening to attention. “As you wish. We won’t attack.”
I looked between them all, bewildered. “What are you guys doing?!”
Thirteen shrugged. “My Ozzie Octopus Number Three is what caused this chimera to appear, after all.”
Raphael gave a nod. “Our entire team shares in the responsibility, so we should be the ones to deal with it.”
I looked between just the two of them now in disbelief.
“…And more importantly,” Raphael added quietly, “I intend to make it pay for daring to attack Simeon.” He glanced back at me, meeting my eyes directly, holding.
Challenging my commitment? Fuck off.
I brushed Simeon’s cheek with my fingers as I looked up at him; he nodded to me, and I stepped forward as well.
Raphael looked back to Thirteen. “Thirteen, can you use Octopus Number Two again here to make the chimera hallucinate?”
She grinned. “Sure, no problem. Just leave it to me. Looks like it’s time for Ozzie Octopus Number two-point-five to make a surprise appearance! All right, two-point-five, do your thing!”
“Where does she keep getting these…” I muttered, while we all watched on as the trap exploded in the same purple sparkles as before. I didn’t see any difference, but the beast shook its head, the lion’s jaw dropping while its nostrils flared to inhale the hallucinogen.
“Chise, it’s moving in to attack!” Raphael turned his head to me. “Nothing it sees is real right now. When it charges at us, hit it with a surprise attack and then bind it!”
“…All right.”
Like a commander barking orders. I suppose he really was a soldier.
He had, after all, fought my boys. As loyal seraphim, solider to the Celestial Realm, ruled by their Father. Against his brothers – and sister. Unlike Simeon, he had chosen a side.
He nodded. “Great. I’m counting on you.”
The beast – lion, goat, serpent – had all six eyes locked to mine as the lion head roared, lunging forwards at a run.
“I’ve found its weakness,” Raphael darted another glance to me. “Water. Hit it with a water spell, Chise!”
"Spirit of Water, release your raging tide upon the creature before me!"
Thirteen tilted her head as the beast was washed sideways with a more restrained roar, stumbling as it was knocked off balanced to land hard on its side. “So angels also have the power to see their opponent’s weaknesses? Well, that’s handy…”
Raphael flicked his eyes to mine again. “You know what to do next, right?”
"I bind thee–"
“Right. Keep going.”
I scowled. Apparently he’d found his ‘leadership’ qualities while in a true battle. Stop interjecting, and I’d have it done already. "And rob thee of thy freedom!"
The chimera froze in its efforts to rise to its feet again; its enraged eyes locked to mine still, but caught in place.
“Time for the finishing blow.” Raphael stepped forward. “Go forth, O spear, rain down upon my enemies…”
A golden light unfurled from up above us, unleashing needle-like projectiles with sharp tips that truly did rain down upon the three-headed beast, piercing through its hide. It shrieked in its pain, an awful sound that had me slapping my hands over my ears with a nnggk of surprise. I felt Simeon’s arms come around me from behind, holding me to him again.
As it howled out its death throes, Solomon kicked at the grimoire that still lay on the ground; the beast dissipated into it, sucked back into its summoning void, until all that remained was a brief echo of its howls that bounced off the stone walls. “…Phew! All done!”
“It’s gone.” Thirteen smiled, hands on her hips. “The chimera vanished.”
“Whew, NICE!” Mammon grinned. “Not bad, you three!”
“…I hope you’re prepared for what you’ve got coming to you after we’re done here, Mammon,” Lucifer bit through gritted teeth.
He shrank back. “Yikes…”
“I, too, would like a word,” I grumbled into Simeon’s chest.
“Fantastic!” Diavolo nodded enthusiastically with a grin. “That was some truly impressive coordination! The three of you more than proved how well you work as a team!”
It was Lucifer who stepped forward next. “Diavolo, this is for you… It’s the octopus pot you asked for. I found it lying on the ground over there.”
“HEY! That’s MY Ozzie Octopus Number Three! When did you get your grubby mitts on him…?!”
Mephisto smirked as he grossed his arms over his chest, smug. “Looks like we win.”
Diavolo nodded as he took Ozzie from Lucifer’s arms. “This is definitely the item that was assigned to your team, yes. All right then, we have a winner… Team Lucifer!”
I sighed. “You’re kidding…”
“Thirteen…” Raphael shook his head in disappointment. “Why did you leave the octopus lying on the ground where he could find it?”
“What?! Are you saying this is MY fault?! Why didn’t YOU notice that Ozzie Octupis Number Three was lying there helplessly?! Chise! This wouldn’t have happened if you’d been paying attention!”
I sighed again. “We share the blame as a team. That’s the whole point.”
“Wrong. This is Thirteen’s fault.”
“No, it’s CHISE’S fault!”
I sighed again. “Fine! It was my fault! Whatever!”
“No, it’s not. It’s Thirteen’s–"
“It’s CHISE’S!”
“Knock it off, both of you! I just said…!"
Diavolo chuckled. “See that, Lucifer? The exchange students are already great friends, huh?”
“I don’t know if great friends is how I’d word it…”
Solomon came to Simeon and I, eyes soft. “Good work, my love. I’m very proud of you.”
Simeon made a hum of affection approval of his own as Solomon embraced us both.
“Is today over…?”
“Today is all over.”
I bumped my head to Simeon again. “Thank the stars…”
Solomon was quiet for a second as the rest of the room around us busied themselves with assessing damages or throwing around more squabbling insults. “…I almost lost both of you today.”
“Ah, well…” It was Simeon’s turn to bump his head against Solomon. “Can’t get rid of us that easily.”
I shook my head. “Let’s go get tea or something together…?”
Solomon nodded above me. “Yeah, let’s get out of here.”
I felt Raphael’s stare on our backs as the three of us left the coliseum together.
Chapter 11: Intermission: Nostalgic For Another World
Chapter Text
Diavolo: Well…
Diavolo: That didn’t go as well as I had hoped. 😵💫
Lucifer: If you are messaging us looking for sympathetic commiseration, you have come to the wrong place.
Diavolo: 😫
Diavolo: 😬
Lucifer: Don’t 😬 me.
Lucifer: Well, Barbatos?
Barbatos: I have to agree that this first day did not go quite as planned.
Lucifer: An understatement if there ever was one.
Diavolo: 😰
Diavolo: I always make her so mad…
Barbatos: Regardless, she did well today, and is still on task.
Diavolo: How is Chise doing, Lucifer?
Lucifer: She is with Simeon and Solomon. And I will not be interfering to inquire further until she decides to come home herself.
Diavolo: 😮💨 Right.
Lucifer: 🙄
Barbatos: 🙄
Diavolo: You could at least try to be a little bit on my side, Barbatos!
Barbatos: 🙄
Lucifer: 🙄
Barbatos: 🙄
Lucifer: 🙄
Diavolo: 😭
Barbatos: The Young Master and I would enjoy some time spent with young Luke.
Barbatos: If you are amenable to us taking him "off your hands" for a few hours?
Simeon: Barbatos…
Simeon: Thanks.
Barbatos: It is our pleasure entirely.
Barbatos: We will have him and Raphael stay at the Demon Lord’s Castle for supper to make welcome for him. I am sure a familiar face with Luke’s presence and energy would be a comfort.
Simeon: I appreciate that as well.
I looked around with appreciation as we took our seats at a quiet booth. “This place is new…”
Simeon nodded. “I found this little gem the other day. It has a lovely atmosphere, so I took a liking to it. Their cakes are delicious as well.”
“Since you’ve been here…” I looked over the loooong menu. “Any recommendations?”
“Actually…” He smiled softly to himself as he scanned the menu absently as well. “This café’s original blend is what I came here for. It’s made with human world coffee beans. I took one sip, and fell in love with this place. Funny, how quickly human coffee has come to feel nostalgic.”
I smiled too. “That’s what I feel. Or, smell, rather. Couldn’t place it right away until you said something, but the moment we walked in…”
He nodded. “Yes, that’s what drew me in too.”
Solomon smiled at the both of us from across the table. “Original house blend it is, then. For the three of us?”
“That’s a yes for me! And a cake.”
“Oh! But don’t just choose on my account.” Simeon laughed softly in self-consciousness. “If you’re more in the mood for something Devildom-style after being away for so long, their Bufo Egg Milk Tea is exceptional; Luke really enjoyed it when I brought him here. Their hell coffee is great, too.”
“Ohh.” I looked down at the variety of flavours in that section. “The tea with soft, chewy balls inside?”
“The very same.”
I shook my head. “Next time. I’m feeling nostalgic too right now.”
Solomon nodded his head in agreement, quiet.
–
Elbow on the table, my chin in my hand, I stirred my coffee while watching Simeon with another smile.
He caught my look with raised eyebrows. “Something on my face?”
“Maybe she just sees something she likes,” Solomon teased with a wink.
I laughed quietly. “You really do make a good café owner, Simeon. It suits you.”
He chuckled softly. “Thank you. I love running my own.”
“Is it really going to be okay without you there for so long?”
“Well… I think so.” He smiled over his cup as he warmed his hands over it. “It didn’t take long to build up some loyal regulars, I’m sure we can manage it again.”
“You do have a very unique blend of your own,” Solomon agreed. “A touch of human, a touch of angel…”
“Hehe. I’m glad you think so.”
“And the soothing interior,” I added, as I looked around at exactly that. “With more antique-looking furniture.”
Solomon nodded, expression softening. “The bell that rings when you walk in, and your classic music playing in the background. At the perfect volume, I might add.”
“And the cute coffee mugs and antique-y teacups for people dining in.”
“And don’t forget about the menu.”
“You guys…” He hid his smile behind the rim of his own cup.
I leaned to the side to rest my head against his shoulder. “We love you, Sim.”
“We sure do,” Solomon agreed. “Definitely…”
He was blushing now, ducking his head to hide his widening smile. “…We should make it a weekly thing to have coffee here on the way home.”
I nodded.
“Honestly, I thought that… coming back here to the Devildom would be a little harder.” He tapped his finger on the handle of his mug, smile fading a bit. “But I’m still discussing the future and having a wonderful time. And every day is fun and fulfilling with both of you around. Home is where the two of you are – and Luke too. You’ve really shown me that. Thank you.”
I turned my face to kiss his shoulder. “You’re so positive. Even when you have every reason not to be…”
Solomon nodded. I was becoming more and more aware of his quietness.
I guess he really had been pretty badly shaken up by today’s event’s too. It’s not like I blamed him in the least, but it took a lot to rattle the man. We both seemed to be in silent agreement that Simeon was our focus right now, that we needed to be brave, but…
Yeah.
“Hmm…” He blinked in surprise. “Well, it’s not like I’m making an effort to be positive. Since the two of you, with your support, it’s hard to think of a single reason to be negative.”
“Ahah…” Solomon looked down at his own coffee with a small smile. “You’re lovely, Sim. That’s such a ‘you’ thing to say.”
I brushed the toe of my shoe against Solomon’s shin from under the table. He turned his smile to me.
“Still, it was so quiet in the human world when everyone left.” Simeon laughed under his breath. “So being back here, with the two of you and Luke, and the chaotic brothers… Barbatos and Diavolo are good people as well. It’s thanks to all of you that I wake up everyday already having everything I need.”
“Stars…” I shook my head with a giggle. “What a romantic.”
“Mmhm, careful Sim, you’re going to get us both blushing over here.”
“Just so you know…” I took Simeon’s hand from under the table. “I feel the same way about both of you, and everyone.”
Solomon nodded again. “Me as well.”
“It motivates me to get out of bed approximately twenty minutes earlier than usual, from before I’d met you all.”
Solomon snorted. “It already takes you an hour, Chise…”
“What can I say.”
Simeon laughed with a shake of his head. “And here we are… Not just planning weekly coffee dates here, but thinking further towards the café, and beyond. It’s the first time I’ve ever thought about the future like that.”
I hesitated for a moment. “…Everything in the Celestial Realm seems kind of… laid out already for you all.”
He nodded. “I suppose I assumed that angels weren’t allowed to have dreams. Angels are… appointed their positions, which come with well-defined tasks and responsibilities. In a way, it’s… Anyway. Dreaming about having anything else but what already filled my day just never occurred to me, and probably never would have if I had stayed in the Celestial Realm.”
“So I guess Diavolo’s exchange program has…”
I trailed.
Funny. Well, not funny. Kind of cult-ish, wasn’t it? A society where the people within it are told when and where and what to do, assessed for what they can contribute, their days filled thoroughly with the culture of not questioning the way things were done entrenched within them.
Worker drones, with dreams of any other kind of life squashed in their rigid society.
On pain of severe forms of punishment if they strayed.
Which made you a bad person.
He gave a smile of uncertainty. “Of course, having a dream means having desires.”
Strayed… by the concept of sins.
Which conveniently kept everyone in line. Clearly laid out rules, and the fear of breaking them.
Punishment, ostrasization from the only way of life they’d ever known, turned away from by their brothers and sisters, and from their Father’s love. Cast off into the unknown.
“But somehow…” He looked down at his coffee again. “That doesn’t feel like such a bad thing anymore.”
I wonder how his ‘Father', and Michael, felt about that. Simeon was straying, and his punishment so far seemed to be in the form of isolating him from his ‘home'. Maybe to make him panic that his determined angel family was going to cast him away entirely next, to make him fall in line again.
But then he found a new family. He turned their efforts to isolate him right around, and made his own support network. He began to build a new life, and began to see a different way of living it.
He was lovely.
Magnetic.
Kind, and sweet.
We were all drawn to him.
Because he’s a good person.
I hoped someday he would really understand that. I hoped that he could believe that him being iced out wasn’t because he was a Bad Person, a belief I’m sure the Celestial Realm culture nurtured. That he was, in face, very very good.
He reached across the table to take Solomon's hand. "I'm happy, Sol.”
Solomon gave him a small, sweet smile, squeezing his hand back. “That’s all I want.”
“I want your dreams to come true,” I said.
Simeon nodded. “When they do, I’d like all of you beside me.” He broke out into a grin. “Even if wishing for that much would be greedy.”
That… while he may not agree with me saying so… had just been a very brave thing to say.
RAD Newspaper Club: Breaking news.
RAD Newspaper Club: Lord Diavolo has announced the temporary postponement of classes as well as RAD Sports Festival activities while damages to the exterior wall of the school and coliseum are assessed for structural safety and repaired.
RAD Newspaper Club: Estimations for the work completion are thought to be after the weekend.
RAD Newspaper Club: We will keep you updated on the next official announcement.
We all smiled at each other as we looked up from our D.D.D’s.
“That was the right choice,” Solomon said with a nod. “I’d like to check you both for healing anyway.”
“Ugh.”
Simeon perked up suddenly, and his eyes gleamed with hope as he turned to me. “Want to come over to Purgatory Hall for a bit, Chise? We should all have dinner together.”
My smile widened. “Yeah, let’s go.”
“Oh, can I–"
“No, Solomon. I’ll be cooking tonight.”
He sighed.
We hadn’t made it very far through the door of Purgatory Hall before we were all over each other. Before we were stumbling towards Simeon’s room, sharing kisses, and touches.
"I'm so glad you're all right. You really scared us today," I whispered, as I trailed my fingertip down Simeon's bared chest; I was cuddled to his side, with Solomon on his other.
Paused in our kissing. Caressing.
I’d insisted. Scolded Solomon lightly when he pouted.
We’d all agreed anyway. We were all each other’s. All on the same page. But now we knew that. Questions, answered. And now we could all move forward with more confidence.
Still, there was another elephant in the room. We were doting on Simeon, and we were doing it for a reason.
"I'm... so sorry, Chise. You too, Sol." He shook his head sadly. "I, um... I don't know what came over me. And I put you in danger for it..."
I shook my head as well. "You'd do anything to protect me, right? Actually, you already have. All I did was do the same. I love you, silly."
Solomon sighed a quiet agreement as he brushed a kiss to Simeon's shoulder. "I love you as well, Sim. And I want you this time."
I nodded. "Me too..."
He looked between us both with widening eyes for a moment, back and forth, before giving out a soft laugh. "Maybe I would be a demon of greed…"
“No,” Solomon had said quickly, fingers curling on Simeon’s chest.
I smiled with a shake of my head. "Wanting stuff doesn't make you greedy. It's just called being huma– well. Pfft."
He had to laugh even harder at that, along with Solomon, who buried his face into Simeon's arm with it. The sounds were almost ones of relief, like a bubble had just popped between the three of us.
I hummed in amusement as I slid myself overtop of him to straddle into his lap, running my fingers along the shape of his jaw. "You're humble. Humble wants and humble desires do not greed make, you know."
"Ah, well... I suppose...? Though..."
"I'll have to agree with ahuvati there..." Solomon kissed Simeon's shoulder again, closer towards his neck. "Sin was just an umbrella term meant to describe being consumed and defined by natural wants. Everyone wants to be surrounded by good things that bring satisfaction. Including loved ones, and sharing things with them."
"Everyone needs to love themselves. To take care of themselves. And be loved in return." I leaned forward to brush my lips against his forehead. "And to have the fire in them to defend themselves and others. And to know that they need rest in between, or they'll get burnt out. You SHOULD stay in bed for an extra hour if that's what your body and mind demands."
"Pff...! Oh, Chise… Is that how you’re justifying it to yourself now?”
I grinned. “It’s not like you’re that much of a morning person either, SIm…?”
"Sating hunger." Solomon continued to muse as he laid the flat of his palm on Simeon's belly, sliding it up. "And not just to live on a baseline. Food is also community, culture, and society. Meals, and good ones, bring people together, you know?"
Simeon and I stopped to side eye him for a moment.
He looked between us in open, innocent confusion. "What? It's been that way for the whole of human history."
Simeon let out a strained chuckle. "You're exactly right, Sol. Very wise."
I snorted before continuing. "And you SHOULD take pride in yourself and what you do. It gives people purpose. What's the point of getting up every day if you don't have a goal? What's the point in having a goal if it doesn't make you feel good when you meet it? It's how we grow."
Simeon's smile was broadening. "Are we writing a philosophical poem here on what it means to be alive? Waxing poetic? …What about Envy?"
I giggled. "That's a tough one, actually…"
Simeon huffed in amusement. “It’s a bit of an insidious one, isn’t it?”
“Sneaks up on you…”
"Hmm..." Solomon paused to think. “It might just be the mind's way of telling you that there's a need within you that hasn't been met." He hesitated, frowning just slightly. "Which... may not even end up actually having anything to do with what you're jealous of in the first place..."
"Ohh..." My smile widened with delight. "That's a good one. I’m accepting it. So there, we’ve nailed all seven.”
Solomon quietly reached up to brush his fingers across my collarbone, before trailing all five down the middle of my chest.
Simeon reached up too, grazing his own fingers over Solomon's hand, before absently touching the feather pendant around my neck that Solomon’s touch had disturbed to brush his thumb over it. "This is all... Thank you. Both of you. You've taught me so much. I’ve lived for so much longer, kept being given credit for my own wisdom; but it only took a couple of years among humans to shake things up, huh?
“Oh please, I’ve learned so much from you as well…” I leaned down to kiss him again. And Solomon rolled further into us, pressed up against Simeon side, to press his lips to our lovely angel’s neck. Simeon sighed with a closing of his eyes as he drank my lips in, rolling his mouth on mine, as he bent his arm up to brush lightly at Solomon's hair, running his fingers through its silver silk.
We kissed him sweetly, tenderly, the three of us quiet, aside from the sound of lips on lips, and lips on skin. Solomon laced his fingers into Simeon's one hand while Sim's other came up to cup my cheek. We cuddled closer, and closer, our touches ones of connection. And tender love.
***
Soon, Solomon was stroking at my hip, the touch lightly tickling me, before he began to curl his fingers over the band of my panties.
“Let’s get these off of you…”
I cupped both of my hands over Simeon’s cheeks as I continued kissing him while I unhooked a knee from over him, with Solomon’s lips now trailing down my hips as he slid in place behind me. While I was bent, leaning over on Simeon, he dragged my panties down over the swell of my ass, kissing there, kissing my thighs, kissing the folds of my sex while I breathed shakily against Simeon’s mouth at his touch. I lifted one knee, and then the other, for him to take them off the rest of the way, pulled from my ankles.
He placed another small kiss between my thighs. “Now, Simeon’s turn…”
I smiled as I felt Simeon shiver underneath me as Solomon dragged his boxer briefs down next, lifting his hips up for them to come down as well. I heard Solomon let out a sigh of satisfied admiration as he released our angel from his confines, to spring free, hard and throbbing for us.
Simeon moaned softly into my mouth, letting me know he was beginning to be sucked, wetted. Solomon’s lips swallowing his head, taking him slowly down over his girth. I huffed shakily as I switched to kissing along his cheek to his neck, down, turning my head to look down as well, to watch my sorcerer slowly bobbing his mouth up and down over top of Simeon’s cock.
“Oh stars…” I breathed.
Solomon flicked his eyes up to meet mine, flirty amusement shining in his at the look on my face.
He came up for a shuddering breath. “Keep touching him for me, Chise. While I get him ready for us.”
Simeon gasped as Solomon swallowed him down again, faster this time. “Y…You two… are…”
“Yours,” I murmured, as I slid my palm over his chest, tracing my fingers over the buds of his nipples.
“Mmfff…” He swallowed as he turned his head to look at me, panting briefly at my touch, and Solomon’s, as his hand came around to grip the base of his cock.
I took Simeon’s mouth back to mine again, taking in his sweet kisses, how gentle he was, tilting my head to deepen them with a sighing hum. Slowly, as we kissed, he began to gasp softly against my lips, began to roll his hips gently, a small arching of his back, a tilting of his chin that had me chasing him with a smile to continue with our kissing. Unfurling from Solomon moving up and down still on his cock, while I gently licked at Simeon’s lips and teased his chest in slow circles, pinching lightly to reward his little moans.
“Ahuvati…”
With a final small kiss to Simeon’s lips, I turned my head back to Sol, sighing shakily at the sight of him slowly moving his fist up and down on Simeon’s glistening cock, wet from his mouth. He looked back up at me with a growing fire in his eyes. His boxers were off now too, his own swollen cock hung heavily between his legs while he was leaned against Simeon’s thigh.
“Ahuvi…” I breathed back to him in awe.
“Come down here,” he ordered huskily. “Over him. I’ll wet you before you ride.”
Both Simeon and I made little pitched noises at the thought, and I slowly walked back on my hands and knees, before swinging one over to straddle over top of Simeon again.
“Good…” he murmured, as one hand left Simeon’s cock to guide my hips down to his hips.
I laid forward to rest my cheek on Simeon’s chest with another sigh, feeling his fingers tangle gently into my hair as he held me there against him; my hips and thighs spread from my presentation to Sol below me.
“I’ll touch…” I slipped one arm down to graze my fingers over Simeon’s cock, which jumped at my touch. “Keep him going…”
I said the last with a little tease in my voice.
Simeon huffed a strained laugh. “As if that’s possible, with the two of you on my lap…”
I nuzzled between his ribs with a smile, pressing more little kisses there as I wrapped my fingers around his member with a small squeeze that had him gasping again.
“Sensitive today,” I murmured flirtatiously, before I flinched with a gasp myself when Solomon ran his tongue through my folds.
I heard him snickering below me. Simeon laughed again, a little heartier.
I giggled. “Okay, look. I didn’t say I wasn’t… ahhh…”
My lashes fluttered as he did it again, tongue wet and hot as he pushed through with a firmer lick meant to taste me. I rose and fell gently on top of Simeon with my deep inhale, and slow exhale, my eyes fluttering slowed as he delivered another lick to me.
Simeon… was getting a little more frantic. I peeked up at him as he rolled his back from underneath me again with I moved my fist up and down his shaft, my arm pinned and flexing between us. His hand in my hair was curling to grip at my roots a little harder, while he wrapped his arm around my shoulder blades, the muscles taut and tense. His eyes were closed, and he moaned as his head lolled slowly to the side when I gave him another squeeze. He was rolling into my fist more rhythmically now, and I began to do the same, at his pace, in my impatience, a slow writhe that we fell into with each other.
I moaned softly as I felt Solomon dip his tongue inside of me with a husky hum. His grip on my hips, the swell of my ass, was showing his own desperation too, his nails curling into my flesh.
“Ahuvati,” Solomon breathed shakily against my heat. “Heaven is right here…”
Simeon choked on a groan at his words, nodding slowly, eyes squeezing shut as Solomon wrapped his fist over mine to work him a little faster.
“Beautiful,” Solomon said in a strained voice. “The… two of you. So c…close.”
“Please,” I begged, my own voice pitched tight and high. “Put him in me…”
“Hells…” His voice pitched higher too as his hands came sliding up my skin, his palms coming to a rest below my tailbone.
With my hand still keeping Simeon’s cock pointed and steady, Solomon pressed down on me, down on my hips, my knees sliding apart while I curled my pelvis down to meet our man who was shaking his own need under us, his arms fully wrapped around me now in an engulfing embrace.
I mewled as I felt the head of him slip past my folds. Right there.
“I want to see everything,” Solomon pleaded, voice shaking.
I was the one in control now, now that we were aligned. Neither Simeon nor I deigned to reply, or reassure. Because he would. And he watched with a soft noise of desire as I sunk down onto Simeon’s cock, the two of us moaning together in our joining. Simeon was well endowed. His girth swelled through me, parting me. But I was so wet from Solomon’s mouth, and his glistened from him too. He slid easily, but fully, into my sex. The moment he was pushing inside I felt a fiery desperation pooling inside of me to just take him, but I moved slow, slow for Sol, who’d slicked us both, to reward him.
I seated fully on Simeon’s lap with a shaky sigh of satisfaction. Simeon curled forward to press a long, firm kiss into my hair. The gesture was emotional. I pulled my arm out from between us to slip both around him to hold him as well.
We both cried out together when we felt Solomon’s tongue drag across us both, over our joining. And then again, and again, Simeon crying out a little louder as Solomon pressed his palm to roll his balls over the heel of it.
And then he was rolling.
My breath quickened in my lungs as he rolled into me, and then again, and then again, as Solomon groaned beneath us with more licks. Slowly, with another mewl from my lips, I began to roll as well, following the slow rolling wave of the man who lay beneath me as he began to pump in and out of me. He spread his legs further with a gasp – no, it was Solomon who had – and then let out a choked sob as he heard Solomon spit into his hand from behind me. I untangled myself from Simeon’s embrace to roll up into a sitting position, my palms on his belly, fire inside now as I waited for what was coming, while I rode, and rode, and rode, my hips beginning to rise and fall in a more earnest tempo.
He responded to me, half-lidded, fogged-over eyes locked to mine, lips parted while his breaths came out in quick inhales and exhales in time to my increasing pace over top of him. His legs were spread wider, his thighs tilted higher, tipping his head back with a soft cry at Solomon’s first touch beneath myself and his cock to lube him.
Another spit, another desperate groan from Simeon, his hands finding my hips now to thrust, to pull me down to meet those thrusts, moans beginning to fall from my lips with every three. Musical – his voice, and mine, and our joining, slick on slick, skin on skin.
“Holy fffffuck…” Solomon breathed behind us as he watched me bounce on our shared partner. “I almost don’t even want to… im..impose…”
“Please,” I panted as I looked back over my shoulder. “Fuck him. Me. Us. Sol. Need you. Missing you.”
“Solomon…” Simeon sighed as he tipped his head back with another roll of his hips.
He swallowed hard as he met my eyes with his. They were shiny. Eyebrows drawn together.
My rise and fall turned into a smooth roll so that I could look at him. Simeon gripped my hips harder to grind into it too, slowing, but rolling deep inside of me. Solomon stared at me. I mouthed my I love you as I reached a hand back to him.
He took in a shaky breath, smiling, before moving forward towards us, taking my fingers in his.
With a squeeze of his fingers, I turned my head to cup Simeon’s cheek with my other hand. It was shaking hard against his face. “Ready…? Simmy…?”
I felt Solomon press a kiss to my spine as he moved up. “Don’t worry, Sim. You’re going to make Chise feel so good with you inside of her, and you’re going to feel so good with you around me. My thrusts are going to drive your thrusts into her. You’re going to make us both feel just as good as you will. We’re going to make you make us feel good too with your body.”
He choked on a sob as he tipped his head back again. “Oh staaars… Pleeease…”
Solomon laughed under his breath behind me. “Got him begging for us now.”
I giggled. “Oh, how the tables have turned…”
Simeon let out another whine of need, and I sucked in a sharp breath through my teeth as I felt Solomon’s belly press to my ass, before he dipped down further. Simeon’s legs were spread far apart beneath my thighs, knees high in the air.
I slowed further, grinding down to keep his reflexive thrusting tamely in place so that Solomon could line up. I felt Simeon stiffen entirely under me with a gasp, rigid and panting as he felt Solomon prod at his entrance, swirling to coat them both with Sol’s saliva.
“Next time will be ahuvati,” Solomon whispered as he looked down upon the three of us together, his words barely audible.
“But Sol…?”
“And then me. We’ll keep… being together. Like this.”
There was a determination there that tugged on me, like he had say it to believe in it. That saying it out loud made this very thing between us actually real.
“Yes,” Simeon whispered. And then groaned with Solomon’s next teasing of his hole.
“Relax, Sim,” I whispered as I brushed back his dampening hair. “I bet he feels so good when he has you, right…? In you…?”
“He feels good in you too…”
“So, so good…” I rocked my hips slightly. “You both do.”
“I don’t recall you having us 'both' yet?” Solomon hummed in amusement. “Well, never mind, you are next after all…”
I made a shy noise in my throat.
Solomon chuckled deep in his chest, the promise of it making me blush, with Simeon giving out a single hoarse laugh as well. Before he was groaning again, with his eyes fluttering closed at Solomon’s next more insistent push. Another spitting noise, another pressure under me as Simeon was wetted again, pressure inside of me as Simeon’s member pulsed hard in response.
“Relax baby, my love…”
“Chise…”
I leaned forward to brush kisses against him, murmuring encouragement and calm. He sighed shakily. Hips relaxing. His hands coming up under his thighs to hold himself up and open so he could relax his legs as well.
I felt it when it happened. The gentle jolt that told me Solomon’s swollen head had entered him, breached him. Simeon let out a deep, low moan that reverberated in his chest, eyes glazing immediately in pleasure. His lips relaxed and stilled under mine while he took a deep breath, while I continued kissing those soft lips, continued whispering, feeling Solomon’s body pressing to my rear again, himself swallowed in of Simeon’s own until hilted inside of him, sheathed fully. Hips flush. Both cocks enveloped within the heat of another partner's body. The three of us fitted and joined in completion.
The three of us paused for a good long moment, taking deep breaths in and out as we got used to our joining. Simeon inside of me, twitching now and then, making his breath hitch with the contraction of his pelvic muscles. And Solomon inside of him. Simeon watched as if in a daze as Solomon wrapped his arms around my middle to gently pull me up to him, back into a sitting position. He slid his hands down to my hips with a sigh as he kissed along the peak of my shoulder, eyes flitting to Simeon’s, who laid lax and panting, spread, the connection between partners.
“Come on, ahuvati,” Solomon murmured against my skin, his fingers curling into the flesh of my hips. “Ride him, beautiful.”
He guided my hips on top of Simeon. I rolled. Rolled with each slow push and pull of his hands on me. Simeon whined high in his throat again as he began to follow. Solomon was next, hissing through his teeth as our slow writhes began to pull on him, tugging back and forth. He joined last. The three of us keeping in slow pace, shallow, measured, finding our footing. Simeon’s roll upward was met with my downward, while his downward was met with Solomon’s forward. We see-sawed him, delivered a constant to him, pleasure both up and down. Entered, swallowed. External, internal.
It had him writhing for more, open-mouthed moaning, lost in it. I was gasping as well as Solomon began to pick up the pace for us. Soon, he was becoming the driving force, the pace-setter, the one thrusting Simeon up into me while I came down with a cry from us both. His pace was quickening evenly, the change barely perceptible from heartbeat to heartbeat; measured, faster, even, faster, smooth–
Until he slammed with a cry that he had been holding back, giving in to it for himself as he drove his hips hard into Simeon.
Simeon on reflex slammed up into me with an even higher cry of his own, his eyes squeezing shut, mouth open.
“FUCK!” I cried, as he hit into me next. “Oh fuck…!”
And then we were fucking, and fucking. Solomon driving into Simeon who drove into me from the force of the impact in his own ass. Simeon’s hands were back to keeping himself open under his knees as he let out broken-sounding sobs in his searing pleasure. Solomon’s hands were gripping my hips now, though his touch was frantic, sliding around my back and hips and ass, touching pulling me, pushing me, stroking me, holding onto me for dear life for himself, keeping me steady.
I was trembling, shuddering, my head thrown by and crying out noisily as I was fucked by below with a frantic desperation from both of the men underneath me. I bounced on Simeon’s cock with every two thrusts of Solomon’s dick in Simeon, and then every three as he quickened into a feral need. I leaned forward, planting my hands to either side of Simeon’s chest, to ride and ride and ride, while Simeon was shoved up into me again and again. My cries were drawn out into one long moan that buzzed in my chest, that was knocked from my lips with every thrust and jolt delivered to my body.
And seeing my kind, holy angel underneath my thighs, getting rocked by Solomon's cock inside of him, his expression far away and vulnerable, lost in pleasure beyond pleasure as his own cock sunk deep into my sex, was an otherworldly experience that electrified my body. His grace, his careful and deliberate ways, how well he carried himself and how soft-spoken he was – all coming undone before my very eyes. Cock slamming desperately into him, feeding his insides, delivering blows after blow to that perfect spot within him; and me, riding, slick and wet and hot and tight over his shaft, tugging him up and down, soft and feminine curves that gyrated on top of him.
He was wrecked, completely. Ruined. Done for. Our beautiful, composed angel, with tears now streaking down his cheeks, eyes bloodshot with them, half-lidded and unseeing, mouth hanging open as he cried out his pleasure again and again, his body, his legs, locked in a vulnerable spread for us to better have him, to drive deeper into him, to sink entirely onto him. He was senseless, forehead sheened with sweat, hair plastered with damp, his eyes far away, lost, body rocking uselessly with every forceful ramming of Solomon's hips.
He laid there, to be taken by us. Body moving on sheer instinct and reflex to carry through us from one to the other and back again, but otherwise, he was soaked in uncomprehending bliss, his movements jerky and falling out of rhythm with our own set pace. And I could see it in his face, in how his chest rose and fell with longer, deeper breaths, and the tension that twitched in his neck. He was nearing. He was going to cum. In me. And then Solomon would cum in him. He'd be ruined. And only we would know.
Seeing him like that, was the most beautiful sight of my entire life.
I was so focused on him, that my own nearing took me by sudden surprise. I gasped as the rigidity was setting in, my body rocking up and down from their force from underneath me while my thighs locked up into a buckling tension.
“She’s gonna cum,” Solomon growled through gritted teeth, a sound I’d rarely, if ever, heard from him.
“Chissse, Sssol, Ch… Ch…” Simeon’s chest rose and fell in undulations, head tipping back again to bare his throat. I wanted to taste that beautiful throat. But I was gone.
I strangled as I came to a shuddering halt over top of them.
“Fuck her…!” Solomon cried out as he drove into Simeon harder. “Sim! She’s cumming! Keep her going!”
Simeon gave another broken cry of his own as his hands came flying back to me from his legs to slam me down harder on top of him, to meet Solomon’s desperate spearing. Simeon fucked me hard now, feeding off of Solomon’s energy, fucking me, which fucked Sol, which fucked him back, and I was contracting as the searing heat of my orgasm flooded through my body. I felt Solomons hands slid up around me to squeeze at my breasts while he groaned, with Simeon sobbing again at the sight of my tits played with.
“Sol, I… I c…can’t ssstop it,” Simeon choked out in a high voice.
“We cum together,” Solomon whispered quickly, hoarsely, between gasps of effort and nearing. “Love, love… Oh fuck Simeon, rabak, you feel ssso good, on… on my, cock… inside- you- so… so… Sim, Chise… I…”
Simeon let out a cry, slammed up, and came into my rigid body. Pumping a desperate eruption of seed from base to head, flooding, while being flooded himself, as Solomon slammed into him with a hoarse gasp, breathlessly grinding his cock to fill Simeon up as well, swelling, contracting, both cocks filling another, while I finally managed to pull in a sharp breath with a rolling back of my eyes. Solomon’s body connected hard against my back as he fell forward with a strained groan while he began to ebb, still grinding the rest of his spillage into our Simeon, who’d become a whiny mess between the two of us while his seed leaked from between my thighs.
I shuddered on Sim’s lap, before finally falling to rest there with a sigh, held up by Solomon’s hands still cupping both of my breasts while he pressed his forehead to my spine as he gasped for air.
We stayed like that, heaving air, my head tipped back with my arms loose at my sides, leaning back against Solomon’s lean forward, holding each other up. Simeon had lowered his legs with a pained groan, and Sol’s hands drifted lazily down from my breasts to rest on Simeon’s thighs. Simeon’s fingers were touching my knees, unmoving, but there. Connected still. I was vaguely aware that my thighs burned, that my back and neck ached from arching, but I was awash in the fog of bliss, with my two partners adrift in their own.
Finally, I heard Solomon take in a deeper, steadier breath, a soft sniffle, and then his fingers were trailing gently up my arms. “I’ll leave him first, ahuvati.”
I nodded weakly. Simeon let out a soft, breathy noise as Solomon began to pull his hips back, and then another soft sob when he tugged to leave him fully. I blinked blearily and looked down at my angel a little closer. Drying tears streaked down his cheeks, his eyes were completely blissed out, and he was fully lax on his back. I took in a deep breath, trying to steady it, before lifting myself up with an audible wince, my thighs knees and hips complaining.
Simeon made another noise as I began to drag off too, his softened cock slipping from me. A sopping mess, the moment I left his lap. I groaned as I felt Solomon’s arms come around me to drag me down with him on his side. I laid on top of them both, half on one, half on the other, piled, both Solomon and I facing Simeon’s face as he turned his head towards us with great effort, barely seeing, barely registering Solomon smoothing his hair back.
I tucked my head under his chin while Solomon shifted closer to press his forehead to Sim’s with a hard swallow, and a closing of his eyes. He wrapped a warm arm around me, spooning, while resting his palm on the other side, on Simeon’s chest. I curled, and wrapped around Simeon as well. He rubbed his chin into my hair in acknowledgment, before sighing out his exhaustion.
///
"Thank you for cooking for us," Simeon said quietly, as he brushed a kiss to my brow. "You're so sweet. You’re the one who had such a day.”
I smiled. “I promise it was cathartic to do.”
"We'll be the ones cleaning up," Solomon said with a very sweet smile of his own. "Thank you for letting me peel the carrots..."
I narrowed my eyes at him. "You were very good at JUST peeling the carrots.”
“While supervised…” Simeon whispered under his breath.
Solomon gave me an even brighter smile. "Maybe next time–"
"You are just– Oh shit!" My eyes widened as I sat up straight. "We just... left Luke at RAD?! Where is he?!"
Simeon burst out laughing. "Wow, today's events really did a number on you… Don’t worry, Barbatos kept him at the Demon Lord’s Castle until the evening.”
“Oh…” I relaxed back into my chair. “For baking…? After everything today?”
He shook his head. “To stay for dinner with Raphael.”
I stiffened.
“It’s his first night in the Devildom, so I’m sure Barbatos planned a very careful menu to ease him into this culture’s food.” He laughed softly. “It was all certainly… an experience for Luke and I.”
“I… see.” I took Solomon’s plate from in front of him, and began to scrape the scraps onto mine.
He tutted as he took it back from me.
I paused. “…Raphael will be staying here.”
“Yes,” Simeon said softly. “He’ll be arriving tonight, with Luke. After their dinner together.”
Of course. Duh. Of course he would be placed here, with the other exchange students. My Purgatory Hall family… With the other angels.
I hadn’t been looking for them, but I happened to meet Solomon’s eyes.
He held mine. Reached out, and touched my hand. Before standing to bear our plates away with a soft hum.
I jolted as I looked over at the time. After their dinner together…
Crap.
“I should go,” I said as I rose, a little more quickly than I’d intended.
“Ah…” Simeon gave me a soft, careful look. “How was your time with Raphael today, by the way? Your teamwork today–“
I tsked. "Well, you saw–"
Their doorbell rang. Simeon kept my gaze for a moment.
“That’d be them,” he finally said, as he rose from his chair.
I saw Solomon nod out of the corner of my eye as he ran the hot water in the sink.
“…Luke will be excited to see you,” Solomon reminded me. Smile for the kid. He doesn’t know his seraphim roommate is here to watch Simeon. And reporting back his findings.
I suddenly had no idea how I should be behaving while under this roof now. I was going to have to find time to talk to Solomon about this, and quickly, before I was over again.
I took a deep breath, before gathering my bag from the corner to make my way to the front door to make a quick escape after polite goodbyes. I’d follow Simeon’s example on how much intimacy he was comfortable showing in front of this new roommate of theirs.
Not very much, it turned out.
I hoped that Solomon would be all right, too.
“…Who's a cutesy wootsy little puddy tat…?”
I paused in the hall, schoolbag still slung over my shoulder, with an amused raise of my eyebrow.
“…What's with the cat-titude? Here, let me pet mew…”
Meerrop!
“Is your name Tinkerbell? Ohhh, it sure is! Tinky Tinky Tink! Tiny Tinkyyy-bellll!”
I took a deep, steadying breath, trying not to laugh as I slowly crept forward while fishing for my D.D.D. in my pocket. I was going to make sure he never, ever lived this down. This was going to be all over the Devilnet.
His baby talk was so cute.
And revenge is so very sweet.
Oh, how he could make me smile when I was feeling at my lowest.
“This is a-paw-ling, little kitty. I fur-got to feed mew! Meow, mew want some paw-k?”
Mrrow!
Tinkerbell was more of a trilling ‘merp’ kind of meower.
“Meow meow meow! Meow meow meow!”
Mrrr! Merrowp!
“Meow, meow? Meow, meow! Meow, meooow, meow?”
I was smirking while I held my D.D.D up, already recording.
Mrrr…
"Meow, meow, meeeww…"
I’d been wondering what to come up with for punishment…
He made it so easy sometimes.
Merrrr…
“Meep, meep, meep… Beep beep!”
“Hey, baby.”
"D'AAAAAAAH!"
Mammon screeched as he spun on the balls of his heels to face me, his squat coming unbalanced to tip him right over onto his tailbone. He flailed like a terrified turtle on his back while Tinkerbell took off down the hall with an alarmed mrrr-rrrr-rrr! as she went.
“…TH-THE HELL, CHISE?! DAMMIT, GIRL! WH-WHY’D YA…! TH-THIS AIN'T WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE–” His face with bright red when he noticed my D.D.D. held out in front of me. “HEY! THAT BETTER NOT BE RECORDIN'!”
“Oh, it’s recording.”
“DELETE IT!”
“No.”
“DELETE IIIIIIT!”
“Nawp.”
"DELETE IT DELETE IT DELETE IT–"
“Not meow, now meow-ver.”
“DELEEEEEETE IIIIIIIIT!”
“Meowing Mammon… Hmm… Mewling Mammon? Maybe that’s what I’ll name the DevilTube video…? Mewling Mammon sounds cuter, but Meowing Mammon would probably be better for search engine optimization…”
“CHISEEEEEE!”
“Yeah, gotta do it for the algorithm. Meowing it is! Hashtag, MeowingMammon.” I stuck out my tongue in mock-concentration as I fake-typed on my screen. “'Hottest model in the Devildom has a soft side… And a great ass.’ No, seriously, you squatting forward like that–”
As he jumped to his feet with an enraged growl to lunge at me, I ran down the hall, shrieking with laughter, hitting ‘send’ on my message to Lucifer so that even if he physically got hold of me, which he would, and deleted the video himself, which he would, the evidence was now safely stored in the eldest’s hands.
"OOOF!"
He’d caught me sooner than I thought, squeezing my laugh out of my lungs as he grabbed me around my middle from behind to drag me.
“C’mon, wife,” he growled under his breath while I kicked and screamed with a grin. “To bed with ya.”
“Oh nooooo! Not to sleep with the hottest model in the Devildooom! Whatever shall I dooooo!”
“Oh, you’d like that, huh? How about gettin’ TICKLED all night by the hottest model in the Devildom?”
My eyes widened as my mock-squealing turned into true screams of horror. “NO TICKLE NO TICKLE NO TICKLLLLE!”
He smirked as he bodily dragged me down the hall. “We gettin’ TICKLED, baby girl.”
“Nooo-ooo-ooo…”
“I hope it eats at you. Every night, like it does me.”
Raphael straightened his posture at the sound of the soft voice from behind him, that came from the bathroom door. He’d been arranging his things there. Left to his own devices, with Luke put to bed.
He turned his whole body towards the strange, human sorcerer, who had such a light, musical voice. Not what he had expected, given his reputation. An unassuming man, really. One he found a hard time taking seriously, despite the warnings Michael had drilled in him.
Do not underestimate Solomon the Wise.
Raphael’s face was still. Relaxed, the corners of his mouth slightly downturned. He met the human’s eyes with his own.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
Solomon leaned on the doorframe, crossing his arms with a steely look to his grey eyes, though his voice, and smile, were kept light and soft. “What they’ve done. What you’re complicit in.”
“That is Celestial Realm business, human.”
“Pffff…!” Solomon let out a quiet bout of laughter, restrained so as not to bring attention to their conversation. “You angels still don’t get it, do you? You made Simeon mine. From where I’m standing, this is no longer Celestial Realm business at all.”
Raphael studied him for a moment in silence. He briefly glanced down at the tiled floor as he chose his next words carefully.
Before looking back up to lock eyes with Solomon again, with a shake of his head. “…You have made the mistake that so many of us immortals avoid.”
Solomon raised his eyebrows, tilting his head to the side. “And just what is that?”
“Loving mortals.” Raphael placed another bottle from his bag into the drawer reserved for him. “And now, you love two.”
Solomon went still. Very, very still. His expression uncharacteristically stony, as matched by Raphael's own. He stared at him for a moment, feeling a twitch in the clenching on his jaw.
"...Well then," he replied, a little hoarser than he had intended. "It seems that you have made that same mistake as well. Haven’t you, Raphael? Do you ever wonder what it's like, losing what you cannot be without?”
Silence.
Raphael held the other man's gaze for a bit; wiped of all emotion, of course, though they warred within him still.
The energy between them was grimmer than even before. Darker.
Not what Simeon would want.
Finally, he turned away, quietly, to go to his room, brushing past Solomon as he left.
Solomon nodded to himself grimly behind the retreating angel’s back.
Just before he had turned, for a brief moment – one that had lasted but a half a heartbeat – sheer grief had broken through to flood the young seraphim's blue eyes.
He should feel bad for doing that. For saying it. Provoking it…
And now, you love two.
…But right now, he couldn’t quite find it within himself to care.
Notes:
Based on Simeon’s Devilgram: Coffee Someday
..........Minus the threesome sex >:D
Chapter 12: Intermission: To Deepen Love
Notes:
There’s a scene where things get hot and heavy and slightly more ~descriptive~, but not enough for me to decide to put in a smut break. A wee bit gropey while clothed. Just as a heads up.
…The smut break comes later. 👀
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Asmo sighed. “So, Lucifer’s team ended up winning the bloody scavenger hunt in the end…”
“Could you maybe not remind me?” Belphie shot darkly. “Just thinking about it makes me angry.”
“What? I mean, it’s the truth…”
“Yeah, which makes it all the more irritating.” Belphie swung his eyes to mine. “You agree with me, right Chise?”
Belphie’s good ‘ol bratty ‘bring someone else in to manipulate the argument his way – usually Chise’ tactic.
But fuck he was so right a lot of the time.
“Mmm.” I flicked my eyes up to the head of the table way across from me. “Down with Lucifer!”
Belphie snickered. “Right! Down with Lucifer.”
Lucifer rolled his eyes, choosing to ignore us for the time being.
“Ugh…” Levi glowered at us from down the table. “How do you two have so much energy this early in the morning?”
Belphie glowered at him. “I don’t even want to TALK to you right now, Levi.”
“Pfff…” He slumped in his seat, red in the face. “N-Not like I w-wanted to talk to you either…! A-And who could blame you, anyway, since I’m just, a, shut-in-, loser… who can’t even–“
“Approach a girl who is already sleeping with you?”
“WHA? HWAT? ACK? HUH? WHO? HHHNNGHH...? HMPHHH? MFMFFRR–"
Mammon began to raise his butter knife with a menacing growl. “Who wants to play DARTS–"
“So, Raphael is here in the Devildom, in the flesh.”
I froze at the breakfast table mid-spoon-lift, my eyes lifting up to Lucifer’s as he interrupted the unfolding ‘Levi’ situation before it could really begin to snowball.
Asmo giggled as he brightened with the distraction. “It was SO weird to see him again! But he’s exactly the same as he used to be, you know?”
Belphie nodded his agreement. “Seems like he hasn’t changed a bit.”
“Still out for blood…” Mammon muttered grumpily under his breath, lowering his blunt knife.
Levi shivered. “Still loves spears…”
“Still smells good.”
“That’s a WEIRD thing to say, Beel,” Asmo chided with a roll of his eyes.
“You say it to me all the time…”
“That is SO different.”
Satan scowled as he kept his eyes on his plate.
Same, Satan.
“Naturally, as student council officers of RAD, you will be doing everything within your power to make our newest exchange students feel welcome.”
Mammon snorted. “Ain’t that Chise’s job?”
I had never shot a darker scowl down the table than I did at him in that moment. Even as far away as he was, he visibly cowered with a shiver.
“It is the responsibility of all of us to realize Lord Diavolo’s dream of unity between worlds.”
Mammon rolled his eyes. “And just what are YOU gonna do to pitch in, huh? What’s YOUR idea of a big fat welcome? Is it gonna be the same way you welcomed Chi–"
He yelped as someone kicked him under the table. Wasn’t sure who it was, really, but I blessed them under my breath. We didn’t need a rampaging Lucifer so early this morning.
Lucifer let out a breath through his nose, steadying himself from throttling the second born. “Since you asked, I have invited Raphael on an outing to tour some of the more popular spots within the Devildom to familiarize himself with the culture and general layout of the city.”
“Oh!” Asmo brightened. “Are you going shopping?! Can I come?!”
“Actually…” Lucifer smiled.
As his eyes locked to mine.
“…Chise will be coming along with us.”
My spoon clattered to my plate, my mouth hung open.
They all started at the noise of silverware on porcelain, all turning their heads towards me at the look of shock on my face.
“…I'M WHAT?!” I finally spluttered in a yell.
“It will be a good opportunity for you to get to know him, as the one tasked with ensuring his smooth integration into Devildom society.”
“That’s…!” I choked on the bit of food that had been under my tongue, inhaling it. And choked. And choked. Beel frowned in concern as I kept choking, slapping me on my back, while Asmo hurriedly thrust a glass of water towards me with a peep.
“Gaddang…” Mammon shook his head in disbelief. “Humans really CAN die by just eatin’.”
I gagged, got it out, and slammed the glass of water back in one stomach-churning gulp, red in the face.
“…That ain’t alcohol, Chise.”
I slammed the glass down on the table next with a sharp gasp. “…No.”
“Hmm…” Lucifer rested his jaw on his knuckles. “A shame. Diavolo was so very ‘for’ the idea…”
“You…” I was beet red in the face. “What…!”
I had no idea if this was now part of my assessment for my trial, but Lucifer sure as hell had no qualms over implying it.
…Didn’t he get it?!
I gritted my teeth into a hard grind. “…When.”
“After the last day of the Sports Festival.”
“I’m so mad.”
“I know.” His smile softened as he considered me. “And you’re doing so well.”
Satan rolled his eyes. “What is that even supposed to mean? You’re asking WAY too much of her.”
“Perhaps you shall join us next, Satan. I’m sure he’s very curious about you…”
He scoffed darkly. “Hard pass. And I haven’t seen so much as a flicker of curiosity in that dull expression of his, so save it.”
“You’d be surprised.”
Satan and I both snorted derisively.
Even aside from his feelings of being left out of Celestial Realm reminiscing, he was born out of the wrath Lucifer felt when he was ejected from their home after having lost the war. The war that Raphael sided against them in.
So was it any wonder that both of our souls recognized the seraphim as being complicit in the violence that made up our existence?
Barbatos: Good morning, Chise. Are you well?
Barbatos: How are you recovering from yesterday?
Chise: Hi, Barbatos. 😊
Chise: Well, I got a good night’s sleep.
Barbatos: I can’t help but notice that your answer is rather vague.
Barbatos: I take it that was intentional?
Chise: Wow, you’re getting to the heart of it this time.
Barbatos: I care.
If I were lying down in bed right now, I’d be squeeing like a school girl rolling around while grinning holding my phone.
How was this man so smooth. How did he give me butterflies like this.
Barbatos: Would you like to spend the afternoon together?
Chise: Today? You’re free?
Barbatos: Yes. If you are.
Chise: I thought you’d be busy with the reconstruction efforts.
Barbatos: It has been delegated.
Chise: I’d love to see you, actually. Very much so.
Barbatos: That is lovely to hear. In that case…
Barbatos: If you are not opposed to the idea, I believe I have a cookie baking lesson to collect on?
Chise: You do have that. 🙂
Chise: I’d love to.
Barbatos: Shall we make it for 3 p.m? After we are done, we can share a meal if you would like.
Barbatos: Please send an ingredients list as well, and I will purchase what we need.
Chise: Yes, I will.
Chise: I’ll see you at 3. ❤️
Barbatos: 😊 Yes.
“…I don't really like almond flavouring as a general rule, but this recipe requires it. It’s the total exception. I once taught a boy how to make these and he was going to use vanilla." I scrunched my nose. "My mom ran out of almond once and used vanilla as a substitute. The result: plain cookies. They sucked."
He nodded genially. "Almond it is. An ingredient not found in the Devildom, so I am unfamiliar with the taste. You like it in the cookies, but not elsewhere...?"
I shrugged. "It tastes so off to me? I eat a handful of real almonds and I'm like, yes, these are almonds. And then I taste almond flavouring and it's nothing like it. There's no nuttiness to it. It's just a sugary kick to the teeth. Anyway, that's why you have to be careful while mixing the icing sugar. You don't want to taste the icing sugar anymore, but you also don't want to get kicked in the teeth. It has to be JUST right."
He chuckled. "No, I suppose being kicked in the teeth sounds rather unpleasant..."
He was smiling to himself as he worked the dough for me deftly. It kind of made me realize that I had just gone on a bit of a tangent. About almond extract. Which was. I don't know. Suddenly an insignificant thing. Human idioms, slang and speech, in this presence of this...
"You get quite comfortable when you explain a passion," he said softly, filling the silence while he still smiled. "The way you tell your stories and share your opinions makes your advice and instructions quite memorable."
I winced. 'Memorable'.
"It is refreshing. I like it a great deal."
"Oh..." I blushed as I tipped the softened butter into the next bowl to whip it with the sugar and eggs. "I got a little carried away maybe."
He shook his head. "Nonsense. This is fun. Now, this dough is soft and silky, as you said." He met my eyes with another smile. "What is next?"
I smiled shyly back as I stepped to his side. "Their height has to be exact. I won't tolerate burning or undercooked cookiesm No exceptions, or I'll make you do it all over again."
He truly laughed, sincerely at that. "As you command. Please, offer me a demonstration, if you would."
I picked up the rolling pin nearby, and a palm full of flour that I rubbed deftly up and down its length while I turned it. "The dough is pretty sticky once it's rolled out. Between kneading and rolling, I use almost a whole extra cup of flour.
"Hmm..." He watched me.
I abruptly paused what I had just done, my eyes darting to meet his.
"Pff..." He turned his away from mine with a laugh.
"How inappropriate of you...!" I smirked with a blush. “And surprisingly juvenile, too!"
"Ah, but I said nothing."
"You didn't have to..." I laughed self-consciously as I side-stepped closer to sprinkle more flour onto the counter's surface. I laid the dough down in its center, sprinkled more flour, rolled, and rolled, tucking in the sides as I went.
He nodded. “The dough is even."
I nodded too as I worked. "About a third-inch tall, minimum a quarter-inch. It always surprises people how thick we make them."
"We?"
"...My mother and I. Anyway, the biggest mistake is making them too thin. It's not even just about them overcooking and coming out too dark and crunchy – which they will, when they're supposed to be soft and melt in your mouth – but the almond in the icing will unbalance it too. It'll be too much icing, not enough cookie. They go in at 400 for seven minutes, with the lightest browning around the edges on the undersides, with a slightly darker ‘underbaked’-looking colour in the center on top, but don’t worry, the egg and flour are cooked. They have to be left on the tray to continue cooking for at least seven more minutes – the time it takes for me to pull out the next tray, basically. Once cooled, apply a thick layer of the icing – not made too runny – and then at least eight hours later, once that dries, you decorate with the vanilla candy melts. You’ll have to do that part yourself, I’m afraid.”
I rambled, and rambled, as though I wouldn’t be showing him this down the line anyway.
“And then just like that," he murmured. “A very good cookie is born.”
I smiled as I nodded again while straightening, rolling my shoulders into a stretch. “Yep. Just like–"
I paused at the touch of his fingers on the further of my cheeks, for him to turn my face gently towards him. Watched as he neared, eyes on mine, before they flicked down to my lips.
And then closed altogether, when he brushed his against me. Gently, a grazing kiss, as his flour-coated fingers slid down to hold my chin lightly in place.
I placed the rolling pin down gently to the side of our dough, before turning to him properly to press my own fingers to his own cheeks, curving my back to press my body flush to his while he kissed me gently. Again and again, soft grazes of our lips, as his hands came down around my mid-back to curve me further against him.
I was leaving trails of powder on his cheeks, as I'm sure he had left a trail along my jaw, and now fingerprints to my shirt on my back. The length of which he kissed me only made it inevitable that they would slowly deepen. Slowly his head tilted a little further to the side, and slowly mine did as well, the other way. The slow, feathery brushes of his lips became a little fuller, a little more substantial, his palms flattening a little more firmly on my back.
One palm eventually slid up between my shoulder blades, while the other dragged tantalizingly down, down to rest just above my tailbone. He stepped forward to capture me lightly against the counter, trapping me against him, to press to me more firmly. Like he had before at my welcome home party. In this same kitchen. Now his hand was sliding up to the back of my neck, while the other went down even more.
I let out a shaky sigh against his mouth as I trailed my own fingers down his chest now, down his jacket, the both of us turning our faces the other way together, in sync. I dropped my head ever so slightly to kiss his bottom lip more firmly, and then in the next, took it so, so lightly between my teeth, to give it a gentle pull.
He rewarded me with two rapid breaths of surprise, and then a held one, as he briefly paused our kisses to open his eyes to look at me. I did so as well, suddenly nervous over his pause.
And then he was abruptly on me next, pressing, lips more demanding, hand sliding up into my hair now to cup the back of my head and press his mouth to mine. And his other hand -- finally, finally, no longer above the shoulders, but cupping my rear gently, palm sliding smoothly over the gentle swell of it, rubbing slowly, up and down. And my own hands were wandering down and down between us, slowly flipping as they went, along the zip of his fly, for my fingers to gently find him.
Our kisses broke with shaky gasps. His from the sensitivity of my touch, mine from admiration. I kept my hand there on him, and he kept his hand on me. We were both panting lightly in each other's embrace, pressed together, eyes locked to one another's, plain desire showing in his.
We watched each other in silence, studying the other's face.
Until I pressed my fingers to him a little more firmly. He immediately let out a soft groan in response, barely audible, a sweet noise that burned inside of me, before taking up my mouth again with more ferocity while he squeezed me with his palm. I pressed harder, and harder, rubbing up and down slowly now, while he gave a single roll of his hips–
"Barbatos? Helloooo? ...Are you in–"
My other hand slapped backwards onto the counter in my unbalanced shock – made all the more precarious when Barbatos had abruptly let go of me in reflexive guilt. My palm hit the rim of the large lightweight aluminium bowl that was full of... flour.
It went half-flying, flipping forwards with the force of my smack, up and over, upside down, while my hand continued to slip down and past the edge of the counter next; and then I myself was going down, my back hitting the cupboard along the way, pushing an oof! out of my lungs.
The bowl dumped its entire contents on my head as my ass hit the floor where I had fallen. After emptying itself, it bounced off of my head for good measure, before landing with a clatter, upside down, circling, circling, until it went still next to my hip.
The room was silent.
Barbatos's posture was as straight as an arrow while he looked ahead, mortified.
Diavolo, staring back, in stark shock.
Barbatos, bright, bright red in the face.
Me, on the floor, bathed in powder, blinking my coated lashes in confusion.
Completely silent.
You could hear a pin drop.
And then.
It was my flour-powered sneeze that finally broke the silence. And then another. And then another. Barbatos turned his horrified expression down to where I was on the floor, suddenly realizing that, yes, I was indeed still in the room, and in quite a state down on the floor. Head to toe, I was absolutely covered with flour, a heap of it still piled directly on my head.
It'd broken the spell... and Diavolo began to ROAR with laughter.
Barbatos' voice was hoarse with short-circuited panic. "Chise... Y-Young... Master! Chise, are you...? M-My Lord, I can... explain! Ch-Chise, could I... get you a... t-towel?"
I coughed wheezingly. "...Please. Or... a vacuum..."
Diavolo doubled over with even heartier laughter, his booming voice filling the room while Barbatos stuttered and bowed and crab-walked his way over for a clean dish cloth, which would have to do for now.
He kneeled down beside me, attention still torn in his shock as he brushed the worst if the flour pile from my hair. "...Young... Master... C-Could I... Can I... help you with…?"
Stuttering, while brushing my shoulders.
But Diavolo was already walking back down the hall he had come from with a shake of his head, cackling still. "Of all the… HAHAAAH! My own BUTLER! Caught in the act, in my own kitchen...! So you ARE just a man after all! AHAHAHAHA! Oh I have GOT to message Lucifer... Oh this is just SO good…! TOO GOOD! Never in my…!"
Barbatos sighed in deep embarrassment, wincing in shame as he leaned against the cupboard I'd fallen against to support himself. I patted his thigh very awkwardly, giving him an incredibly guilty smile.
"...I'm sorry, Barbatos..."
"No, no, I apologize... I got carried away."
"I did as well..."
“Chise, are you injured at all? Ah, what a mess… Please, allow me–"
"I'm fine, really, I'm so..."
"Please, I–"
“Oh, stop fussing! Dammit, Barbatos...” I cut him off as I pulled him into another fierce kiss, grabbing him by the collar of his jacket to drag him to me with a sharp gasp from him. Flour on his knees, his jacket, his mouth and nose as I pressed, cutting off both of our breaths. I tipped him towards me, where he fell off balance, half on top of me, slamming his palm to the cupboard to keep him from falling with his entire body weight.
I let him go just as abruptly, panting, leaning back again.
He panted too, staring at me in shock. Flour in his dark hair.
I smirked at him. "Sorry again."
He smiled at me, raised his hand, and snapped his fingers.
I didn’t even have time to yelp, when I found myself in a luxurious bathroom, still sitting on the floor, covered in flour. But yelp I did, a little belatedly.
"There are towels in the narrow closet to your left,” came his smooth voice from behind the closed door. “I shall give you some privacy to wash while I clean up the kitchen. Please, help yourself to anything you need in there. You are welcome to it all.”
I gawked at the door for a good long minute, shocked, before I finally burst out laughing.
The back-and-forth between electric sexual tension and soft modest politeness was freaking hilarious.
Both versions of him so sincere. And so adorable.
Chise: The dough is fine to be chilled. 😉
Barbatos: Hehe. 😊
…SO adorable.
–
A soft knock sounded from the door as I wrapped my hair up in a soft towel.
I immediately began blushing. “Yes…?”
"I… do not have… That is… Are you opposed to wearing some clean pyjamas for now…?"
“Are they your pyjamas?”
"…Yes."
I giggled. “That’s fine by me.”
"Aha… I shall leave them at the door. If you would leave your soiled clothing in exchange, I shall have them laundered."
–
He smiled sweetly with a soft blush as he looked away. “…Green suits you.”
I giggled as I stepped out from the bathroom, and into his bedroom. “Thank you for this. Even if it was rather… abrupt?”
“I thought it would be funny.”
My giggle turned into a burst of laughter. “It was! But oh, hells, Diavolo…”
“Aha…” His smile turned into a grimace. “I shall… never live my behaviour down, I’m certain. But you are here. So you have my attention. I will face my professional shame later.”
“Pff… After I’m gone, so I can’t witness it?”
“…Precisely.”
I laughed again, with a shake of my head. “I suppose a few roasting comments will be thrown my way as well…”
He sighed. “Yes, I imagine so. Again, I’d… like to apologize, deeply, for my impropriety. It was not professional, or appropriate in the least…”
I grinned at him. “Aren’t you off the clock, Barbatos?”
He huffed in amusement. “I am; and yet, fooling around in the royal kitchen isn’t exactly… proper.”
I took a step towards him, with a teasing smirk. “As I recall… I appear to have a way of leading you astray?”
His eyes were focused on me entirely at my step, at the tone in my voice.
“And a way of making you behave… improperly. Well. When tortured, of course.”
“That you do,” he said softly. “Though now that you put it that way, I appear to have laid the blame at your feet, rather than taken any responsibility of my own.”
“Hmm…” I took another step, hands clasped behind my back now. “Not a nice thing to say about a lady.”
He blushed, with another huffed laugh. “Improper once more…”
“You also said…” I smiled wider, with another step. “That you would next say a certain thing, once you have me again in the privacy of your room…”
He sucked in a little breath as I stood before him, toe-to-toe now, close. He’d only have to lean down…
His arms came up for him to lay his fingers lightly to my waist. To pull me closer. For him to lean down, just as I’d wanted, to kiss me again. And again, and again, as my own arms came up to cup around his cheeks, to press mine more firmly to his. The sound of lips on lips, and light breaths, the only sound in his quiet room.
He broke the kiss with a soft breath. “Chise… You arouse me... You arouse something in me that I have not felt in a very long time." He brushed his fingers against the side of my neck. "Do you take my meaning?"
I shivered at his touch, goosebumps rising on my arms.
His hands came up to cup my face as well. Cupped it close, as he dipped his head down, pulling me to him, until his arms were trapped between us as he caressed my cheeks with his thumbs.
His kiss was the most insistent it had ever been.
Passionate, as he tilted his head to deepen it.
***
Heat absolutely flooded my core. Immediately, my limbs began to tremble, knees threatening to give out. My hands flew up to cup the back of his head to press his lips to mine more firmly as I huffed my desire against his mouth. He pressed his palms to the curve of my jaw, kissing, kissing deep, and I shuddered as I felt the tip of his tongue swipe against my bottom lip. I opened my mouth.
Our tongues met. Barbatos' tongue, sliding against mine as he sighed low into my mouth. Barbatos, french-kissing me, desperate, pressing forward, almost stumbling me back. He dropped my face to gather me up to him by my waist, arms fully around me to hold me tight, almost dipping me back. It took me by surprise. I gasped against him, which only seemed to embolden him further, press harder–
His desire, pressed to my belly.
"Bar... Barbatos..." I moaned against his lips.
"Hah..." His brows drew together with want, deep green eyes opening to mine as he paused our kiss. "I have wanted to hear... that."
My moan, for him.
I slid one hand into his hair, my other travelling down, down his chest. His next exhale was shaky, eyes closing again as he pressed his forehead to mine while I traveled down his belly. Finding him again. Lightly trailing my fingers down the shape of him. Barbatos... Truthfully, I had found it hard to imagine... Lying in bed, late at night, thinking of him... Hard to even imagine getting this far...
But there is was. The proof of his desire for me. There again.
And he was shaking, a swallow sounding in his throat.
I brushed my lips against his, gentle. "We don't have to do this."
He opened his eyes again. There was a fire blazing there.
"Yes, we do."
"Barbatos..."
"Yes."
"...I love you."
A shaky inhale this time, before his next words came out in the exhale. "I love you too, Chise."
Both my hands slid up to the buttons of his shirt. "We'll go slow. You'll tell me if you need to pause, or stop. Please."
He nodded. "I agree."
Slowly, buttons undone, I pushed the shirt open, and back over his shoulders. He allowed for it, reaching his arms behind him to pull it off the rest of the way.
I sighed as I ran my hands down his chest. He was wearing an undershirt, but it was tighter to him. The most of his body I had ever seen, and tucked into his slacks. So slight. I traced my fingers over a curious-looking necklace – flat, a simple yet random geometric shape, prettily hand-painted, on a throng of leather – before brushing another kiss to his lips. He pressed his hand firmly over mine, pressing my palm over the necklace, briefly, before taking a half-step back.
He was the one who removed his own undershirt, and I was hissing under my breath in desire with the revealing of his body. Yes, slight. Slim, but toned, and lightly muscled. I ran my hands over him in appreciation, drinking him in. My fingers tracing over his hips, along the hollows of his ribs, his collarbone, down the middle of his chest, soft belly, though the toned muscle underneath flexed at my touch.
"You're beautiful..." I murmured, suddenly aware of him watching me. I looked up to meet his eyes. "You're so beautiful."
He looked so young. He usually had some sort of collar to his shirts. More on his neck. Layers that broadened his shoulders.
His hair hung silky around his face, the asymmetrical side a bit longer than what you'd expect from someone older, now that it contrasted with his paler skin, the unusual cut standing out more. I traced my hands along the slim peaks of his shoulders. Beautiful. More androgynous than I had expected. Almost a bit boyish, somehow, in contrast to his professional front.
He hesitated as he looked at me, eyes briefly glancing down my neck.
He wanted to see me, too.
I smiled softly at him as I crossed my arms to lift his shirt. “I guess these weren’t going to stay on for long…”
He blushed deeply.
And swallowed the hitch in his breath, as his shirt was raised over my head, and off from my shoulders. Standing in my bra now before him, in his room.
“Such… beauty…” he whispered under his breath, a little strained as his eyes flicked to the floor.
“Look at me,” I said softly.
He flicked his eyes back up.
"You can look at me, Barbatos. I'm yours to look at."
"Chise..." He whispered my name reverently.
His reactions were taking me by surprise. It was obvious that he had been nervous leading up to this moment, and had taken things slow between us. But it was almost like he was… a virgin entirely.
I knew that he was quite ancient. As Asmo had said, there were rumours that he was the very first demon to ever have existed. I didn’t know if I believed that, but rumours came from somewhere, so I’m sure he might be quite close to that. It would be hard to believe that he was also entirely without experience.
Plus, I had hoped he would have told me something like that…? He had said it’d been a long time, right? If that wasn’t the case, he’d have lied about that…
Which wasn’t like him. Hiding, sure. But not lying to me…
It had just been a long, long time.
I smiled at him. “It’s okay. And tell me if you need to stop.”
He shook his head.
I took a step towards him, took his hand, and placed his palm lightly to my breast. Just enough pressure to make it swell over top of the cup of my bra. After a moment, he leaned down to kiss me again, sweetly, but not hesitating. He dragged the knuckle of his index finger along the top shape of my cup, while I reached behind myself to unclip my bra, my movements deliberate and slow, as though I’d scare off a frightened deer if I moved too fast.
My straps slackened on my shoulders, and I carefully pulled off each one, while he continued to stroke me lightly, continued to brush kisses against my lips. The cups finally fell away, and his finger trailed down a bit further, to stroke there on the bud, making me shiver with a small intake of my breath. He uncurled his hand to instead cup along the underside entirely, with the pad of his thumb brushing against me, right along the tip. I made a small noise in my throat against his mouth, which elicited a small sigh from him.
Not entirely inexperienced. Once he did start touching me, he was sure of himself. Like his memory was coming back to him. Rote, as he went along. It was taking the jump that had him nervous. But plunged in, his strokes on my body were smooth, and spoke of a natural habit that had once formed long ago, that he called upon now.
I took his other hand, and gave his fingers a light squeeze. “…Would it be okay if we laid on your bed?”
His eyes fluttered open. “Yes.”
I moved my hand to his waist, curving it there, to slowly pull him forward, while I stepped back. His thumb stopped its brushing for his palm to press more firmly, swelling my soft breast underneath, while he stepped forward, and I stepped back. Forward, back, forward. Until my shins lightly bumped to his bed frame.
“…Please tell me,” I whispered. If any of this is too much.
He nodded. “I will, Chise.” He smiled. “I am an adult.”
I giggled. He kissed me again.
My hands went down to the tie of his pyjama pants that I still wore, my fingers slowly unknotting it. Still moving slowly, so that he could say it at any time, giving him time to say it, that it was too much, and too fast. But he kissed me again, stroked me again, while the tie came undone, and while my thumbs hooked into the elastic waist to slowly see-saw them down over my hips. I kept my underwear on, to keep it slow, as much as I wanted to pull those down too, to get it over with. I was so wet. I could tell. My legs were trembling.
He took a step forward again once they were around my ankles. Trapping my shins between himself and the bed frame, until my knees bent from his forward press, and I was lowered onto his mattress, his kisses rolling faster, and faster. My feet lifted off from the ground as I fell slowly to my back, pyjama bottoms falling from my ankles entirely.
My arms came up to take him by his elbows, to pull him down with me. He bent at his waist to land lightly, held up by his elbows that I'd left resting to the sides of my ribs.
Our kisses paused for us to look at each other. Him shirtless, lightly pinning me. Me, in just my panties, underneath him. We looked, lips still parted from our broken kiss. I gently pressed my shin to the side of his thigh, before sliding it up. And then my other, towards his hips, the act opening my thighs apart. A bit of pressure from my legs to pull him in, until he was against my pelvis, for me to wrap around him the rest of the way, my heels on his lower back.
He let himself fall down a bit further to press himself to me more firmly, assent between my legs. And his arousal as well, firm there, separated from me by mere fabric, an inconsequential thing that I wanted to simply be gone. So I could truly feel him, skin on skin.
"Is it okay if I take my underwear off...?" I whispered to him.
He nodded, before shifting back, re-balancing, for one of his own hands to stroke at my hip, where my waistband was.
"You want to...?"
He nodded again. Still gazing at me. Quietly. I let him be quiet. If that helped. If he was speechless. Speechless, but clearly moving forward, taking initiatives, step by step. To stroke me, to step forward, to lean me, to lay me down, and now, to smoothly pull at the band of my panties, tilting his wrist so that his knuckles seemed to lovingly caress down my hip while he pulled them down. A truly loving touch, a detail, one he carried down my thigh while I lifted my hips up, his other hand coming down to pull the other side. He smoothly pulled. Down the swell of my hips, the swell of my ass, down the swell of my inner thighs, revealing me.
He'd been holding my gaze the whole time, but once my panties reached my thighs, he flicked his eyes down to see me, with a light swallow. I'd closed my thighs from being wrapped around him for the removal of my underwear. Closed, with only the soft starting dip where my folds began for him to see.
Down past my knees, to fall to my ankles, which I light flexed for them to fall off from those next. Naked for him entirely now.
It was beginning to be real for him, I noticed, as I saw the shake in his arms when he resteadied himself. I smiled as I shifted in a wiggle away to lay parallel on his bed now. To give him a break, and time. I half-rolled on my side to reach and cup his cheek while he remained still leaned over the edge of his bed. He watched me with a flicker of admiration as he lightly ran his eyes up my naked body, for him to lock them to mine again.
I stroked his skin lightly. "Take all the time you need to decide."
He shook his head gently, but immediately. "There is nothing to decide."
He climbed up, and over. Still wearing his own slacks. Body thin, chest rising and falling, as I rolled onto my back again, cupping his face to bring him down for a kiss. I parted my thighs once more as he moved his legs between them, opening myself again, but where he couldn't see yet, for him to decide for himself when he wanted to. Though I moved my shins up against his towards his thighs in welcome.
He dipped to kiss me. Lowered his body over top of me. Chest pressing to mine, my breasts swelling between us. Warm, skin to skin. I trailed one hand from his cheek to stroke the back of it gently across his shoulder, feeling the bone there. Then I curled my fingers around over top, while he lowered further onto me with a sigh at my touch, with my kisses meeting his.
"You're so warm..." he whispered.
I nuzzled his nose lightly. "So are you..."
"I'd... like to touch you now."
I smirked a bit. “Is there a chance that you would like to do so indecently...?"
He laughed softly, a blush touching his cheeks. "Yes..."
My smile broadened as I held his gaze, exuding warmth and want. "I would like that very much."
"All right," he whispered again, before coming back for more kisses while his fingers trailed my belly. And down, and down. Some parts of him shook, but his touches remained so smooth. Slow, but with purpose. Fingers already dipping in my heated folds...
I gasped.
He went right for me, unhesitating.
In a way I had never been touched before, or touched myself. Not my clit directly. Or at least, not the exposed bud. Instead, he pinched above where I'd normally be touched, taking skin between fingers to find the slim length of it that was deeper inside, and began to rub and compress in small massages.
"O-Oh oh gods...!" I cried out softly in a high, shaky voice.
He immediately let go. "Are you all right? Have I hurt you?"
"Please!" I begged. "Do it again!"
He did, eyes locked to my face as I whimpered at his touch, and let out another soft cry.
"Good...?" he whispered.
"Yes…!" My voice was whiny, fingers curling into my palms. "So good...!"
More massaging, my inner-spot pinched lightly until it slipped from his fingers, for him to unpinch and take it up again. Gently and in pulses that had me rolling, crying out softly, eyes squeezing shut with a loll of my head.
I was pulsing right there, right where he touched. Nerves lighting up, enflaming and deep.
He stroked a bit up and down now, stimulating along the length of the slim vein, the pressure spreading out from the touch. I pressed my nails deeper into the flesh of my palms with another cry at a particularly hard squeeze, hearing him suck sharply through his teeth at the response he has elicited from me. A few more pinches, and he did it again. I arched my back, another cry, lolling my head to the other side. My heels rubbed slowly up and down on his sheets, my knees bending lightly. I was squirming, humping up, head slowly turning back and forth.
I didn't know if I could cum like this all the way, but it felt so incredibly good, with a deeper sort of thrum than just on the exposed bud. Nerves buried and unexposed, but there was so much more of them to rub. It was driving me crazy. Like I was so close, and almost there, but something wouldn't give, it was such a slow build. But I did build.
No. I probably could cum, after a while. Definitely could, who was I kidding. But it was so slow, for how good it felt. It made me desperate NOW. Wanting NOW. I squirmed for it with open-mouthed whimpers, with whiny little cries. Pathetic and needy. If I could just... If there was just... another touch... along with it... It wouldn't take long at all... to overwhelm me.
"N-Need… inside! I-If not you, please, p-please, fingers..."
He leaned us down with a soft sigh by my ear, breath warm on my cheek. "You truly want me inside of you...?"
I whimpered at the next gentle pinch he gave me. "Y-Yes, p-please... Want you, Barbatos."
I choked as I watched his other hand drift down to his belt.
"You are sure...?"
"Oh gods Barbatos please...!" I gasped with a squeeze of my eyes. "F-Fingers would be okay if...!"
Metal on metal, and then I heard the sound of his zip dragging down.
"O-Only if...!"
"Chise..."
His lips on my neck, fabric rustling, the weight of his body rolling over top of mine. While I mewled and squirmed under his touch, under him, my head rolling from side to side with my eyes squeezed shut.
"Oh gods...!" I cried, as I felt him lining up with me. I curled around him with a choked sob. The massaging had left me right... there... And...
I choked on another strained sob. "I'm gonna cum, Barbatos... If you..."
He touched his nose to mine with shaky sigh. "...I want you..."
I finally opened my eyes. Just enough. Enough to meet his gaze. Both of us breathless as he pressed, and then climbed up into me. Entered, pushing, tunneling, joining together.
I clutched him immediately. "Ohhh GODS...!"
He looked on in amazement as I strangled out a cry once he grazed through my g-spot, before he had even seated, though seated he reached. My arms came down from around him to slap to the mattress while I shook and arched my back from under him, my nails digging into the flesh of my palms as I bunched them into fists. I choked out my orgasm while he simply remained deep within me, gazing at my face while I shuddered for him. Fire while on his cock, shamelessly undone, belly ignited, electricity, contracting around the fullness he gave to me, shuddering underneath him with each pulsing thrum from within me. Waited so long. For him to be inside. Felt so good. He did. In me. Chose me. Special. Somehow.
I dug my nails tighter. Choked on a softer cry, as my peak began to pitch, began to tip, began to descend.
He leaned down further to press soft little kisses to my parted lips, one after another, until I was sighing out a breath of relief, and of satisfaction.
He looked at me with an expression of soft, focused wonder. "...Beauty beyond beauty..."
"...Oh, love..." I whispered, with tears in my eyes. Inside me. He was finally inside. "Oh, Barbatos... I love you... Please..."
"I love you, Chise," he whispered back to me, with a shake in his voice. "You are tight... Is this still okay? If I'm too... big..."
"P...Perfect..." I said, in a hoarse whisper. "More..."
"I do not want to hurt you..."
"So perfect..."
He nodded, leaning for another soft kiss.
We both hitched our breathing as I contracted around him again at the touch of his lips. He pulsed in me in response. Our eyes locked. So much tender desire in his gaze. I hoped he saw it in mine, as well.
“Oh…” he whispered softly, taking another moment to pause. "I... should warn you that I do not typically... finish by penetration. So please, do not feel any sort of obligation..." He swallowed as he cupped my cheek. Pupils dilated, his own cheeks flushed pink. "You feel... so very wonderful. I assure you."
I nodded tightly, panting and tense. Holding his gaze. A slow roll of my hips. A request.
We began to move together. Slid back, slid in. Joined, hot and wet and perfect.
“…You feel divine,” he whispered again, before his lips came back down to mine.
His hips moved smoothly, so smoothly, his breaths light, but with a soft affection that carried through in his sighs. He was inside me, really inside me. He was between my thighs. Barbatos, breaths whispering against my lips, the roll of his body, his skin, against mine. I lifted my knees with soft moans of my own while he took me gently, my fingers trailing down his cheeks, to pull his face closer, pulling him down further onto me.
With the lift of my knees, the tilting of my hips towards him, he slid his hand down my one hip to hold the back of my thigh, holding it up for him to reach deeper inside of me. My moans turned into soft cries with the newer, more penetrating angle, that slid up and down, in and out, deep into my belly, his girth welcomed, each full joining beginning to build up a hot sear inside of me.
I tilted my head up with a long cry at his next insistent roll that had turned into a thrust; he mouthed softly at my exposed throat, grazing kisses, or simply dragging his lips, breathing warm against me, deep breaths in rhythm with every few thrusts. He sighed out his exhales shakily, pressing his forehead to my chin, tilting my head back further while his name fell from my lips in soft moans, soft cries, my fingers slipping up through his silky hair.
My chest rose up with the arch of my back, and he eyes roved down to my breasts that heaved there. He dipped his head to press a small, tender kiss between them, and then another, and then another.
I lightly pressed his face closer to me, feeling his nose graze my sternum. I tilted my hips up and up again to wrap my legs around his own slim hips, flexing my thighs and shins and knees with every push of him inside of me, pulling him into me, to fit him firmer, seated deep, a little harder, shuddering with another soft cry as he gave another piercing push into the fire growing in my belly.
He was a demon of no exception. Stretched me fully, as long as I was deep, his strokes inside of me running the full length of himself, from tip through shaft to seated base, smooth, gliding through my wet heat, again and again, so wet for him; the moment he had turned me to kiss me in the kitchen, I knew he'd take me that day, and my body readied for him since. No. The moment he had texted me to invite me over, I knew. He finally took me. Silky slick, I groaned at the perfect ease, rolling my hips up to meet his strokes now while my back slowly arched up again.
"Barbatos," I breathed shakily, my lashes fluttering. "Barbatos, keep going, keep going..."
"Like this..." he sighed against me. "Yes..."
I moaned softly with another arch, my toes curling slowly. "Like... thhhat..."
He sighed shakily as his fingers dug a little more firmly into the meat of my thigh, slowly pressing it up higher, slowly increasing his speed; his shoulders rolled back, his knees spread further apart, steadying for his pelvis to thrust harder.
"Yes..." His nose was grazing up and down my throat. "Chise..." Nuzzling. "Ahhmm..."
Soft, soft sighs, timed to the pumping of his hips, voicing his own growing satisfaction.
"Barbatos, oh gods..." My words came out in the barest whisper as I was rocked up and down with more gentle force. Rolls turning into thrusts, thrusts turning more desperate, more driven.
"Chise..." he whispered back to me. His breaths, more laboured, heavier with the harder press of himself inside me. Firm, insistent, for himself as well now, tight on him, dragging against each other, faster, firmer, with a softer, whispering sort of impact, the noise born from the fabric of his opened slacks meeting my bare skin between my legs, and the rustle of his woven blankets underneath my body, the began to rock up and down harder from his thrusts.
Not rough. Still so, so tender. So careful, so sweet, so loving. But insistent, rhythmic, focused and connected, aching long strokes, growing in enthusiasm, in confidence, want turning into need. He kissed me shakily. Not from nerves. From desire, from the pleasure that was thrumming through his own muscles, as he flexed them, giving to me, all of him. Mouth rolling on mine quicker, as his hips moved faster. I kicked my legs slowly up and down with soft whines against his mouth.
"...Bar...batos..." I whispered into his mouth, voice strained, barely audible.
He hummed deep in response.
"Love... your voice... lisp..." I moaned softly. "Always wanted to..."
"My Light..." He kissed me again. Gratefully. Kissed. I kissed back, feverish, parting my lips a little more. He licked my lips lightly. Licked my tongue, when I offered it. Kissed me again, deeper, breath hotter as he huffed heavier breaths against my mouth, his breaths tinged with a rumbling noise of satisfaction in his chest, his low voice threaded in with the air he exhaled. Moving, moving. Rustling, sweet, made love to me, earnest, enthusiastic, yes, full of his member, pushing through me, again and again, soaked for him, thrumming, like a taut string, about to snap, strumming, close...
So intimate.
The orgasm he had given before had left me smoldering, sensitive, vulnerable, easy to stoke, roaring to life within me again, guided by Barbatos, tender heat, mine, unfurling into. So. Much.
I was moaning in earnest now, low groans, my head lolling while my shoulders rolled in waves, down my body, while my grip around him with my thighs tightened. He kept kissing, lips grazing mine when my lolling head passed, and then my cheeks, kissing my face. Moving. I dug my heels deeper against him. Pulled him in harder, with every joining, the tight stretch that gave away to him so easily, soft and hot; pulled him harder, harder with my heels, impact sounds growing louder, more fevered, the sound of him in my wet sex, pulling harder, while he huffed rhythmically, faster, faster, cock gliding in and out of me.
Unfurling. Coming undone.
"...Barbatosss... I'm gonna cuuu-uuu-uumm..." I moaned, fingers curling into his hair.
“Come, be there for me," he murmured softly, kissing my fevered skin again, lifting his face to kiss my jaw and chin. "Chise... Beautiful... Here..."
His hand went down between us, and he pinched lightly again.
The electricity shot through me.
I went rigid again with a gasping, strangling cry, back arching sharp, hands slipping from his hair to slap down to his sheets where I curled my fingers tight. My legs quivered with the tension of my muscles, shuddering to my contractions as I fell out of pace with Barbatos, stuttering to stillness while every piece of me flexed and bunched.
He let out a soft moan while he pressed his head up into my throat again, fingers still massaging, his other arm coming around the space under me left by my arched back to hold me while he rode me through. Holding me tight to him, almost a tender snuggle with the upper half of him, lovingly, soft wanting, while his hips continued to move, his fingers continued to rub, the rhythm he delivered to me unbroken.
Thrumming, washed, hot, searing, electric, finally sucking in a gasp, and then another, and another, and then my hips rolled again, grinding up into him, still tense, still contracting. Writhing slowly back in time with him now, gasping for air, stars behind my eyes as I slowly came back down. But groaning noisily, moaning, open-mouthed and lazy.
So sensitive, on fire, his cock, Barbatos' cock, rubbing me right there, tenderly rubbing, he had slowed, but felt so good. Another, long moan, his name from my lips. Shallower, sweeter. Kisses on my hot skin again. On my throat. His hand coming around to press his fingers to my jaw. Shifting up to capture my lips with his. Gentle grazes, still gently moving, gently taking, slowed but tender and sweet and keeping me soft aglow.
"Barbatos..." I whispered against his lips shakily between my returned kisses, fingers uncurling from his blankets to press lightly to his cheeks.
"Chise..." He kissed me more firmly, pressing my head down into his pillow to settle, to relax, while slowly, slowly, his rolls came to and end, his hand drifting away to join his other arm around me. Holding me, kissing me. And shaking lightly.
I pressed my fingers a little more firmly to his cheeks, palms cupping his jaw while I kissed him again with a sigh. "You okay...?"
He nodded quietly, kissing me again. Still inside, still holding me. "I thought... to let you rest." Another kiss, even softer, barely there. "I could keep giving more to you. Please, let me know either way, as I will not be able to..."
"Ah..." I smiled as I brushed his cheeks with my thumbs. 'The End' was very nearly always 'The End That Takes The First Person Out' for me. Here, that would have to be up to me, I guess. "Are you able to, um, finish in other ways...?"
He paused for a moment, before nodding shyly, cheeks pinkening.
"Could I...?"
"There is no need. I... don't place... large importance."
I slid my hands around to push my fingers into his hair. "Would it feel good for you? Would you like it?"
"Well..." He swallowed as he looked back at me. "Ah, yes... It... I just have not, for some time..."
I tilted my head to kiss the tip of his nose. He was slowly falling from inside of me a bit, half-mast now. "If you're overwhelmed, we can another time. But I'd be very happy to. I want to."
"I... see..." He kept his gaze on me still. I could see that he was thinking.
I kissed his lips again. "I'll accept nothing less than a meaningful yes, Barbatos. So take your time to think about it."
He nodded slowly. "Please, a moment."
“Of course. I love you."
At that, a slow and gentle smile spread on his face. "I love you. Yes."
"Yes…?”
"Yes. Ah... please."
"You're absolutely sure?" That hadn’t taken long.
He nodded. Again, shy.
I smiled too. "You're so sweet..."
"Aha..." He kissed me tenderly again while he slowly pulled his body off from me.
I let him go with a gentle sliding of my hands on his body. "Do you like... hands, or mouth?"
He stuttered to a halt, taking in a breath of surprise, meeting my eyes again while his face reddened. "...It... Either... is..."
I giggled as I slowly rolled along with him, pressing my palm to his far shoulder to push him onto his back.
He let out a single, shaky laugh, before sucking in a soft breath again, with a swallow.
"It's okay," I murmured, as I continued to roll on top of him. "And you need to tell me if you want me to stop."
He nodded again. "But, you do not have to... degrade... yourself. Hand is..."
I raised my eyebrows at him. "...It really has been a long time for you, huh?"
He laid back a little heavier on his bed, his fringe covering his eyes some. "...Yes..."
I smiled softly at him while stroking his cheek. "Well, you might have missed a liberation movement or two, but... Would you rather I not do that? It's just you and me in here. But it's okay if the thought makes you uncomfortable."
"It is... your choice. Entirely."
“We can pause. We don’t have to do this right now."
He shook his head quietly. His next word, coming out as a bare whisper. "...Please..."
I rolled a bit more. To check gently, with my body. He was still halfway. Not entirely gone. I kissed him sweetly as I rested my palm on his chest, to slide it down towards his belly. I hadn't actually seen him. He'd freed himself and then taken me while I had begged from above.
I smiled when he hitched a breath against my lips as I walked my fingers down past his belly, to his base. I wouldn't look until he was full in his desire. He sucked in a sharp breath when I found him, and dragged my fingers up. He was almost there. Growing again for me. And covered in me.
I ran my fingertips up his shaft, coating them, before raising them back up to gently touch his lips.
"Taste me," I whispered. "I was all over you."
His eyes widened, taken aback, lips parting against my fingers at my request as he seemed to stop breathing entirely. He paused for a long moment. More in surprise, I think.
And then he brushed a kiss to my fingertips, feathery, gaze holding mine. And then the softest lick. And then another. Barbatos, licking my fingers. Barbatos, taking them into his mouth, to lightly suck.
I gave him another sweet smile as I pulled them from his lips to reach back down again, leaning for another kiss, from where I'd lightly glistened his lips. I wrapped my fingers around him gently at the moment our lips connected. One more kiss.
He swallowed as he pressed his forehead to mine when it broke, puffing out a shaky breath. "You... taste... wonderful."
I kissed him more firmly. And then again. And then again. As I slowly began to glide my fist on him up, and then down, and then up, while he relaxed on his back again with a sigh for me to chase his lips for more. I handled him slowly, brushing the pad of my thumb on the underside of him when I came up, my own cream slicking my palm lightly. He gasped into my mouth as I squeezed just a little tighter, his eyes fluttering closed, pressing his forehead more firmly to mine with a gentle turn of his head.
Slowly I picked up my pace, more rhythmic strokes, long, from based to head, squeezing top and bottom lightly while I went. I was rewarded with a soft, barely audible moan, and a gentle knot that formed between his eyebrows, and a tilt of his head back in unspoken delight, lips parting in pleasure.
I kissed his chin, and then slowly, down to his throat, while he sighed. He was curling his fingers into his blankets as I did, back lightly arched like mine, as his head lolled to the side with another soft moan. I kept my pace on his cock, while I kissed down, and down.
He was only now just coming to realize where I was headed when I had reached his thin chest. His next breath came out heavier, and tighter in, chest rising and falling a bit more dramatically with his growing stimulation. Whether from anxiety or excitement, or both, I didn't know, but he said nothing, and I trusted, kissing down his belly now, and the turning my head, and seeing him for the first time.
I sighed in admiration as I watched my fist glide up and down on his long, elegant shaft. Lightly ribbed, generous size, girth, length, swollen purple head pooling his pre-cum for me. Tantalizing. I wanted to taste him. Barbatos.
He cried out so very softly as my lips enveloped his head, the tip of my tongue dragging over his tip to taste him. His fingers found their way into my hair, dragging deep to rest in the roots on my scalp, while his head tipped back with another soft cry as I flicked the head of him inside of my mouth again with my tongue.
I fisted him slowly still, as I began to swallow him down, down. He fit through my teeth, though barely, to slide the underneath of him along my wet tongue, towards my throat, where I held him for a moment. He groaned a little louder, gasped with my squeeze, with the pressing of my lips around him, and then I was coming up again.
"Chise..." he groaned huskily, eyes fluttering open to look down at me. He made a sound of soft, pleasured wonder again at the sight of me swallowing him down once more while I held his gaze, despite the watering of my eyes.
I bobbed down, and then up, down, and up, my fist moving at the same pace, and then slowly picking it up when I couldn't bob any faster. Two pumps per bob, three pumps, he tipped his head back with a higher, whinier cry, his hips rolling up to meet my mouth and hand on reflex. His belly tensed, flexing with his short-stoppered breaths. One hand came out from out of my hair to grip his sheets again for him to lean to the side on his elbow while he curled forward to sit up, another soft cry from his lips.
His expression was one of deep, distracted concentration, holding my gaze, before it blinked away to squeeze shut, before opening to hold again, before tipping his head back once more. Slowly his hips rolled rhythmically to my bobbing, the sound of friction from my slick fist on working faster and faster on his shaft. His hand that was in my hair flexed, fingers curling into my roots. He contained himself from pushing, but barely, as his breaths became shuddered.
"Chi...se..."
I groaned on him, throat vibrating, mouth wet around him.
His head tipped back with another groan of his own in response. "I'm... going to... finish. You shhould... move... out of the..." He trailed off as he swallowed with another concentrated groan, a tensing of his thighs.
I didn't move from his lap, as I squeezed harder, pressed my lips more firmly.
"...Chi-se..." His voice wavered with emotion. "Did you... hear me...? Should… get a cloth...? I'm..."
I squeezed a little harder in response.
He laid back slowly, eyes glazing, licking his dried lips briefly. "You're... going to…? I'm... going... to..." His chest rose and fell quickly now. “…Y…Yes, Chise… Keep..."
He shuddered hard, shuddered again, shuddered, cried out so softly, rolled up so gently, and began to spill. Spilled into my mouth, his hand in my hair trembling in uncertainty, exertion, giving into the moment, hazy while his cock contracted in pulsations again and again, pumping down the back of my tongue, down my throat, while I swallowed his seed.
I watched on in amazement, pure amazement, as glowing light of his power blinked in and out of soft existence around us while at his peak. Like the soft illumination of flickering fireflies, and then a pulsing of glowing teal stripes that shone briefly along his waist and belly and hips and thighs. The teal light pulsed with the beating of his heart. Demon marks. The colour illuminating his skin, and mine, with their light.
He rolled with every release, with the pulsing of his demon marks, the flickering in the air. His noises choked quietly, eyes squeezing shut as he covered them under his fingers with a quiet moan.
Shuddered, shuddered again, and then relaxing with a shaking sigh. Shaking all over. So much, his hand came sliding out from my hair to rest beside him, his other covering his face more firmly.
Slowly, gently, the room dimmed again. From the yellows and blues and greens, the room turned down. His stripes faded once more.
He was taking in deep breaths; quiet, but laboured, with his eyes squeezed shut. Another shudder as I let him drop from my mouth, as I unwrapped my fingers from around him. I went to him slowly, but right away, with a lick of my own lips as I climbed to him. I squeezed in beside him to take him into my arms, rolling him gently, but insistently, against me, to hold, and pet, with a quiet kiss to his lightly damped forehead.
///
“Y-You... really..."
I kissed his forehead again, with a smile. "You're okay. And I'm okay. You’re right with me… I’ve got you."
He nestled closer into me.
He really was a snuggler...
"That was so beautiful," I whispered into his hair. "Your magic..."
"You are so very kind..."
"You're amazing..."
“…Me? Ah..." He smiled weakly, hands sliding back around my waist. "You are the amazing one..."
I huffed a quiet laugh. "Maybe we can both be amazing."
He pressed his head down, and I heard him take in a shuddering breath against my neck.
"Barbatos...?"
"I... didn't expect to feel quite this emotional."
“Oh…” I cuddled him to me closer, turning my face to kiss his hair. "I suppose even demons get touch-starved sometimes, huh…?"
"Touch-starved... Is that what I am?” He pressed his face a little more firmly against me. “If that is the case, please... Feed me more of your touch."
I pressed my palms to his skin, giving comfort in the pressure, wrapping, holding. “Are you okay…?”
“Very,” he whispered in assurance. “Yes… I love you.”
The three words were spoken so softly, in such a light, higher voice than his usual deep, rich tenor. They sounded small and vulnerable, even weak. But tender, and sincere. I could not doubt them. There was no room to doubt them. He laid his palm on me, and kissed my cooling skin lightly.
“I love you too.” I smiled as I rubbed a palm up and down. “I know you don’t let a lot of people in… Thank you…”
He finally came up to me, to face me again. His eyes sparkled dark green, focused entirely on me. The one in his room for him. “You have come to be very special to me. I am very glad we shared this. You were wonderful…”
I brushed my fingers along his cheekbone. “So were you.”
“I, ah…”
“So were you,” I assured firmly.
He bowed his head slightly, shyly, eyes still on mine, but peeking out from under his hair now that his head had tilted down. “Thank you for being kind…”
“I’m not just being kind,” I whispered to him. “I mean it. This was really special.”
He nodded. “To me, as well. I hope that... we…”
I giggled softly. “And I would very much like to do it again. Once you’re ready.”
“Heh…” He dipped his head further, hiding his shy smile. “Yes. Me as well.”
“Take some time if you need to. I’ll be waiting.” I laughed fully this time. “To deepen our love again.”
He finally let out a sincere, entirely Barbatos-like chuckle, the sound rich and deep in his amusement. “Yes. Let us continue to do that.”
I loved his odd sense of humour, and how he expressed it.
I smiled as I leaned back. “Mine said things will go well with someone I like this year.”
“Ah, yes. I hope that is the case?”
“Oh, it sure is.”
“Ehe…” He smiled too.
“There is one thing that your own fortune prediction hasn’t come true for you yet. Well, at least I don’t think it has.”
“Hm, what is that?”
“Your travel one said you’d go to your favourite place with someone special.”
“Oh.” He seemed surprised. “I had so been eager to deepen love, I’d entirely forgotten.”
I let out another giggle, my body shaking with it under him. “So eager to ‘deepen love’, huh…?”
“Pff…” He pressed his face to my jaw again. “I did not mean this…”
“Liar.”
He shook his head with a laugh. “Ah, fine. Not entirely. Regardless, I shall keep my travel fortune in mind. I have just the place…”
“Oh?” I quirked my head in curiosity, disturbing his forehead against me a bit. “Are you going to tell me?”
He tilted his head up to kiss my jaw. “In time, once things here settle a bit. Perhaps after your trials.”
“Oh… Right...”
“Of which you will succeed,” he added easily.
I felt the barest tinge of hope. “…You’ve Seen me succeed?”
“Well, Chise…” I heard the amused smile in his voice. “Your fortune did predict excellent luck. I need not See it to believe it fully, in my heart.”
I wrapped my arms around him again to hold him close. “You’re silly…”
He laid his palm on the center of my chest. “And you are my heart.”
I nuzzled into his hair as I pressed my hand over his. “You are mine.”
“Yes.”
“…So, hey.” I giggled. “What about the cookies?”
He chuckled. “I suppose I shall be keeping you here for a little longer than planned… I shall not be letting you go quite so soon, after this special time. I hope the Seven do not besiege the castle as a result.”
I grinned. “I’ll just use 'Stay'.”
He shook with true laughter now. “As much as I would like to spend my time with you undisrupted by chaos, I will never tire of seeing such a thing.”
“Believe me, neither do I.”
“…I love you, Chise.”
“I love you too, Barbatos.”
He pulled me closer, curling right into my arms. “And I am so honoured for that.”
Diavolo: HAHAHAAHAHA.
Diavolo: Ahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!
Diavolo: Lucifer
Diavolo: Lucciffferrrrrr
Diavolo: 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Diavolo: 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Lucifer: …Yes? 🤨
Lucifer: What is this about?
Diavolo: OMG.
Diavolo: (Leviathan taught me what OMG means. It’s so useful!)
Diavolo: OMG. Barbatos. AHAHAAHAHHA!!!!
Diavolo: Ohhhh you will get a GREAT kick out of this.
Diavolo: I can’t stop laughing, Lucifer!
Lucifer: Are you going to tell me what it is that’s so funny…?
Diavolo: In just a moment.
Diavolo: When I can see through my tears.
Diavolo: AHAHAHAHAHAA.
Barbatos: 😒
Barbatos: Young Master…
Barbatos: Must you really…?
Lucifer: What is it?
Diavolo: I’m calling you. Right now. Make sure to pick up. You have GOT to hear this…!
Barbatos: 😡
Barbatos: Young Master!
Notes:
I don't know if this was too long and slow for a reader, but it was sheer joy for me to write. After over a million words in my fic, they deserved a very long scene together.
Now how's that for a slow burn?
Chapter 13: Chapter 67-A: Hide-and-Seek
Notes:
This is a shorter chapter, and the next might be even shorter? I was tilting my head back and forth at the potential word count and just decided to split it at a good place.
Also I didn’t want to write a physical description of twerking it out in butt charades so we’re super skipping that part thanks.
Chapter Text
“Hey, good morning!” Solomon sang as he lifted his hand in greeting towards us all. “Fancy running into the three of you here.”
“Good morning, everyone.” Simeon smiled as he opened his arms up for me to walk into when I came towards him. “Good morning, Chise. I hope you had a restful weekend.”
“Morning, love. I did, actually. Thankfully…”
“…Leviathan!” Luke snapped in a raised voice. “I haven’t forgiven you for what happened the other day, you know?! You left us totally STUCK! We had no idea what we were supposed to bring to the finish line!”
Levi shuffled back with a hunch. “Ahh…”
Asmo giggled. “Right. Levi ran off with the piece of paper with your team’s assignment on it, huh? Well, this is him we’re talking about, so it must have been something like ‘bring someone Levi loves,’ or…”
“D’AH… AHHH… SHHHH!”
“Mmmrrphh…!” Asmo let out a muffled cackle. “Now you’re putting your hand over my mouth? Oh myyy, Levi. Where is this leading?!”
“All right Luke,” Simeon said sweetly as he let go of me to bring his hands up towards the little angel. “I’m just going to cover your ears for a bit…”
“EWWW WHAT THE HECK, ASMO! YOU JUST LICKED ME!”
“Hm?” Luke looked from side to side in confusion, trying to dislodge Simeon’s hands. “What’s going on?”
Asmo devolved into more giggling as Levi hopped backwards while flinging his hand around, yelling.
Solomon smiled, eyes sparkling in amusement. “So, I wonder what it is we’re going to have to do today…”
I snorted. “Hopefully not have to blow a hole through the side of RAD again?”
Simeon sighed. “One can only hope.”
“So, here we are.” Diavolo stood before the crowd, arms folded in front of him with a smile. “The second and final day of the sports festival. Allow me to explain today’s event. We’re going to have a ‘Purgatorio climbing’ competition, but with a special twist.”
I sighed.
“Wait, did he say ‘burger trio’?” Beel whispered in excitement.
“Not even close, Beel,” Satan muttered under his breath sternly. “Also, wipe that drool off your face.”
“…The rules of the competition are as follows. One member from each team will scale the outside wall of the school building. Once on top, they’ll lower a rope for their two teammates to climb. The first team to have everyone make it onto the roof wins.”
Luke raised his hand very reluctantly. “Are the teams going to be…?”
Diavolo nodded. “You’ll be on the same teams as the last event.”
We all sighed.
“I knew it…” Luke groaned.
“Hey looool you could at least try to hide your disappointment lolol.”
Luke lowered his face into his hands with another groan.
“This should go without saying, but using your wings to fly to the top is against the rules. Since the competition would be over before it began.”
“Awesome!” Mammon grinned from beside me. “So it’s all about strength and stamina. Well then, the Great Mammon’s got ya covered!”
Beel smiled too, nodding. “All right, let’s get this show on the road.”
“Nooo-ooo…” I moaned under my breath.
“Wait, there’s more,” Lucifer said. “Didn’t you hear him say there’s a ’special twist’?”
“Luciferrrrr…” I whined softly.
“No whining, Chise.”
I pouted at him, and then darted a glance at Beel, and then back to him. “He said something about burgers, too…”
“Mmm, what I wouldn’t give for some burgers right now…”
Lucifer rolled his eyes. “Chise, knock it off.”
“Quit it, Chise,” Satan concurred, with a roll of his eyes as well. “Beel’s stomach is growling so loud I can barely hear myself think.”
“Hmph…”
“I thought it was funny,” Mammon snickered from the corner of his mouth to me.
“Mammon.”
“Eh… Party poops…”
“Before we begin, each one of you will be given a task to complete. Once that’s done, you’ll be allowed to head inside the courtyard to start the climbing portion.”
“Maaan, why do you gotta make it all hard?!”
Simeon looked around worriedly. “I’m afraid we have a bigger problem right now, Mammon. Barbatos isn’t here…”
“Say what?!”
I straightened immediately, eyes widening as I looked around as well.
Mammon was doing similarly. “Where’d he go?! We can’t even participate unless our whole team’s here!”
“Not to worry!” Diavolo said with a grin. “Since Barbatos isn’t here today, I’ll be filling in for him on Team Mammon!”
I guffawed, slapping my hand over my mouth to stifle it a second too late, earning me another dark glare from Lucifer.
“…Say WHAT?!”
Holy shit. Maybe this day wouldn’t turn out so bad after all. My face was red from choking back laughter. Not even Lucifer’s heel grinding down on my foot could stop my amusement. I was really racking up quite the number of bratty points with him.
But revenge really is sweet…
“YOU’RE fillin’ in for Barbatos?! Why?!”
Diavolo’s face fell into sad, puppyish worry. “Well, Number Two came down with a nasty case of the Devildom flu, you see.”
I sighed in relief. I mean, not because Number Two was sick, but because Barbatos was okay.
“Number Two?” Thirteen frowned. “I take it you mean Little D Number Two?”
“Hmm, so even mini-demons get sick sometimes…” Raphael said quietly.
Diavolo nodded. “Barbatos stayed home to care for him, so I’m going to fill in here!”
“Hmm…” Satan sighed, brows drawn together in concern. “He seems suspiciously happy…”
“As long as it’s Mammon who has to deal with him…” I whispered back.
“True…”
“I CAN HEAR YOU TWO.”
“Quiet, Mammon. And you have better not disgrace me, yourself, or this family today.”
Mammon whined as he wilted on the spot, tucking his hands into his pockets.
“…Revennnge,” I whispered to him.
“Shaddup, you…”
“Oh, and don’t worry! I’ve arrange for a different Little D to wait for us at the finish line.”
…Wasn’t worried, but okay.
“Everything’s been taken care of!” Diavolo was grinning broadly now, eyes gleaming with excitement. “So relax, and focus on the competition!”
Asmo sighed as the other students around us began to disperse. “So, I’m guessing Lord Diavolo only added the special twist because he thought Chise’s card hunt looked like fun? He wants to be a part of something like that himself.”
“Swear to god,” I muttered darkly.
“Yep,” Belphie agreed dourly. “And the whole ‘Little D is sick’ thing is probably just an excuse Barbatos made up so Lord Diavolo would have a chance to join.”
Myself? I expected that Number Two had accepted a little bribe from his prince. Because Barbatos would never.
“Hm?” Diavolo leaned forward with a smile. “Did one of you have a question?”
Asmo returned his smile weakly. “Nope, no questions!”
“Great!” He straightened with more bubbling excitement. “Then let’s get started!”
“Man…” Mammon muttered. “I’ve got a real bad feelin’ about this…”
I slapped him on the center of his back. “Good luck, baby!”
Simeon laughed under his breath. “Really? Given how excited he is to take part, I don’t see the harm.”
I sighed. “You’re much too sweet, Simeon… In such a sweet, naive way…”
He laughed a little harder at that, a twinkle in his eye.
“Lucifer!” Mephisto was marching towards him. “Make sure you stay out of my way, got it? I don’t want you slowing me down.”
“You took the words right out of my mouth…” Lucifer growled at him.
“All right, all right.” Solomon approached too, with a sweet smile. “That’s enough of that. Get along, you two. You’re on the same team, remember?”
Satan tsked in annoyance. “We allowed ourselves to fall behind yesterday, but that’s not going to happen today!”
“Hmm…” Asmo reached into his purse to unsnap his compact mirror open again. “I wonder if I’ll have a chance to fix my makeup at some point during the competition…”
“Mm, those sandwiches I had for breakfast this morning were amazing…”
…Man, I was starting to think my team wasn’t that bad after all…
“All right.” Raphael walked quietly to my side, coming to a stop a bit further back than necessary. But fine. “We need to start by working out our strategy.”
“Strategy?other bouts of leadership were needed.
Okay they were both horrible.
“Oh, wipe that smug look off your face,” Thirteen snapped at him. “It’s annoying. Anyway, whatever. Changing the subject, what did your instructions say, Raphael?”
“I’m under no obligation to share that with you.”
…Yeah, both were horrible.
“Raphael…” I warned him.
“What do you mean you’re under no obligation?!” Thirteen scowled at him. “Really, it’s like you’re TRYING to be irritating!”
You’re both insufferable, I wanted to say. So very badly.
“Fine, then.” Thirteen rolled her eyes before turning to me. “Chise, what did your instructions–“
”NOOOOOOO!”
I pinched at my forehead. “Levi.”
“NO NO NO NO NO NO!"
“Yes…” Raphael muttered under his breath. “Some things have not changed after all.”
“Ugh, would you PLEASE shut up!” Thirteen snapped at him. “I’m trying to talk!"
Belphie was glaring darkly. “I’m getting a really strong sense of déjà vu…”
“What is it THIS time?!” Luke shouted at him in exasperation over Levi's own yelling moans. “LEVIATHAN! This time you’re GOING to show us what that piece of paper says!”
“D’AAAAH!” He let out a howling sob as he covered his face with his hands, paper crumpled in one of them. “SH-SHOW YOU?! J-Just holding it in my HAND is too much to beeeear!”
“LEVIATHAN.”
He gasped sharply. Pulled his hands away from his face. Threw the crumpled paper to the ground. Turned around, went back to wailing, though a little quieter now.
Belphie sighed in irritation. “I’ll take that, thank you. So, let’s see what it says. ‘Play the I love you game with Chise’.”
Luke stared. “…The I love you game?”
Levi hiccuped miserably. “Y-Yeah… Y-You know… It’s that human world game! The one that’s popular among partygoers and stuff! Two people have to look at each other and say… I… I… I love you… And if you look away or laugh or whatever, you lose! G’AAAAAAH!”
I smothered my snorting amusement behind my hand again.
“It’s too much! I CAN’T! I’m not cut out for a game like thaaaat!”
Raphael raised an eyebrow. “You claim you’re not cut out for it, but you seem to know an awful lot about it, don’t you?”
I giggled as I stepped forward, shaking my head in exasperation. “Okay, what are we waiting for? Let’s just do it!”
His face was red as he gawked at me. “…I told you, I CAN’T!”
“But…? You literally…”
“Ugh…” Thirteen took me by the arm. “Don’t waste your time on that idiot, Chise. Back to more important matters. What do your instructions say?”
“First, don’t call him an idiot,” I told her firmly. “He’s mine.”
“Hm.” Raphael made a indiscernible noise, expression unreadable as he looked at me.
Thirteen, however, glared at me as she snatched my paper away. “Whatever. Just let me see. …’Hide-and-seek with another team’. It says ‘You’re it’. Five other players will hide, and your task is to find them all.”
“Seriously?” I sighed. “That’s so much more time-consuming than playing the I love you game…”
“I wouldn’t be so certain of that,” Raphael sighed as well. “But people on other teams are essentially our enemies, right? They’ll never agree to help.”
Thirteen shrugged. “Well, it wouldn’t hurt to at least ask. Look, Levi’s team hasn’t left yet. Go on, ask them if they’ll play.”
Luke turned to me brightly. “I happened to overhear your conversation!”
I smiled at him. “Well, we are right here.”
“Hehe.” He smiled at me. “Since you’re desperate, I suppose I’d be willing to help. But I’m ONLY doing it because you have no one else to turn to, okay?!”
“…You can’t wait to play, can you Luke?” Raphael said softly.
I blinked. He was teasing.
“No, it’s not like that!” Luke’s cheeks went pink. “I’m telling you, I’m only doing it out of a sense of obligation! Really!”
Belphie sighed. “Okay, fine. I’m in.”
“Belphegor, really?” Luke turned his bright smile on him. “You don’t mind?”
He shrugged. “Well, we have to find a way to get Chise to play the ‘I love you game’ with Levi, after all. She might have to physically hunt him down for sport.”
“Uggghhh…” Levi moaned in despair. “Everyone knows I’m the gloomy, antisocial one. And they want to force me to play a part game for ultra-outgoing extroverts? This is such obvious harassment!”
I smiled at him. “I love you, Levi.”
He covered his ears with a yell. I burst out laughing.
Belphie rolled his eyes. “So, we’ll play your game, and you’ll play Levi’s. Since none of us are going to be able to advance to the climbing portion otherwise.”
“…Hmph.” Thirteen put her hands on her hips with a sniff. “Whatever.”
“Well.” Raphael turned away. “Have fun then.”
“Wh… RAPHAEL!” I scolded him as he began to walk away from us.
“Why are you two talking like this doesn’t involve you?” Belphie told them off sternly. “You have to play too, you know?”
“That’s right!” Luke frowned at them. “After all, the instructions said chise has to find FIVE of us!”
“Hide-and-seek?” Thirteen sighed. “Really…?”
“Honestly,” Raphael sighed in annoyance, “I’m not a child…”
“Leviathan, quit cowering in the corner feeling sorry for yourself!” Luke chided him. “Let’s go, it’s time to hide!”
Levi was sniffle-sobbing as he dragged himself over, scuffing his feet while he walked. “I’m just a… a gross, gloomy otaku, and everyone hates me…”
“I love you, Levi,” I said again, softer this time.
“You… shouldn’t…” he mumbled softly, rubbing at his eyes. “‘Cause I'm…”
“Remember what we talked about…?”
“…Mffphhh…”
“Butterflies. Okay…? Every time.”
He paused a bit. “…O...kay…”
“Just think about it. When you’ve calmed, love.”
“Okay… Chise…”
“Butterflies…?” Raphael flicked his eyes to me again.
Luke looked back and forth between us in confusion over Levi’s sudden quiet shift. “…WHAT?! Couldn’t you have done that the other day?!”
I shrugged. “He ran away too quick.”
Levi moaned softly.
“Chise, close your eyes,” Belphie said, evidently unphased by our weird relationship. “And keep them shut for sixty seconds. We’ll use that time to go hide. So, go on. Let’s get this show on the road.”
“All right…” I let out a deep sigh, and did as he said. “…One… two…”
Chise: Everything okay with you, Barbatos?
Barbatos: Yes, Chise. 😊 I am sorry that we could not see each other.
Chise: It is what it is. ❤️ Take good care of Number 2.
Barbatos: You are sweet.
Barbatos: Please, do your best for me today. I am cheering for your success.
Barbatos: And yes, I do miss you very much already.
Chise: You caught me. I did miss seeing you. Could I call you after?
Barbatos: Yes, please. I will let you know when I am available to take a call tonight from my beloved.
Chise: Flirt!
Barbatos: Do you not have a competition to get back to? 😉
Chise: I just needed your strength for a moment.
Barbatos: I give it, and gladly. Good luck, my Chise.
It was a very stupid and insecure worry, that he’d ducked out of the competition to avoid me after what we’d shared. And now, I was so giddily involved in my D.D.D, I didn’t even see the other demon coming towards me from down the hall.
“Oooh, look who I found!” Asmo skipped towards me with a grin. “It’s Chise!”
“Asmo!” I smiled too as I looked up, opening my arms for him to run into.
He took me up into a warm hug, kissing my forehead. “So, I heard you’re stuck playing hide-and-seek with Levi’s team. That’s rough, huh?”
“Yeahhh,” I sighed. “Levi is acting up again, of course…”
“Of course.” He tsked. “Ooh, but listen! I was wondering if maybe you could help me with my task?”
“Hmm, I don’t know…” I smirked teasingly at him. “Should I…? We’re natural enemies, after all.”
He pouted at me. “Oooh, Chise. Playing hard to get, are you?”
I laughed. “I shall give in to the dark side. What’s your task, then?”
He sighed. “My instructions say I have to play ‘butt charades’.”
“What the…” I lifted my eyebrows. “Seriously…? Don’t tell me that’s as bad as it sounds. Which one of those royal dummies wrote all of these…”
That one sounded like a Diavolo-written task.
He giggled. “People play it up in the human world sometimes too. You use your ass to write something in the air, and the other person has to guess what you wrote!”
“That is sooo stupid…”
“I want you to be the one to see how sexy I look doing it, Chise!”
“Of course you do…”
He giggled again. “Now, watch carefully, okay? Ready?”
“If we must…” I knew that anyone else would be pretty reluctant to play this with him. I was actually probably the only one who could help him complete his task.
–
He beamed at me once he’d turned back around. “So, what did I write, hm?”
“Pff…” I couldn’t help but smirk. “I think it was… ‘love’.”
“Wh…!” His eyes widened in surprise, before he grinned again. “You could actually read that?! Wow, you paid SOOOO much attention!”
I was beginning to laugh too. “Never change, little flower…”
“And OBVIOUSLY I’m amazing for writing so well, but you’re even MORE amazing for getting it right!” He threw his arms around me in another hug. “I love you…!”
“I love you too, Asmo– Oh!” I looked up at the ceiling with a blink at the chime that sounded out from above us.
He looked up too. “What was that sound…?”
I smiled as I looked back at him. “It must mean you’ve completed your task! That’s a convenient signal.”
“Oooh! Yaaay!” He jumped up and down with me in his arms, squeezing the breath out of me while I was jostled. “Thanks so much for helping, Chise! I’m going to go find Satan and Beel now. You should totally come with me!”
I wheezed a bit, trying to shrug. “Eh, I may as well. I might find one of my victims along the way.”
“Pff!” He giggled. “I like the thought of them being victims.”
I grinned. “Yeah, it’s how I’m getting through the day. Anyway, I’m guessing you’re thinking ‘cafeteria’ to find Beel first.”
“Mhmm. No need to write in butt charades to figure that out!”
“Thank the stars.”
He took my hand to lead me down the hall with him, humming sweetly. “So your team actually agreed to do your task, huh? You know, I can’t help thinking… Raphael really doesn’t seem like the type to play hide-and-seek!”
I blinked as I looked up at him. “Raphael…”
“I mean, he’s usually such a party pooper!” He rolled his eyes with a sigh of exasperation. “Back in the Celestial Realm, my brothers and I used to ask him to play games with us and stuff, right? Well, Lucifer used to grumble about it, but in the end he’d join us. But Raphael, well… He’d be like, ‘If you have time for games, then it’s better spent praying’. He was always so naggy. Hehe, I mean, that was a LONG time ago, of course!”
“Asmo, umm…” I chewed on my lip a bit as I tried to form the question. He looked down at me with a tilt of his head. “Do you… like Raphael…?”
“Like him?” He blinked at me. “Well, he IS such a cutie, isn’t he? Those abs of his. That rock-hard body! And I just want to run my fingers through his hair…”
I rolled my eyes. “Not what I meant.”
“Well, hmph, on a different personal level, he was always sooo up in my grill! I was one of the ones he chased around more than a lot of others!” He giggled. “Maybe he really does have a secret crush on me. I mean, who doesn’t?! Obviously, he’s in denial. But still, he was always after me! So we weren’t friends? But we were brothers, so there’s that.”
“So you don’t like him…?”
He frowned. “Well, I wouldn’t say that… He can be rather sweet when he’s not posturing. You have to catch him in it, though. He takes his job reeeeally seriously, you know, and he doesn’t think being sweet helps maybe?”
“Sweet…?” I looked down at my feet with a frown of my own.
“Hmm…” He smiled at me, in sudden understanding. “You’re going to be showing him around the Devildom with Lucifer after today, right?”
I immediately began scowling. “Yes.”
He put his arm around me while we walked, squeezing me to him a bit. “It’s been a really, really long time since they’ve seen each other. Just follow what Lucifer does, okay?”
I frowned my confusion. “O…kay…”
Well, I did have more context on Simeon’s situation than he did.
To the other brothers, he was just… here.
And Asmo had always harboured more regrets over leaving the Celestial Realm than the others. He kept fonder memories, I think.
But still…
…I should talk to Lucifer. He needed to know that Raphael wasn’t here for good reasons, at least.
Asmo sighed lightly as we rounded the corner towards the cafeteria. “Maybe it’s partly because Raphael is here on the exchange program now, but I’ve found myself thinking back on our Celestial Realm days a lot lately.”
"Hey! What do you think you’re doing?!"
Asmo paused. “Hm?”
I groaned. “Sounded like Thirteen…”
–
“Ugh, I don’t BELIEVE you!” Thirteen was yelling in anger, with her hands on her hips. “What am I supposed to do now?!”
“Sorry.”
“Don’t you sorry me, you big buffoon!”
I winced as I picked up my pace to go to them, heading to Beel’s side. I heard a soft little chime in the air. Quieter than Asmo’s, though. It must be because I’d found Thirteen. Four more to go…
“It doesn’t look like Thirteen is in the best of moods…?” Asmo said uncertainly as he followed me.
“…Hey, Beel.” I sidled over to take his hand on mine.
“Oh, Chise…” He looked down at me with a smile. “I didn’t even see you come in.”
I squeezed his hand. “What’s going on, Thirteen?”
“Here, LOOK!” Thirteen thrust her paper towards Asmo. “These are my instructions.”
“Let’s see…” Asmo unfolded it. “‘Enjoy a bit of Russian roulette’…?”
“That’s right.” Her hands bunched on her hips tighter. “Which is why I came here to the cafeteria. To play a game of Russian roulette.”
“…Okay?” Asmo glanced at me in confusion.
I shrugged. “And what happened, exactly?”
She gestured to the side with one hand. “I was after a box of cream puffs in the refrigerator here. It contained one cream puff filled with Death Door’s sauce mixed in with the normal ones, you see. But BEEL here!” She pointed at him now. “He… He…!”
I sighed. “Ate them all.”
“Sorry.”
“You devoured the ENTIRE box!” She scolded. “Don’t you SORRY me! I can still see the Death’s Door sauce on your mouth!”
“Ah…” I reached over to grab a napkin from the counter to dab at the corner of his lips.
“Thanks, Chise. I didn’t notice.”
“You’re welcome, Beel.”
She looked at me like I was stupid, and like me doing that was completely missing the point. “…So how am I supposed to complete my task now?!”
And then the chime sounded from above us. The louder one, signalling success.
She glanced up with a frown. “…What was that sound?”
“Wait, I don’t understand…” Asmo frowned as well as he looked up. “You’re only supposed to hear that little chime if you’ve completed your task. So why did it go off just now?”
“Oh…” I began to laugh with sheer amusement. “Because Thirteen actually completed her task! Oh my god, this game…”
“What do you mean?” She crossed her arms in front of her, frown deepening. “I didn’t PLAY Russian roulette, so how could I have possibly–"
“Ohhh!” Asmo beamed in understanding as he turned his head to me. “The instructions said ‘Enjoy a bit of Russian roulette’! So you probably didn’t have to actually play, you just had to be there when it happened.”
I began laughing again.
“That makes no sense at all!” She scowled, evidently not appreciating being out of the loop.
I giggled. “Beel ate the single bullet.”
She peered at me, before her expression turned into one of annoyance. “…Oh. That’s stupid!”
“So, now that that’s done,” Beel cut in with a smile, “you should help me with my task next.”
Thirteen glared at him. “You expect me to help you? After you scarfed down my box of cream puffs? You have SOME nerve!”
I smiled back up at him. “What did your instructions say, Beel?”
“Here, look.” He fished for his paper out of his pocket, handing it to me.
I frowned at it. “‘Perform a magic trick in front of an audience’. Hold on.” I looked back up at him. “Beel, do you even know any magic tricks?”
He nodded. “Sure do.”
“Huh.” I raised my eyebrows at him. “That’s cool, Beel.”
“Hmph, you sound awfully confident.” Thirteen sighed. “Well, go ahead, let’s see you back up that big talk.”
He turned to the counter. “All right, watch.”
We all glued our eyes to the cafeteria hot plates laid out in the cabinet. Honestly, pretty dangerous for the lunch demons to have left this all here, with Beel as a student.
He took a tray, and reached for a bowl. “First, I’m going to place this giant bowl of Devildom grilled chicken rice here. Now, behold…”
He picked it up with both hands, and with a grin, opened his mouth,
And ate the whole thing, bowl and everything. Crunching and munching with lip-smacking pleasure.
“Mmrrrff, wow, incredible.” He turned his grin to us, beaming, mouth full, which I didn’t chide him for this time in my shock. Even after living him and knowing him, it was still a bit of a surprise to see him eat non-food items, without even seeming to unhinge his jaw to fit it in. “All of a sudden, it’s gone. Tada.”
“That was amazing…!” I whispered in awe.
He wiggled happily with a blush, eyes widening. “I-It was…?”
“AMAZING?!” Thirteen gawked. “All he did was shove that whole thing into his mouth! Beel, wipe that smile off your face, and stop blushing for Chise! I mean, seriously?!”
The chime sounded.
Thirteen turned her scowl to the ceiling. “SERIOUSLY?!”
I burst out into laughter.
–
“Well, Beel and I are going to head off and find Satan.” Asmo took both my hands in his, leaning forward to kiss my cheek. “So, bye for now, cutie!”
I smiled at him. “Bye for now, sweetie.”
Beel, still munching, waved with a close-lipped smile. “Shee ya.”
“You’re STILL eating…?!” Thirteen shook her head in exasperation. “Ugh, unbelievable!”
My smile turned into a grin. “You’ll get used to it.”
“I don’t WANT to get used to it…!” She sighed as she watched them go. “So, both Asmo and Beel have completed their tasks now, haven’t they?”
I nodded. “And Satan is very efficient. Knowing him, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s already completed his task as well.”
“Ugh…” She pinched her lips together in worry. “In which case, if those two find him, their team will jump into the lead.”
“Ah, yeah…”
“I’m NOT going to stand by and allow that narcissist and that glutton to beat us! Chise, it’s time we finished this game of hide-and-seek!”
I smiled. My task wasn’t to win this thing. My task was to keep them motivated, working somewhat as a team, and not giving up. So, well. “That’s the spirit. Let’s get this stupid thing over with.”
She grabbed my hand roughly. “Let’s go!”
I blinked in sheer surprise as I was dragged along. Her hand was small and soft and warm, matching mine.
I hadn’t held a woman’s hand in a very long time, I realized.
It was kind of nice.
“H…. H-H-H… HEEEELP!” Mammon yelled as he leapt up onto a nearby bookshelf, nearly tipping it and himself over in his panic.
Solomon poked his head into the classroom with curiosity written on his face. “Ah, Mammon. I thought that screaming sounded like you. I could hear you shouting all the way down the hall.”
“SOLOMON, YA GODSDAMNED–! Whatever, this is no time for chitchat! YA GOTTA DO SOMETHIN’! About THIS!”
He gestured towards the snapping beast that paced back and forth, encircling like a frenzied shark in bloodied water, flame dripping with its drool from its mouths.
“Hmm?” Solomon’s eyes traveled down. “You want me to do something about Lucifer’s pet Cerberus? What exactly?”
“Like, what do ya THINK?!” Mammon shouted at him in disbelief. “He’s about to have me for LUNCH! …Oh, but don’t ’slay’ him or anything! Don’t even TOUCH him! If anything happens to this mutt, Lucifer will kill me!”
Cerberus stopped in its tracks, looking up, letting out a three-headed roar.
“EEEEEK!” Mammon squealed, nearly upsetting the bookshelf again.
Solomon sighed. “What exactly do you want me to do, then?”
Mammon glowered at him. “Like, I’m tryin’ to complete my task, okay?! The instructions said ’Take Cerberus for a walk around the school’!”
“Oooh…” Solomon’s smirked a little bit. “Too bad…”
“How am I s’posed to coax him into walkin’ around the school with me?! I can’t even get him to move at all!”
“Oh.” Solomon’s smile widened. “Well then, I can help you with that if you want… But in exchange, you have to play a game with me! My instructions say, ‘Play a game with someone’.:
“Huh?!” Mammon’s eyes went darted between him and where Cerberus gave another snap, one head at a time, like a wave. “C’mon, there’s no way you could possibly–“
“Cerberus…” Solomon said sweetly, eyes crinkling in the corners of his eyes as he exuded an enveloping magic. “Be a good boy and go for a walk with Mammon. What do you say, hmm?”
One of Cerberus’ heads glanced in Solomon’s direction, while the other two kept their focus on Mammon. “…Grrr…”
But the molten fire that dripped from its jaws began to sizzle out. Regular drool spilled in strings in their stead. It bowed its three heads a bit, a reluctant show of ceding 'top-dog’ status to the sorcerer at the door.
Mammon gawked down at the beast. “I don’t believe it! He’s calmin’ down! …Still, like, what’s with that terrifyin’ aura you’re giving off, Solomon?! It even freaks ME out!”
“Excuse me, what?” Solomon pouted with a shake of his head. “Rude…”
–
Solomon smiled sweetly as a chime sounded from above them. “All right, I appreciate you playing Bad Scorpion Twister with me, Mammon. Thanks to you, my task is complete!”
“Well, I oughta thank you, too.” Mammon darted a glance at the beast that laid laid curled on the floor by the windows, tail twitching in sleep. “Since I finally managed to take Cerberus for that walk.”
Cerberus let out a soft, guttural snore, flexing its front paw under one of its chins.
”…All right, let’s try that again. Thou must say it correctly, good sir.”
“Eh?” Mammon frowned at the door that led into the hall. “‘Thou’? ‘Good sir’…?”
“Sounds like one of my sweethearts,” Solomon said with sweet warmth as he made his way towards the voice.
“Ugh, ew…” Mammon scowled, following, with a final glance at the snoozing mutt.
”…She shells… shells… seashells… by the sheshore…” An annoyed growl at the failure.
Solomon hummed in amusement as he strolled towards them.
“Grrr!” Mephisto looked pissed. “I refuse to be subjected to such humiliation!”
“Nevertheless,” Simeon said in his light, breathy voice. “Thou must try, Mephistopheles. After all, thine instructions were to ‘recite a tongue twister five times fast, making no mistakes’.”
“Hello!” Solomon called with a wave of his hand. “What are you two doing?”
“Ah!” Simeon brightened as he went to him with an amused smile. “Why, is it not obvious, good sir?”
Solomon giggled.
“Yo, why’re you talkin’ like that?”
Simeon laughed, before clearing his throat. “My instructions said 'Talk like a character at a Renaissance festival for thirty minutes.' And so I shall!”
Solomon devolved into laughter too. “It dost appear that our good monarch could not believe there to be true weakness of thy fine character, hmm? And so, silliness has been ordered!”
Simeon grinned. “It dost appear to be so, my fine gentleman!”
“I was much the same! Woe, that we did not meet earlier, for you to enjoin in a game with myself.”
“Woe, indeed! For such silliness should be shared amongst the dearest of friends.”
“O, ‘friends' are we?”
“The dearest of!”
“We shalt go down in history as such, as many before us!”
Mammon rolled his eyes. “Are y’all bein’ serious right now?”
“Shall I write thou an intimate letter professing mine undying friendship and loyalty for posterity?”
“If thou would, kindest friend, with whom I share room and board on occasion! We must ensure that our friendly devotion is misconstrued by historians hence!”
“I shall even mention our good and gentle lady for much added scrutiny!”
“Ah, an excellent addition indeed! A puzzlement that shall undoubtedly inspire many an essay and fierce academic debate.”
“A fine plan, indeed!”
Mammon scowled. “…Stop flirtin’ in old talk, ya friggen’ weirdos.”
“Hah. Now then, Mephistopheles.” Simeon turned his grin on him again. “Try that once more, good sir!”
“She shells… sells… sheshells… by the, um…”
Solomon sighed with a shake of his head. “And he’s on my team? Looks like he’ll be at this for a while…”
“Yep.”
“Shut up!” Mephisto snapped at them.
–
Mephisto was panting, breathless as the chime went off above him. “I-I did it… I finally managed to say it right…!”
Simeon laughed good-naturedly under his breath. “And my thirty minutes are finally up… Wow, that was exhausting…”
Solomon smiled from his leaned place on the rail. “Good job, you two.”
“Your good company and cooperation made time fly, dear sir!”
“Don’t you start up again!” Mammon snapped. “Man, that took forever…”
Mephisto sighed as he looked around. “Well, Solomon and I have finished our tasks, I suppose. So, where’s Lucifer? I haven’t seen him.”
Simeon nodded, looking to Mammon. “Yes, we’re in the same boat. I wonder where Diavolo is?”
“AHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh Lucifer, I LOVE IT!”
Lucifer crossed his arms. Or, did his best to, as his sleeves were quite thick.
“The look on your face right now…!” Diavolo guffawed, doubled over with his D.D.D. in hand. “Is just… classic…!”
The glare on Lucifer’s face could only be described as ‘murderous’. Were he the sort to contemplate the regicide of his pledged prince and love, Diavolo would be lying at his feet already, in a pool of blood.
“Mmhm…!” Diavolo wiped at his eyes, with the widest grin the muscles of his face could muster. “That sad, pouty expression looks perfect with that onesie…!”
Because Lucifer… was wearing a onesie.
A bright, purple-pink onesie.
A bright, purple-pink, unicorn onesie, with, yes, the horn included on a hood that was pulled over his head; as well as a large yellow bow at his neck and blue pompoms at his waist.
And a pig’s snout on the hood’s hem, for good measure.
"…Diavolo,” he growled darkly, “if you don’t stop this–"
“Wait, not another word…!” Diavolo beamed. “Let me guess what you’re going to say next!”
"Diavolo–"
“Let me let me!” He was nearly bouncing for a moment, before he calmed briefly cleared his throat, and deepened his voice. ”I’ll tell Barbatos, and have him give you more work! So, no more pictures! Also, it goes without saying that you are NOT to show them to my brothers. Or anyone else, for that matter!”
And then he snicker-snorted laughed, uncontrollably, while he held out his D.D.D. And while the chime sounded above him in the room.
Lucifer tch'd in deep annoyance; the grit of his half-bared teeth, the knot between his brows, the severe focus of his eyes screamed dangerous territory was being walked. “I can’t believe your task was to ‘Do an impression of someone else.’ I’m jealous of you for getting off so easy.”
Diavolo sucked in a wheeze. “Yours said ‘Walk around in an animal onesie for thirty minutes’. Just so you know, I’m not the one who came up with these tasks! That would be Barbatos!”
Lucifer rumbled another throaty growl.
“Ahhh… Ahahah…” Diavolo took in another deep breath, re-filling his lungs. “Anyway, enough chatting! Back to the photos! This time let’s try a new pose! Have a seat right there, and rest your chin in your hands!”
“…You know, I made a point to cast a reflective ward on myself to prevent anyone from taking pictures. But I should’ve known it wouldn’t work on you…”
“Eeeeheeheehee hoohoo…!”
"Stop making that noise. You sound insane."
And as for you, Barbatos, Lucifer thought, you are protected by no pledge of mine. Dick.
Chapter 14: Chapter 67-B: Future Fanciful Frivolity
Notes:
Sorry this (short) chapter is late I spent the whole of yesterday writing the upcoming fucked up Lucifer and Belphie porn scenes. You know how it goes.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“This is as good a place as any,” Raphael whispered to himself as he drew his knees to his chest in the nearby forest of RAD. “All right, I should be able to have some privacy here…”
He sat there, arms around his knees, pressing them to his chest, as he listened to the rustle of the wind in the trees.
He sighed. “Really, I can’t believe my task is to sing… I can’t hand any demons hearing me, no matters what. Or that reaper… Or those… human sorcerers…”
He tilted his head up. Up at the canopy of trees above him. The moon filtering through. Otherwise…
Dark. So dark.
Why…
He shook his head, with a brief closing of his eyes.
“Ugh, honestly…” he said in a murmur. “This is just ridiculous. But even so, if I don’t, then I’ll never complete my task. And I… have to.”
He sighed again.
And then he took a quiet breath, while looking up, at the moonlight streaming in from above.
And sang.
“…I know this breeze, I’ve felt it before…
As it brushed against my cheek…
Long, long ago, under a sunlit sky…”
His voice lifted sweet. The sound alone, almost out of place, in the near-dark.
Another quiet breath, as he closed his eyes.
“…Your memory lives on, floating on the wind…”
I chime sounded around him, stilling his voice along with it.
He opened his eyes slowly. “…Well, I take it that means I’ve done what I needed to do?” He sighed. And then he was straightening, while turning his head to the side. “Wait a minute…”
A fluttering of dark wings, and another song, breaking sweet again in the dark.
“Ah…” Raphael gazed at it. “I was wondering what made that sound. That looks like a black-tailed canary. Greetings, rare creature. Have you come to hear me sing?”
It hopped. Tilted its head, tilted it back. Side to side. Considering him.
A fluttering of wings, before its small claws prickled lightly on his bare shoulder.
A sociable little songbird, drawn by another song.
It sang another pretty trill by his ear.
Raphael gave a small smile, with a dip of his head as he turned his face towards it, his hair falling forward on his eyes a bit. “…Well, I hate to disappoint you, but I finished my song. Sit on my shoulder if you like, but it won’t get you anywhere. I’m done singing.”
They both sat quietly there. Raphael turned his face back up.
“Hmm, I have to say… I never imagined I’d find such a quiet, peaceful spot here in the Devildom. Even if it is… dar–" He abruptly turned his head with a widening of his eyes, the bird shooting away from his shoulder while it trilled its alarm call. “…Who’s there?”
“Oh dear.” Asmo smiled sheepishly, hands clasped behind his back. “You heard us here?”
Beel nodded with a guilt glance down at his brother. “Looks like we’ve been caught…”
“Eavesdropping were you?” Raphael sighed in annoyance. “Shame on you.”
Asmo hopped forward lightly. “Well, you're supposed to be playing hide-and-seek right now, right? But you aren’t even making an effort to hide, are you?”
Raphael drummed his fingers against his knee once. “I guess you have a point.”
“Anyway…” Asmo kept up his approach, until he was slowly sinking down to sit nearby. “That song you sang just now brought back SO many memories! You used to sing it for us all the time back in the Celestial Realm. Remember?” He giggled. “Belphie and I used to beg you to sing it for us.”
“Yes,” Raphael replied quietly. “I suppose you did…”
Beel smiled warmly as he followed to make a circle of their company. “I was feeling super hungry, but when I heard you singing, for a moment I actually forgot about my stomach… Well, sort of.”
“Hm.” Raphael looked between them for a moment, studying them both. “You brothers still give Lucifer all kinds of trouble, don’t you? Some things never change. He’s got five times as many wrinkles on his forehead now compared to when he was in the Celestial Realm.”
“You think?” Asmo bit his lip as he fought his amusement from showing. “I don’t know, Lucifer has always looked like that.”
“No, it wasn’t quite as bad back in the Celestial Realm days.” Raphael drummed his fingers again. “…Asmo, do you remember the time that group of lower-order angels snuck into the Celestial Palace? The ones that claimed to be your fans…”
“Oh yeah!” Asmo perked up with a grin. “Now that you mention it, I do remember that!”
Beel laughed under his breath. “They asked one of us where your room was. But whoever they asked told them the way to Lucifer’s room instead. On purpose.”
“Ahaha!” Asmo laughed in delight. “Yeah, and then Lucifer rounded us up later and yelled at us. I’ll never forget the look on his face!”
Raphael gave another small smile. “I don’t think he ever figured out who did it, did he?”
“Really?” Asmo thought with a smile too. “I just assumed it was Belphie!”
Beel shrugged. “I thought it was Mammon. Hey, that reminds me of another time. Something similar happened just before the Great Celestial War…”
Raphael looked down. Asmo bit his lip again, as he looked up.
“…Sorry,” Beel said quietly. “I shouldn’t have brought up the war.”
“…Well,” Raphael whispered with the barest breath, as he dropped his chin to speak into his knees. “As long as all of you are happy now, that’s what matters…”
“Hm...?” Asmo turned his attention back to him. “Did you say something, Raphael?”
He shook his head as he unfolded himself from his curl to stand. “I said I’m thinking of heading to the library, since my task is complete. And you two should be going as well. You need to find… Satan.”
“Okie dokie then!” Asmo gave him a little wave as Raphael turned from them. “See you around, Raphael.”
“Yep, see you later,” Beel said as well.
“Ugh, HONESTLY!” Thirteen spun around to face me, hands on her hips again. “Where are they hiding?! We’ve been searching and searching, and we still haven’t found any of them. How is that even possible?”
I sighed. I knew this damned school like the back of my own hand at this point.
“Hey, quit staring at me with that vacant look and focus on the task at hand.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m not staring vacantly. I’m thinking."
“Hm.” She peered closer at me. “You know, even for an apprentice of Solomon’s, you’re an extra weird one.”
I blinked in surprise. “Um, have you known many of his apprentices?”
She smirked at me. “Some of them, yeah… The ones that lasted a little longer.”
I snorted. “What are you trying to do, rile me?”
“Hmm, I don’t know.” She lifted a finger to press it to her cheek with a grin. “Is it working?”
“Why are you even so… um…” I stumbled. “H-How do the two of you… How did you… When did, uh…”
She raised her eyebrows at me in amusement, and giggled.
I knew I was red in the face, and clearly bothered.
She cocked her head at me. “Got questions, huh? Well, go ahead. I suppose I don’t mind sharing. Since it’s just the two of us right now and all. The whole point of all this is to get to know each other better, right?”
I frowned. “You actually want to get to know each other?”
“Hmm…” She looked me up and down. “I guess we’ll just have to see, huh?”
I folded my arms in front of myself, looking her up and down too.
Chise, you are being brought into the fold as a uniting force between worlds. What better way to challenge you than to test your ability to unite beyond that of demons.
Okay. So if I really wanted to stay, if I really wanted to pass this trail… I was going to have to play this game. So I considered her for a moment. So far, my impression of her was that she was volatile, chaotic, snarky, grumpy even, and was more of the ‘act first, think later’ type.
She was a bit like Mammon. So, how did I handle Mammon?
By flirting.
UGH! No!
By stroking his ego.
NO! NO STROKING!
By supporting him in his silliness and working to understand him better.
Because underneath that grumpy tsundere attitude of his, he was so very sweet and fun.
Okay, now we were getting somewhere.
I tilted my head at her. “What’s with you and traps, anyway? Where’s Ozzie?”
She actually gave a sincere smile at this. “Oh, don’t worry. I’m ready to pull out Ozzie at a moment’s notice if I need him.”
…Worrying, but her reaction was encouraging at least.
“I see that you remembered my adorable little octopus trap’s name,” she continued, her eyes lit with eagerness. “I guess you’re not so bad after all. As for why I like making traps… It’s because I just do!”
“So you like… inventing things, maybe?”
“Hmm…” She looked up for a moment to consider. “I hadn’t really thought about it that way. But I guess the whole planning, experimenting, tinkering, and then BOOM, success!” She grinned at me now. “It’s not a bad hobby, anyway.”
Chaotic.
“Anything that annoys my sister is good in my books, too. And one day I’ll finally wipe the floor with that evil sorcerer–”
“Wait, you have a SISTER?!”
I hadn’t meant to, like, shout it.
But the implication that reapers had families, potentially mothers and fathers and siblings, or were even born at all, quite frankly rocked my worldview. Even more than the revelation that reapers actually existed in the first place, I guess.
She scrunched her nose. “Whoops. Ugh, well, I guess if I have to answer one way or the other, then yes. I have an older sister, her name is Candy. But in case it isn’t obvious from the way I answered, I’d rather not go into much detail about Candy. If I accidentally told you more than I was supposed to, she’d come for me. And I don’t want that.”
…I decided that I didn’t want to know what she meant by that at all.
“I, ah, right. Yeah, that’s… fine.” I hesitated a moment. “I… really don’t know anything about reapers at all, really,” I confessed, steeling myself for a grilling over my ignorance. “I hadn’t really considered that you would have family members, to be honest.”
She gave me a bright smile. “Well well, maybe this exchange program won’t be such a waste after all.”
I was taken by surprise again. “Do you actually think so? You want people to understand reapers better?”
“Well, I don’t know about that, but… we’ll see.” She cocked her head to the other side. “Anything else? You get one more.”
“…Is there anyone you’re interested in?” I asked, because I was a jealous territorial idiot who says things first and regrets later.
“You want to know if there’s anyone I like?” She was the one who blinked in surprise this time. “Hmm, I don’t know. There’s someone I hate. But I’m not going to say who it is!”
I snorted. Obviously, Solomon came to mind on that front. But I still felt rattled and confused and a little… threatened, for some reason.
I was supposed to be a good person about these things… Right? That’s what I kept being told. That I was a good person.
“Besides, I don’t know a lot of girls. Not in my line of business.”
My mouth fell open. Fairly certain my eyes bulged, too. I blue screened on the spot.
She sighed. “All right, that’s enough talking. Back to the search. Make sure you’re REALLY looking, and don’t forget to check all the nooks and crannies.”
She turned to leave. Walked a few steps. To the door of the door. Realized I hadn’t followed.
She looked over her shoulder with a frown. “Well, are you coming or not?!”
“…Yip,” I squeaked, finally following, my movements stiff.
“…You are so weird.”
–
“Ugh, come onnnn,” she groaned. “Why does RAD have to be so ridiculously big? So many of the other teams had easier tasks!” She rounded on me with a sigh. “We need to speed things up. Can’t you think of some way to lure them out of hiding?”
“Hmm…” I chewed on my lip a bit. “Well, why don’t we set a trap for them? Got anything good?”
“Hmmmm.” She peered closer at me. “You may come across as an absentminded dunce–"
“Be nice!”
“–but that’s actually a good idea!”
I glared at her. She smirked at me.
“Okay then, that’s what we’ll do. And as a reward for floating that idea, I’ll let you decide what sort of trap to set!”
I perked with a small smile. “All right, I like the sound of that.”
“That’s my girl.” She clapped her hands together with a grin as my face flushed. “Our bait should depend on who you’re trying to lure. So, what do you want to use?”
“Hm.” I frowned as I thought. “Well, can we imitate a voice or something?”
“Oooh, who were you thinking?”
“Hehe…” A smirk slowly found its way on my face. “How about Lucifer himself? How about making him sound like he’s in trouble? That will probably lure out a brother or two…”
“Aha, finally…” A mischievous grin split her face too as she stuck her hand into her portal to ‘rummage around’. “It’s time to bring out Little Lost Lucifer, from my serious of ‘Little Lost’ miniatures…!”
“Pff…” I raised my eyebrows in amusement.
She giggled as she produced a figurine. “It’s a tiny version of Lucifer and it cries in a voice that sounds just like him!”
“What the hell?!” I burst out laughing. “Why do you even HAVE something like that?!”
“Eheheh… I keep my secrets close. Anyway, this should make the perfect trap for a certain someone who loves Lucifer.” She set it down on the ground, before grabbing my hand again to run away from it with a grin. “All right, here we gooo! I’m activating the trap!”
Lucifer’s dark tenor rang out through the stairwell. "Help! Help! Help!"
It sounded kind of dumb. But at least the voice did sound like Lucifer’s genuine article.
We skittered around the corner, snickering, waiting.
Waiting.
“…G’AAAAAH!”
“Pff…” She snorted. “Looks like some halfwit has already fallen victim to our trap…”
"I’m NOT a halfwit!"
We peered out from around the corner.
My eyes widened. “Luke?!”
Of course we’d catch a compassionate angel child who’d run towards a cry for help, and not a brother with their camera open to record what could be a rare Lucifer Humiliation moment.
“Why’d you have to put this here?!” He pouted at us in annoyance. “I had the perfect hiding place, and now you’ve ruined everything!”
A little half-chime sounded out. I sighed as I stepped around the corner to free the little angel from the net he was tangled in.
“Pfff!” Thirteen skipped in with an excited grin. “Did you see that? NEVER underestimate what my little traps are capable of. Now we just have to find the other three, and your task will be done.”
“Hey, I helped you with your thing!” Luke piped up with a surly expression. “Now you need to help me with mine!”
“Ugh, fine, if that’s what you want.” She sighed as she watched me help him up. “What do your instructions say?”
“Here, look…” He unfolded it. “It says ‘a three-hint quiz’.”
She rolled her eyes. “You must be kidding! That’s WAY easier than this hide-and-seek thing! All you have to do is listen to someone give you three hints and then guess the answer, right?” She turned to me directly. “Go on, Chise. Think up something for him to guess, and give him three hints.”
I raised my eyebrows at her sudden familiarity, before turning to Luke. “All right. Three hints. Portal, tea, steward.”
He blinked, taken aback. “Well, that can only be one demon… Barbatos!”
The chime above rang out strong.
He hopped up and down with excitement. “All right! I completed my task! Wow, that really was easy… Thanks, Chise!”
I smiled at him. “Don’t mention it.”
“Seriously?” Thirteen rolled her eyes again. "Oh come on, those hints were way too obvi–"
The three of us all slowly turned our heads, wide-eyed in disbelief, at what we had all caught sight of out of the corners of our eyes.
Thirteen’s own cat-eyes went round, pupils thin. “…What the…?!”
Luke glanced at me, eyes the size of dinner plates as well. “Um… you saw that too… right?”
“Was that…” I stared at the end of the hall, where the figure had passed by like a ghost. “Lucifer… in a unicorn ONESIE?!”
We were all frozen on the spot for a moment in shock, motionless, before finally stampeding down the hall together to double-check.
–
“Hey… Lucifer, dear.”
“AHAHAHAHAHAHA!” Thirteen cackled in absolute delight from behind me.
He looked at us. Blankly. Utterly expressionless.
“Seriously!” ghe gasped with glee. “WHAT is with that costume…?! Ahahahahaha!”
He continued looking at us. Blank.
“…Umm…” Luke mumbled at my side.
I cleared my throat. “Sooo… What’s with the head-to-toe purple unicorn onesie, my love?”
The only movement he finally made, was to look directly into my eyes.
“Ooh…” Luke whispered in fear next to me. “I can’t believe you just came out and asked him that…!”
“Don’t ask.”
Was all he said.
“I already did.”
I pointed out.
“AHAHAHAHAHAHA!” Thirteen half-turned to catch her palm against the wall to hold herself up as she doubled over.
“And don’t laugh.”
“Eeeeeee!” She took in a sharp breath, grinning wide. “I’m guessing you have to wear that costume as part of your task?”
His power began to prickle at my skin. Luke gave a little squeak as he ducked behind me, holding onto my hip.
And then I spotted Satan coming from down the hall towards us.
“…Welp,” I muttered under my breath, “things are about to get violent.”
“G’ah!” Luke’s eyes widened as he caught sight of him too. “Satan, since when did you get here?! You scared me!”
“Since I heard Thirteen cackling uncontrollably.”
“I wasn’t cackling!”
I waited for… something.
Satan stood a bit to the side, with one hand on his hip, looking at Lucifer with a serious expression on his face. Neutral.
“…Hey, Chise?” Luke whispered up to me in confusion. “Does something seem a little off about Satan to you? Normally he’d be thrilled to see Lucifer like this. He’d probably try to take pictures and stuff.”
“…Hey, Satan,” I finally greeted him, feeling a great mix of nervousness, hesitation, fear, curiosity, perplexity, trepidation et cetera.
“Hey, Chise.”
“Sooo… Does your task happen to have anything to do with Lucifer here?”
“Bingo.”
“Aha…” I looked between the two of them nervously. Lucifer remained blank. Not really even looking at any of us. Kind of just looking at the wall.
“My instructions were to ’show gratitude to Lucifer’.”
“…Oh dear.”
He huffed a breath of frustration through his teeth. “I mean, ME? Show gratitude to HIM? Until I can finish this stupid, insanely aggravating task, I don’t have time for anything else…”
Lucifer finally flicked his eyes to Satan’s. “…By the way, Satan…”
Satan straightened, narrowing his eyes.
“You forgot your ‘cat cookies’ back at the house. You know, those treats you normally carry around with you everywhere. I grabbed them and brought them with me.” He reached into the giant pocket that was on the front of the onesie. “Here.”
“Oh, thanks.”
Ding.
“Wh?!” Luke gawked at the ceiling. “That’s it? That’s all you had to do to get credit for ’showing gratitutde’?”
“Ugh…” Thirteen’s face fell into a look of boredom. “Yep, whoever’s judging this is definitely way too lenient.”
“So I’ve completed my task? I see…” Satan touched his chin in thought. “Then… that means…”
I sighed.
He whipped his D.D.D. out of his jacket. “This is my chance to get the photo of a lifetime!”
A shimmering curtain appeared the moment he pressed his thumb to the camera button.
“…GR!” He glared furiously. “So, he cast some sort of reflective ward to prevent people from taking pictures. Damn it, he thinks of everything…”
Lucifer stood there, arms crossed, expression still mostly blank, but now with a touch of dark exasperation for his younger brother.
“So, hehe…” Thirteen smirked at him. “Just how long are you planning to wear that adorable little costume, Lucifer?”
“Until my task is complete,” he replied gruffly, almost a growl. “And I don’t need all of you hanging around me. I’m leaving.”
Satan sighed, giving up as well. “Me too. I need to go find Asmo and Beel.”
“Oh, Lucifer?”
He swung his dark gaze to me.
I smiled meekly. “We’re looking for Raphael. Do you have any idea where he might be?”
“E-Even if you’re not sure,” Luke piped up, “we’d appreciate any ideas you might have.”
“Look for him somewhere quiet,” he said as he turned down the other hall.
Thirteen frowned. “Somewhere quiet?”
I nodded. “To the library then, everyone.”
Thirteen gasped. “THERE he is! Raphael!”
I smiled. “And Belphie!”
Belphie waved with a smile, cross-legged at Raphael’s feet.
“Uhh…” Luke frowned. “Is it just me, or is Belphegor acting a little strange?”
“Pff… What, because he’s smiling?”
Thirteen frowned. “And also because he’s talking like a moron?”
"My dear, sweet Goldie! Why’d they freeze you, baby?! Why?!"
I raised my eyebrows. “Oh. Yeah that’s a little odd.”
"I was SO worried when I couldn’t use you, sweetie pie! Tch, you’re so BAD scarin’ me like that!” He paused, and looked up at Raphael to gauge his reaction. “Ah, come on, that was pretty funny, right? It’s my impression of Mammon…”
Raphael simply turned the page of his book, without even glancing at him in acknowledgment.
Belphie sighed with a little of defeat. “That’s weird. Beel thought it was hilarious…”
Two soft chimes sounded over my head as I approached them. Four out of five.
“What on Earth are you doing?” Thirteen asked for us, as she flounced down on one of the reading beanbags.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Belphie scratched at his cheek as he peeked up at Raphael still. “I’m struggling over here.”
I lowered myself down across from him. I’d have gone closer, but Raphael was right there, so. “Would this have something to do with your task?”
He nodded. “Yeah. ‘Make Raphael smile’. That’s what the instructions said. I’ve been trying for a good thirty minutes now, but it’s impossible. Nothing I do works.”
Raphael turned another page as he was discussed.
Belphie scowled. “You don’t read that fast. Asshole… Anyway, as you can see, he’s absorbed in his book. And he hasn’t shown a hint of a smile.”
I tilted my head as I considered the haughty angel that was determinedly refusing social interaction. “Maybe try tickling him?”
“Tickle him?” Belphie darted another glance his way, a bit nervously. “You want me to tickle Raphael?”
Raphael lifted a hand to tuck a strand of his hair behind his ear, staring at his book.
“No, no way,” Belphie said with a quick shake of his head in refusal. “Worse-case scenario, he’ll rain down spears from above.”
“What, just hurry up and make him smile,” Thirteen snapped with a frown. “Hop to it! We’re in a rush here, you know?”
“If I could, I would. I mean, I want this to be over, too.”
Raphael turned another page.
“Whatever. That’s it, I give up.” Belphie sighed again before beginning to squirm into a lean to lay on the floor. “I’m going to sleep.”
“Wait, you can’t give up yet!” Luke protested. “I’m sure there must be some way to–“
“He’s asleep,” I pointed out.
“Tch! Already!” Luke’s face fell. “But he’s on my team…! Belphegooor…”
“Belphie… fell asleep?” Raphael flicked his eyes down to the curled demon at his feet, who sighed out a soft breath.
“That’s right, he did.” Thirteen rolled her eyes. “Because you refused to smile for him.”
“Honestly,” he sighed, “he’s always been like this. Even back in the Celestial Realm, he used to skip meetings to nap. Some things never change…”
The chime sounded above our heads.
Raphael had a small smile of reminiscence on his face as he looked down fondly at Belphie.
Luke gasped in surprise.
I smiled fondly too at my demon on the floor. “That’s our Belphie for you…”
“Hey, Belphie!” Thirteen hopped up to toe at him roughly with her foot. “Raphael smiled. Your task is done!”
“It’s not use!” Luke said glumly. “He won’t wake up! What do I do now?! I mean, he’s on my team!”
“Tch. Whatever, not my problem now.” Thirteen turned to the other angel. “So Raphael, let’s hear it. What was your task?”
His brief smile had gone just as quickly as it had appeared. “I’ve already completed it.”
“You didn’t answer my question! I asked you what it was!”
“I’ve already completed it, so there’s no need for me to tell you.”
“Honestly, could you possible BE more irritating?! Whatever.” She sighed as she turned to me. “Anyway, Chise. All you have to do is find Levi, and you’ll be done with your task, right? Raphael, you’re coming with us!” She glanced down. “Luke, what about you?”
Luke looked down at the floor miserably. “I’m going to stay here and try my best to wake up Belphegor… Though I’m not sure I can. “
Raphael closed his book, standing slowly to step over Belphie’s sleeping curl. “Good luck, Luke.”
Luke sighed.
–
“AHA! There he is!” Thirteen smirked as she whipped the door to a classroom open. “Levi! So this is where you’ve been!”
He scurried backwards, palms held up while his cheeks went red. “S-So, you found me…”
My final chime sounded – the louder one, signalling success.
I sighed. “Finally…”
“All right,” Raphael cut in, “this means all three of us have completed our tasks. Let’s go start the climbing portion.
“N-NOT so fast!” Levi yelled out a little too loud.
We all turned back to him with our brows raised.
“Chise…!” He swallowed nervously, his pupils thin. “You have to… to do the thing! You know… with me!”
“Oh, right.” I nodded at him. “You mean the ‘I love you game’? Sure–"
“AAAAH! DON’T SAY IT OUT LOUD!”
I snorted. “But… we literally have to.”
He whined as he took a hunched step forward, and then another, shoulders slumped.
I smiled sweetly at him as I faced him too.
“A-All right…” He took a deep breath, his eyes locked to mine. “Y-You first, Chise…”
My smile widened as I gazed up at his face. “I love you, Levi.”
“Grph lool.”
I immediately slapped my hand over my mouth so that I wouldn’t burst out laughing in his red face.
“…What sort of reaction was that?” Thirteen asked with disgust. “Embarrassment?”
Raphael nodded once. “It was indeed. You lose, Levi.”
“W-W-Well, what do you expect, huh?!” Levi whined at them as he somehow managed to hunch even further. “How could I NOT be embarrassed after that?!”
I leaned up to kiss his cheek, huffing laughter while he squawked.
The chime rang out.
“…What did we just watch?” Thirteen muttered to Raphael.
“Regardless, this means that Levi’s team has completed all of their tasks as well.” Raphael turned. “We should get going.”
“To the courtyard!” Thirteen sung on her way out as well.
“Uh, Levi?” I waved my hand uselessly in Levi’s face. “Just letting you know that Luke and Belphie are in the library… You should probably…”
“…Grrphk…”
“…All right, see you later baby.”
I turned with a jog to catch back up with my team.
“Little D Number Two, I take it this will teach you to refrain from the temptation of any fanciful frivolity in future?”
Number Two sniffled as he scrubbed the cobblestone with his skeletal little fingers. “I-I think so, Mister Barbatos, sir, b-but, I don’t really know what most of those words mean, to be honest, sir…!”
Barbatos tutted impatiently. “They mean ‘do not indulge the Young Master’s whimsies without Barbatos’ say-so, ever again’.”
“But he seemed so… excited!” the little demon squeaked in its defence. “And he went on and on, and oh he is so very nice to me, Mister Barbatos, so I thought, what’s the harm, just this once?!”
“You shall find me immediately should you be approached by any such foolishness. To think that he roped you into a scheme of feigning your illness in order to take my place in the Sports Festival, simply because it looked like… ‘fun’. Whatever shall I do with him this time…”
“Th-That’s what he said…!” Number Two nodded vigorously. “And he looked so…”
“Yes,” Barbatos muttered. “I’m sure he looked very keen and earnest indeed. Regardless. I hope thirty-six hours of community service outside of the duties you already perform will serve as a sufficient message as to the gravity of your error?”
“Y-Yes, sir… I’m so very very sorry, sir…” The thing gave another miserably little sniffle. “…O-Oh, by the way, Mister Barbatos. Lord Diavolo asked me to pass a message on to you when you found out!"
He made a noise of displeasure. “When I found out. And what is this message?"
"Let's see, umm... He said... Oh yeah! He said 'This is what you get for snogging Chise in my kitchen!'"
Barbatos gasped in scandalized shock. "Little D Number Two! How dare you repeat such gossip!"
"Wha? Huh?" The Little D shrank back. "Wh-What did I say, Mister Barbatos? ...What does snogging mean, anyway?"
"Snogging means...! Tsk…! Nevermind." Barbatos straightened his shoulders while he took a deep breath, though he still glared.
And then he flinched in surprise at a pull of magic that tugged at him, turning his head in distraction.
"Mister Barbatos? Is everything all right?"
He sighed. "Ah, that took less time than even I had anticipated – I will need to take my leave. I shall continue dealing with YOU later, Number Two, along with delivering a stern scolding to the Young Master. It appears as though my own 'trap' has been triggered."
Notes:
*sigh* Welp, the time has come. I don’t have anymore hard modes unlocked after this one. I found a summary of the chapters on the obeyme wiki, so I’ll try and write them myself!
Chapter 15: Chapter 68: Humans Can't Climb
Notes:
You know I’m not a fan of this arc when I’ve been focusing on a bunch of scenes and roadmapping that happen AFTER it while dragging my feet on the sports festival…
Maybe the lingering shame of my hurdles failure sits with me still…
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
I was, of course, lagging behind my two very-pretty and very-athletic teammates.
“So, it looks like this is the start of the climbing route,” Thirteen observed for us as I stumbled to a stop behind them, panting from our ‘light jog’ to get to the courtyard.
“Yes. But it seems we aren’t the first ones to make it here.” Raphael nodded towards the base of ’the wall’.
Where Mephisto was snarking at Lucifer.
“Lucifer, what happened to that mascot costume?” Mephisto smirked. “You aren’t going to wear it anymore? Too bad, it looked so good on you.”
“It seems the other students decided to quit before even completing their tasks,” Lucifer said to Solomon beside him, ignoring Mephisto entirely.
“Yeah, and apparently Leviathan’s team is having trouble waking up Belphegor.” Solomon clucked his tongue in amusement as he looked up at the wall. “So they’re still not here yet, either.”
Mephisto’s condescending smirk turned into an expression of arrogant disdain. “Hey! Stop ignoring me!”
“What happened to Satan’s team?” Mammon looked around with a frown, hands on his hips. “I thought they all finished their tasks. Kinda early, even, but they still ain’t here?”
Simeon shook his head. “It seems the three of them haven’t managed to meet back up yet.”
“Well then!” Diavolo folded his arms in front of us with a nod towards my team in greeting as we joined the commotion. “Can we go ahead and get started? I’m going to go over the rules of Purgatorio climbing with you one more time.”
I dragged my feet along as I walked, bumping my forehead on Solomon’s back from behind him with an exhausted sigh. He tittered under his breath as he was lightly bumped forward.
“First, one person from each team will scale the outer wall of the school building,” Diavolo continued to explain. “Magic handholds have been added to the wall for you to use while climbing. Once the designated climber makes it to the top, they will lower a rope to their other two teammates, who will use it to climb to the roof as well.”
I groaned long and low.
“The first team to have all of its members reach the roof wins. And by the way…” He nodded around at some of the immortals. Well, wait. I was the only immortal. So. He nodded around at some of the others. “If you try to use your wings to fly to the top, you will be disqualified.”
“Diavoloooo…” I whined.
He quirked an amused eyebrow at me. “Yes, Chise?”
“I’m human, I can’t scale a waaaall…”
He chuckled. “I’ve seen many videos of humans scaling walls, Chise.”
“I’m just a weak little human…”
Mammon snickered. “It ain’t just ‘cause you’re human that you’re so weak.”
“You’re just naturally clumsy and unathletic,” Lucifer agreed. “Even for one of your species.”
“Hey…!” I pointed at the man who stood in front of me. “And this guy is too old to be climbing anything anyway!”
“Nyeeehehehe…” Thirteen smirked.
“Wh…!” Solomon glanced behind me with a pout. “I’m still hale and hearty, Chise!”
"I see the sweat on the back of your neck, old man–"
“It’s a warm day…”
“Ugh, gross…” Thirteen rolled her eyes. “How’d I get stuck with the tiny dweeb on my team, anyway?!”
Diavolo chuckled again. “Now then, have all of you decided which member of your team is going to be climbing first?”
“Yo, I’ve got this!” Mammon strode forward with a grin. “This time I’m gonna take first place and get my crazy-big reward!”
“I will NOT be beaten!” Mephisto snarked as he hurried forward after him. “I swear it on both my own honour and that of my family name!”
Thirteen darted forward too, with a confident cackle. “I hate to break it to you two, but you drew the wrong opponent! Because I’M the one who’s going to win this thing!”
“Thirteen, wait,” I called out to her. “You really want to get up there first and have to pull mister muscles over here up over the wall by yourself?”
Raphael frowned with a glance in my direction. “Are you referring to me…?”
Simeon chuckled nervously. “Have you all forgotten that this is a team competition?”
“Mephisto, wait,” Lucifer called out as well. “Calm down and think about this for a moment.”
“Shut up!” he snapped at him from over his shoulder as he touched the brick. “Don’t tell me what to do!”
“Wait, Thirteen!” Raphael stepped forward. “There might be hidden traps.”
“GREAT!” she cackled again. “Bring ‘em on!”
“Ugh…” I dug the heel of my palm into my forehead. “Be careful, Thirteen. This can’t be as simple as it looks…”
This was Diavolo we were talking about.
“Yep,” Solomon agreed as he considered the wall again. “I’d say we should expect there to be a few nasty surprises hidden along the way. After all, if all we had to do is climb to the top, this would be over too fast. Isn’t that right, Diavolo?”
“Hm?” Diavolo gave an innocent blink. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe?”
"G’AAAAAAH!"
I snorted. “And the first to fall… is Mephistopheles.”
“EEEEEEEK!”
“…And next, Thirteen,” Raphael commented dryly.
“H-HEY WHAAAAAT’S GOIN’ OOOON!”
Lucifer just sighed.
“Mhmm.” Solomon nodded. “I knew it.”
“Wh…What’s going on…?!” Mephisto looked up from the ground in shock, ass planted on the ground. “Carnivorous plants just sprout from my handholds!”
“Oh, cool, really?” I peered closer. “…Oh, those look a lot more dangerous than human world carnivorous plants.”
“Silence, prattling human! I can’t hold on to them with those things trying to bite chunks out of my hand!”
“Ugh, YUCK!” Thirteen shook her hands out while making gagging noises. “What the…! Surströmming just appeared on top of these handholds! Eeeew! The stench is DISGUSTING!”
“Surströmming…?”
“Fermented fish,” Solomon whispered to me.
“That’s so specific…”
“W-Well my handholds are all slippery!” Mammon was wiping his palms on his pants, wheezing from his fall. “I-I can’t climb ‘em!”
Diavolo looked positively delighted. “Well, it wouldn’t be very interesting if all you had to do was climb a wall, right? So we built in a variety of traps to spice things up when we repaired this one. And it seems like you’re all having fun now, which is what’s important!”
“FUN?!” Mammon scowled at him with a growl. “This ain’t FUN!”
“Uh, ahem, it would’ve been nice if you’d told us about this BEFORE we started!” Mephisto added as well, toeing the line just short of criticizing his idol.
“Hold on…” Thirteen picked a little piece of herring out from the scrunchie around her wrist. “These traps, please don’t tell me…”
Diavolo beamed. “That’s right! We got the inspiration for them from you. We wanted to come up with a wide variety of inventive traps for the event, so we decided to get your input!”
“My… My INPUT?!” She gawked at him. “So THAT’S why Barbatos kept asking me all of those questions about traps? He said it was part of a survey to learn more about the unique personalities of RAD’s exchange students!”
“You’re ‘unique’ all right,” Mephisto muttered.
The corners of Diavolo’s eyes crinkled even more. “Certainly you didn’t think we came up with all of these traps on our own? We learned all sorts of things from you! You really were a huge help.”
“Guess that’s why she recognized the Surströmming…?”
“Dammit, reaper!” Mammon snapped. “Why’d ya have to go puttin’ ideas into his head?!”
“Excuse me?! Are you saying this is MY fault?!”
“Grr…!” Mephisto brushed at his pants with a glare at the wall. “I’m never going to get anywhere at this rate! If I can’t climb up the outside of the building, then I’ll just climb from the inside!”
“Hey! That’s cheatin’, Mephisto!” Mammon called after him. “Come back here, you son of a…!”
He stormed after him too.
“Oh NO you don’t!” Thirteen yelled at their backsides. “I’m not about to let YOU two find a way up to the roof before ME!”
“Wait, Thirteen!” I shouted after her. “Oh, come on!”
“You three!” Lucifer thundered over the rest of the voices. “You heard what Diavolo said. You have to climb the outside of the building.”
He went completely ignored.
Raphael sighed. “Too late, they’re gone.
“Unbelievable,” Lucifer growled. “They really are hopeless.”
Diavolo grimaced. “I actually had Barbatos cast a certain spell just in case this happened… But I never thought we’d end up losing one member from every team…”
Solomon tutted. “So, what should we do?”
I sighed as I began to trudge on ahead. “Well, I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m at least going to have to bring Thirteen back. What else can I fucking do…”
“Yes, good idea,” Raphael agreed as he followed close behind. “There’s no telling what sort of trouble those three are going to get into.”
I didn’t know much about Mephisto, other than that he was somehow even more pompous and prideful than Lucifer himself. But Mammon and Thirteen were chaos incarnate.
Lucifer was scowling darkly as he strode forward next. “It’s always something with them…”
“Dammit!” Mammon growled as he stumbled up the stairs with hands and feet. “Mephisto, wait!”
“Hey! Quit shoving me!” Thirteen snapped as Mammon’s shoulder knocked into hers.
“Shut up!” Mephisto scowled over his shoulder. “Both of you, stop following me!”
“…Ah, there they are,” Simeon sighed at the bottom of the stairs.
“Wow, look at how they’re arguing.” Solomon hummed in disappointment. “How embarrassing…”
“Wait, no!” Diavolo called out. “If you reach that landing, you’ll end up–"
“Tch, where could Satan have gone?” Asmo hugged himself as he paused at the entryway to the cafeteria, brows drawn together in concern. “If our team doesn’t regroup, then it won’t even matter that the three of us completed our task… Eeek!” He spun with a squeak of alarm. “What WAS that?! Thunder?!”
“No. That was my stomach.”
“You’ve GOT to be kidding me!” Asmo sighed. “What’s that body of yours made of, Beel?”
Grrrraaaahhcckkk…!
“You’re kidding me…!” Asmo stared at him in disbelief. “Was that your stomach again? Because that roar was so loud it actually shook the ground! Like, that chair over there RATTLED, Beel!”
“I’m hungry…”
Asmo bit his lip as he reached up to pat at Beel’s shoulder. “All right, fine… Why don’t you go ahead and snack on something to settle your stomach.”
Beel beamed down at him. “You’re really sweet, Asmo.”
“Oh, please…” Asmo giggled. “I know, I know.”
–
“So,” Asmo began as he looked up at his massive brother while they walked the halls, “how do you feel now that you’ve eaten something, feel? Has your stomach settled down?”
Beel nodded seriously. “Well, it’s not growling as loud now, at least.”
Asmo gave him a sincere smile. “Right, that’s good–“
“Ah, look! It’s Asmo and Beel!”
Both named demons looked ahead in surprise towards Levi’s voice.
“You showed up at the perfect time!” Luke called to them in a strained voice as he clutched at a foot that he dragged. “You have to help us!”
“Help… you…?” Asmo stopped with a confused frown, leaning to the side to see who the feet that both Levi and Luke pulled belonged to.
“Belphegor fell asleep!” Luke continued to pant. “And he refuses to wake up!”
Levi dropped Belphie's leg with a groan. “He was sleeping in the library. We’ve managed to drag him this far, but we don’t have the strength to go much farther!”
Asmo giggled in delight as he clapped his hands together. “He looks so cute sleeping, doesn’t he?!”
“This is no time to be fawning over Belphegor!” Luke chided in frustration. “Ugh, we finally finished our tasks, and now THIS happens! I’m on the WORST team EVER!”
“Heyyy…” Levi whined under his breath.
“He’s probably still tired from yesterday,” Beel explained knowingly. “It doesn’t look like he’s going to wake up for a while yet.”
“What?!”
“Oh well. Guess I’m just going to have to carry him for you.”
“Carry him?!” Luke gawked. “But…”
“Not a problem,” Beel said with a smile as he squatted down beside his snoozing twin. “I do this all the time. Also, I can’t just leave him here, after all.”
Luke stared in disbelief as Beel hoisted Belphie up, before practising proper lifting technique and rising using his knees. “…He’s carrying Belphegor under one arm.”
Levi snickered. “Like he’s a package or something!”
“But wait, what is Belphegor doesn’t wake up and he just sleeps all day…?”
“Hmm…” Asmo ruffled Luke’s hair comfortingly with a smile. “I’m guessing that won’t happen. At least, probably not?”
–
“THERE YOU GUYS ARE.”
Everyone except Beel, and the sleeping Belphie, jumped with squeaks as a demon’s Wrath enveloped them the moment they stepped into the courtyard.
“TOOK you long enough!” Satan yelled from across the space with a scowl, hands bunched in fists at his sides. “Where have you been, and what have you been doing?!”
“…Mm?” Belphie cracked his eyes open with a sigh. “Is it morning already? Wait, am I late for class again…?”
Luke gasped. “He’s awake!”
“See?” Asmo giggled with another smile. “What did I tell you? Belphie pulls through eventually! …Usually!”
“DON’T IGNORE ME. GET YOUR ASSES OVER HERE RIGHT NOW!”
Luke pouted over at the enraged demon from across. “No swearing…! Or I’ll tell Chise…!”
Satan glared, but he snapped his jaw shut to growl deep in his chest instead.
"…Chise…"
“…Mmm...?”
“Chise…”
I groaned as I dug the heels of my palms against my closed eyes. Head felt fuzzy. Eyes felt irritated, like I got something in them. And the voice… “…Simeon…?”
“Hey there, sweetie…”
I was embraced warmly with the words, and I opened my eyes slowly, blinking blearily.
He smiled at me. Beautiful. Blue eyes, with the ethereal glow of their haloes. “Hey there, Chise. I’m impressed you could tell it was me. Or is it just that I was on your mind?”
“I can always…” I whisper, as I lifted my hand to cup his cheek. “What happened…? Where are…?”
I slowly rolled my head back and forth on his lap to take in our surroundings. A field of flowers…
“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured, trailing his fingertips down my cheek. “The other day, with Solomon… You were so beautiful…”
I focused my eyes back on his in surprise, a blush touching my face.
"And now I want you all to myself, Chise,” he whispered, leaning down, close enough for a kiss. “All mine. You're all mine… Let me take you.” He was laying me down in the flowers, rolling with me, eyes gazing deep into mine. “You know just how I like it, don't you? And I know just how you like it, too…"
“Simeon…”
“Heheh…” He laughed under his breath. His sweet, airy laugh. Solomon and Simeon should sing together, I thought absently. They’d sound lovely… So musical, the both of them… “Don’t think I can’t tell what you want. I know how much you want me. I can see it in your eyes every time you look at me. So go on…”
“Your clothes…” I raised slightly shaky fingers to brush them against his bared shoulder, before trailing them over the tight-fitting fabric of his shirt.
He grazed his nose against mine, lips tantalizingly close. “Try saying it out loud… Say you want me, Chise…”
I frowned. “I… want…”
“If you’re seductive enough, there’s a reward in it for you.” The halo’d glow of his eyes burned fiercer, drawing me into their growing fervor. His hand was trailing over my hip, making its way between my thighs. “Something sweeter and more wonderful than anything you could imagine…”
“What’s wrong…?” I whispered.
He tilted his head in light confusion, a touch of hurt in his expression. “What’s wrong with me? What makes you think something’s wrong? I’m always like this. And yet you love me so much it drives you crazy.”
I shook my head.
“Don’t you want me too, Chise…? Just as badly…? Me... all to yourself? Always…”
"May the illusion clouding my mind be dispelled! I am the one they call Chise. Hear my command!"
Raphael quirked an eyebrow at me, but was otherwise stony. It made him look like he was a bit out of patience. “Finally awake, are you?”
I blinked to focus my vision.
Thirteen was standing above him kneeled at my side, with her hands on her hips. “I can’t believe you were taken in by a flower’s illusion of all things! I mean, really. Do you just need more training, or is it that your teacher doesn’t know what he’s doing? Hmph. Which could it be, I wonder?”
She said the last part while glaring in a different direction.
“Hey, it’s only natural,” Solomon replied lightly in amusement. “Chise is still learning the ways of magic, after all.”
I groaned as I sat up, with Raphael’s hand on my elbow helping me along the way.
“Yes,” Raphael agreed, before turning his head. “Also, a certain someone right over there was completely taken in by the illusion. Despite being a demon.”
“Awww, yeahhhh!” Came Mammon’s voice. “Look at all of YOU! I can’t believe I’m surrounded by such adorable, beautiful–“
I whipped my head towards him with a murderous scowl.
“–COINS!” he finished with a grin, though his eyes were still closed.
“Are you fucking…” I rolled my eyes.
“I gotta be the luckiest demon alive… Ahahaha… heheheh… watch out, cuties, ‘cause I’m gonna catch ya! And then I’m gonna do this…” He made finger waggling movements. “G’hehehe…”
“…That’s literally gross,” I muttered.
“Stop embarrassing yourself!” Lucifer snapped at him, before smacking the back of his head.
Mammon’s eyes flew open in shock. “…OWWWW! Lucifer, you son of a…! What was THAT for?!”
“Well, looks like he’s awake now,” Thirteen said. “But what do you want to do about THIS one?”
She planted her foot on Mephisto’s chest, who was lying flat on his back, giggling to himself.
“Ahahahaha…! Lord Diavolo, really. For someone like me, that was a trivial task! Ahahahaha! Please, stop. You flatter me. Really, it was nothing! What’s that? I’m far more talented than Lucifer? Well, I should hope so!”
Lucifer rolled his eyes. “How embarrassing for him.”
“Mephisto?” Solomon stood over him. “Come on, snap out of it.”
He snapped his fingers with the word.
“Wha…?!”
“You were just trying to be cool,” I accused him.
He winked at me with a sly smile.
Mephisto slapped at Thirteen’s shin, before sitting upright. “Wh-What did I…?”
“Don’t hit people,” I chided him.
“…I guess that just leaves one more.” Diavolo nodded at the curled form at his feet.
“Who…?” I frowned as I leaned forward, the flowers that we had landed in blocking some of my view.
Simeon. In his human clothes. Curled on the ground, sweetly dreaming.
“…Lucifer,” he breathed, barely audible as I went to his side. “It seems I’ve been asleep… I had the longest, most intricate dream… Now, don’t be too shocked by what I’m about to say, all right? But in my dream, you were a demon…”
“Oh, Sims,” I breathed, as I knelt to cup his face, turning him towards me.
“Both you and your brothers… It seemed so real…”
“Yo, Simeon! C’mon, let’s go!”
"May the illusion clouding this one's mind be dispelled. I am the one they call Chise. Hear my command!"
Simeon’s eyes flew open like a snap as he drew in a sharp gasp.
Mammon came to stand over the two of us, frowning. “You awake now?”
“Awake…?”
“You were under an illusion spell, honey,” I explained softly, while brushing his hair back from his face.
His face expression went still. “…Ah…”
“What’s wrong with you?” Mammon scowled. “Like, it’s one thing for me to be taken in by an illusion like that, but you?”
Simeon slid his eyes away from him, before moving to sit up. I placed my palm on his back to help him.
“Weren’t you listening when Diavolo explained the rules?” Lucifer began to scold. “You have to climb the outside of the building, remember?”
“Shut up,” Mephisto snapped again. “I knew that…”
“Oh, SURE you did.” Thirteen rolled her eyes. “You were the first one to take running toward the door to the school!”
Mephisto swallowed nervously. “Lord Diavolo, please don’t say this means we’re disqualified…”
Diavolo shook his head. “No, don’t worry. We’re in the flower garden inside the Demon Lord’s Castle. One that has the power to make you see visions. I had Barbatos cast a spell to teleport anyone who broke the rules here as a penalty. It was meant to slow you down. So this doesn’t mean you’re disqualified.”
“Whew…” Mammon sighed. “I was real worried there for a second! It’s all because Mephisto went runnin’ off like that. We ended up payin’ the price for HIS mistake.”
“Hey! I didn’t FORCE you to come after me!”
“Whatever.” Thirteen looked around with a frown. “Just how do we get back. I’d like to get this competition over with once and for all, ASAP.”
Diavolo nodded. “I’ll go ahead and teleport all of us back to RAD together.”
As everyone began to stand and sigh and stretch and grumble, and as I helped Simeon to his feet, Mammon turned back to him.
“…Yo, Simeon.”
“Hm?” Simeon brushed at his pant leg, not looking up.
“Seriously, what’s wrong with you? You’re actin’ weird.” He turned to me. “Isn’t that right, Chise? You think so too, don’t you?”
I pinched my lips together in a flat line, also not looking at him, lest I strangle my fiancé.
“See, what did I tell you? Chise agrees with me.”
“Chise didn’t say anything,” Raphael pointed out.
“That silence says it all! …I think. Simeon, you didn’t use the power of your blessing back when that chimera attacked you, either. And now you got taken in by an illusion? That’s not like you. Somethin’s DEFINITELY not–"
"MAMMON, THAT’S ENOUGH.” I rounded at him with a enraged shout that rang out through the garden.
Everyone froze where they stood, darting glances at me.
Mammon’s jaw dropped open as he stared at me in shock, before his mouth worked to open and close like a goldfish.
I felt myself go red in the face, and saw Lucifer take a step towards us with a glare.
“All right,” Diavolo cut in abruptly. “We’ve sat here darling long enough. This way, let’s go.”
I blinked twice. Against tears.
“Chise…” Simeon folded his hands over mine. “It’s all right… There’s no need…”
Mammon still looked dazed. “Buh… huh…”
“You’d better hurry, Mammon,” Solomon sang with a smirk as he took Simeon’s other arm. “Or we’ll leave you behind!”
“Wh… Hey!”
“…So, looks like we’re back in the courtyard,” Raphael said at my side. “Why don’t we give this another try?”
“Okay.” Mephisto whirled on his team. “This time we’ll come up with a solid plan, so we don’t have a repeat of what happened last time.”
“Hold on… I don’t believe this!” Thirteen pointed. “Look! Team Levi and Team Satan are there trying to climb the wall!”
”…Beel, you IDIOT!” Satan snapped. “How many times do I have to say it before you’ll get it through your thick skull? Go UP, not down!”
Beel shook his head as his feet connected to the ground. “I can’t.”
“Yes you can!”
“Every time I start climbing, delicious snacks appear down on the ground. And then I have to go down and get them…” He demonstrated by bending down with a sigh.
“Forget about the snacks!” Satan shouted at him. “Just climb the WALL!”
Beel pulled open a bag of chips, poking his nose down into it with an appreciative sniff.
“You… You giant idiot brother!”
Asmo sighed beside him. “This is why I said you should be the one to climb, Satan…”
”….Grrrrrr!” Levi panted, exerting demonic energy in his struggle. “Nooooo!”
“Well, Levi’s team isn’t doing so hot either,” I observed in a disappointed mutter.
“I beg you…!” Levi continued to pant, dark fog at his scrabbling foot. “Grand me the strength to… grrrhh…!”
“…Okay, is this some sort of joke?” Luke sighed in defeat. “It is, right?”
“You think Levi’s joking?” Belphie glanced down at him. “No, I’d say he’s completely serious. Despite the fact that he hasn’t even made it off the ground…”
“How can anyone have such a weak grip?! Forget the competition. He needs to see a DOCTOR!”
“Dammit, we don’t have time to stand here talkin’!” Mammon yelled over his shoulder as he took off ahead of us. “They’ll reach the top before us! The Mammon’s NOT about to let that happen!”
“Mammon,” I sighed, “the wall is still–"
“D’aaaah! The handholds are all slippery… and slimy… and greasy…! I C-C-CAN’T HOLD OOOON!”
Mephisto rolled his eyes. “I tried to tell him we need a plan to avoid a repeat of last time…”
“He truly is an idiot,” Thirteen muttered.
I shook my head. I didn’t have a defence for that one. He was on a personal ‘Greedy Reward Hunt’ at this point. “…Raphael. As I was saying before.”
He nodded his head. “It makes sense. I am physically the stronger. I’ll climb the wall.”
“Thirteen,” I addressed next. “We’ll support him from the ground while he’s going up. See if you have any ideas on how to get past the traps as they crop up, and I’ll back up with my magic if we need it.”
“Hmm…” She thought about it for a moment, before smiling. “Not bad. All right then, Raphael. We’ll be your support team, helping you steer clear of traps.”
I smiled too. “Let’s go win this thing.”
“As if we’d let those other idiots beat us.”
Raphael nodded again. “As long as we all do our best, I’m sure we’ll end up victorious. Make sure you stay focused.” He strode towards the wall with us a bit behind him. “Okay, I’m going to start climbing. I’ll leave the rest to you two.”
“All right. We’re counting on you.”
“I’ll do everything I can not to let you down.”
I blinked. “Yeah… Same.”
–
“Hmm.” Thirteen looked up at him, hands on her hips with an expression of approval. “You’ve made good progress! Looks to me like everything’s going fine so far.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” he called down to us, just loud enough for us to hear. “A pair of handcuffs just sprouted from this handhold and attached themselves to my wrist.”
I raised my eyebrows. “A pair of WHAT?”
“Handcuffs.”
“Yeah, I know…”
“Well, why didn’t you say so sooner?!” Thirteen called back. “Seriously, do you expect us to just GUESS?!”
I sighed as I thought for a moment.
“You think you can do something about my predicament?”
“Let’s try… Hear me. Spirit of wind, calm yourself. Spirit of earth, sleep! In the name of the sorcerer Chise, I command you!”
It was more about the thought. The intention. The incantation was just… direction.
“…The handcuffs came open!” Thirteen confirmed with a grin. “He’s free!”
“Not bad,” he said. “I’m impressed.”
“Thanks…”
“Stop admiring Chise’s work and pay attention! In case you haven’t noticed, flames just erupted from your handhold!”
Raphael looked back at the wall. “…Ah. I was wondering why it felt so hot all of a sudden.”
I snorted. “Angels really are a whole other world away…”
“Looks like it’s my turn to step up!” Thirteen called with a clap and pull of her hands. “Time to unleash the power of my Elephant Super Sprayer – Hyper Version!”
Raphael sighed. “Just please avoid–“
The whole part of the wall he was gripping was blasted with water.
“Ugh…” He shook his head to shake his hair out, that was soaked and running water down into his eyes. “Enough… I’m glad the fire is out, but you didn’t need to be THAT aggressive. Now I’m sopping wet…”
“I just saved you, Raphael! No complaining.”
“…If you think I’m about to let an angel like you beat me up this wall, you’re sorely mistake, Raphael!” Mephisto called from down the way.
“They really let Mephisto go first, huh?” I muttered to Thirteen.
“I see you two are really giving this everything you’ve got!” Diavolo said with a beaming smile, down past where Mephisto climbed. “Excellent!”
“Diavolo and Mephistopheles…” Raphael glanced to his side. “So you’ve caught up with me.”
Mephisto sniffed dismissively. “Well, now that we know the wall is littered with traps, it’s possible to deal with them fairly quickly when they appear.”
“Isn’t this just wonderful?” Diavolo continued with a grin. “This is what being young is all about. I love it!”
I would have rather have watched Barbatos climb the wall. That would have been a sight…
“Lord Diavolo, umm…” Mephisto nodded at him with a grimace. “You’ve got a flesh-eating plant attached to your foot.”
Raphael sighed with an air of slight disapproval. “Despite falling victim to every trap on the wall, you really seem to be enjoying this…”
“You can do it, Lord Diavolo!” Mammon called up to him through both hands cupped over his mouth. “Beat those chumps to the top!” He bent down to the ground with a gleeful snicker. “Mephisto, Raphael, take THIS!”
“Hmm…” Simeon shook his head. “I can’t say I approve of throwing rocks to deter the other climbers… But you’re falling well short of them, thankfully.”
“Mammon, don’t make me use ’Stay’. I don’t know if it’s a legal move, but I’ll do it.”
Mammon yelped as he straightened from off the floor.
“Anyway…” Simeon chuckled. “Diavolo, there’s a trap on the handhold diagonally above your right foot. Make sure to avoid it!”
“…Mephisto,” Lucifer started as he looked up at his teammate with arms crossed. “I’m disabling that trap. Get out of the way.”
He wasn’t very graceful about it, or patient, as he immediately ripped the trap off with a pull of his magic before he had even finished talking.
“OW! HEY! Don’t wait until the moment you fire off your spell to warn me! You’ll end up disabling ME next time!”
“This is no time to be looking down at us, Mephisto,” Solomon called up sweetly. “There’s a trap on that handhold there, right where you’re about to put your hand.”
“Right,” I sighed. “Mephisto was the right call to send up after all, since Lucifer and Solomon aren’t actually useless.”
Thirteen snickered beside me.
“WHAT?!” Mephisto whipped his head back in front of him. “Solomon, hurry up and use your magic to disable it! It’s got me… and it’s… pulling… gr!”
“All right…” Solomon replied with a slow, patient smile. “Just a second…”
I giggled at his clear show of taking his sweet time helping the squawking Demon of Arrogance that was struggling above him.
“…Leviathan!” I heard Luke call from down the other way. “Come on, pick up the pace!”
“Asmo, wait until later to fix your makeup!” Satan snapped as well.
“Ooh, bad news,” Thirteen muttered at my side with a glance. “Team Levi and Team Satan are catching up now, too!”
“Seriously?” I raised my eyebrows. “Even Levi?”
How they expected Levi to pull up Belphie if he was ever able to reach the top was a mystery to me. Belphie was deceptively strong. Should have been him going up.
But it was somehow true. Sort of.
“Gotta pick up the pace, Raphael!” I shouted up to him.
He nodded. “Right.”
“Listen up!” Satan shouted like a drill sergeant. “We’re behind, which means we need to be even more careful to avoid any mistakes! Beel should obviously be the one climbing, since we all know how strong he is.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Asmo asked hesitantly. “What if there’s another trap involving sweets?”
“Look at Chise’s team.” Satan pointed. “We need to follow their example. Asmo, you and I will stay down here and be his support team. If any sweet treats appear, we’ll incinerate them on sight.”
Beel gasped softly in pained horror. “But… that’s such a waste…”
“Just stay ahead of Lucifer’s team,” he snapped. “Whatever it takes!”
“But I don’t like this whole ‘incinerate the sweets’ plan…”
“Beel,” Asmo cooed sweetly, “if you do this for us, we’ll treat you to a meal at Hell’s Kitchen, and you can eat as much as you want! Satan will be paying.”
Satan glanced at him with a growl. “Hey…”
But Beel brightened like a ray of sunshine. “Deal!”
“…Wooooow!” Asmo gasped.
Shit.
“Beel’s amazing! I mean, he only just started, and look at how high he is already!”
“Raphael!” I called.
I heard Raphael give a growl of frustration.
“Looks like he passed Raphael,” Satan said with a smirk in our direction. “At this rate, he’s going to pass Diavolo as… Hey, Beel! What’s going on? Why’d you stop?”
“…It’s this handhold I was about to grab,” he explained. “Suddenly it looks just like a hamburger. Wait… It IS a hamburger!”
Raphael looked up with a scoff of disgust. “Beelzebub, stop drooling! It’s hitting me.”
“Hang in there, Beel!” Asmo called up nervously. “Remember, there’s an all-you-can-eat meal at Hell’s Kitchen waiting for you at the end of the race, on Satan’s dime! You know he’s good for it!”
“Hey…”
“Awww…”
“…That’s it!” Levi sobbed in frustration as he slid down from his scrabble again. “I can’t do this anymore! My hands are killing me! I’m an antisocial loner, not some sporty extrovert! It’s crazy to expect me to do this stuff, I’m not cut out for it!”
“Yeah, I’m sick of this too,” Belphie sighed. “It’s all one giant hassle.”
“Okay then, I’ll do it!” Luke stomped forward in stubborn frustration. “To be honest, I’ve always wanted to try something like this! Okay, here goes nothing!”
I winced in concern the moment the small angel’s hand touched brick.
“Just you wait, Raphael. I’m going to beat you to the top!”
Raphael laughed with soft indulgence.
“Huh. Luke’s surprisingly quick and nimble,” Belphie observed with a tilt of his head. “He’s making it look easy.”
Good luck pulling the demons up though, kiddo…
“Ugh, watching him is making me feel old…” Levi muttered.
“Go Luke!” Simeon called out sweetly with a smile. “You can do it!”
Solomon nodded, eyes sparkling. “The route is easier if you go left there, Luke!”
I giggled. Adoptive dads.
“You two, why’re you helpin’ him?!” Mammon snapped. “He’s not on your team! …Hold on, is it me, or is Luke runnin’ into less traps than the rest of us?”
Thirteen growled. “Yeah, and that’s not all. The traps he HAS encountered have been minor inconveniences. Like the one just now… It was just a jack-in-the-box!”
I shrugged. “Well, it’s Luke, so… Go get ‘em, kiddo! You’ve got this!”
Luke beamed at me.
Adoptive mom, too.
“You, Simeon, and Solomon are too soft on him, ya know that?! That’s why he’s always yippin’ and yapping’ like some Chihuahua that’s too big for its britches!”
“I heard that!” Luke snapped. “Stop comparing me to a dog!”
“Pup!”
“Mammon…!” I warned. “Don’t make me show everyone here how much of an obedient PUP you are yourself with 'Stay'!”
"Eep…"
“Nice!” Levi grinned. “Maybe having Luke climb for us was a good idea after all!”
“Hey, um… something just occurred to me…” Belphie glanced at his brother. “Even if Luke makes it onto the roof and throws the rope down to us, he won’t be able to pull us up, will he? He doesn’t have the strength.”
I rolled my eyes with a smile. At least the kid will have a small victory… While we win.
“Ooh… womp womp lolol.”
Belphie sighed. “Maybe we’d better throw in the towel…”
“Yep…”
“Throw in the towel?!” Luke called down with a scowl. “You can’t give up THAT easily! If we work hard enough, there’s nothing we can’t–“
Levi gasped. “Luke?!”
Luke swung to the side with a shriek as one of his feet slipped on its hold, making his fingers slip above in the sudden shift in his balance.
“Oh no…!” Belphie ran up to slap his hand to the wall. “He’s going to fall!”
“LUKE!” Mephisto made a swipe. “Grab onto my hand, boy!”
“It’s no use!” Mammon panted as he ran. “He’s too far…!”
But Mephisto, with a growl, jumped for him, just as Luke finally slipped with a screech.
“What’s he thinking?!” Thirteen shouted from behind me as I darted forward too.
“Mephisto!” I called, just as Mephisto caught at the collar of Luke’s shirt. “Magic!”
“Can’t…!” He replied through gritted teeth, straining. “Not while holding on to Luke…!”
“Luke!” Simeon cried out brokenly, the furthest away.
A blur of black and dark red slammed itself into the wall, enveloping Luke in its large embrace.
I gasped as I skidded to a halt, staring up at Diavolo’s beating wings, gawking just as much at their majesty as at his incredible speed and quick-thinking.
“Are you all right?” He asked seriously of the whimpering angel in his arms. “Come on, Mephisto. Hold on to me too, and don’t let go.”
“Lord Diavolo…!” Mephisto gasped.
“Lucifer…” I breathed.
He had also latched himself to the wall above them, magnificent feathered wings beating slowly, his fist grasping Mephisto’s collar as well.
He sighed. “Honestly… I take my eyes off you for a second, and this is what happens…”
“D-Demons…!” Luke squealed in fear.
“Calm down, Luke!” Mephisto shook his head, perplexed by his sudden reaction. “Get ahold of yourself.”
“B-But they’re… terrifying…!”
I sighed. “Luke.”
He peeked between them all, cradled by them, panting in near hyperventilation. He glanced down at the ground where Simeon and I waited with open arms, before swallowing his fear. “Th-Thank… you…”
–
“Luke…” Solomon half-kneeled in front of him with his hands on the angel’s shoulders. “You aren’t hurt, are you?”
“Ugghhh…” the boy groaned. “That was… That was terrifying…”
Simeon sighed with relief as he wrapped his arms around him from behind. “Don’t worry, you’re okay. See? You’re safely on the ground now.”
“…Well then…” Diavolo grimaced as his demon form began to retreat. “Even if we had good reason, Lucifer and I did just use our wings. And rules are rules.”
“But…” I blinked at them. “You didn’t use them for that…! We can reset…? No one is up there now…”
Lucifer shook his head. “We are disqualified.”
Mammon gawked. “Say what?!”
“Well, that’s just the way it goes,” Mephisto sighed. “You had to do what you had to do.”
“Aww maaaan…” Mammon sighed as well.
“…I’m sorry, Mammon,” Luke mumbled. “It’s my fault your teams were disqualified.”
“…Eh, c’mon.” He ruffled the angel’s hair with a smile. “Don’t look all sad. I don’t mind missin’ out on my reward as long as it means you’re all right. But like, don’t scare me like that again, got it?”
I beamed at him gratefully.
Luke nodded, bottom lip trembling. “Got it…”
“Okay, whoa…” Levi shook his head. “I have to say, I couldn’t believe my eyes just now!”
“Mephisto.” I turned my smile to him. “Thank you. Diavolo wouldn’t have gotten to him in time if it weren’t for you.”
“Yeah,” Belphie agreed. “Nice job, Mephisto. I’m impressed.”
Raphael nodded. “It all happened so fast, yet you still managed to come to Luke’s rescue. Well done.”
“…I always thought demons were bad…” Luke mumbled shyly as he looked down at his scuffing feet. “Either they like to plot and scheme, or they’re stupid, or they’re lazy, or gluttons…”
The brothers began to frown.
“Or they’re underhanded, or giant otakus, or have filthy minds…”
Some of the brothers began to growl.
“I thought all demons were like that…”
Mammon scowled at him. “Hey, just who’re you talkin’ about, huh?!”
“But it seems I was wrong.” Luke sighed with a touch of embarrassment pinkening his cheeks. “Some demons are different. Thanks, Mephisto…”
Mephisto shook his head. “It’s not like you need to thank me or anything. It wasn’t a big deal. Also, you remind me of a pet I used to have. So I couldn’t just let you fall.”
Luke blinked. “A pet?”
Mephisto smiled at him indulgently. “Yeah, a Devildom Chihuahua.”
“HEY!” Luke’s face went red as he balled his hands into fists. “I’m NOT a Chihuahua! OH…!”
“Luke?” Simeon leaned down in concern. “Is something wrong?”
“Ugh… I think my ankle… When I was trying to hold on…”
“Oh…” Solomon tsked as he knelt down to the ground to inspect it. “You must’ve twisted it when you lost your footing going up the wall. It might start to swell.”
“It’s okay…” Luke shook his head. “I can still climb. So, I’m heading back up– Ow…!”
Belphie shook his head too. “Forget it, bad idea. I say we withdraw.”
“Yeah.” Levi snorted. “I mean, it’s not like we cared all that much about winning to begin with.”
“But…!”
“Luke…?” Simeon began meaningfully.
He sighed. “…All right, fine. I won’t try to climb the wall.
Solomon smiled sweetly as he stood to take the angel by the arm. “I can do something to ease the pain, Luke. Come here.”
“You really were great out there, Luke,” Simeon said quietly with a smile of his own.
“Thanks…”
“…So.” Thirteen spun to Raphael and I. “Team Lucifer, Team Mammon, and Team Levi are all out of the race? That really narrows down the field.”
“With all of them gone, then…”
Satan nodded. “It looks like it’s just my team against yours now.”
“You know I love you, right?”
He smirked at me. “I love you too, dove. But now that Lucifer is out of the running? It’s you who’s going down next.”
“Not if I take you down first!”
Thirteen grabbed my wrist with a scoff. “Stop flirting with the enemy! Let’s get this over with!”
I stuck my tongue out at the cute blonde I left behind as I was dragged further down.
“All right, Raphael.” I eyed the group beside us. “Beel is large and incredibly strong, but he’s also easily distracted, especially under pressure – which Satan is adding lots of. Just stay focused and try not to pause for too long. Keep communicating as you go.”
He nodded as he went to the wall again, testing the first handhold. “I have taken him on before. This won’t be a problem. But please, try to avoid spraying me with a super soaker this time…”
“You were on fire!” Thirteen protested.
“And then, I was not…”
“Go Beeeeel!” Asmo cheered from beside us. “You can do it!”
“Raphael!” Thirteen raised her voice even higher than Asmo’s to drown him out. “Don’t you DARE lost to Beel of all demons! I’ll never forgive you!”
“Oooh, hey!” I heard Mammon’s smirking-voice from behind us. “What do ya say we place bets on who’s gonna come out on top!”
Levi sighed in annoyance. “The second you’re out of the competition, you want to be on it…”
“At the moment, I think perhaps Beelzebub has the advantage?” I heard Simeon say. “Partly because of his strength and stamina. What do you think, Solomon?”
“I’d say so, yeah. Also, Chise’s team needs to do a better job of supporting Raphael. They’ve been too slow, while Satan’s team has been quick and accurate?”
“You know who I think needs more support?!” I snapped at them from over my shoulder. “ME!”
They both laughed behind their hands.
“Don’t ’teehee’ me…” I muttered.
“All of you, shut up!” Thirteen rounded on the peanut gallery as well. “We can see what’s going on here. We don’t need your play-by-play! How are we supposed to compete with them, anyway? They’re brothers! They know each other inside and out. Ugh, I don’t even want to do this anymore.”
Raphael sighed in irritation. “Hey, if you’re not going to take this seriously down there, then I’m not going to bother trying so hard. All right?”
“Oh no you don’t!” I pointed between them both. “Thirteen! Eyes up there! Quit fooling around!”
“Chise, wh-what’s up with you?” Thirteen looked at me in surprise. “Don’t lose your temper like that. You scared me!”
“Up, Thirteen!”
Lucifer chuckled. “Actually, Chise is right. Keep it up, Chise… put them in their place.”
“THANK you.”
He frowned at my team members. “After everything you’ve been through together, are you telling me that you three haven’t enjoyed a single moment of working as a team?”
Diavolo wiggled at his side. “Surely there were times where you found that you appreciated each other, right?”
The extreme hope in his eyes made me growl.
“If you give up now,” Lucifer continued, “everything you’ve done will be for nothing. Is that what you want, Thirteen? …Raphael?”
Raphael turned to look back up at the wall, reaching for the next handhold.
“Hmph…” Thirteen put her hands on her hips to look up at his progress as well. “Well, now that you put it that way, I suppose we have no choice but to give it our best.”
“Focus, Raphael! Hear me, spirit of wind…!”
Satan hissed through his teeth in frustration, one hand on his hip. “Looks like Raphael’s caught up to Beel…”
“Yes,” Simeon agreed, “and Team Chise is doing a much better job of supporting him as well.”
“Wow!” Luke whispered breathlessly. “It looks like they might reach the top at almost the same time…”
Beel pulled himself up with a grunt. “Okay, made it onto the roof! I’m lowering the rope!”
“Chise, Thirteen…” Raphael popped his head over the roof as well. “Quickly, grab on the rope!”
I gawked at him. “Both of us?!”
“I’ve got this.”
Beel huffed as he looked down. “Both of you, as well.”
“Dammit…” I muttered as I took the rope after Thirteen.
“All that’s left now is to pull them up,” Simeon said from behind. “But I have to think Beelzebub has the edge here, given how strong he is.”
Luke shook his head glumly. “I guess it’s looking like Satan’s team is going to win…”
“No way we’re about to let that happen!” Thirteen looked down at me, eyes shining with determination. “All right, Chise! Let’s do our thing!”
“You know what…” I grinned up at her. “I’m on it.”
“I’ve got my hands full,” Raphael called down to us, “so I’m counting on you two!”
”The sorcerer Chise commands you… Come forth, feline Tinkerbell!”
Merrrop!
“WHAT?!?!?!” Satan whipped his head to look down at the ground in shock. ”…HOLY SHIT, TINKERBELL IS HERE!!!!! YOU’RE SO CUTE! COME HERE, TINKY! HOW’D YOU LIKE SOME CAT TREATS?! LUCIFER BROUGHT THE ONES I FORGOT AT HOME!!! AHHHHH!”
He slid back down the rope, tucking into a roll when he hit the ground.
Thirteen looked down at him with perplexed disappointment. "...THAT'S all it took?! He's the AVATAR OF WRATH!!"
"Yeah, it's... Yeah."
“Wait!” Asmo protested with a scowl. “Is that even legal?!”
I smirked. “I didn’t hear any rule against using magic to slow you down…”
“Nyeheheh…” Thirteen broke out into a grin. “Good work, Chise. Now pay attention, Asmo, because YOUR fight is with ME! Say hello to my new creation… ’The Mirror of Wrinkled Reflection: New and Improved Version’! Take THAT!”
I shook my head in disbelief. “How do you even MAKE these things…? Do you just, assemble atoms together, or…?”
”EEEEEEEK!” Asmo kicked with a screech against the wall, losing footing. “WH-WHAT’S WRONG WITH THIS MIRROR!? My beautiful face… It… It looks so OLD! I’M ANCIENT!” With a sob he began to climb back down away from where it hovered, pointing down at him. “I… I can’t take this anymore…!”
“Asmo?” Beel’s eyes widened as he looked down at his immobilized team. “Asmo, stay with me!”
Asmo didn’t quit make it down all the way. Well, sort of…
“D’ahahahaha!” Mammon doubled over with laughter. “Look at that! Asmo fainted while still holdin’ on to the rope!”
Luke looked on in shock. “So with Satan and Asmo out of commission, then…”
“Chise, Thirteen, grab my hand.” Raphael kneeled down, fingers splayed wide. “I’ll pull you the rest of the way!”
I gasped as he grasped mine to pull me up with an ease that made me feel like a weightless little kitten tugged up by her scruff, to tumble with an oof to my goal.
“PHEW!” Thirteen grinned as she more gracefully hooked her knee over. “Finally, we made it to the top!”
Solomon laughed in delight from the ground. “Looks like both Chise and Thirteen have made it safely onto the roof! Which means…”
“We have a winner!” Diavolo boomed from below, spreading his arms wide. “The victory goes to Team Chise!”
Thirteen whooped and hollered on the spot while I threw my head back with a groan of relief.
Finally.
Trial one, over.
Notes:
...Don’t make me write physical exertion outside of sex again...
Chapter 16: Chapter 69-A: Spoiled Rotten
Notes:
Sorry, was sister's birthday yesterday.
CW: BELPHIE FILTH!!!!
For the majority of this chapter, until it ends. Sorry aces, short one for you. 6.5k words of pure filth.
Since we’re in the last act and I basically give everyone roughly about 2 smut scenes per act it feels like each one I do now is like…… extra important…. anyway that’s why they’ve been a bit extra long *sobbing* I wish I could just write 20k words for each one at this point because I don’t want it to end… even if I’m repeating the ’style’/wording that I write smut in etc it feels like I’m writing them for the first time again!!! They feel that special again. 😭
Chapter Text
Simeon: I feel like I witnessed something really wonderful.
Simeon: 🥰🥰🥰
Solomon: Yeah, I never thought those three would leap to Luke's rescue like that.
Simeon: Yes. And I was especially surprised by one of them in particular...
Solomon: Mephisto?
Simeon: Exactly!
Simeon: I was so happy that he'd do that for Luke.
Simeon: And I was also glad that Luke made a point to thank him afterward.
Solomon: Spoken like a true doting parent...
Solomon: 😉
Simeon: 😳 Hush, you. Hardly.
Simeon: Maybe I should make a BLT devil sandwich and give it to him the next time I see him? You know, as a thank you gift.
Solomon: Okay then, I'll go ahead and whip up something, too. Then we can go see him together, and give him both our gifts.
Simeon: No, that's okay.
Simeon: Really.
Simeon: I'll make the food.
Solomon: Are you sure?
Simeon: Very sure, yes.
“Uggghhh…” Levi groaned as he rubbed at his shins. “My whole body’s sore. Seriously, we’re talking epic levels of pain here. I… feel like I’m dying…”
Beel frowned in confusion. “Really Levi? You’re sore? I didn’t think you did anything that strenuous…”
“Shut up! I don’t want to hear it from a musclebound meathead like you!”
Beel’s frown switched from one of confusion to irritation. “Hey. I’m not a meathead.”
“Levi,” I warned as I flipped the page of my notebook. “Be nice.”
“But you don’t deny that you’re musclebound, do you Beel?!”
Both Beel and I shrugged.
“Grr… don’t just deny the bad part! You’re turning my insult into a compliment!”
Asmo sighed as he dipped his brush back into the container of polish he was working on. “Um, could you two please stop arguing? This whole back-and-forth of yours is just so lame… And I’m trying to enjoy this moment. I can’t believe we’re listening to one of Lucifer’s most prized records without permission… it’s just so thrilling! Right, Chise?”
I shrugged again. “Sure, Asmo.”
“Seriously?!” Levi rolled his eyes. “THAT’S what you call thrilling?!”
“By the way, Chise.” Beel turned towards me, deciding to best handle Levi by ignoring him at this point. “How did things turn out with your trial?”
“Ooh, yeah!” Levi leaned forward. “I was wondering that, too!”
I smiled. “Well, I passed, if that’s what you were wondering.”
“Congratulations!” Asmo sang. “Way to go, Chise!”
“Yeah, congratulations. Though I feel like I’ve been run over by a truck now. Just so you know…”
Beel gave me a lovely smile. “But Chise ended up passing the trial, so it was all worth it.”
“No, it wasn’t!” Levi snapped. “I can’t even bear to hold a controller now, you know?! THAT’S how sore I am!”
“But still, it was just the first trial…” Asmo sighed. “Then I wonder what the second one is going to be like…”
“Probably something just as annoying,” I muttered. I really, really hoped it didn’t have anything to do with me babysitting the newbies again.
“Well, all I have to say is… I’m DONE with physical challenges!” Levi hunched with a glaring pout. “…And stuff where you have to be lucky to win, too! No more!”
Beel tilted his head as he thought. “Okay then, what kind of trial would you like, Levi?”
“Hmm…” He brightened a bit. “Maybe a Ruri-chan quiz or something? I doubt anyone could beat me at that. Wait, scratch that. There’s NO WAY anyone could beat me at that!”
Asmo sighed in exasperation. “Well, you’re the only one who’d enjoy something like that. I say we have a beauty competition. We’ll invite all the most attractive demons, and–“
“Whoa, hey!” Levi flattened his lips into a line. “Now you’re coming up with something only YOU’D like!”
“…Quit making so much noise.”
“G’AH!” Levi jumped in his spot as a pissed-off-looking Belphie poked his head out from under the couch he was sitting on. “BELPHIE! You SCARED me!”
I giggled. “Oh, there’s my other kitty cat.”
Beel smiled happily at him as he leaned down. “Since when have you been here?”
“This entire time. I was TRYING to take a nap, but I can’t do that with all of you being so loud.” He jammed an elbow onto the floor to pull himself along on his belly out from under the sofa.”
“Ahaha, sorry.” Asmo gave him an apologetic smile, with a fond shake of his head as he watched his younger brother literally crawl out from under the couch from his nap. “Were we really making that much noise?”
"Yes. You were."
I grimaced. He really wasn’t having it. “Sorry, Belph. We didn’t know you were in here.”
“Whatever, just forget it.” He sighed with irritation as he bent to pick up his cow pillow to dust it off. “I’m going someplace else to sleep.”
“…What was that about?” Levi muttered after Belphie had turned the corner. “Like, he was giving off some really icky vibes. I mean, I know I’m one to talk, since people say that a lot about me, but still.”
Beel shook his head. “Something’s not right…”
Asmo glanced at him. “What do you mean…?”
“I snore and talk in my sleep and stuff all the time, but he never has trouble sleeping through that. And now the sound of the record player and us talking is enough to keep him awake? Something not right.”
“Hmm, yeah.” Levi frowned thoughtfully. “Your snoring is loud enough to wake the dead, after all.”
Asmo nodded. “Now that you mention it, you do have a point.”
I stood with a soft groan, rolling my shoulders back. I, too, was feeling the wall climb. “I’m going to go check on him.”
“Thanks, Chise. I’d appreciate that. He’s heading towards–“
“To the planetarium, yeah.” I smiled at Beel. “I know that too.”
He smiled back at me. “Right. I know he’ll open up to you.”
“Oh… Chise, it’s you,” came his flat, muffled voice from his nest as I reached the top of the stairs. “What are you doing here? Did my brothers tell you to come check on me?”
“Did they ask me? Hmm…” I went over to him with a soft smile, taking a seat at the edge of the couch to lay my hand on his shoulder. “Of course not, Belphie. I’m here because I want to be.”
“Well, it’s not like you needed to come check on me. You should’ve just stayed put and had a good time with the others.”
There was an expressionlessness to his words and tone, though there was a hint of an edge to the flatness. He was reining in something.
I trailed my hand up to stroke at his hair. “Are you mad about something?”
He shook his head against his pillow, one eye one me that peeked from under his fringe. “No. I’m not mad or anything.”
“I see…” Slowly I began to lean over, indicating my intentions. He frowned a bit, but shifted anyway, giving me a bit more space to lay down beside him.
I tucked my arms around him to pull him close to me.
Warm.
After a moment, he sighed, before leaning his head in to tuck under my chin. “…Sorry. I know I’m acting weird. I shouldn’t have said all that.”
“I’d like to know what’s going on.”
“It’s just that… when I saw the three of them there with you, and how much fun you were having together, well…”
“Belphie…” I cupped his cheek, tilting my head down to press a kiss to his forehead.
“…Hey.” He curled his fingers into my sleeves, raising his face up. “Come here. I want to kiss you…”
I met his lips with soft eagerness.
Dammit. I realized that it’d been a while since I’d pressed my lips to his. Damn…
I curled my own fingers into the soft fabric of his cardigan, near the collar, to pull him tighter to me. Tilting my head. Another.
“…Careful, Chise,” he murmured when we broke off. “You’d better not humour me too much. You’ll make me wish I could have you all to myself, even more than I do already. He traced his fingers up to press them to my jaw, purple eyes half-hidden by dark, messy hair. “I’d take you to the attic where it would be just the two of us.”
“Just the two of us…?” I murmured back. “I don’t see anyone else here right now….”
At that, his lip twitched down a bit. “Even at the best of times, the two of us hardly ever get to spend time alone together. And lately even students from other classes have been talking about how great you are. Whispering about you and stuff… You don’t seem to be aware of it, but you’re really the center of attention here, you know? You’ve become really popular.”
I blinked in surprise. “I… didn’t know about that.”
No one else really approached to talk to me.
His eyes slid from mine. “It sort of makes it feel like you’re more distant and more out of reach than you used to be.”
I shook my head. “I don’t want you to feel that way, Belphie. I never meant to make you feel that way. And now I’m here with you, and it’s hitting me… I feel full and relaxed… I missed you too.”
“Mm.” He pressed his forehead to mine, eyes flicking up again. “When we’re alone like this, it’s different. Right now you’re all mine, aren’t you?”
I leaned in closer, closing the gap again just slightly. Not enough for our lips to press. Not even enough for a kiss. Just to touch. “Right now… I’m all yours.” My lips grazed as I spoke. “I need you just as much as you need me. The rest of the attention…” I shook my head. “It’s yours I want.”
His fingers on my jaw had become a tighter, deeper sensation as he pressed, and then he moved them, continuing that press along my the bone of my jaw, until they reached the curves towards my ears. And then down, at the same time that he closed the rest of the gap, to kiss me again.
I sighed at the feeling of his fingers dipping into the muscles of my neck, pressing into the flesh at the sides; sighed into his kiss, his soft lips that rolled on mine, full and slow, soft noises of moving mouths in a steady, sweet rhythm. Just the two of us, cuddled tightly on the slim couch, his body emanating warmth from his blankets and sweater.
He was gripping my throat, hands wrapped lightly, thumbs on the peak in the middle, as he licked my lips; gently, slowly, he eased his tongue through them with a soft sigh of his own. I turned my head to the other side of his, parting, accepting, meeting his tongue with mine while he kissed me. His thumbs were pressing slowly as well. Not enough to truly affect my breathing, though there was a little rasp that carried through on my next sigh. But enough. To communicate intent. And want.
I slipped my hands up into his hair, pressing myself to him with a soft sound of need.
***
"You know what would really make me feel better?” he asked in a murmur, when we finally came up for a breath of air.
“Aha…” I gave him a knowing smile. “What might that be?”
"If I could watch you take your clothes off for me."
“Pff…" I rolled my eyes with a soft giggle. "I should have known."
He gave my lips a gentle little lick, with the very tip of his tongue. A little swipe. "Won't you make my wish come true...?"
My smile turned into a smirk as I slowly extricated myself from his embrace. "So it's a wish now...?"
"Mm..." He pointed up at the sky above us. "I wished upon a star, you see."
I laughed as I looked up to where he pointed. "You're honestly the biggest brat of all your brothers."
"Heh... And yet..." He ran his eyes up and down my body with a smirk. "There you are, standing in front of me, about to make my wish come true."
I popped open one shirt button, and then another, and then another. "I really shouldn't be rewarding this behaviour of yours..." And then another.
"I'm just too cute."
“You really are,” I agreed, as I slowly pull the shirt open to reveal my front. “No wonder I can never say no…”
His eyes shone with mischevious delight as his gaze zeroed in on my bra, while I pulled the shirt off from my arms. “You like cock too much to say no.”
“I like your cock,” I said softly, my hands going around my back to unclip the band behind me, for the straps of my bra to fall slack.
“I know you do,” he said hoarsely, as he finally rose to sit up from his nest to swing his legs over the edge of the couch. “You’ll take any abuse, as long as you get it.”
“I love you, Belphie,” I whispered sweetly, as my fingers moved to the button of my pants after my bra had fallen from my wrists.
He smiled. Maybe even blushed, though the room was dim. “Trying to suck up to me?”
“If I wanted to suck up to you…” I took a step closer as I hooked my fingers into the band of my panties and pants. “…My head would be between your legs right now.”
He huffed, smile widening as he watched my pants being pulled down over my hips, slowly revealing the soft skin between my legs. “I love you too, Chise. I’ll love you forever.”
I slowly turned around, bending over to take my clothes down the rest of the way while his breath hitched in his throat at the view.
“It’s not just because I take you from behind that I love that view,” he murmured huskily. “The shape of your hips and ass, the curve of your back, your shoulders… Every part of you.”
I was glad I was turned around to hide my own blush, and my smile. “Who’s sucking up to who now…?”
I slowly straightened, curving my back a bit for his benefit, before turning around to face him.
"I'm feeling lazy... I want you to ride me for a bit.” There was a soft growl coming from his throat as his eyes roved up and down over my naked body again. “So get me excited, Chise. So excited that I can't take it anymore and take you for myself. Come on, baby." He reached his arms out for me. "Sit on my lap.”
I smiled teasingly as I went towards his opened arms, flicking my eyes downwards to his lap with raised eyebrows. “I don’t know, Belphie… You’re already looking pretty excited to me.”
I pressed my knee down beside him, reached down between us, and ran my palm over the bulge in his pants for emphasis.
He chuckled, though he couldn’t stop the laugh from sounding strained with his desire. “Unzip me and find out for sure. You’ll do all the work for me, won’t you baby? Because you want it so bad.”
“Want you so bad,” I agreed with a murmur against his lips, kissing him, while my fingers found the fastenings of his pants. “Want your cock so bad.”
He slid his fingers into my hair with a sigh. “You’ll ride me with that pretty pussy of yours. Are you wet for me already?”
“Mhmm…” I rolled my hips up to straddle over top of him so that I could reach better into his boxers, working the impressive girth of him out slowly. He took in a deep, slow breath once I enclosed my fist around him. “Always wet for you…”
“You came up here knowing exactly what you’d be doing. What I’d be doing to you.”
“Yes,” I breathed with another kissing, as I pointed his cock upright, between my legs. “Even if I had to beg for it.”
“Heh…” He closed his eyes with a sigh as I lowered my hips down over him, grazing the head of his cock through my wet folds. “Damn… You really are a wet whore for me.”
“You feel so good…” I murmured as I left his mouth to trail kisses along his jail. “In every hole…”
“Mmff…” He bit his lip in anticipation with a small role of his hips, the tip of him prodding against the gentle resistance of my entrance.
“So big,” I hissed shakily under my breath, as I sunk, and sunk, against the resistance, until we both gasped in unison when I gave way to take him in. I moaned softly against his neck with a roll of my shoulders as I sunk down, and down, swallowing his thick cock inside of me.
“Fuck…” he whispered hoarsely. “Your pussy is so hot and wet to be inside.”
“Your cock makes me wanna cum so quick,” I whispered back shakily.
“You’re such a whore…”
I took a bit of his throat between my teeth with a sigh, my words coming out a bit muffled against his neck. “Fuck me, Belphie… Please, fuck my filthy cunt. Make me yours.”
He chuckled as he dropped his hands to my hips to steady me. Readying my balance for what he wanted to give. “Holy fuck, Chise.”
“Fill up your little subby…”
He dug his nails into my hips with a soft growl.
“But oh, oops, that’s right,” I murmured. “You’re feeling lazy, right…? You want me bouncing on your cock, doing all the work… Until you can’t take it anymore… And then you’ll fuck me. Right…? Please, Belphie…?”
"Fuck," he breathed, with a tip of his head. I took the opportunity to learn forward and suck on the peak of his throat with a moan in mine. "Fuuuuck... Did I say... you could do that...?"
I licked as I ground and twisted my hips on him.
"Oh fuck," he whispered, as he leaned back with a fluttering of his lashes. "Oh fuck you feel so good..."
It was my turn.
I smiled sweetly at him as the muscles in my thighs bunched again to lift me up from his lap while my palms slid up his chest. I hovered there with the tip of him still inside of me, but my palms, I moved them up and up, to press my own fingers to the sides of his neck.
He chuckled for a moment, and then groaned as I sunk down again. Sunk, while also sinking my thumbs into his throat, on either side of his Adam's apple. The end of his groan came out a little whistley as I pressed while lifting up again, rubbing, massaging, his neck breath drawn in with a bit of a forced gasp.
"Have me," he whispered hoarsely through the pressure. "Please, Chise."
"Well aren't you being so very sweet," I murmured as my lips came to his in a light kiss, with a light squeeze. "Where's all that dirty talk now, baby...?"
He groaned with a tilt of his head, baring his throat some, while my thighs flexed and released with every rise and fall of my sex on his cock. I pulled at his bottom lip with my teeth, dragged them along his jaw, planted little kisses against the tip of his tipped chin, as I slid my thumbs from the sides of his throat to press under his center peak of it. He hissed through his teeth, the sound from his mouth itself rather than pulled from his lungs and into his restricted throat, while his fingers sunk into the flesh of my hips.
I leaned forward to push us back further against the sofa cushions, and he groaned with a closing of his eyes, a roll of his hips up into me, and then another, and another. Tame, for us, the pace I set, but his breath was exhaling in a soft whistle, a soft wheeze, as he fought a bit harder for it. From the pressure of my thumbs, and the pleasure between his legs, as I sheathed him inside of me again and again.
"Poor demon," I murmured again, after pulling on his lip a second time with a firmer bite of my teeth. "Seduced by his little human whore. Taken by her. Letting her have you. Letting her..." I squeezed tighter, "...use you."
He groaned again, thrust up harder, making me hiss through my own teeth as I fought a moan.
"Your little subby wants your cock," I continued, as I dropped my voice into a husky whisper. "Can't get enough of your cock. Worships your cock. You feel good in all my holes."
"Whore," he wheezed, blinking slowly, eyes lidded.
"In my pussy, in my mouth, and especially in... my tight little ass. That you took first. Had her there first."
He thrust up again, and again, with a little growl. Face turning red from my choking, but eyes beginning to burn, pupils dilating. He was pushing a faster pace. His horns were unfurling from his head, curling, spiralling, large and dangerous. I felt him lip up his hips a bit, arching his back forward to release his tail; felt the fur of him drift down my spine in a caress.
"Now I can't get enough." I pressed my thighs tighter to him so that I could ride harder. His hands slid from my hips to the underside of my thighs to help lift me, to control, to pull me off of him as he drew back, to allow me to sink down when he thrust up.
"Now I can't get enough of that cock up my ass..."
"That's what you want?" he rumbled deep in his chest. His voice, always on the lighter side, so husky, so gravelly now. "That's what you came here for?"
"For you to lose control.” I nuzzled at him sweetly. “Seduce you, for you to lose it, for you to pin me, fuck me..."
I suddenly squeezed harder, cutting off his reply into a high, strangled wheeze. I smirked as I slapped my hips down. But betrayed myself, as the shock of it wiped the smile from my face as he met me with a deep plunge into me, searing straight to my belly. I cried out with a release of my thumbs in shock.
And then he was taking me, fucking up into me, rocking my body while he dug his nails into the soft flesh of my thighs to hold me there. No way to keep up. He held me there for him to plunge into while he growled, while my hands fell from his reddened neck for me to balance.
The flew up to grip at his horns, handles, while my cries grew shrill, his thrusts turning into slams, plunging and wet and desperate in my heat.
"Fuck these bouncing tits," he growled, as he dipped his head to take one up into his mouth. I open-mouthed cried out noisily now as I arched my back into a backwards lean for him to suck and nip, pulling his horns forward with me. He growled again as he took a nipple between his teeth to give a sharp tug, making me yelp in a short shriek of pain.
"Fucking wet, this pussy," he said hoarsely as he let my breast drop. "So wet on my cock. Need your ass wet like this.”
I felt his tail wrap around my middle with a squeeze, fluff grazing my tits in a slow swipe.
"Plee-ee-eease..." I begged pathetically with a moan. "I'm gonnaaaa..."
The heat was building quickly, unfurling quickly; a searing, blooming, pooling of fire in my belly that was spreading into my hips and spine. I began to shudder, to gasp sharply, my cries strained and high-pitched, lashes fluttering.
"Gonna cum on my cock...?"
"Please," was all I could get out, my throat feeling tight as my muscles began to bunch tight.
"Since you've been such a good whore..."
He slammed, slammed, throwing himself back against the cushion to control me, spreading his legs for a deeper plunge, to quicken, while my back rolled in and out of an arch. I choked on a cry once, twice, my body jounced with his force, and then the third cry strangled completely. My back arch sharped, my head thrown back, my hands flying down from his horns to slap down on his belly, near the fire, feeling his muscles there flexing, while I was pulled under, carried.
I went rigid and tense, the only muscles working now contracting around his cock as I choked uselessly, as I was plunged into. I could feel how much wetter I became throughout, how slick, how easily I took him despite his girth, despite my tight contractions. He was moaning too, tilting his head back too, lost in the pleasure of being inside of my heat, at the sight of me tipped over the edge by him.
And then I pulled in a sharp gasp of air. Moaned low and gravelly. Relaxing into a weakness. My body bouncing with even more of an unbalanced sway as I ebbed down. I still pulsed on him in the aftermath, still thrumming.
He threw his arms around me with a gasp, abruptly stopping himself from his own release as he pulled out of me all of a sudden with a tight, strained groan. I absently whimpered my disappointment. I'd wanted to be filled.
He chuckled breathlessly, panting. "Not... yet. You've still got more work to do for me before you get your reward, baby slut."
"I could get you hard again..."
"And I wanna edge," he growled. "So you'll be a good sub and let me edge."
"Fuck..." I sighed, as I relaxed into his hold on me. "You feel so good..."
"In all holes huh?" He kissed my forehead with shaky lips. "I like the sound of that."
"I'm yours to use," I murmured weakly. "Just want your cock... Your cum…"
“You’ll be sucking my cock now, baby slut. I want to hear you choke on it." He bit his lip as he slid his hand into my hair, before making a tight fist into my roots, making me whimper. "I want to see you serve my dick with that slut mouth of yours. Clean up your pussy juice like a good girl."
He pushed my head down. Not fast. But with a slow, tight force behind his grip in my hair that I wouldn’t be able to push back up against. So I whimpered again while I was pushed, my shoulders curving over with the relentlessness of it, until I was sliding backwards from his lap to kneel on the floor in front of his lap, his glistening cock standing at strained attention in front of my face. Held there by his fingers in my scalp. Trembling, I opened my mouth daintily, hovering over him as I took in a deep breath to ready myself.
"You'll suck me just for a bit," he growled again. "Don't want this to end too soon. And seeing you swallowing down my cock, hearing you gag and choke? Mmfff. Hard not to blow my load down your throat right here and now. Besides, it's your ass that's my little tight prize. Isn't that right, my little tight cock sleeve?”
He rolled his hips up to meet my hesitation, cock bumping up against my mouth, seeking, and inevitable.
I moaned over him as my lips were pushed open by his swollen head, covered thickly in my own white cum, his cock and my fluids still hot from inside of me. I dragged my tongue the underside of him to his tip where pre-cum pooled, to taste the tang and salt of us both. My cream covered my tongue in a thick film as I sucked him lightly, making him groan with a twitch of himself in my mouth.
"How do you taste, Chise baby?" He breathed hoarsely, with another roll of his hips that had me gurgling to take him. “Mmm, you taste unlike anything I've ever put on my tongue. All of you. Every single part of you.”
He was heavy in my palm as I wrapped that around him too. Thick as I sunk my lips down, my jaw stretched wide, but teeth still lightly grazing. I breathed out through my nose shakily as I swallowed him down, the skin of him taut with the strain of his full erection. And then I was pausing just before he reached the back of my tongue, to rise again with a sharper inhale of breath through my nose with the effort, with the denial of breath through my mouth, that was full to the brim with cock.
"Good," he murmured. "Good. Down again, whore. Suck me down."
I went down obediently with a soft huff, a soft squeeze of my hand around his shaft, eliciting another groan from him. I moved my hand up to meet my mouth, sucked, moved down to part the two.
"Hand kept down," he ordered. "Don't think I don't know what you're doing. You can jerk in place, but you'll be getting choked."
I whined in self-conscious anxiety as I did what I was told, the muscles in my shoulders bunching a bit in nervousness while I kept my hand down at his base to fist in place, pulling the skin of him up and down in short strokes while he lolled his head with another groan. And then a roll of his hips to meet my mouth that was gliding down again, eliciting another whine from me. And then again, and then a sharper roll that made me gasp and draw away.
"Don't think so," he growled again, as his fist tightened in my hair. His tail was wrapping slowly around my neck now. Not squeezing, just wrapped, and held. "And for that..."
Before I could even slide down on him again, to even take my next breath he thrust straight up to take me anyway, right to the back of my throat to jam there, while his hand held me in place.
I immediately choked and gasped and spat spittle around him as I fought with a muffled cry while he held me. I gagged, and then gagged again with a contraction of my stomach.
He relented with a chuckle at that, sliding his cock back out of me entirely while I groaned weakly.
"Good subby. Back on now, let's go."
"Please," I whispered with a wheeze. "Breath."
"Back on. Let's go."
I whimpered as I went back to him, looking at his pointed cock with trepidation, before opening my mouth again to sink my lips down.
He thrusted. Not as hard, not as deep, but with a deep, pleased hum, and a strangled noise from me. He held my head there again, thrusted again as I was kept in place, and then thrusted, pulling back slow, only to snap back into me quickly. All I could do was keep my mouth open, jaw as wide as I could get it, curling my tongue back to try to protect myself, while he began to fuck my face in earnest.
He grunted, and I choked wetly now and then when I was used a little too deep. Gurgled, coughed, streamed of saliva dripping from my mouth that he pulled out from me with every pulling back. Choked again, and I looked up at him pleadingly, tears tracking down my face while he fucked my throat. He was huffing, eyes glazed with desire, looking back at me with satisfaction.
"You're so cute," he huffed, eyes glazed over as he watched me struggle and cry on him. "My baby subby. With my cock in her mouth. Umph..." He ground his hips up again. "You look so good sucking dick, baby. Natural slut. You look so innocent and sweet. Then I put a dick in your mouth, and it turns out you were just a whore this whole time. A high quality whore though, don't get me wrong…"
Another groan, thrusting. Harder, I gagged again, trying to pull back, barely breathing. Gagged. Made a noise of defeated protest, a choked sob, and a sniffle.
"Ahhh..." He tilted his head back with a strained moan as he ground himself up. I felt his cock pulse hard in my mouth. "Fuck... That's enough... Before I make you choke on cum instead. Get your mouth off my cock, whore... You know where I want to really finish.”"
I let out a weak moan as I allowed him to drop from my mouth, stomach churning, throat tight, jaw aching. But before I could pull back, I was squealing as he thrust his fist into my hair to grip my roots again.
"Spit on it," he growled, as he slapped his cock on my cheek. "Spit on it, slut. Spit real good, because it'll be fucking your ass next. If you don't want it to hurt you better give me all you got. You've got until I can't take it anymore and flip you over to do it. Better get started."
I whined as I immediately began to do as I was told, sucking on the inside of my cheeks to try and pull as much saliva as I could. I spat hurriedly, spraying. Spat again. He chuckled as I panted to suck the inside of my mouth again to get more, humming in satisfaction as a glob of my saliva began to drool from his shaft. I huffed as I took it in my hand to masturbate the slick over him, so none of it would waste, the sound lewd and slick and sticky and wet while I fisted over the top half of him. He let me, with a smirk
I tilted his cock up, and spit directly on the slit of him.
"Gooood girl," he murmured. "Hands and knees in front of me. Get ready."
I looked up and down between him and his cock with worry.
He chuckled. "I'll spit on your right little asshole too. I like it when it sounds deep and wet and squelchy anyway."
"Belphie..." I whispered with a blush.
"That's how a whore's ass should sound, right? She should always be wet and ready to take cock. She should always sound filthy and obscene. Roll over, cutie. Time to get fucked up."
I met his eyes with mine. "I like the sound too..."
His smirk widened as he nodded. "Because you're a dirty anal whore who worships cock stuck up her asshole."
I took in a shuddering breath as I crawled up onto the couch again, up onto my hands and knees with him sitting behind me, swallowing with a shiver. Couldn't see him coming–
I yelped as he spanked me hard, the sound a sharp crack in the room.
"Heh... Couldn't resist." He laid his palms on both of my cheeks, before spreading me wide, making me yelp again at the sharp pull of skin.
"Mm... Gaped..."
He spat directly, pushed his palms forward to tilt my ass up into the air.
"I'm watching my spit drool into you from doing that," he said matter-of-fact. "Gravity doing its work, your ass sucking my spit in. Gross." He spat again, and then again, and then I moaned when he let go of one of my cheeks to swirl a finger against me, before pushing it in.
"I'm going to have to just take you. My cock is drying up from your spit and I don't have much left of my own." He grunted as he came down on one knee beside my thigh, and I felt him slapping his cock on the meat of my ass. "To me, this is the main course... How about you, Chise? You want it too?"
"Yes..."
"Hm? Sorry? Did you say something?"
"Yes..." I repeated, a little louder. "I want you up my ass. I like... my ass stuffed... full... I-I like being your, um, anal princess..."
"Aha..." I heard the smirk in his chuckle again. "I have called you that. Are you my little princess? A cock-taking ass princess? Do you take it up the ass to keep your pussy pure for some prince or something? Because you're a sex-crazed princess whore and that's the only way you'll get cock inside you? Or maybe you just..."
He lined up with me, pushing while I flinched with a gasp.
"...Like anal sex?"
"Yeeees..." I moaned as I began to tilt my head back from the pressure of his insistent pushing, my spine curving down. "Like it up... my… ASS…!”
I cried out the last word, as he thrust in abruptly, halfway down his length.
"Heh. Sorry. You just suddenly gave way. I popped right in."
I choked on a moan as my head sunk down, my ass and hips still in the air for him.
"Love that," he muttered. "Curve of your back. Your ass, and your ass, only offered to me in the air, waiting for..."
He thrust the rest of himself all the way in with another grunt, making me bite down into the blanket under me before I let out a scream as the fiery pressure ripped right to my tailbone.
"...For my cock," he finished in a whisper. "Right...? Waiting for my cock to make you full..."
I moaned brokenly with a nod of my head, before letting out another sob when he pulled back.
Another slam, another grunt, another scream from me as he speared inside.
"You an anal slut?"
"Yes...!"
"You like it up your ass?"
“Yes–"
I screamed as he did it again.
"I fucking love your ass, baby. Loved that I took your ass virginity and made you obsessed with it. Guess I fuck you right, huh? Do I fuck you just right? Can't get enough of my cock stuffed inside of you? Is that all it took? For me to take your ass virginity, and now you can't stop begging for anal? Is that what you crawl into my bed for?"
I whined out another sob, my fingers curling into the blanket.
"This view..." He slid his palm all over one cheek. "My cock buried in you, swallowed right in, disappeared inside your tight hole completely. No gaps around me. Stretching you out. From cheek to cheek... Heh. I'm really just in there, huh?"
He cracked his palm on my cheek again. And then slammed. And slammed. Slammed, grunting, while I scream-cried out with each joining.
He paused, and spat again. "Not enough squelch."
Slammed, and slammed. I keened with a sob now. So full, the pressure, flexing on him with every shift of my hips. My tailbone burning. Another glob of spit as he pulled back to plunge his head in and out of me, rapidly, again and again, to stuff the spit in. Another. More head.
"Should be good..."
He slammed right to the hilt, the force of it nearly sending me toppling forward with another scream.
"Did you hear that?" he growled. "Here..."
He leaned forward, roughly reaching around to slap his hand over my mouth, pressing hard.
"You're being too noisy to hear it. Listen."
He slammed again. My cry was muffled by his hand. His cock squelched wet in me, just as he'd said. Again, and again, and again, shallower thrusts now, pulling out halfway to drive to the hilt again, squelching, squelching. He spat again with a growl while I dry-sobbed into his hand with a squeezing of my eyes.
"Bite the pillow," he ordered hoarsely. "Bite it, bite it whore. Muffle yourself. I'm gonna fuck you hard and you're going to listen to us."
I moaned meekly as I reached to drag the nearest pillow over to me, before stuffing the fabric into my mouth, biting down hard while letting out a hard breath through my nose in anticipation.
"I'll tell you what you're going to hear, subby slut," he continued on. "You're going to hear my cock squelching in your shamelessly soaking wet whore ass. Dripping wet and begging for my cock. You're going to hear my balls slapping on your pussy. You're going to hear my pelvis slamming into your ass cheeks as I stuff myself in you like the cock-hole you are. You're going to hear my spanks on your ass cheeks, too. Can't forget that."
I groaned.
"Yeah, you'll hear that too," he chuckled. "Hear yourself screaming into that pillow. But you'll muffle yourself enough to hear the rest... Right?"
And then he slammed in. Slammed. Another. Another. I cried out into the pillow. Another. Squeezing my eyes again. Another. Faster. Another. Fast. Balling my fists into the pillow too. Another. Spanked. I screamed again, gnashing my teeth on the pillowcase. Another another another another. He was fucking me savagely now, growling, hips snapping hard.
Spanked spanked spanked, all in one spot, sharp and burning like a rash. He was thrusting so hard and fast he was gasping with each one in exertion, nails digging tight into the meat of my ass, into my hips, dragging hard down my skin, another spank.
"Whhhhore..." he growled ferally.
Deep in my ass, buried, sharp noises of skin on skin, balls slapping against my clit, stinging it raw in their relentless swing. Oh, the squelching, wet, he kept spitting, SO much wet now, he drove into me easily. No longer any pain. Just the roughness, the cruelty, the sting of my spanked skin and the burn of my pussy and–
I squealed sharply as his hand came down underneath, to press rough and hard and furiously fast on my clit, his balls swinging into his own wrist now.
"I'll be nice," he panted, "and make you cum again. Don't think it'll feel good, though... Can I make you cum from being rough with my fingers? Let's see..."
He tweaked at me, hard, and I screamed into my pillow again.
"Mmfff..." He pressed his fingers, and jammed them up and down hard, pressing my clit all the way up against me to furiously rub again while I cried out in objection and pain. "Not an expert... But think it'll still work... S'long as I… Mmfff…”
He was still ravaging my asshole as he kept up the fierce pressure on my clit. My hips began to roll, my eyes did too, my knees even, side to side, while I groaned.
"Might..." he panted, "even... make you... cum with me… if I time it..." He pushed his knees further more, bending me down tight, his strokes inside of me firm and fast and foregoing on length for speed and roughness instead, pulling out halfway with each pull back of his hips so he could just keep sleeving himself, masturbating himself with my tunnel, while I began to roll and moan.
"Mmffffff...!" He finally let out a groaning cry of his own. "C'mon, slut...! Give me one! Does that feel good?!"
I moaned. Just felt. Over. Stimulated. Burned like sandpaper on my nerves. But still stimulated. Couldn't help it. Didn't like it. Liked that I didn’t like it. My body screamed for more. I began to stutter in my movements, my thighs locking hard.
"Ah fuck, YES!" he cried out again. "You cumming is gonna squeeze your asshole on my cock so hard! So wet, so fucking tight! Come on, sub slut! You think I'm doing this for you, huh?! You think I'm flicking that clit of yours to make YOU feel good?! I'm fucking myself over here! Cum on me to make my cock feel extra good before I fill you up like the cum dumpster whore that you are!"
I blew out hard from around the pillow as my breath was force out of me, drool and spittle flying, air snatched as I went rigid. And I felt it. I clenched hard on his cock stuffed again and again in my ass. Clenched harrrrd. Gripped him. Sucked him in.
"Ah FUCK!” he threw his head back with another cry. "TIIIIGHT! Holy fucking TIGHT!" He slammed hard, fast, wild, furious, cruel, spanked shakily before digging his nails into me painfully to hold on for himself, ravaging, wild.
"Just take it! Take it take it TAKE IT! How deep am I in you?!"
And I was trembling and twitching, muscles contracting. Even if one of us wanted to stop. We couldn't. He was demonically feral, in his throes. I was paralyzed, gripped by a harsh orgasm that ripped from my abused clit through my body like a thunderbolt. I stuttered to a complete halt while he fucked himself to his finish line.
"Cumming!" he cried out. His voice was a little higher. Breaking. "Gonna! In your! HOLE! Fucking TIGHT AS FUCK ASS...!"
I groaned as my contractions began to
"Your ass is my... PERSONAL... cock... slee…erve… nggkk…! Oh fuck oh HELLS! CHISE!"
He slammed with a gasp, both hands flying to land hard on my lower back, sctatching. And flooded. Poured. Erupted inside of me. I still contracted, while he did, cum spurting deep inside the intensities of my ass, hot and searing. I groaned low and in ceding defeat as he flooded me, degraded me, dirtied me, used me up, his obedient slut, taking his cum.
"Helllllsss..." he gasped, as he rolled his hips desperately against me. "Ohhh fuuuckk... My... perfect... anal... whorrre..."
I made a sound of soft agreement.
"So good..." he whispered hoarsely, as he came to his end, with a final roll of his hips, sliding his hands over my ass shakily. "Fuck you feel... amazing.... Chise... Fuck I love you so fucking much... Fucking addicted to you..."
"Y... Yours..." I whispered, the words coming out crackling, my throat dry.
"Mine..." he sighed with a groan, as he bent forward to rest his forehead on my spine. "Can't believe... you're mine... like this... Mmnnk... Claimed... Your slutty hole is gonna... leak from me... From what I did to your cock-taking hole... When I pull..."
"Yours..." I whispered again. "Leak your cum. White, drip... Make me drip, Belphie... Wanna... drip from my ass..."
He groaned again. "Keep it up and you'll get me hard... Dunno if you'll survive another ass fucking..."
I moaned softly. So soft.
He growled with a hard squeeze of my ass with both hands. "Or maybe not... Toys can be used... Again and again... Meant to be split and abused by horny cock..."
"Mmm your cum hole..."
"Fuckkkk..." He swallowed hard, before straightening with a sigh. "Mmkay... Let's see you. Ooze. Filthy slut..."
"Used up," I sighed. "Cummed in."
"Mff you know. We have the same dirty kinks after all, right?" He steadied himself, and then groaned as he began to pull out. I moaned lightly as well as I flinched at the sensation of movement in my guts again. The slide was easy and well. He fell out with a slump of his flaccid cock, and then groan at the drool of his seed that followed close behind.
"Fuuuck... It's stringy... Drooling like... saliva... Thick globs..."
I moaned, flexed, gave a push.
"Fuck..." he breathed. "Give me more of that, baby..."
I did it again, and again. I felt him trail a finger through the semi-opaque dribble, sliding slick while he sighed with satisfaction.
"Your hole clenching and then opening and my cum just pouring..." He sighed again. "Really mine. My territory. Fucked like a doll until I came in you. Like a used-up cum rag."
"Yes," I whispered.
He leaned down to kiss me above my entrance. I made a small sound of embarrassment, which made him chuckle weakly.
"You're not too bad," he whispered. "No blood. Need healing? There's a few scratches from my nails."
I shook my head. “S'okay. For now. Tell you late if I need it."
"Heh... You're crazy."
"If I'm crazy, you're insane."
He huffed a laugh as he rested his hand on one hip, to gently pull me to my side while I groaned, landing in a huff of my own.
He came up behind me, wrapping and arm to snuggle me close, kissing behind my ear and on my neck. "Love you so much. Masochist."
"My sadist," I sighed. "I love the way you fuck me..."
"Mm..." He chuckled again as he brushed a kiss on the peak of my shoulder. "Promise...?"
"So special," I answered. "So, so special. You make me feel safe... Like I'm on top of the world."
"You are," he whispered, with another kiss on my shoulder. "You're Chise. My baby Chise. Seeing your cute face makes me so happy."
I half rolled to face him, reaching a hand up to brush his cheek. "I can't believe our connection... It's so powerful, Belphie."
He smiled, bumping his forehead to mine. "I'm glad you feel it too."
"It's incredible..." I continued stroking his cheek. "I'll love you always. You're in my heart always."
He sighed happily. Very happily. A rare sound. Rare expression. To get him alone, was Belphie. Naked against him, was Belphie. To be loved and doted on by him, was my Belphie. My side of Belphie. I smiled at him. And he matched my freak. That counted, too.
He smiled back, before nuzzling to turn my face, to nuzzle behind my ear. "Is aftercare done? Can we nap now? I'm tired. That wiped me out."
I devolved into shaking, quiet laughter. "Hells, Belphie. You're my little brat."
He growled by my ear. "Did I feel 'little’ to you just now, slut?"
"Mmm... Good point. You've got an excellent cock, Belphie."
"Hehe..." He kissed behind my ear again, before pulling me flush to his chest for spooning. "Yeah, I know."
I let out a sigh of deep exhaustion, the intensity of it all finally catching up to me. "Brat..."
"Yeah, that part's true." Another nuzzle. "Sleep well, baby slut. Thanks for the fuck."
"Give me nice dreams, Belphie…"
“Mm.” Another kiss. “I promise I will. I love you, Chise."
“I love you so much.”
Chapter 17: Intermission: The Lonely Angel
Notes:
I’ve decided to split this intermission in half so that the Lucifer smut is in its own, skippable chapter. If you’re not into consensual non-consent, you can skip ‘Intermission: You Survive Me’ and move on to the next chapter when it’s posted.
This chapter, however, is entirely safe.
Chapter Text
“Lucifer,” I whispered desperately under my breath as I walked along with him. Or, rather, was pulled. “I don’t… want to… Lucifer, please.”
I grabbed his hand as I came to a stubborn halt.
He raised his eyebrows at me in amusement as he turned, after having been frustratingly ignoring my little yips at his elbow. “Do you actually have something meaningful to say, Chise? A proper argument that would persuade me to allow for you to bow out of this responsibility? Or is it simply that you ‘do not want to’.”
I shook my head at him, dumbfounded. "Why is he here, Lucifer?”
“For the exchange program, of course.”
“That’s bullshit!” I protested. “And you know it! So far, when it comes to the Celestial Realm, there has always been a reason. And he’s… so…”
“Loyal to his home?” he finished for me in a dry voice. “Not unlike Luke, no?”
“He’s a seraphim!” I hissed. “He’s not some young, unranked angel. Or…”
“Or a doubtful one?”
“So you get it, right?” My eyebrows drew together with worry as I gave him a pleading look. “This is about Simeon. You know it. I know it. I’ve been watching Sim. HE knows it. Aren’t you going to… protect him? He’s being watched by the Celestial Realm. They’re waiting for him to… I don’t know! And Raphael is…!”
He sighed as he turned to me fully, dark crimson eyes holding mine. “I have been watching over Simeon more than you appear to realize.”
I shook my head again, my next words coming out through gritted teeth. “Raphael… is… a spy.”
“Raphael is the least of such worries, I can assure you.”
“What…?”
He finally gave me a patient smile. “If you feel that way, shall we not attempt to change his mind a bit while he is here? Much like we have with our resident angel Chihuahua.”
I scowled.
“Much as you’ve changed my own? And a great many others, in fact.”
And now, I pursed my lips together, silent. Still seething. Disagreeing, but thinking of my words carefully, because this asshole was able to rebuff me and arguments so effortlessly that I just wanted to grab him by the scruff of his neck that I couldn’t reach and shake sense into him.
“I will avoid the topic of Simeon,” he assured me. “Surely you remember how lost you were when you first arrived here? Could you not find a bit of empathy for his situation, at least?”
“I hardly want him to feel comfortable.”
“Curious. That's very unlike you, Chise."
"It's very like me to protect Simeon..." I countered sulkily.
"Regardless, he is here. And…” The corner of his mouth twitched, though I couldn't say that it twitched into a smile specifically. “He was my brother, once.”
“Yeah, and that’s another thing!” I scowled at him again. “He betrayed you.”
“I betrayed him,” he reminded me.
“Even IF I agreed with that, you ‘betrayed' for a rather good reason! Lilith was HIS sister, too!”
He turned back to the path ahead of us, hand still in mine. “I think you will find the situation to be a more complex one than you realize.”
“I don’t get it,” I muttered as he pulled me along again. “I don’t get why you’re all so… friendly towards him. Like you’re all just old friends… Simeon helped you. Luke, he’s young, and wasn’t involved. I get why we’re friends with them. I don’t get–"
“You don’t get our Father,” he finally growled back in irritation. “You don’t get that society, Chise. We are all the product of our upbringing, until some of us are not.”
“Sounds to me like that upbringing is enforced by the seraphim… and he’s–"
"Seraphim?" His voice was terse. “Seraphim… Such as Simeon and myself?”
I didn’t know if he was mad at me now for being a surly, argumentative brat, or… from his memories of his past. I pressed my lips into a flat line again anyway, petulantly silent now, just in case.
I think I had come to understand their ‘Father’ quite well, personally.
But… on that point…
I let out a long breath through my nose.
I'd just get this over with, then.
“…Whatever magical tools and remedies you need can generally be found at Hocus Pocus,” Lucifer explained with a gesture as the three of us stepped inside the large, popular shop together. “They also do repairs. It is a cornerstone here, with many supplies that the students of RAD find useful, so you should come to know of it. They offer a student discount rate, as long as you show your student ID card at checkout.”
Raphael, however, planted his feet in the middle of the store, eyes sweeping it doubtfully. “…There are an awful lot of dodgy-looking vials on the shelves.” He pointed. “This one even has a skull on it.”
Lucifer chuckled in amusement. “Well, this is the Devildom after all.”
“Still…” Raphael turned his head to give Lucifer a small smile, completely taking me aback. “Thank you for showing me around. There’s a lot that I wanted to see, so it helps to have you show me.”
Lucifer nodded. “The owner of this shop is very knowledgable of her merchandise, and does not stock anything that she herself is not confident in describing. Consult with her if you have any safety concerns. If you need any advice on what you may find useful to your specific classes, please feel free to ask myself or Barbatos. He is always pleased to help.”
Raphael nodded. “I shall. This Barbatos has… shown me a great deal of hospitality.”
“Yes, that’s very much in keeping with his respectable character. I imagine that the two of you will get along just fine. Isn’t that so, Chise?”
I swallowed as I cast my eyes downward. “He can seem… aloof and unapproachable at first – he holds high standards for himself, and takes his job at Diavolo’s side very seriously – but he is also… very, very kind.”
“Yes,” Lucifer murmured in approval. “A perfect summary.”
“Kind.” Raphael looked around the shop again, not meeting the eyes of either one of us. “I… see.”
“Anyway, let’s move on to the next. Come along now, Chise dear.”
I followed them out quietly.
–
“This is Majolish, the region’s most popular apparel shop.”
“Ah, so this is the place.” This time, Raphael seemed a bit more curious as he walked the line of a rack, rubbing fabric between his fingers along the way. “Asmo insisted that I visit this store.” He nodded in approval. “The goods here do seem to be well made… The stitching is fine, and the lining is high quality.”
The corners of Lucifer’s lips twitched into a small smile. “I see that your eye for detail hasn’t changed. I suppose it’s no wonder you’ve taken up tailoring as a pastime?”
“Tailoring…?” I cut in quietly in surprise. “Tailoring is your hobby?”
Raphael sighed. “In their attempts to flee from Lucifer’s punishments, Mammon and the others would often trip and ruin their clothing. I spent so much time patching those rips that I eventually started enjoying it.”
“It is not as though your spears left their clothing unaffected as well,” Lucifer said with a small smirk.
“Hmph.” Raphael glanced at the ceiling. “I do not recall.”
“Wha…” I blinked. “You… did that for them.”
“It’s not as if they would take charge of it for themselves,” he said with slight exasperation for the irresponsible bunch. “It would have been a waste not to mend otherwise perfectly good clothing.”
“Do you still make your own clothing?” Lucifer asked.
“Yes. Mostly for the children now, or for myself.”
I looked him up and down from out of the corner of my eye.
“Luke’s as well?”
“Yes.”
“A fine job.”
He dipped his head in acknowledgment. “Thank you.”
“And Simeon’s cape holds up well after all this time.”
“An earlier piece… when I was learning still.” Raphael looked a little embarrassed. “But thank you again.”
Lucifer quirked another smile. “Levi has taken up sewing too. He makes all manner of clothing.”
Raphael blinked in surprise. “Really? That’s new.”
“He brought Asmo’s designs to life for a fashion show, and he even designed and created the costumes for a play we put on a while back.”
Raphael made a sound of amusement in his throat. “A play? Were you in it, Lucifer?”
Lucifer chuckled deeply. “I was indeed. One of the leading roles, in fact.”
“That would have been something to see…” Raphael dropped a sleeve of a garment, straightening to turn back towards us. “Perhaps I will compare sewing techniques with Levi.”
I’d noticed, too, that Raphael used the brothers’ shortened nicknames. Solomon, Barbatos, Diavolo, Luke… Not even Simeon did that. It was only really kept in the family…
“I think he would quite like that. Isn’t that right, Chise?”
I started a bit in surprise, almost missing the context of the conversation while lost in my own thoughts. “…Um, yes. I think so.” I knew so.
Lucifer nodded. “He does get quite excited when he finds common ground with another, doesn’t he?”
“…Yes, very much.”
"He always possessed a creative imagination.” Raphael smiled softly to himself as he turned towards another rack. “That’s good to hear. The boy needed a hobby. Sewing is a good one.”
I think this was the most words I’d ever heard him say. I pretended to busy myself in the accessories section at the side in my discomfort.
Lucifer chuckled again. “I think you will find that he has a great many now. Be careful what you ask him, and be prepared for an extensive one-sided conversation when you do.”
“Ah… One of those.”
“One of the worst, in fact.”
But he said it fondly.
“Ah, Chise.” He turned his head to me. “That neck scarf you’re holding suits you. I’d like to buy it for you.”
“Oh…” My cheeks went red as Raphael’s looked between the two of us out of the corner of his eye. “No, that’s okay… I wasn’t planning on–”
“Nonsense.” Lucifer took it from me gently. “You’re in need of another anyway. I believe Beel recently spilled sauce on your other favourite when you’d taken it off in the kitchen? I heard you scolding him from all the way down the hall at the time.”
Raphael let out a short laugh under his breath.
“Aha. Yeah…” My cheeks turned an even brighter shade of red in embarrassment. “Right… Thank you, Lucifer. I appreciate it.”
“It’s my pleasure, my dear.”
–
“…Hm. There certainly are all manner of stores in this area.”
Lucifer nodded, striding forth with the angel while I had to nearly jog to keep up, hanging onto his arm to try and at least keep him from fully leaving me behind. “Café Lament, which we passed, and Hell’s Kitchen over there are particularly popular with RAD students. We ought to invite Simeon to join us another day.”
I fucking scowled up at him. So much for ‘avoiding the topic of Simeon'.
He either didn’t notice, or he ignored me. “But for now, we’ll show you around the market as well.” He finally glanced at me. “Are there any shops that you feel that I missed, Chise? A favourite or two of yours?”
I hesitated, swallowing down my recommendation of the human-inspired café that Simeon had found for Solomon and I. “…Um. Satan and Belphie found a little hole in the wall bookshop café recently. Maybe Belphie would… show you. And there’s the library.”
“Ah yes, the Devildom Public Library. Thank you, Chise. That’s a very good suggestion.”
I flushed a bit. His compliments were so damn rare that I associated them with flirting at this point. He smirked at my expression.
Raphael nodded. “I would be interested in spending time in either place, yes.”
“In that case, you may want to ask Satan for a tour of local bookshops sometimes,” Lucifer added. “He knows of the best of them, being someone who prefers a quiet place to focus. Not unlike yourself in that regard.”
“I’ll… keep that in mind.” He glanced at Lucifer. “He likes books, then?”
“He is quite the academic, and keeps an extensive collection of tomes in his room,” Lucifer explained, “as well as contributing to the House of Lamentation’s very own. He spends a great deal of time in RAD’s library himself; not just for reading, but working there as a volunteer as well. In a way, he has rolled it into his student council duties to look after the place, keeping it organized and relevant.”
“Interesting.” And Raphael did, indeed, sound a bit more interested in my non-angel demon. I hid my insecurity over that, endeavouring to look straight down the road ahead of us with a blank expression instead.
“You are welcome to peruse the House of Lamentation’s collection any time as well, of course.”
“Thank you, Lucifer.”
Blank expression, Chise. Keep it blank.
–
“…What is this?” Raphael pointed at a pre-packaged portion of meat, neatly wrapped. But with serious doubt and concern on his face.
Lucifer glanced at it. “Oh, the toxic chameleon? While I doubt you see them all that often in the Celestial Realm, here it is a rather common delicacy.”
I rolled my eyes where the couldn’t see me. ‘All that often in the Celestial Realm’.
“Delicacy, you say?” Raphael decided to leave that where it was, stepping towards a shelf of non-perishables instead. “And what’s this ‘Death’s Door’ sauce?”
Lucifer chuckled. “That’s the spiciest hot sauce the Devildom has to offer. You ought to be able to stomach it, though.”
“Lucifer.” I grimaced. “Raphael, you…. probably don’t want to try that.”
He wrinkled his nose a bit as he picked the bottle up, considering it. “It’s so murky… Is this really a condiment?”
I sighed. “Beel smothers his food in the stuff, but I’m pretty sure the guy burned off his tastebuds a long time ago.”
Lucifer laughed softly. “I’m inclined to concur.”
“And these crystals…” He pointed at another jar. “They have… roses inside them? Surely they aren’t edible.”
“Ah.” Lucifer smiled with interest as he picked up the jar for himself. “Blue rose crystal pickles. They’re absolutely delicious mixed into a slightly bitter black tea.”
Raphael eyed it with a touch of haughty disdain. “I can’t say that any of this strikes me as… edible.”
Lucifer was looking more and more amused by the second. “None of it does, at first. That reminds me, have you tried Demonus yet?”
I groaned softly to myself.
Which made Raphael dart a glance at me with a raised eyebrow. “What is that?”
“It’s an alcoholic beverage.” Lucifer nodded as he added the pickles to his basket. “We’ve seen quite a bit now, so let’s checkout and leave the tour at that. And, since we were discussing it, you should stop by for a drink tonight. I’ll introduce you to all the best snacks to pair with Demonus.”
“That sounds nice, but…” Raphael scrunched his nose again. “No strange foods, please.”
“Chise.” Lucifer caught my eye with a smile. “You will join us for a drink or two, won’t you? I’m sure Raphael could use non-demon input on food and drink served here.”
Raphael looked away again. He seemed to have trouble with eye contact sometimes. “In that case, I would not be opposed to having another opinion; it’d be preferable than being left solely at your mercy, Lucifer.”
“Ahah…” Lucifer smirked knowingly. “That is wise of you.”
Wise indeed.
“Pff. As if I don’t know you well enough to be wary of your 'sense of humour'.”
“I, um…” I cleared my throat as I looked away. “Maybe. If I finish my homework in time.”
He took great pains to make sure that I had finished my homework in time, much to my dismay. I really wasn’t sure if Raphael was just being polite or not. He was obviously still firmly awkward in my presence, and keeping his distance to take the measure of me.
Though I was also getting the impression that he was awkward in general, so…
But I very much felt like I was being watched, and judged.
…By a literal, physical representative of God.
As a woman living in lustful sin with demons and a ranked angel. I’m sure I was very firmly seen as, hmm, well… Let’s take out pick: ‘seductress,’ ‘succubus,’ ‘adulterous,’ ‘promiscuous,’ and just a woman who generally leads men ‘astray,’ shall we say. She does, after all, sleep around with demons.
Oh, Simeon…
So, yeah, who wouldn’t feel squirmy over the prospect of sitting down for drinks with him?
“What are these grotesque blobs?” Raphael frowned as he leaned to peer down at the plate. “You mean to tell me that you actually eat this?”
“Those are Quetzalcoatl brain,” Lucifer explained. “Consider them your introduction to Devildom dining.”
Raphael narrowed his eyes at him. “…You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
Lucifer quirked a smile. “Chise, feel free to help yourself. You’ve said before that you enjoy these.”
Raphael swung his narrowed eyes to me next. “…That can’t be true.”
“It is,” I admitted. “Actually, these are Belphie’s very favourite too. The mouth-feel is honestly the hardest hurdle until you get used to it, but you should still… give them a try. The taste is worth it.”
Lucifer nodded. “Yes, Belphie is quite fond of them, so they often appear on the menu at the House of Lamentation.”
Raphael looked down blankly at the plate of jiggly grey blobs. “Is that so…?”
Lucifer chuckled. “Well, you don’t need to force yourself. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to try it later. More importantly, how would you like to sample some of that Death’s Door hot sauce? I would recommend applying some to this vampire bat sandwich for best results.” He was already tipping the bottle over the sandwich in front of Raphael.
I scowled at him. “Start with a bit to try–"
But Raphael had already taken a bite of the generous dollop that Lucifer had put on. “Hm. Well, it isn’t all that spicy. And it’s tasty enough. I suppose it could be worse.”
I stared at him. “…Th-That’s… amazing…” And horrifying.
Lucifer laughed at my expression again, a heartier sound. “Indeed. He didn’t so much as break a sweat.”
Raphael nodded as though he had come to a final decision, before reaching for the bottle again. “Yes, I rather enjoy this.”
I raised my eyebrows at the amount he poured on next, speechless.
Lucifer shook his head in exasperation. “Well, you’ve all but drowned your sandwich in it. Honestly, you have no sense of taste…”
Raphael shrugged a bit. “I’ve never thought so.”
Lucifer shook his head in defeat. “If you’re not bothered by it, then that’s fine.”
“What about that Demonus you were talking about, Lucifer?” Raphael turned his eyes to the bottle Lucifer had on the table. “Let’s have a drink.”
“Ah, yes.” Lucifer’s smile was back on his face as he picked the bottle up with an enthusiasm that had me rolling my eyes at him. “I’ve chosen one of my gold bottles, since this has turned into an impromptu welcome party.”
–
Raphael considered his glass with an admiring look. “This Demonus goes down rather easily. It’s not half bad.”
Lucifer chuckled. “I should hope so, given that you’re already on your third bottle. I suppose that means your high tolerance for alcohol is still alive and well.”
I looked between them both. Seemed like Lucifer maybe had a ‘drinking habit’ in the Celestial Realm too, the way they were putting them back. “…Does it take a lot to get you drunk, Raphael?”
“Quite a lot,” Lucifer answered for him in amusement, just as Raphael opened his mouth, likely to protest angel-innocence. “The only ones who could keep pace with him were Michael and myself.”
I snorted at that. “Not Asmo too?”
“Pff…” Lucifer hid his smile behind his wrist. “He could only wish.”
Raphael seemed to relent as he sat back in his chair, relaxing with a small smile too. “It really has been ages since we last drank together.”
“Ahh…” I swirled my own cup. “Had enough to look back on the good old days it seems, at least.”
“That does bring to mind this one time…” Lucifer smiled as he rested his cheek on his knuckles, pouring for them both again with his other hand. “We had stopped to do some brief sightseeing while on our way home from an inspection. We saw some spectacular scenery, but what I remember most vividly was–"
“Michael’s face,” Raphael finished for him, “once he heard that we had forgotten to purchase souvenirs.”
Lucifer chuckled again. “I never would have imagined that he’d mope so much over a few snacks.”
“Haha! Too true.”
I snorted again. And not just because they both downed the glass that Lucifer had just poured in one go together, in sync.
Lucifer really did have a goddamn type – those who turned into big sulky babies if they didn’t get his attention or if they believed they weren’t thought of by him. Hopefully that was strictly kept to his type in men, because I was still poutily trying to find that comparison in me, and I did not like it.
…And then I abruptly remembered the time that I had become a big, sulky baby when I finally saw him for the first time in months up in the human world, sulking and pouting and telling him off over him not finding me earlier, and over him not being there right away to welcome me with the rest.
And then how easily I was pacified by a fucking stuffed animal.
Ffffffuck. Where was the wine when I needed it.
“What of Simeon and Luke?” Raphael asked over another pour. “How are they faring in the Devildom?”
The question was so… casual. He sounded sincere in his inquiry. I was turning it over in my head, but couldn’t find anything in his tone, or any hesitation.
Perhaps it was just the drink opening him up.
He looked between both Lucifer and I. “I’m curious as to how you both see how they’re faring, actually.”
“They’re doing just fine,” I answered quickly over my glass. “They’ve made a lot of friends here.”
“Simeon in particular has taken to the Devildom,” Lucifer added, to my dismay. “Likely due to his adaptable personality.”
Raphael glanced at me. “Of course. His open friendliness puts all at ease.”
Lucifer, you fucking asshole.
“He no longer has trouble cooking with the ingredients available here, either.”
“Good, good.” Raphael smiled. Wider than his usual, rare as even that was. “It’s a relief to hear that they have been genuinely enjoying themselves.”
Lucifer nodded. “As should you, given that you’ve come all this way.”
I was turning their exchanges over in my head with rapt, focused attention – especially Raphael’s – like a greedy raccoon desperately nosing around in search of tasty treasure in the dumpster it’d fallen into.
“Diavolo would be certainly pleased to hear of your approval.”
“Is that… so?” Raphael down his glass again, maybe to hide his thoughtful frown, though at this point, who knew for sure. He set the glass down with a sigh, leaning back while closing his eyes. “In that… case…”
But he didn’t continue.
And continued to not continue.
I looked at him in disbelief as his chest rose and then fell in a steady breath, while Lucifer looked incredibly amusement.
I shook my head in wonder. “…Did the Demonus finally catch up to him?”
Lucifer chuckled with a smile that was almost a grin. “Apparently so. I was so wrapped up in the conversation that I failed to notice that we had finished a ninth bottle between us along the way.”
”Nine?" I raised my eyebrows at him. “And you’re not under the table with him?”
“Also, you were very bad, and I’m mad at you. You said you wouldn’t talk about Simeon.”
“My apologies.” The corners of his mouth quirked into an even wider smile, smug now. “With the drink, I’d forgotten.”
“You brought his name up earlier during the tour! Twice!”
“Did I?” He raised his eyebrows innocently. “I do not recall.”
I growled darkly at him.
He hummed in amusement as he turned his head to look at Raphael again. “It’s been an eternity since I’ve seen Raphael this drunk. Perhaps not since the last time the three of us were with Michael…” He laughed fondly. “While he can generally hold his liquor, too much of it puts him straight to sleep.”
"Actual sleep." I shook my head again as Raphael let out a little drunken snore. “No exaggeration there.”
“And it isn’t something that happens often. Chise, you’ve gotten to see something ought to be kept a secret from my brothers.”
“Pff…” I looked down. I wasn’t exactly thrilled to be keeping any of Raphael’s ‘secrets,’ but I also wasn’t that kind of person in the least. “You have my silence. But that awfully considerate of you, Lucifer.”
He smirked at me. “That kind of empty praise won’t get you anywhere.”
“Hmph…” The flirt was unmistakeable.
“I hope that the two of you will get along well, as fellow exchange students,” he added seriously.
I didn’t say anything to that. I rubbed my thumb on my own empty glass instead, quiet. Simeon was my priority. I’d follow his lead on that, not Lucifer’s.
His eyes slid to mine, though his face was still turned to Raphael. "He will be staying here for the night. I take it you aren't opposed to him staying in your room?"
I lifted my brows at the suggestion in his voice, deciding to tease. "You want me to sleep with him now? Why, Lucifer, if that’s your idea of ‘getting along with him'..."
He scoffed with a roll of his eyes. "Brat. I'm sure you know that I have been keeping track of your transgressions. You've racked up quite a bit of ill-will."
I giggled lightly. "Mm... But where would I sleep, if not there?"
A feral looking smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth this time as his serious request faded between us. "Who said you would be getting any sleep tonight, little lamb?"
"Heh… Aren’t you quite drunk?” I batted my lashes. “I wouldn’t want to take advantage…”
“Perhaps you should consider it payback for all the times I’ve 'taken advantage'?”
My smile widened. ‘Ethical’ wasn’t really ‘our thing’. "You'd better put him to bed quickly, then."
"I had better." He stood smoothly, before leaning over the conked-out angel. "You will wait for me in my room. And you will stand by the bed until I come to undress you. Go."
I hummed as I stood as well to do what I was told.
"...Remove your pants while there, actually," he added. "They're the most annoying obstacle. And I like you standing in your underwear."
"Yes, Lucifer."
Chapter 18: Intermission: You Survive Me
Notes:
EXTREME CONTENT WARNING FOR THIS ENTIRE CHAPTER: *Consensual* non-consent, explicit mentions and descriptions of sexual assault, physical hitting, and age play. Please take care IF and WHEN you decide to read, and keep an eye on yourself to recognize if you need a break if you decide to go for it!
…Still nothing like that one scene in Act 2 when Lucifer used his own safe word. IYKYK. I doubt I’ll ever write anything like that again tbh so you can rest easy. I mean... as easy as CNC will get you, anyway... Lmao?
Chapter Text
*** CONTENT WARNING: CONSENSUAL NON-CONSENT, EXPLICIT MENTIONS AND DESCRIPTIONS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT ***
And so I stood. As request. In my underwear. Hugging myself with a shiver.
And not from any chill. He kept me waiting a bit, and the anticipation was becoming more agonizing with each passing minute. And each passing minute felt like an eternity, as the goosebumps rose painfully on my arms and legs.
“Good lamb. For once.”
I jumped, his habit of just quietly ‘appearing’ catching me off guard yet again. I’d been rubbing my arms while looking down at the floor. Caught in that one flickering moment of vulnerability, after I’d stared so long as the door previously.
It’s like he always knew just when to show up to give his arrival the most effective impact. Unsettling, like you’d been watched, and always were. Because he was always there. Aware of everything that went on under his roof. Building a sense of paranoia that helped keep the brothers in line.
And me.
He went to me immediately, stride confident, even with the Demonus that I’m sure was singing in his veins.
"Only useless, weak little girls have to be undressed," he spoke casually, Demonus on his breath, as his hands went to the bottom hem of my shirt. "And you are useless. And you are weak. And you ARE a little girl. Left in my care."
I nodded shyly as I lifted my arms for him, so he could pull it off. He did, sawing my shirt up my under arms, under he had it pulled off over my head. He discarded it casually, before considering me, running his eyes up and down my body. Casually, yet, but the fire in his eyes betrayed his hunger.
He suddenly spun me around roughly, making me squeak. "Let's see those 'cute' tits."
My bra fell slack, and then he was running his thumbs along the straps with a sigh as he pressed to me from behind, looking down from above as he revealed me. He inhaled the scent of my hair, before exhaling with a hum. "...Pert little things. Aren’t they?"
"Nng..." I wrapped my arms around myself to cover them.
He yanked them down again, before pinching a nipple painfully, making me yelp. He let go, and slapped it, making it wobble. Again, I yelped, jumping, but then grabbed from behind, while he growled in my ear, both hands coming up now to knead and fondle and grope my breasts roughly. My lashes fluttered with a soft moan as I tipped my head back to bump against his chin. He chuckled as he brushed a kiss into my hair, twisting my nipples again, though a little more gently. I rolled my hips back against him, and felt him press his arousal to my back in return.
"Wanton slut," he murmured, before thrusting his hand into the front of my panties to swirl his fingers roughly between my folds. "Shameless, dripping bitch."
I yelped as I stiffened in his arms, trying to close my legs, but he was already there, trapped now by my pressed thighs to jam his fingers up into my wet heat.
He swirled in the slick, twisting, making me cry out as my knees buckled.
"So wet," he hissed, before placing a kiss on my ear. "Wet little lamb pussy."
"Waaaaant..." I moaned, heat blooming in my belly despite the rough discomfort, while I rolled my head back against him again. “All day…”
He leaned me over with another hiss, curling over me, pushing in deeper with his fingers. "Horny cunt..."
"Pleeeease..."
He nearly stumbled us both forward with his frantic reach inside of me. "Sweet pussy..."
"Yours..."
"Want me all the time, don't you," he growled. "You'll NEVER stop wanting me. Never stop crawling back into this room.”
He was pumping his fingers fast and hard now while I whined, shivered, flexed up against his looming body that pressed over mine.
He chuckled in dark amusement. “Is this your way of coping with what I do to you? To seek it out again and again? Pretending like it’s been your choice all along, coming to me first before I seek you out for myself?”
I mewled and whined, soft cries falling from my lips as I gyrated against him, rolling my pelvis, shuddering. My hands scrabbled back behind me, trying to find purchase on his own body to steady myself as my muscles began to lock.
He was pumping in quick, quick, quick, quick, jamming right up to the knuckles of his fist. "Weeeeet... Almost there? Shameless slut..."
"Plee-ee-eease..." I moaned, curving my back. "Right theeere..."
"Because you're my good baby lamb..."
"Yeeeees…"
He thrusted his tented arousal against me with a grunt. "And then I'll take from you."
I choked on a small sob. "Please..."
"Beg for me to rape you."
"Pleeease..." I panted as I began to writhe while standing in place.
"I'll rape your pathetic little body."
"Yeee-eees… R…Rape…"
"I'll fill that cute little ass after I've torn it up."
"Yeeeeees!"
"You'll scream."
"Luciferrrr…! Oh fuck! Oh fuck!” I was gasping, arching, a wave of electricity. "Gonnnaa...!"
"Slave bitch," he whispered fiercely against my ear. "Get to use your body whenever I want. Get to hurt you whenever I want."
"Lucifer!” I cried. "I'm gonna! I’m…! Pl…ease…!"
"Cum on my fingers," he growled, the sound of slick rapid with the violence of his pumping. "Get it over with, so I can rape your body next."
I cried out, shuddered, cried out, and then my next was strangled as I nearly toppled forward, saved by him wrenching me back to him with a growl and an arm pressed heavily to my stomach. I stiffened in his arms, choking, strangling, twitching with my convulsions, eyes rolling back, open-mouthed and I breathing, while he finger-fucked me into a relentless high. My tits bounced rapidly with the force of my vibrating rocked body from the speed of him inside of me. The wet slap of his hand colliding with my wet cunt, while he jammed and jammed me.
I shuddered, shuddered again, gave a small gasp, wilting forward.
I groaned as he ripped his fingers from me to take me up against him, on hand gripping my throat tight to tilt my head up, while he jammed the fingers he had been fucking in my dripping wet cunt into my mouth, right to the back, making me gag.
"Suck," he growled. "Clean this filth off of me."
I sobbed quietly before closing my lips over his fingers, pressing my tongue under them, moving it up and down with soft sucking noises.
"Ahh..." I heard the satisfaction in his sigh as he relaxed his hold on me with his admiration. "What a good, good lambie. Exactly like that."
I continued to make gurgling suckling noises, though I had to stop to choke now and then, fighting the gag.
"Mmm..." Finally, slowly, he withdrew them from my mouth, to wipe them up and down on my bare shoulder. "Very, very good. Now... stand over there."
He let me go. I almost fell. I wobbled in place with a groan, legs shaky, my cunt between my legs burning with pain from the rough handling, burning with heat from my orgasm.
"By the bed."
I stumbled forward weakly.
"Face me."
I turned, blearily, looking up at him to meet his eyes–
He struck my face hard with the back of his hand; so hard, he send me reeling with a short shriek, the force spinning me to the side to trip onto the bed while I held my palm to my cheek. My vision swam briefly.
I sobbed as he grabbed my neck roughly from the side to drag me up further onto the mattress while I thrashed in panic, twisting me, pushing me, smacking me, grinding me, until I was face-down with a confused sob.
He grabbed my arms and yanked them tight behind me while I screamed and tried to crawl up on my knees to get away. He yanked me down again, pressing his body weight over my hips with a grunt, before gripping the band of my panties to rip them down over my ass and thighs. I tried to kick back, but he fell heavily on top of me with a growl, pressing me down flat on my stomach while I let out a long cry.
"That's right," he growled. "Weak. You can't possibly fight me off." He leaned back a bit, just enough to strike my ass as hard as he could, eliciting another shriek of pain from me at the burning sting. "I'll take what I want, and there's NOTHING you to do to stop me. And these panties of yours?"
He grabbed the middle of my panties that were halfway down my thighs and wrenched them towards him, jerking my knees from underneath me so that I landed flat under him with a cry.
“I enjoy ripping off these from your little body to get at what I want. Call it my version of foreplay.”
He kept one hand gripping my arms behind me while he straddled heavily below, yanking my panties down, down, down the rest of the way, growling while I cried and tried to kick when they got to my ankles. He reached up to smack the back of my head hard, making me go still with a meeker moan as a blinding pain bloomed inside of my skull.
"Good," he huffed, as he climbed on top of me to pin me down again, the metal sound of his belt being unclasped behind me. "This will go easier on you if you stop resisting me."
I choked on a sob, with a quick back-and-forth shake of my head, arms and legs pinned. The sound of the unzipping of his slacks came next. His turned focus on retrieving himself from his boxer briefs had him pressing down on me even more tighter, making me yelp in more pain as the bones of my twisted wrists felt crushed by his unrelenting hold on me.
"It's your ass I'll be taking today," he grunted cruelly, as he pressed his cock between my cheeks, slapping it a bit for good measure. "Missed this tight baby ass of yours."
I moaned as I tried to shift my knees. The pressure of him was hurting, and cutting off my circulation to the rest of my leg below.
"Are you going to keep being a brat? I'll let go of you if you cede."
I whimpered with a small hunch of my shoulders.
"I'll hurt you. I'll hurt you if you don't. You need to let it happen if you don’t want to be beaten senseless into submission first."
After a moment, slowly, I nodded. Meek and quiet. Silent. Face down in the sheets.
He tapped the cheek of my ass. "My cock. Here. We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. Raped, or very raped."
I nodded again.
"Which way?"
“…R…Raped… Easy… way…"
"Fine." He lifted himself up from off of me with a sigh. I groaned as my arms were released from behind me, my shoulders screaming. "Your cooperation will make this quicker for us both. You'll take it up your ass until I’m finished with you, like the bitch you are. You're in a demon's den, girl. Of course you were going to get raped.”
I pulled my arms around from behind me to tuck them under my body, balling my fists over my breasts.
"I'm going to be talking while I work up to defiling you."
I nodded weakly, closing my eyes at the sound of him spitting, though nothing touched me. Until it did, and I flinched, looking back at him.
He met my eyes. "I just spat on my cock's head, and allowed it to drool from my tip onto your hole."
I swallowed as I turned my face away.
He spat again. And I flinched, again, as the glob landed solidly on his target.
I felt the taut head of him rubbed firmly at my entrance, to spread his saliva.
"Not enough..." I whispered.
He sighed. "Yes, well, I shall give you a bit more. Or rather, myself a bit more, just for my own comfort. I don't care about what you think. You will take what I give, in the end."
I was quiet as I rested my chin back down.
"Answer me."
"...Yes, Lucifer..."
"Because you're just a tight hole to me to stuff myself into until I cum."
"Yes, Lucifer..."
"You'll take my cum."
"Yes, Lucifer..."
"Cock hole bitch."
"Yes... Lucifer..."
"Your only purpose, only use, is to take cum for breeding. Born to be bred by fertile demon seed. After your body has been ravaged to produce it, ravaged for pleasure, until your womb is seeded. And until that happens, until I decide that happens, you will please my cock."
"Lucifer..."
"And then I'll ravage your pregnant body still, like an animal, like a monster, like a feral beast, with my demon baby incubating in your young belly."
“Luc...ifer..."
"That requires seeding your dripping wet and fertile cunt, though. But oh, how I love to seed your tight little ass instead, that is always so reluctant to give way to me... at first. Until I force its youth to cede to me."
He spat again, rubbed his head again. I flinched once more when he pushed a finger, crying out softly when he twisted one way, and then the other, and then again, and again, rough.
"Luciferrrr..." I groaned, as he pulled down as far as he could at my entrance to gape me a bit.
"This little peach of mine…" He spat there, directly.
Twisted two fingers, back and forth, jamming them in while I cried out. Rough, twisting as he thrust in further, from one knuckle to the next.
He pulled them out abruptly. Used two fingers to scissor me open into a gape again, and spat inside while I choked on a groan of pain, my fingers curling into the sheets.
He slapped my thigh. "Present further. Widen yourself."
I whimpered as I drew my knees up together under me, lifting my hips, spine curving.
"Like a bitch dog," he observed dryly, with disdain. "A bitch dog in heat, presenting herself."
I wrapped my arms around my head tight, pressing my forehead to the sheets.
He spat again. Three fingers, thrust in rough and quick, nails dragging sharp in his uncaring. I shrieked out a short yelp, muffled by the blankets under me. He spread the three fingers hard, as far as he could, stretching me painfully, twisted them like I was simply a bottle cap, the skin of my hold dragged into a twist with him while I sobbed on a moan.
He spat again. And again.
"Spread like a sweet little flower," he murmured, thrusting to another knuckle and then back. "You start like a tiny rosebud, until I rip the petals back to bloom you. Shall I pollinate you?"
I whined high with a rub of my forehead, shaking no, clutching the sheets with my fingers again.
"Little butterfly." He withdrew his fingers, and then I felt him smearing his tip roughly to me. "Have some of my pre-cum, too. The thought of me ripping your sweet petals apart has gotten me so wet. So wet for your tight hole. Do you feel that?"
I moaned.
"Do you?"
"Yyhh... Yesh..."
"It's different than spit."
I nodded weakly.
"Proper lube, designed to enter." He shoved, and I threw my head back into a wild scream of pain. "Like so."
I scream-sobbed, open-mouthed into the air, my back arched down with my head thrown–
I screamed again when he grabbed my hair to arch me further, while he slammed the rest of the way into my guts with a grunt. My spine was bent painfully. But he held me there while I continued my screams, as he fucked, and fucked, and fucked into me, only my entrance soiled by his lubing spit, the rest of the way burning drier.
Deep inside, feeling as though he was clocking against my tailbone with how tilted my hips were in relation to my spine, while I sobbed uselessly, noisily, pain blooming in my lower back as he slammed.
"Good... hole..." He grunted. "Sucks me... in... like a bitch hole... Obscene… vulgar… so obvious... you want to be... wrecked..."
I shook my head against his grip on my hair with another long scream, only causing myself more misery when he sunk his nails into my scalp.
"No...?" he snarled at me. "Teasing... slut! BRAT!”
"Lu...cifer...!" I sobbed. "PLEASE...!"
"Hurt?"
“YES... HURTS..."
"Good," he growled at me through gritted teeth as he walked one knee forward with another slam. "Makes me cum. To break you."
"Already..." I moaned.
"You feel incredible," he continued to growl, continued to hold me painfully in place, my shoulders and hips and back burning while he snapped his hips. Riding me like a bull. "Tight ring. Milking my cock. Dry. Buried in your. Tight bowels. Disgusting. Bitch. Dirty. Whore. Worthless."
"Please..." I groaned, my body relaxing in being overwhelmed.
"Yes..." he sighed under his breath in satisfaction. "I feel that difference... Like breaking in a stubborn horse..."
His balls were slamming violently against me. I could feel them slapping against the folds of my sex, stinging me. His pelvis likewise, right up to the hilt, deep, my ass a longer tunnel than my other for his obscenely long cock to play in with reckless abandon. Nothing to stop him. Certainly not any physical resistance.
"Sweet, tender flesh..." he hissed, voice strained, slamming, slamming, while I devolved into choking noises with each forceful snap of my body slammed forward with him as I clawed into his sheets to keep myself from tipping from the relentless violence he inflicted on me. "Stupid... little... human... cunt... Tiny lamb hole. My prey.”
He leaned forward to sink his teeth into the tender flesh of where my shoulder met neck. I screamed in alarm
“Cute and kind babe,” he hissed threateningly in my ear. “Young and fresh, feminine, fertile, beautiful and good. Any demon would want to rape that innocence of yours out of your soul. You're exactly who we feed on. Tearing apart your purity. If it weren’t for Diavolo, you’d have been raped by so many here already. Clothes torn, holes torn, left in the streets for the next to find for the last’s leftovers to consume, until there was nothing left of you, nothing left of your innocence. Made a filthy, used-up demon whore.”
I gurgled weakly.
He slammed my head down into the mattress with a snarl. "SAY IT!"
"Yes..." I whispered, as I was folded forward by his next slam. If he could see my face, he'd see it relaxed and expressionless. “Inn…cent…”
"Have I ravaged you? Broken you? Soiled you? Spoiled your purity? Stained your soul? Stolen the remains of your innocence?"
"...Yes..."
"SAY MY NAME."
"...Yes, Lu...cifer..."
"WHO am I?"
"Pride..." Drool was pooling from the corner of my lips. “Rrraping… de…mon…"
"And WHO are you?"
"...Nobody..."
"And MINE," he snarled.
"Yes..." My voice was whispery and flat. He'd stopped thrusting. For now. To talk. Though I felt his cock pulse inside of me with every answer I gave. My entire body was lax in its displayed fold in front of him, my hips pressed up by the cock that was firmly planted inside of me. A dull ache in my tailbone pulsed with every beat of my heart, that had begun to slow in my defeated acquiescence.
He turned my face to the side, and spat on my cheek. Smeared it with a rough drag of his fingers. I merely blinked, slowly and with effort.
"Good. Now you're just a quiet little thing for me to defile until I finish in you. A fleshy object to drag my cock in and out until you're motionlessly drooling my cum from your used-up crevice. You understand, don’t you? That you could never fight me off?”
He pulled back, and thrusted quick hard. My breath was pushed out in a weak bubble.
“You know that there’s nothing you can do to stop me. So you’ll lay there and take it. You’ll accept my rape of you now without your annoying little peeping."
I didn't move, didn't speak, didn't react. Eyes kept open, unblinking, body limp while he began to pound into me again with grunts of pleased effort. No grunts of my own. My breathing was slow and even. Drool under my cheek. Tears drying on my cheeks, but no others left to give.
“Sweet, ruined doll…”
My body was rocked forward and back from the force of his thrusts while I quietly took his ravaging cock inside of me, again and again; pounded, sharp slapping of skin-on-skin, he let go of my scalp to dig his nails into the meat of my ass now to keep me still and in place for him to drive himself into, to pleasure himself to.
"Sweet puckered rose..." he grunted hoarsely. "I'm about to cum... About to..."
He quickened his pace, dug his nails deep, gasping, while I laid quiet, unresponsive. He groaned, groaned again, face flushed, eyes locked to our joining. His joining of me.
"Filliiiing..." he groaned, before slamming deep, searingly so, deep, deep, to unload into my intestines, hot jets of thick ropey cum that he inject into me, erupting from his buried cock, flooding me. He pulled out a quarter way to slam again halfway through his release, pushing through his silky seed with ease. Another, another, another and another, even after he'd spilled it all, to groan at the sensitive sensation of his slick cum adding to the wet, sucking sensation.
And then he stopped, head tipped forward, eyes closed, panting. Cock still locked inside of me while he recovered. And I stayed where I was, not having moved for a whole ten minutes at least, maybe more, maybe fifteen, maybe twenty. He had taken me for a long time between my breaking and his finishing. It was over in a blink, at the same time that it had taken an eternity. I simply stayed presented, and unblinking.
He hissed as he pulled out, and then sighed in satisfaction at the unplugging. He patted the meat of my ass with the slapping of his palm. "That's a good little girl. Exactly what I required of you. Not that you have a choice in rape. Now, here we go..."
He gripped my hips, and slowly tipped me to my side. If I could have fully screamed, I would have. Instead, I could only let out a low groan when I was lowered carefully over.
He sighed in satisfaction as he shifted to his side as well, to lay next to me, facing me, reaching to push my hair back from my face. "You did so well, little lambie. Did you like that, sweet girl? Is what I needed the opposite of what you needed? For me to violate, and for you to be violated? For me to control, and for you to be controlled? For me to rape, and for you to be raped."
I gave a single, small nod.
"Ah, if anyone could see you now, they would be so disappointed." He sighed with a stretch, before pulling me closer to him. "We make such a good couple. So very compatible. Fit like a puzzle. We understand one another."
I sighed as well, lashes fluttering as I hazed.
He stroked my cheek gently with the back of his knuckles. "How are you doing, my love?"
I moved my head a bit.
"I did not sense that I pushed you too far this time?" He chuckled in amusement. "You become more and more desensitized to my abuse. You could take on the world outside of this bedroom. You survive me, after all. Not many could. Such strength and resolve, in your weak human body."
I moved my head against him a couple more times.
"You get it now," he murmured, as he brushed my hair back again. "You have been fucked over by hell itself. And survived. Everything else you face, any trial, is but a pittance in comparison. Inconsequential. Conquerable. Soft, to hard…"
Yes, I thought, as my eyes began to close. I'm still alive.
"Sweet girl," he murmured again. My skin cooled briefly, and then I felt something soft and plush pressed between the two of us, gently pushed into my arms. I wrapped it closer to me. Replacement cuddle before he left to run me a bath. So I wouldn’t truly be alone until he came back. "Young thing. Rest your eyes while I fetch what you require. Because I revere you, my little heart. Anyone who survives me deserves my undying worship. To command me, and Master me. You triumph over me in all other things outside of this room.”
He was pressing soft, tender little kisses to my damp forehead, brushing my hair, stroking my cheek.
“So strong. You can do anything... With me by your side... On my knees for you, in pact... Achieving the impossible... Together..."
I sighed, relaxing, resting my eyes, drifting, as his soft words of love and admiration floated through me.
He petted me quietly for a moment. "...You've grown so much over the last three years, haven't you? You've grown so strong.”
I couldn’t reply.
“I’m so proud of you.”
He held me to him, as though I were so incredibly precious.
"...May the vestiges of pain…"
Chapter 19: Chapter 69-B: Pancakes For Dinner
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
It was such a peaceful, quiet morning for once, with Belphie snuggled against me with his head in my lap while I flipped through my apps on my D.D.D. Even Tinkerbell had come to soak up the calm, curled up against Belphie’s own curled legs. So very relaxing, to reach down now and then to absently stroke Belphie’s hair while engrossed in the latest posts on my Devilgram feed. So very nice.
Until Mammon found us.
“YO YO YO!”
Tinkerbell abruptly leapt down to scamper off in merping alarm.
I sighed.
Belphie growled low as he cracked an eye open to glare at his brother.
Mammon stood in the doorway of the library, fists on his hips while grinning from ear to ear. “All riiiight, it’s Chise! So THIS is where you’ve been hidin’!”
I looked down in surprise at the prickle of power I felt coming off of Belphie.
“…Is it okay if I dispose of him?” he muttered darkly.
“Man, what’s wrong with Belphie?” Mammon asked in a huff as we strolled through the streets of the Devildom, with his arms raised and crossed behind his head. “Like, did you see the way he was lookin’ at me? I mean, if he’d just been nicer, I woulda invited him to come along with us. But not after that!”
“Hmm…” I smirked. “Scared of him when he starts flexing, are you?”
“PFFFFF! Scared of THAT runt?!”
“You came rampaging into the room at the top of your voice while he was napping, Mammon. Of course he was annoyed.”
“You’re sayin’ it was my fault?!” He glared at me. “Also, YOU’D better be a little nicer, too! Otherwise I’m not lettin’ YOU come with me!”
I gestured down the street. “Seems to me that I’m already on my way to… where exactly are we going, anyway?”
“Hmph. Didn’t I tell ya? We’re headin’ to Purgatory Hall.”
I raised my eyebrows. “No, you didn’t tell me…”
“Oops. Though, umm…” His expression turned a little guilty. “It’s not like I let them know we’d be comin’ or anything either…”
I sighed. “Mammonnnn…”
“But ya can’t tell me you haven’t been a little worried too, right?!”
I stiffened a bit. “…About?”
“Y’know!” He scowled. “About Simeon. I tried askin’ Lucifer what’s up, but he just gave me the runaround… man, what’s he thinkin’, anyway? If he’s in trouble, he oughta just be honest about it, and ask for our help.”
“Mammon…” I started quietly. “Please don’t say we’re going to confront him right now?”
“Why not?!”
I looked down at the ground. “You really are sweet, Mammon. But… I don’t want to…”
His eyes widened. “Wh…?! Whoa, wait a minute… no! H… H-h-h-have you forgotten who you’re talkin’ to?!”
I smiled sadly.
“I’m the Great Mammon, Avatar of Greed! There’s nothin’ ’sweet’ about me! I’m the OPPOSITE of sweet, okay?! Don’t you forget it!”
“Sure, sure…” I sighed again. “Mammon, I’m okay with hanging out and a gentle check-in for support, but if he doesn’t want to talk, and you push it, I will drag you out of there. On a compel, if I have to.”
“Ugh…” He wrinkled his nose. “It’s like ya already know or somethin’. Is that it? You’re leavin’ me in the dark on this as well?”
“…No…”
“Fine.” He shuddered. “I ain’t in the mood to be ’Stay’ed today.”
“Are you ever?”
“Hmph.” He paused, and glanced at me. “…The heck was that noise?”
“Huh?” I looked around us in confusion. “What noise?”
“…G’ahahahahaha!” He burst out into laughter, grinning down at me teasingly. “Man, listen to your stomach! Who are you, Beel?!”
"My stomach?” I shook my head with a grin of my own.
“…Hold on.” He frowned. “Or maybe that was MY stomach?”
“Bingo.”
“Eh, either way, I’m hungry.” He looked around us keenly. “And I smell somethin’ good, too. I think it’s coming from over there?” He grinned down at me again as he took my hand. “What do ya say we stop off and grab somethin’ to eat before heading to Purgatory Hall?”
“That sounds good.” I winced as I felt my own stomach grumble as the tantalizing scent hit me too. “I didn’t have that big of a breakfast I guess.”
“Pffff…” He snickered at me as he led us forward.
–
“Hey, check it out!” He pointed like a kid who’d stumbled across the grand opening of a brand new candy store. “It’s a taco truck! Seems like that’s where the delicious smell is comin’ from.”
“Oh heck yeah.” I grinned as I jogged to keep up with the grip he still had on my hand. “Food truck street food is suddenly exactly what I want.”
He halted us abruptly, bouncing on his heels as he looked up at the menu. “A’ight. The sign says they got both death maggot sauce AND poison worm sauce. What’s your pick, eh?”
I chewed my lip with an indecisive grown. “What are YOU going to go with?”
“Pff. C’mon, are you seriously tellin’ me you need my help deciding what kinda sauce to get?” He rolled his eyes, but couldn’t keep the smile from off his face. “You’re the worst at makin’ a decision, you know that?”
I pouted. “I just wanna make the right one.”
“Hehe. All right then. At a time like this, it’s best to get both and then share ‘em. So we’ll just order one of each.”
I brightened. “Yeah!”
He snorted in amusement as he tugged me forward again. “Oh, and you’re payin’.”
“Dammit, Mammon…”
“Pfwhehehe…”
–
“…Pff…” He smirked at me after he’d swallowed his bite.
I frowned in suspicion. “What?”
“Baby girl… You’ve got some sauce on your mouth there, ya know?” He grinned again. “What’re you, a little kid or somethin’?!”
“Aww, shut up!” I pouted at him again. “Just get it for me, will you?”
“Wha?!” His eyes widened a bit as he started. “W-Well, like… I mean, if I gotta… But just this once, okay?! Now c’mon, turn toward me better.”
He leaned in with a concentrated frown, reaching.
I giggled as I abruptly dodged his finger to peck his lips.
He squeaked as he jumped in his spot on the bench, eyes going wide again. “…Wh-What the?! What’re the big idea kissin’ me outta nowhere?! Like, who does that?!”
I stuck out my tongue at him, before letting out another laugh. “Okay, okay. For real this time. Please?”
He scowled at me as he leaned in again. “Hold still, ya nut. This time I’m gonna get–“
I did it again.
He turned beet red. “C’monnnn, enough with the surprise kisses!”
“No!”
“Pff…” He finally smirked. “Fine then, you walk around with maggot hangin’ outta your mouth like a dummy. See if I care. Pwhehe, poutin’ again? So cute.”
I was, indeed, pouting again. “Shut up…!”
“S’like we’re startin’ from the beginning. Silly goose.” He pressed his lips closed as he swallowed nervously. “…You let me get that sauce and finish our food, and I’ll kiss ya all you want, darlin'.”
I smiled shyly now, feeling a blush of my own spread over my cheeks. “All right. Deal.”
He reached for me again with a growl. “…Now don’t be a butt about it!”
I actually let him this time, though I was giggling all the way through.
–
“Man, that was pretty good.” He sighed in satisfaction as he crumpled his wrapper. “I’ll have to tell Beel about that place the next time I… Huh.”
“Huh?”
He jutted his chin over in the direction past me. “Hey, over there. Does that look like Simeon and Luke to you?”
As if anyone could mistake them for anyone else, with their white clothing.
“HEEEEY! SIMEON! LUKE!”
I scowled at him as I pressed my hand over the ear he had just shouted in.
“Huh?” Luke spun around with a jump. “Oh, Chise and Mammon?”
“Well hello there!” Simeon smiled in delight as both Mammon and I stood from our bench. “What brings you two here?”
“We were just headin’ over to see you,” Mammon answered for us.
Simeon raised his eyebrows in surprise as he glanced at me. “You were coming to see us?”
Mammon shrugged. “How about you guys, what’re you doin’ here?”
“We’re going to make lunch at home,” Luke replied. “So we’re heading out to buy some groceries–“
Mammon nodded. “In that case, go ahead and pick up enough for us, too.”
“Mammon!” I smacked his arm with the back of my hand.
“Wh... excuse me?!” Luke glowered at him. “Why should we buy food for you?!”
“Eh, c’monnn.” He grinned at the affronted little angel. “It’s no big deal, right? I mean, you’re headin’ to the store anyway.”
I sighed. “We don’t–“
“In that case, why don’t you two come with us?” Simeon smiled sweetly at us both. “That way you can pick out what you’d like for lunch.”
“You shouldn’t… indulge… ugh, whatever.” I sounded so much like Lucifer for half a second there that I gave up mid-sentence out of shame.
“Eh, fine. If that’s what ya want. All right, we’ll go with ya.”
“Mammon…!” I hissed. “At LEAST mind your manners when you insert yourself!”
“Eh? What was that?”
“Ugh, and Simeon!” Luke scowled at him next. “You need to learn to say NO to Mammon!”
–
Simeon patted Luke’s hair to get his attention. “Luke, what do you say we pick up some bulbul bird eggs?”
The young angel brightened immediately. “Yay! I love those!”
“By the way, Simeon,” Mammon cut in with a sly little glance. “Raphael’s livin’ at Purgatory Hall with you guys, right? How’s that workin’ out?”
“‘How’s that working out’?” Simeon laughed indulgently. “Is that a roundabout way of asking whether Raphael and Solomon ever talk to each other?”
While I was huffy over Mammon’s intentions, it was a question I tuned in to hear the answer to.
Solomon was no fool either. I’m glad he was there.
“Well, ya can’t blame me for bein’ curious! I can’t picture those two sittin’ at the same table, having a meal together…”
Simeon shook his head. “Well, neither can I. Because I’ve never actually witnessed them doing that.”
“Wha?”
“Raphael is an ‘early to bed, early to rise’ type, while Solomon is a night owl when he gets into his studies who tends to wake up a bit later. They don’t really see each other at home that often.”
Luke frowned. “You know, right now it’s just the two of them over at Purgatory Hall. I wonder what they’re talking about.”
“Maybe they’re not talking about anything at all,” I offered in a light, casual voice.
“Oooh…” Luke’s eyes widened. “You mean they might just sit there in silence? Yikes!”
“Hehe. If you’re that curious about them, why don’t we head back now, so you can see for yourself?”
We all nodded eagerly at Simeon’s offer.
“All right.” Simeon smiled while he inspected his basket. “So giant shadow sea cucumber cream pasta it is! We have our lunch menu.”
Luke grinned. “And no objections!”
Belphie, who’d moved to the attic to find some peace and quiet with Tinkerbell, was now glaring at Levi's disruption this time.
Levi smiled sweetly back.
It was extremely unnerving.
And annoying.
“…So.” Belphie narrowed his eyes, finally breaking the silence. “What’s all this, huh?”
“Tee-hee?”
Belphie growled. “Oh no, uh-uh. That cute and innocent act isn’t going to get you off the hook this time. I asked you a question. What is all of that behind you?”
Levi tilted his head in feigned confusion, his smile still present. “What’s all what behind me?”
Belphie slowly sat up, scowling. “You know, you’re only irritating me even more by acting like that.”
“Sowwy…”
“WHAT is with all the cardboard boxes? Those are yours, right? What’s in them?”
“Ummm…” Levi’s smile grew strained, face muscles beginning to ache. “Doujinshi?”
”Doujinshi?” Belphie frowned. “Like fan fiction, but for manga?”
“Yeah!” Levi beamed at him. “Fan fiction, just fan fiction!”
“…Why is it here?”
“Weeeell…” Levi shrugged casually. “That’s kind of a long story…”
“Whatever. Just tell me before I kill you.”
“Well, you seeeee…” Levi stepped aside to gesture at the boxes. “I’d been keeping all this in a guest room at Purgatory Hall… But then they decided to use that room as Raphael’s bedroom, so I was told I had to move it all.”
“…That wasn’t a ‘long story’ at all. Ugh, talk about a giant waste of space…”
“Yeah…” Levi picked one up with a sigh. “I’m sorry they’re in the way…”
“Wh… In the way?!” Belphie scowled again. “You’re MAKING them be in the way! Right now! In front of me!”
“Sowwy…”
“AND I was ALSO referring to YOU being a giant waste of space.”
“ME?” Levi gasped with hurt. “Hey, that’s MEAN!”
“I need to be able to use this room,” Belphie asserted tersely. “It’s one of my favourite spots. I’m sure you know that, right?”
Levi looked down at the floor sulkily. “Yes…”
“You’d better get all of this stuff out of here, Levi, or I’m not talking to you anymore.”
“Aww…”
“…Hey, Mammon!” Luke hissed at him. “Quit shoving me!”
“Like, move forward some, Chihuahua! I can’t see!”
“I’m NOT a Chihuahua!”
Simeon shook his head in exasperation. “Quiet, both of you. Do you want Raphael and Solomon to hear us?”
“There they are!” Luke gasped as he peeked into the living room from around the corner. “I see both of them!”
“For real?!” Mammon tried to claw the kid back to see for himself. “What’re they doin’?!”
“…Folding laundry.”
“Eh...?”
Simeon sighed. “Well, to be more precise, Solomon is folding laundry, but very poorly. Meanwhile, Raphael is taking that laundry and re-folding it.”
“Pffff. Oh my gooood…” I rolled my eyes. That as so Solomon.
“Pffheh!” Mammon snickered behind his hand. “You’re kiddin’ me!”
“Still…” Luke frowned. “It doesn’t seem like there’s any tension between them.”
I peeked as well, deciding I’d only trust it with my own eyes.
…While it did seem to be true that there was no tension, per-say, it kind of just looked like they weren’t acknowledging one another altogether.
Simeon laughed softly. “Well, I doubt Raphael is trying to be insulting. And even if he were, Solomon probably wouldn’t care.”
I sighed. “Or pick up on it.”
“Heehee. You said it, sweetie, not me.”
Solomon finally caught sight of us in that moment, and his face brightened. “Oh! Welcome back, guys. Decided to bring Mammon and Chise along with you, huh?”
“D’ah, they spotted us!”
But I went to Solomon with a smile.
“Please…” Raphael shook his head. “We didn’t ‘spot' you. We knew you were here the entire time. You weren’t exactly ‘stealthy’.”
“Aww, that’s no fun at all.” Luke pointed in defeat. “Simeon, I’m going to put away this stuff we bought.”
Simeon rested his fingers lightly on his back. “Okay, I’ll help you. See you later, Mammon. You too, Chise.”
“Right, whatever.” Mammon waved them away. “Go cook up somethin’ good for us.”
“Mammon!” I chided him yet again.
“So… Raphael.” He turned to him, hands on his hips. “How about you show me your room, huh?”
I sighed in exasperation.
“No.”
“Don’t say no! C’monnn.” His voice was borderline whiny, in a I-know-I’m-being-a-dick kind of way. “You never let me inside your room back in the Celestial Realm! What do you say, huh? Just a peek!”
Raphael slowly looked aside, and out the window. Ignoring him as he tuned him out.”
“Ya gotta let me see your room! YA GOTTA! YA GOTTAAAAA!”
Raphael finally threw his head back with a groan. “What are you, some kind of child?!”
“Why not let him take a look, Raphael?” Solomon cut in sweetly. “Don’t worry, I’ll fold the rest of this laundry.”
“Wait, no. Leave the laundry to–"
Mammon skipped towards the hall where the bedrooms were without invitation, snickering noisily.
Raphael sighed in defeat as he followed after him. “All right, fine.”
Mammon stopped in his tracks. “Wait, wha?”
“You want to see my room, don’t you?”
Mammon gasped, before breaking out into a trot. “YAHOOOO!”
“Dear fucking gods…” I muttered, following them both.
–
“Whoa!” Mammon rushed in the moment Raphael held the door open for us. “So this is your room, Raphael?!”
“…Don’t touch anything over there,” he ordered in a flat voice.
“What, afraid I’m gonna get my germs all over your stuff or somethin’?!”
“Well, that’s one reason.” Raphael had a bit of a glare to his expression. “But more importantly, I don’t want you breaking anything.”
“Well, in that case, I under… wait a second!” Mammon glared right back. “Whaddya mean ’that’s one reason’? The ‘germs’ thing was supposed to be a joke!”
“…Hmm.” Raphael slid his eyes over to my arm, of all things. “What do we have here? Chise, it looks like the end of your sleeve is fraying.”
“Huh...?” I blinked in surprise as I held my arm up to see for myself. “Oh, um… I guess you’re right?”
“Here.” He took my arm gently to lead me across the room. I was too surprised by that to even think about doing otherwise. “Hold your arm out like that. I’ll stitch that up for you.”
“Just… like this?” I looked at him in confusion. “…Here? Right now?”
“Mm,” he confirmed as he turned to a small box on his dresser.
–
“…All right, all done. It’s all stitched and ready to go.”
“Whoa…” Mammon squinted at it with a grin. “That’s some real impressive work! Can’t even tell”
“Thank you.” Though I was still very confused. “That was fast. You’re really good.”
“Oh, it’s just a hobby of mine, nothing more.” He closed the box that laid on his lap with a snap of its hinge. “Though I suppose I am better than most.”
“Come to think of it, you did that for me once too, huh Raphael?” Mammon turned his grin on him. “Somethin’ I was wearing got caught in a tree branch and ripped, but you sewed it up good as new in no time flat.”
“Ah yes, I remember that,” Raphael replied lightly with raised eyebrows. “As well as all the other instances."
“Welp.” Mammon looked around with a frown, clearly bored again. “I’ve seen all there is to see of Raphael’s room. What do ya say we head back out into the living room? I’m hungry!”
–
“Man, talk about boring.” Mammon sighed in disappointment as we made it back into the living room. “There was nothin’ interesting in there at all!”
“Of course not!” Raphael glared at him in irritation. “What on Earth did you expect?”
“Well, you know…” Mammon shrugged.
“…Back already?” Solomon turned his sweet smile onto us. “That was fast.”
I stopped right in my tracks, staring at him in horror.
“Wh…!” Mammon took a couple steps back. “S-S-S… Solomon…! Wh-What’s that you’ve got there…?!”
“SOLOMON!” I straight-up shouted at him. “What did you DO?!”
He was wearing oven mitts.
And holding a casserole dish.
With those oven mitts.
“Hmm?” He gave me an innocent look, blinking his lashes prettily.
“WHY WERE YOU IN THE KITCHEN, SOLOMON.”
“This isn’t our kitchen,” he reminded me, in the sweetest voice he could muster.
“SOLOMON!”
Just then, Simeon rushed in, drawn by my yelling, with Luke following in behind with a horrified gasp.
Cute confusion from Solomon in the face of my wrath. “What? You all must be hungry, right? I went ahead and made giant shadow sea cucumber cream pasta for you.”
“SIMEON!” I whirled on him in horror.
“We only left for a moment to clean up!”
“You should know better!”
“Oh gosh… What have we done…”
“Oh nooo…” Luke groaned in despair. “The ingredients we bought at the store!”
Simeon lowered his face into his hands in a defeated sigh. “We should’ve kept an eye on him…”
“You’re damn right you should’ve!” Mammon snapped at them. “Luke and Simeon, why’d you take your eyes offa him?!”
Luke glared at him. “Well, it’s not like YOU were monitoring him, now were you?!”
“That’s enough, all of you,” Raphael chided us.
Solomon giggled in delight as he laid the grenade down on a heat-resistant cork board on the dining table. “Listen to all of yooouuu! You’re so hungry that it’s made you irritable. Go on, eat! Get some food in your stomach!”
Simeon sighed. “I… think you may be misreading the situation…”
“Go ahead, Mammon,” I whispered with a nudge.
Simeon brightened hopefully. “Yes! Mammon, you should be the first to dig in.”
“HEY! Why ME?!”
“…Mmm, this is really quite good.”
We turned.
Towards him.
In shock.
Raphael.
With a fork.
Pulling its prongs from between his lips.
Swallowing the bite down.
Giving a nod of approval.
Before grabbing a plate.
And picking up the scoop that was laid out beside the casserole dish.
And heaping.
More.
On.
It.
We stared in horror.
Abject horror.
Simeon’s eyes were wide. “Wh…”
“…WHAT?!” Luke cried out in shock.
“You…” Solomon stared at him too, jaw dropped. “You… like it…?”
He frowned. “Yes?”
“Wh-Whoa, hold on!” Mammon approached carefully with palms held forward, as though he were getting ready to catch Raphael in a dead-faint.
Raphael skewered more of the ‘pasta’ onto his fork, before taking another dainty bite.
He even… chewed.
With another nod.
“Raphael, what’re… what’re you DOIN’?!”
His frown returned. “What kind of question is that? I’m eating the pasta Solomon made, as you can see.”
“You…” Solomon squeaked out, eyes going round and shiny as he pressed his hands over his heart. “Y… You…”
“I’m still not accustomed to Devildom food,” Raphael continued, “but THIS I like. The sea cucumber has a nice texture that pairs wonderfully with the cream sauce. It’s superb.”
“Ahahahaha!” Solomon nearly screeched with the jubilant laughter, the sound piercing. “Well, I’m glad you like it! As the chef, there’s no greater reward!”
I approached the casserole dish carefully.
Leaned down.
“Be careful, Chise!” Simeon hissed.
I sniffed.
“HURK Oh GODS…!” I turned with a genuine retch, pressing my palm to my belly.
“Chise!” Luke gasped as he ran to me.
“Oh, sweetie… I’ll get the antacids…”
“Wait, don’t tell me that Raphael’s lost his mind?” Luke shook his head in horror. “Could it be that… that he took a bite, blacked out, and now he’s hallucinating?!”
Death’s Door hot sauce.
“Maybe…” I swallowed down my nausea again. “Maybe he just has a REALLY unrefined palate…”
Mammon gasped. “That’s it! I just remembered somethin’! Raphael always had bad taste when it comes to food! One time back in the Celestial Realm, we played this prank, right? We switched out some of the ingredients Simeon used in his baked goods, and they turned out REAL nasty.:
Simeon sighed. “Ah, yes… I remember that.”
“But Raphael just scarfed ‘em down like they were the best thing he’d ever had! Man, it was so messed up. I couldn’t believe it.”
Luke rolled his eyes. “Well, considering it was your prank, I don’t think you get to criticize…”
“What do you think you’re doing just standing there, Luke?” Raphael tried handing him a plate. “Go on, eat. You need to eat as much as you can, you know? Or you’ll never grow up big and strong.”
“WHAT?!” Luke let go of me to back away in fear. “Y-You want me to… to EAT?!”
Raphael was looking truly puzzled now. “What’s wrong? Aren’t you hungry?”
Solomon, on the other hand, looked keen as hell.
“I-I mean, sure… but, um…!”
“Well, there’s plenty to go around!” Solomon cut in, a little too loudly. “Go on, dig in! Have as much as you want!”
“YOU AND I are going to have a long TALK, Solomon.”
Mammon swallowed at my growing rage. “Uh-oh…”
“B-But…” Solomon gave me his best puppy-dog pout. “But Raphael…!”
Who was busy trying to press a forkful of food into Luke’s mouth.
“Welp. A’ight Simeon, now's our chance.”
“Huh? Wait, wha–"
“Run the heck out of here!”
Mammon had grabbed him by the sleeve to drag him off, while I turned to Solomon, hands on my hips.
Mammon kicked Simeon’s bedroom door closed behind him, hands on his hips as he faced Simeon himself. Finally.
Simeon, however, leaned over to the side as though he could see past him, face drawn into an expression of deep concern. “Do you think Luke and Chise will be all right? We sort of ran off and let them to their fate…”
“Eh, Luke’ll live. Maybe. Solomon might not.”
“I guess that’s true…”
“Y’know though…” Mammon leaned back against the door, folding his arms in front of his chest. “This actually works out well. I’ve been waitin’ for this opportunity. Even got Chise distracted!”
Simeon slid his eyes to Mammon’s in confusion. “Really? How do you mean?”
“C’mon, don’t play dumb with me.” Mammon settled hard against the door, even crossing his legs as he dug his heels in. “You know why me and Chise came to see you, right? I think it’s time we stop playin’ around and have a talk, Simeon. A REAL talk…”
Simeon looked him up and down. “Hmm… seems you’ve got me cornered. Without Chise, it seems, despite having come here together for the same reason?”
Mammon snorted. “You know she’s too soft on ya, so this little chat’s gonna be kept just between the two of us. So I hope you’re ready, Simeon. ‘Cause I’m gonna get the truth outta you. Every last bit of it!”
Simeon shook his head grimly. “…I’d love to help you, Mammon. But I’m afraid I have no idea what you’re asking me.”
“C’mon, yeah ya do! There’s been a lotta weird stuff goin’ on, so much that I can’t even keep track of it all! First you show up in the human world outta nowhere and decide to start a café. Then suddenly we’ve got Raphael on the exchange program. And you say you’re here on some sorta short-term exchange or somethin’, is that right?”
“That’s right…”
“Oh yeah? Funny, ‘cause I read a certain letter that kinda suggested otherwise. So even you comin’ back to the Devildom is fishy, too!”
Simeon cleared his throat. “Well, you see…”
Mammon growled in his throat in irritation. “If you feed me some story about how you came for the sports festival or somethin’, I’m gonna knock ya into next week!”
He smiled sadly. “That is what I was going to say, yes…”
Mammon lowered his voice into a more serious tone. “I can tell Lucifer and the others are really worried about you, and that’s plenty weird, too. I never see you by yourself at RAD anymore, y’know?”
“Really?” Simeon laughed softly, breathily. “Well, it’s hard being so popular…”
“But when I saw what happened with the chimera, that’s when I KNEW somethin’ was up. You didn’t use your angel’s blessing to defend yourself when it charged you.”
“Mammon…”
Mammon held up his hand. "Let me rephrase that. It’s not that ya DIDN’T use your powers. It’s that you COULDN’T. Isn’t that right?”
After a moment of silence from Simeon’s side in the face of the accusation, he could only swallow, his eyes lowering to the floor.
“Well?” Mammon pressed. “Answer me, Simeon!”
“You don’t need to shout, Mammon,” Simeon finally answered in a quiet voice. “I can hear you just fine.” He sighed. “You’re… right. I’m no longer qualified to use the angel’s blessing.”
Mammon’s jaw dropped. “You’re no longer… qualified? What’s THAT supposed to mean?” He growled in his throat again. “Does this have somethin’ to do with Michael?! That son of a… what’d he do?!”
“Please…” Simeon said in a strained whisper.
“…Does Chise know?”
Simeon closed his eyes with another sigh, one of resignation.
“C’mon, Simeon! Say somethin’! Don’t make me pull her in here for this, man!”
“It’s not that I can’t tell you what’s going on,” he finally spoke again, voice still quiet. “It’s simply that… I’m still trying to process things. So please, I’d like a little more time… More time to tell Chise, too…”
Mammon pressed his lips into a flat line, glaring as he considered.
Simeon gave him a small, pained smile. “I can tell that you’re concerned about me, though. And I appreciate it. Thank you, Mammon.”
“Hrmph. It’s not like that,” Mammon muttered self-consciously as he glanced aside. “Pff, like I’d be concerned about YOU. Pff. Pff. Don’t make me laugh. It’s just that Lucifer and Lord Diavolo know somethin’, but they’re not talking. And I don’t like how they’re bein’ all secretive about it.”
“I’ll tell you what’s going on when the time is right.” Simeon swallowed again, trying to keep the desperation out of his words, out of his voice. “So, if you could just be patient until then…”
“…If I get Chise comin’ crying into my arms again, you ain’t gonna hear the end of it. Got it?”
“Chise crying in…?” Simeon blinked in surprised. "...Wait. Does she do that often?"
He shrugged. “Sometimes. It’s either me or Asmo. Asmo for relationship advice I guess, but she goes to the Great Mammon for the bigger stuff, of course." He grunted with a frown. "And Lucifer for some of the dumb political stuff, maybe… I suppose… But you bet your ass it's mostly me! Capeesh?!”
“Of… course…”
“…Look. She talks to the people that–"
Mammon suddenly jumped forward with a yelp as the door he was leaning against abruptly slammed up against him.
“SIMEOOOOON!”
Simeon had jumped in surprise too. “Luke?!”
"MAMMON."
“Uh-oh…”
“MAMMON.” I kicked the door from behind Luke.
“Yikes…!”
I immediately grabbed him by his collar before he could dart out of the room. “GET your ass out of here. What were you doing just now?! Simeon…”
“Aha, it’s all right, sweetheart.” Simeon rubbed the back of his neck with a soft laugh of amusement. “It seemed like the situation in the living room was getting a bit… heh. Volatile?”
“You used us to distract Solomon and Raphael!” Luke scolded him. “And then ran off while they both weren’t looking, didn’t you?!”
“Oh, Chihuahua.” Mammon raised his eyebrows at him innocently. “Didn’t realize you’d survived.”
“Gr… YES I survived! And I’m NOT a Chihuahua!”
Simeon gave him a guilty smile. “Still, I’m glad to see that you’re okay. Wonderful.”
“WONDERFUL?! There’s nothing wonderful about it, Simeon!”
"Mammon?" I glared up at him.
“Aww… Babe’s mad… Fun’s over…”
“We’re going home,” I growled, as I dragged him out. “Since you can’t behave yourself.”
“WHA!? But what about the take ouuuut…”
“Consider it my treat!” I called over my shoulder to the other two. “Since you bought groceries anyway…”
“Oh, Chise, there’s no need–"
“THANKS, CHISE!” Luke cut in quickly.
“But meeeee!”
“We’ll get together soon when Mammon ISN’T around, Simeon!”
“Aha… Looking forward to it, sweetie.”
“But what about food for meeeee…”
"Come, Mammon."
He yelped as he stumbled forward at the compelling command.
Beel hesitantly peeked into the kitchen at the sound of the sizzling oil. “Chise? So, you’re back. Hello.”
I brightened with a grin. “BEEL! Hi, honey!”
He smiled too as he came to me – while sniffing the air, of course. “Something smells good. What are you making? Wait, don’t tell me. You’re making pancakes, aren’t you?”
I laughed with an amused nod. “Yep. Mammon needs to be fed, so…”
He raised his eyebrows. “He needs to be fed? Almost sounds like he’s your pet.”
I sighed as I went back to nudging at the edge of a pancake with my spatula, checking the corners. “It really does, doesn’t it?”
“I heard that you went to Purgatory Hall with Mammon, and ended up missing lunch. That’s too bad.”
“It wasn’t that big of a deal.” I shook my head. “We’d stopped for tacos along the way anyway. He’s just being dramatic.”
“Tacos?”
“Hehe.” I smiled up at him knowingly. “They were great. Ask Mammon, he’ll tell you where to find them. He thought of you. But you’re right, I was really hoping to eat Simeon’s cooking, too.”
“Simeon’s cooking… mmm.” Beel pressed a hand over his stomach. “Just the thought of it is making me hungry. But I guess maybe going hungry is better than having to eat Solomon’s food.”
“You’ve got that goddamn right,” I muttered darkly.
“Um, so…” He shifted from foot to foot. “Are some of those pancakes going to be for me, too?”
“Oh, Beel.” I returned to grinning. “I know that I can’t make pancakes under this roof without throwing some your way.”
He leaned over the bowl. “Did you make sure to stir the batter well? Because I feel like it could use a little more stirring.”
I frowned. “Well, go ahead and stir it, but…”
“Also, did you add enough milk? And did you use fresh eggs?” He prodded at the batter with my spoon. “You’d better make sure to sift the flour really well, too.”
“…Beel, what’s wrong?”
He paused mid-stir with a blink, coming back to himself. Before his face was touched by a bit of an expression of sorrow. “Sorry… I guess I’m acting kind of weird, huh?”
I switched my spatula to my other hand so that I could touch his arm. “A bit…”
Both of the twins had been kind of mopey. Were they feeding off of my own mood lately…? I really hoped not. I didn’t want to hurt them through this connection.
“It’s just that… those pancakes are for Mammon, right?” He looked a little ashamed. “And when I saw how good they look, and how hard you’re working on them, even though they’re for someone else, it made me sad.” He gave me a worried look. “Pretty childish, huh? Are you surprised? Because honestly, I’m sort of surprised myself.”
…Maybe he was feeding off of Belphie, actually. Belphie was certainly… more childish, despite his smarts. Churlish in his spoiled youngest brother way. Honestly, when they’d been named demons by the Demon King, Belphie would definitely have been in second running in being named Envy. I was actually quite certain that it may have been a close call.
“It’s okay, Beel. You can’t help how you feel.” I touched his arm again while I moved the current batch of pancakes over to the warmed plate. “It’s what we do with those feelings that matter. Thanks for telling me.”
He sighed as he picked up the bowl of batter to move it closer to me, absently helping. “I guess that when it comes to you, I get worked up really easily. Even more than I realized.”
I doused the pan in oil again before pouring three big spoonfuls of batter. I liked to basically deep-fry them so they were super crispy on the edges, and fluffy inside. Beel loved my pancakes. I smiled to myself as I worked. “You know what, we should go on a date soon. It’s been a while!”
“Yeah…” He smiled shyly as he absently stole a fresh, already-completed pancake, making me laugh under my breath.. “Yeah, we should… I’d like that so much.”
“Aaaaand…” I looked up at him with yet another grin. “Don’t you dare worry, Beel. Because I did NOT forget about you.”
He shifted in place again with a small little chew of his lip, pancake held. “…Really?” A big, anxious bite of it.
I was snickering quietly as I reached for the oven mitts.
“Chise, what are you taking out…” He gasped.
“Nyehehe…” I presented my prize.
“No way!” His eyes went wide, and his voice was filled with wonder. “Is that… is that…”
“LOBSTER!”
“Lobster…?!” He stared at it in disbelief for a moment, before his eyes flew up to mine. “Wait, is that for me?! Did you buy it while you were at the market today?”
I laughed heartily as I stood back up from putting it back in . “You’re damn right. You know I don’t like lobster, so who else would it be for?!”
He threw his arms around me, taking me up in a big bear hug. “Thank you, Chise! I LOVE lobster!”
I smiled as I nuzzled into his arm sweater. “I know. I’m ALWAYS thinking about you, sweetie. Never, ever doubt that, even if I’m not right beside you.”
He beamed at me. "You’re the sweetie. Oh, shoot, sorry for hugging you out of nowhere like that.” He let me drop gently, smiling sheepishly. “I just couldn’t help it. Quick, you’d better flip those…”
“Ooooops!” A spun around to quickly do just that. “Aww, man. Not a great batch.”
“I’ll still eat them.” He took a step closer behind me to rest his chin on my shoulder to watch, his usual drooling position. I loved it. “Did it bother you?”
“Hm? Did what bother me?”
“Hugging you so suddenly.”
“Beel…” I turned my face to him with happy sigh. “Hugs are great, but I’d rather a kiss right now.”
“Mm…” He turned his face towards me too, chin pivoting, eyes closing, to meet my lips.
It was a sweet, light kiss, though always full-lipped. He had such beautiful, full lips. I sighed happily again as I nuzzled his nose gently.
He was blushing as he gazed into my eyes with his own purple-pink. “So even though we were apart, you thought of me, and made a point to buy me lobster… I had it all wrong. You’re always thinking of me…”
“Always, my love…” I touched his cheek, lifting my voice in the light tune. “I wanna eat pancakes for dinner, I wanna get stuck in your head…”
His eyes went glossy. “I wanna watch a T.V. show together, and when we're under the weather we can watch it in bed…”
I giggled. "I wanna go out on the weekends…”
He tilted his head down with a deeper blush, and a shyer smile. "I wanna dress up just to get undressed…”
I kissed his nose. “My sweet Beel…”
He reached around to tenderly brush a strand of my hair back from my face. Not usually something he thought of to do, to be honest, so I treasured the thought. “Well, it’s the same with me. You’re always on my mind. I love you, Chise…”
“Give me one second here,” I whispered, before turning to move the current batch of overdone pancakes onto the plate; an action he thoroughly approved of and intuitively understood, to wait patiently for the task to be completed so that I could turn back to him. I set the spatula down, and did just that, unseating his chin while I stretched out my arms. “Okay. I’m ready for another hug, and another kiss. And then I’m going to tell you that I love you too. I’m going to tell you that I love you very, very much.”
He sighed happily with a sweet smile, eyes soft as he gathered me back up to him, stronger and secure against him. Looking at me for a moment, before tilting his head to kiss me again.
“I love you too,” I whispered when the kiss broke slightly. “Very, very much.”
“Very, very much,” he repeated softly. “Forever and ever… I’m so glad I came to talk to you, Chise…”
And then he kissed me for the third time. Deeply.
“MAN these are good!” Mammon grinned from ear to ear as he stabbed his fork into another syrup-soaked deep-fried pancake. “They’re CRAZY good! Nothin’ beats Chise’s pancakes hot off the griddle! Nice job, Chise! I’m impressed! You make a great servant!”
I raised my eyebrows at him in disapproval. “I didn’t hear a 'thank you’, mister…”
He smirked at me. “THANK YOUUU! I’ll say it as many times as ya want! Thanks a million, Chise! You’re the BEST!”
“…Mammon, quit gorgingk yourshelf,” Beel chided with a mouth full to the brim with his own current syrup-and-lobster topped pancake.
“Hey, I don’t wanna hear it from you!” Mammon shot back as he pointed his fork at him. “You’re ALWAYS gorgin’ yourself!”
Beel swallowed down the whole thing in an audible gulp. “By the way, Mammon. I hear a bunch of student council work has been piling up lately.”
“Eh?” He shrugged. “Whatever, like I care.”
Beel shook his head with a sigh of exasperation. “You’ve been avoiding your responsibilities again, huh?”
I snickered behind my own politely-cut triangle of syrup-soaked pancake. I loved it when Beel got bossy.
“Shut it, Beel!” Mammon growled at him. “I mean, what’ve YOU been doin’, huh?!”
Beel shrugged as he looked down at his plate innocently. “I’ve been busy with club activities.”
“Oh yeah? Sounds to me like YOU’VE been avoidin’ your responsibilities, too!”
“No, it’s totally different in my case,” Beel said seriously. “First of all–“
We all yelped and shrieked in shock and alarm, my plate on my lap tipping straight over onto the rug as my arms flew to my sides to grip the couch’s arm and back cushion.
We stared at each other, hearts pounding as what had felt like an earthquake that had physically rocked the room abruptly ceased. A textbook that had evidently been precariously placed on the nearby desk belatedly fell to the floor with a slam, making us jump again.
“…WH-WHAT WAS THAT?!” Mammon finally asked for us.
We heard yelling.
I got up and hurried out, syrup-y plate forgotten on the floor.
I skidded to a sudden halt, jaw dropping.
“Wh…!” Mammon gawked at the dust-and-debris-filled room in perplexed shock as he came up behind me. “Wh… Wh-wh-wh…! WHAT HAPPENED IN HERE?!”
“So, that explosion we heard just now came from here…” Beel peered into the room with a frown.
As the dust began to settle, we made out the shape of Lucifer standing in the middle of the ruined room, arms crossed.
“…Yo, Beel,” Mammon whispered loudly. “Ask Lucifer what happened.”
Beel shook his head nervously. “Why don’t you ask him yourself?”
“‘Cause of the way he’s grimacing, that’s why! No WAY am I gonna ask him when he’s got THAT look on his face! Whatever, forget it. Obviously I can’t count on you, Beel. Chise, you ask him!”
I came back to myself with a belatedly shocked gasp. “Lucifer, what HAPPENED?!”
“See? CHISE’S got balls.”
Beel rolled his eyes.
“…Mammon,” Lucifer finally spoke, voice calm in a sinisterly calm way. “Arrange to have someone come in and repair all this.”
Mammon straightened in surprise. “Me?! Why do I have to… Why… hey! Don’t just walk away!”
”Lucifer!” I called after him.
“…Yikes, what happened here?” I heard Levi’s voice coming up from behind. I glanced over my shoulder. He approached nervously, hands in his pockets, with Asmo and Belphie close behind. “Some kind of explosion? Did a bunch of normies spontaneously combust?”
I sighed in irritation.
“Woooow!” Asmo stopped too once he got close enough to take in the sight, eyes going wide. “They really went at it this time, huh?”
“Wh…” My eyes widened in alarm. "They?!”
Belphie nodded. “I just passed Satan on my way here, and wow. You should’ve seen the look on his face. Does it have something to do with the explosion I heard?”
Beel sighed. “So, Lucifer and Satan had another fight…”
“Oh gods…” I whispered.
“Why’re y’all actin’ so surprised? I mean, when AREN’T they fightin’?”
Asmo tsked in annoyance as he looked back and forth to assess the damage. “Honestly, if they’re going to fight, they could at least do it outside. I was worried that something serious had happened…”
Levi shrugged as he turned. “Well, what can you do, right? Time to get back to gaming. I’ll be in my room.”
Belphie turned too. “Mammon, see to it that all this gets repaired.”
“Wh… HEY! Why does everyone expect ME to do it?!”
Satan: On our relationship. On our trust.
Satan: Do not summon me.
Satan: I love you…
My eyes filled with tears as I stared at my D.D.D. screen. “Oh gods oh gods… Mammon, please, just…”
He turned to me in surprise at the panic in my voice. “Chees…?”
“Please, please…” I had turned, stumbling, jamming my finger on the call button next to Satan’s name. “Please pick up…”
Chise: What did you do?! Where did he go!
Lucifer: Me?
Lucifer: I did nothing.
Chise: BULLSHIT!
Notes:
Haha why did I suddenly tear up when I wrote Satan’s texts? Like, I’m dead serious. I choked up.
Chapter 20: Intermission: Keep Chise Smiling
Notes:
There is a 2 week time skip in-game, and I’m not having any of that missed-out opportunity. So we’re doing a bunch of intermissions.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Day 2
"Hey, I heard something from Simeon…” Luke fidgeted as he looked between us. “Is it true that Satan left home and hasn’t returned?”
Beel glanced at me. “Yeah, it’s true.”
Solomon frowned with a tilt of his head. “Why? Did he and Lucifer get into a huge fight or something?”
“Yeah. I didn’t actually see them fight, but we saw the aftermath.” Beel sighed. “They destroyed the living room. The boring one, anyway.”
Luke’s eyes went round. “They destroyed it? Wow, that must have been one serious fight… So, where’s Satan now?”
Beel glanced at me again. “Dunno…”
I was pointedly looking at the wall, face stony.
“You don’t know?” Luke blinked. “But he’s your brother…”
Solomon followed Beel’s glance. “Chise? Are you all right?”
Still staring at the wall, I shook my head.
And then, after a moment, as they all watched quietly, I stood up and left the room. Wiping my eyes on my sleeve as I headed to the bathroom.
Chise: Please answer my texts…
Chise: Satan, please.
Chise: Where are you…?
Day 4
“Shouldn’t we do something…?” Luke whispered to the others as he glanced worriedly at her back. “She’s just been sitting there at the front of our classes together…”
Beel nodded. “She just goes home and either studies or goes to her room. Or both.”
Solomon sighed as he tapped the end of his pencil on his own desk.
“Stop that,” Luke muttered with a frown. “You’re just making me feel even more on edge, you know.”
“Ah, sorry…”
Simeon sighed next as he rested his palm on top of Luke’s head. “You’re a very good angel, Luke. And you’re right. Wherever Satan might be, it’s Chise who’s been left behind for us to take care of.”
“Exactly!” Luke gasped. “That’s the perfect way to put it!”
Beel nodded again. “Since we don’t know where Satan is and he won’t respond to any of us, I think all we can do is make sure that Chise is okay until he gets back.”
“How about you, Mammon?” Simeon glanced at him with a touch of hesitation. “Has she… talked to you at all?”
If I get Chise comin’ crying into my arms again…
But Mammon, feet kicked up on his desk with arms crossed and lips pressed flat, just shook his head silently.
“Well then, Luke.” Simeon turned back to the boy with a small, pained smile, trying quite unsuccessfully to hide his worry, but no one seemed inclined to call him out on it. “Do you have any ideas on how you would like to try cheering her up?”
“Umm…” Luke chewed on his lip for a moment as he looked down, hands bunched into fists on his lap. “Errr…”
“Each of us should try to make her smile,” Mammon finally muttered, still staring straight ahead at her back. “Every day.”
“Yeah!” Luke nodded his agreement. “If we all come up with something for every day, she’ll know she’s cared about by ALL of us!”
Beel smiled. “Yeah. I’ll tell my brothers to think about what they want to do, too.”
“Ah, Luke…” Simeon pulled him into a tight hug, pride swelling in his heart. “You’re such a good boy.”
“HEY! Simeon, let go! And don’t call me boy! I’m NOT a child, you know!”
Solomon smiled weakly.
Mammon gave a single nod, with a meaningful glance at the adults. “She don’t talk it out in groups. So mix it up, will ya?”
Simeon nodded quietly.
“I-I’m going to bake her a cake!” Luke announced with a blush.
“Cake sounds very nice…” Beel agreed. “But what if she says no to spending time with us and just keeps going to her room…?”
“Then I’ll… I’ll ask Barbatos for help to make her go! Because I don’t think I’ve EVER seen her say no to Barbatos…”
Simeon laughed with a shake of his head. “No, I don’t think I’ve ever seen that either.”
“I’ll take her out for a big meal,” Beel said seriously. “Um, also, can I try the cake you bake with her, Luke?”
“It’s going to be CHISE’S cake, Beelzebub!”
“Hehe…” Simeon’s eyes gleamed fondly. “That’s very like the two of you.”
Luke gave a single firm, decisive nod. “We’ll call it ‘Operation: Keep Chise Smiling!’”
Barbatos gave me a bow from his waist. “Welcome to the Demon Lord’s Castle, Chise. This way, if you please.”
I laughed softly at the formality as I dipped into my horrible curtsy in response. “Why thank you very much, Barbatos. It was a pleasure to be invited.”
He chuckled as he stepped to the side to gesture.
“Chise!” Luke squeaked in delight as he ran to me. “You came! We’ve been waiting for you!”
“Oh?” I raised my eyebrows. “Simeon too! You don’t usually join their baking lessons, do you?”
He shook his head with a smile. “No, but when I heard that you were coming along today, how could I not partake in the end-result spoils?”
Luke bounced on his heels. “This isn’t really a baking lesson anyway. Umm, sort of…” He glanced at Barbatos guiltily. “I mean, Barbatos will be there! Anyway, this is perfect. We’re going to make this a sampling party for the new cake that Barbatos taught me how to make! Chise you’ve absolutely GOT to try it!”
I hummed as I ruffled his hair. “I’ve been looking forward to it. Thanks for inviting me.”
“Hehe. Me too!” He beamed at me. “I’m glad you said yes.”
“How could I say no to both you and Barbatos?”
“EXACTLY!” Luke nodded seriously. “Okay, I’m going to make it, so please wait here for a bit.”
“Oh?” I smiled at him, and raised my eyes in amusement at his ’yesss'. “How about we make it together instead? Barbatos taught you, you can teach me.”
“All right!” His eyes sparkled. “I’m sure it’ll be more fun that way!”
“You’ll be there,” I said softly to Barbatos. Not a question.
He dipped his head. “Yes. It will be lovely to spend time with you as well.”
“And you, Sim?” I smiled hopefully at him too.
“Did you all plan on leaving me out here by myself?” Simeon tsked good-naturedly. “Of course! I’ll just come watch from the sidelines, though. Too many cooks in the kitchen and all that.”
–
It was… nicer, to be around the calm ones. I mean, Luke was bouncing around like an energetic bunny, but that was nothing compared to the chaos of the House of Lamentation. Especially right now, where I was being ruthlessly hounded.
Barbatos and Simeon were a soothing presence. The kitchen as a room hummed with the noise of the electricity running through the appliances, and the oven ticked now to keep its heat even, but was quiet and bright. And Luke wasn’t even terribly noisy with the supplies he was pulling out from the cupboards.
“Ingredients, check!” he said to himself in approval. “Utensils, check! Preparations are perfect!” He turned to me with a serious look. “Have you washed your hands, Chise?”
I laughed softly. “I’ll go wash them again, just in case.”
“Good idea! Better safe than sorry!” He turned back to his organized arrangement with a nod as I ran the water nearby. “Right. Let’s start baking! First, we need to measure all the ingredients. A rough estimate is fine for regular meals but not for cake baking!”
I nodded as I sidled back over while drying off my hands. “The most common life-application of chemistry.”
Barbatos smiled at that from across the island. “Well put.”
Luke nodded seriously again. “We’ve got to be careful about that when you’re baking by yourself!”
“Will do,” I agreed, just as seriously, as though this were my first rodeo. It made Barbatos and Simeon smile, anyway, as I took to my role as student.
“Good answer!”
“Shall I help as well, Luke?” Barbatos asked softly.
“No, it’s fine!” Luke replied quickly. “I can do this by myself! You just stand there and watch.”
Barbatos flicked his eyes to mine briefly. “I do hope that’s the case.”
I hummed as I stepped closer to Luke. A difficult recipe, then.
–
“Okay, I’ve finished mixing the dough,” he announced.
Barbatos cleared his throat as he leaned over. “Luke, there are still bits of powder in the bowl.”
“Next, I’ve got to add this almond powder…”
“Ah, no, Luke!” Barbatos’ eyes widened a bit. “You have to put the syrup in first.”
“Ugh!” Luke finally gave up trying to ignore him, cheeks turning pink. “Stop fretting! I can handle this, so please just wait outside!”
“But Luke, that powder–"
“It’s FINE!”
Barbatos hesitated, and then sighed in resignation. With a regretful glance in my direction, he clasped his hands behind his back, before removing himself from the room.
“Oh…” I, too, felt a pang of regret at his absence.
“Luuuke…” Simeon chided in quiet disapproval. “I’m going to keep him company, Chise.”
“Luke,” I said quietly as well. “Are you sure about this?”
“You too, Chise…?” He pouted self-consciously. “You don’t need to worry!”
“But Barbatos looked quite–"
“All that’s left is to put it in the oven. Hmm, it’s a pity, though. It would have been more authentic to bake it in a kiln.”
“Hi!”
“What the f–!” I spun around with wide eyes.
Solomon was peeking in with a grin. “How are things going, Luke?”
“Oh, Solomon!” Luke eyed him up and down, before determining that yes, Solomon had indeed stopped at the threshold of the kitchen to wait to be invited if we chose to do so. He sighed as he relaxed a bit. “We’re making progress, but I was just saying that I wish we had a kiln…”
“Is that all?” Solomon’s expression turned even more keen. “Leave it to me!”
Luke frowned in confusion. “Huh?”
“You need a kiln, right?” He took a step in. I narrowed my eyes. “It’s simple! I’ll just whip one up with magic.”
“You can DO that?!”
“Indeed… Behold!” He snapped his fingers with a grin.
I narrowed my eyes further as I carefully studied the thing, while Luke openly gawked. “Did you steal that, Solomon?”
“Steal?” He blinked innocently. “No way! I mean, I plan on returning it!”
“W-Wow…!” Luke whispered in awe. “You really conjured a kiln!”
“Borrowed, but yes! …I definitely did NOT steal a kiln from one of RAD’s kitchens!”
I sighed in exasperation, and then I found myself laughing with a shake of my head. “That’s our Solomon.”
He laughed too with a wink in my direction. “I’m just doing what’s necessary to eat Luke’s delicious cake.”
“Hehe.” Luke brightened up. “You’re going to love it! I’m sure we’ll be able to make the perfect cake now! Let’s go ahead and bake it, Chise!”
“Great!” I smiled. “Now get out of the kitchen, Solomon!”
“Oh…” Solomon pouted with a batting of his lashes. “I thought I could maybe–"
"Out, Solomon.”
“Okaaaay…”
–
Simeon poked his head in to check on us, with Solomon behind him. “Hey! How are things going?”
I nodded to him. “We’re baking it right now.”
“So it’s almost done?” Simeon slid his eyes to Luke. “Barbatos has been looking a little dejected since you chased him out of the kitchen…”
Luke gave him a petulant look. “Look, he was being a backseat chef. I can do this by myself.”
“Haha!” Solomon laughed in delight. “Is that why he’s sulking out there? Barbatos loves to dote on you, Luke.”
Luke pouted with a frown. “That does not make me happy!”
“Mmm. Something smells good.” Simeon nodded at the kiln as our timer went off. “I take it that it’s ready?”
“Yeah!” Luke grabbed the oven mitts off of the counter and spun around in excitement. “I’m sure it’ll be delici–"
…It exploded.
I mean, it was a small explosion, but the moment he opened the kiln door, there was an uncomfortably loud bang, and a flash of bright light. I yelped as I immediately grabbed Luke to me from behind to pull him back.
“WAAAAH!” Luke scrambled back against me in horror. “What HAPPENED?!”
–
Luke sighed sadly as we all considered the very large lump of charcoal on the cake platter in the dining room.
“Cheer up, Luke,” Solomon said lightly in comfort.
“Yes,” Simeon agreed with a kind smile. “This sort of thing happens all the time.”
Luke glared at him. “You’re saying kilns explode all the time?!” He sighed again. “And I even invited Chise… All I wanted was to make a delicious cake for you… Who’d have thought that I’d produce a charred black lump…”
“Aww, Luke.” I grinned as I hugged him to me. “It was fun making it. I got to spend time with you.”
He looked down with a blush. “…Thank you, Chise. It’s nice of you to say that.”
“I heard a loud noise just now…”
“Oh!” I turned my head in surprise. “Diavolo…”
“Hm? Diavolo?” Solomon raised his eyebrows in amusement. “Didn’t you have a meeting today?”
Diavolo lit up with a beaming smile. “Yes, but I heard that Luke was baking in the castle, so I hurried back!”
Barbatos shook his head with wide eyes as he followed his Lord in, evidently having gone to greet him inside. “Whatever happened, Luke? What is that black lump on the table?”
“Well…” Luke hunched his shoulders in shame. “Solomon conjured a kiln for me with magic. But when I put the dough inside, it exploded…”
“…I see.” Barbatos gave a slow nod in understanding. “Most likely you used the wrong type of powder for the dough. Some combinations prevent the dough from riding, others cause it to rise too much. Others are… incompatible.”
“Oh no…” Luke sighed as he slumped further.
Barbatos gave him a kind smile. “It happens.”
I grinned as I nudged at the poor boy. “Hey, it’s a little burned, but I’m sure it still tastes okay!”
“Wh…” He frowned at me. “Chise, you don’t have to keep trying to make me feel better…”
But I was already giggling as I approached the cake.
“Don’t tell me you’re going to try and eat it?!”
Solomon sighed. “We won’t hold it against you, so please don’t.”
I cracked open the black crust, leaning down to squint inside.
“Chise, no!” Luke hurriedly came to my side, before stopping to look down at it with me. “…Huh? There’s something inside?”
Barbatos came too, considering it with a tilt of his head over my shoulder. “…It looks almost like a galette pastry.”
“A what?”
I kept up my grinning as I pulled the whole thing in half. “Look! If you remove the burnt outer layer, it actually looks pretty appetizing!”
“W-Wait!” Luke tugged on my sleeve. “I should try it first! Just in case!”
“Oh, Luke, maybe I should–"
He pulled out a piece, and put it to his tongue with a concentrated frown.
I sighed in amused defeat. “Well, how is it?”
He looked down in disbelief. “…It’s good.”
Barbatos raised his eyebrows. “Truly?”
“YES!” Luke spun with a bright smile. “Give it a try, you guys! It’s not what I was going for, but it’s still pretty good!”
Simeon laughed. It kind of sounded like one of relief. “I’m glad to see your smile is back, Luke.”
“Indeed,” Solomon agreed with a smile of his own.
Diavolo chuckled as he strode over next. “Then, I’ll try some too.”
Barbatos pushed a piece between his lips, and then gave a surprised nod of approval. “It’s delicious. A job well done, Luke.”
“Yeah!” He looked up at me, eyes gleaming. “Please have as much as you want, Chise!”
I laughed, rather hard, while I grinned down at him. “Thank you so much, Luke. I guess you have your very own special recipe now!”
Barbatos chuckled in amusement. “If it is repeatable?”
Luke winced. “Y-Yeah! Sure! I’ll… try…!”
“Are you sure it’s okay that you didn’t go back to Purgatory Hall with Luke…?” I asked Simeon as we strolled through a park together, hand in hand.
He gave mine a squeeze. “Of course. Solomon’s with him, and Raphael is home. He’ll be fine. Right now, I’m worried about you, sweetie.”
"Ah..." I looked down at our feet as we walked. I kept my voice light. Neutral. "Been worried about me, huh?"
"Of course," he returned quietly. "Your pain is plain on your face."
I shook my head. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you."
“We haven't really talked in a while, and we’re finally alone. I'd really like to catch up." He smiled again. "I have to say... You and Barbatos appear to get on quite well these days. There were quite a few ‘shy’ glances that were shared back there."
"Oh, um..." I turned my head to hide my blush. "Things, uh... Yes. Um..."
"Pff..." He laughed at my fumbling reaction. "You don't have to be embarrassed. The two of you have kept it pretty quiet so far, but latelyyy..."
I was beet red as I peeked up at him from the corner of my eye.
"Ohhh..." He touched his lips with his fingers, trying to hide his slyer smile. "I seeee..."
"I didn't say anything," I protested sulkily.
"Hehe. I honestly wondered if you two... Oh, but um, not that I, ah, think about such a thing often or anything! ...Or at all, in fact!" He winced, red in the face himself now. "Oh dear..."
"Now who's the embarrassed one," I muttered with a smirk of my own.
He smiled guiltily. "Sorry. Not my business."
I shook my head. "...I wondered too. But don't you DARE tell anyone I said that! Especially Solomon..."
He had burst out laughing. "That stays between you and me."
"Aaanyway..." I ducked my head awkwardly again. "I know you didn't bring me here to talk about THAT. Why did you choose RAD's grounds to walk around? There were closer parks."
“I wanted to go a little further away from both dorms so that we wouldn’t be disturbed. Though that’s not the only reason…” He smiled kindly at me as he stopped us. “And it just so happens that we're here for that other reason. Do you remember this bench, Chise...?"
I looked down at it with a frown. "...Well, we've sat on it before."
He nodded as he took both my hands now, to lower us down to sit together. "Do you remember this spot?"
"Oh..." I let out a small laugh, smiling shyly as one of my hands left his to press my fingers to the center of my collarbone. "You gave me your feather here."
He nodded again. "After the play."
"When you then asked me to go with you..."
"To be with you." He reached to tuck my hair behind my ear. "Wherever we ended up. Celestial Realm, the human world... Wherever we found ourselves, as long we were together."
"And this is where I firmly rejected that offer," I reminded him sternly with a raising of my eyebrows, though my tone was entirely teasing.
He laughed, with a touch of mischief in his eyes. "It seems that I'm not one who's keen on being told what to do after all."
"Well..." I looked aside with a smile. "You and me both."
"It's so good to see you smile."
"It's so good to be here with you again."
He nodded as his gaze swept across the courtyard around us. "Being here is different now. A lot has changed in such a short time. But I still have you. As long as that doesn't change, I'm more than content. Happy, even. Very happy."
"Simeon..."
He leaned as he turned, and kissed me sweetly.
I almost cried right there as I dropped his hand to lift mine to his cheek. His drifted up my waist, before curving around to pull me closer, deepening the kiss. Steady, and gentle. An anchore. A lifeline.
I clung to him as I shuddered in a breath between one to the next, and kissed, kissed back, hoping that I was offering him the same spark of unwavering comfort. That I was there for him, too, when he needed me.
"Chise..." he whispered against my lips. "He'll come back."
The tears finally rolled down my cheeks as his words made me confront what I tried so hard to shy away from in my mind.
My next breath shuddered as I looked at him miserably.
His other arm came around my other side, and he slowly pulled me into his lap. I curled there, my fingers curled in his shirt while I tucked my head under his chin with a quiet sob. He cupped the back of my head, stroking my hair lightly with his thumb, while his other arm kept itself wrapped around me to hold me close to him.
His touch. His scent, his warmth.
He was mine.
"I missed this..." he whispered, as I began to shake in his arms. "Missed you... Missed being here... My sweetest heart. I love you, and always will."
I nodded as I let out a louder sob, choking on it, before giving up on holding it in entitely.
I turned my face into his vest, and wept.
He rocked me to him, while gently rubbing my back.
Chise: I just want to know where you are.
Chise: I just want to know that you’re safe.
Chise: Please. I miss you.
"I thought I would find you here," Solomon called out quietly into the night, his voice accompanied by a soft crunch as he stepped over the gravel that lined the walkway. "You've had quite the long week, huh?"
"Yes."
“Bet it was nice to see Chise.” Solomon closed the gap to lean on the thick half-wall divider of the garden, looking out over the rolling hills of squat Depravity Fruit trees that were planted in tidy rows. The Devildom equivalent to a human world vineyard.
With Barbatos sat higher on top of the wall, with his knees drawn to his chest, hugging them to himself. He glanced down at the sorcerer. “You have left Simeon alone? Are you sure that is wise?”
Solomon gave a strained smile. “He's with Chise right now. He’ll walk her home like a gentleman, and then Lucifer agreed to ‘subtly’ walk him back to Purgatory Hall once she’s inside.”
Barbatos gave a nod. “Of course.”
“You don’t approve of him hiding this either?”
“Oh, is that how it appears?” Barbatos shook his head. “I am furthest from it being any of my business. And I hide much. I do try to avoid the pitfalls of hypocrisy where I can.”
“You know where he is, don’t you? Satan, I mean.”
“I cannot say.”
Solomon rolled his eyes at the very specific wording of that short response. “Honestly, your vagueness is often an answer in itself, did you know that?”
“Yes, I’m aware.”
“Incorrigible…” Solomon muttered. "So..."
Barbatos glanced at him.
Solomon sighed. "Well, word has traveled 'through the grapevine', so to speak. You've... finally been intimate with Chise, have you? That took long enough, huh?"
Barbatos scoffed in deep offense. "This is not a conversation I want to have with you, if you please."
"I'm sure that's true," Solomon countered lightly. "However... since I'm aware of potential events... You can see my concern over certain timelines?"
"There is nothing to concern yourself with."
“Actually–"
“Just what kind of creature do you take me for?”
“A demon, actually.”
Barbatos shot him a baleful glance. "It will be her choice. And it is her business if she shares her business with you, not mine... And on that note – how, exactly, did you come by this 'grapevine' gossip?"
Solomon hummed lightly in amusement. “Meh, there was no grapevine. The way you two were behaving and the way Lord Diavolo was going on during our little cake party was proof enough. I suppose I was just making sure that it really would be up to her. I wanted to hear it for myself."
Barbatos turned his gaze back over the orchard grumpily. "Well, now you have."
"There is one other thing..."
Barbatos sighed testily.
"You told me a long time ago that you put much of your more personal history into the Fountain of Wisdom." Solomon turned around to lean his backside against the wall instead, crossing his arms as he looked up at the demon on the ledge. “Your personal history, and experiences."
"What are you getting at?"
"I was just wondering... And, Barbatos, I do actually ask this as someone who knows you better than most..." Solomon leaned his head back capture Barbatos' eye contact again. "Did you erase all history of intimacy from yourself?"
He sighed. "Do you believe us to be on the level of gossiping over our love lives?"
"I'm actually trying to be kind to you right now, you know? That's no light thing. I'd like to think that after all this time, friendship is there, odd as it looks to others." He tilted his head. "I just wanted to ask... if you were doing okay."
Barbatos frowned. "Meaning...?"
"Well... You went into it... essentially a virgin again. Isn't that right?"
Barbatos flinched. Took a breath. Put as much scorn into his voice as he could muster.
"...Oh, please. I–"
"As far as your memory is concerned – at least, as it is right now – that was your first time with someone, no? You don't have any other related memories left to draw on for it to at least feel otherwise."
Barbatos sucked in a breath, tensing hard. "...I knew enough. Physical habit is not so easily–"
"Let's... not get into the details." Solomon waved his hand dismissively with a wrinkling of his nose. "That's definitely not what I'm getting at. And I'm very sure that Chise was..." He took in a breath, and then sighed after a painful pause. “….Kind."
"Do you really have to do this..."
"I can understand why you didn't tell her, don't get me wrong. Perhaps you don't even see it as a lie. I'll grant that it technically wasn't."
"Why must you do this..."
"I'm not here about her, actually," Solomon continued. "I'm here because that must have been... difficult."
Barbatos sighed. "...She was unerringly kind. As always."
"Of course she was. She adores you..."
"There was nothing to fear."
"Not in the end, no." Solomon smiled as he straightened with a stretch of his arms over his head. "I just came along because I wanted to check in. It just seemed like a bit of a heavy weight to carry by oneself."
"...Please do not tell her."
"Aha... I would never even dream of broaching anything remotely close to the subject of your relationship with one another, belieeeve me."
Barbatos gave a single nod, chin on his knees turning back once more to the valley stretched before him.
"Well, anyway, before this gets any weirder, I'll be off. It's just that I imagine your relationship with the Fountain right now feels a bit complex. That's what I'm getting at.” Solomon sighed. “For in much wisdom is much grief. But perhaps you leave too much of yourself behind.”
Barbatos did not reply. He remained huddled.
“Have a goodnight, Barbatos."
"...Goodnight, Solomon.”
Day 5
Breakfast had been wretched lately.
Because Lucifer and I? I wouldn’t consider us to be on very friendly speaking terms at the moment.
That still didn’t stop the occasional squabble, however; though it just made it that much more annoying to deal with. Even with the dark cloud hanging over the family, they really just couldn’t help themselves.
“‘Ey, so whose turn is it to clean Stinkerbell’s litterbox today, huh?”
“That’d be you, Mammon,” Lucifer replied dryly.
‘WHA?! Already?!”
“Time does move ever forward, yes.”
“Loool.” Levi snickered at him. “Mammon’s got Stinky Tinky on the chore list. Sucker!”
“BEEL! Do it for me!”
“Uh, no?”
“C’monnn, do it for your favourite older brother, eh?!”
“No.”
“I’ll give ya some snacks!”
“Hmm…” Beel frowned. “I’m willing to negotiate for snacks. But it’s going to cost you.”
“YESSS! Anythin’ you want, the Great Mammon will take care of for ya!!”
I frowned too. “Hey Mammon, hypothetically, if you ever became a dad, would you be foisting diaper duty onto the mother of your baby and all of your brothers instead of taking responsibility as a father?”
He stared at me. “…Wh… Wha… WHA?! …AW, C’MON, CHISE! DON’T PLAY THAT CARD AGAIN!”
I shrugged casually. “I’m just asking a question.”
“…Chise, do us all a favour and do not breed with this imbecile,” Lucifer said darkly.
“I’ll do what I want!” I snapped at him from across the table.
“Aww, come on, Lucifer, what’s with the long face…?” Belphie said with a smirk over his fork. “You’re just going to have to wait for your turn, but you’ll get there–”
“BELPHEGOR!” I snapped at him too, as the prickle of Lucifer’s power plucked at us.
He snickered as he thrust his forkful of food into his mouth.
“I think I’d be a good dad one day,” Levi piped up in a squeaky voice of hope, glancing in my direction.
“YOU SHADDUP, LEVI!”
“We are NOT doing this again, guys!”
“You started it.”
“Shut up and eat your eggs, Belphie!”
“Sure. Protein to build up my protei–"
“One more word out of your smartass mouth and I WILL kill you.”
Mammon began to wolf down his own eggs with renewed gusto.
Beel frowned impatiently. “Anyway, what about my snacks?”
I pressed my fingers to my forehead with a shake of my head. “Hells…”
I jumped at the sound of rapping knuckles that knocked briskly on my desk.
“‘OI, EARTH TO CHISE.”
“S-Sorry.” I looked up at Mammon with wide, guilty eyes. “Did you say something?”
He frowned at me. “I asked who’d ya get as your target?”
“What’s this about…?”
“Seriously?” He shook his head with an exasperated sigh. “Just how space out were ya?”
Very.
“Sorry…”
He flicked my forehead playfully. “We’re stealin’ stuff with magic for our curses and hexes class, y’know? It’s startin’ soon, so ya better get your head in the game. Ya gotta swipe your target’s card from ‘em in less than an hour. And keep your own card safe and sound!”
“Cards...?”
“Dammit, Chees…” He pointed at my desk.
I looked down at the two cards that’d obviously been passed around the class. “Ohhh…”
He rolled his eyes. “The losers are gonna get hit with a petrification curse, too. So you’d better start gettin’ a lot more worried about this, and pronto! Space goose.”
I grimaced as I looked up at him with suspicion. “Wait, your target wouldn’t happen to be…?”
He shook his head. “Nah, it ain’t you. You’ve never done this project before, right? Well, today’s your lucky day, ‘cause the Great Mammon’s gonna help ya out!”
“Ahah…” I raised an eyebrow at him. “Is that so?”
“Hmm, lemme see yours.” He swiped my card up without answering. “Pfff, your target’s Levi! Piece of cake. You just leave everythin’ to me!”
“Heh… That does sound rather easy. But who’s your target?”
He smirked. “You’ll see. I’ve got this in the bag, baby!”
I stood with a snort. “Riiiiight.”
“Don’t you get lippy with me, missy. Get your ass in line and follow me.”
–
“Okay, Levi.” Mammon, one hand on his hip, had him cornered like the school bully about to shake the school nerd for his lunch money. “If ya want this Mikarun figure, then hurry up and hand over that card of yours!”
Levi glared at him, mouth pressed in a flat line. “Nice try, but you’re not going to get me that easily.”
Mammon shrugged as he considered the figurine in his hand. “Cool.” He hefted it up, catching it casually. “But I found this outside of your room, y’know. Weeeell, if ya don’t want it, I bet it’d sell for a good chunk of Grimm, so…””
“HUH?!” Levi took a step forward, but Mammon snatched his hand back with a snicker. “I was going to ignore you because I already had one, but you mean that’s MINE?! GIVE IT BACK! That’s MY Mikarun!”
Mammon twisted it back and forth in a taunt, smirking. “Well, ya know what ya gotta do, right?”
Levi’s shoulders slumped as he gave him another baleful glare. “Ngh… Fine, you win. I’ll hand over my card, so give me back my figure.”
“Heh! Like takin’ candy from a baby.”
I, however, stood behind him with arms crossed, rolling my eyes as Levi walked off while giving Mammon the middle finger over his shoulder. “Weren’t we supposed to get our targets’ cards with magic?”
“The magic of intimidation!”
“Weeeeell…” I took the card that he smugly held out for me from between his fingers. “I guess this means I don’t get petrified, so that’s something.”
“Told ya it’d be a breeze! Right, time to go settle things with my target.” He half-turned as he beckoned me onwards. “You’ll help me out, won’t ya, Chise?”
…Something told me that his previous air of extreme confidence was quite at odds with his insistence that he brought me along to help him with them.
Which did not bode well.
I sighed. “All right, Mammon. Let’s go take more ‘candy’ from another ‘baby’.”
“NOW you’re gettin’ it!” He shot me his lopsided grin.
I smiled back with a shake of my head.
“SCOOOORE!” He pumped his arms in the air with holler that made me jump. “ANOTHER POINT FOR THE GREAT MAMMON! Take THAT, Asmo, ya frilly little…!”
I looked at him, perplexed. “The fuck are you on today...?”
“Ehehe, nothin’.” He grabbed my hand, still grinning. “Let’s get movin’, time’s a’wastin'!”
“…Huh, not here either.” He looked around with a frown, fists on his hips again. “Where’d my target run off to?”
“I’m finding it veeery suspicious that you’re still not telling me who your target is.”
He gasped. “Hold up, did someone drop some Grimm over there? Today’s my lucky day!”
“…Mammon.” I sighed, hanging back as he trotted into the colosseum with a nyehehe, “You can’t be serious right now.”
“Pff, you’re thinkin’ way too hard about this. It’ll be fine!”
“This is why you always fall for curses, you know–“
“Huh?!” He straightened up in alarm, Grimm clutched in his hand.
“What–“
“WHOOOOAH!”
I, too, tensed with a squeak as Mammon… disappeared.
Or, it looked like he did for a split moment. In reality, he’d just fallen into a hole.
“…That freakin’ HURT!” he called up in an echo as I went towards him with a weary groan. “What’s a hole doin’ openin’ up in a place like this?! And what’s up with this rope? Tryin’ to move’s just gettin’ me all wrapped up!”
“Are you…” I peeked over the edge, following the taut rope that hung down into it. “Mammon, are you serious?! You’re tangled, too?! How am I gonna get you out of there! You’re way too heavy for me to pull this rope up!”
He stared up at me with a look of disbelief. “…Did ya forget that you’re a goddamn sorcerer again, Chees?”
“Oh, right…” I took a breath.
”Hehehehe…”
I spun around before I could center myself and think about what the fuck spirit I’d be calling on. Ah, right. Wind. Duh. To yank him up out of there and drop him on his head, preferably.
But now, Thirteen distracted me from anything further.
She was smirking with her index finger pressed to her jaw. “That’s a fine mess you’ve gotten yourself into, Mammon.”
“UGH, not HER!”
Of course Mammon’s target was Thirteen. No wonder he didn’t tell me.
And she was wearing fishnet stockings today under very short shorts, and dark red lipstick.
Cool, cool.
I glanced down at him, and then back at her. “I take it this is your trap?”
“Pff. Isn’t it obvious?” She sashayed towards me, hands on her lovely curvy– “I mean, Mammon’s my target. Still, I wouldn’t have expected anything less from my Festive Hell Hole Number Three.”
“…Man, ya gotta stop giving these things stupid names.”
She peered into the hole herself. “You shut your trap. And since you’re currently sitting in one, you’d better not give me any more reasons to keep you there.”
“Heh…” Mammon smirked up at her. “I wouldn’t be actin’ so high and mighty if I were you.”
"Eeek!"
I raised my eyebrows in surprise as he managed to wrap Thirteen’s ankle with her own rope, frowning in concentration – without an incantation, too.
“H-HEY!” She shrieked as her arms flew out from her sides in an attempt to balance herself, her eyes going wide as she kicked her leg out. “Quit trying to drag me down to your level with my own ROPE!”
“GOTCHA!” He tugged, and then managed to hop to drag her down the rest of the way.
“Hmph…” I lowered myself down to sit cross-legged on the edge of the hole. “Mind where you’re grabbing ladies, Mammon.”
“YEAH, MAMMO–" Her eyes widened. "Wait, don’t tell me…!”
“Darn straight! You’re my target, Thirteen!” He grinned smugly. “Which is why I took the bait in the first place.”
I rolled my eyes as I held my ankles crossed underneath me. “Uh-huh.”
“Why you…!”
“Hehehe… Hey, tough luck! I’ve got you now, so you’d better get ready!” He shoved his hand into her jacket pocket and fished around.
“Mammon…” I growled with a narrowing of my eyes.
“She ain’t no lady anyway, Chise!”
“How RUDE!”
“HAH!” He ripped out his prize from her jacket tied around her waist, letting her go with a shove that had her audibly snarling at him in rage. “Your card’s MINE! In your face, Thirteen!”
We all paused.
Mammon and I did, anyway.
“…Huh?” Mammon looked up with a frown. “Did ya hear something?”
“WHAT THE?!” I leapt from my feet with a yelp. “WHAT THE HELL?!”
“Whooooah!” He raised his eyebrows uselessly. “What’s with this smoke?! …Wait, what the fuck, where’d Thirteen go? Wait, when’d she even untangle herself…?
Grrrrr…
“Uh, what was that? It sounded kinda like Beel’s stomach rumblin’, but…”
“MAMMON!” I shouted down at him. “Get your ass OUT of there RIGHT this instant!”
“Huh? Whatchya afraid of?” He smirked up at me teasingly. “Gettin’ eaten by Beel?”
”Spirit of Wind, hear me! Lift this greedy demon out of this hole and drop him at my feet!”
“HEYYYY! WHY’D YA GOTTA INCANT–"
GRRRWL!
He was dropped on his ass with an oof, but neither of us had any time to bicker anymore as I spun around with a shriek.
“Whooooah! Where the heck’d THAT thing come from?! What even is it?!”
“So you’ve triggered my Counter Strikey-Wikey Number Four!”
“…Seriously, these stupid names take away any sense of forbodin’ ya had goin’ for ya.”
“MAMMON!” I backed away, almost tripping over him on the ground behind me. I didn’t even know how to describe it. It was horrifying. And very ugly. But at least it only had one head this time. Unlike Cerberus, Lotan, the chimera… I had a split second thought that it was kind of a breath of fresh air, actually but the fact that it was looming towards us menacingly with its hackles raised dispelled that rather quickly.
“Ugh, whatever. What’d you do?”
Thirteen shrugged. “I didn’t do anything. You stole my card. As soon as it left my pocket, it summoned the monster I had lying in wait.”
“…MONSTER?! IT’S REAL?!” Mammon turned his head back to the beast in alarm, before scrambling up.
“Of course it’s real, dumbass.”
“Ya just HAD to go all out, didn’t ya?!” He flung his arm out towards me. “Chise, gimme your hand! We’re makin’ a break for it!”
“We are?!”
“No time!” He grabbed my hand for me, dragging me up in his arms instead to run while carrying me.
“HEY! GET BACK HERE!” Thirteen began to book it too, panic in her eyes. “Don’t you DARE leave without me!”
As I was jostled up and down in Mammon’s arms, I wondered who would be the most appropriate to text about there being an unknown monster set loose in the coliseum. I didn’t particularly want to text Lucifer, who’d just be very pissed; neither did I want to admit that I’d been involved in more tomfoolery to Barbatos, who’d likely express polite disappointment – which I did not like to be on the receiving end of. Diavolo, I decided. I’d text Diavolo about it. He’d probably get a kick out of it anyway.
Though of course, it did end up being able to squeeze through the archway, so it did, in fact, follow us out of the coliseum.
And now we were standing on the roof, with Mammon’s wings spread out from his back, trembling.
“...LIKE, WHAT THE HELL, THIRTEEN!”
“Well, would you look at that?” She tilted her head to consider it as it snapped its jaws up at us, paws pressed to the brick while it stood on its hind legs. “It’s not interested in the other students at all. For whatever reason, that monster’s only chased us!”
“THIS AIN’T THE TIME TO BE TAKIN’ NOTES!” Mammon snapped at her. “Hold up, if it’s your summon, then why’s it after you, too?!”
She shrugged as she shot him a scowl. “How am I supposed to know?!”
“YOU’RE THE ONE WHO’S SUPPOSED TO KNOW! Who summons stuff they don’t know nothin’ about?!”
She tilted her head to the other side. “It kind of did have an opportunity to maul us back there when you stumbled, before you finally thought to spread your wings and fly us out of there–“
“YOU’RE WELCOME, BY THE WAY–"
“So it hasn’t actually attacked us, really. Maybe it just wants to play?”
“Seriously?!” I gestured towards it as it scrabbled with another growl.
She shrugged. “Well, we won’t know unless we ask…” And one sly smile later, “Mammon, you’re up.”
“WHA?!” His jaw dropped. “Nuh-uh! I don’t wanna be monster food!”
She rolled her eyes. “Look. Do you want to figure this out now while we’re up here, or get chased across the other half of campus? Plus, you’ve got wings. You can just fly away!”
“…All right, fine. I’m goin’…”
I raised my eyebrows. “Seriously…?”
“WILL IT MAKE YA SMILE IF I DO IT?”
“…Errr.” I looked at him like he’d just lost his mind. “Maybe…? If you don’t die…?”
He leapt down. “YO, MONSTER-BRO!”
It turned to him.
“So like, we’re cool playin’ with ya if that’s–"
GRRRRRAAAAHHHH!
Mammon shot up into the air with a shriek. “NOPE NOPE NOPE THAT AIN’T WHAT IT WANTS!”
Thirteen frowned. “Oh, so that didn’t work after all.”
“Could ya try sounding a LITTLE more surprised?!”
I shook my head in exasperation. “Thirteen, it’s your trap. Isn’t there some way to un-summon it?”
She shrugged again. “Well, it’ll disappear when the spell’s run its course.”
“…And how long will that take?”
“Well… Another hour. Give or take.”
“What the f…” Mammon glowered at her. “We’re gonna get eaten WAY before that!”
“Ahhh!” She snapped her fingers with a grin. “But speaking of traps, I think I have JUST the thing!”
“Oh great…” I muttered under my breath.
She gleefully clapped her hands. “A situation like this would call for the Sir Catch ‘Em All Number Two.”
“Ugh, that’s so laaaaame!”
“Here!” She hoisted was looked like another boozka contraption over her shoulder, before taking aim. “It’ll throw a net out at anything in its path! So we’ve just got to take aim, and–"
“Wait wait waaaait!” Mammon cried out.
“What?!” Thirteen snapped at him. “I’m BUSY–"
“Is that Lucifer?! Hey, MOVE! You’re gonna get caught–!”
Lucifer ignored him, and raised his hand up instead.
Gruh.
I blinked down at the creature that’d fallen onto its belly, before tipping over to lay on its side. “…He stunned it.”
Lucifer, arms crossed now, lifted his eyes up to our spot on the roof with a deep frown of disapproval. "What is the meaning of this?”
“UGH!” Thirteen threw her bazooka down to glare at the eldest in disdain, hands on her hips. “Geez, Lucifer. Why’d you have to go and calm that monster instead of letting my darling trap do all the work.”
“You three. Get down here, and explain yourselves. Why is the campus in complete disarray?”
My eyes swept over the courtyard, taking in the sight of the deep gouge marks in the grass and the torn-up bushes. “…Uh.”
“Oh man,” Mammon squeaked. “That glare is WAY worse than any monster! Yo, Chise! Thirteen!” He grabbed us both around the waists, spreading his wings again. “We’re gettin’ the heck out of here!”
“COME BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!”
Chise: Hello, Diavolo and Barbatos.
Chise: Just so you know, Thirteen summoned a monster in the coliseum again.
Chise: But don’t worry, Lucifer took care of it.
Chise: Umm, but… The courtyard got a little bit messy, and there are some shingles on the roof that came a bit loose.
Chise: And I'm not sure if clawed up brick and mortar matters much? But you might want to check it just to make sure, since it's a bit crumbly in places.
Chise: Anyway, Lucifer wanted one of us to be the one to deliver the news…
Chise: Along with an apology, so…
Chise: I’m very, very sorry.
Diavolo: Really?!
Diavolo: AHAHAHAHAHA!
Diavolo: What good fun!
Diavolo: What kind of monster was it?!
Chise: You'll have to ask Lucifer...
Barbatos: 😒 I see.
Barbatos: I shall make a call to our contractor.
Barbatos: Again.
Chise: You should probably call the landscapers, too…
Barbatos: 🫠
…Knew it.
Mammon: Hey, someone put a point on the list for me, will ya?
Mammon: ‘Cause the Great Mammon scored today! 😏
Levi: But did you make her yell at you more than she smiled?
Mammon: Uhhh…
Mammon: That wasn’t in the rules so it don’t matter.
Asmo: Yep, that’s typical Mammon!
Levi: Game over, Mammon.
Belphie: I can’t believe you messed up something so simple, Mammon.
Beel: I’m very disappointed in you, Mammon.
Mammon: SHADDUP, ALL OF YOU!
Mammon: AND STOP SAYIN’ MY NAME AT THE END OF YOUR MESSAGES LIKE THAT!
Beel: By the way, did you pick up kitty litter on the way home like you were supposed to?
Mammon: FUCK.
Notes:
Luke’s Devilgram: Baking With a Bang (OG)
Newspaper Devilgram: Panic! At the Trap (OG)Reverse Bechdel test: FAILED!
Chapter 21: Intermission: With Love, Little Dove
Notes:
I’m having difficulties with meds and sleep, so I’ve been a little out of it these last 2-3 weeks and it's really starting to catch up with me. Chapters might be releasing every 2-3 days for a widdle bit while I get my head on straight, because I wuv my fic and these characters and I want to foster quality in my writing. Especially since we’re so close to the end of the game. 💔
That is, if anyone is actually keeping up every single day still while writing this lmao.
Asmo’s Devilgram: Princess Asmo’s Escape (OG)
I have a hard time writing Asmo, so I didn't expect this to turn into a full chapter. But it did, and it's been a while, so he deserves it anyway.
Chapter Text
Day 6
Chise: It’s been nearly a week since you left.
Chise: Please come back. For me.
Chise: I want to be here for you.
Chise: Can you PLEASE just help me understand?
Chise: Just ONE text, Satan.
Chise: We’re supposed to be more, remember…?
"Chise!" a sweet voice called to me through my bedroom door, followed by a light knock. "Do you have a sec?"
I sighed as I put down my notepad that, really, I’d only been staring at blankly for the last half hour. “You can come in, Asmo.”
He did just that, of course, with a hop and a skip and a twirl and a giggle. “So? What do you think? Don’t I look twice as beautiful as usual?”
He was wearing soft white capris and a sort of half-petticoat skirt tied around his waist with a ribbon on the back, colourful. His blouse had a frill to it on the chest that matched the bunched up fabric of bustle. An ensemble of white and pink.
And extremely cute. I immediately wished that was my own style of fashion, though I didn’t think I’d ever be as brave as him to pull something like that off.
“Twice? Nuh-uh, I don’t think so.” I smiled softly at him. “How is it possible that you made yourself ten times more beautiful than you already were, Asmo? Fuck I love that skirt. And your lipstick is really tasteful, too.”
He giggled again with another twirl. “Do you really think so? I was totally thinking the same thing! Look away if you must, if it is too much for your sweet eyes. My beauty can be overwhelming sometimes.”
“Hmm.” I rested my cheek on my palm, smile widening, to which he made a little squeeing noise at the sight of. “I think I choose to be blinded. Is there a reason for the extra mile, or are you playing dress up for me?”
“Oooh, are you wondering who my lucky date is?” He grinned at me cheekily. “You’ll be happy to know that I came here to ask you to be my date, Chise!”
I laughed softly. "Me? A date with Asmodeus himself?"
He winked. “You’ve heard of the game King of Devils, haven’t you? It’s super popular in the Devildom right now.”
I shook my head. “What’s that?”
“Don’t tell me you don’t know!” He shook his head too with a tsk of disappointment at my transgression. “It’s a new game app available for D.D.D.”
At that, I raised my eyebrows. “Seriously? And you’re the first one telling me, and not Levi?”
“Pff.” He laughed in delight. “Oh no. You use voice chat to communicate with other players and progress through the game. It’s been trending all over because of how easy it is to make new friends.”
I had to laugh too. “Welp, no wonder Levi hasn’t gushed.”
“Eeeexactly. Anyway, the game is planning a special collab event with Escape Manor! You know, the new escape room in town where the goal is to try and make your way out of a room by solving puzzles. They’re planning more events in the future, but right now everyone is talking about the King of Devil’s event. You can pick any of the characters you want to be, complete the missions and escape the manor! Doesn’t that sound exciting?!”
“Planning?” I looked him up and down. “So it’s not open yet…? Isn’t the date a little premature then?”
He smirked proudly. “It just so happens that I, Asmodeus, Avatar of Lust and the trendiest demon on Devilgram, received some free tickets from the event organizer as thanks for getting the word out to my followers!”
“Ah, noooow I see.” I wasn’t in the greatest of moods and didn’t feel like going out, but… I’d been neglecting my time with Asmo, I felt. In fact, I’d just been thinking about it. Thinking about a lot of things I’ve let slide by me…
Not good enough.
“Sooo, let’s go on a date to Escape Manor!” He beamed at me in excitement. “I’ve already picked out some outfits for you to choose.”
“That sounds like fun.” I stood up, realizing too late that I’d been sitting in the same slumped position for way too long as I winced at the twinge in my lower back. “All right, my rosy heart. I guess I could… use a bit of movement.”
“YESSSSS! It’ll be so much fun, Chise, I promise!”
I took his outstretched hand in mine. “Everything is fun with you, love.”
He always had a way of making me feel so… emotionally safe.
I smiled to myself as he pulled me out of my room with glee. We’d really come a very long way.
He might even be my very best friend.
“Sorry about that!” He came bouncing back to me, skirt trouncing behind him. “Okay, we can go in. What is WITH this line up anyway?!”
I raised my eyebrows. “I could say that I’m surprised that you got us in ahead of the line, but I’d totally be lying through my teeth.”
He giggled. “Yup yup. I’ve been asked to write a review about the event on my Devilgram, so the organizers let me have special access.”
“The power of an influencer.”
“All at your disposal! Don’t get me wrong, though.” He sighed exaggeratingly. “Being a popular influencer like myself is harder than it looks. We have to constantly be on top of the latest trends and anything non-Devilgrammable on our posts is unacceptable.”
“I know, you work really hard for everything.” I took his hand in mine. “Influencer, product and fashion designer, party animal. I don’t know how you do it and keep up your grades. Watching you is like watching an energizer bunny running top-speed on a permanent charge.”
“I have NO idea what that means, but thank you!” He winked at me as he gave my hand a squeeze in his. “And I guess I do have a leg up, since any picture that includes me instantly makes it post-worthy. Anyway, let’s go inside! I’m SO excited!”
Asmo peered around the corner. “Looks like this is the first room. Hmm, it looks like we have to choose our own character on the monitor over there first?”
I stepped in behind him to follow once he got himself inside, looking around curiously while he went directly to said monitor. It really was new in here. Smelled like fresh paint. It didn’t really look all different from the reception area we’d just passed through, though. I’d have put more effort to incorporate the theme in this room too, but what did I know about anything.
Asmo didn’t seem terribly bothered as he concentrated on the screen. “Which character do you want to be, Chise?”
“I’m going to be your lady knight in shining armour,” I announced confidently, laying my palm over my heart in pledge.
“Oooh!” He giggled as he swiped a finger over the touchscreen. “A regal knight, how fitting! Hmm, I want my character to be someone that utilizes their beauty as much as their strength. Sooo, here we go! Nothing could be more perfect than being the princess to your lady knight!”
I gave a bow at my waist. “I promise to protect you with my life, my princess!”
“There’s no one else I’d rather be protected by!” He grinned as he turned back to me, characters evidently locked in. “But technically, my character’s a warrior princess. She’s super skilled in combat and shouldn’t be underestimated because she’s a princess. It’s one of the more popular characters in the game.”
“All right then, I’ll be your Royal Punching Bag of Distraction for all our foes!”
He blushed with a small bite of his lip. “Oh my gosh, you’re just too cute… All right, now that we’ve chosen our characters, the next room is where the game finally starts!”
–
“What?!” I looked around with a grin. “The heck, I wasn’t expecting all of this! This is soooo cool!”
It greatly made up for the dinky reception and starting room, that was for sure. It was like a whole–
“A whole starting village!” Asmo bounced with glee. “Ooooh, I can’t wait! It’s so colourful!”
“This is almost as detailed as Levi’s Devil Quest game…” I whispered in awed excitement.
“Okay, so we scan this QR code on the wall here with our D.D.D’s, and…” He waved his own across the town square’s maypole to demonstrate, and I fished mine out of my pocket to follow suit. “There it is! We now have our first mission!”
I looked down at my screen. “So our mission is… ‘Gather the necessary items for your adventure. Find and combine the letters hidden around town to complete the puzzle and choose three items that will help you on your adventure. Then, your next path will open.’” I frowned. “Hmmm…”
Asmo tilted his head as he looked around the courtyard. “Letters… As in letters of the alphabet? OH! Hey, look!” He pointed down at the cobblestone-lined street. “These bricks have an S stick in between them!”
“I guess we have to walk around and look for more letters.” I took his hand in mine. “Let’s stick together!”
He nodded. “Okay! We are on a date, after all. We’ll work together.”
–
“Phew!” He flounced down on the edge of the fountain with a sigh. “I think we found all of them. Now let’s arrange the letters in our notes.”
“I’ve kinda been doing that as we went along. So let’s see…” I flipped back to my notes app. “With this one complete, it looks like we have six items written out. Perfume, apple, armour, mirror, sword, and dress.”
“Now we have to choose three items we need for our adventure, right?” He perked up with a grin, and I knew exactly what was coming. “Well, the obvious answer is taking the perfume, mirror, and dress. There’s no excuse for not looking your best, even on an adventure.”
“Pff…” I rubbed the heel of my palm into my forehead with a stifled giggle. “You know what? Anything for you, Princess Asmo. I defer to your wisdom.”
“Okay!” He whipped out his D.D.D. again, completely oblivious to my amusement. “Let’s type them out in the app, then.” He blinked. “Huh? Am I wrong? How can I be wrong?! I don’t get it! Whatever. I’ll try again.”
He stuck his tongue out of the corner of his mouth in pissy determination as he frowned down at his screen, typing.
“Pfff…”
After a minute or two…
He sighed again, pouting as he finally lifted his eyes to mine. “Finally, I got it right… The answer was the most boring items, of course!”
“Oh nooo… Not the apple, armour, and sword for our action adventure game…”
My demons weren’t dumb. They just had… certain blind spots when it came to their Sins. Yeah, that was it.
“Hmph. They could afford to be a little more flexible though, you know? Like maybe making tweaks to the story depending on your choices! Like, narrative branches! Yep, I’m TOTALLY putting that in my review.”
“That’s not a bad idea, actually.”
“Right?! That’s what I’m saying!” He jumped to his feet with a hum. “Anyway, at least we solved the puzzle. Let’s head to the next room!”
Asmo hugged himself, eyes scanning back and forth as we headed in. “This next room looks like a forest…”
“A bit of a spooky one, too.” I looked up at the canopy above us. “Hard to believe this is still a room.”
“Oh, here’s our next mission!” He pointed towards a very hard-to-miss hollow of a tree. His eyes widened at the instructions the QR code revealed. “It says ‘Work together to defeat the monsters’…”
“Looks like there are some headsets over here, too.” I leaned over to grab a couple of them from off the branch ‘hooks’. “I guess we’ll need to put them on.”
I secured his over his ears for him with a smile. He giggled back, before we both jumped with yelps at the sound that flooded our ears.
We both whirled towards the directional noise.
“Waaaaagh!” Asmo threw his arms around me in a panic, nearly sending the both of us flying to the side. “It’s a monster! No, TWO monsters?!”
“Princess Asmo!” I clung to him right back. “Protect me!”
He gasped at my squeaky pleading, and then laughed in delight. “Don’t worry, my gentle-hearted knight, I’ve got you! Nothing’s going to get their hands on my Chise!”
“Here! Your mighty sword, Princess Asmo!”
He winked at me. “My mighty sword, hmm?”
I burst into laughter. “Asmoooo!”
“Hehe. Okay!” He leapt forward, slashing the blunt thing through the air. “TAKE THAT, AND THAT! You fiends! Oh…!”
The two creatures shrieked their death throes, sliced apart in a PG-rated animation, before blinking out of existence.
“…Teehee.” He lowered the sword with another giggle. “That wasn’t so hard! Then again, I am pretty and strong…”
“Oh crap, watch out!” I warned from behind him as I hurried forward to his side.
“Whoa, another one?!” He squeaked as he took a step back, bumping into me. “There’s too manyyyy! Chise, help meeee!”
“How could I stand idly by while the heir to the throne herself fights for kin and country?!” I leapt forward.
“I think it’s supposed to be ‘fight for king and country.'”
“Meh!” I slashed forward with a grin. “It still works.”
–
“Hey, the door to the next room opened! I guess that enemy just now was the final one.” He slapped a hand against a nearby tree to take a deep breath to stop his panting. “Man, this blouse was not made for swinging around swords.”
“Whew.” I leaned back against the tree across from him with a sigh to catch my breath as well. “At the rate we’re going, we’ll be out of here in no time!”
He smiled at me. “Hey, come here for a moment.”
“Hmm?”
He opened his arms wide. “I’d really like a victory hug from the cute knight that this princess has TOTALLY fallen in love with and intends on begging her father the King for her hand so that we may rule these lands together, Queen and Queen.”
I giggled as I pushed off from my tree to rush into his arms, making him wheeze out a laugh as I squeezed the breath out of him.
“For peace and prosperity!”
“History will look back at this moment of triumph as the start of a golden age, built on the strength of our sapphic love!”
“Pfff…”
“Pfffff…”
“Oh, now this is lovely…”
He nodded. “This room is called the fountain of peace.”
I shook my head in wonder. “They went all out on this water feature… This app really must have quite the budget.”
“Let’s see what our next set of instructions say…” He stepped to my side so we could read together. “‘A token for your efforts However, there is only one cookie. Decide whether you wish to split the cookie amongst yourselves or have only one eat it.”
“Errr…” I shrugged. "Obviously we split the cookie.”
“Right? Like, what kind of choice even IS that!”
“Kinda lazy writing.”
“Exactly! I’ll try to break it into two even pieces.” He ripped open the plastic to retrieve it, before breaking it in half.
“Huh?” I reached towards it, tugging at something poking out in the middle. “There’s a piece of paper inside…”
“…'Search inside the fountain'?” He looked at me with a frown. “Is this… a hint that’ll lead us to the next room?”
“I guess whoever chooses to eat the full cookie gets a mouthful of paper…”
“Yeahhh, I certainly don’t want to eat it now.” He wrinkled his nose as he looked over the side of the fountain. “Ohhh, please don’t make me stick my hand in theeere!”
I peered over the edge of pool too. “Guess I’m gettin’ wet…”
“Oh my, Chise! Right here, of all places?! But I mean, if you need help with that…”
I smirked at him. “You’re kinda horny for a princess.”
He sighed sadly as he folded his arms in front of himself. “My father the King is quite pissed about it too. 'No prince will touch youuu,' he says. 'You’re the worst princess everrrr,' he cries.”
“Pfff…”
–
“Yes, that must be it!” He took it from me gently. “It’s the key to the next door! Nice work, Chise!”
I was busy trying to wring out the water from my soaked sleeve. “That was freaking cold, dude…”
He giggled. “Sowwy. But I’m sooo appreciative that my knight would make such a sacrifice for her charge.”
“Heh.” I took a seat beside him on the stone ledge of the fountain. “You know, maybe the game app itself isn't Levi's thing, but I think he would really like the escape room."
"I was thinking the exact same thing." He leaned to the side to rest his head on my shoulder. "We can invite him next time."
"Really?"
He nodded. "...But don't tell him it was my idea!"
I giggled. "Deal."
He sighed as he looked around. “But I’m still kind of tired from the fierce battle in the forest. This is a pretty spot. Want to take a breather here for a second?" He gave me a mischievous smile. "I have something for you..."
I raised my eyebrows at his tone. "For meee?"
He held up his hand. "Now, I'm not saying that I'm MAD that Mammon gave you an engagement ring–"
I groaned. Yeah, we never actually HAD talked about that.
“–But I AM saying that I'm mad."
"Pfff..." I laughed. "That didn't make any sense at all."
He giggled. "No, but it made you smile! Anyway, all of this that you've got going on..." He pointed his index finger at me, and waved it up and down.
I looked down at myself with a frown. "What...?"
"Let's seeee, I'm counting... A feather necklace from Simeon, a pearl bracelet from Mammon–"
I sighed heavily.
“–and rings from Solomon, Mammon, AND Lucifer. Don't give me that look! I'm counting that! It's like, Simeon AND Lucifer gave that to you, actually. The twins gave you star tattoos. OH, and let's not forget the brooch that Lucifer gave you, too!"
"I'm not wearing that," I pouted.
"You wear it to formal events to get him into bed with you after!"
"Hmphh..." I lowered my face to sulk. "Nuh-uh."
He smirked at me. "Liar..."
"You gave me that crystallized rose," I pointed out.
"Too delicate!" He shook his head. "Though I saw it in your bedside table. Thank you for keeping it close!"
"Ugh. You went through my bedside drawers?"
"I go through EVERYONE'S bedside drawers," he giggled. "I wanna see what they're into--"
I sighed. "All right, enough. Sooo I take it..."
"Hold on, I'm not done ranting. Okay, that makes two from Mammon, two from Simeon, two from Lucifer–"
"You're counting the Ring of Light twice!"
“–one each for the twins, and one from Solomon! You're becoming a walking jewellery box, and I have to get in on this before Satan and Levi catch on to this trend! I CANNOT be last, sweet petal! I will not abide by it!"
My heart skipped a beat at the mention if Satan's name as I flicked my eyes away briefly. If he ever came back to think of such a thing...
"Plus," he continued, softening his voice. "I love love love my necklace. And I also love love love matching with you. So..."
I looked back at him shyly as he began fishing in his purse that hung at his hip, watching him stick his tongue out again.
"...Here." He smiled sweetly as he produced a little box.
"Asmo..." I smiled back, eyes softening. "I don't need gestures like this, and you know it..."
He nodded. "I know. But I'm Princess Asmo, and you're my lady knight. And Princesses always give little tokens of favour, right? Like, with jousts and stuff, for good luck? Oh, it's all so romantic... Anyway..."
He got down on his knee.
"Oh hells," I groaned again.
He giggled. "Gotcha. I wanted to make you worried. But done worry! Give me one of those sexy ankles of yours."
I snorted as an amused grin started to form on my face, lightly swinging a leg up to point my toes at him. "I feel like Cinderella trying on her lost slipper."
"The human story? Hmm, I like that." He took my heel in one hand while he opened the box he had with the other. "Necklaces, bracelets, rings... But nobody's claimed an ankle yet. Nobody thinks of the ankle." He picked up the band from the box with pinched fingers, before holding it up for me on his pakm. "But they're so cute, right?"
"Oh, Asmo..." I reached down to lay my fingers over it. "It's so beautiful... And it's just like..."
Rosey champagne gold, just like his hair, with three rose charms that had just the slightest dangle to them. The middle larger than the other two, and in full bloom, while the smaller ones looked just about ready to unfurl.
He nodded. "The designer who made the necklace you picked up for me got SO popular from all the pictures of me wearing it on Devilgram, she can hardly keep up with the demand! We're kind of come to a collab sort of thing, and I even model some of her pieces. Soooo, when I asked if she would design a matching piece juuuust for me..."
He rested my heel on his knee, before daintily wrapping the delicate chain over my ankle and work the clasp. "...Perfect fit. And nooow..." He touched the chain at his neck. "...we match!"
"I love it so much. So much..." I blinked down at him a couple times. "Thank you so much, Asmo. I'm never going to take it off..."
He beamed up at me in thrilled delight. "I'm so glad you love it. Well, I knew you would, but I'm so glad anyway! Now we will always have a little piece of each other."
I leaned down to cup the bottom of his chin. "We always had a little piece of each other."
He hummed softly as he raised himself up to meet my lean in a warm kiss.
"I love you, Asmo," I whispered. "Thank you for always being there for me."
"I love you too, Chise." He sighed contentedly as he moved up to sit beside me again, wrapping an arm around me to pull me to his side. "I love being yours. I love gossiping, and ranting, and being the one you come to."
I leaned into him with a snuggle. "You always hear me out. You always know when to commiserate or give advice. You make me feel beautiful. And you never judge me."
"You ARE beautiful, inside and out." He tutted. "There's nothing to judge, sweet thing. You always choose the kindest path."
"Not always..."
"Maybe you don't think the kindest thoughts, but you CHOOSE the kindest path anyway! That's what I mean."
I smiled. "Yeah, okay... I try, anyway..."
He kissed the top of my hair. "All right, we should get ourselves through the next door. We missed dinner at the House of Lamentation, so I planned a sweet little after-date for us when we beat this thing!"
I nodded as I pulled myself away with a smile. "This is such a good date, Asmo. Thanks for dragging me out of my room."
"I know! That's because I'm the best.” He took my hand in his to pull me up with him. “Come on petal, let’s go.”
“Hmm… I heard that the puzzle in this room is the most difficult to solve.” He frowned as he looked around the darker room that was only lit by flickering sconces and candelabras. It was set up to look quite old – ancient, even – with cracked, crumbling stone that made up the walls. It kind of looked like a ‘fantasy wizard’s tower’ or something of the sort; with a shelf of old tomes, what looked like a alchemical setup in the corner, dried potion ingredients and magical charms dangling from the ceiling, glass jars with dubious contents decorating the shelves, et cetera.
It kind of looked like Solomon’s ‘room of horrors’ in our human world home, much to my great dismay. But I guess that meant that it looked quite authentic? It certainly looked quite 'Elder Scrolls'-y.
He shivered. “Yeah, Levi would definitely get a kick out of this place… Or, hells, even Solomon… It looks like his room at your house.”
“Ugh, I hate that you had the same thought.”
He giggled weakly. “If it quacks like a duck…”
I rolled my eyes as I stepped towards the heavy, antique-looking desk that sat in the middle of the room, illuminated more brightly. This spot, and the furnishings in general outside of the spooky decor, reminded me of Lucifer’s study. Because of course it did. If it weren’t for Solomon’s hounding of Lucifer, I’m sure they could happily enjoy his room of horrors together and find much common ground. “Looks like our mission is over here. ’Solve the puzzle on the sealed door’. Sealed door…? Oh.”
We both laid eyes on it at the same time. It was next to a rusty cage with shackles and dried straw in it in the other corner.
Because of course there would be a suspicious rusty cage with suspiciously neck-and-wrists-and-ankles sized shackles with straw and a bucket in this room. I was starting to wonder if this was what the future had in store for me if I let Solomon continue to run amok in our home…
…Anyway, the door itself was set flush into the wall, heavy and made out stone as well, though it was more of a dark grey than the brown walls – with, of course, an enormous skull carved in the middle. I frowned as I went to it. No handles…
Asmo reached my side and half-heartedly pushed at it. It didn’t budge. “Hmm, I wonder what kind of puzzle they mean?”
I looked around the room again. “Well, the desk is the most illuminated piece in here to grab our attention. But look those stone tablets over there by the bookshelf, on those pedestals. It think they're made out of the same grey stone as the door.”
“Oooh! And it’s the second-brightest thing in the room, you’re sooo right!” He skipped towards it. Both of our eyes widened as the glow that came off of it increased in brightness. “…Yeah I think this is it.”
I laughed. “I think so. Okay, I got the key in the fountain, so let’s give you a turn. So, what do you think we should do…?”
He walked down the line of them, before he stopped with a frown, and leaned to the side. “Is that a groove…? What if I followed… Oh!” He shifted the piece over, and we both heard a click. “Wow, look! I moved it to the right and the design lined up perfectly with the design on the other tablet over there!”
“Asmoooo!” I grinned as I went to him for a better look. “Yeah, these look like pieces of a puzzle.”
He nodded. “I guess we have to complete the puzzle in order to move on. I'm actually starting to really like this one! It feels like a real escape room.”
“It’s a classic.”
“Your turn! Go right ahead, Chise. Solve this puzzle for us! Oh, whoa.”
I frowned at the next piece I moved. “I moved it, but the design isn’t going to match up over there.”
“Yeahhh… I see why you moved it to match that part, and now that part looks right, but now the design isn’t lining up on the other side…”
–
We sighed in frustrated defeat. Asmo collapsed in the antique chair behind the desk. “It’s no use! This puzzle is impossible! Are we sure this puzzle isn’t rigged? I take back what I said! This room is the WORST!”
I looked up worriedly at the countdown above us. “We’re running out of time…”
He shook his head sadly. “I don’t think we’ll be able to solve it before it’s game over…”
“No way. We can’t give up now, Princess Asmo, or your father the King will have my head.”
“Chise…” He gave a weary giggle as he jumped back up to his feet. “You’re right. We’ve come too far to give up now. We have to keep trying until the very end! Fuck it, I’m going to just… DO IT!”
“Do it, Asmo! Solve this fucking puzzle!”
“I’m just going to MESS. IT. UP!”
“MESS UP THIS PUZZLE, ASMO!”
He slapped his hands down on a pedestal. “I’m going off pure instinct now!”
“Tap into your pattern-recognition subconsciousness!”
“OKAY! Let’s see.. This one goes HERE.” Hand slap, push. “And this one? I’m putting it right HERE.” Hand slap, push. “…Next one, maybe goes like this?”
“No thinking! Doing only!”
Slap, push, slap, push, click.
The sound of stone grinding on stone.
I gasped as I rushed to look over Asmo’s shoulder. “…You actually fucking did it.”
“YESSSSS! I FREAKING DID IT! THE DOOR OPENED!”
The door made a belated mwahahah sound. I burst out laughing.
He sighed, before giving me a grin. “Was that really necessary? Honestly, as if this room wasn’t creepy enough!”
“Let’s get the hell out of here. And… pink-swear pact that neither of us will bring Solomon here.”
He immediately grabbed my hand and curled his pinky around mine. “I have never made a pact so quickly. I pinky swear that I will not allow Solomon to find this room to give him any interior decor ideas! We will take this secret to our graves!”
“I pinky swear!”
“Wow!” His eyes widened as we entered the next room. “Look how BEAUTIFUL it is here!”
The room with filled with a field of beautiful blue flowers. Moonlight shone above, and trees sparsely yet tastefully placed just to give a bit of height to the room, with a thinner canopy above us for the light to stream through. Vines and ferns fleshed out the ambiance, and it felt like there was a fresh breeze that blew over our skin. Brisk, but not terribly chilled. It simply added to that ‘peaceful cool night’ feel.
And the fireflies that blinked in and out throughout the whole scene before us, adding a gentle fairy-like yellow glow to the otherwise blue-and-green room, was the cherry on top.
“Look!” He pointed at a wooden sign that was staked into the ground. “It says ‘Mission cleared’. We did it!”
I turned to him with a sigh of relief, and peace. The room settled me. “I couldn’t have done it without you, Princess Asmo.”
“That is so true!” He winked at me. “Good looks and a brain makes for one unstoppable princess. We should get a picture for my Devilgram to commemorate our successful escape!”
I snuggled in close to him as he tilted his D.D.D. camera up, the both of us smiling, eyes sparkling as bright as the fireflies in the background.
“Beautiful,” he murmured, as he snapped another, and another. And the next one, with a kiss on my cheek. I giggled as I turned to kiss his for the next. And the next, our lips connecting.
He touched my chin with a sigh. “Thanks for coming with me.”
“Thanks for bringing me. We make a really good team.”
He nodded as he looked around. “It seems a waste just to leave? And the flowers are so pretty. Let’s lay down in the field for a bit, take pictures from above so the flowers are the entire backdrop.”
I took his hand to lead us forward. “You have such an eye for art and beauty.”
“Of course I do! I’m a work of art myself. Here…”
He pulled us down. I felt a bit bad that we squashed some flowers underneath us, but oh well. What did the creators expect to happen, planting a whole field of them that stretched from wall to wall where they’d face foot traffic?
We laid down together with sighed, looking up, heads close, though our bodies stretched a little apart at a small angle.
He held his D.D.D. up, bumping the top of his head against mine. “Say cheese, cutie. I think these are going to be the best pictures I’ve ever taken.”
–
We laid there, hands on our bellies, quiet for a time. He had laid his D.D.D. on his chest.
Looking up at the faux sky. Though to me, it looked wonderful anyway.
We’d settled into that kind of quiet that invited the intimacy of a heart-to-heart. I knew it’d come from him eventually, to pry it all out of me. I thought that he might have in the water room, when he saw the flicker of sadness in my eyes when he had said his brother’s name.
I was kind of hoping, at the time, that he wouldn’t, and would wait until we were back at the House to talk in his room.
But here was as good of a place as any. If I had to spill the beans, there were worse places than a field of swaying blue flowers under the moonlit sky with fireflies gently flitting overhead.
“…Why don’t you just summon him, petal…?”
Yes. That would solve all my problems, wouldn’t it…?
I swallowed, and then sighed in resignation.
“…He asked me not to…”
He turned his head to me with a frown. “Wait, he did…?”
Miserably, I pulled out my D.D.D. I read it out loud instead of showing him. I didn’t want him to see how pathetic my messages after his were…
I took in a breath. "'On our relationship. On our trust. Do not summon me. I… love you.'”
It took a lot to keep my voice steady. It came out flat and empty instead. Monotonous.
“Seriously? How stupid could he be…” He shook his head. “I mean, you really think he’d be mad at you if you did it anyway, though? If you want my opinion, it’s a completely empty request.”
I sighed as I closed my eyes. “How’s that fair, though…? To take advantage of the pact for something like that. It’s one thing to use it for… power. Magic. Or even just hanging out when you’re apart when you agree. But in a relationship? Where any other couple doesn’t have that ability, and just has to… let it happen? It just feels like, I don’t know, a way of cheating. If he wanted to be with me, he’d be with me. So on the flip side, if he doesn’t want… to…”
He reached out between us to hold my hand. “He’d never, ever leave you.”
I squeezed my eyes shut even tighter. If there was no room behind my eyelids, then the tears couldn’t form there enough to spill, I told myself. “He’s already left, Asmo.”
He sighed. “He’ll be back. And you wanna know how I know that?”
“How…?”
“Because you’re here, Chise. And he will always come back to you.”
I pulled my other arm over my face to press my sleeve to my eyes. If there were no room behind my eyelids, then the tears couldn’t form there enough to spill. And if they tried anyway, if there were any strays that made it through, they’d soak into my sleeve. So it wasn’t really crying. I wasn’t really crying, technically.
I sniffled.
He stroked the side of my hand with his thumb. “I’ve seen the two of you. We all have. We’ve known Satan for every single moment of his life. We all raised him, really, as our brother. And absolutely nothing that he’s ever had in his life compares to you.” He sighed again. “That’s true for all of us, you know. I’m super serious about that. But Satan…”
“…You’re so, so… so k...kind, Asmo,” I choked weakly, keeping my voice small and quiet. Because if I kept it small and quiet, I wouldn’t choke on my words… like I just did. I could hide it. Like I just didn’t.
I sniffled again. Louder. Because if I didn’t, I’d have to let go of Asmo’s hand to press my other sleeve over my nose to stop it from running everywhere too, like a wet drippy mess. Then I really would be crying.
I let go of his hand gently, and pressed my other sleeve to my mouth and nose.
“Sweetie…” he whispered. I felt him move, and felt him settle over top of me, chest to chest. I felt his light fingers gently brush back my hair from my face; the strands pulled out from under my sleeve as he did, plastered wet from the contact with my eyelashes. Which were wet too.
He stroked my hair. Just a couple fingers, the backs of them, from his pretty manicured nails to the first knuckle. A soft brushing, a feathery touch as I let out a strained hiccup from under my sleeves, and then a small, muffled sob. Another wet sniffle.
I felt him lean to one side to kiss my curled fingers, and then to the other, to kiss those fingers, too.
“G… nna… need ice…” I whispered hoarsely.
“You don’t need any ice mask,” he whispered softly, voice light and calm and tender, just like his touch. “You’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen in thousands and thousands of years. Even when you're crying.”
“Oh, Asmo… I really… don’t deserve you…”
“And now, that’s enough. I’ll have none of that.” He settled back a bit so he supported himself on his knees, his hands reaching between us to gently work their way under my arms.
“No…”
“Come on. Let me kiss you.”
“Runny nose…”
“I don’t care. Please let me kiss you.”
I let out another involuntary sob that racked my body with my attempt at suppression, while my arms were moved to their respective sides, unveiling my splotchy face, and my wet eyes, that were swelling. And my wet lashes, that stuck together. My red nose, that tried to drip before I sniffled it back up again.
He leaned down, brushing a soft kiss against my dry lips. Feathery, like how he’d stroked my hair. I moved them slightly to kiss back. How could even doing that feel so shaky? Lips weren’t supposed to get shaky. But I guess they could tremble. Right, yes. Lips could tremble. Just like mine did, against his, as I pursed them again to meet his next. His nose grazed mine as his mouth moved gently. Even the tip my nose was wet. How does that even happen? I was lying on my back, so the tears and nose drips should be tracking to the sides. It was weird that my nose was–
I opened my eyes a crack, blinking thrice. Blurry, and the lights above us were streaky through my tears, but…
It wasn’t my nose. It was his own teardrop that had tracked down to his at some point during the move from lying on his own back to hovering over me.
Another one of his teardrops hit my cheek.
He smiled sadly as he wiped it away with his own sleeve, giving in to a small sniffle of his own as well. “Sorry…”
“Worried about him too…?”
“Of course.” He kissed my dampened nose. “And about you. And about everyone. Always.”
I laced the fingers of both of my hands in his. He smiled sweetly, though shakily, as he leaned forward, using my elbows and wrists as light support. To nuzzle and kiss. My lips, nose, cheeks, forehead; between my eyebrows, lips grazing against my lashes, and along the tracks that my tears had stained with salt.
But I’d stopped crying. A bit. A thick tear would break free down and then to track down again, but it’d be slow to form.
He pressed the fullness of his lips to mine.
And I sighed into it.
We both flinched at the crackling sound that broke out around us, before a young-sounding voice filled the room over the loudspeaker.
"A-Asmodeus, as big fans of yours, we appreciate you and your, um, fffriend, taking the time to participate in our new event! And we’re really looking forward to seeing your super honest review! However, there’s a bit of a line outside, soooo… your time is kind of up. If… you don’t mind. Um. Yeah. Sorry. H-Have a super great day, though! …Crap. Um, Ranna, how do I turn this thing off? Oh, okay. Thanks. Um, sorry again, Asmo! Uh, goodb–"
We stared at each other for a moment, before our lips began to twitch against smiles of hilarity.
The poor receptionist girl who had been elected to tell Asmodeus, the Avatar of Lust himself, to get the fuck out, was clearly not being paid enough.
Finally, we couldn’t hold it back any longer, and we both broke out into deeply relieved laughter.
Chise: I will not have you without the darkness that hides within you.
Chise: I will not let you have me without the madness that makes me.
Chise: If our demons cannot dance, then neither can we.
Chise: Come as you are, ignited.
Chise: Never burning out.
Chise: I was born to find you, Satan.
Chise: I love you so much.
Chise: With love, your little dove.
Chapter 22: Intermission: Carrot Cake
Notes:
Huh. I thought Asmo and Beel’s date would take up a single chapter together, but they turned out to need their own each. Honestly, that’s so nice.
Beel’s Devilgram: Bunny Café Part-Timer (OG)
Smut goes all the way to the end.
Chapter Text
Day 7
Chise: I woke up to my messages marked as read by you for the first time since you left.
Chise: So you’re thinking of me too, right…?
Chise: Was it because of the poem? Did it remind you of the first night we spent together? The first night we said ‘I love you’?
Chise: Is it because today marks a whole week since you’ve been gone, and you miss me just as much…?
Chise: Is it because you’re thinking about coming home soon…?
At this point, I’d picked up on everyone working together to support me, and keep me busy.
They even seemed to be clamouring to outdo each other in it, which, well, is exactly what I’d expect from them.
But it was incredibly cute. I tried to appreciate it, and to feel the love.
Even though that was achingly hard to appreciate just about anything right now.
One week without him…
One week, without even a single text…
He’d never been gone this long…
I read the last ones he had sent to me over and over when I laid awake in bed at night. Trying to find meaning and answers.
But there were none. In fact, it sounded more like a breakup than anything. And Lucifer seemed content to let him stay away, and to let me hurt over it by not speaking to me. No word of kindness. No word of explanation. Only interacting with me when he had to. He hardly even looked at me.
It almost made me feel like I’d lost two of them.
“…Chise.” Beel gently touched my hand after having turned around from his desk towards me, breaking me out of my miserable thoughts. “Do you have a minute?”
I relaxed with a soft hum. “I always have a minute for you at the very least.”
He wiggled a bit. “If it’s all right with you, I’d like to go on that date we were talking about after our classes are over today.”
His hand was warm. I curled my fingers back to lace them through his, meeting his eyes.
“Okay, Beel. That sounds nice.”
He smiled warmly, eyes on mine, all for me. “There’s a new café that opened today, but it’s not your ordinary café.”
I smiled to myself. The foodiest of foodies. “What makes this one different?”
“It was opened by the lost rabbits who’ve come to live in the Devildom. You can feed and pet them there.”
“The lost… Wait, what?” I looked up at him with a rightful look of puzzlement. “Lost rabbits?”
He smiled at me with a nod, casually, as though my question were a simple matter of not having heard him, rather than the unexplained fact that a café was run by a bunch of lost rabbits. “You can also buy rabbit-themed foods and drinks.”
“Well, um…” I guess I’d be finding out when we got there. “So there’s… bunnies? There? Like, we can really…”
“We can pet them, yeah.”
I brightened. “A bunny-petting café?” I still did not understanding, but, well. Okay.
He laughed, a rare sound that I always treasured. “Yeah, I thought you might be interested. It also reminded me of Marshmallow, the rabbit that Lord Diavolo had us take care of. It made me nostalgic for rabbits…”
“…Beel, you wouldn’t have happened to have eaten something odd that you’ve never had before today? Like… maybe a mysterious mushroom?”
He raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Um, no, I don’t think so, but I don’t really know for sure. Why do you ask?”
“Heh. Never mind…”
He nodded. “Anyway, that’s the story. I’ll meet you in the courtyard after class, okay?”
He swept his eyes back and forth along the downtown street we walked. “It sure is crowded today…”
“Want to hold hands?”
“Yeah, that’d be great. We wouldn’t want to get separated.” He smiled down at me with a blush as he took my small hand in his. “We haven’t been on a proper date in a while. …It makes me happy that we’re doing this.”
“I’m sorry, Beel. We haven’t been on a date since I summoned you to the human world…” I chewed on my bottom lip a bit as I looked down at my feet. “This stupid trial thing has made it impossible to spend one-on-one time with all of you…”
He nodded. “I know you’ve been busy with that, and I’ve been sad. But once you pass, I’ll see even more of you, right? So after thinking about it, I’m excited.”
“Hah. That’s if I pass, right?”
“Huh?” He blinked down at me in confusion. "Well, I didn't think about you not passing, but I think you will. Mammon passed his trials, so I don't see why you wouldn't."
"Pff..." I snickered behind my other hand that wasn't holding his.
"Plus, you have all of us to help. So I wouldn't worry."
I smiled as I lifted my eyes back up to his, with a fond shake of my head. “You’re the sweetest man I’ve ever met in my life.”
He pulled me close to his side with a contented sigh. “I’m just glad to see you smile. Let’s have lots of fun today.”
“Yeah. I’m really looking forward to seeing this ‘rabbit-run’ café’.”
He nodded. “I guess some of the lost rabbits end up settling in the Devildom. These ones must be pretty mature to go into business.”
“Pffff.” I covered my laugh behind my fingers again.
“We’re almost there now.” He sighed. “I’m excited, but I really like walking while holding your hand like this. You’re really warm, Chise.”
“So are you.” I leaned to bump my head against his arm. “We’ll hold holds in the café, and we’ll hold hands on the way home, too. We can hold hands whenever you want.”
“Yeah.” He nodded again. “Perfect. I was thinking that I wanted that. I’m glad you do as well.”
“Silly. Just tell me whenever you want stuff like that. I’m your girlfriend, after all.”
“Heh…” He ducked his head with a blush and a smile. “Okay. Will do.”
“Whoa…” Beel’s eyes widened. “The rabbits are actually working…”
It seems that he had a little bit of disbelief in him after all. So, this wasn’t normal, I thought, as I gawked around us.
My eyes followed the large jack rabbit that passed us by on its hind legs, carrying a tray. “…How is this possible?”
And how was I going to justify petting intelligent creatures like this?
Beel shrugged. “Maybe when they cross over into the Devildom something magical happens to some of them? And maybe that’s why they can’t go back.”
I shook my head in wonder. “That’s as plausible as any other explanation at this point…”
I wondered if Sata–
If Barbatos would know for sure…
“There are some smaller bunnies,” he pointed out. “The other customers are petting those.” He looked down at me with a warm smile. “They’re so fluffy, like kittens.”
I took his hand with a laugh. “Well, this is certainly already turning out to be a memorable date, I think.”
“Yeah, that’s for sure. Excuse me?” He held up his hand as he leaned to the side to get someone’s attention. “Table for two, please.”
“…Sure, sure, comin’…”
We froze in place, jaws dropping.
As did Mammon, once he’d turned around and saw us at the door.
We stared at each other.
Beel was the one who finally broke the silence for us all.
“…Mammon?”
“Why are YOU here?!” I blurted out.
“That’s MY line!” he growled in reply. “Dammit… No one was s’posed to find out…”
Beel frowned in confusion as he looked his brother up and down in his bunny-print apron. “What are you doing…?”
“Can’t you tell?!” he snapped. “I’m workin’!”
Beel’s lips twitched at their corners as he tried to hide his smile of amusement. “But why here…?”
“L-Look, I’ve got my reasons, okay?!”
I looked up at Beel with a grin. “He probably lost another bet.”
“…I ain’t sayin’ nothing!”
Beel raised his eyebrows. “You’re sweating…”
He sure was. Visible beads on his forehead and everything.
“Sheesh…” Mammon sighed in defeat. “There aren’t many ads for this place, but ya still found it… ‘Course it’d be you… I thought I’d be able to work here without anybody findin’ out.”
I pressed my fingers over my lips with a giggle.
“Shaddup, you…” He glowered at me. “Look, just don’t tell the others you saw me! Especially not Lucifer…”
“Uh-oh…” My grin widened.
Beel sighed. “Yeah, we know. I don’t want to have that conversation anyway.”
“Good! Well, you can sit wherever you want.” He sighed again as he turned. “I’ll bring ya some menus…”
“Who’d have thought we’d bump into Mammon here,” Beel muttered to me.
I was fighting off my laughter, rather unsuccessfully, as I took his hand to lead him to a table. “Well, we’ve come all this way, so let’s enjoy ourselves.”
“Oh! The rabbits are coming over…” Beel smiled shyly at the bunnies that hopped towards us, evidently taking the cue on us sitting down. “Look, there’s a bowl of vegetables on the table. It looks like we can feed them.”
I giggled as I picked up a sliced carrot. “These are for the bunnies, okay?”
He nodded. “I’ll try not to eat them. Here, have a carrot, little guy…”
He bit his lip as he slowly stretched out his hand to give the carrot over, eyes focused entirely on the bunny who reached for it, fighting the urge to chomp down on it for himself. I grinned, very proud of him.
“…Hehe, he’s eating it.” He relaxed as he sat back again with a smile. “That’s pretty cute. This is a nice place.”
“The rabbits seem to enjoy working here,” I observed in completely amusement, feeling more than a little baffled.
What even was my life anymore? I recalled my conversation with Solomon, and how we’d both admitted that we sometimes felt like we’d forgotten to be human. It was certainly easy to cast aside thoughts of what we considered ‘normal' or ‘mundane’ human experiences and memories when confronted with wonders like this, and how this ends up becoming the new normal.
It became harder and harder to relate to the normal lives of our own species after a while, the longer we spent in the Devildom. Harder to strike up a conversation with other humans, harder to sit behind a computer to fill out excel sheets, once you’ve experienced a rabbit café… Run by the rabbits.
I hoped that I wasn’t Alice in Wonderland. I’d be heartbroken if I woke up from this. Heartbroken if I were forced to be… ‘human' again.
“Why don’t we get something rabbit themed?” Beel asked, breaking me out of my thoughts again. “Excuse me? Excuuuuse meeeee!”
A passing jackrabbit shrugged at the sight of Beel’s wave, before pointing to the kitchen. Evidently they weren’t conversationalists. Which was a bit of a relief, really. I didn’t think my sanity could take it.
So. They were relying on their demon wait staff.
“Pff. Mammon.”
Beel winced. “Do you think he’s okay? Maybe we’d better go check…”
–
“…Dammit,” Mammon hissed, fists on his hips as he cursed under his breath with his back to us.
Beel looked around at the absolute mess that met us. “…What happened, Mammon?”
“I got a whole bunch of orders at once, and I’m still not used to makin’ these cakes!” He sighed as he turned to face us, gesturing down his front. “And now I’m covered in flour…”
“Aww, the bunny print was so cute…”
“Shaddup…” He immediately went red in the face. “D-Don’t say I’m cute, ya munchkin…!”
“She said the bunny print was cute,” Beel pointed out. “Anyway, I’m surprised you took this job.”
“I didn’t have a choice!” he snapped. “Those darn rabbits are good at gamblin’!”
“Are you?! PFFFF!” I burst out into laughter, nearly doubling over.
His face went even redder. “…NEVER MIND! Forget what I just said! Don’t tell a soul, got it?! ESPECIALLY not LUCIFER!”
“Holy shiiiiiit,” I wheezed.
“…You lost a bet with a bunch of rabbits?” Beel shook his head in disbelief. “You really are terrible at gambling…”
“Shaddup! Just drop it! Both of ya! Chise, you knock that off! Beel, you shaddup!”
Beel rolled his eyes. “You already told me to ’shut up’.”
“Weeeell…” I took Beel’s hand with a sigh, half turning us. “If you’re going to be so rude…”
“W-Wait, hold up!” Mammon scrambled ahead of us, throwing out his arms in front of the door before we could leave. “Are ya just gonna leave after seein’ how I’m struggling here?!”
Beel sighed as he looked at me. “Chise, I don’t think we can leave him like this. We should help him out.”
I grinned at him. “You’re the bestest brother, Beel. Isn’t that right, Mammon? Isn’t Beel the bestest brother?”
Mammon pinched his lips tight.
“Isn’t that right, hmmm?”
He growled in his throat. “…You’re the… bestest brother, Beel…”
Beel raised his eyebrows. “Uhh. I don’t know how to feel about that.”
Mammon narrowed his eyes at my tittering. “All right, let’s divvy up the tasks. We can split into three roles: kitchen, dining area, and takin’ care of the rabbits.”
I sighed. “I guess I’ll take the kitchen.” Beel would eat everything, and Mammon, well… The current state of the kitchen spoke for itself.
He grinned at me. “That’s my little baker!”
“Don’t you push it, mister.”
“Heh…” He held out his palms with a guilty, pleading smile at the tone of my voice. “Okay, you got it. I’ll handle the rabbits.”
I rolled my eyes. Taking the easy job.
Beel nodded. “Then I’ll take the dining area.”
“Yessss! I’m countin’ on ya both!”
–
“Chise!” Beel called to me through the window with a sweet smile. “One cupcake order! …Oh, that one looks really good.”
I tutted with a shake of my head. “Not for you, Beelzie.”
“Heh…” His smile turned sheepish. “I’m always impressed with your baking, Chise. The customers are loving everything you’ve been making.”
I winked at him. “I’ll make you one later, I promise.”
He brightened, eyes shining. “That would be very nice, thank you. I’m looking forward to it.”
I smiled back. The politest of boys. Who the hell had raised him, while the others seemed like they had been raised separately from him by a pack of feral wolves?
–
“Phew…” Mammon slammed his ass down in a chair. “I’m beat…”
Beel wiggled with a proud smile. “All the customers left happy, at least.”
Mammon sighed. “We still gotta close shop.”
“Huh?” Beel’s face fell. “It’s already closing time?”
“Aww…” I winced at Beel. “Sorry. Guess we didn’t really get much of a day today.”
“Thanks a lot, Mammon…”
“Wha?!” He scowled, though there was, of course, guilt that flashed in his eyes. “Don’t blame me! How’s it MY fault, huh?!”
Beel shook his head with a glance at me. “Now he’s trying to turn it around on us.”
I tsked sadly.
“Well…” Mammon hunched, surprisingly having at least a little bit of sense to look a tad ashamed. “Um, thanks, guys. Seriously, I owe ya one.”
Beel glanced at me a second time, though with raised eyebrows. “Mammon? Thanking us?”
I nodded. “The end of the world is drawing near.”
“Shut it!” he snapped. “I’m not incapable of showin’ a little gratitude, y’know!” He looked between the two of us for a moment, before sighing again. “Ugh, anyway, in exchange for helpin’ out, you guys can have the whole place to yourselves for a while. Take your time and have fun or whatever.”
I brightened. “Really…?”
Beel smiled warmly. “Thanks, Mammon.”
“Well, you did me a solid,” he muttered. “And you’re welcome to eat the leftover sweets and cakes, too.”
“Dang…” I giggled with a smirk. “I’m liking this side of you.”
He growled at me as he turned to hide his blush. “Enjoy it while it lasts, ya l’il stinker. I’m headin’ back to the kitchen to clean up.”
“…I didn’t think we’d get the entire place to ourselves,” Beel whispered with a glance at Mammon’s retreating back. “Mammon can be really nice sometimes.”
“A private, after-hours booth at a bunny café?” I took his hand in mine again. “That sounds pretty romantic to me.”
“Romantic…” He smiled shyly at me. “I’m starving… Looks like there’s a slice of carrot cake and a carrot cookie left. Which one do you want, Chise?”
I hemmed a bit with a chew of my lip. I really liked carrot cake, but it was the bigger one…
“Oh, that’s right, your favourite is carrot cake.” He took the two plates from the server area. “So you’ll want that, right?”
I smiled shyly. “Yeah…”
He nodded. “Okay, sure. Let’s sit at that table over there, the cushions and pillows look like the best ones out of all of them. …The cookie is good.”
He’d said it before we’d even gotten to the table. I laughed. “That’s didn’t last long.”
“Gone in an instant.”
“Silly.” I pushed the plate into the center as I sat across from him. “We’ll share.”
“Huh? Are you sure?”
“Definitely.” I grinned at him. "I made it, after all, so I can’t let you just walk out of here without trying my baking. …Also, I may have pinched a piece or two when I was back there.”
“Heh.” He wiggled happily, eyes crinkling in their corners. “Thanks, Chise. You’re so kind.”
I leaned to the side as I caught movement from behind him. “I think the rabbits are coming over now, Beel.”
“Really? Oh!” He looked down in surprise. “One already hopped on my lap…”
I giggled as I watched the hodgepodge of fluffy colours descend upon my teddy bear of a demon. “The others are climbing you now.”
“H-Hey!” Beel actually squeaked a bit in surprise. “Don’t climb up my back! They’re on my shoulders now!” His eyes lifted up with a knot between his brows. “Hey, not on my head! …I’m covered in rabbits.”
I burst out laughing as I reached for my D.D.D. “You sure are, Beel. Now hold stiiiiill.”
“A picture?” He tilted his head, nearly unseating the black one on his head. “Sure, but why?”
“Because this is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen in my life…” I murmured fondly, as I snapped the pic. And another. And another.
He gave me a shy smile, making the photos even cuter. “You’re going to post those on Devilgram, aren’t you?”
“They’re for my eyes only.” I smiled with a sigh of content. “Maybe I’ll make it your background photo for your calls, though.”
“Okay, that’s fine then. So the rabbits are cute, huh?”
"You’re cute, Beel!”
“Me?” He blinked in surprise. “Not the rabbits? I’m the cute one? I don’t get it.”
“Pfff…” I shook my head with another laugh. “They’re so calm in your arms. They must know that you’re a gentle soul.”
“They’re very cute. I’m glad we got to come here today,” he said, dropping his eyes shyly to pet the bunny still in his lap. "I didn’t expect to have to work with Mammon, but it turned out good in the end anyway.”
“…Beel, speaking of Mammon, I um..." I took a deep, steadying breath. "I've been wanting to tell you all something for a little while, one at a time, but I've been kind of anxious about it..."
"Oh." Beel blinked at me in confusion, before a knot of worry formed between his brows. "Is everything okay, Chise? He's right over there, I can go tie him up to put him on the ceiling for you."
I giggled, despite myself. "No, there's no need for that. I, um, see it as a good thing, but... I'm really worried that it will make everyone mad at us, and hurt their feelings."
"Ohhh..." He frowned again. "I can't really think of anything you would do that would make ME feel that way. I mean, I could think of what you COULD do, but not what you would."
"Oh, Beel..." I pressed a hand over my heart, without really meaning to, but the reflex that his words had on me... "I love you. I want to say that first."
"Well, I love you too." He smiled warmly at me. "You can tell me anything."
"Okay." I sighed. "Do you remember when you were all asking Diavolo if one of you could marry me?"
"Ohhh..." His eyes widened in understanding. "I think I see where this is going."
"Hah..." I looked down at my lap. "Mammon had actually... been talking about that with me for a long time. Since even before I left the Devildom after my first year here."
He nodded seriously. "That makes sense to me. He was your first."
I snorted, unable to stop the smile. "You're amazing, you know that...?"
He blushed a bit as he returned my smile shyly. "So are you."
"Anyway... Yeah, he did propose. He got me a ring and everything." I chewed on my lip as I looked across the table at him, chin tucked, peeking from under my lashes. "I said yes."
"That's good. I'm really happy for you."
I sighed again, giving another weak smile. "I knew you would be. Thank you."
He nodded at my hand. "I don't see any new rings, though."
"I wanted to tell everyone first, so they didn't find out by seeing it..."
"That was a good idea." He tilted his head in curiosity. "How many know so far?"
"Well, Simeon and Solomon I had to tell, because I wore it up in the human world." I grimaced. "When I came back to the Devildom I forgot to take it off, so Asmo saw it. Belphie saw it, also by accident... I'm half surprised he didn't tell you. I'd wondered."
He shook his head. "He would have wanted you to tell me."
I nodded. "I'm glad. Honestly, you would have been higher up on my list to tell, I just kept being dumb and letting others see by accident. Lucifer knows too, because, well... He helped Mammon put money into an account to save up for it."
Beel let out a laugh. "I didn't think of that. But that was very nice of Lucifer. It just goes to show how much he loves all of us. And you."
"Y...Yeah..."
"So I guess..." He frowned as he mathed it out, and then winced. "That leaves Levi and Satan now…"
"Yeeeah..."
"Levi is the Avatar of Envy." He shook his head with a sigh. "And, well, Satan and you are very close too. I could see something like that being important to him as well."
I closed my eyes at his name. "...I'm still figuring it out..."
He reached across the table. “Well, congratulations, Chise."
I opened my eyes with another weak smile. "It's not like our marriage would be legally recognized for a while anyway."
"I'm sure Lord Diavolo is working on it." He frowned. "I guess I will have to look up what a human wedding is like."
"I love you. Thank you for always supporting me."
He smiled again. "I love you too. I always will. You make me feel safe in the same way that Belphie makes me feel safe. I know that I'm stronger than the both of you, so I'm not really sure how to describe it."
"You feel emotionally safe with us, I think."
"Oh, yes." He nodded, smile widening. "That's it. And that feeling is really important to me. Thanks, Chise."
I nodded too as I took both his hands in mine. "That feeling is really underrated, I think. You both make me feel safe in that way too."
He shifted a bit anxiously in his seat. “…The reason I brought that part up is because I was thinking about Satan leaving home for a bit, and I wanted to talk to you about that since you’ve been so sad."
'For a bit'. I immediately dropped his gaze to look down at the table. "...It's been a week."
"Yeah. I was thinking that if I did that to you, or you did that to me–"
"We'd never do that to each other," I cut in, a little more tersely than I'd intended.
"I know, Chise." He squeezed my hand comfortingly. "But if something ever did happen, I know that I would miss you a lot and feel really sad and hurt."
“Yeah… I do feel sad and hurt..."
"But I mean that I would feel sad and hurt on either side. I would miss you and Belphie very very much. So much, that even if I somehow had to run away for a bit, I would have to come back, no matter what."
I looked down at my lap again, biting my lip. Biting it hard enough in the hopes that the twinge of pain distracted me from forming tears.
"Satan is very powerful too. He doesn't just have a lot of magic. He destroyed that room like, um, I sometimes do to the kitchen. Or dining room…"
"Hah..."
"Him and I destroy the most stuff, so he's really physically strong, too. So he doesn't really need someone to be physically or magically strong to feel safe, same as me. But I know that he's in need of that emotional safety even more than me. And I know that he must feel emotionally safe with you, same as me again."
"Beel..."
"I think that he must be feeling very unsafe right now, and so he might be feeling scared. Too scared to even talk, maybe. I think I would feel like that in his place, so it must be it." He sighed heavily. "But he's stronger than he thinks he is, and I know that he'll find the strength to come home to you again. You're his home, I think, so that means coming back to you. He's never been in so much love."
I launched myself forward to cover Beel's mouth with my hand, just as the tears that I had been holding back began to flow. I'd done that so I wouldn't spill them. But I was too late.
His eyes widened as he stared at me in surprise.
"Oh gosh, Beel, I'm so sorry..." I whispered brokenly as I dropped my hand. "What you just said made my heart feel so… full and wonderful... and then…"
Undeserving.
I let out a quiet, pitched sob.
He curled his fist around mine that I had still held close to his face, his expression falling. "I'm sorry for making you cry on our date, Chise..."
I shook my head, wordless for a moment, sniffling as I darted a glance over to where the kitchen was. I didn't want Mammon to see this.
I sunk back down in my seat, holding his hand still. “…What you said to me was so perfect and sweet, Beel, that I suddenly felt like I didn't deserve to hear any more. I'm sorry for covering your mouth. That was so rude of me."
"It's okay." He squeezed my hand in his again. "I think I understand. But you do deserve to know how I feel about you, and how I think Satan feels about you as well. I'll stop for now, but I'm going to keep telling you how much I love you whenever I can."
"Thank you..." I took in a deep, shuddering breath. "You've been so supportive. You don't even need to tell me anything, because you make me feel it all the time."
He smiled sweetly. "That's good. I'd like to do both, but sometimes saying it is harder. So I'm glad I make you feel it, too."
"You really do." I sighed as I lifted his hand to press his knuckles to my forehead. So warm. "I'm just as lucky to have you in my life as you think you are to have me in yours. How would I get through all of this without you…?”
“We make a really good team, Chise.”
“We really do, don’t we…?” I leaned forward across the table, kissing his cheek with a smile. “I had a lot of fun today, Beel.”
He blushed with another sweet smile of his own. “…How about another one on the lips?”
“Always…” I brushed my nose softly against his, before we both closed the gap together in a gentle kiss.
“…You taste like carrots,” he murmured.
I giggled. “So do you…”
“Can I have another taste…? One more…”
“Mm…”
“D’AAAAH! No kissin’ in the café!!!”
I jumped with a squeak, immediately planting my ass back in my seat with a blush at the sight of Mammon stomping over with his hands on his hips, but Beel just rolled his eyes.
“I don’t see that written anywhere.”
“I don’t need a SIGN!” Mammon snapped at him. “It’s NOT ALLOWED! I forbid it!”
“What the heck, Mammon…”
“Sheesh! Flirtin’ in my café’!”
“I was even going to say ‘congratulations on your engagement’ and everything.” Beel sighed in exasperation. “But I think I’ll just tell Chise that instead, since you’re being so rude.”
“WHA?!? WHAAAA?!”
I burst out laughing at the expression on Mammon's face.
"Weird, Belphie is usually in our room by now," Beel said after he'd opened the door with a frown.
I turned my face to hide my sheepish look. Belphie and I had messaged... Beel and I were being given the room.
Beel shrugged, accepting it. "I guess he must have fallen asleep even earlier in one of his regular spots."
I gently took his hand in mine, soft and intentional. "That must be it."
He looked at me, pausing for a moment with a blink at the touch, at the slow drag of my fingers against his palm.
And then he blushed. "...Oh. I guess we can hang out alone for a while."
I giggled softly. "Cuddling would be a nice way to end a cute date..."
He pulled me to him. So tall. I felt so small as he held me, wrapped his arms around me. "...Yeah."
And then he leaned down, dipping me back a bit, to kiss me sweetly.
Yeah. Cuddling.
I kissed him back as I reached my arms up to wrap them around the back of his neck with a soft hum of content, drinking in the fullness of his lips, and the tenderness in which he pressed them to mine. He pressed the next quickly, as if fearing that a pause would break us apart. I relaxed as I followed the quick beginning between each one that melted into a lingering press. Again and again.
I bent my arms between us as my arms fell from around his neck to press my palms to his cheeks with another sigh. Gentle yet insistent, with a refusal to let it drop. Eager, but slow and sensual, and deepening, soft breaths against each other's mouths between each roll of our lips. His hold around my waist became so earnest that I was being swept up off of my feet entirely.
I pressed close as I slid my shin up his leg, and I made a pleased noise in my throat as he bent again to hook one arm against the back of my thighs under my rear to simply lift me higher. Both legs I was sliding up against the sides of his now with the lift, until he had me settled against his middle, to allow me to wrap them around just above his hips. He held me there, suspended against him, kissing me all the while, both of us tilting our heads to opposite sides in order to deepen them further, the presses slowly increasing in their pace. Soft and sweet noises of lip on lip, as he turned us around to walk the both of us to his bed.
It was only when his shins hit his bedframe that he briefly broke off our kisses. "...Is it okay if we have sex?"
I huffed a laugh, nuzzling my nose against his. "I would like that, yeah."
He sighed out his tension and sweet relief, smiling as he returned to kissing me, while he leaned us both down to sink me onto his mattress underneath him.
***
"...I love you, Chise," he murmured between one kiss to the next, as he gently undid the top button of my shirt. "I love being with you."
"I love you," I sighed back into him, threading my fingers through his thick ginger hair while he slowly undressed my shirt. "You make me feel like I'm floating..."
He nodded as he pulled the front apart to gently graze his fingers over the tops of my breasts in my bra. "You make me feel that way too."
Slowly I sat up, chasing for more kisses while he let me, stripping my shirt off from my shoulders and arms until I had it set to the side of us. My fingers came back to brush against his cheeks while his came around to unclasp the hooks of my bra, and then it was him who was pulling the straps down over my arms once it'd gone slack, peeling it from my chest until it was laid on top of my shirt in a pile.
As he began to lower his face, began to touch at the button on my pants, "Can you take your shirt off next? So I can touch your shoulders while you do the rest.”
He nodded at me, blushing and wordless, fingers now working his own buttons while he came back up to catch my mouth again in more sweet kisses. I sighed as I ran my fingers under the neckline, pulling the fabric aside as it slackened around his shoulders to run my palms over the firm, broad muscles of him.
He reached behind himself to pull it off from him next, before discarding it onto our growing pile, coming back to me eagerly, one hand cupping my breast while I sighed into his next kiss, the other pinching fingers to open the button of my pants, the fly of them being dragged down next. I ran my hands over him with a quiet hum as he left my mouth to trail kisses down to my breasts, touching neck and shoulders and hair while he tugged down the waistband of both my pants and panties together, dragging them over my hips with the help of me rolling them up a bit into the air for him.
He let out a shaky breath as he revealed me, pausing once he'd gotten them nearly to my knees. "...Um."
"You okay...?"
"Yeah... I was just wondering if, um..." He slowly raised his eyes up to look at me with hesitation. "...If you'd like to try anal this time. But it's okay if you don't want to," he added hurriedly, self-conscious.
I smiled encouragingly at him, with a tender stroking of his cheek. "Yeah, I'd like that. If you want to."
He ducked his head with a blush. "Yeah. Let's do that then. But I, um, promise that I'll take it slow. Okay? And let me know if you change your mind or if it hurts?"
I nodded as I lifted my knees up to encourage him. "I promise. Don't worry."
He sighed with relief again as he continued to pull my pants down again the rest of the way, giving me a small, shy smile once they'd left my ankles.
I smiled back. "But you have to promise you'll do the same as well."
He nodded. "I promise."
He stood, and worked on his belt, the metal clinking softly as he looked down at his fingers. I watched him with a bite of my lip, sitting up while he unbuttoned and unzipped and then began to pull them down.
I let out a shaky sigh of desire. Pulled both his pants and boxers down, to free himself.
Enormous for me.
He raised his eyes up at the sound of my sigh, and a blush touched his cheeks at the sight of the look I was giving him.
He finally stepped out of their confines. Naked. Body hard, muscular. Powerful. His cock hung thick and heavy between his legs with its weight. The whole set of him was enormous.
I ran my eyes over him with a swallow as he came back to me, and then his cock was trapped between us, pressing hard against my thighs while he kissed me again. He held himself above me with his palms pressed to the mattress on either side of me, kissing me sweet and sincere and with a touch of desperate longing. A touch of hunger, that he tamped on, to keep it so kind and gentle and considerate.
"Oh, um," he paused in almost a whisper. "Belphie gave me something new to try..."
Inwardly, I was groaning. "What is it?"
"Umm..." Beel chewed his lip shyly with a hunch of his shoulders as he lifted himself off of me to lean to his side. Pulling open his bedside drawer, he reached in, before producing a little bottle to show me. "Belphie said we should use this lube instead. For our... anal sex. He said I'd fit easier..."
I leaned forward to read the label, and the immediately blushed too. "...Ohhh, aha, yeah, silicone-based... I've heard... Yup. Heard that’s the, um, good one… for an…al…”
Felt like a goddamn fumbling teenager right now.
"Heh..." He breathed a sigh of relief. “I hope it really works. I’ll have to thank Belphie later if it does."
"Pff..." I pressed my palm over my whole face while I suppressed my laugh. Yeah… Thanks, Belphie. You freaking busybody…
…But I was grateful.
"Beel..." I reached towards him to cup his cheek with a smile.
He sighed. “Chise… Are you really sure you're going to be okay?"
I laughed softly. "I think so. But I promise to tell you if I'm not."
He nodded. "Thank you..."
Hesitantly, he shifted closer to me again. I opened my arms in welcome.
He nuzzled me with a tender look in his eyes. "How would you like us to do this? I want you to be as comfortable as you can be."
I giggled as I brushed a kiss to the tip of his nose. "Let's try from behind. I think that let's me relax the best."
He nodded, a blush slowly creeping up his cheeks. More prominent as I gave him a flirty little smirk, before slowly rolling myself underneath him, shifting back in place. Until my back was to him.
He sighed at the sight of me, and I peeked up over my shoulder. His eyes were roaming over me, following the curves of my body. He balanced himself on one elbow to press his other palm to my mid-back, before rubbing up and down gently.
"That feels nice."
He met my eyes with a blink, and then smiled. "Good. I'll rub your back more often."
"Please," I said, as I rolled my hips up to press to his heavy cock that hung above me. "I want your touch. I want you."
He slid his palm down my spine, kissing where he had first laid it, before leaning back onto his knees behind me. "I'll be as gentle as I can. Let me know if I'm going too fast."
"I trust you..." I arched further forward, and heard him suck in a sharper breath at the sight of my ass parting for him from my downward-dog position. I crossed my arms underneath my head with a satisfied sigh.
"So small," he murmured shyly.
I smirked to myself. "You're so big. It's going to feel so good, with me being so small, and you being so big."
He shuddered out a breath. “Yeah, it will..."
"Please put some lube on me." I swayed my hips a bit. "...I really want you now."
"Okay," he said softly back to me. I shivered at the sound of the cap on the bottle, closing my eyes in anticipation. Flinched, when I felt it dribble onto me. Took in a deep breath when I felt his finger swirl.
"It really is slippery," he murmured in surprise.
Before I could respond, I was gasping, as he sunk a finger in.
"Hells..." I whispered with a lift of my head up from my arms. "Oh, Beel..."
A second finger, so easily. And then a pump, and another.
"Oh, ffffuck..."
"This stuff is perfect. I'll pour more on you, and then on me. Wow, this is really good."
More dribbling while I let out a whine of anticipation. And then the slick sounds of his palm slowly moving up and down his thick shaft, and then fingers pushing into me, pushing, pulling.
"Holy fuck, Beel," I groaned, relaxing. "That feels so fucking good..."
"I think... this is going to feel really good."
Something thick, thicker than fingers, heavy and oppressive, swirling at my entrance.
"Oh my... god..." I whispered weakly, in disbelief. "You're so... nngg... big…"
He wasn't pressing earnestly yet, though he was dipping inside the max of where my entrance ended and my tunnel began, where he met resistance. He was rubbing there, up and down, my cheeks pressed apart by him while I rubbed my forehead back and forth into my arms again with a whimper.
More dribbling, right on the mark. Right where we had already met. "I don't think we need more, but just in case... I don't want to hurt you."
I nodded, mute now, heart hammering.
"I'm going to push."
Another nod.
He placed his hands on my hips, grip gentle. Just enough to keep me in place. My hole kept stable, to aim towards, his goal. His cock, lined to me.
At first, he just gave small little pumps of his hips, testing me, testing the resistance. I groaned with every firmer prod, the both of us realizing that he was slowly working himself in. So he humped in place, cock prodding, prodding, each small push entering a little further in than the last. I gasped with a tensing of my shoulders as I felt him rub up against a particular give, and ease that open, too. I was opening for him.
But he was barely in. I didn't have to see our joining to know that. And it was the flared base, the mushroom'd cap of his head, that had me whimpering next, my fingernails curling into my palms as I scrunched my face.
"I think this is going to be one of the worst parts for you," he whispered apologetically.
But he didn't stop the small pumping. Kept going.
I nodded, swallowing hard, before letting out a few pants of effort.
And slowly, slowly, he worked the chubbier base of his head in. Until he popped with a gasp, and a strained cry from me.
"Holy..." he whispered again. "Sorry... Wow..."
I shook my head. "G... Good..."
He stroked my tailbone lightly. "You're so tight, even with the lube."
"Beel..."
"Yeah...?"
"Like being... Feeling... Small and fragile, w…with your..."
"Big dick inside of you."
I moaned softly, the sound muffled in my arm.
"I feel the same way..." He began to rock back and forth again, but with a bit more purpose, his impatience beginning to show. "You're so small. But you're so strong. You make me feel so good about my body…"
"Gods..."
"Strong enough..." He pushed a little harder this time, pushing in a little faster than the small sawing motions he'd been making. "...To take my large dick."
I cried out with a tipping of my head.
And pushed slightly back.
He panted at the gesture, at the grip of me on him, his fingers on my hips pressing into my soft flesh a little more firmly. "Small... Feels so good… You make me feel… so good… You get me so hard…"
He stayed still, as I pushed back on him again, while I let out a soft sob.
“You're beautiful," he whispered in wonder as he watched me ease him in for myself now. "I'm just... sinking into you. It looks like it should be impossible, but… I'm really just… going in…"
I pushed a little harder, making myself cry out again at the stretch. The unbelievable stretch. Because we were near the swell of his unbelievably thick shaft now, the girthiest part of him. Often not as hard to get in as the bulbous flare of his tip, but...
He began to work himself again with a moan. Small pumps again, but his hips moved quicker, pushed in faster, impatient. He struggled hard against the impatience, I could tell. His body was tense behind me in his concentration not to just... thrust. To spear. To consume for himself.
"Feels... so... good..." he panted, between every second pump. "Chise, this is... Your ass is sooo tight..."
I moaned weakly as my ass was slowly invaded by that cock of his. I may as well have a whole fist and arm working into me. How had he even ever fit...?"
"So... small..." he grunted to himself.
Slowly losing control, while I was panting below him with lidded eyes, tears stinging in the corners.
My ass felt heavy with him. And he was only halfway.
I met his forward pump into me, with a backwards push against him. We met, again and again, slowly joining, faster, faster, I choked on a sob, and another, as he increased our pace, discarding my own. But felt so good, to be taken by him. His impatience for me igniting a dirty desperation in myself.
"Almost," he huffed in a growl. "Almost, almost."
"Give."
"Sure?"
“Do. it."
And then I flung my head back with a scream, with a slap of my palms on his mattress, as he forced the final thrust into me with a guttural grunt.
My eyes wide, my mouth open in shock, staring at the ceiling with my back curved, unbreathing.
There’d been more of him left than I'd realized.
He was panting hard behind me. Not from any exhaustion. But from the intense grip of me around his cock, the intense pleasure, the anticipation for more, and the impatience in having it. He stayed there, obediently, for now. Wordlessly waiting for me to adjust -- however much I physically could, anyway. We both felt how I contracted hard around him in my struggle to relax into the stretch. We were joined to the brim, after all. He felt every muscle of me, as I felt every twitch of his eagerness.
I finally whimpered. Finally got in a breath. I was motionless entirely. Any movement would drag him along with me, like a joint. A part of me.
“Need… to hear your words.” He repeated Belphie’s own.
“…G…Gods…” I finally choked out shakily, my head sinking back down to my wrists. “Thhhat, thhhat…”
He leaned forward over me with a sigh of relief. It moved him in me. Moved me with him. Pushing me up.
“Ohh gods…” I let out a strained groan. “Unghh…"
“Chise…” He swallowed hard as pressed his forehead to my spine. “Wow…”
"Oh gods, Beel, that…"
“Good...?” His voice was hoarse, tinged desperate.
I groaned again, tense with… pleasure. “So… yeah…”
“Yeah…” He pressed a kiss to my back, before sitting back up with a sigh, the movement of him tugging inside of me causing me to groan yet again. My voice box felt like it was sitting deep in my chest, pulling my voice out gravelly. “You feel amazing, Chise… I don’t know how long I can hold back for. If you need me to pull out so that I don’t…”
I shook my head while sucking in a sharp breath of anticipation. “…Want…”
“I’ll go slow at first… But I’m going to take you like usual soon. I just want to make sure. ”
“So sure… Will compel…”
“Okay, yeah.” I felt his fingers gently reach to brush my hair from the back of my neck. “Yeah, just command me if I can’t hear you.”
I nodded with a whimper.
“I’m going to start to move now.”
“‘Kay…”
He pressed his palm over top of my tailbone with a sigh, and then began moving backwards, dragging his thick cock out of me while I let out a high-pitched whine.
“Feels amazing…” he whispered. "Your ass really does feel amazing, Chise…”
And moved back in.
"It looks amazing, too… Being inside you.”
From entrance to under my tailbone, I had never felt so full. I was already beginning to feel senseless with it as I curled my fingers into his sheets, as though clinging to life. My lashes fluttered, my eyes rolled, and my back and shoulders kept shuddering, shivering as if I was fevered.
He moved back. I gasped throatily.
Moved back in. Shuddering, shaking visibly, clutching the blankets while squeezing my eyes shut.
Back. So slippery, but even the slickness of the lube couldn’t entire hide just how absolutely stretched my body was, pushed past its natural limit. The lube barely kept me from tearing at least, I think. Maybe. All I could feel was enormous pressure, while my breathing stuttered.
Out, in.
I pressed my forehead to the mattress with a low, throaty groan, the sound lazy and pathetic. I sunk forward, the slow collapse easing the shake of my muscles that gripped my entire body as I gave in to him. Out, in… Out, and then in. Sounded slick. Thick. Monstrous. Becoming rhythmic. While I shuddered uneven breaths, sweat already beading on my brow, my hair growing sticky on my skin from the camp. Sweating all over, as much as I was shaking.
And Beel kept sawing into me; back and forth, smoothly, with his palms on my rear, and fingers splayed, while he looked down at our joining with a frown of rapt concentration. Keeping himself slower, steady, and under control; the massive size of him had to be rolled back and forth into me with a firmer press and pull, as the tunnel of my ass sucked him in with a grip he fought on his way back out.
I was already becoming overcome with it, my arms sliding out to my sides as my body was rocked slowly, pushed, and then pulled back on him, while my breathing turned shallow, with a soft whine laced in my exhales. I felt helplessly skewered, like I couldn't possibly stop feeling this stretch and pressure, this monster moving in me. How could I possibly ever feel normal again. How could I possibly let go of his giant in me. How could he possibly be removed, for me to return to a normal shape.
He was speeding up, I thought absently through the haze. He was rolling quicker, with a rumble in his chest with every push. Did I feel incredibly on him? How I pulled on him? How tight did I feel? The pull on his foreskin? I couldn't ask, and he was slowly spiralling into his familiar feral hunger.
Rumbles into growls, and growls into guttural grunts. Thrusting now. His palms pressing on my hips as he walked closer on his knees to fold me forward even further, curving my spine, thrusting, angling down into my hole, into what fed the raging pleasure on his cock, taking more of it with every shove of his hips. I let out a short, flat cry with every thrust inside of me; from the shock to my body with every rock forward, from the enormous pressure in my lower back, from the unfathomable stretch of my very bowels themselves.
I felt weak. Couldn't move. Just my ass in the air, in helpless offering, to this demon of gluttony that took me as his to plunge his cock into until he reached satiation, harder and harder, faster and faster, hips snapping as he growled possessively over his motionless hole. I felt, and heard, his enormous balls begin to slap against me along with his pelvis right up to my widely spread cheeks, skin sharp on skin. And the wet, slick sounds of the lube, lewd, as lewd as a demon's shockingly massive cock fucking a little human's ass, plunging deep, nearly spitting through her like meat on a skewer. Or so it felt.
He was slamming now. I was just making one, long groaning noise deep in my chest, that was bounced up and down by him, with an occasional breath sucked back into my lungs to do it again. My cheek was on the mattress, tears and drool soaking underneath. If it weren't for his driving into me that kept my hips slammed up, I would have collapsed already. My knees were sliding apart enough as they were. He simply spread my cheeks further, curved my spine harder with another forward walk on his knees, and angled himself down even more to get at me.
He was grunting with each slam enthusiastically, ferally, taking me with so much strength and force that his grunts had effort behindd them. Taking, teeth gritting, hissing in his inhales, his nails leaving marks in my soft flesh while he held me down to fuck into a ruin. He consumed me completely. Emptied every one of my thoughts while I drifted, cheek and ear wet from unchecked drool.
He didn't even say anything, or break stride, or give any indication at all, when he slammed into me with a deep, guttural cry, to release himself inside. He threw his head back and let out gravelly groans of possessive satisfaction while he pumped his enormous, hot load, deep into my bowels. The heat of his seed heated under my spine in his flood, until my back felt like it burned, like a muscle that ached deep. But it was from cum. His hot cum. And then it was flooding back down the length of his shaft that was stuck buried deep inside of me. Such a strange sensation. The heat pulsed with every new pulse of him, with every load he gave.
And then he was sighing in deep satisfaction, his nails relaxing in my flesh. Finally satiated. Took, had, finished in my ass. Because it felt good on his cock to take, have, and finish in my ass. It fed a deeper and darker sense of hunger that chased him. To conquer and then consume. Sweet Beel, so kind and loving and gentle, still part angel, was a demon in bed, wherever he put his hungry cock.
"...Chise...?"
It took every ounce of strength and will to make a small noise of acknowledgment.
"Chise..."
I was still half-sprawled under him with my ass in the air, quiet.
"I'm going to pull out, okay...?"
Another bout of strength, to move my head slightly, in an attempt at a nod. My neck wouldn't move back up though, so it was just a small tucking motion.
And then he was pulling back with a audible grimace, while I keened softly at the strange absence left within me. I felt suddenly deflated. And very, very wet. My hips dropped immediately the moment he was no longer there for support, which widened me further, to spill Beel's seed out in stringy leakage onto the rumpled comforter under my knees. I was too glazed over to care about how obscene it must look back there, even if I would probably have wanted to enjoy it, to be honest. I kind of felt fucked up, in how satisfied I felt.
I felt Beel press a shaky palm on my lower back. "Are you okay, Chise...? Y-You're um... So wide open... from..."
"…Mffk..." I forced my arm straight out, and then forced my fingers to curl in and out twice to beckon him next. The movements were jerky and exaggerated.
He slowly crawled up beside me, studying my face anxiously, eyes darting back and forth between both of mine.
"Chise..."
I blinked, licked my dry lips, and huffed out a soft sound of amusement.
He shook his head, perplexed. "I feel like you should be mad at me..."
I groaned as I really, really did force myself to move this time, to roll onto my side to face him with a wince as my opened hips collapsed tight. Fuck. I hurt all over. He'd taken me like a goddamn ox. I felt beaten all over, like I'd fallen down a very, very tall flight of stairs.
I stretched out an arm, and after a moment's hesitation, he wiggled underneath it.
"Love you..." I sighed out. "Fucking... amazing..."
His eyes widened. "Really?"
"Ah...may...zing..." I sighed again. "Fuck..."
"You're not just saying that?"
"Ahhhh..." I took a breath, “maaaay... ziiiiiiing..."
He shook his head. "So you really are crazy, huh?"
I gave him two slow nods, and then a strained giggle.
He finally quirked a small smile, eyes softening. "I'm so glad. I was so..."
I touched his cheek. Another forced gesture, so I could really only lay it there, my fingers lightly pressed to his cheekbone as I blinked sleepily at him. But I was slowly finding the strength to smile, so I gave him one, my own eyes soft as well.
"...It felt... so good."
"Mm… Could tell..."
"I like the, um, normal way too, but..."
I giggled a bit.
“…I wouldn't mind doing anal again with you if you liked it."
"I did," I breathed in reply, my smile widening. "Yes."
I felt his shoulders relax as he smiled back. "Okay. That'd be nice. Just tell me when you want that instead. But, um…”
“Mm?”
"Here, Chise..." He gently took me by my hips, rolling me again while I groaned. Onto my back this time, moving along with me. My bones ached. "I want to take care of you now."
"Hunh...?" My blinked slowly in confusion.
"I'm going to take care of you. If you want."
He was over me now, massaging my hips, gently pressing the heels of his palms to rub in small, slow circles.
It felt good.
I relaxed with a sigh.
"Good..." He shuffled back a bit, before pressing a kiss to my lower belly. And then down towards my pelvis.
"Oh..."
And then down at the lips of me. Massaging. Breath warm. Kisses gentle.
"Want to open your thighs for me…? If you want to."
I bit my lip with a small shiver as I rolled the rest of the way to properly lay on my back. He hummed in approval as I slowly parted my thighs for him, and I shakily reached down to pet at his head while he kissed down the part of my folds.
"Beel..." I whispered hoarsely. "Don't need to."
"Belphie warned me you don't cum from anal. And I really want to make you cum." He was massaging the sides of my thighs now as he continued shifting back, lifting them slightly with the press of his palms to bend my knees a bit. Massaging the back of them while I groaned at the relief.
Groaned at the feeling of his warm, wet tongue, that he dragged gently through me.
"Feel good, Chise...?"
"So good..."
"Good." He kissed me, lips pressing lightly to my bud. "I like making you feel good. You make me feel so good too. You deserve it."
He licked me softly. Licked me again. His tongue was thick and large and wet, sliding up entirely through my folds to part them further, with the full flat of it. But the licks were tender, gentle. I sighed softly with a loll of my head to the side, and a curl of my fingers in my palms. I spread my legs apart more, and he hummed again as he pressed his face closer.
"You taste so good," he murmured against me, before giving me another lick. "Eating you out makes a part of me finally feel so full. I should do it more often."
"Yes," I whispered back to him weakly, before letting out a soft, kitten-y little moan.
"Hearing you..." He pressed the very tip of his tongue to me this time, and dragged it up harder, right to the bud of my clit, the heels of his palms digging into the backs of my aching thighs the moment his tongue connected.
"Beel!" I gasped, as my back rolled into a small arch. "Ohh Beel..."
"Say my name, Chise..."
He did it again.
"Gods, Beel..." My lashes fluttered as he increased his pressure again. Stroking, from just above my entrance to the right where he'd find my clit. "Oh, Beel, baby, please..."
He hummed, eyes closing as he took my clit in between his full lips with a soft suck. I gasped again, back arching sharper, my senses coming back to me. Still exhausted, still sore, my tailbone still felt so empty, but my core was igniting again. Slowly. My turn. I groaned as I tipped my head back at his next suck. Felt so wrecked, and so fucked, wouldn't take long.
He pushed himself forward, tilting my pelvis up to him, rolling his shoulders until the connected with the backs of my thighs. His palms left them, and I groaned as absence of the pressure allowed their ache to return.
"I'll give you a proper massage after," he promised me, as he hooked the backs of my knees over his shoulders with a soft stroke on my shins. "I'm going to take care of you all night."
"Beel... I love you..."
"Chise..." He dragged the thick pad of his index finger up through my soaking folds. "I love you too."
From bottom to top, bottom to top, just like his tongue, he stroked me while I whined out my soft pleasure. Soft and gentle, moving silkily through my slick.
And then, instead of grazing over it, he pressed two in.
My thighs tensed as I threw my head back with a soft cry, my heels digging into his shoulder blades to drag him even closer. He groaned against my sex at my noise of pleasure, sinking his fingers into me. First knuckle, second, while I let out a long whine that went higher and higher in pitch as he deftly dragged the pads of his fingers up against the ceiling of my sex.
My back was rolling in and out of slow, writhing arches, small cries falling from my lips as he began to pump his fingers in and out of me. I was so incredibly wet. I watched with a groan as he briefly stopped to slip his milky-white coated fingers into his mouth, pressing his lips as he slipped them back out with a small pop at the end.
"Tastes so good."
And then he was back again, hungrier, fingers finding me to slip in confidently, lipping at my clit until he took it back into his mouth with a throaty hum. The tip of his tongue swirled in small, tight circles, pinpointed pressure that had me squirming, moaning, arching. Pumping his fingers in time to his flicking tongue. Huffing hot against me as he came up for air, before taking me again with soft groans.
"Deeperrrr..." I begged, my fingers slipping into his hair to grip at his roots.
And he did. The pumping becoming more of a jamming into me now, the pressure on the ceiling of me increasing two-fold. I cried out in earnest now, throwing my head back. He sucked my clit greedily, milking it, growling every time I let out another cry.
"Oh gods, Beel!" My back curved forward as my body began to tense, sitting me up, held by my stiff-and-straight arms that trembled. I was rubbing and digging my heels into his back desperately, thrusting my hips forward against his face, crying out rhythmically. "Beel! PLEASE!"
"Cum for me, Chise," he growled at me, before giving me a suck that would almost be painful if it weren't for the bloom that had begun there.
"Gunna!" I threw my head back with a strained gasp, belly heaving. “Gonnnn–!”
I choked, eyes rolling back until I squeezed them shut entirely. I shook violently around him, against him, sore muscles screaming at me in my release. The heat that had pooled inside of my belly shot through the entirety of me, hot and electric, pulsing, contracting around his fingers. And he sucked, and pumped, and lapped, the sound of his fingers jamming into me filthy wet.
Senseless. My body rocking back and forth. Toes curled. Fingernails dragging into a tight grip in the sheets under me. I gasped in a sharp, desperate breath. A high, strained whine. A few more shudders.
Falling back, slowly. Muscles releasing shakily, dull and heavy. A low groan releasing from deep in my chest. Lips parted, chest heaving. My knees relaxed on him, my heels stopped their digging to hang limp over his shoulders.
"Amazing, Chise," he murmured, his fingers slowing to a stop before he withdrew them. I huffed deep breaths, eyes closed, hearing him lick his fingers clean of me with a sigh of satisfaction. "You look like you feel good."
"So… Sss…"
"I'm hard again," he whispered, as he came back up to me with his fist around his cock. "I want to take your ass again while you're on your back like this. I want my cum that's still in there to lube us. Can you take me in you again, Chise, while you're laying there like that?"
“Ffff… Beel," I whispered back to him, as my eyes cracked open and I turned my face towards him again. "Take me... As much of me as you want."
His face was over top of mine. "I might want you all night..."
I slipped my fingers into his hair, meeting his gaze, returning his look desire. "Then take me all night, Beel."
He pressed his lips to mine.
Lined himself.
Pressed himself.
Pushed himself.
Slow pumps.
Easing.
To take me again.
Chapter 23: Intermission: Get Rekt
Notes:
……..I’m pretty sure that this was THE LONGEST smut scene I’ve written. Uh. Goes to the end. Have fun with a 4k chapter, aces, while everyone enjoys a 14k long chapter I guess?
Levi’s Devilgram: A Virtual Drive
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Day 8
Simeon: Do you remember your oath, Satan?
Simeon: Let me remind you.
Simeon: "He shall not harm. He shall not strike. He shall not betray. He shall not curse. He shall not abandon. He shall not renounce. He assumes mine own oaths as his own, and shares burden.”
Simeon: I can only surmise that you haven’t been condemned to Cocytus yet because neither of you have abandoned each other in your hearts. But you’re on borrowed time.
Simeon: And I need you to believe me when I say that you need to be shouldering your oath now more than ever.
Levi frowned down at his plate. "You know, about the whole Mammon not changing baby diapers thing because he wouldn't change the litter box..."
"HEY." Mammon pointed his fork at him with a scowl. "DON'T YOU GO BRINGIN' THAT UP!"
I sighed. "Not this again..."
"I was just thinking. Chise, does that mean you're watching us to see which one of us takes the best care of Tinkerbell...?"
Beel and Asmo gasped.
I closed my eyes. "Ah, fuck. Here we go.” All I could think was, thank goodness Belphie had overslept again to skip this.
"...You know what?! I'm really in the mood to shop for kitty outfits!" Asmo declared in sparkling excitement. "Oooh I'm going to make a Devilgram star out of her yet! We should totally go after school together, Chise! She’s going to look SO adorable!"
"I'll feed Tinkerbell really well. She'll grow up big and strong.”
“Where the fuck is she?!” Mammon growled as he leaned back in his chair to sweep his eyes around the floor. “I wanna pet that cat brat RIGHT NOW!”
Levi rolled his eyes, cheeks pink. “You only want to pet her in front of Chise!”
“Shaddup! I pet her all the time!”
“Anyway, u-um…” Levi glanced at me. “I-I’ve already had pets that I’ve taken REALLY good care of so far! I have LOTS of experience taking care of living things. I’m SO good with pets. And Tinkerbell is no exception!”
“You lost your first snake!” Asmo snapped at him. “Multiple times! AND you turned goldfish Henry into Lotan that one time!”
“Th-Those were all accidents!”
“You can’t have accidents like THAT with REAL kids!”
"Enough," Lucifer snapped at all of them. ”All of you would make for terrible fathers. Eat your breakfast or you’ll be late.”
“Damn…” Mammon muttered, shooting him a glare.
Asmo fell into a pout. “That’s so meeeeean, Luciferrrrr.…”
I was stuffing egg into my face grumpily, pointedly ignoring them all, before I hurriedly glanced down at the buzzing my D.D.D. made on the table next to my plate.
My D.D.D. never left my side these days, with the screen always turned up to face me.
Just in case.
Belphie: I’d pluck the stars from the sky for you.
Belphie: Surprised? I heard that line in a drama the other day.
Belphie: Do you need any stars?
Chise: So you ARE awake.
Belphie: Mhm.
Chise: …Yes please. 😊
Belphie: Always the romantic.
Belphie: Plucking stars from the sky is impossible, and it sounds too much like hard work.
Belphie: But if you really wanted one, I guess I could make a plan.
Belphie: …Not!
Chise: YOU’RE SUCH A LITTLE SHIT, BELPHIE.
Belphie: I woke up in such a good mood.
Belphie: Hmm, I wonder why……….
Chise: So that’s how today’s going to be with you, huh? 😒
Belphie: Hehe.
Belphie: Bet I made you smile.
Chise: Shut the fuck up.
Belphie: That’s what I thought. 😉
“–OI! CHEES! STOP IGNORIN’ US!” Mammon called down the table at me with a scowl. “…And why’re ya smilin’ like that for?! Who’re you talkin’ to?!”
I hummed innocently as I flipped my D.D.D. over for the time being. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“Pffffff… Well, ya look like a nut, grinnin’ like that…”
“Pfffffffff!” Levi agreed, face red with jealousy.
“PFFF!” Beel said too, which caused all of us to turn to him with blinks of confusion. “…Sorry. I wanted to be included.”
I reached to pat his hand with a smile. He really was the only one I could count on to not make me want to flip tables on a dime.
He smiled shyly back at me.
Yeah. The electric connection of last night was still there between us.
“…KNOCK IT OFF, YOU TWO!” Mammon shouted down the table at us.
“Fuck off, Mammon,” Beel shot back.
I burst out laughing, before lacing my fingers in his.
Leviachan: Chise!
Leviachan: Chise!
Leviachan: Chise!
Leviachan: Chise!
Leviachan: Chise!
Leviachan: Chise!
Leviachan: Chise!
I looked behind me towards Levi at his desk with raised eyebrows.
He bounced excitedly at me as he pointed at his screen.
I snorted as I returned to mine.
Leviachan: Chise!
Leviachan: Chise!
Chise: Hi, Levi.
Leviachan: I got a new game.
Leviachan: I want to play it.
Leviachan: With you!
Leviachan: TODAY.
Leviachan: So don’t make ANY other plans with ANYONE else!
Chise: Okay.
Leviachan: PLEASE.
Leviachan: Oh.
Leviachan: Well… great lol.
Leviachan: Catch u l8rzzz.
Leviachan: Oh, but don’t tell anyone that we’re playing together in my room.
Leviachan: NO interruptions.
Leviachan: Leviachan OUT.
I guess it was Levi’s turn to enrich my environment and keep me busy – like some sort of tiger kept in an enclosure, being thrown a frozen watermelon to play with.
He nodded at the bag in my hand as I made myself welcome, easily breezing through his door. “Snacks? Drinks?”
“…Yep!”
I wasn’t lying.
But the box at the bottom of the bag weighed it down a little heavier than usual, making the base of it steady as I set it on the ground by the mattress. Nice and casual, before pulling out a soda for him, and a bottle of juice for me.
“Thank youuu.” He took it from me, before pulling open the tab with a sigh of satisfaction.
I looked around with mild interest. He’d moved things around, making a space in the center of his room. I knew what that meant, but it’d been a while since we’d played a VR game together. The ones released here in the Devildom were rather elaborate. In that, the human world seemed to still be catching up.
“Well, it took you long enough. So, you’ve got to sit over there. And make yourself comfortable. Oh, and put that VR headset on. Got it?”
Called it. I made myself comfy on the large floor poof, breaking the seal of the lid on my juice. “So you said this is a new game?”
“I’ll explain it all later!” he said hurriedly, plopping himself down heavily beside me to take up another VR headset for himself. “But it’ll be fun, okay?”
Before I strapped my own in and placed it over my eyes, I leaned to the side to kiss his cheek. “It’s always fun with you.”
He squeaked as he turned to stare at me, eyes wide.
I took the opportunity to catch his lips in a brief peck, grinning at his surprise. “Let’s do this.”
“Y-Yeah.” He paused a moment, cheeks pink, before bravely bumping his forehead lightly against mine, making me giggle. He quirked a smile. Somebody was being very tolerant of surprises, I thought. “Okay. Here we go.”
We both pulled the visor down over our eyes.
“…Oh, wow!” I grinned again as the black screen I’d been met with loaded into a beach all around us, with a road to the side lined with palm trees to separate it off. It looked like something straight out of a GTA game.
“See! Isn’t this amazing?! It’s the newest instalment of Devil Theft Auto, or DTA for short! It just came out yesterday!”
Well… I never said that Devildom games were in any way original.
“It’s the sixth in the series, but it’s been five years since the last one was released!”
…I wondered which came first. Which one was the chicken, and which was the egg?
“Whoa! They took their sweet time.”
He nodded. “I’d been waiting soooo long for the game, and then they kept pushing back the release date… But it was totally worth the wait! There’s tons of stuff that you can do, and waaaay more freedom than the other games! AND there’s the top-of-the-line VR hardware that it runs on!” He pointed to his face with a grin, though there was no visor over his eyes in here. It must be scanning our faces. …Great. “It makes you feel like you’re really here!”
I smiled indulgently at him. “You look so happy, Levi…”
“Who wouldn’t be?!” He beamed at me now. “I mean, this is DTA we’re talking about here! The graphics have come such a long way from the first game, and now we’re even at the point where you can play in virtual reality.” He almost sniffled with emotion as his lips trembled.
I laughed with a shake of my head. “All right, so what will we be doing? You’ll have to show me the ropes.
He nodded. “Okay, so, they’ve gone with a tropical setting for this one, but uh, while the story is still about doing ‘jobs’ to work your way up in the criminal underworld. But, um, we’re not gonna worry about that today!”
“Oh no?”
“Um, I’m…” He wiped his mouth on the back of his sleeve nervously. “I was planning on taking you for a drive in my car. Like, on a date!”
Oh. My. Stars. This shut-in baby nerd.
It was my turn to beam at him. “That sounds GREAT.”
He brightened again, with a look of relief. “I know, right?! I KNEW you’d like the idea! I mean, um…” His cheeks turned a cute shade of pink, Levi-style, as he darted his eyes away from mine. “It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a really long time now… G-Going for a ride… with someone s-special… I-I know that’s, um, a normie thing usually, but in… here, it’s like…”
I nodded. “A nice happy medium.”
He smiled shyly as he swiped in the air, evidently bringing up a user interface that I couldn’t see on my end. “Okay, so let me show you my ride! …Ta-daaaaah!”
A car appeared at the side of the road, the ‘engine’ rumbling audibly in our headphones.
“After twenty-four hours of grinding, I finally got my hands on this set of wheels! It’s a Dämonswagen Beetle! I just love how round and cute it is!”
My eyes were round.
I was deeply amused. This gamer boy had access to any car imaginable in this game – any pimped-up and revving hot ride that anyone could dream of.
And he unapologetically chose the buggy for our ‘date'.
It was just so him.
I smiled up at him in sheer delight. “I love it. I love cute cars, too!”
His cheeks turned pink as he grinned back at me excitedly. “So, you do get it! Chise, we’re so similar, aren’t we. Sports cars are cool and all, but adorable autos have their own appeal! But oh, right! We’ve still got to pack!”
I raised my eyebrows. “Pack?”
He nodded as he took my hand beside me in real life, showing me the motions to open my interface. I smiled to myself. “They REALLY went all out in terms of realism for this one. When you get hungry, your strength and stamina go down, and what you equip can make a huge difference to your stats, too. So, you’ve gotta haul a bunch of items and wearables and stuff around you all the time. Hang on a sec, will you?”
With my interface open, he swiped his up again.
“I’m gonna transfer some stuff I picked up for you to get you started.”
“Thank you,” I said sweetly.
My flirty tones and hand squeezes were lost on him, as they usually were when he really got into a hobby. It was one of my favourite things, to have those be innocently ignored. It felt special, like a special sort of intimacy that only I got to touch with him.
“…Okay!” He pressed something on my UI, evidently able to see my screen. A whole bunch of shit appeared at my feet. He took my hand again to stand us both in his room in real life. “So let’s throw these in the trunk. But, uh…” He looked towards the Beetle doubtfully. “I wonder if all this is actually going to fit.”
I looked down at my feet, perplexed. “Damn, it really is realistic, huh?”
“Hup! Hnng…” He bent down to pick up a suitcase, while I smothered a laugh behind his back.
–
“All right…! All that’s left is this last box!” He tried unbending his knees with a grunt. “…C’mooooon… Ugh, this one’s heavy!”
“How did they manage to make these things feel weighted…?”
“I know, right?! Isn’t it cool?!”
Not answering my question.
He sighed as he sank into a squat, balancing with a hand place on top of the box. “There’s got to be a better way of doing this…”
I squatted down on the other side. “Together?”
“Oh, uh…” He peeked across at me from under his fringe. “Yeah, that’d be great, thanks.”
“Lift with your knees,” I warned him like a child.
“I knoooow. Man, that’s so embarrassing.” He grunted again as we both stood in a lift. “Totally weaksauce…”
I grinned at him. “I love you.”
“PFFAW…!” He stumbled backwards, eyes wide. “You just…! Y-You’re going to make me drop this box…”
“Hmm? I didn’t quite catch that.”
He sulked at me as he continued shuffling backwards. “…I-I love you too.”
“Much better, thank you.”
–
We were sitting on his plush floor poof again, side-by-side.
“All right, let’s get this show on the road!” He looked around. “F-First I just have to check my mirrors… Then shift into reverse… Then back out of the parking lot niiiice and slow… Then… my gosh, why are there so many steps?!”
“Pff!” I hid my mouth behind my hand. “…Don't you have your license in real life?”
“I-I GOT IT A LONG TIME AGO!” he protested. “…Maybe a little too long ago.”
Yeah, never heard of him driving before. Guess you could get your license as a demon and not put it into use for a thousand years or so and forget how it works as technology moves ever forward, leaving you in the dust?
…So to speak. Okay, pun intended.
“A-Anyway, everything’s TOTALLY fine! I’m just a little nervous, that’s all… I know it’s a game, but the last thing I want to do is get into an accident while you’re riding with me!”
“Hey, Levi?”
He frowned distractedly as he finally got it going slowly into reverse. “…Yeah?”
“Want road head?”
We came to a lurching halt as he slammed his hands on top of the steering wheel. “WHAT?!”
I burst out laughing, making him glare at me.
Immediately turning red in the face.
–
“Phew…” he sighed in relief. “Okay, we managed to make it onto one of the major roads…” He smiled as he glanced at me from the corner of his eye. “Well? What do you think? Just like the real thing, right? Oh, whoops!”
The car slammed to a halt.
“…Red light,” he explained guiltily.
I snorted in amusement. “I can see that.”
“Hey, um, Chise…?” He looked down at his lap while he tapped his finger on the steering wheel. “There’s, um, this favour I was hoping to ask you.”
I almost made the road head joke again, but he was already being shy, so. “What’s up?”
“…Um, I was hoping we could… hold hands… while we wait for the light to change…?”
He was blushing.
The light was already green.
“Of course we can,” I said softly with a smile, as I took his one hand from the steering wheel in mine.”
He swallowed with a start as he stared down at our clasped hands. “O-Oh my goooosh…! It’s happening! It’s really happening! This is the best! And your hand is so warm, too!”
I nearly died right there on the spot, letting out a brief cooing whine at how fucking adorable he was.
“Oh, shit, the light’s green!”
I burst out laughing again as he quickly dropped my hand while slamming his foot down on the accelerator.
“…L-Let’s make a quick pit stop at the next gas station, okay?”
“This thing needs gas and everything?”
He nodded quickly.
I smiled privately as I settled back again to look out the window for a bit. I think it was nerves.
–
“Phew…” He sighed as he relaxed, hand still on the stick. “Driving responsibly really does a number on your nerves. I mean, usually I’d be gunning it everywhere, crashing into whatever, but…” He glanced at me again, with a chew of his lip. “Well, having such an important passenger means I’ve got to be super careful. Even if it is a game.”
I took his hand in mine again. “You’re so sweet.”
“N-No…!” He ducked his head with a shy blush. “…Um, do you want to give it a shot?”
I squeezed his hand. “Sure.”
He brightened. “Okay, let’s trade seats.”
“But, uh… I’ve actually never driven a car before.”
He started, eyes going wide with disbelief. “…Like, ever?”
“Hehe…” I gave him a sheepish smile. “Prepare to be in a car crash?”
“Pfff…” He grinned back at me. “Well, if you’re going to crash, this is the game to do it in. U-Um, but… I can teach you. How to drive?”
The eagerness in his eyes was slaying me. He was on the verge of begging for it. …Always desperate for firsts with me. It soothed his Envy…
I giggled as I opened the car door. “All right, Levi-senpai. Please, teach me how to drive.”
“…Y-Yeah! Ch…Chise-kohai.”
–
“Right, so, keep your foot on the break while you start it up…”
“Well, there was my problem.” I frowned down at the pedal. “Why do I have to put my foot on the break to turn it on?”
He rolled his eyes with a smirk. “You just do, okay? Anyway, then you use that lever to shift it into reverse.”
I looked around nervously. “Hand, foot, other hand, eyes, what?”
“Pff.” He put my hand on the stick, pointing at a symbol on one of the gears, before shifting my hand back. “This, see? Oh, but next is the hardest part. Actually backing out of the lot.”
I sighed in frustration.
He nodded solemnly. “I know. There you go, you’re doing fine.”
“All right… What next?”
He took my hand again to guide me. “You turn the steering wheel like this… Okay, go now go light on the gas, and…”
…I went a little hard on the gas.
He did a decent job at hiding his wince on my behalf, turning it into a beaming smile as I eased up and slowly backed out of the parking space. “Yeah, just like that! See, you’re a natural! O-OH, GOSH!” He abruptly sat back, hands raised in surrender with wide eyes, alarming me into another lurch. “I’M SORRY! I didn’t mean to get so close to you…!”
“Pfff…!” I did, somehow, manage to break. “Levi, you’re… the cutest fucking button in my life.”
“WH…!” He nearly scrambled in his seat, legs kicking while he gripped the sides. I felt his flailing beside me on the poof in real life. “…HOW AM I A BUTTON?!”
–
“…This is kind of weird, right?”
“How do you mean…?” I glanced over at him briefly, white-knuckling the steering wheel as I went way below the speed limit, blinking my eyes in frustration against the glare of the setting sun.
“I mean…” He shifted shyly, hands clasped between his legs. “A total shit-in like me is out on a driving date! …It’s all happening in a game, but still!”
I smiled to myself. “I didn’t expect this either. But it’s nice.”
He sighed. “Before I met you, I never even considered anything outside of 2D. And now I’ve got, like, a whole list of things that I want to try. I guess this really is the end of an era…”
“Mhmm…” My smile turned teasing. “I guess this means that your years as a shut-in are officially over.”
“Wait, you think so too?!”
I laughed with a shake of my head. “You’re still my otaku, Levi.”
He hunched with a small wiggle. “Well, I guess we’ll see what happens next? But, I’ll be counting on you…”
“Hmm? For what?”
“…T-To… show me how to… be in a…” He swallowed, eyes on his lap again. “In a real relationship.”
“We already are,” I said softly. “I fell in love with who you already are, Levi.”
“You really do keep saying that…”
“Because I really do keep meaning it.”
He chewed his lip, quiet for a little bit, before finally raising his eyes to the scene around us. “Oh, hey, pull over! We’re here! This is what I wanted to show you!”
“…H-How do I pull over again?”
“Wh…” He was the one who burst out laughing this time. "The steering wheel, Chise!”
“Like this…?”
“AAGH, USE YOUR BLINKER! MIRROR, CHISE! SHOULDER CHECK! YOU NEED TO CHECK YOUR BLIND SPOT, CHISE!”
“DON’T YELL AT MEEEE!”
–
…We managed. Somehow.
“We made it,” he sighed in relief beside me. “See? What’d I tell you? This spot has the best night view in the entire game! Sure, it’s just pixels, but doesn’t it look like the real thing?”
We sat together on the beach, legs stretched out in front of us. We were leaning against the poof behind us in real life, but as far as my body was concerned, the sand stretched on and on from our sides, and the water of the ocean gently lapped in front of us. The sky above us was unreal with twinkling stars.
By the water, at night. I smiled as I leaned to rest my head on his shoulder. “Thank you.”
This was a very good date.
He couldn’t stop the grin from forming, though a blush came along with it. “Aw, it’s nothing… I really wanted to see this together with you, so…”
“It’s perfect…”
“Oh yeah!” He swiped up his interface. “There’s a special skyline parfait that you can only buy here, too. It’s a hidden recovery item that fills your health gauge to its max! …Ta-daaaa! Looks tasty, right? …Uh, except that this is all a simulation, so it’s not actually going to taste like anything.”
“Pff.” I giggled as I picked it, and its spoon, up to scoop it. “Mmm, so good!”
He snorted with another grin as he watched me with unguarded fondness. “You really are weird…”
I nudged him with my elbow. “Takes one to know one. Now, aren’t you going to let me have a ’taste’ of yours?”
“O-Oh, right!” He scrambled to pick his up. “Umm, here, let me. Open wiiiiide…”
I did, smiling. Just like all the way back during my first year in the Devildom, when he had made me that special bento box in the dating sim game. Huh… also in a game. And then again, when he’d fed me from his chopsticks during the anime marathon in his room, the first night we had fallen asleep next to each other. All before we’d gotten together.
When we had danced around our sweet attraction.
We looked at each other for a quiet moment after the spoon had left my lips.
“…Okay, my turn,” he said softly. “Aaah…”
I couldn’t stop smiling, even if I wanted to try, as I fed him too.
“…Pfff, nope!” He snickered behind his hand. “Can’t taste a thing! It was a nice idea, though. But, oh my gosh, that was the kind of couple-y thing and honest-to-goodness normie would do.”
I curled my fingers into the front of his shirt with my free hand, pulling him to me to kiss him. Our headsets bumped, and then scraped lightly, as our lips rolled against one another’s, slow and sweet. He’d actually met me eagerly, caught up in the normalcy of us.
The headsets bumped again when he tried to press a firmer one to me. We both laughed softly against each other as we broke apart with smiles.
“…Heh… I never would’ve imagined that this day would come. And, um, actually…” His blush was beginning to make its reappearance. “There’s this iconic line for moments like these. Would you mind… if I gave it a shot?”
I giggled. “Please, go ahead. Now you’ve got me curious.”
“Right, okay!” He swallowed, before taking in a deep breath. “Uhhh… here goes nothing! …The view’s nice, but it’s nothing compared to your gorgeous eyes.”
I bit my lip against my delighted grin.
“…Nooooope!” His hand came flying up to cover his face. “That was WAY too cheesy. Nooo, don’t look at meeeee!”
I took his hand away, and kissed him again. Deeper this time, ignoring the scrape of the headsets now while I turned on my hip to the side; I pressed my hand on the back of his neck to hold him to me, locking his lips against mine. I kissed him, gently but insistently, again and again, my fingers curling into his hair just above his neck.
“…Oh, th…this is bad,” he whispered shakily once we came up for a bit of air, squirming his hips in embarrassment. “I don’t know… if I can leave it at that for today. Would you mind if I acted a little more out-of-character…?”
I touched my nose to his with a sigh. “I want that, actually…”
“Then…” He tentatively laid his hand on my hip. “Come here…”
I smiled again as I let him lead my hips over into a straddle over top of him, settling me into his lap while I squeezed the sides of his thighs between my own.
“S-See…?” He placed both of his hands on my hips with a small swallow, eyes round. “I can take the lead sometimes too… If you’re wondering where this suddenly assertive character is coming from, you’ve only got yourself to blame!”
“Assertive, huh?” I murmured, while sliding my hands up his chest.
“Y…Yeah…” He shivered at the sultry tone of my voice. “Um, Chise…?”
I placed a kiss on his jaw. “Mmm…?”
“…I want to have sex on the beach. With you. Under… the stars.”
I laughed softly, fondly, before leaning forward to press my hand on the invisible poof behind him to push it back. To push him down on the ‘sand' next. “Then let’s have sex on the beach, Levi…”
***
He sucked in a sharp breath with a brief closing of his eyes. “…Y-You’re going to have to command me right now.”
I giggled. “All right. Leviathan, Avatar of Envy, I command you. You will not ejaculate until I release you.”
He shuddered out a sigh as he rolled his hips up into me. “Yes, m…master…”
“I love you,” I whispered against his lips, as my fingers found the tie to his sweats between us.
“This is perfect,” he whispered back. “I love you.”
“You’re mine tonight.” I pressed my lips to his a little harder. “You’re going to be mine tonight, okay? I’ve got a surprise for later.”
He blinked a couple times in surprise, cheeks somehow managing to turn an even deeper shade of red. “O-Okay…”
I smirked as I tugged the front of his untied sweatpants to loosen them. “You’re going to be a good boy for me, aren’t you?”
He flinched under me with a squeak, eyes widening, before he gave a little nod.
“First, I’m going to ride you on this beach…” I dipped my hand down the front of his pants to find his erection that throbbed under my touch, while I moved my lips down to his neck. “And then I’m going to have you on the bed.”
“H-Have…” he whispered weakly, lashes fluttering with a sigh. He rolled his erection up against my palm, the fabric of his boxers dragging between our touch, making him mewl.
“So much for assertive,” I whispered again, with a little lick to the peak of his throat. “More like desperate.”
He whined out his embarrassed agreement.
I smiled, before pressing my lips around a circle of his neck to suck, my hand finally dragging his scaled, ribbed cock free from the band of his underwear, tugging the front of his sweats further down again until I had him standing to attention.
“Guess this game is rated R,” I murmured in amusement against the petal-shaped mark I’d made on his neck. “No censorship here, hmm?”
He only panted with a nod, squeezing his eyes shut.
I reached under my skirt with a huff of my own need, parting my panties to the side shakily. “Can’t resist you, Levi. Need. Taking you right now.”
I took the head of him with my fingers to keep him pointed, my thumb still keeping my panties parted to the side.
“Need you so bad I can’t even wait to take my underwear off,” I said hoarsely as I guided us, the head of his cock sliding through my wet folds while he choked on a moan. “Desperate to be fucked by you. Because you feeling so fucking good when you fuck me.”
His chest was heaving with his panting as he nodded vigorously. “N-Need. Wanna give.”
“Need you,” I whispered, as I slowly sunk down on him. “Wet… feel it… feel it. Feel me.”
“H-Hells, hells…” He whimpered as he pressed his face to me, wrapped his arms around my waist to pull me close. “Wet, wet, nnkk you’re ssso…”
“Wet for you,” I agreed shakily. “You make me so…” Sinking, engulfing him, as he stretched me. “…wet for you.”
He whined, pressing his face even harder against my breast, at the same time that he pressed his hips up to meet me. Joined, quickly, his own cock’s fluids gliding easily through mine. But stretched deliciously. Every thick rib of him sucked into me as I let out a low moan of pleasure, until I seated entirely with a sigh from us both.
“What a good, loving lover…” I murmured while we took a moment, my fingers twirling the back of his hair again. “His scaly demon cock makes me feel so good.”
He shivered as he tilted his head further down, but I felt the throb of him twitch within me.
“Mm-mm…” I grabbed his hair lightly in a pull, tilting him back up to look at me. “Do you like giving me your scaly demon cock, Levi? Do you like making me cum with it?”
Tears pricked his eyes, his words a bare whisper. “…Yes.”
I moved up, eyes locked to his, making him gasp lightly. And then sinking back down. Holding the back of his hair so he couldn’t look away.
“Your body is so hot, so beautiful,” I murmured, trying to keep the shake out of my voice as I rode him slow. “I wanted you before I first saw your cock. But after you showed it to me, I needed you.”
“Chise…” He blinked slowly, a tear escaping. He sniffled.
I pushed him back down with a sigh, fingers pressed to his chest to keep him flat. With a lift of my thighs, and then another sink, a lift, and then release, up and down, slow and even, I began to truly ride. He glided smoothly, silkily through the tunnel of my sex, both of us exhaling in strained huffs as he slowly began to move his hips up to meet my downwards strokes. His hands fell back down to my hips as he tipped his head back with a moan, the adam’s apple of his throat bobbing with his swallow before he huffed again.
“…You feel so fucking good,” I whispered hoarsely, voice strained. “Levi you feel so fucking… fuuuck.”
I shoved my knees together right up against him to trap him further, stabilizing myself to pick up my pace with my thighs. I leaned over him, gasping, while he choked out a small sob, thrusting harder into me. Harder, and harder, he bucked his hips up to meet me, desperately, barely following the steady pace I tried to set for up. I choked on my own moan as he began to spear me deep, the ridges, the valleys and curved peaks of his strange, thick cock, rubbing into my g-spot with its ruthless bumps.
“Chise Chise fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck…!”
“Levi, fuck… Keep…”
Like a quick ebb and flow of pressure, picking up speed, harder, thrusting. I cried out as I leaned further and further forward, pressing my forehead to his collarbone while I worked my hips up and down on him.
“Please please please,” he whispered shakily through ruts. “T-Take your shirt off. Wanna see your… boobs.”
Still bouncing on his lap, sheathing his cock in my sex, I leaned back again and raised my arms to tear my shirt off from over my head and shoulders. I moaned as I leaned forward, pressing my arms in to press my breasts together in my bra to accentuate my bouncing cleavage while I continued to ride.
“Oh fuck,” he whimpered in a high voice, eyes glued to my chest. “So sexy. So sexyyy. M-My girl…”
I grabbed his hand to press it roughly to my breast, curling his fingers over the cup of my bra, guiding him to pull it down to release me. He whined more need as he sat himself half up to take my breast up in his mouth with a squeeze of his hand around it. I moaned as I slid my hand around to the back of his head to press him there while he sucked my nipple greedily, with a small suckling noise, and then a pop when he let it go to lick.
He pulled the other cup down and then huffed shakily as he thrusted up into me while he fondled both my breasts, pawing and squeezing, groping me like a teenager with an innocent eagerness. He sucked again, hard, and I tipped my head down, breathing heavily into his hair as I rested the bottom edge of my visor against his scalp, moaning while I adjusted my knees to pick up speed on his lap.
“Chiiiiseeee…” he muffled out the groan with my nipple still caught between his teeth.
"Oh hells Levi you feel so good, so fuckhhing good inside of me," I gasped while I rode, grinding my hips desperately. "You're so big, you're so big inside, oh gods..."
"Ch-Chise..." he whimpered as his hands fell from my breasts to scrape desperately at my waist. "L-Like that, d-do you...? A-Am I nice and... big for you...?"
"Soooo good," I moaned, leaning forward to clutch him to me. "So big… ssso thick..."
“L… Long…?"
"Sooo..." I huffed with a shudder. "So long... All the way… in…"
He pressed another thrust into me for emphasis. "A-All in you... Sssso tight..."
"Cause you're so big. Stretching me out." I pressed my forehead to his shoulder with a groan. "Fuck, Levi, you... You feel so ffffucking good... Big... demon..."
"Mmmy human," he whispered hoarsely, shakily. "L-Like my... demon cock...?"
"Fuck me, Levi, fuck me..." I tilted my hips into a different angle. "S-See, this, rrright here, yes, right there, the way you're... pressing up... on the roof of… right there!”
"Like... that...?" he panted in my ear as he ground his hips in a tilt the lined up towards my belly from inside of me.
I groaned long and low. "Rrrriiiight… thhheeere…”
"Am I gonna make you cum...?" He thrust in place, hard, right there, tilting at an angle inside of me, ridges swelling, the swollen thick head of him...
"I'm..." I choked on my neck breath as my toes and fingers began to curl, while I leaned into him more heavily. "That's... I... I'm..."
"Wanna make you cum," he hissed with another sharp thrust, making me gasp in surprise at the ferocity in his movements, and the fierce tone of his voice. "Cum... You're gonna... cum on me, Chise... F-From this big… ffffreak demon dick… inside you. R-Right…? L-Like fucking mmmy monster dick…?"
"Gonna cum," I whispered weakly, already dragging under. "Hold. Hold me."
"Got you." Another hiss. A growl. Possessive. Feverish. "Not going anywhere. 'Til you cum on me. 'C-Cause. You're mine.” Slam. "Gonna make your body feel.” Slam. "So.”Slam. “Good!"
"I'm cumminnng..." I moaned shakily.
I was almost curling into a ball on his lap, the tension in my belly snapping my muscles tight. I curved my back with a pathetic, strained cry against him, until the breath in my lungs ran out entirely, muscles shaking, curling, knees digging down painfully, shoulders straining forwards.
He growled low, deep, as he dug his fingernails into my back, holding me to him while he took over entirely, driving into me in his desperate, wild way. Thrusting and thrusting in a rhythm he couldn't even completely attain, making his bucking strokes crash into me at different angles, slipping, his knee pulling up to try and steady himself to take me faster, harder.
I was making a high keening noise now, I realized, which was pushed out in louder, punctuating waves with every drive of his dick up into me. He moaned at the noise he drew from me, striving to slam up into me harder to make me louder. I sucked in a sharp, high-sounding breath to refill my lungs, before letting the cry come out again, with the occasional choke as I bounced on his cock from the shock of his pumping hips.
He was panting hard, with sharp wheezes interlaced, fighting for breath through the fire that gripped his lungs. He fucked me with every ounce of power he had, desperate, while I rolled uselessly, shuddering with my contractions.
“…Pleeeeease," he finally sobbed, finally tilted his head back, all of his limbs shaking visibly. "Wanna cum toooo... Pleeeeease... Wannaaaa..."
I made a small little noise in my throat.
"Manga pleeeeease…!”
“Reh…Release..."
He slammed up with a piercing cry, nearly screaming it out, screaming out the orgasm that ripped through his body and out the tip of him, rough and hard and abrupt, immediate, the noise from his throat almost one of pain as he flooded me deep. I still rocked back and forth with a gravelly moan, still in my own throes, while he rutted through his, wet and slapping while he heaved underneath me, writhing through his release while he fed his cum deep into my sex. Squirting, spilling, his eyes glazed and far-off in his contracting bliss. His whole body twitched with each pump of his large, desperate load, quickly overflowing me.
“…Wow…” I breathed, as I slowly leaned forward to rest on him when he stuttered to a sudden halting gasp, my chest flush with his. “Wow…”
His rigid limbs slowly eased while he panted, gulped, and panted some more. His arms had fallen from clutching at me and were resting to his sides now, fingers lightly curled towards his palms, flat on the ground while I snuggled against his neck with a heavy sigh.
I heard him swallow. “…Y-You… looked so pretty… riding me under the stars…”
“Oh, Levi…” I reached up to cup his jaw. “You’re so, so sweet… My sweet, loving otaku.”
He was retracting back into himself, and we both sighed as he finally fell from out of me, for me to drip the two of us on his lap.
“You make me feel so good…”
“Good. You deserve it for being so good to me.” I pulled myself up a bit to brush my lips against the tip of his nose. “Is it okay if we take off the headsets now…?”
He nodded with a sigh of satisfaction, and both of us shakily removed the devices, the pull of the strap in my sweaty hair making me wince.
He tiredly sat up to help me untangle from it. “…You, um, said… you had a surprise?”
“I do.” I took my headset from his hands to lay it carefully to the side. “But I want to make sure…”
He glanced over at the bag I had brought.
I took his face in my hand to gently turn his attention back to me. “You don’t have to prove anything to me. You know that, right? Anything we do together, I want it to be fun, and for both of us to want it.”
He nodded slowly, lips parting at the soft seriousness in my tone.
I brushed my thumb over his cheek. “I need you to be able to say ‘no' to me.”
He hesitated, and then slowly dropped his gaze. “…I… I-I’m… I-I know I’m not… y-you might be my first, but I’m still a-a, kind of, a fffreak, okay?”
I blinked in surprise. “Levi, you’re not a–"
“I want to try…” he curled his hands over my wrists, “…a lot. Okay? Like… Don’t you even dare look at my browser history! Not that you ever would, because I freaking delete it the moment I’m done…”
“Pfff…” I ducked my head with a giggle.
“Heh…” He quirked a shy smile. “The more you talk to me l-like… you do…”
“Yeah…?”
“…The more, um, comfortable I am…” He squirmed as his cheeks started going red again. “…Talking about, um, dirty stuff… Like…”
I let out a sigh of relief, smiling. “You really feel that way…?”
He scrunched his eyes shut with a nod, though his own shy smile didn’t fade.”
I brushed his hair back from his face. “I don’t normally… Well. I guess… the way you and I do things, I’ve never really… taken charge like this either? So it’s new for m–"
His eyes flew back to mine. “Really?”
I laughed awkwardly. “Yeah, actually. Taking care of you and stuff. Controlling it.”
His eyes had gotten round. “So I’m, um…”
“It’s kind of… intimidating? So, um, I’m just making sure, too.”
“I’m you’re… g-good…”
I smirked in realization. “…Good boy?”
He tucked his chin under to hide his crimson face.
I laughed as I wrapped my arms around him, allowing his embarrassed reprieve against my chest. “Yes, Levi. You’re my good boy.”
He whined as he nuzzled between my breasts.
“All right.” I extricated him from my embrace. “Why don’t you go sit on the bed while I unwrap your present for you?”
“…Yeah,” he whispered, still not looking at me – though his hands that he withdrew from around me shook again with anticipation as we both pulled away from each other.
“…Nah-ah.” I grabbed his hand to stop him once we’d both gotten to our feet, looking him up and down while he gave me a puzzled expression. “I’d reeeeally like it if you got undressed for me, baby.”
“O-Oh…”
“I mean…” I reached behind me to unclasp my bra with an exaggerated sigh of relief. “…I’m nearly naked too. It’s only fair…”
His eyes glued themselves to my chest again as my straps fell down over my arms.
“Take off your shirt for me, Levi.”
He shivered again with a small whine, and then, closing his eyes, lifted his shirt off from over his head, indigo hair falling back down over his face in an untidy tussle.
Just as he was about to hug himself to hide his body – “Your pants next, please.”
He looked down. He’d obviously tented again. Slowly, he hooked his fingers around his waistband, pulling them down over his skinny hips.
Tented indeed.
“Oops…” I said softly. “Guess I got my cream on your boxers…”
He made a small noise in his throat as he touched the front of them, near where his cock strained.
I had, indeed, gotten cream on his boxers.
“Those too, please.”
He pulled the front forward to make room for his bulge to spring free while he pulled those down, too. Bending at the waist, down past his knees, shins.
“Bent over…” I whispered.
He raised his eyes to mine. “H-Huh…?”
I smiled at him. “Never mind for now. Thanks for getting naked, sweetie. You can go sit on the bed now. Cross-legged.
He hesitated, and then sidled over shyly, both of us very aware of the stiff sway his cock gave with his movements. He lowered himself down on his bed slowly. I knew it would have been instinct for him to draw his knees up to his chest to hide his body instead. He hadn’t seemed to have known he’d go for that instinct, as he initially went for it, and then froze in realization. Cross-legged. Exposed.
So cross-legged he went, hunching over himself to hide as much as he could anyway.
Which he could, a bit. But not all.
Which was hot.
I smirked as I went to kneel down in front of him, pulling the tote bag towards me. I was deliberately quiet as I pulled out the snacks and drinks that were laid on top, deliberately slow in my movements as well. I laid them all out neatly, in casual organization. He watched every single one intently. Impatient, with trepidation, letting out a shiver that thrummed through him, making his cock twitch between his legs.
“…Ah, here we go,” I said at last. “Actually, I have two things for you. One we’ve talked about, and another we haven’t, but I thought of you when… Anyway. We can still have fun without it.”
I shuffled back on my knees, and laid a long box down on the floor, before laying folded purple fabric on top.
He stared at the pile for a moment, before hesitantly raising his eyes back to me, and then back down.
“Wanna pick up the cloth there?”
He reached shakily with both hands, picking up the soft fabric with a sort of reverence. It came unfolded in his grip, furling out into… a little purple skirt.
He came to a halt as he stared at it, eyes wide, mouth agape.
“You can say no to that,” I assured him softly. “I just saw it, and thought it would look very cute on you.”
“…R-Really?”
I nodded.
“Y-You wouldn’t think… it’d be…”
“I think it would be very cute on you,” I said again.
He finally met my eyes again. “…Can I put it on now?”
I blinked in surprised, feeling my face flush, not having expected just how pleased I felt over his acceptance of it. “Yeah, sure, if you’d like.”
He stood very slowly, very shyly, still hunched. I was still on the floor, looking up at him, his cock hanging heavy in the air for me to see, well, the near entirety of the unique underside of him, and how his member protruded from the slit that ran through and disappeared between his legs.
…I’d never seen it from behind, I thought to myself, as he shakily bent forward to step one foot into the skirt, and then the other, to drag it up his legs and over his hips.
It snagged on his cock while he rode it up and over, and the length of the skirt ended up barely covering any sense of dignity with how protruding his full length was underneath.
…And his tail, unwinding down from his back underneath it as well, flaring it out behind him.
“Oh, Levi…” My eyes softened as I ran my eyes up his body. “You’re so pretty, baby.”
“It’s soft,” he said, in a barely audible whisper, while rubbing the fabric between his thumb and fingers.
“Do you like it…? You don’t have to–“
“I like it,” he said, just as soft, not looking at me. “No one’s ever… Th… Thank you…”
Hiding the emotion in his voice behind a whisper. I reached my hand up, and he took it, to be guided back down to the mattress, on his knees this time. He balanced himself on his heels, looking at my hand clasped in his, giving it a squeeze.
“You’re so precious to me,” I told him quietly. “You’re so pretty, and unique, and I love everything that you love.”
“I love you…”
I smiled, heart full. “I love you too, Levi. Are you ready for the box…?”
He nodded with a swallow.
I’m sure he already knew, but…
That did stop his eyes from widening, with an audible hitch sounding from his throat, when I pulled the box onto my lap to open the lid.
We both looked at it quietly for a moment. Honestly, at this point, I may have been even more nervous than him.
I’d never fucking owned one of these before.
…Much to Asmo’s cackling delight, when I’d asked him for, um, recommendations, after becoming extremely overwhelmed with choice in selection.
“…Y-You really went… and got…”
“Yeah,” I answered shyly. “But if…”
He met my eyes again. “You’ve really never…?”
I shook my head. “Never even touched one of these before.”
He nodded. “…I want to.”
“Levi… um…” I took a breath, before letting out a small giggle. “Have you put anything inside of yourself before…?”
He immediately went rigid. “I…! I um! I-I’ve… You… Y-You…! Wh-Why whhhould you, aaask–"
“So, yes?”
He snapped his mouth shut, pressing his lips together in a flat line.
Eyes wide, face red.
I grinned at him. “So, yes.”
By himself.
He squeezed his eyes shut, before giving me a single nod, fingers curled into tightly balled fists that he pressed to his thighs.
For myself, however, I felt relieved. It meant, well… that he not only had, but that him moving ahead with this with me, probably meant he liked it, so there wouldn’t be any… Well, less of a chance that…
I reached to place my hand overtop of one of his, making him flinch.
“It’s okay, baby. That makes me feel better. You still want to do this?”
He nodded again.
“…Now?”
Another nod.
“…Would you like to keep your eyes closed while I put the harness on?”
Just a hunch.
Which was confirmed, with another nod.
For which I felt relief again, because this was just as awkward and as new for me as well, evident by the probably-not-very-sexy struggle as I got the harness secured around me after I’d gotten my skirt and underwear off. I’d practised, but, well – I hadn’t been shaking nervously like this while practising before.
Finally, I got the dildo connected into its ring.
Nothing extreme in any sense. Just what seemed like a… comfortable size. To start with.
“…Levi…” I took his hand as I sunk back down again on my knees.
He opened his beautiful amber cat eyes to look at me. Pretty in the skirt that flowed in a pool of fabric around him, though his cock had worked its way out the front, bunching it there over his lap. He glanced down at the device around my hips, at the dildo that protruded there from my pelvis; he took in a shaky breath, before meeting my eyes again, uncurling his hand to grip mine a little more firmly in his.
“Does the size… seem okay?”
He nodded, looking almost as though he were in a dream.
“I've never done this before, okay…?” I said in a voice of quiet comfort. “You’ve gotta be good and let me know if anything doesn't feel right. Promise me?"
“…P-Promise..." His words came out as a soft squeak. "Wanna be... good."
I nodded. "Good boys speak up when they don't like something or want to stop. And when they like something it, and want to keep going, too. They’ll speak up then as well."
"Y-Yeah," he whispered hoarsely. "I-I want it. I want to be good.”
I cupped his face gently with a kiss. "...First question, and take a moment to think about it. But would you like to be, um, lying on your back, or on your hands and...?"
He whined pathetically as he tried to cover his face with his hands, raising my own up with his in the process.
I giggled as I held him firm. "If we can't have this conversation, we can’t–"
"...F-Fine! Um! Hands... and... away... d-doggy..."
I raised my eyebrows up in surprise. "You sure?"
He squeezed his eyes shut with a nod, pursing his lips tightly closed. He looked so cute with his face all scrunched up like that.
"If you end up liking it... we can try it the other way another time. If you want to."
He gave another, single nod, still scrunched.
I leaned forward to kiss his nose.
He reached forward between us, tentatively touching his fingertips to the tip of the dildo’s head, before rubbing it shyly – apparently getting the measure of it. I smiled as I kissed his lips next while he fondled it, getting to know it. It was his, after all. For him. It’d be inside of him.
“…I-Is there… lube…?”
“Oh, yes!” I sat back up a bit, before reaching back into the back for the little bottle that’d gotten lost at the bottom.
“…Can I?”
“Huh?” I turned my face back to his. “Oh, you want to lube it…?”
He nodded shyly, before taking the proffered bottle.
Watching him flick open the cap, watching him drizzle some of the liquid onto his fingers, watching him reach… between my legs… to glide them along…
Well.
The other side of the coin was a hot place to be in, it turned out.
"We're going to go slow," I assured him softly, trying not to spook him off with how raptly I was watching him.
He nodded quietly as he stroked, and stroked, for longer than needed, curving his fingertips around the tip, to smoothly run down the shaft. It was like he was trying to gently pet a kitten for the first time in his life. Hesitant, not wanting to do it wrong – but full of wonder.
It was so sweet.
Finally, he settled the bottle of lube to the side, and looked up at me.
The submission in his gaze made my heart race. An eagerness to please. Ready willingness. Sweet desperation, despite how hunched and quiet he otherwise remained.
His eyes spoke for him in that moment.
I gently pressed my fingers to his chest, slowly pushing him down along with myself over top. "Want some kisses first, or what do you–"
His eyes darted away from mine while he bit his lip, slowly turning himself around underneath me. Onto his belly.
I giggled in surprise, suddenly finding myself feeling a little more emboldened by his mute acquiescence. "You're such a sweetheart, baby. I can't wait to give this to you.” I leaned forward to kiss the middle of his back, my palms gently rubbing up and down on the backs of his thighs. "I'm going to lift your skirt up now, okay baby…?"
He curled forward a bit in a hunch, before nodding quietly.
"Could I hear your voice...?"
"...Y-Yeah," he responded in a high, strained whisper. "P... Please..."
Pressing himself backward against me.
"So good," I murmured encouragingly as I slid my hands up further, over the humped curve of his ass. I splayed my fingers up as I went, catching the soft fabric of the skirt on their tips, slowly pulling it up to reveal him.
I sighed, in heaven. His tail was elegantly attached to him at his 'tailbone,' his delicate scales cascading down his
skin to meet it, continuing on darker where the true appendage began. It was thick at its base, and the muscle flexed strong every time it moved in a twitch.
And underneath it, there was the swell of his very cute ass. Skinny, but... I pressed my palm to a cheek, making him flinch... Skinny, but rather deceptively so, because he definitely still had a handful of soft cheek for me to still grab. I massaged him lightly while his chest began to heave a bit. With my other hand, I slowly guided the girth of his tail to the side, and he obeyed, keeping it swept away, for me to find... him.
I sighed in pleasure as I leaned forward again to press between his shoulder blades, to get more of a curve to his back. To raise his ass higher in the air. To open his cheeks further. To open his hole.
I leaned backwards, straightening, while sliding my palm down his back as I went. "...You're so beautiful, Levi. Can I touch you...?"
"Y... Yeah..."
"Would you like me to start putting lube on you?"
He gave a little nod.
I ran the underside of his tail through my palm to lift it further out of the way, making him whimper at my touch as I leaned to the side to pick up the bottle of lube again. He settled his tail more heavily into my palm while I giggled at finding myself only having one operable hand now. Stroking his tail with my thumb, I rested the side of my other hand near its base, the bottle slightly tipped.
"Might feel cold," I whispered soothingly. "If you want me to hold your tail, I'm going to have to drip some right... on you."
He nodded, not moving his tail, while he sunk his head down further to rest his chin on his mattress.
I tipped, and dribbled.
He squeaked with a little jump, tail flexing in my palm.
I giggled again. "Sorry..." And then another drip, and another, until a little pool formed in the dip of him, his hips trembling underneath me.
"Going to touch you," I whispered again, setting aside the bottle.
"Please..."
I took in a slow breath, soft, as my fingers drew towards him. I touched under his tail first, where the trail of lube started -- he flinched again, but stayed in place, while I trailed my fingers down through the slick, down through the cheeks of his ass, until they were curving, dipping, coming to a rest.
Resting there, against the entrance to his ass. He let out a soft moan in response.
”Leviathan," I murmured. "I command you. You will not ejaculate until I release you.”
He had his forehead pressed to his mattress now, arms curled and pressed underneath himself, ass high in the air.
"...Yeah..."
"Good boy. I'm going to play a bit."
"Mhm… Mmfff…!”
I'd pushed a bit, swirling the dewing slick around. Not quite entering, but coming up against the puckering flesh that held out in resistance. I pressed there, feeling the flex of him in awe, gently rolling the pad of my index finger in slow circles.
“Mmmmfffff…” he groaned under me, shoulders slumping.
Every slow, gentle row was easing, teasing him open, the flex of his entrance fluttering as I began to sink in. Slowly, slowly, working inside. So subtly, it seemed to take him by complete surprise when my finger finally connected with his true tunnel.
His head snapped up with a gasp as the firmer touch, shoulders bunching behind him.
I paused. "You okay...?"
"Yes...!" His voice was strained high again. "Please...! Feels... weird! Good!”
His entrance was suckered on me firmly now, so I gave up on the tease. I was pushing into him, into his hot channel, reaching deeper.
His moan was low and lazy, rumbling with deep satisfaction as he curved his back even more in response, pushing his hips onto me to swallow my finger in.
"Oh, what a good boy," I praised him softly, before pulling the finger back, making him whimper at its loss. And then I made him moan again by pushing back in, swirling, sliding the pad of my finger up along--
"Oh shit...!" he squeaked. "Oh oh oh ohhh...!"
"Right here...?" I pressed, and he cried out, hips rocking.
He nodded vigorously. "Rrright there..."
I massaged the fleshy spot for him while he rolled lightly, head lolling forward again with small little whimpering moans. He barely even noticed when I added a second finger in, though he certainly noticed the third, and I had him crying out once more when I pressed all three up in a curl against his prostate. He was open-mouthed panting while I pumped my fingers in and out of him, slowly spreading them out to scissor him, coaxing him to relax and open wider for me.
He was rolling and groaning and trying to hump backwards onto me, his hand snaking down underneath him to palm at his leaking cock that hung heavy and loaded between his legs.
I tsked in amusement. "Haven't even started fucking you yet, and you're already a mewling little mess for me? So shameless, baby."
He proved my point by letting out another little mewl in response, rocking his hips needily while he looked over his rhyhmically-flexing shoulder that was masturbating himself to look at me.
"...Please..."
"Hmm..." Slowly, achingly, I began to withdraw my fingers, spreading them apart wide while I left him to make him groan. "You want your cute little ass fucked now, Leviachan?"
"Please..." he whimpered, eyes glassy. "Please go inside... Please...? I'll be good..."
My fingers left him entirely so that I could pick up the bottle of lube again. "Since you asked so sweetly. Keep your ass up nice and high for me, I'm going to lube you and this cock of mine up again before I slide in to fill you all the way up."
"Oh my gosh..." He turned away from me and lifted his hips up higher in meek offering.
"Good boy," I cooed absently, while I slathered my fingers with more of the slick liquid. "Going to lube you up so nice you're going to hear it when I'm fucking you deep inside."
"Chiseeee..." he whined as he pressed his hips back, making himself gasp as he came in contact with the dildo between his cheeks for the first time as it skidded through.
I giggled as I pulled back away to work the lube on the toy next. "So impatient. So needy."
It was the cutest fucking thing, how his tail was nearly wagging while he was being praised and fawned over.
"Okay, baby..." I moved my hips forward, with my hand gripping the shaft of the dildo. "I'll go slow. But you'd better be good and tell me if anything hurts or if you need to stop or slow down."
"I'll be good," he whispered weakly into the mattress.
I rubbed the tip of the dildo against the cheek of his ass, making him gasp in shock, with a small flinch.
"Mmm." I rubbed his other cheek with my thumb. "First rule is you've got to relax as much as you can for me." I rubbed my palm up and down. "At least, your hips.”
He nodded. “I-I’ll… try…”
The material of the toy was made even smoother and glossier with the lube slicked over it, and I found myself having to pull against a natural glide to keep things even slower for him. I rubbed the tip of it's gently up and down his entrance, and could feel his easily it could just slip right into him. He felt it too, and he let out a soft moan of need as he pressed back again, pressing against the tip, pressing... Until he was slowly working into himself as I watched, amazed, as the tip was swallowed into him, disappearing through his darker ring of tender flesh.
I placed my hands gently on his lower back to steady us both, to gently take control again. I gave the softest pump of my hips, and then another, stopping at any feeling of slight resistance to pull back, to prod again. With each prodding of my cock I was easing further and further into him, the resistance of his body unfurling underneath me to take me in.
Until he was groaning low and lazy once I'd worked my way through the flesh entrance to reach his tunnel again. No more barriers. Just a clamping down around the shaft of the toy now, held open by its girth for me to explore. I paused for a moment, but his whiny little insistence soon had me pushing forward again. Much more easily. I sucked in a small breath of surprise as I felt like I was being sucked forward by who I'd impaled on me.
"Faster..." he pleaded in a wet choke.
"Crying already?" I cooed in a whisper, pausing again.
"Please... More... All the way..."
I pushed forward. There wasn't much more left to go. He swallowed me inside of himself like a champion. Until I was sheathed.
"Such a natural." I roved my hands over his visibly shaking hips. "Look at you, taking it up the ass so good... You're hooked on me. Wow..."
He shivered through an embarrassed whine, though his the quick swish of his tail told me the truth.
"Sweet baby," I continued to coo, continue to stroke him while he adjusted. "How's that feel? So full, right? So weird. So good though, huh?"
"S-So... So good... My back..."
"Yeah." I slid a palm up and around his tail to press to his lower back. "Like I'm about to fuck your tailbone, huh?"
"Fffuck..."
"Fuck?"
"Fuck... me..."
"You want me to take this cute little ass of yours?" I patted one cheek with gentle but audible little slaps. "Want to be fucked senseless, right into this mattress? Until you can’t even move anymore."
He squirmed while pushing back on me again with a gasp. "Y-Yes..."
I moved back slightly, and then in again slowly.
"Oh gods..."
"Feels good?"
"Please..." He choked on another sob as he curled the top half of himself into even more of a ball. "Want… Please, g-give it to me, Chise…"
I pulled back even further, and then casually pressed in again with a sigh. I felt nothing, but his high, needy moan lit everything up inside of me anyway. Back, and forth. Slow, but slowly, aaaaall the way back, leaving him completely, until I was pushing all the way back in to the hilt. He choked as I did it again, and again, the tip leaving his tightly puckered entrance, to pry it open again in one smooth glide. He was giving way to me easily now, hips relaxing despite his uncontrollable tremble. I watched in amazement as the tender flesh simple gave way again, again and again, pulling out, pushing, pushing back in.
I could do this all day.
"Fast..."
I thrust in fast, making him scream. "Like this?"
I knew now that I wasn't in any danger of hurting him. He was completely slicked. His body had submitted to me completely. There was no tugging, no tearing. Smooth and silky glides, his hole trembling desperately for me when I left it, begging to swallow me back in when I casually slipped back in. So easy. He took me so easy.
So I thrusted, from tip to hilt, and he screamed.
"HOLYSHITYES!" He threw his head back, open-mouthed as his hand flew back down to grip his dick. “YES YES YES I'MMM CUMMING."
I smirked down at him as he squirmed on the hilt, stuck on me, writhing, fucking himself desperately with his fist working his shaft furiously, chasing a ejaculation finale that never came.
"Nnnnngggkkk!" He sobbed as his back flexed up and down, his forehead crashing back into the mattress in frustration. “But I'm cumminnng..."
His hips twitched with each pulse, with each pump that never came, while his orgasm gripped every part of him except through his groin.
"Nnnnoooo..."
"No?"
Just to make sure.
"Moooore..."
"Manga?"
"No..." He hiccuped on a sob, sniffling noisily while he spread apart his knees, trembling hand still on his cock. "More..."
I pulled back, and thrusted. He took a chunk of his mattress into his mouth to clamp his teeth down on it with a scream.
"You'll tell me if I hurt you...?" I asked, as I was slithering back out.
"SO GOOD!" He cried out. "FUCKING FUCK ME, CHISE, PLEASE, FUCK, STOP FUCKING PLAYING AROUND AND–"
I SLAMMED into him with a growl, the same moment I cracked my hand hard against his ass. "Don't talk to me like that."
He screamed as he fell forward from the impact of my hips connecting to the entire back of him, with me following behind to push him hard on the mattress, curving his back.
"...Y-Yes sorry sorry please," he sobbed. "Oh gods oh gods more more more."
"Wait, Levi, I'm sorry–"
"Spank!" he babbled now. "Again again please holy f–"
I rubbed at the red mark I'd left on him. "Are you sure...?"
"Was bad, was bad, wanna be good please..." He whined as he regained his balance to press back again. "Wasn't good, s-so..."
I spanked him again, but lighter.
"Nnngg yes..." He hissed through his teeth. "Please, another..."
But I didn't spank him again, as I began to ride him smoothly with gentle rolls of my hips. Not pulling all the way out -- keeping my cock half-engulfed by him, him half-trapped on me, as I began to make tender love to him instead. He relaxed into it with soft little mewls, little moans, slowly falling into rhythm with me with little rocks of his own hips to meet my presses.
"I'm sorry, baby," I whispered, while stroking the tunnel of his ass gently with my cock in apology.
"Was being bad..."
"Now you're being so good." I ran my fingers lovingly along the length of his tail, settling the appendage over my hip while he shivered under my touch. "So good for me. Now you get what you want. Right?"
"Mm..." He sighed again, his tail wrapping lazily over my waist while he slowly slumped his shoulders, letting me take his ass tenderly with a fluttering of his lashes.
"So good..." I leaned forward to kiss his spine. It caused me to push deeper into him, making him gasp with a shudder, and then he let out a desperate hiccup when my hand reached underneath him to grip his own that still fisted around his cock. "Should we masturbate your cute little demon cock together, baby?"
He pressed his thumb over top of mine in agreement, and slowly, we both began to fist his cock up and down together, my hand slightly more above than his so that I could squeeze the thick head of him when I reached the top. He groaned, the both of us stroking him twice for every pump of my hips into his intestines, my pelvis near-flush to his cute butt with how deep I kept myself in him.
"So pretty..." I pressed small, tender little kisses to his hot and sweaty back, feeling the racing of his heart beating under his spine while I began to pick up my pace. "Cute little frilly skirt flipped up for his ass to be taken like a needy little whore."
He squeaked out a whine, and then moaned when I ground my hips deep into him to cut off his response.
"Needy little slut." My voice was so soft and sweet, my lips so tender and gentle. But I was pressing forward, and down, with firmer thrusts of my hips, while my grip on his throbbing, leaky cock tightened. "Such a good boy, because he's so desperate to please me. A wiggly little puppy on his hands and knees, begging for my cock in his ass."
"Oh gods I'm gonna cum..."
He said it like he was doomed, his voice deep and throaty despite his earlier high-pitched mewls.
I rocked into him a little harder, dropping my voice too. "Dirty otaku, wanting a lady cock up his ass. Couldn't bend over for me fast enough. So good, so obedient. Yeah, you're my little obedient puppy, aren't you?"
"Ch-Chise..." He swallowed as he tipped forward again. "I'm cumming..."
I could feel how his cock was pulsing within my palm. He'd be shooting his load all over his sheets right now, if I'd let him. He was gasping and shaking uncontrollably, thighs shuddering, but he was quieter this time, eyes rolling back while sweat beaded and then slid down his brow and neck. He shuddered hard underneath me through his orgasm, while I rocked, and rocked, and thrusted, faster, my hand furiously masturbating his cock between his belly and the mattress.
"C...Cumminnngkk..." he gasped uselessly. Still trying to reach that finish line, hips twitching.
"I'm going to fuck you for real now," I whispered against his ear after I'd leaned him even further. "I'm going to fuck your cute, pert little ass. You're going to be a good boy and take my cock up your ass until you beg me to let you cum for real. You're going to make such a dirty cummy mess all over this bed for me, like a good boy. I'm going to leave you ruined on this mattress as your prize."
"Pl...ease..."
"Is that what you want?"
He choked on a gurgle. "Yh... yeah… Give it to me…"
I leaned up with a sigh, abruptly letting his cock drop from my hand so that I could grip his hips. He moaned at the loss, going slack again.
"Ready, baby?"
"Fuck me..."
His beg was pathetic.
It felt so casual. Maybe because I didn't have any stake in it. To slam myself in, and then out, and then in, and out, while he let out shrill cries of desperation. My hips began to snap back and forth while I contentrated on my grip of his hips, pulling him back on me while I drove myself forward, since his own body had gone limp and useless on me. So I used him, drove into him, pulling and pushing his hips, ploughing.
His cries turned into short, pierced screams every time I plunged deep inside of him, shocking his prostrate along the way, again and again, diving into his squelching heat. Wet slaps of skin on skin, of member sucked in hole, while he shrieked through his mouthful of mattress, hips upright and cheeks spread to take it. The top half of him was bunched and trembling and squirming while his knees and thighs were locked in place to be fucked, his eyes squeezed shut while his face twisted in his ecstasy.
And I fucked him. He was getting shrill and frantic, senseless, clawing and twisting his fingers into any purchase he could get his hands on. He was shaking his head back and forth vigorously while he screamed, while I fucked relentlessly, easily, into his ass, his tail slapping. His screams cut off into a choke again. Another orgasm, that rocked him forward, leaving him even more gaping and wide for me to thrust forward into, almost folding him as I pressed, tilting us both, ravaging him into helplessness.
He was twitching, gurgling. Moaning weak. And I was still plunging. Soooo easy now. Stretched to perfection. Fluid and slick, a canal made for this shape and length that pushed so easily into him.
"My easy fuck," I whispered shakily as I reached to gently grip the roots of his sweaty hair. "So good, baby... You look so beautiful.”
Looking down at his vulnerability, at the shameful sight of his ass swallowing me again and again, I sucked in a sharp breath of emotional realization.
Levi trusted me completely.
It nearly broke me on the spot.
"Chise..." he whispered brokenly, as he looked back at me from over his shoulder.
I slowed to a gentle roll as I caught his gaze, blinking back tears. "Levi, baby..."
"Here..."
"Mm...? Oh, oh fff…!” My eyes widened with my gasp, and I stopped in my tracks. "...Oh fuck.”
His tailed curled up to rub against my entrance.
"Want it...?" he whispered again. "Want my tail...? While you fuck my ass..."
"Yes," I breathed immediately, and then let out a soft moan as the tip prodded, prodded, until pushing slowly inside of me.
"Good..." he continued in a whisper, before turning to press his face down in the mattress again with a sigh. "Good..."
"Levi..." I pushed back into him again, groaning along with him as he did the same inside me. "You're... perfect..."
He pressed back against me, taking the toy deeper. "Want..."
I pulled out slowly, as his tail slithered back out at the same pace. And then back in with another soft moan, as he entered more of himself into me this time, the tip of it swirling experimentally around inside of me. Pulled back out, and then in, huffing softly, shakily concentrating on giving to him while he gave to me.
The smoothness of his scales felt so alien to any cock. It glided in and out of me smoothly in a coiling slither. Coiling, pushing more inside to leave in there, the base I took being the part I felt leaving me. The sensation was intensely odd in a way that was driving me mad. I still had him inside of me, and he was prodding deep, deep, stroking the soft flesh of my cervix so gently the sensation felt as though he was stroking the fire in my belly itself. My cervix was touched, I was full there as he coiled, but my entrance was still pushed in and out of, thicker.
I moaned as I thrusted harder into him, eliciting a gasp from my demon bent over for me.
He whimpered needily.
I did it again, and again.
It was easier for him to time his pace with his tail to my pace inside of him.
So if I wanted more, I had to give him more.
I thrusted, harder. He cried out in a shaky, whiny voice. Pulled back with a moan, thrusted hard. Pulled faster, both of us panting, crying out with each other as I slammed deep inside of him, as he did the same. And then again, and again, my hips snapping back and forth now as I took him harder, rough, the pressure in my abdomen and the silky glide that I felt driving into me between my legs off-setting my balance, so yes, I gave rough, and he gave harder in response, wanting rough.
"F-Faster, faster, PLEASE!"
I wished so badly, in that moment, as I gave more, that I could feel him. So I made him feel instead. I gave more, and more, pushing forward on him, thrusting heavily, greedily.
His cries were sweetly pitched and desperate; girlish and lost, out of control as he lost himself to a senselessness while I drove in between his hips. His shoulder and arm were moving frantically as he masturbated his cock furiously underneath himself. He began to slam back with choked, whiny sobs, sniffling, clutching the sheets underneath him. His tail quivered inside of me as he pumped it in and out of my sex, movements stuttering as pleasure washed over him, trying to keep up with my pace. He was stoking the fire in me; the pressure on my cervix from the very tip of his tail felt like a gentle fingernail, but my belly, and the heat in it, was enflamed from that alone.
I was open-mouthed gasping, shuddering over top of him. "L...Levi..."
"Sssso... good..." he gasped, shoulders and back rolling. "Ffffeels... innnn..."
"I-I'm gonna cum, Levi, I might, slow, a... afff..." I threw my head back with a moan, my grip on his hips tightening as he thrust up inside of me harder at my words.
"Cum..." he pleaded, the word quiet and weak. "Mmm tail..."
"T...Tail... so..." I cried out as he slammed in again. "CUMMING! Lee-eeev…!”
I slammed into his with a gasp, making him sob out another cry, while my body went rigid over top of him. My vision swam as he continued pumping his tail in and out of me, slithering, stroking, shaking, desperate, while I sunk my fingernails into the flesh of his hips with a fluttering of my lashes. My own hips twitched absently with my contractions throughout my high, having him whimpering with the small jams I made in him.
He fucked me through it all, making my vision spark at the sensation of him. I was keening, belly aflame, thighs shaking hard as I contracted around him. Slowly, I leaned forward with a high whine, to press my forehead to his back. He fucked himself on the dildo now, hissing lightly as he rocked back and forth against me.
He collapsed with a sob, twisting onto his hip, and I collapsed on top of him with a gasp. Still inside of him, he looked at me pleadingly, still trying to roll his hips with a whine. I moved up shakily, lacing my fingers in his as I rested myself on his hip, wrapping my arm around him, my leg entangling with his under me.
And then I began to fuck him, just like that, half holding him, pinning him lightly, gasping between kisses that I planted on his hot skin. His head lolled while he moaned, cock twitching desperately between his legs, engorged, ready, beyond ready, past ready, straining. He was wheezing, eyes glazed and half-lidded while he held my hand tight. I continued to move in him despite his tail going still within me, remaining coiled in my dripping sex.
"Chise..." His head lolled back to the side while he panted.
"Ready, baby...?"
"Please," he whispered tiredly, other hand shakily reaching down to grab the base of his cock. "Please let me..."
I didn't need his word. He was done.
I kissed his shoulder tenderly. "You can cum, Levi… I release you."
He tipped his head back slightly while he moaned brokenly, hands squeezing the base of himself tightly, as he spilled in front of me. Twitching with every pump of his milky seed while he panted lightly. None of his dramatics, just his shaky grip on himself, his eyes far away, his lips parted. Drooling, even. Broken as he came again and again on his sheets, a thick wet stain spreading, pooling next to him, splatter marks from the shooting cum that went occasionally past the main pool.
He whimpered, squeezed shakily one more time, his cock giving a final messy dribble that slid down the tip of him.
And then, he relaxed with a sigh. Still holding his cock, but loosely, relaxing in place, glazed, blissed out. No longer panting, just quiet, even breaths.
I kissed his shoulder again, squeezing his hand gently as I pulled my hips back to take myself out of him. He made a small, pathetic little noise when his ass finally released the toy, but otherwise didn't move.
"So good," I whispered shakily, as I rolled tiredly to my side behind him as well. I pulled his limp form towards me to wrap my arms from behind him with a sigh. His tail was slowly falling from me. I tried not to react, though my lashes did flutter a bit. "Such a good boy... You did so good, baby..."
"Love me...?"
"Oh, baby." I nuzzled the nap of his neck, before planting another tender kiss. "I love you so much. So so much. You're so important to me. I'll always, always love you. I'll never stop loving you."
He sighed in my arms, rubbing his cheek weakly against the pillow under him.
I smiled to myself as I nuzzled into his indigo hair. "Cutie pie... My sweet otaku, all mine, in my arms."
He snuggled backwards slightly, curling a bit shy. "...Love you..."
"You're doing okay?"
"No words... In...credible..."
I kissed his ear while my heart squeezed in my chest at the affirmation. "Need me to get anything for you?"
He shook his head a bit. "Keep doing... this."
"Okay." I kept up my tender little kisses. "Whatever you want. You did so good. You're amazing. I'm so lucky to have you. So lucky you love me. So happy with you."
"Happy...?"
"Happy with you," I whispered my confirmation. "You make me so happy."
He nodded a bit, closing his eyes the rest of the way with a sigh. "Good..."
"I love you so much, Levi," I whispered as I watched him drift. "I feel so safe in your room with you. Safe to be me with you."
"...Mmm..."
I snuggled him close to me again, pressing my forehead to the back of his neck. "Goodnight, baby. You did so good."
Notes:
Lol there’s been a lot of butt stuff lately, huh? …I SWEAR that’s not saying anything about me. I know I’ve been saying this is a self insert this whole time but I SWEEEEAR IIIIIIIT.
Chapter 24: Intermission: Run Away Together
Notes:
Mammon’s Devilgrams: ’The Guardian Demon’ (OG) and ‘Extravagant Date’ (NB).
And some (spicy) dialogue from his (spicy) ASMR.TWO smut scenes, WITH an end-scene after the last, so make sure to count the breaks.
A 15k word Mammon chapter.
You’re FUCKING welcome. 😉
Chapter Text
Chise: I love you, Satan.
Chise: Goodnight.
Day 9
Barbatos: Do you generally prefer sweet scents or refreshing scents?
Chise: Heh. Good morning.
He must have been up for a while, if not all night. Normally he started with a greeting before a text, but if his days started to blend together, sometimes he just started to blurt thoughts in his texts. It was cute. Worrying – I didn’t know if it was because he was just overworking himself or if something bothersome was preoccupying his thoughts – but it was a cute habit, all the same.
Chise: Refreshing scents.
Barbatos: Ah… 😊
Barbatos: I thought you might say that. It’s very on-brand for you.
Barbatos: I was actually thinking about what sort of flowers to decorate my room with.
Barbatos: Thank you for weighing in.
Barbatos: I will choose something based on your taste, so please come visit me soon.
Chise: Barbatos…
Chise: Are you trying to say that you miss me? 🙂
Barbatos: I thought that I was being rather obvious.
Chise: No need to beat around the bush with me.
Barbatos: In that case…
Barbatos: You are on my mind, always.
Chise: I miss you too. I hope you’re taking care of yourself.
Chise: Please let’s get together soon?
Barbatos: I do believe that I was first to make that request of you. 😊
Chise: I love you. Send me your schedule.
Chise: Even if you only have time for tea or a quick lunch, I want to see you.
Barbatos: I shall. I love you too, dearest Chise. I am thinking of you.
Chise: Good morning. I miss you.
Chise sent an attachment.
Chise: Tinkerbell and I both miss you…
I didn’t even jump when I felt an index finger jam against the top of my head at breakfast from behind my chair. My first reaction was a cool rolling of my eyes as I swallowed down my bite of sausage to ready myself for a verbal war. Was this my life? That I was just used to the antics?
And then the finger jam-jam-jammed again, rapidly.
“WHAT!” I raised my hand to smack, turning with a glare, sausage-greased lips pouting.
Mammon, other fist on his hip, smirking down at me.
“Ugh…” I turned my attention back to my plate. “It’s too early.”
“HEY! That’s not the kinda reaction I was lookin’ for!”
“If you were looking for a sweet good morning, maybe avoid rapid-fire tapping my head to get my attention before I’ve even had the chance to finish my morning coffee?”
“Whateverrrrr. Grump.” He leaned down to look at me from my side, so I turned my glare to the corner of my eye. “Grump grump grump grump–"
“She’s going to kill you, Mammon,” Asmo sighed in annoyance. “And don’t think I won’t be right at her side, covering up the murder and burying your body. Or, well, cheering Beel on while he digs your grave for us!”
Beel nodded absently, as he stabbed his next sausage with his fork. “Sure.”
“No need,” Lucifer cut in at the other head of the table. “I will smooth his death over with Diavolo. There will be nothing to ‘cover up’.”
“WH… Fuckin’ hells…!” Mammon glared at them all. “Y’all need to learn some respect–"
“Is there something you wanted?” I asked him, sugary sweet, “Before we put this plan in place?”
Levi snickered. “Any last words?”
Mammon’s cheeks turned pink as he looked back down at me. “You n’ me. Hangin’ out tonight.”
“What!” Levi glowered. “But I wanted to play games with Chise tonight!”
Mammon glowered at him. “It’s MY turn with Chise today!”
“What am I, a toy being fought over?” I sighed. I guess it was Mammon’s turn with the watermelon. Levi had had his. “All right, Mammon. You’re up.”
“YESSSS! I mean, duh.”
“Aww…”
I picked up my mug of coffee to hide my smile behind it.
This was Mammon, asking me out.
So this was either going to be very good, or very bad.
Lucifer dropped his eyes back down at his plate when ours had accidentally met over the lip of my mug; he returned to his breakfast with slow, deliberate bites, sawing his knife and fork neatly through his sausage while his brothers wolfed theirs down around him.
Coward.
I turned my smile up at Mammon. “Looking forward to it.”
His grin returned as he ruffled my hair on his way past me to his seat. “THAT’S my girl!”
“Do not make me regret it,” I grumbled, as I flattened my hair down again.
His eyes drank me in, up and down. "Damn, baby girl…”
“Aha…” I smirked with exaggerated flirtation as I stepped outside. “Dragged out the good ‘ol gal, did you? It’s been a while.”
Leaning back against her, cool and suave, he patted the hood with a grin. “Sorry to keep ya waitin’. Today’s a special day, so you’re damn right I’m pickin’ up my girl in my Demonio 666 Lexura.”
I held out my hand for him as I went to him while utilizing my bestest, most sexiest catwalk, making him snicker a bit. “Are we going on a driving date?”
“Well, that’s the idea.” He took my offered hand with a sultry little kiss, smirking over my knuckles. “We can visit a few places and enjoy the scenery on the way. C’mon, I’ll open the door for ya, m’lady.”
I burst out laughing, popping the flirting-bubble. “Don’t you ever call me ‘m’lady’ again!”
“Don’t like that one?” He grinned again as he opened the passenger side door with a bow over my hand. “A’ight. Sugar baby. Apple of my eye. Sexy mama. Succubus of my heart. Cock-warmin' tease–"
“Pffffff!” I slapped his arm playfully as I ducked to slide into the seat, laughing. “Fuck off!”
“Dream girl…” he murmured as he leaned over me, chasing a kiss while he pulled the seatbelt across. “My angel wifey…”
“Hush, you,” I whispered against his lips, before relenting with a sigh, my head pressed back lightly into the rest from his kiss.
He let me go when the belt clipped in, though he took my chin in his fingers instead, looking at me seriously with those blue-gold eyes of his that already had my heart racing for what I wanted at the end of this night. “…You do a lot for me, so I’m gonna take good care of ya today. I wanna treat ya like no other, got it? So just leave everythin’ to the Great Mammon this time.”
“Paying me back for all the times I’ve sugared our dates?”
“Pffff…” He closed the door quickly so he didn’t have to answer, before skipping off in front of the view of the windshield with a cheeky wave to get to his side.
I raised my brows in surprised as I looked up at the sign above us. “Majolish…?”
He grinned as he took a step up to hold the door for me, the chime sounding above. “What’s a fancy date without a l’il fancy shoppin’, huh? I gotta have you lookin’ your best. I-I mean, not that, you… ‘Cause you’re lookin’ fine–“
“Hmm…” I pouted as he stumbled. “Just fine?”
“Pfff, ya know what I mean!” He pressed his hand to my back to push me in with a playful growl. “Now get in there. I’m gonna satisfy all our material desires.”
"Material desires?” I batted my lashes flirtatiously. “But Mammon–"
“Yeah yeah yeah, horny girl.” He smirked at me. “Seriously? That’s the best you got? That was some low hangin’ fruit.”
“I can think of some other tasty low hanging fr–"
“Sweet hells all mighty, just GET IN, ya nutter butter!”
“I’ve never had that chocolate bar.”
He was fully shoving me through now while I innocently looked back at him over my shoulder, my feet planted firmly within the doorframe.
“GET. THE. FUCK–"
“Is it any good? Do they sell it here in the Devildom?”
“–IN. THE. STORE!”
–
“Oh, this leather jacket is pretty sweet!” He held it up against himself with a grin, looking down at it. “I’m lovin’ the glossy black finish. Looks comfy, too.”
I waggled my eyebrows from my bench. “You do look good in glossy black leather…”
He stuck out his tongue at me, before adding it to his ‘pile’. “I’ll take it! This leather is good quality stuff. Oh, this bag is great too! And that jacket comes in other colours too. Brown ain’t too bad either… Okay, I’ve decided.” He swept his finger across as he addressed the stylist. “Gimme everythin’ from here to here!”
I raised my eyebrows.
“I’ll pay by card, no problem.”
“Mammon…” I called out to him sweetly.
He shot me a smirk. “Yeeees, deeear?”
I nodded towards his wallet. “Is that a neeeew caaard?”
“Yep, just got it made,” he answered, super casually. “And I won big at the casino the other day, so I’ve got plenty of cash in my account!”
“Hmm…” I smirked as well. I supposed it was possible that even a terrible gambler such as him could hit it big now and then. That was the way, right? He did sometimes win. He just never used his winnings to cover debts; in fact, he tended to just… use it to accumulate even more debt.
It was the Great Mammon Way.
…Or he was totally and completely lying his face off.
But you know what? Not my problem right now.
I was dating demons, after all. Holding them to human standards just wasn’t fair.
“…I’ve got everythin’ I want, so it’s your turn now. See anythin’ ya like?”
“Umm…” I looked around, a bit overwhelmed. I didn’t really enjoy shopping that much. Or, not nearly as much. “You choose for me!”
He brightened. “Leave it to me! I’ll pick out the perfect outfit for ya!”
I sighed in defeat as he bounced over to a rack of some very slinky looking dresses. “Great, here we go…”
“…Yeah, you’d look amazing in this. The Great Mammon’s never wrong about fashion! And we can get a matching bag and, hehe, stockings to complete the look.”
I rolled my eyes.
“This hat might work too… Oh, and these heels!”
“Those are some goddamn narrow heels, Mamms.”
He smirked over at me. “Oh yeah, almost forgot how much of a klutz you are. Guess you’ll need to hang off my arm for the rest of the night, eh? Pretty l’il piece of arm candy.”
I raised my eyebrows up at him. “Or maybe you’re just trying to make sure I can’t run away from you?”
“Hey! Why would ya?!”
–
He whistled as I pulled back the curtain to the dressing room. "...Yep, that's the one."
I blushed with a hunch of my shoulders as I stepped out in the slinky little cocktail dress. It even had the dreaded spaghetti straps. "Of COURSE you would pick something like THIS out..."
He smirked at me, blushing too as he crossed his arms in front of him. "What'd ya expect, askin' me to choose an outfit for ya?" He nodded at my body with an appreciative gleam in his eye. "That's what ya get for playin' with fire!"
I sighed. "Point made."
"...Babe, you're so damned sexy. I just wanna rip that little thing..."
"Mammon...!" I clasped my hands behind my back as I tucked my chin shyly, shooting a pointed glance at the cashier who folded clothes nearby. "We're in public..."
He chuckled huskily. "That hasn't stopped me from takin' ya before."
I hissed at him in warning, face turning crimson as he cackled in delight.
He came to me, stepping up to snake his arm around my waist smoothly while his other hand came up to cup my cheek. "I love ya."
"Mammon..." I whispered, as his lips met mine. "Public..."
"The money I'm puttin' down," he growled, "they can afford us a little privacy."
The cashier did, indeed, have her back faced very determinedly towards us, even at the obvious sounds of Mammon's humming kisses, lips on lips while he held me close.
"Enough," I whispered again with a smile, finally pulling away. "You promised to feed me. We can do this after..."
He growled low in his throat, eyes locked to mine with a meaningful look. "I'm promisin' more later. So you'd better be ready."
"Believe me. So am I."
And then I was giggling, watching with a shake of my head as he hopped on one foot with a stuff of his hands in his pockets to shake out his trapped erection.
“Oh, but. Wait, one sec…” I fished around in the pocket of my other dress, before finding my goal with a grin, holding it up to him.
He flushed red, with the largest, toothiest grin that he could muster spreading across his face, while he watched me slide his ring onto my ring finger.
“There,” I said softly, as I held up the back of my hand for his inspection. “Now I’m very ready for this date of ours.”
“Baby…” He took my other hand, giving it a sharp tug to send me stumbling with a laugh into his waiting arms, tripping on my heels. “Baby girl… My sexy wifey. Just look at ya… What a stunner.”
I hummed as I rested my ring-graced hand on his chest. “I’m fairly certain that I have the sexiest demon alive wrapped around me right now.”
“Wrapped around that same finger,” he murmured in agreement, as he leaned down to kiss me. “But don’t you go tellin’ anyone I said that part…”
“I wouldn’t dare,” I breathed, before our lips connected.
I didn’t need to crow about it. He was always open with how smitten he was with me, whether he realized it or not. I was doted on. Fawned over, by this openly-loving demon, who pressed down further to bend me in a dip over his arm for a deeper kiss. Loved without reserve. Never abandoned.
I inhaled against his mouth.
“You all right, baby…?”
I nodded, smiling soft. “Don’t you think it’s time you showed me off?”
“Damn right,” he murmured with a grin as he undipped me. “You’re my diamond every day, but you’re sparklin’ real bright right now.”
Blushing, speechless, I stuck my tongue out at him in response.
“Hehe.” He poked my tongue cheekily, making me giggle. “Are ya hungry, darlin’?”
“Starving.”
“Good. ‘Cause I’ve got us a reservation.”
“Oh gods…” I laughed with a shake of my head. “Who are you, and what have you done with my Mammon?”
He smirked as he took my hand, brushing his thumb over our ring, while picking up our shopping bags with the other. “Nothin’s too good for my girl.”
“Mm, but one more thing.”
“Huh? What’s that?”
I slid the palm of my hand up his chest, before unbuttoning the first two buttons of his shirt with a smirk. “There. Much better.”
He tutted with a shake of his head. And a wink.
–
“It’s a little cramped back there now with all those bags, but it was fun choosin’ clothes for ya. I like what I got, too, so it was totally worth it.” He reached over to rub the top of my hand that laid in my lap with his palm. Goin’ on a shopping spree’s always fun, but today’s about more than that. It’s about enjoying our time together.”
I reached to my side to brush my fingertips across the sleeve of his jacket. “That’s awfully romantic of you.”
“Pfff… I can be romantic.” He dropped his voice into a mutter as he pouted at me. “When I wanna…”
“So, just where is this ‘reservation’.”
“Ristorante Six!”
I raised my eyebrows at him. “Ristorante Six? …Are you sure?”
Because damn. If he hadn’t already given me a ring…
“Like I said…” He smirked as he shifted into reverse. “Tonight, the Great Mammon’s takin’ care of ya.”
“Hmm… What to get…?” He was bouncing his leg underneath the table as his eyes scanned the rather expensive menu, while I looked down at mine a little nervously. “The regular course menu’s safe, but kinda boring, yeah?”
I raised my eyes to his. “The… regular menu? Is there anoth–"
“Okay, got it!” He waved the waited over with a toothy grin. “We’ll start with the most expensive thing on the menu and work our way down!”
“Wh…” I gawked, before hurriedly flipping through to find the most expensive thing. “Mammon, are you sure?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll add some salads and soups so it’s not all main dishes.” He nodded to the waiter, who bowed with a pleased smile. “Oh, feel free to get as many drinks as you’d like, babe. I’m just havin’ soda ‘cause I’m drivin’, but you treat yourself to whatever fancy drink you want.”
I glanced around nervously. “…You know this place has special rules, right?”
“You mean the curse thing?”
“Uh, yeah, the curse thing.” I gave him a Look. “The one where if you cancel your order, they turn you into the ingredients you wasted?”
…Which had happened before. To Mammon.
“Don’t worry!” He gave me his brightest smile. “I’ve got no intention of cancellin’ anything. 'Sides, I’m hungry, so I’m sure I can finish everything.”
–
“Here comes our food.” He rubbed his hands together like a child, making me shake my head with a roll of my eyes. “Dang, everythin’ looks good! Now this is top quality dinin’!”
“…A top up of your wine, madam?”
Mammon nodded. “Anythin’ the lady wants.”
I cleared my throat as I glanced up at the waiter, who was reminding me quite a bit of Barbatos, the way he had been attending to us so impeccably. “Yes, please. And thank you so much for everything, it looks wonderful.”
“Why, it is our pleasure entirely,” he responded smoothly. Just as smoothly as he poured.
“All right! Bon appétit, Chees!”
The waiter smiled politely. “Are we celebrating a special occasion tonight?”
Mammon brightened as he pointed at my finger. “Our engagement! 'The lady' here said yes!”
“Ohh.” He raised his eyebrows in politely feigned interest. “A human custom, no? Well, I offer my deepest congratulations to you both. In that case, please, we would like to offer you a dessert to share after your meal – to celebrate your good fortune with you, of course.”
It was the least they could do, for a nice fat tip. Whatever they scrounged up for free was worth keeping us here for, so we had more time to rack up the drinks bill further.
Mammon grinned again. “Awesome! Thanks, man!”
I smiled sweetly. “That’s so kind of you, thank you.”
He bowed. “It is your patronage that we at Ristorante Six thank you for.”
…Fucking hells.
–
"What about this here, hm?" He sawed his knife through the cut of meat, before holding the piece up on the prongs of his fork with a toothy grin. "Wanna try a bite?"
"Feeding me at the table off of your very own form?" I batted my lashes, before leaning forward. "How risqué..."
"We might be dinin' fancy, but we can show these stuffy folk a thing or two about real romance."
"Real romance, huh?" I took the piece of meat between my lips with a hum, leaning back to chew with a muffled giggle.
–
“Man,” he sighed, as he sat back heavily in his chair, “I’m stuffed. That dessert put me over, but holy crap.”
I laughed under my breath, raising my eyebrows up in amusement. “Everything was delicious. That felt really indulgent.”
All right, I wasn’t easily impressed by showy expense, but… Yeah, I was impressed.
“Hehe.” He smiled, looking extremely pleased. “You’ve gotta treat yourself sometimes. ’Sides, today’s special.”
“Is it now?”
“W-Well. You’re special,” he said in a mumble, cheeks turning red. “Ah, here comes the bill. Pff, that’s it?”
The waiter smiled.
Mammon nodded. “We’ll settle that now. Can we have the table ’til she’s finished her wine?”
“But of course!” The waiter eyed the premium-looking credit card with a gleam. “The table is yours for the rest of the night if you so wish. Our policy, of course, for esteemed guests such as yourselves.”
Of course.
–
I giggled after the waiter had departed. The serene man had fairly skipped away, a pep in his step. “You’ve been such a gentleman, Mammon.”
He winked at me. “This is what a sophisticated date looks like.”
“Soooo,” I put a teasing lilt in my voice, “has any of this newfound wealth made its way to paying off a few witches?”
Fishin’ for debt info.
He stuttered to a halt, ears suddenly burning bright red. "...Uhh. Uhh. S...Some."
I quirked an eyebrow in amusement as I took a sip of my dwindling glass of wine.
He hesitated, staring down at the table for a moment. "...Uh, Chise. I gotta... tell ya somethin'. About the witches..."
Oh no.
What had I just done.
I didn’t even like any mention of the witches! In any goddamn way!
"Okay..." I slowly put my glass down. "What is it...?"
"All right, so, uh, don't be mad."
I narrowed my eyes at him, already gearing myself up to get mad.
"Okay, so, i-it happened a whole YEAR before we met, all right? Like, a WHOLE year."
“…You're freaking me out."
"No no no no! I-It's nothin' like that!"
I sighed. "Get on with it, already. Stop pausing and just spit it out!"
"R-Right." He gulped. “Okay, so, I’d decided to pay a visit to the human world for kicks. Okay, fine, I was on an errand for Lucifer and was fuckin’ around instead. Whatever. Anyway, that’s when I saw this one human… she was just a kid. And I noticed that some guy was givin’ her a hard time. I could tell that he was a real, real mean sorta guy. It was written all over his face.” He fidgeted in his seat for a moment, uncomfortable.
I frowned as I took another sip of wine.
“…He started threatenin’ her, telling her that she was on his street, and she was gonna have to pay up if she wanted to pass. She was so scared she was shakin’.” He cleared his throat with a casual shrug. “So that gave me an idea: I’d scare the guy, and take HIS money instead.”
I raised my eyebrows at him. “You actually pulled out the demon card up in the human world?”
“Pff. Nah. I didn’t even need to do anythin’ to him. I gave him a nasty look, and that’s all it took. He ran off all scared.” He rolled his eyes. “Seriously, it was pathetic.”
“So you’re saying…” I spoke slowly, “that you rescued the little girl.”
“Wha?! N-No, it wasn’t like that!” He squirmed in his seat, back straight with a plain look of guilt. “Well, I mean, I guess that’s what ended up happenin’, sure.”
I snorted with a shake of my head.
“…Anyway, back to the story. Sooo naturally, I made sure to grab the guy’s wallet before he high-tailed. But it turns out that there wasn’t much in it at all.” He scowled as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Now that made me mad. All that work for nothin’! So, I pushed the wallet on the kid and tried to walk off.”
“So you even gave her–"
“NOW,” he cut in quickly, “it isn’t like I gave it to her to be nice!”
“…Mhmm.”
“It’s just that there wasn’t enough money for someone like me to bother with.” More squirming. “So I stuck the kid with it. But when I tried to walk it off, she started followin’ me.”
I smiled. “Yeah, that’s what heroes get.”
“I-I’m tellin’ ya, it weren’t like that!” he protested, a little too desperately. “Anyway, she was followin’, so I looked at her, opened my mouth real wide, and made this super scary face. The sort of face that usually makes humans shrink back in fear. But she didn’t even flinch. No, she threw open her arms and HUGGED me.”
I covered my lips with a giggle. “Oh, Mammon… This is exactly something that would happen to you…”
“Well it DID happen!” The flush had spread down his neck now. “I mean, it’s crazy, right? A second ago she was all tremblin’ and stuff because some guy threatened her. And now, suddenly, nothin’ could scare her.”
“Mammon…” My smiled widened. “You’re smiling…”
“Don’t be stupid!” He chided as he struggled to blank his expression, turning it into an exaggerated scowl instead. "Of course I ain’t!”
“Sure, sure. My mistake.”
“But it’s wild, right? It’s scary how much trouble a little ignorance can get you into, huh? If she’d known that I was an infamous demon, she never would’ve dared follow me around like that.”
“So she’s following you…”
“Well, yeah, anyway, so, I went ahead and had the girl sit down on a bench, and pretended to listen as she talked to me and stuff.”
‘Pretended to’ my ass.
“That’s when she told me that her parents died, and now she’s all alone. She doesn’t have a place to live, and she was out lookin’ for something to eat when that guy showed up.”
I went quiet now, clasping my hands together as I watched him talk, feeling him take a more somber, serious turn.
“Well, I couldn’t walk off and leave her there after hearin’ that, now could I…?” He shrugged again. “Still, I didn’t know anyone who could help in the human world, and it’s not like I could bring a kid back with me to the Devildom.”
“You… would have…?”
“So, since I didn’t know what to do, I decided to shoot a message to Lucifer askin’ him for advice.” He scrambled to fumble with his D.D.D, pulling it out of his pocket to flick through it. “H-Here, see? I can prove it. I-I was gonna tell you all this eventually, so I have the screenshots…”
I didn’t need to see, but the D.D.D. was dropped in front of me anyway, and I looked down at it, feeling mute with shock that was settling over me.
Mammon: There’s this human child that’s gotten all attached to me. What do I do?
Mammon: She’s a girl. 9 years old. Keep following me around.
Lucifer: Well, well. The ladies sure do love you, huh Mammon?
Lucifer: 🥰
Mammon: Ugh, c’mon. Don’t be a dick.
Lucifer: I don’t understand. What’s the problem?
Mammon: Well, she doesn’t have any family. She’s all alone.
Mammon: I mean, like…
Mammon: I feel like I probably shouldn’t leave her.
Lucifer: So, what you’re telling me is that even though you’re a scumbag, you still have a conscience? How sweet.
Lucifer: 🥹
Mammon: Hey, don’t make fun of me. I know this may not seem like a big deal, but seriously, I don’t know what to do here.
Mammon: If I knew someone here in the human world, I could leave her with them, but I don’t.
Lucifer: I suppose that leaves you no choice but to be her surrogate father from now on.
Mammon: You know I can’t do that. Come on…
Mammon: I’m asking you to give this some serious thought here. As my big brother, I thought you’d help.
I stared down at his screen, feeling faint.
He leaned over to see where I was at with a nod. “This is where Lucifer stopped responding to me. I didn’t hear anythin’ from him for a good thirty minutes, even though I could see he was readin’ what I wrote.” He swiped his finger across. “Here’s the next part.”
Mammon: Hey, come on Luicfer! Answer me, will ya?! Look, I’ll buy something nice for you here in the human world and bring it back. A present!
Mammon: Hey, weren’t you saying that you wanted to have one of those special pudding things from that one shop? The ones that look like little suns?
Lucifer: Three. You’ll bring me back three of them.
Mammon: One for you, one for me, and… Who’s the other one for?
Lucifer: One for me, one for Diavolo, one for Barbatos.
Lucifer: None of them are for you.
Mammon: 🤬
Mammon: Why do those two both get one and I don’t?!
Lucifer: The three of us will have them at our next meeting, which we’re having over tea.
Lucifer: If I have Barbatos sample one so he knows what they taste like, we won’t have to go to the human world to buy them anymore, as he’ll be able to make them for us himself.
Lucifer: But if you don’t want that, fine.
Lucifer: I guess that’s that. End of discussion.
“…What does this have to do with–"
“Ugh, just keep readin’.”
Mammon: I’ll bring back 3.
Lucifer: Then we have a deal.
Lucifer: I happen to know three witches living over in the human world.
Lucifer: I’ll get in touch with them and have a talk. Get them to agree to serve as guardians for this little girl.
Lucifer: I’ll give them your chat ID as well, so they can contact you directly from here on out.
Lucifer: Problem solved. Lucifer out.
“Lucifer…” I whispered in disbelief.
“You know, a good older brother really is worth his weight in gold.” He sighed as he took his D.D.D. back in his hand. “Sure, Lucifer is constantly bugging me about stuff, but he always helps me out in tough situations like this one. I know him. During those thirty minutes when he wasn’t responding to me, he was probably workin’ hard to come up with a plan. When I think about that, I honestly start to tear up.”
I stared at the table where his D.D.D. had been, feeling at a loss.
“So, after turnin’ the girl over to the witches, I decided I’d keep doin’ what I could do to make sure she’d grow up happy and healthy.”
I slowly raised my eyes to him.
“Also, it was my way of repaying Lucifer for helping me.” He was talking and nattering anxiously, like he hadn’t noticed my own stillness. “But seeing to her needs costs money, right? Which is why I give money to those witches.”
Which is why I give money to those witches.
“And I get other stuff for them, too. Whatever they say they need. So they’ll support her. Whenever they call for me, I gotta hop to. Ugh…” He sighed. “And all of that is for a girl I happened to run into by accident. Man, talk about–“
“Do you still go see the girl?” I asked in a whisper.
“Huh? Wha? Do I… Oh, sometimes, yeah. But, heh…” He reached up to rub the back of his neck sheepishly. “I don’t want her findin’ out that I’m a demon, so I still make sure to pretend like I’m human.”
“That’s… so… sweet…” It was all I could get out. My throat was tightening with emotion.
“Sweet?” He frowned. “Nah, it ain’t sweet. It’s what you gotta do when you go to the human world. No big deal.”
“Wh-What…?”
“Anyway, I’m plannin’ on continuing to do this until she’s grown up and can live on her own.” He looked down at the table with a sigh. “…I, uh, I’m sorry I didn’t tell ya all this before, Chise. But now that I got you that ring and all… I just… It’s important, is all.”
"Mammon, I don't even..." My vision started blurring, the lights refracting as I blinked away tears. "I don't even know what to say... That's..."
"Wh-Wh-Whoa!" He held his palms up in surrender, his back straight as a rod. "C-Come on now, Chees, what's with the waterworks, huh? You're gonna get people thinkin' that I'm bein' mean to you over here!"
"B-But..." I blinked and blinked. "Y-You're not mean. You're the nicest... You're the most... generous..."
"Hey!" He fumbled with the cloth serviette, shoving it towards me for me to dab at my eyes. "Don't you go repeatin' that anywhere else! I've got a reputation to uphold here!”
“What the fuck, Mammon… You’re that little girl's hero.”
“D-Dammit, Chise… Hero isn’t the sorta thing you call a demon, didn’t ya know…?"
I pressed the cloth to my eyes, taking in deep breath. Both of us fell into silence while I took a moment. While he did, too.
And then I exhaled heavily. Put the cloth down. Looked at it. At the table.
“…Are ya mad–"
"Mammon."
He squeaked, tensing again.
I took in another breath, still looking down. "...You're going to make a good dad, you know that?"
His jaw dropped while he leaned back in his chair, eyes widening as he frozen in place.
Finally, after a stretch of silence, he belatedly jumped in his spot. “…Shaddup!”
“Wh…” I couldn’t stop a small laugh from bubbling out. “Oh, Mammon…”
“Hah…” He heaved out a big sigh, as though a weight had been lifted. He smiled to himself. “Maybe one of these days you can meet her. Y’know, I dunno if it’s because I’ve done all this for her, but whenever I leave, she grabs on to the bottom of my shirt and is all like, ‘When can I see you again?’ She totally believes I’m human, so I guess I must be a pretty amazing actor.”
I pressed my lips in a flat line with a shake of my head, blinking again. Trying to control the tremble in my lip.
“And the witches tell me that she sometimes cries at night saying she wants to see me.” He was grinning now, chuckling to himself. “I mean, can you believe that? Like, she’s crazy attached to me! Hehe. I’m Mammon, one of the great demons of the Devildom! Not this kid’s daddy!”
“I love you,” I whispered hoarsely with a squeeze of my eyes. “I love you so much. I love you so damn much that…”
He had stopped in his tracks, staring at me again.
The look in his eyes at my words… completely lovestruck.
I blinked again, and then gave him a soft smile. "Let's get out of here, babe... I want to hold your hand on the way back to the car. I… really, really want to hold your hand.”
"...Y-Yeah!" His face turned a deep shade of crimson again. "Yeah... I guess I can hold your hand, if that's what ya want. ‘C-Cause I mean… Pfff… Why wouldn't ya wanna hold... The Great Mammon’s hand.."
I laughed softly, shaking my head as I stood to gather my things. I needed to get the fuck out of here before I had a public breakdown.
“B-But listen…” He grabbed my hand with a grimace, pleading with his eyes. “Don’t you dare breathe a word of what I said to anyone else, understand? Whatever you do – WHATEVER you do – you can’t tell ANYBODY. Got it? I mean, sure, I can understand why you’d want to. But don’t.”
I choked on a laugh, sniffling with a nod. “I promise. I won’t tell.”
“Phew…” he sighed with relief. “Man… That was a load off…”
The moment we’d turned the corner behind the restaurant in the parking lot, I grabbed the front of his jacket and pulled us together, pressing my face into his shirt with a whine.
He held me quietly, cupping the back of my head to him as he kissed the top of my head.
***
He was grinning, singing along to one of his favourites songs on his playlist, wind whipping his hair through the cracked window.
And I was staring at him with a smile.
“…Huh?!” He finally caught sight of me looking with my tender smile, and he jumped self-consciously. “Wh-What’re you lookin’ at?! Knock it off, you’re makin’ me nervous!
“You look so cool, Mammon.”
“Huh?!” He cheeks turned bright red again as his eyes darted from between me and the road. “Y-Ya can’t just go sayin’ stuff like that outta the blue! Driving is all about stayin’ focused! Or do ya wanna get into an accident?!”
My smiled turned into a bit of a smirk. “Staying focused, huh?”
“Ugh, don’t give me that look…” He shot me a petulant glare as he returned his hands to a proper steering position. “Seriously, I’m tryin’ real hard here, so ya gotta let me do my thing. That’s the last time I’m lettin’ ya have a whole bottle of wine to yourself!”
"Mammon..."
He glanced at me in curiosity, trying to discern my tone. “You all right, babe?"
I slid my fingers past the console, to press them to his thigh. "I'm having a really nice time."
I was rewarded with a small jump, and a touch of red spreading on his tanned cheeks. "...Y-Yeah? Well... good. That's... Ah, uh..."
I slid my hand a little further, down the curve of his inner thigh.
"Ch...Chise..." he huffed in a strained voice, eyes darting down between his legs before locking back onto the road. "Wh-What are ya..."
"What do you think...?" I murmured in flirty response, as I danced my fingertips up between his legs. "How could I ever repay such gentlemanly treatment...?"
His adam's apple bobbed as he visibly swallowed. "I, uh, I... ah..."
He was very quickly hardening under my gentle, purposeful touches, while I pressed and rubbed and stroked where I'd found him down his pant leg.
"Chhhise..."
"Yeah, baby...?" My fingers drifted up to the buckle of his new belt. "Something you want to say?”
He only huffed quietly, shakily, while the clasp clinked under my pinching-and-pulling fingers.
"Fuck," he sighed, leaning back at the sound of the zip being pulled next. "I-I've never done..."
"No?" I cooed, as I opened the front of his pants. "Never had road head before? In your thousands of years lifetime?"
"Umphh..."
I leaned my whole body over.
"Wh-Whoa, Chise," he whispered huskily. "Are ya... sure this is..."
"Why'd you just spread your knees apart more, hmm...?" I dipped my hand down the front of his opened pants. "Oh, wow, you're so damn hard already..."
He swallowed again, before letting out a puff, white-knuckling the steering wheel as I finally managed to pull his generous girth and length out of his boxers.
"You've been so good to me," I murmured, as I leaned my face towards his lap. "So good… to everyone."
"Oh fff fff ffff Chise,” he gasped, as he rolled his hips up reflexively at the touch of my lips on the head of his cock. "Oh fuck this is. This is so fuckin' hot what the ffff..."
I licked at the bead of pre-cum that had begun to pool in the dip of him, before mouthing my lips against him with a sigh.
"I'm... gettin'... road head..." he muttered to himself in disbelief. "In my Demonio... from..."
"From your wife," I breathed against him, before taking him slowly into my mouth for true.
He groaned as he tilted his head back against the rest behind him.
"You need to get us there safe, baby... Eyes on the road now..."
"Chiiiis..." he groaned again, as I sunk back down to swallow more. "This is so hoooot..."
"Mmm..." I was opening my jaw as wide as it could go, taking as much as I could while my hand dipped down again to find his–
"Whoa whoa whoa whoa," he said in a strained voice as he fought the bucking of his hips, his body tensing the moment I began caressing his balls. "C-Careful... Oh holy shhhit..."
I came up with a sigh, swirling my tongue along the underside of his head. "Mmm... I trust my driver.”
He was a very good driver.
"M-Maybe ya goddamned shouldnnn't." He was panting now, eyes glued determinedly to the road. "D-Dammit..."
I sucked down again, and then up, and then down, finally easing into a rhythmic bob on his lap. He groaned as I let a slurping noise slip when I tried to control my drooling, until I gave up with a groan of my own, soaking his member with my whole mouth.
"Mmfff..." I felt his hand slide into my hair to tangle into my roots, to hold me in place while he rolled his hips up next. I gurgled wetly, holding him where I couldn't truly choke, but he had me nearly gagging with his next roll, his next determined push of my head down on him.
"Don't wanna act like a lady, huh?" he gasped hoarsely. "Then ya don't get treated like one..."
And this time, I did gag, as his fingers abruptly gripped my scalp in time to his thrust. I moaned with a fluttering of my eyes as we both fell back into rhythm after while I huffed for air through my nose. And then he thrusted again, and again, while I spat spit around his girth with my choking.
Always a gentleman, even when thrusting his cock in my mouth.
"Good giiiirl," he groaned. "Fuck your mouth feels soooo..." He thrusted again, drawing out a whine from me. "Fuuuck..."
His cock was streaming with my drool while I whined and moaned and choked on small, muffled gasps over his cock. As far as a face fucking went, he was still gentle about it, rolling just enough to provoke the lewd little noises and wet, breathless struggles. He let me take over to bob on him eagerly again for a while as his hand returned to shakily grip his steering wheel. He gasped for air, shoulders tensing, and then rolling, letting out a moan of defeat at the next little press of my tongue that I gave to the sensitive spot under his head.
"Baby... girl..."
I came up briefly for a sharp gasp for air, panting. "B-Better not. Get cum on your seats, huh? Better cum right down my..."
I swallowed him back down while he let out a high keen.
"Fuuuck I'm... gonna..."
I groaned around him, my throat vibrating deep with the next plunge of his cock up my tongue.
"Cummm... Nngkkk..."
He shook with effort to maintain control of his senses as his cock gave a violent twitch in my mouth that almost had me gagging again; his next twitch began expelling the first load of his seed, shooting down the length of my tongue. I gurgled wetly as I sucked it back down my throat, barely in time to receive the next, and then another, my throat working hard with noisy gulps to drink him in. He was letting out a long, gravelly groan throughout it all, giving me small pumps of his hips with every explosion of cum that shot from the tip of his cock.
I worked very hard not to make a mess in his precious car – or on his new, expensive slacks.
Shaking, hands gripping the steering wheel for dear life, as he sucked in a sharp gasp for air with the last spill of seed between my lips.
He sat there, hunched forward, panting, unblinking as he stared at the road, while I let him fall from my mouth with a soft moan, before resting my cheek on his lap with a sigh.
"Hhholy fuck," he swore in a squeak, before flipping on his turn signal. "I-I've gotta p-pull over. Just for a bit. Calm the fuck down."
I nodded with a half-huffed giggle, wiping my mouth with the back of my wrist.
///
He slumped back in his seat with a groaning sigh, arms resting heavily to his sides as he looked down at me with half-lidded eyes.
I blinked back up at him innocently, still on his lap.
"...Are you out of your fuckin' mind?" he scolded me hoarsely. "Coulda killed us..."
I wiggled kittenishly.
"Fuck..." He let out a deep chuckle in his chest as he tucked, and then zipped himself back up. "Cutie. C'mere, that don’t look comfortable. Come sit on my lap for a bit while I calm the heck down..."
I unbuckled myself quietly, trying to hide my pleased little smile as I slid myself over the console between us to land my rear in his lap.
He wrapped his arms around me with an exhausted sigh, cuddling me close between himself and the steering wheel. "Best thing's that's ever happened to me..."
I giggled. "What, road head? Seriously?"
"Pfff. You. Silly goose..." He tangled his fingers gently in my hair again as he placed a kiss to my forehead. "Damn. I missed bein' alone with you."
I nodded my agreement as I snuggled under his chin, curling my fingers into his shirt. "Me too. Things have felt way too chaotic."
He was chaos enough.
"Everybody crowdin' around you." He growled menacingly. "One of these days, I'm gonna have to fight each and every one of them off to get to ya."
"I haven't been able to just chill out." I sighed heavily. "Thanks for stealing me away."
"Pwhehehe... What can I say? I'm a professional thief of pretty dames."
"Hope I'm the only 'pretty dame' you're thieving these days," I muttered in mock warning.
"Don't you worry, you're the only one who's got my heart ripped out of his goddamned chest and beating in your hand."
"Damn, that's visceral."
He chuckled with another lazy stroke of my hair. "That's how crazy you make me feel, y'know'."
"Mammon, will you marry me?"
"PFF!" He knocked my shoulder into the steering wheel horn from how abruptly he tipped forward with laughter with me still in his arms.
I giggled as I clung to him for support, nearly unseated, ducking my head to avoid cracking my skull on the door.
He was grinning as he cupped the back of my head to look him. "'Course I'll marry ya, Chise baby. I'd be honoured.”
I smirked at him. "The 'honoured' part was a little thick."
"Thick like my–"
I smashed my lips against his with another bubble of laughter.
But he immediately deepened the kiss with a strained huff, crushing my lips with force as he tugged on the seat adjustment beside him to tip us back. I immediately groaned in response, quickly scrabbling into a straddle in his lap; I was hitching the skirt of my dress up, reaching between my legs to pull my panties to the side, while he fumbled with his fly again underneath me.
Freed, he wrapped both arms tightly around my lower back to drag me down on him while we clung to each other, our mouths rolling with hot, frantic kisses.
"So..." I smirked over at him as he turned the ignition on with an exasperated sigh. "Where to next?"
"You sure you should be smilin' like that?" He shot me a smirk right back. "You're the one who's gotta go without panties for the rest of the night."
"Oh, I'm sure I'll manage," I retorted sweetly, with every ounce of innocence left to me. If any.
He chuckled with a shake of his head. “You’re bein’ bad tonight.”
I stuck my tongue out at him. “So are you.”
“Must be that tiny dress I put ya in.”
I giggled. “It honestly might be.”
“Well, speakin’ of where-to, there’s somewhere I’ve been wantin’ to go with ya for a while.” He shifted gears again. “That’s where I’m takin’ ya now. But you gotta behave, or we’re not makin’ it off this damned highway!”
“Hehe. No promises.”
He smirked as he checked over his shoulder. “Save the sexy flirtin' for later.”
“I like the sound of this 'later'.”
“No date night’s complete without ravagin’ ya 'til the sun rises.”
I giggled again, a little shyer now, feeling my cheeks – and the pooling in my belly – burn hot.
“…Wait, but there’s no sunrise in the Devildom!”
“PFFF!” He burst out laughing as he turned the ignition off, parked. “Can ya say ‘delayed reaction much’?! You’re a FUCKING nut! That was the whole damned joke, baby girl!”
“Hehehe. Oops.” I grinned as I looked around out the windows. “…Where the heck are we?”
He jammed his finger on the top of my head. “You not been payin’ any attention?”
“Nope, still in post-nut bliss over here.”
“Pfff…” He unbuckled me like I was a helpless child. “So that’s why you’ve been lookin’ out the window all vacant, huh? Thought you ate too much and had a bellyache.”
“More like drank too much,” I giggled.
He snorted in amusement as he opened his car door. “Yeah, you been gigglin’ all night. I got a bottle of water for you in the back, I’ll get it and you’ll drink it. Might have to carry ya in those heels after all.”
“I’ll have to lean really heavily on you.”
“Well that ain’t nothin’ new, ya klutzy girl.”
“Hey!”
But he had slammed his car door already before I could bitch, winking at me with a sharp-toothed grin through the window as he came to the other side to help me out. Like a perfect gentleman.
–
“This is the place I wanted to visit with ya.” He spread his arms out wide in excitement, almost pushing me over. “THE INSTANT NOODLE MUSEUM!”
I almost cried right there and then, my eyes round as I pressed my fingers to my lips.
Yes.
This.
This!
This was Mammon, in a nutshell.
For all his talk of a sophisticated date, that he should end the night at an instant noodle museum?
“I hear they’ve got a bunch of exhibits about instant noodles through the ages and noodles from the human world,” he explained excitedly.
Oh, hells. I wanted to marry this man. Ask me who I’d fuck, marry, or kill, he’d be all three.
I took in a deep breath, turning to face him.
“I… LOVE IT!!”
“Pfff!” He shoved the water bottle at me again with a laugh. “I knew you’d go for it. Let’s check it out!”
–
“So this is how instant noodles were invented.” He bounced on his heels as he leaned over the podium we read from. “It’s wild that you can make somethin’ so tasty just by adding hot water.”
I nodded eagerly. “Like magic. And of course it was in Japan. And they have a longer shelf life than frozen noodles. Hard to believe they were considered a luxury food at first…”
He grinned at me. “Eatin’ them in the middle of the night’s still a luxury to me! The feelin’ of guilt makes ‘em taste ten times better. I don’t think life in the Devildom would be possible without instant noodles anymore.”
“So that’s why it’s been included in our ‘very sophisticated’ date?”
He mussed my hair. “You’re damned right! Don’t you diss the Great Instant Noodle!”
I giggled like a wine-drunk college girl. “I wouldn’t dare.”
“These noodles from the human world look pretty tasty, too.” He peered over at the next display. “So you guys also have pasta and yakisoba, huh? Looks like they sell samples at the store. We should get some on the way home. But here…” He hopped to the side, and pointed. “Okay, so, the exhibit ends here. But the main attraction is up ahead.”
“Main attraction?”
He took my hand with a gleam in his eyes. “Name, the instant noodle factory!”
“Heck yeah! Salty drunk snackies!”
“Pfff…” He smirked with a shake of his head. “What am I gonna do with ya, huh?”
“Feed me drunk snackiiiies!”
“C’mon, nutter butter.”
–
“This is where you can make your own original cup noodles.” He grinned with a gesture.
“It’s like an instant noodle bar station?!”
“Hehe. Let’s make some!” He pulled me along. “So, first we gotta buy the cups, yeah? So we’ll take two here. Huh.” He looked down at the first station with a tilt of his head. “Looks like you can add your own text or drawings to the cups.”
“Arts n’ crafts!”
“Oh, I know.” He squeezed my hand in his. “Why don’t we make cups for each other and exchange ‘em?”
“Oh my gosh…” My eyes went round again. “Yes please… Pretty please! I’ll make something delicious, just for you!”
“Pff, now I’m worried.” He chuckled as he pressed a kiss to my forehead when I’d pouted. “I’m just kiddin’! Thanks, babe. I’ll make a super delicious cup for you too! Let’s decorate ‘em now. But don’t look over here until I’m done, okay? I’ll try not to look at yours either.”
–
“I… love… Nah, that’s too much…”
A but of a silence stretched while I smiled to myself at the sound of his muttering, while colouring in a heart on his.
“…This oughta do it. A’ight, the cup’s ready. Next is the ingredients.” He moved down the line on the other side from me, and I moved with him. “Looks like you can choose from four types. Gotta add some braised shadow pork belly. And then…”
I giggled. “I do like braised pork belly…”
“…Dammit! I’ve been thinkin’ out loud!” He ducked his head under to look at me with a scowl. “That was supposed to be a surprise!”
I stuck my tongue out at him. “Then don’t natter the surprise!”
“…Okay, I’ve decided! You okay over there, Chise? Let’s keep goin’!”
–
“Aaaand it’s done!” He skipped to me with another grin, hand covering his creation. “You go first! I wanna give you yours afterwards.”
I presented my obnoxious heart-covered creation to him. “Vanilla pork fat wiiiith… hell soy sauce! And extra devil’s chilli peppers.”
“All RIGHT!” He beamed at me. “Hell soy sauce! Ya know just what I like!”
I winked at him. “I sure do. And you doubted me…”
He chuckled with a kiss on my cheek. “I can tell you were thinkin’ of me when you made it. Thanks, Chise. Now, it’s my turn. Here ya go.”
I grinned as I took it from him. “You should’ve finished writing ‘I love you’.”
He blushed deeply. “…Uhhh, I crossed that out, but I guess you noticed, huh? I thought it was a bit too, uh…”
"Unsophisticated?” I pointed at the cup I had given him. “Like mine?”
“Heh. I was plannin’ on being a gentleman today.”
“I love it, thank you.” I winked. “So tsundere.”
“Shaddaaaap…” He sighed, blush deepening even further. “Pff… Still, ya seem happy abut it, so I’m glad.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too, goose.” He linked his arm with mine. “Let’s blow this popsicle stand.”
–
He sighed as he sat back in the seat of his car. “It was really fun spendin’ the day with ya. But…” He gave me a hopeful little glance. “I don’t wanna go home yet.”
I smiled as I touched his wrist. “I want to spend the night with you. Without interruptions, maybe?”
“Dammit, Chise…” He turned his face, unsuccessfully trying to hide his smile. “Ya sure know how to make a guy’s heart skip a beat. I’m glad, though. I feel the same way. So now that I know how ya feel…” He turned on the ignition again. “...I ain’t lettin’ ya go home!”
“Check it out!” He spun around the center of the room, arms flung wide. “We’ve got the whole suite to ourselves!”
I entered with a great deal more hesitation. “Holy crap… Are you sure about this…?”
“Yep!” He strode across the room to throw the curtains back from the floor-to-ceiling windows. “This room’s advertised as havin’ a great view of the night skyline, and ya gotta admit, they ain’t wrong!”
I came up behind him, wide-eyed. “They sure weren’t…”
He shot me a grin. “Why don’t we eat our cup noodles first?”
I nodded. “I could do with a late night salty snack.”
“Finally soberin’ up, are ya?”
I stuck my tongue out at him. “I’m getting there.”
“Sure ya are.” He tousled my hair. “How ‘bout we sit on the balcony and enjoy the view while we eat, eh?”
–
He sluuuurped. “Delicious! That swanky restaurant food was pretty good, but there’s somethin’ special about instant noodles! Plus, we can enjoy the view while we eat. It’s really somethin’, ain’t it? And Maybe it’s ‘cause you made it, but these noodles taste extra delicious.”
I smiled as the wind brushed my hair back while I looked over impressive the skyline. “This… was a really good date.”
He glanced at me with a pleased wiggle. “Ya really think so…?”
“This is… yeah.” I laughed as I turned to him. “This is exactly what I needed. With you.”
He sat back with a sigh, smiling to himself as he placed his empty cup down. “Well, I’m stuffed.”
I inched closer to lean against him. “Time to chill out, huh?”
“Now you’re gettin’ it!” He wrapped an arm around me, dragging me close to him. “Lazing around after eatin’ something so high in calories is the ultimate guilty pleasure. The, uh, bed looks pretty soft too. Just what you’d expect from a high-class hotel.” He glanced at me. “You, uh, cold?”
I giggled, giving him a mischievous smirk. “A soft, warm bed does sound kind of nice right now… You know, to get rid of this chill.”
“Y’know what…” He wasted no time in leaping to his feet, gathering me up into his arms while I kicked and squawked and squeaked. He smacked my rump as he hoisted me easily over his shoulder. “That sounds PERFECT!”
–
He sighed as he fell backwards on the bed like a child, bouncing in place until he came to a rest. “…We ate good food, bought expensive brand, and went somewhere fun. I enjoyed all the splurging.”
“That’s definitely your thing.” I crawled up beside him with a sigh of my own, glad to have been able to finally kick off the damned heels. “But I loved it too. Thank you for today.”
He turned his face towards me, still on his back while I settled on my side. “Nah, thank you for comin’ with me. You doin’ this with me means a lot.”
His expression was serious. Sincere.
I smiled.
“…What’re ya grinnin’ for now?!”
I reached to touch his sleeve, eyes soft. “Your honesty is cute.”
He jumped in surprise. “Wha?! C-Cute?! You’re callin’ ME, the GREAT MAMMON, cute?!”
I snickered. “Mhmm… Got a fucking problem with it?”
He wagged his finger at me with a growl. “I’m lettin’ this go ‘cause it’s you, but if you call me cute in public, I’m gonna confiscate your wallet! And don’t you go callin’ me cute in front of my brothers! …You can only say it when we’re alone!”
“Okay,” I said softly. “You’re so cute, Mammon.”
He paused, growling again, meeting my tender gaze.
“Come here,” I whispered, opening my arms to him.
“…Y’know,” he began, with a huskiness to his voice as he crawled towards me, “I’m thinkin’… that silky l’il dress of yours has to come off of ya at some point. And I’d like it to be sooner rather than later.”
I smiled, taking him into my arms as I looked up at him over top of me. “You know, I was thinking the same thing…”
He rolled me over. “Just remember that you’re the one who started this. I ain’t gonna let ya sleep a wink now.”
“Before you do… I wanna tell you something.”
“Do ya?” He leaned down close, lips just barely grazing mine. “What’s that?”
"I want to tell you… that I know that I've come home when I catch your scent."
"That's home to ya, huh?" His tone was teasing, but he ducked his head a bit to hide his blush.
“Yeah. So I’m home right now. Right here, in this hotel room. Because you’re here.”
“Damn right… They got it all wrong. Your home isn’t in the Devildom or the human world.” He huffed softly, nuzzling against me gently. “It’s right here in my arms. You can go anywhere ya want, but you make sure you always come home.”
“My home is with you, Mamms… Always.”
“You know what hearin’ that makes me feel, right?"
"Hmmm..." I bite my lip thoughtfully. "No, I don't. Gonna tell me?"
"Pfff, ya wanna know huh? Fine." He looked at me directly again. "First..."
He gently took both my hands, and then pinned me.
“…My kisses will never stop."
He leaned, and kissed me. A sweet, lingering kiss. Just one, that had me lifting up my head to chase him for another after he broke it away, but he only shook his head with a smirk.
"Second...” His legs still trapping me between his knees, he let go of my hands, to slide his palms up the sides of my ribs. “…I'll wanna touch your entire body."
"Please... Mammon..."
"And finally..." He pressed himself to me tightly, eyes locked to mine as he ground his hips to my belly. "I'll want... everything. And it still won't be enough.”
I slid my fingers into his thick hair with a sigh, pulling his face down closer.
“Touch me more, Chise,” he murmured huskily.
“Why don’t you start by kissing me again…”
“Kisses, baby girl?” He grazed his lips against mine, again, and again. “It’s kisses ya want…? Ya gotta tell me. Be good now and tell me.”
“Mammon…” I chased for more, for deeper. “I want you to kiss me… please…?”
If I had to play his game to get at him, so be it. I’d play.
"I love it when you're nice n' honest.” He smirked at me teasingly. “I’ll give you as many as ya need.”
"Every single one you have," I breathed, before grabbing him by the collar of his shirt to press my lips to his. And then rolling, rolling out mouths against each other with soft groans of need, while we writhed slowly against one another in a grinding.
Touching, sliding of hands, palms flat, hair tangling through fingers while I slid my tongue into his mouth, and he slid his in mine. A tilt of our heads with soft huffs, the sound of lips parting from lips, to crash together again. Over and over, a tangle of limbs and fingers and tongues.
"...Give... more,” he huffed between gasps for air. “More kisses…”
“Now who’s… mmmff... desperate, huh…?”
"Mm... Of course I want... more. Do I even gotta say it?" He growled as he grabbed my wrists playfully. "You're doin' this on purpose, aren't ya? Teasin' demons like ya own the place…"
"How else am I gonna keep you chasing after me?" I whispered hoarsely. "Need you. Tell me you need me."
"Ya need me to say it? All right, I will." He gripped my chin with his fingers, fiery eyes locked to mine. "I know you might think that time doesn't seem as long to a demon like me, but lemme tell you somethin'. I wanted to see you more than words can express. Every time I'm not with you and I'm waitin', it seems like a damned infinity to me. I only think about when you're gonna be coming home to me.” He growled low as he dipped his head to graze his nose along the side of mine. “And now that ya understanding, you can stop your teasin'. C'mere…"
He pressed his mouth to mine again, and I whined into it. Again, again, again. Heated, pawing each other.
"M-More... You taste so... damn sweet. Need more... Close.” He huffed against my mouth, breath hot on my face as he rolled his hips to grind down on me. “Lemme feel that you're with me…”
"With you," I breathed in a shaky, desperate assurance, as I wrapped my legs around him to drag his hips hard down on me. "I'm with you, Mammon, always."
“Fuck, I'm really turned on right now...” He took my hand in his, sliding it down between us. "D'you feel that, baby...? How turned on I am for you?”
“Take off your clothes,” I whispered fiercely, with a press of my palm to him. “Right fucking now.”
"Dammit." He scrambled upright to his knees, fingers already undoing the button of his shirt. "Yes ma'am…"
***
The front of his shirt was thrown back wide as I sat up to drag his face to mine, peppering more hot kisses to his lips as he fumbled with his belt next. I ran my fingers over his firm, toned body with an appreciative groan, feeling the muscles underneath flex with every lithe movement.
He came back down on me with a groan of his own, pulling and kicking down his pants while his mouth rolled against mine still. He finally freed one ankle, kicking the other, while I pressed against his straining member with the heel of my palm through his underwear. He thrust his hips, and then again when I grasped him with my whole hand to stroke up and down with the thin fabric separating us.
Big, so big, as he rutted up against my fist with husky gasps against my mouth, girthy and straining. He slid his knees to get at me, groaning, humping, hooking his thumb into the band of his boxers to pull them down, springing him free.
My hand was on him again, skin to skin, taking him firmly in my palm to fist slowly but firmly up and down. The skin was pulled taut when he thrusted again, fucking into my fist with a rasping whine, his hands roving over my body.
"Mmff.. Right..." he huffed in tense amusement, as he ran his palm up the back of my thigh. "No panties. Nnkk..." Another thrust. "H-How's that for convenience?"
"Please," I gasped, tilting my head back when his fingers found my folds. "Please, please..."
He moved down, peppering my throat and collar with hot kisses, lips and chin wet from our sloppy makeout, as he slid the pad of his index finger through my folds with a throaty hum.
"Pleeeease...' I squeezed his cock in my hand, making him gasp.
He let out a strained chuckle, grazing his teeth along the tender spot of my throat. "Needy babyyyy..."
My free arm came crashing down around him as I cried out my surprise and relief. He sunk two fingers into my heat, right away. Impatient. Wanted. "Oh gods yes..."
He twisted them, and I bucked underneath him with another cry, throwing my head back as my own rhythmic grip on his cock faltered.
"Such a good girl," he purred, fingers swirling stickily inside of my dripping sex. "Listen to that, huh? So wet for me."
"Been wet since..."
"Still have my cum in ya?" he murmured huskily, with another nip at my throat. "From when I filled ya in the car? Been walkin' around with my cum since? Naughty girl..."
I groaned with another buck of my hips, and then another, and another, to meet his fingers as he began to pump them in and out of me. Slick, yes, wet, he was right, the squelch already sounding in our ears, so wet for him, coating his fingers in thick cream.
"Holy shit..." he whispered in amazement, more to himself. "Holy fuck, ya really do want me..."
"Please please please," I begged hoarsely, digging my nails into his back while I wrapped my hand around his cock again. "J-Just. Curl. Please. Please I'm so sensitive right now Mammon please..."
He let out a throaty chuckle. "Like… this, hmm?"
I threw my head back with another cry, bucking straight up underneath him, my knees spread far apart.
"Fuck..."
"Mammon!" I begged. "Oh gods PLEASE!"
"You're already about to cum..."
"PLEASE!"
He growled, low and pleased, as he curled again with his next drag inside of me. I let out a high-pitched mewling while my thighs shook around him, my own hand on his cock more of a twitching after-thought as I already neared. Fire was spilling freely inside of me, and my walls felt raw, sensitive still from the earlier fucking I'd gotten in the front seat of his car.
"I'm gonna rip that dress right off ya the moment you're done so I can fuck you into this–"
"PLEEEEASE!" I was pulsing. I was already cumming. Convulsing under him in my contractions. Strangling.
"Hhholy..." He took part of my throat between his teeth with a groan as he pushed himself down on me more heavily, trapping our arms between us as he rutted his cock against my thigh while he finger-fucked me rapidly. Relentless, fingers curved up, stretching, pushing.
I slammed the back of my forearm into my mouth to bite down with a scream, my back arching sharply while my knees and thighs locked in place. I quivered, choking wordlessly, my breath snatched away while the fire lit through my entire body.
And he rode me through, growling ferally against my neck, thrusting his cock hard into my soft thigh, climbing my body higher and higher with a forward roll of his shoulders. Nearing me, between my legs, where his fingers worked me furiously. I contracted around them with another choked cry, and then a high-pitched moan, my back finally releasing its arch.
"Holy... fuck..." he whispered hoarsely as he let go of my neck to pull his face away, looking into my deeply glazed eyes while I groaned more need. "You're such a good girl. So fucking bad. I need ya... Need to have ya right now."
"Take me..." I reached down to grab the hem of my skirt shakily. "Help... get this..."
He withdrew his soaking wet fingers, coaxing another groan from me on his way out. As I sat up a bit to bunch an hike the skirt up over my hips, he reached behind me to pull down the zipper at my back, sighing into my shoulder as he revealed more of my skin. I lifted my arms up with a whine, and he shimmied the silky fabric up over my ribs and chest, to drag it over my head and wrists.
Throwing it to the side, he was immediately on me again with a growl, one hand cupping my breast with a gentle pinch of the bud between his fingers while his other slid between my thighs to push my legs apart for him again. I moaned against his mouth as I spread my knees, dragging my shins up along his thighs to hook around his hips, dragging him down, down,
Until he fell on top of me fully with a huff, already naturally lined up with me against my sex. We both paused briefly, panting against the other's face, before we groaned into another kiss, with him tugging my bottom lip lightly between his teeth.
He reached down, gripping himself, tapping his cock teasingly against my clit with a smirk, making me mewl needily at the small electric shocks he gave to my bundle of nerves. I bucked, and bucked again, begging for it. For him. He chuckled softly at my shamelessness as he slid the head of his cock down through my folds, down through my slick.
And then it took nothing, nothing, for him to sink into my wet heat, while both of us arched our backs with relieved moans of ecstasy. I clutched at him as his thick member climbed up inside of me, stretching me deliciously while I gasped near-deliriously.
"Yessss..." he hissed against the corner of my mouth, sighing heavily as he hilted fully. I choked out a moan, already shaking hard as I clutched at his firm, muscular body over mine.
"Mammon..." I whispered shakily, tears pricking the corners of my eyes.
"Nnnngg... Gooood girl..."
"Have me..."
He slid back slowly, and we both moaned with his next push in.
"More..."
"Say please, baby," he teased hoarsely, though his shoulders shook under my palms too.
"Please..." I was too desperate to engage in any battle of flirty wit. I dug my heels down into him. "More..."
"Ah... Your pretty voice..."
Finally, finally, finally, he moved. And wasted no fucking time taking me.
He pulled back, and thrusted, pushing out a cry from me. Pulled back, thrusted. Moving, tunnelling, dragging. I rolled my hips up to meet him with a whine, and then we were falling into rhythm together, rolling in tandem, in an easy, fluid unison.
The husky groans lacing his voice with every exhale, every thrust, every gasp for breath between each kiss, every push of himself down on top of me through the spread of my legs that I pressed around him, drove me higher, crazier, wildier. I tipped my head back with open-mouthed cries into the air while he licked and grazed his teeth against my throat, moaning deep and low, noisier and noisier for me while he took my body, giving me his in return.
Noisier, noisier, my hands pressing and sliding over his body as my body undulated with his. Sliding my shins up and down his thighs, his hips, my hands squeezing his firm ass, nails dragging up his flexing back, digging into his rolling shoulders. His hair, soft and thick in my fingers. His lips, full against mine, his exhales pushed with deep rumbles from his chest.
His cock planting so deep inside of me, again, and again, dragging through my walls as I was rocked up and down by his body hilted to mine. I grew more and more senseless underneath him with the pleasure he delivered with each stroke of his thick cock. It seemed like he gave me every inch of himself, every hard muscle of his body flexing with his smooth ride of me, no expense in his energy spared. All for me, passion driving him, to collide with me, again and again.
"Chise…” he whispered huskily, with a shake in his voice.
"Mamms, please..." And faster, huffing tighter, breathing harder. My cries were falling from my lips -- his name, from my lips, as I tilted my head back with a sob of burning need. He pressed his lips to my jaw, and then groaned in tandem with my moan at his next deeper thrust. “Please, please, please, please, yes. Mammon, please…”
“Mmm, so beautiful… My girl…” He slowed his rolling with a bite of his lip, grinding hard, letting me have it, letting me have him, before he gave up with a groan, and began to slam into me again. Slowing, grinding, rolling, before pulling back to plunge and plunge, again and again, while I writhed and screamed underneath him with the sheets twisted in my fingers. His body was so close, pressed so close to mine, like he couldn't get close enough, couldn't bear to be apart. “My good girl…”
“Yes! Yes!” I was flexing, gasping, crying out with every spearing of my belly. ”Please!"
"...Gonna take ya for real now, baby girl," he whispered huskily into my ear.
"Plee-ee-eeease," I begged him, sinking my nails into his arms. “Oh gods yes faster pleeease… Yes, yes, yes!”
Deep and long. Slow, but hard, forceful thrusts, that penetrated straight to his base. And then faster. Faster. Faster. Faster.
“MORE, MAMM–"
I screamed as he abruptly shoved us both up and forward for me to be folded by him, my legs in the air now as he slammed into my ferally, his fingers digging into the meat of my thighs hard enough to bruise. His hips snapped back and forth, rough and wild, while I dug my heels and kicked and screamed underneath him. He covered my mouth with a fierce growl, pressing me further up, and up, folded, so deep in my belly, relentless, a barrage of thrusts straight to my cervix.
I sobbed noisily as the mattress was pushed down with me in it from the force of his ploughing cock driving inside of me, choking on my sharp cries each time he connected us fully. His tongue danced with mine in my mouth while he let out a throaty groan of desperation. I tangled my fingers in his hair while I cried out my noisy response, pressing myself up to be flush with him, desperation driving my writhe against him as well.
He broke the kiss off for a gasp of air, a thin strand of saliva stretching between us until it broke on our huffs. And then we collided again, moaning, sinking into each other, him sinking deep into me, spreading his knees to thrust harder. Deep, deep, at a ravaging pace, desperate and feral.
"Yes, yes, yes, yes, YES!" I cried out with tears streaking my face, voice muffled under his hand until he let my mouth go. "More, Mammon! More, MORE! Oh gods Mammon...!"
"Love... hearin' my name," he panted.
"Mammm...onnnn..." My back rolled, and rolled, as I pressed my palms to his back while he peppered groaning kisses to my neck. His cologne mixed with his sweat – so familiar, so divine. Mine, as I was his, plunged into by him with passionate ferocity.
Gliding. Gliding inside me. Despite his girth. That's how fucking wet I was. How much I'd creamed his shaft already. Beyond slick. I was fucking soaked, each slam of his hips sounding out a lewd squelch between my thighs when he joined us back together, again and again. Shameless.
“…Your pussy's so– fucking– tight," he growled in a rasp through gritted teeth. "Feels so fucking good on my cock. Like it was made just for me. So fucking perfect, holy fuck… Dammit… Fuck. Let’s find that special spot for ya, huh…? For bein’ so good…"
I nearly howled with my pleasure as he adjusted his hips, throwing my arms around him as electricity exploded in my core.
He found me immediately. Of course he did. He knew every inch of me, he knew how to bring me straight to my knees for him. His tip was catching the side of my walls, making me spasm with shrill, choked cries. Lighting. Fire and lighting piercing in my belly.
"Ummff, yeah, right there, is it?" he whispered hoarsely in my ear, trapping me with his body as I began to writhe in growing ecstasy. "Is it good right there? Is that the spot?”
The fire was stoked into an immediate roar. An inferno.
He slammed. Slammed. Spread his knees, thrusting, giving, desperate. I tensed, hard, toes curling as I sucked in a sharp gasp.
“I’m! I’m! I’m! Mammon, MAMMON! I’M–!”
"That's it," he growled, as he picked up his ramming speed within me. "Cum on my cock, baby girl. Let's go. Cum, baby. Cum cum cum.”
“MAMMON! I’M GONNA!”
“Fuckin' cum for me, Chise!"
The tension within me finally snapped, and my shrill cry was cut short by my gurgling choke as I abruptly went rigid.
Absolutely senseless. Nothing registered, I couldn't even see the room around me anymore, just the white heat that bloomed, to rip through my body from my belly up through my spine. My heart felt like it would burst from my chest, my lungs on fire as I denied them air, the only movement my body made the forced jouncing up and down from his thrusts, and a violent quivering of my knees and shins that were held up in the air.
My nails dug into my own palms. I'd let go of him to slam down onto the mattress with an arched back, arms at my sides as I pulsed and contracted within. He slowed in time with my twitching, though he gave it just as hard, grunting with the force of his efforts while I stared at the ceiling, wide-eyed and unseeing.
“…Oh fuck I’m gonna cum with ya, I’m gunna cum…”
His voice broke my tension. More fire shot through my body, forcing me into another writhing roll. I was moving again, moving, rolling through contractions, sucking in air like a woman almost drowned. “...Pl...ease...”
He let out a strained groan. “G-Gonna give ya my cum… Just how ya like. Right inside…”
I clawed at him desperately, nodding my head vigorously up and down with a choked whine, digging my heels into his back again to drive him closer. I was loosening, but uncontrolled, shuddering and contracting still, while he–
Slammed in, with a cry, and then a jolting roll, to flood inside of me. Pumping hard in release, his thick creamy load, hot and exploding deep, while he dragged his knees up against the slide his sweat had on the sheets so he could keep pressing with his engorged pulse within me. I keened, vision blurred by tears as I was filled by him, again and again, an enormous load, while his groaned against my neck got weaker and weaker, his rolls slowing, his body overcome but an uncontrollable shake with his final collapse.
///
He sucked in air as I had, sharp and noisy and desperate between my shoulder and pillow. His hair plastered to my cheek, mine to his forehead. I laid there, trembling and in shock. That had been the best sex of my whole life, I'd decided. The whole night of him, the best. He seemed completely stunned over top of me as well; his arms must have come up to wrap around my waist when I had been arching my back, because he held me with them wrapped underneath me now, holding me in a tight embraced while he fought to control his breathing again.
We laid there, panting, drenched in beaded sweat, hair plastered, a tangle of limbs and twisted hotel sheets.
"...I love you," he finally croaked. Or was his voice broken on emotion?
"I love you," I whispered back, my voice barely audible as a fresh trail of tears fell from the corners of my eyes. I hadn't even known they were wet.
He sniffled. Rubbed his face in my sweat-drenched hair.
Emotion, then.
I found the will to throw my shaking arms around him, as if I could hold him even closer than he was holding me already. I cupped the back of his head and pressed his face to my shoulder again, turning my own face to press trembling kisses to his ear.
"I love you," he repeated, muffled.
I finally pulled his face away from my neck, for us to lock eyes.
Yes. There. With red-rimmed eyes, and worshipping gaze.
My Mammon.
That look in his eyes, on his face, when he'd just had me – it was sublime.
Lovestruck.
Always so lovestruck.
I'd never been loved quite like this, until him.
“…I want you to know one thing, Mammon,” I whispered fiercely as I cupped his face in my hands. “If you have to only know one thing, it's this. I will ALWAYS come back to you. No matter how far apart, how long it's been, I will come back to you.”
My breath shuddered, caught in my tightening throat. My passionate, whirlwind romance with Mammon reminded me so much of what I had with Satan as well that it made me ache into near breathlessness. It made me want to run, to hide. But also to cling to him, and to beg for more. It wasn't fair. That's not what a kind person would think. Right? It's not–
He dragged me closer to him, wrapping me in his embrace entirely with a sigh. His skin was hot against my cheek, his heart racing against my ear. His tanned, muscular arms flexed around me while he held me, rubbing my back tenderly. This was Mammon. My Mammon. I clutched at him with a soft whimper, my eyes squeezing tightly while I curled up into him.
“Baby…”
“It’s noth–”
"Is this the part where you tell me you’re 'fine’?” he whispered to me softly. “‘Cause you're literally shakin’."
“You don’t have to… I know that… things…”
A-And I feel like Satan is replacin’ me… as your favourite…
“‘Course I gotta be there for my girl.” He shook his head as he rubbed his chin against my hair, before tilting his face to press a kiss to my forehead. “My girl’s hurtin’, so the Great Mammon shows up to do everything he can to make her feel better.”
“You always do. You always, always do.”
“Whatever you gotta say, you say it. You know can talk to me about anythin’.”
I was quiet for a moment as I thought about it. I wondered how he felt. Did he still feel like he did before? He’d said that before he’d given me my ring, before I’d said yes, before I’d made that commitment. Had that changed anything? Had I done enough to change him feeling that way? Was there anything I could do, to erase that doubt he’d planted between us?
And now, his brother was gone. Had been gone, for over a week. How did he feel about that? He hid his feelings well, but this man adored his family, and did everything to look out for them – often in his own Mammon way, sure, but in a lot of classic ways as well.
But he saw his brother, this particular brother, as his biggest competition. And honestly, if I were in his place, I didn’t really blame him. My relationships with them both were more alike that I wanted to admit to myself. And I shied away from confronting any thoughts of hierarchy, other than my plain statements, made in private.
But… I wasn’t naive.
No. Definitely not naive. I was a coward. A fault within myself, that I refused to face.
How selfish.
And now that brother was gone. His competition, run away. And I was left behind, hurting deeply over his absence, for Mammon to comfort.
How unfair.
I guess that sometimes… you needed to process your own burdens. It wasn’t fair to shoulder him with this. Not fully, anyway. There were other ways to connect…
So I shook my head. “I don’t want to talk about it. I just want… your kooky grin–"
“‘Ey. Who’re ya callin’ kooky?’”
“–and a joke, and something… loving.”
“That’s all ya want, huh…?”
I sighed as I ran my fingers down his arm. “That’s everything that I could want from you, Mamms.”
"Plus a good dicking too, eh?"
"Pfffff..." I shoved at his face with the flat of my palm. "Plus a very good dicking, yes."
“All right then.” He pulled back from me a bit, looking at me directly. “Ready? ‘Cause I’m about to flip this whole sad thing right around on its head, and ya might experience some whiplash. So buckle up.”
I giggled weakly as I shifted to look at him more directly too. “All right, consider me buckled.”
He grinned at me. “Did ya know?”
“Did I know what…?”
“Do ya remember that night at the Demon Lord’s Castle during our exchange retreat, when we danced at the end?”
I smiled with a soft sigh, feeling myself relax at the memory. “Of course I remember…”
He tucked a lock of my hair behind my ear. “That was three years ago today.”
“What…? What?!” My eyes went round as I stared at him. “Oh, Mammon…!”
“The night I realized I'd fallen in love with ya.” He pulled me back to him with a sigh of content, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “Happy anniversary, baby. I wish it were happier, considerin’ everything, but–"
“Oh, Mammon,” I choked again, my eyes turning wet. “Oh, hells… Oh… I’m so happy, baby… Oh my god…”
“Ah, babe,” he chuckled, cupping the back of my head to press my face to him. “I told ya. Tonight’s a special night. You deserve everythin’. Every expense. I’d give you the whole world if I could.”
“Mammon…” I curled into him, pulling him tightly to me. “I have everything I need, right here…”
“I love ya. Did I do good?”
“Gods… I love you, Mammon. Fucking hells… You… I’m so sorry that I didn’t…”
“Don’t cry, eh?”
“I’m already crying…”
“Hehe… I know. But it sounds happier, so I’ll allow it.”
“Holy shit…”
“I love ya.”
“I love you so fucking much, Mammon…”
“Happy anniversary, baby.”
“Oh my god…” I squeezed my eyes shut with a shuddering breath, before letting out a laugh of relief. “Happy fucking anniversary.”
“Guess what?”
“What…?”
He pulled away with another grin. “I asked them to give us some bubblebath for the jacuzzi tub.”
“Oh my god… Are we going to take a bubblebath together…?”
“Yeah, baby, we’re gonna take a bubblebath together.”
“In a jacuzzi tub…? With jets?”
“With jets, baby.”
“Oh my god… I love you so much…”
He chuckled as he pinched a sticky lock of his hair. "We really need a bath."
"We really need a bath, babe."
It was well beyond the middle of the night, of course. He wished he could say that it were this pile of paperwork stacked before him on his desk that was the culprit for this sleepless night, but that would be a stark lie. It had sat there, untouched for hours. Truthfully, it could have been completed in time for a reasonable bed hour. Reasonable by his standards, at least.
But no. It was the half-empty glass of lukewarm Demonus at his elbow that had wholly consumed his night.
Just as he was finally considering getting a single hour’s sleep before ensuring that Belphie was up for breakfast duty, it was then that his door mysteriously appeared to open on its hinges.
He narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
…Merrrp!
Lucifer sighed at the sight of the white tail that bounced towards him. “…You have me mistaken for someone else. I am not him, so be off with you. He is the cat person, not I."
Merrp…
She bumped her head on his shin, before she stood on her hind legs to stretch up and press her little paws against his knee.
“Tinkerbell, is it? Are you seeking a lap?" Lucifer leaned back in his chair with another sigh. "Fine. You are as relentless as Chise herself in that regard, it seems.”
Tink leapt up gracefully, her claws briefly pricking his thighs through his pant legs while she spun slowly to settle. The moment he slipped his fingers into her fur with a smooth stroke, his black slacks were already covered in white cat hairs.
“Yes, well…” He sighed again. “Despite that, you are still the least annoying creature to reside under this roof.”
Mrrr… Slowly, she leaned to the side, before finally thumping her back against his belly to curl up.
“Hmph.” He stroked rubbed the knuckle of his index finger against the side of her ear, and was immediately rewarded with a deep, rumbling purr. “Perhaps you miss them just as much as I. ‘Mother’ and ‘father’ both. Is that why you came here to me? They say misery loves company, after all.”
She stretched out her back legs, flexing her back beans with a rumbling sigh as she pressed her ear to his finger.
“Yes. I miss her just as much.” He tilted his head back, with a closing of his eyes. “…Need her just as much.”
Chapter 25: Intermission: Unforgettable Past
Notes:
Bits and pieces taken from Solomon Devilgrams:
Unforgettable Past (NB)
Water Magic & Warnings (NB)
How to Enjoy a Party
Chapter Text
Day 10
Group Chat: No Big Brothers Allowed (New)
Beel: Hey, guys.
Beel: I got a credit card statement in the mail.
Beel: 😨
Belphie: Beel, since when do you have a credit card?
Beel: 😭
Beel: I don’t.
Asmo: 😱
Asmo: Wait, what does that mean?
Belphie: So, you don’t remember making one, let alone using it?
Beel: 🫠 No.
Beel: Plus, it’s a ton of money.
Beel: 😰
Asmo: 😳 Eeeek!
Belphie: It must be a case of unauthorized use.
Asmo: But isn’t it creepy that the card exists in the first place?
Asmo: Did someone get hold of Beel’s personal information?!
Belphie: You should get it cancelled immediately.
Belphie: The culprit might be using it as we speak.
Beel: 🙀🆘
Beel: How do I cancel it…?
Asmo: Ask Lucifer for help!!!!
Beel: 🆗‼️
Beel: I’ll go to his room right now.
Asmo: PLEASE keep us updated!!!
Belphie: I hope they find the bastard.
Belphie: Press full charges, Beel.
Beel: I don’t know what that means but.
Beel: 🆗‼️
Lucifer strode into the room, and slapped down a stack of papers in front of Mammon’s plate.
“Explain.”
I lifted my eyes up from my lunch in idle curiosity. It was nothing new.
“Huh?” Mammon looked down in blank incomprehension. “What’s this now?”
“Beel received this credit card statement in the mail. However, he has no recollection of making a credit card. And I found a card with Beel’s name on it in your wallet. Care to explain yourself, Mammon?”
My jaw dropped. “Mammon… you didn’t.”
I knew something was up when he scrambled us out of the hotel quickly after the delicious breakfast.
“Erm, well, aha…” He squirmed guiltily in his seat, grimacing. “Well… there’s a very good reason for this!”
“Yeah right!” Levi raised his voice at him across the table, immediately pissed. “Good reason my backside!”
“Are you serious?” Asmo shook his head in disbelief. “You made a credit card in Beel’s name, didn’t you?”
“What a horrible thing to do,” Belphie hissed.
Beel rubbed at his wrists with a fallen expression on his face. “I was so surprised when that statement arrived…”
Belphie narrowed his eyes, gripping his fork tight. “You went on quite a spending spree, didn’t you? You even stayed at a luxury hotel.”
“Wait! With Chise, right?!” Levi gasped, scandalized. “That’s UNFORGIVABLE!”
My mouth still hung open, food half-chewed. “…He told me he won big at the casino!”
Asmo’s eyes widened. “And you believed him?!
“It DOES happen sometimes!” I protested. “He just spends it all in one night…!”
“That is kinda true,” Levi pointed out.
“Whatever. Obviously Chise is the innocent party here,” Belphie said darkly, murder in his eyes. “She’d never do that to Beel knowingly. I think we’re going to have to teach Mammon a lesson."
Mammon held up his hands in surrender. “L-Look, it’s all in the past, right? N-No point in gettin’ worked up over it now.”
“IT WAS LAST NIGHT!”
He shrugged casually. “‘Sides, the card’s been frozen, so I can’t use it anymore.”
Lucifer narrowed his eyes – they were bloodshot, I suddenly realized – with a crossing of his arms. “How many times do I have to explain this to you before it gets through your thick skull? Just because the card is frozen, it doesn’t mean that your debts magically vanish. You will be paying this debt off, and immediately. Or else you will answer to me. Understood?”
“I’ll help, Beel,” I said softly, pleading with my eyes. “I’m sorry…”
He shook his head. “I’m not taking a single Grimm from you, Chise.”
“But…”
“And anything he bought for you, it’s my gift to you now.”
“Wha! Hey!” Mammon scowled. “How’s that fair?!”
“If you don’t pay him back, I’m going to give Beel a private showing of that dress,” I hissed at him. “And then I’m going to KILL you!”
“OH NO, DON’T GO DOIN’ THAT!”
“I’ll fucking do it, Mammon!”
He slumped petulantly. “All right, ALL RIGHT! I’ll pick up some part-time jobs!” He sighed. “Looks like I’m gonna be workin’ twenty-four seven for a while…”
I picked up a sausage and threw it as hard as I could, propelling it with my magic to ensure it landed. “You DESERVE IT!”
He yelped as it hit him between the eyes.
Levi snickered. “Headshot!”
“If only I could turn time back to yesterday when I spent the day with Chise,” Mammon sobbed, with a grease stain on his face now.
”MAMMON, STAY!”
…Just for good measure.
He screamed girlishly as he was yanked to the floor with a clatter of cutlery.
Beel nodded with satisfaction. “Thanks, Chise.”
“…Kind of want to see that dress anyway, Chise,” Belphie said with a smirk.
I stood up abruptly, chair screeching back. “I’m going to put it on right now. And you’re all going to tell me how hot I am in front of Mammon.”
Asmo brightened with a grin. “Ooh la laaa! Good morning to us ALL!”
“Sweeeeet.”
“Noooo…” Mammon sobbed.
I stomped off towards my bedroom with a grin.
What a fucking loser.
I loved him so much.
Chise sent an attachment.
Chise: I got a new dress…
Sol: Happy Memorial Day!
Sol: Are you enjoying your day off from RAD?
Chise: Pff!
Chise: A day off from RAD is a whole day babysitting in HOL.
Sol: Ahahahaha! Well, at least they’re talking to you!
My heart clenched tightly in my chest, and I felt myself break out into an immediate cold sweat.
Was he… making a bad joke about Satan not talking to me…?
Chise: What do you mean…?
Sol: Oh, you hadn’t heard?
Sol: I suppose not, since this is your first Memorial Day here as a full-fledged sorcerer.
Sol: It’s considered bad luck for demons to speak to witches and sorcerers today!
Sol: I’m getting more cold shoulders than usual. 😉
Chise: Ohhh. No, I hadn’t heard that.
Sol: I guess love really does conquer all!
Sol: Well, since we both apparently have the lethal demon cooties today, would you like to get together?
Sol: Gets you out of HOL. 😉
Chise: YES PLEASE.
Dizzying relief had swept through me. Plus, this whole ‘frozen watermelon’ competition thing running rampant around here was getting on my nerves. Plus plus, I missed him.
Sol: Hahahaha! Yay!
Sol: I’ll send you the address for where we should meet up.
Sol: See you soon, ahuvati! I’m excited!
Chise: Me too, my love. ❤️
There really wasn’t much of a breeze out here in the park, and yet…
I frowned as it began to dawn on me: the leaves on the ground were drifting in an awfully odd way. Always just ahead of me, and following the winding walking path exactly. It was a subtle effect, but the longer I walked, the more things started to feel a bit out of place. So now, curiosity piqued, I’d begun to follow them outright, taking the left side of the branching path when they turned that way as well.
”…Oh! You made it.”
I stopped in my tracks, looking around in confusion. “Solomon…?”
“I’m up here, Chise. In the tree.”
I looked up, and was met with a bright smile – and his signature little wave of greeting.
“I’m really glad you noticed the spell I cast! And I’m sorry I didn’t make it to our meetup spot, even though we’re supposed to be on a date right now. I know it’s a bit of a trek from the House of Lamentation to here, too.”
“…Solomon?”
“Mmm?”
“What are you doing up there?”
“Oh, up heeeere?”
I rolled my eyes, the corners of my lips quirking into a smile.
He sighed, brows drawing together in consternation. “Well, there was something I had to do, which just happened to involve climbing this tree.”
“Something you just had to do, huh?”
He nodded. “I saw an injured underworld butterfly, and I wanted to heal it.”
“Pff… What?”
“Problem was, it didn’t seem to want to land anywhere near any demons.” He sighed again. “So, I had to climb up into this secluded tree instead to get it away from them. By the way, I used a wind spell to send those beckoning leaves your way.”
“…You are literally insane, Sol.”
“Aww… You think?” He brightened. “They say the best intellects and philosophers are a little batty.”
“I wouldn’t say a little batty, in your case.” I sighed in exasperation, and then let out a little giggle. “Well? Did the underworld butterfly get better?”
“Yep! I patched it up, and now it’s back to normal.”
“And you’re still up in the tree.”
“Yeah, we’re just hanging out.” He smiled sweetly at me. “If you want to see it, you should come on… up!”
I squawked in alarm, arms flailing, legs kicking, as I was lifted up from the ground by a magical force. He’d cupped his hand and raised it in emphasis, giggling at my reaction while I floated towards him.
I scrabbled against the branch with a gasp, eyes wide as I pulled myself up. “…Solomon! You ass–"
“There,” he pointed with a smile, “that’s an underworld butterfly. Doesn’t it have the most colourful wings you’ve ever seen?”
I laughed under my breath as I shifted closer to him shakily, turning my face up to the leaf it slowly beat its wings on, the moonlight streaming through its semi-opaque scales. “I could soak up this gorgeous sight all day long…”
It fluttered a bit, before taking off in a circle around our heads, before landing on a closer leaf.
“Heh, it looks pretty pleased with your praise.” He leaned his head to the side, resting it on my shoulder. “Well, underworld butterflies are really proud of their wings.” It fluttered again, taking off for real, beating its wings away. He nodded with a sigh of satisfaction. “Right, that’s that. You should be able to fly just fine, little one. Take care of yourself, okay?”
I turned my face to brush a light kiss against his silver hair. “I like this side of you, Sol.”
“Hehe. Well, now that we don’t have any more business in this tree, why don’t we make like a butterfly and leave?”
“Don’t you dare–"
“Hm?” He leaned forward. “Weird, the underworld butterfly came back. And it’s not alone, either.”
“Be careful…” I warned him, as his leaned turned a bit precarious. Though, curious, I leaned too, just a bit more cautiously. “…Is that a… flame salamander, and a black-tailed canary?”
He nodded. “They seem to be in a good mood.”
“That’s really a black-tailed canary?” I gasped in admiration. “But they’re so rare! They’re usually find in denser forests, right? And a fire salamander doesn’t usually hang around in a park. What are they doing here…?”
He laughed sweetly. “I guess the butterfly brought its friends! That underworld butterfly has a pretty wide social circle.”
I sighed. “I don’t know if you’re joking or actually serious. The creatures here in the Devildom are so strange.”
He grinned at me. “This sort of thing doesn’t happen every day, so we might as well humour them. But, what would make critters like this happy, anyway?”
I laughed with a shake of my head. “Well, aren’t you in a whimsical mood today? Besides…” I pointed at the canary. “Maybe they were just lured in by your dancing leaves, hm?”
“Hmm, good point. The black-tailed canary is busy tearing some up.” He smiled down at it. “Ah, I know. I can use the same wind spell that I cast to contact you to make them dance again.” He lazily twirled his index finger around in the air. “Ha! Look at that…”
“Mhmm…” I smiled down at them too, lifting my hand as well. “They’re entranced.”
“Oh my!” He nodded at me approvingly. “Good call!”
The leaves swirled different colours now, blues and purples included as I laced my magic in his. He pulled the leaves up, lifting them in a slow cyclone, to dance around us both.
“Those colours suit you,” he said softly, eyes sparkling as a couple got caught in my hair while I laughed in delight. He nodded at the little creature fluttering around my head as well, seemingly dancing with the leaves. “And the underworld butterfly is loving the resemblance to its own wings, by the looks of it. The gorgeous butterfly, the leaves in your hair, glowing in the moonlight. Ah, Chise, how beautiful you are…”
I blushed, looking away with a grin.
He laughed with a shake of his head, turning his attention to the canary that had taken itself up into the branch above us. “It’s a simple enough spell, but they’re thrilled. Thanks for the suggestion, Chise. Simply ethereal… It’s small adventures like these that builds life into one worth loving, don’t you think?”
“Hmm…” I sighed happily as I held out a finger, delighted that the butterfly graced me with a landing there. “I think you might be right.”
He nodded. “I climb up a tree to save a little creature, on a whim, and as my reward, I experience something that truly moves my soul.”
I nodded my agreement too. “Stop and smell the roses, as they say.”
“Mhmm.” He smiled as he touched his pinky to mine. “Maybe I am a crazy man, but that’s all right. I’ll take this over the stuffy suffocation found within the halls of the Sorcerers’ Society.”
“You have a very good point,” I said softly. “Maybe there is some merit to the crazy intellectual philosopher trope, if this is how they inspire themselves. Also, you might have ADHD, Solomon…”
He burst out laughter, making the canary above us twitter in alarm. “You might be right! Though ADHD may be the least of my problems. Regardless, I’ve quite given up pathologizing myself a long time ago.”
I grinned at him. "Probably for the best.”
“Well, well.” He looked above us again with a smile at the bird. “Is the black-tailed canary singing for us now?”
“It has a lovely voice, just like they say.” I sighed happily. “I’m glad I’ve gotten to hear it in person, even just once.”
“Mm, it’s so crisp and clear. Just listening to it is really soothing.” He gave me a sly little glance. “Actually, it’s been looking at you for a while now. Does it maybe… want you to sing with it?”
“Pff…” I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’re imagining things.”
“Am I? Hmm, I don’t know…”
“Even if it is looking at me, that’s probably because I have leaves that it wants to tear up in my hair.” I looked down at the butterfly. “Or it wants our friend 'the snack’…”
The butterfly beat its wings a little faster.
”You should sing,” I encouraged him. “You have such a light voice, and a musical laugh. I bet you have a lovely singing voice.”
“Oh, do you think I might?” He looked away with a smiling blush. “I’m not so sure your assumption is correct.”
“I’m quite certain it is.”
He laughed. That musical laugh.
And sang.
It took me by surprise, and I went very still while I listened. He didn’t sing for long – just what sounded like a few lines – but… yes. Beautiful. And in another language, of course, which added to the romanticism, at least for me. The lilt in his inflection, the roll of his tongue on a word…
His voice was so light and sweet, so pure, pushed from his lungs with an emotional passion that made the very core of my soul ache. This lonely man from another age, who had seen so much... This was his origin. I knew it in my heart. This song was his beginning.
It didn’t last long, but it was perfect. A perfect demonstration of what his vocal cords, lungs, and tongue could do.
“…Solomon,” I whispered, goosebumps pricking my arms.
He kept his eyes upwards, letting out a soft laugh of delight as the canary above us sang back to him. A wonderful return. An intelligent one. It didn’t reproduce the tune exactly. Rather, it returned an addition to it, as though continuing on with the song for itself. A harmony that still fit.
“Wow…” I whispered again, in awe. “Solomon… What was that song?”
“A very old lullaby,” he answered softly. “Very old, very ancient…”
“One that your… people sang…?”
He nodded. “My mother, before I was locked away in the basement. And then my wife and I sang it to our son when he was born, after I’d taught it to her.”
I went very still again. He wasn’t looking at me, still looking at the canary, who had fallen silent, waiting.
"It's almost like magic, I'm always drawn to you,” he began softly again, in English, though it was a different song this time. "A corner of this dark room, is lit up, with a warm glow… thank you.”
The little bird began to sing back as he continued for longer this time, adding its higher voice in harmony.
"Words I want to convey, are simple and ordinary, tones of love, I need you… A person so special, that surely only you of all can be the one, I miss you… I wish you can stay by my side forever…”
I laid my hand over his quietly.
He finally turned to face me, smiling, eyes dazzling. "This feeling is unstoppable. The days and nights passed, have bonded us together tightly. Even the smallest happenings, are so lovely. Like dazzling light… thank you.” He turned his palm up, and laced his fingers in mine. He’d dropped the song and spoke instead, but the bird above sang for him, adding cadence. “From our touching palms, endlessly flows out. Drips of love, I hold you. A person so important, that surely only you of all can be the one. I want you. It must be as if no one can disturb us anymore, that this heart is so filled.”
“Ahuvi,” I whispered hoarsely, “I love you.”
He sighed happily as he carefully slid his arm around my waist, lifting his voice in song again. "If fate pulls a prank on us in our way, even if our future together is hampered, I am not leaving you. You are not leaving me. Let's put everything on the line and vow now, I need you. A person so special, that surely only you of all can be the one…”
"I love you," we sang together softly, my music-trained ear serving me in the moment.
He smiled at me adoringly. "May it last forever, may my feelings reach you…"
“They do,” I whispered to him. “Oh, Sol…”
“Ahuvati…” He leaned closer, slowly closing his eyes as our lips met in a sweet, lingering kiss.
“…That was beautiful, Sol.” I shook my head, which ended up nuzzling my nose to his, our faces were so close. “That was beyond anything I’ve ever heard…”
He quirked a smile at me. “Will you try?”
“I don’t know anything that can come close to… that!” I shook my head again, a little harder in my protest. “I’d ruin the moment for sure. See that bird up there? She’s got some damned high expectations of us now.”
He laughed in delight. “Pleeeease?”
“Besides, only one song is coming to me right now. And it’s kind of folk-y. Not romantic…”
“Pleeeeeeease?”
“All right,” I sighed, looking up at the canary, taking in a breath for my offering. "…Sing me a song, of a lass that is gone… Say, could that lass be I? Merry of soul, she sailed on a day, over the sea to skye.”
The canary began to sing with me, harmonizing the mournful tune.
"Billow and breeze, islands and trees, mountains of rain, and sun… All that was good, all that was fair, all that is me, is gone…”
I sighed as I trailed off, though the bird above continued to whistle. “That’s all I know.”
“Wow…” he whispered, eyes shining bright. “A travelling adventure, one fit for a lost lass searching to find more of herself. Blowing in the wind, restless, venturing into the unknown… In search of a true home? But will she find it, or is she destined for the nomadic way of life, always in search of something more? Will her hunger for answers – for herself, for meaning, for life – ever be satisfied…?” He sighed wistfully. “What a powerful little song, and sung with so much… longing. It is romantic, in such a lonely, personal way…”
“Geez, Sol…” I blushed as I turned my gaze downwards, focusing on the fire salamander that had curled up in a pile of leaves at the base of the tree. “Well… If you romanticize that kind of life.”
“Your voice is beautiful. You moved me…” He looked up at the bird with fondness. “What a great duet. I wasn’t expecting your voices to match so well. And the song… it suits you.”
“I could say the same about you,” I said softly.
“Your singing voice is surprisingly rich and deep. It has a rounded maturity to it…”
“Stoooop.” I pouted at him. “And what do you mean by maturity? I’ll remind you that I’m a woman grown, old man.”
He chuckled softly, eyes a little far away. “The lyrics remind me of how you must have felt to be whisked away here, to be dumped in all of this chaos. And now, torn between worlds; and homes, and people. Don’t I have that right?”
I glanced at him. “And what about you, my immortal sorcerer? Torn between the ages, and your own little identity crisis…?”
Two can play at that game. Maybe that was a bit mean. But he had a little part to play in my current state of life, a decision born from his carelessness, however much I treasured it now. Poke me, and I poke back.
“Mmm…” He stroked his thumb across my hand. “Yep. How very much we have in common. Hehe. Look, even the underworld butterfly and the fire salamander were fixated on you both.” He leaned closer again. “Of course, myself– Wwwwhoa!”
“Sol–!” I gasped as I made a grab for his jacket, but the fabric slipped through my fingers. "Spirit of Wind, heed me…!”
He yelped as his fall came to an abrupt stop, just above a bush below us.
“SOLOMON!” I scolded him from above. “YOU STUPID SORCERER…!”
He giggled. “Thanks, Chise, that was some very quick thinking. Phew, what a close one! I got so into the moment, I completely forgot that we were sitting in a tree.” He snickered up at me. “Well, that was embarrassing. Definitely didn’t earn me any style points…”
I sighed. “You idiot…”
I let him drop into the bush with another yelp.
I landed lightly, if not a little shakily, beside the bush – while he shook with laughter. I shook my head, perplexed by him entirely yet again.
“Ahhh…” He grinned as he pulled himself out in a crawl, laughing still as he sat back on his heels. “Thanks, Chise.”
“For dropping you into a bush?”
“It was fun! Like falling backwards into a pokey, twiggy ball pit. I’m pretty sure I didn’t suffer any splinters, either, so all is well.”
“You are insane,” I muttered, as I lowered myself down next to him; I was grateful to be on the ground again.
“…Is there anything I can do to show my gratitude?” he asked, with a flirtatious lilt in his voice.
I laughed with another shake of my head. “Seriously? That was quite the inelegant pivot, mister.”
He batted his lashes. “I just want to thank my saviour properly, that’s all. I have no ulterior motives here whatsoever.”
My smile spread into a grin. “So if I asked for a magic trick instead of a kiss, you’d be completely satisfied with that?”
“A kiss?” He leaned towards me, eyes sparkling. “That’s what you want?”
“Pfffff! Is that all you heard?! Not so smooth a play, Sol. But…” I turned a bit sheepish, despite myself. “I mean, I wouldn’t turn down an offer of a grateful kiss, I guess…”
He chuckled mischievously. “Honestly, that feels more like a reward for me, but sure.”
I laughed. “That’s because it is–"
He cupped my cheek to pull me close, closing the gap with his own lean to press his lips to mine. I was smiling through it as I turned on my hip towards him, cupping his own cheek while I laid my other hand over the curve of his shoulder.
“…Mmm.” He sighed let out a sigh of content, smiling as well. “I don’t think one of those is enough to show how much I appreciated that save. Here, have another…”
And another, and another, pulling me closer, and closer, until I was in his arms.
“…Nope,” he laughed softly against my lips. “Still not good enough.”
"Now you’re being smooth,” I laughed as well.
“Mm, I could keep kissing you for–"
We both jumped with gasps as a sudden orange light bloomed to illuminate our faces, with heat to match.
“…Geez, that startled me,” he said, with a turn of his head towards the creature nearby. “The fire salamander shot out a burst of flame.”
“Hells…” I sighed as I relaxed again. “Is that all that was? I was suddenly very sure that my last act of life would be kissing a crazy man.”
He tittered in amusement. “Maybe it’s trying to tell us to get a room?”
“I wouldn’t mind–"
Another ball of flame, and I squeaked as I thrust my arm out towards it on instinct, sending out a blast of water to meet it in its path.
…They both exploded in their collision, but of course, my water won out.
……Quite successfully.
“Whoa!” Solomon threw his head back as he burst out laughing. “And now we’ve got water in the mix! Pfft… Hahaha! Chise, is there anything your spell didn’t drench? I know you were just trying to put out what the salamander coughed up, but that was a bit much.”
I smiled sheepishly as I rubbed at the back of my neck. “Whoops…”
He kept up his laughter with a shake of his head, taking me back in his arms comfortingly. “It’s fine, this is nothing. Don’t let it bother you. But, we can’t exactly go on our date with wet clothing… And I can’t imagine you want to catch a cold, either. We should probably head back and dry off. Purgatory Hall is closer, if you’d like to come with. We can go back out together for a proper date after.”
“Heh…” I giggled as I let him help me stand. “All right, I guess we don’t really have a choice…”
As sorcerers, we did, actually, have other choices left to us.
But after being moved by his beautiful singing, with a lonely little monologue accompanying it afterward, ‘drying off’ with him alone in his room sounded quite nice.
We clasped hands together tightly, before walking back down the path that I’d come from, side-by-side.
I was such a sucker.
But so was he.
“…To tell the truth, I simply wanted to spend time with you,” he said lightly, as he rubbed a towel over my hair. I gripped that blanket around my shoulders a little tighter before it could slide down. “…What if I told you the whole reason I invited you to Purgatory Hall was so that we could be alone together in my room?”
“Heh… Oh please, I’m not dumb, Solomon. I know how to wring water out of wet clothes with magic.”
He laughed with a light, exaggerated innocence. “But that would have left them quite wrinkled; putting them in the dryer was the best course of action, surely? Don’t you want to look your best for our outing later?”
I leaned back to bump the back of my head against his chest, looking up at him with a smile. “I wanted to be alone with you too.”
“Well, I’m happy to hear that,” he said softly, as he leaned down to press a kiss to my forehead. “It wasn’t just me being selfish then.”
“You’re allowed to vie for my time, Sol.”
“Am I...?” He set the towel to the side, before draping his arms around my shoulder from behind me with a contented sigh, adding his warmth to that of the blanket I was wrapped in. “In that case, what do you want to do now that we have the place to ourselves? My ‘housemates’ are off enjoying the holiday festivities, so it’s just the two of us left here…”
“Well, actually…” I turned my head, grazing my nose against his cheek. “I’d like to finish what we started under that tree, before that salamander so rudely interrupted us…”
“Ah, yes.” He turned his head too, to meet my nose with his. “As I recall, I was in the middle of showing my gratitude.”
“Just in the middle?” I reached to cup his face, turning my shoulder with a twist of my waist towards him. “I was kinda hoping that we had just gotten started, actually.”
“Is that so?” He smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling while they sparkled. “I didn’t want to come across as desperate, but I was thinking the same thing.”
I smirked teasingly. “Are you saying that I’m coming across as desperate, since I was the one to admit it?”
“I don’t see us being mutually desperate for one another as a bad thing.” His smile turned from fond, to flirtatious. “So turn around. Come here.”
I did, slowly turning in place, helped by the grazing of his fingers on my bare waist as he pressed them to my ribs to spin me into his arms. The press of fingers turned into a press of palms as he slid them around my back, skin on skin, pulling me to him.
To kiss me, and deeply, leaned back by him as he leaned down to press the fullness of his lips to mine while one of his hands continued its slide upwards to come to a rest against the nape of my neck. I slid my own palms up his bare chest, pressing my fingers to the bones of his breast underneath, to his collar, to his shoulders, while I lifted myself up on the tips of my toes to press my mouth back. He was warm. His embrace, his body, his bare skin on mine, his lips, his breath on my face, so warm.
The blanket dropped in a heap around my ankles.
“…I want more, Chise,” he whispered huskily, as we broke for air. “I want so much more.”
“I missed you,” I whispered. “You… taste… um… scent…”
He quirked a little smile. “Taste? Scent?”
“Like… our home.” I grazed my fingers up his neck until I was running them along the curves of his cheekbones. “Human… You’re human. I feel human.”
“I do as well. An especially important thing to feel, on this day…” His hand on the middle of my back left its place to press one of my palms more firmly to his cheek. “I was waiting for this moment, to tell the truth. I’ve been dying to kiss you. I missed you too. So much.”
“Have you been okay…?” I was suddenly reminded that, yes, this man was living with Raphael under the same roof. I wondered at his relationship with Simeon, and how it was doing. No doubt he was looking out for Sim. But it must be awkward. Were they feeling obligated, pressured, to not show the depth of their connection and entanglement in front of Raphael? For Sim’s sake, while he was being reported on? While his ‘sins' were being so closely scrutinized…
I’d left him to shoulder a great burden here.
He nodded, though I didn’t see anything of his usual sparkle in his gaze, which broke my heart a bit.
“Please, let me know when you need me… What you need from me.”
“Ahah…” He smiled a soft smile. “Silly ahuvati. My adorable apprentice, I always need you.”
“You know what I mean–"
“You know,” he cut me off in a wistful tone, “we met under rather unique circumstances as exchange students in the Devildom. At first, I suppose my interest in you was simple curiosity, after learning of your intention to twist Mammon’s arm into a pact. With Leviathan as a co-conspirator, of all brothers.”
“Heh…”
“However, you were much more charming than I ever imagined.” His smiled widened a bit, touching his eyes again. “No longer was it about your effect on the demons around you. It was the grace you left in your wake, everywhere you went. A special softness blooming bright in the darkness of the Devildom, drawing all who met her into her orbit. Before I knew it, I couldn’t get you out of my mind.”
I felt a blush quickly creeping along my cheeks, my lips parting at his words. “Sol… You give me way too much credit…”
He shook his head, brows drawing together into an expression of earnest sincerity. He tipped his head down further to press his forehead to mine, eyes locked to mine, hand pressed to mine. “No… These words I say to you don’t even begin to describe how I truly feel. I love you. So much. I’m utterly, hopelessly in love with you as a person. I want to be by your side, now… and always.”
I felt my eyes go glassy as they stung with the wet salt of my unshed tears.
And then my wife and I sang it to our son, after I’d taught her.
…And I have outlived them all.
I blinked rapidly as he watched me with saddened eyes.
I want to be by your side, now… and always.
My breath hitched as I curled my fingers against his skin. “Sol…”
“I’m not letting go of you, Chise…” His hand on the back of my neck dropped back down to press between my shoulder blades, pulling me flush with him. “Not this time.”
“Sol…? What– Mn–!”
His next kiss was fierce, driving the breath out of both of our mouths as we exhaled air through our noses. His hand on my cheek slid around quickly to the back of my head, sinking into my hair to curl into the roots at my scalp to tilt my face up further to him. He was nearly curled around me to meet my shorter height with his taller, nearly lifting me from my feet entirely in how he swept me to him so that I had to stand on the very tips of my toes.
I threw myself into it, against him, around him, throwing my arms around his neck to drag him down to me as well with a whine. We tilted our heads to opposite sides, teeth against teeth our mouths were pressed so hard, soft lips molded to the other’s as he left out a low huff of need.
He dragged me to the side in his arms, both of us sidling clumsily as our kisses devolved into a frantic flurry of lips on lips, nearing tripping on each other’s feet in our stumble towards his bed.
***
I was nearly thrown to the bed, with him landing quickly on top of me, his palms pressed firm to my waist while his lips moved from mine to roam around my face, kissing, like he wanted to kiss every inch of me – hungry, desperate, for more than just our carnal need that drove the press of his hard member to my thigh.
“You sure this didn’t need to dry?” he murmured huskily as his hands slid around underneath me, fingers finding the clip to my damp bra.
“I’ll just go without it later,” I huffed into his neck, kissing wherever I happened to reach skin as he moved over me. Not like I needed it too badly.
“Mm, I’d like that…” He peppered kisses over my cheek with a sigh of longing, his other hand sliding down my body, down my belly. “Just like how I like seeing you wearing my boxers… Just like how I’ll like taking them off, to lick you. Taste you.”
“Oh gods…” I rolled my hips up to meet his hand that slid into his underwear that I wore with a low whine. “Please, Sol, I missed your tongue…”
“I missed being between your legs,” he murmured, as he left my cheeks to press desperate kisses to my throat. “Missed…” His hand that had unclasped my bra to slid back around, slipping up underneath the slack cup to roll his palm against my breast.
I lifted my arms up to peel off the straps with a shaky sigh, pulling it off over top of his head as he quickly reached my other breast to take the bud of my nipple between his lips, teasing it with the tip of his tongue while I groan. Groaned as his index finger inside his boxers slipped so easily through my folds.
“So wet,” he sighed against my breast, as he dragged it back up, and then back down, and up, while I mewled needle with another roll of my hips with each casual graze over my clit. He hummed low in his throat as he sucked on my nipple a little harder, and then I was throwing my head back with a helpless cry when he pinched both the bud of my other breast and the one between my legs at the same time, hard, the shock of the two sensations making me buck up against him in a desperate jump. He growled as his knees came down to pin my thighs, his back arched in a fold forward over top of me to keep both his mouth on my chest and his hand working my quickly slickening sex.
His spreading knees shoved my legs apart further. My top half was trapped by his shoulder that pressed to me as well, the only movements left free to me that of my arms that I flailed, my nails dragging in desperate scratched down his back and shoulders while I choked on a dry sob. He pounded the pad of his finger against my clit rapidly, shocking me over and over again, driving me higher, forcing the struggling buck of my hips back down into the mattress as I tried to wrap around him further. I sobbed again as I pushed at his shoulders, hit them, trying to push him down my body, but he stayed with a growl, latched to my chest and mercilessly rubbing and rolling and pinching and tapping on my nipple and clit.
“SOL, SOL, SOL, SOLOMON!” I cried out. “GUNNA CUM, GUNNA, GUNNA CUM!”
So quick, he managed me so quick, and I was arching up, pressing my breasts more firmly against him, the only other part of me aside from my arms and my head that rolled from side to side that I could control under his shoulders and forehead and knees. He was rolling his body over top of me as well, wanting to hump, giving to me while I screamed, riding me through while my scream choked off, pinning my rigid body that tried to buck up again, my muscles screaming in protest in their denial to seize further.
He was whistling feral huffs through his teeth through it all over my breast, breath hot on my skin as he pushed and pushed between my legs while stars exploded behind my otherwise unseeing eyes. I hissed and gurgled as I shuddered through my contractions, body twitching violently with the shocks he delivered to my clit, ruthless, unrelenting, forcing me to coast through my high, overstimulating. My body tried to buck and buck and buck against him as a long, high-pitched whine escaped from my lungs. Still he held me, still his aggressiveness with my clit kept me from descending, still my muscles scream.
“SOLOMON!” I finally shouted at him, pleading, begging. “PLEASE…!”
He stilled his pounding finger to press hard instead. Hard and up while I screamed with another sharp arch of my back, exploding again. Just pressing. One press, while I sobbed. And then I was adjusting to it, or he was easing, and I heaved brokenly as I finally began to relax, finally descended, gulping air, red in the face and ruined completely. My back dropped to the mattress while I let out a long, shaking groan, my head lolling to the side with a fluttering of my lashes.
It was only then that he let me go. Relaxing his knees, letting my breasts drop from both mouth and fingers, pulling his hand out of his underwear that I wore gently with a sigh. I watched lazily as he sucked on his finger with a hum, and obediently sucked it as well when he dipped it in my mouth, before he brought it back up to his lips to suck again. And then he was curling his fingers over the band of my boxers, pulling them down my limp legs, until he had them off. And then back to me, lips back on my breasts, starting there, before moving down, as he parted my thighs again with both hands pressed to my inner thighs.
“Sol…” I whispered.
“Ahuvati,” he murmured back, as he pressed kisses to my mound.
“You’re so handsome… You’re so good… So loving… I love you…”
He sighed contentedly, and I heard the smile there, felt the warmth of his breath, and his lips, that he brushed against the opened heat of my sex between my folds.
I let out a strained groan as he dragged his tongue through with a throaty hum, almost a moan himself, as he tasted, and then tasted again. I gasped sharply as he flicked his tongue over my sensitive clit, the bundle of nerves screaming still in their hot ache, burning, left prone to overstimulation. Fuck. I closed my eyes with a whimper, my head lolling to the other side. I pulled up my knees, and he pushed his shoulder through in response underneath them, for me to rest my shins against his back. I choked on a whine as I felt his fingers carefully prod at my wet entrance, before they slipped inside, while I arched my back with a soft cry.
“Good…” he breathed against me, before his tongue followed in with them, dipping, curling, dragging back out to taste. He inhaled against me softly, before doing it again, and again, his tongue moving with the gentle pumping of his fingers. He avoided my clit, avoided curling my fingers into the spot inside of me – for now, to allow me a bit of rest, while he indulged.
I was gasping softly, head lolling lazily back and forth while I dragged my heels up and down his shoulder blades, one up, one down, and then switching, both of my hands coming down to curl my fingers into the roots of his hair. Not to push, just to hold, just to feel the silk of his silver hair flow through my flexing fingers while he licked and fingered me with tenderness. Sweetly, eating me out sweetly, for himself for a while, keeping me calm, just enough, so I didn’t fight him through writhing pleasure.
Until he wasn’t being tender. Until he wasn’t being sweet. Until his tongue dragged up to flick against my clit, hard, making me throw back my head in a high cry in response to the lightning that shot through my core again. My bud was swollen still, vibrating still, and it took nothing for him to coax me back to an inferno.
“Oh gods,” I choked, my fingers curling tighter into the roots of his hair. “Oh gods, Sol, please.”
He gently curled his fingers in their next pump into me. I nearly screamed as my back arched. It wasn’t going to take long. I was in for it. He’d set me up perfectly. The rest of this? Was about to be almost unbearable.
He took my clit in between his lips, and gave it a light suck.
I exploded immediately with a shriek, bucking my hips at the same moment that I drove his face into me with my hands, I think surprising us both. He groaned against me, hanging onto me determinedly, while he delivered another suck. My mouth was open, head thrown back with another scream, a scream of his name next, and then I was rigid, gone.
Trembling hard, with my back arched and my thighs locked around him, head still thrown back as I choked – while he gently sucked my clit, gently curled and twisted his fingers into my g-spot, while he looked up at me in amazement. My orgasm ripped through me with searing heat, my tailbone pressed tight to the mattress while I hung on to his shoulders and head, the only connection my body had for balance as I curled up with the tight spasming of my muscles that shot through me in time to the contractions that rocked me between my legs. I choked again; once, twice, five times, six.
And then relaxing back with a groan, even while he still sucked me. I was simply senseless now, the overstimulating fire simply overwhelming me while he continued to work. I was still alight, still aflame, while he continued to enjoy himself, tasting me, sighing, eyes closed. Reverence with his tongue. Worship between my thighs.
I rested lazily, blinking slowly, head lolling again, time – and its passing – a foreign concept in that moment. Wasn’t sure how long he continued down on me, but slowly, I was relaxing again. Sighing with him as I uncurled my fingers from his hair, to rest my palm lightly on his head instead.
I think that’s when he decided that I was done. He gave my sex a light kiss, and then another, before regretfully pulling away. To come back up to me, grinning smugly.
I peeked at him from out of the corner of my eye, cheek on the pillow. The proud expression made me glare.
He chuckled as he took me into his arms, pressing a firm kiss to my lips. I tasted myself on him as he slipped his tongue into my mouth with a sigh of satisfaction.
“Hope I didn’t exhaust you too much,” he murmured huskily, with meaning, as he humped his straining erection against my thigh. He’d taken off his boxers, I realized, as he trailed his slick pool of precum along my skin. “I want you so badly right now, ahuvati. After watching you…”
I stretched with a groan underneath him, smiling lazily against his next kiss, teasingly not returning it. “And what if you did…?”
“Humph…” He pouted, batting his lashes at me. “I’d congratulate myself, and then slink off to the bathroom all alone I guess…”
I giggled helplessly at the visual. “That’d be hilarious, actually.”
“Noooo…” He kissed me, and kissed me, while I laughed against his lips. “Not funny… I want youuuu, not my hand.”
“I want you too,” I whispered in sincerity, relenting. “I’ll always want you.”
“Sweetest words…” he whispered back, voice suddenly shaky as they caught on a hitch. “I love you.”
I brushed my fingers across his cheek. “I love you so much… How do you want me...?"
"In every way possible..."
I giggled. "I don't think there's enough time in the world."
His breath hitched as he paused, and then he dipped his head to press kisses to my neck again. "Does that mean I can break out a condom?"
I slipped my fingers into his hair again. "Please..."
He kissed the peak of my throat, and then pulled away with a sigh, smiling down at me while he caressed my cheek. "Don't go anywhere, hmm?"
"Pfff." I laughed. "Too lazy to escape."
He chuckled as he slipped from the bed pull open his bedside drawer.
"...I really do love you," I whispered to him as I watched the muscles of his back flex when he bent down. The curve of his spine, to his hips, ass, thighs.
He turned back, eyes soft as he came to me again, crawling across now while shifting on his hip. "I love you."
I opened my arms to him. "And I really did miss you."
"Mmm..." He rolled on top of me again, into my arms, meeting my kiss with his as his fingers tore open the foil of the wrapper he held. I slid my palms down his shoulders to reach between us as well, pinching the tip of the latex while he rolled the rest down the length of his shaft.
He paused as he looked down at it, and then back at me, hesitating, before leaning back down to kiss me again, while I parted my thighs to take him between them. It was his choice. I'd already let him know that, already trusting in his sterility.
He kissed me again, and again, sweetly, as he guided us together, until he was pressed against the dip of my entrance.
"Say you love me while I enter you."
I cupped his face in my hands, smiling as I wrapped my legs around his hips. "I love you, I love you... I love– aaaahhh mmff..." I tipped my head back with a bite of my lip as he pushed inside, tunnelling up into my slick heat with a sigh.
"Sollllll..." I moaned, as he took my bottom lip between his teeth to pull on it in a soft bite. "You feel so gooood..."
"Mmfff..." He rolled forward more firmly with a gasp, dropping my lip with a squeeze of his eyes. "So... perfect..."
I moaned again as he pulled out, and then again as he pushed in with a moan of his own. Noisy man. I loved it. Loved, wanted more, to hear more, digging my heels into his hips to force him backwards just so that I could hear more, and he rewarded me with more, tipping his head back in another moan while I raised my head up to press a kiss to his exposed throat. His head tipped back to rest on the top of my head while he pushed back in, and I groaned against his skin, beginning to cling to him now.
So slick. Already sounded so slick, with the crinkling of the condom adding to it.
"So wet," he groaned. "Hells, Chise, feel that..."
He pushed again, both of us moaning in unison as he pressed harder, lingering deeper while he pumped his hips in place, before pulling back out again.
"Feel that..."
"I feel it," I whispered shakily, dragging my nails down his ribs. "I feel you. That's what I feel. Is you. Is–"
Deep, another deep push, his arms shaking against the flat of his palms pressed to the mattress on either side of me. He was above me, groaning with every roll of his hips, dragging himself back slowly with his entire body, pushing back with his arms and shoulders. I ran the flats of my own palms down his flexed chest. He was slim, but broader than me of course, and broader now with his arms and shoulders tensed on either side of me, showcasing his broad ribs.
I ran my hands over his chest and around the curve of his waist with a sigh, pulling his hips to me sharply to get a quicker thrust from him. He gave it, and our moans pitched in response. He pressed his chin tight to the top of my head as I tried to tip mine.
"Kiss," I begged in a whisper.
So he let my head tip after all. And the moment our mouths connected, he half-collapsed onto his elbows, chest rolling to press flush to mine, to press my breasts flat to him.
"Chise..." he whispered shakily.
"What are you waiting for?" I whispered back, pressing my hands to his backside. "Aren't you going to take what's yours?"
"Oh, fuck, Chise..." He slammed into me, at the same time that those words came out of his mouth, strained with need.
"Stop teasing me," I begged. "Please, Sol, take me, oh fuck please..."
"Nnnkkk..."
"Please, please, please, I'm yours, I missed you, I want you, I LOVE you– AH!”
I threw back my head with a sharp cry at his next equally-sharp thrust. And then his next, his next, my head tipped back while he sucked on my chin. Thrust. Thrust. Sucking under my jaw. Thrust, thrust, thrust, sucking the center bone if my throat, with a throaty groan from his own. I kept my mouth open now, clinging to him as I cried out openly towards his ceiling, noisily, curling my fingers into the muscles of his back desperately. He took me desperately. Thrusted desperately. Clung back to me, sliding from his elbows to grab me around my waist under the arching of my back, desperately.
His sucking turned into a bite, teeth sinking softly, into the soft flesh of my throat, right at its most vulnerable. Huffing, muffled groans, hips snapping as he laid his chest and shoulders on top of me heavily, half-trapping the air in my lungs as my breasts were pressed down over them.
"Chise, Chise!" he gasped against my thriat. "Oh gods! Oh gods you feel good!"
“Sooooollll..."
"Ahuvati, ahuvati!" he cried against me, with a press of his face.
"Ahuviiiii..."
I dug my heels into him with every thrusted entry with strained, breathless cries, holding onto his broad back for dear life, pressing my chin to his head now. Shaking my head in desperation, his hair rubbing rough on my jaw from how hard I pressed to trap him there. I curled, hips tilting up, shoulders curling forward, thighs pressed to him as tightly as my arms wrapped him. He rode me hard, my body rocking on the curving track of my spine. It made it easier for him, to roll me forward and back, faster, knees walking up to force it harder, tilting his hips for pelvis to meet mine in an exact fit.
"Say it, say it," he begged, voice breaking. "Say, say..."
Say what? Didn't matter. Say everything. "Ahuvi, ahuvi!" I cried out with every third thrust. "Love, love, my love, mine, ahuvi!”
"Mine, mine," he gasped. "My love, mine..."
"Yooouuurrrsss…” I groaned. "Oh gods, Sol, please..."
He tilted his hips further. There.
"OH GODS, SOL, SOLOMON, PLEASE!”
"Right there," he gasped, pressing his head up to demand my lips again. "Please, please cum, please..."
"Cumming, gonna cum," I sobbed incoherently against his mouth, fully scratching his back now with my nails.
He grunted as he hit hard, hissing, desperate, throwing the whole of himself into me now.
His hand drifted between us.
My back went from a forward curl, to a backwards arch, as I screamed it out. Another orgasm, the moment he touched my swollen clit, my already approaching high shot into orbit as my body screamed along with me. In pleasure, in protest of being so stimulated yet again, oh so stimulated, senseless, heat and fire and electricity, a storm of it as I writhed helplessly underneath him. He trapped me while he pounded his cock into me with a desperate-sounding growl, almost a whine within it, a whine of need while he tapped on my clit in triple-time rhythm to the already rapid snapping of his hips.
I came, and came, sobbing, tears streaking down my cheeks, incoherent, glazed, completely blissed, not even in a haze, but a whirlwind that whipped through me, dizzying.
"Ahhhhfff Chise, oh Chise, Chise please, please..."
My body stuttered under him, shaking, shuddering, contracting while I choked noisily.
"Chise Chise Chise CHISE!”
I could only nod vigorously, neck and jaw so tight that it hurt, nodding in time to the raging tapping on my clit. Cum, Solomon.
"Gonna cum in condom...!"
Nodding, nodding, choking.
He let out an explosive moan that he muffled against my neck while he slammed his hips, throwing himself down heavily on top of me again, his entire body, trapping his hand between my legs as he rocked his hips up hard. And then he whined shrilly, hips rolling with each pump of his cum, his light voice broken on the noise, broken by a shattering sob of submission. Submitting to his hard release in me. A sound of devotion, I thought in my haze. It was almost heart wrenching to hear. A true breaking.
His forehead slipped to clock against my jaw from the slick of his sweat that beaded there, causing me to groan lazily in my mid descent. While he pumped inside my body that eased under him, the whirlwind that had so dizzyingly gripped me settling into that fog of bliss.
He choked on another sob, soft, the final one that escaped in the vulnerability of his release, emotional, as he spilled his last drop. And then his head that was pressed to my jaw sunk quietly while he began to relax. Not even a sigh, not even heaving in air. Just a stilling against me, holding me loosely. He breathed deeply. I felt that in his shoulders, that I held still. We rested, dazed. Passion. Holy passion. We really had missed each other so much. We told each other as much, in the last... however long it had just been, skin on skin.
And now we rested, after shouting that to each other. Soaking in the other's company as the sweat on our bodies began to cool. I'd shower with him, I thought pleasantly to myself. We'd shower before our date. Our clothes should be dry by then for sure. I'd go out braless like I'd said, and smirk to myself every time I caught him looking at my breasts that he so clearly loved. That he caressed now, I realized with a strained giggle, as he had slid one hand from its wrap around me to stroke my front gently.
"Your emotional support boob," I whispered.
"Pfff..." His shoulders shook with strained laughter as he stopped. "Shut up..."
"You can keep touching, just no pinching. I think at this point I'd kick you like a horse if you stimulate me one more time..."
He chuckled throatily, the sound reverberating from his chest against my own. He cupped my breast with a sigh, resting his palm there instead.
///
I slid my hand up lazily to slip it into his sweat-damp hair. "That was amazing..."
"Mmm, yeah..." he agreed with another sigh, nuzzling me. I felt him slipping out now, with the condom crinkling. He reached down to grab it with a wince before things turned messy. I laughed softly again, twirling locks of hair in my fingers idly.
"You're so beautiful," he whispered. "How could you be real, how could you have been born...? I really am lucky..."
"I am too," I whispered back. "I may have gone my whole life without realizing who I am, without unlocking any power at all." I put a tease in my voice. "Without catching your eye with it..."
He huffed in amusement. "Thank... goodness. Thank all the good things that have ever happened, that we met. You are so special."
"So are you." I cradled his head against me now. "I don't know everything you've been through, Sol, but thank goodness it all brought you to me in the end."
"What a pleasant way to look at it," he whispered softly, with a tenderness that made me ache. “I'm blessed."
I kissed his hair, as tenderly as he had spoken. "So am I."
"I love every inch of you... I love you wholly."
I trailed my fingers down his sweaty back. "I love you too, Solomon. My love..."
He hummed out a sigh of content. "I suppose we should shower..."
"To be honest, while I will probably look like a turkey right now when I try to walk, I'm also fucking starving, so..."
He laughed. "We could stay in, I could coo–"
"So you make sure to take me out for that promised dinner date right after we clean up," I cut in quickly, putting in a little extra eagerness into my voice.
"Mmm, yes. I'm sure our clothes are dry." He sighed heavily with regret, before wincing as he peeled his sweaty chest from off of mine with a wince. "...We need to shower."
"We really, really do."
We were finally on our proper date, walking down the streets of downtown together. I was leaned on his arm, having taken his elbow. It made for a bit of an awkward walk, making him laugh at times as we bumped into each other.
I really did miss his easy-going company. Smart, but silly. Warm and comfortable. He really was so personable, once he let someone in to see it.
"Ah, look at that..." He nodded towards a monument that stood tall behind a small iron fence, where a demon was stepping up to place a flower. "That statue is dedicated in memory of the Seven Day War. It's customary to observe the holiday by laying flowers at their base."
"Flowers..." I mused softly, as I thought back to my history class. "Right... Because on the eighth day, the day the war was won, the battlefield was covered in a whole field of flowers.
"Yes," he said softly. "It was."
I looked up at him curiously. "...Do you know a lot about that war."
He gave me a small, private-looking smile. "Yes."
"...Remind me?"
"Hmm, slept through that day in class?"
I sighed in annoyance.
"Hehe. Sure, I'll tell you. Here." He took my hand in his. "Let's give our own acknowledgement first, shall we? It's only right."
I hesitated a moment against his pull, eyeing the flower stand that was erected to the side. "Are you sure we're welcome to do that...?"
"Mm, I've done it before." He smiled at the demon manning the booth, who narrowed his eyes at him while pinching his lips flat. Wordless, as he regarded my human sorcerer with suspicion."
But Solomon only nodded genially to him as he opened his wallet. "We've come to pay our respects. Which colour flower would you like to leave, Chise?"
"Umm..." I looked around his arm shyly. "Blue, I guess..."
"All right. A blue and red, please, and... that wreath there as well."
The demon hesitated a moment, still eyeing Solomon. But in the end, the exchange was made, as I reached out tentatively to take the offered stem. I suppose if it had been any other witch or sorcerer we may have been denied service, but Solomon and I were, well, quite close to the Crown.
Solomon smiled down at me, wreath hanging from one hand, his fingers holding his red flower in the other. "All right, follow me, and I'll tell you."
–
It was the wreath that he laid down carefully in particular, centering it nicely as he leaned it up against the stonework that towered above. I watched him and his observance curiously. It wasn't really like him to engage this much in demon culture.
He looked up at me from his squat with another small smile. "Do you know how the story starts?"
"I think so. The Demon King granted audience to a sorcerer, and..."
I stopped. Stared down at him.
His eyes were twinkling. "Correct. Long ago, a human sorcerer with the power to bring demons to their knees visited the Devildom and demanded audience with the Demon King. When granted, the sorcerer boldly – perhaps even quite a bit arrogantly – declared their plan to 'further humankind's development by partnering with the demons'. But… the demons would be serving under the sorcerer to achieve this."
I sucked in a breath through my teeth.
He chuckled with a shake of his head. "Ah, but of course, the Demon King refused such a preposterous idea, and a war erupted between the sorcerer and the Demon King's forces that lasted for seven days and nights."
"...Th-The sorcerer... held his own... through..."
"On the eighth day, the sorcerer suddenly vanished, and the field where the battle took place was left covered in flowers." He pressed his palms to his knees, and stood with an aching sigh. "Rumour has it that the whole thing started because a demon had a chat with the sorcerer in the human world, which is why it's considered bad luck to talk to human magic-users. To do so is said to bring generations-long curse."
"Rumours..." I repeated weakly. "...Solomon..."
He chuckled at my expression as he gently took my hand. "Thanks for stopping with me. Shall we move on to the café for our date?"
"How... How long ago was this war again?"
"Hmmm... Well, it was before the fall of the seven brothers. Before the Demon King's fall into his slumber. Before even Barbatos came to be in Lord Diavolo's service." He tilted his head with a smile. "Which is for the best, perhaps, for everyone who was involved. I'm sure the war would have been even deadlier had it taken place later on... Bloodier, for certain. It may have even been decided quite a bit quicker..."
"People died...?"
"Demons did, yes."
I stared at him with rounded eyes, disbelief sinking into my heart as I looked up at this... dangerous man.
Who made every demon around him so nervous. So uneasy. Regarded with deep suspicion. With contempt, and sometimes even with outright fear.
He glanced behind us at a group who slowly approached. "We should let them observe without our presence." He nodded down towards his wreath. "This is a day for them to hope for continued peace and prosperity throughout their land.”
His words sounded sincere, untainted by any other meaning, but I couldn’t help but think: I might be standing next to the very man who could deny them that hope, whenever he chooses. It was his current state of benevolence that stayed any further violence. His neutrality, that stopped any repeat of history.
For now. As long as things stayed as they were, on Diavolo’s path of peace between worlds.
But should that plan ever fail…
I was mute with shock as he took my hand in his again. I followed dumbly, staring down at the ground as I felt the heat of the demons' eyes following our departure.
Solomon was a killer. He was capable of taking a life in his pursuit of his ideals. To act as judge – and executioner.
…But so were the seven brothers.
They, too, had been active participants in war. They, too, had killed in the name of their ideals.
Three years ago… loving someone who had killed others would have been unthinkable. Deplorable. Terrifying.
I sighed as I raised my eyes back up, gently squeezing his hand in mine. In acceptance of him.
All that was good, all that was fair, all that is me, is gone…
Truly… I had changed.
He squeezed mine back, in gratefulness.
He took us to our human-inspired café, which was, understandably, on the very empty side. I was surprised it was even open, considering it was both a holiday and an emulation of human world foods.
"Are you sure it's okay that we're even out in public?" I whispered nervously at his side.
He nodded, smiling at the waitress who greeted us with smiled of familiar recognition in return. "Not all demons ascribe to the superstitious nature of the day."
–
“Ahh, that meal was delicious.” He grinned at me from across the table. “I’m glad that I asked you to join me.”
I nodded slowly. “I didn’t realize… how important it would feel, to be with you today. I had no idea this was going to turn out to be a full-blown commemoration event for a war…”
He laughed lightly. “Well, as my apprentice, it was important that I made sure you came to appreciate a piece of history between our culture and theirs.”
I took a breath. He looked at me expectantly.
“…So, you were the sorcerer who cut and run, right?”
It was obvious. But I was giving him the chance to be honest.
But of course, he chose ‘mischievous’ and ‘sly'. He grinned brightly. “Wow, you’re really hung up on that sorcerer’s identity. Isn’t the mystery part of the fun?”
I snorted. “No.”
"…Hm? Chise, and is that you, Solomon?”
I spun around in utter shock at the sound of Barbatos’ smooth lisp that came from behind me, near the counter. “Wh… Barbatos?”
Solomon gave him a friendly wave. “Hey, Barbatos. Fancy meeting you here, of all places.”
Barbatos inclined his head as came to our table. “As it would so happen, I am a frequent patron of this establishment.”
“Ohhh.” Solomon steepled his fingers together with a smile. “Of this establishment, on this particular day? Your acceptance knows no bounds.”
I shifted over in our booth. “Would you like to sit…?”
“Ah, well, I take it that you are both out for dinner? I am not staying long.”
“We were just finishing.” Solomon nodded to the spot I’d opened up for him. “Feel free to join us while you wait for your order if you’d like.”
I met Barbatos’ eyes. Smiled.
“Ah…” He nodded, before sliding in beside me. “Did you enjoy your meal? The food here is exquisite, is it not?”
“It was delicious,” I agreed. “I come here with the Purgatory Hall gang all the time.”
“Hang on…” Solomon hummed as he pointedly dug an ill-mannered elbow on the table for him to rest his chin in his hand. “Barbatos, aren’t you worried about being jinxed?”
Barbatos glanced at his elbow on the table with an exasperated sigh at the juvenile taunt. “Are you referring to that superstition pertaining to speaking to sorcerers? No, I can’t say that I put much stock in such concerns.” He clucked a bit in amusement. “Though, I suppose it would do well to watch my tongue around the chief instigator, today of all days.”
I straightened in my seat, looking between them both. “…So it WAS you, Solomon. I knew it…”
Solomon let out a heavy sigh, grinning. “Way to blow my cover, Barbatos.”
I rolled my eyes. "Hardly a cover, Sol.”
It was Barbatos’ turn to look between us in surprise. “You hadn’t already informed Chise?”
Solomon’s grin turned into a shit-eating smirk. “And lose out on all the fun of playing dumb? Of course not.”
“…You are in so much trouble,” I muttered darkly.
Much to his apparent amusement, as he tittered in response. “Aw, man… I was planning on beating around that bush for a little while longer, too.”
Barbatos sighed in exasperation again, giving me a pitying glance. “What a strange form of amusement…”
“You don’t even know the half of it,” I muttered again, folding my arms in front of myself crossly. “Thanks for popping his bubble, Barbatos.”
He nodded slowly. “I see that the sorcerer’s identity had been weighing heavily on your mind, Chise.”
I looked down at the table. “…As it should.”
“Honestly,” Solomon sighed, “it was just a constant stream of questions and thinly-veiled accusations all the way here. Either way…” He brightened. “If you treat us to a glass of Demonus, Barbatos, I’ll let this one slide.”
I gasped, scandalized. “Solomon!”
Barbatos couldn’t stop his chuckle of amused disbelief. “Hm, so this is why they say no good comes of speaking with sorcerers today. Very well, I shall put in an order for you.”
I winced. “Barbatos, you do not have to do that.”
Solomon shot him a wink. “Thanks for the generous donation, Barbatos.”
“Solomon!” I hissed, making him laugh.
Barbatos chuckled again as he slid from the booth, his thigh leaving its press against mine under the table, much to my regret. “I won’t be joining you, though. There seems to be some truth to those rumours, and I would rather make myself scarce before it costs more than a drink. Chise…” He turned to me with a bow. “It was a lovely surprise to see you today.”
“Likewise,” I said softly, returning his affectionate smile.
“Aww…” Solomon pouted at him. “Was it not a lovely surprise to see me?”
Barbatos actually rolled his eyes, much to my shock. “I shall see you both later.”
…I leaned forward and flicked Solomon sharply on the nose once Barbatos was out of sight.
“Ow!” He pouted again as he rubbed at it. “Meanie…”
“I guess there’s some basis for that superstition after all,” I said sternly.
He blinked prettily. “Oh, do you really think so? I didn’t take you for the superstitious type.”
“To be absolutely clear, I’m saying that you are that basis! Physically sitting right here in front of me. Thank goodness Barbatos arrived to set you straight when he did… Honestly, every time I watch the two of you interact, I just can’t understand why the guy agreed to a pact with you. Blows my mind.”
“Hmm…” His eyes slid over to where Barbatos had disappeared. “Of course he of all demons would show up to ruin my fun. That was probably just a coincidence, though. …Probably.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re probably right, honestly. But sometimes coincidence really has a way of working out into convenience, hmm?”
“For you,” he pouted.
“Like trying to milk a dry dairy cow with you,” I muttered.
“Heehee! What an excellent way of putting it!”
“That was not a compliment.”
“And yet…!”
“…You’re impossible. Impossible and frustrating.”
He winked. “Keep the compliments coming.”
–
We switched to cocktails after our glasses of Demonus, made with liquor that did affect us.
So… Solomon was… drunk as a skunk.
And chatty.
I mean, so was I, but that was beside the point. Solomon was much more interesting than me when drunk. I was just a giggly schoolgirl who got touchy-feely-flirt. I had nothing to hide.
He, on the other hand, tended to let his guard down.
Should I feel bad about snuffling around like a truffle hog while he was in a state ripe for prying? Or, really, just listening to what he offered up naturally.
Nope. Absolutely not.
He hummed in delight over his next sip. “You don’t find many places that serve human world spirits here in the Devildom. Which makes this place extra special!”
“Pfff…” I giggled at his beaming smile, and the way he swayed back and forth like a fidgeting child.
“I mean, a lot of Devildom drinks are just straight-up weird, right? True, they have their own appeal. And they’re good once you get used to them. But still, sometimes you just want something from back home. I miss that human world flavour… Ahahahaha! Chise, why are you looking at me like that?!”
My giggle turned into a burst of laughter. “Sol, you’re actually drunk!”
“Hehe. My face must be all red… Do I really look that crazy? Ahahahaha!” His eyes closed shut with his own laughter as he pressed his fingers to his mouth. It was adorable.
I smirked at him. “You don’t just ‘look’ crazy…”
“Hold on…” His eyes widened. “Are you insinuating that I’m insane?”
“Pff…” I shook my head at his feigned look of shock.
“Because you’re totally right, Chise! Ahahahahahahaha!!”
“Oh my god…”
He grinned at me. “So, I’m guessing you think I’ve had a little too much to drink? I’m not drunk, though… Seriously! I’m not! See? I’ve still got it together!”
“See what, Sol?” I returned his grin. “You’re just sitting there swaying back and forth!”
“Oops! Am I really?” He giggled as he stilled himself. For a few seconds, before swaying again with a musical hum. “Oh hey…! I just remembered something. The first time I met Asmodeus, it was kind of in a place like this one.”
I raised my eyebrows at him. “In a café?”
“Noooo!” He waved his hand around lazily. “Like, the vibe! The antique furniture, moody lighting, errr… wood…”
“Pfff… Wood – so rare. Okay, if you say so.”
He leaned forward with an eagerness shining in his eyes. “Want to hear how it went down? I know you do, right?”
My eyebrows raised even higher, in surprise. “He’s told me his version. But he’s a little on the delusional side, so pleeeease, feel free.”
He giggled. “Thank you for implying that I’m not the delusional one!”
“I did not say that! Your delusions are on the other side of Asmo’s spectrum.” My face settled into another smirk. “So please, I’m soooo curious to see the other side of crazy.”
“Wow!” He winked at me. “Drunk Chise is quite the vicious little flirt.”
I giggled with a shake of my head. “I’m usually sugary sweet when I’m drunk. I guess you bring out the worst in me. …Wait, hey, I’m not the drunk one here anyway!”
He laughed heartily. “You’re so adorable when you’re in denial.”
“Rude!”
He smirked. “We first met ages ago. I can’t remember when it was exactly… But I was in some town on the evening of a festival or something. …I think.”
“Pffffff…” I smirked right back at him. “So that’s how this is going to be? A rambling mess?”
“Give me some credit! I have dementia.”
“WHOA.” I burst out laughing again. “Finally, he admits it.”
“Hehe.” He looked so happy right now, it was killing me. “Wow, the state Asmodeus was in that night… Aahahahahahaha! He was drunk out of his mind. He’d been going up to people, forcing his way into conversations. Everyone was trying to avoid him.”
I winced. “Oh boy. That’ll have stung his ego.”
“Then he fell asleep for a moment or something. Which is when I came along and sat down beside him – totally unaware of who he was or what had happened.”
I raised my eyebrows at him. “…You lying your face off again? Barbatos and I completely assumed you had.”
He shook his head. “And that’s how it all began.”
"Mmm… Wait a… hm? Oooh, look at you!”
"…I’m sorry?”
“I was just dreaming that some super-hot hunk was sitting next to me! So it was a real surprise to wake up and find that one really was sitting next to me! Ahahahaha! So, were you drawn in by my incredible beauty? Did you sit here thinking that maybe this was your chance to land the hottest hottie you’ve ever seen?”
"…Ummm.”
“There’s no need to be embarrassed! I mean, you’re hardly the first. Really, it’s like that with everyone who sees me! Oh, even when I’m asleep, I’m still irresistible! It should be a crime to be so beautiful!”
"I was really hoping to drink in peace tonight. Looks like I sat down next to the wrong person…”
“Ugh, look at you, acting all standoffish! Really, there’s no need to be shy! Ahahahahahaha!!”
"Listen, don’t you think you’ve had a little too much to drink? Maybe it’s time to head home and call it a night?
“Oh no, I’m fine! I’ve got plenty left in the tank! The night has only just begun! And also… And also, you know… Sometimes you have a night when you really need to drink… Just to… to keep it together… How…”
"How?”
“HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN TO MEEEEEE?!” Sob, sniffle, “Ugh, you have to hear this. You wouldn’t BELIEVE what I’ve been through!”
"Right, okay. I’m listening. Just… could you stop wailing? Because it sort of looks to everyone else like I’m the one making you cry…”
Sniffle, sob. “So, I met this human who was all like, ‘I love you,’ right? It was so sweet…”
"You… aren’t actually listening to anything I’m saying, are you…”
“‘I love you, I love you, you’re the best…’ They couldn’t get enough of me and I couldn’t get enough of them! Until this weird SORCERER or PRIEST or EXORCIST or SOMETHING showed up and was all like, ‘Begone!’ He chased me away… it was just HORRIBLE!”
"I see…”
“Isn’t that just AWFUL?! It’s absurb, right?! I mean, to go up to a perfectly happy couple and tear us apart like that–“
"I thought you must be wearing some sort of carnival get-up… Are you telling me you’re not actually human?”
“What?! Wait… you mean to say you can see my true form?! Hehehe, well! I’m SO glad you asked! Because it JUST so happens you’re talking to one of the seven rulers of the Devildom… The Avatar of Lust himself, Asmodeus! Yaaaay! …Hehe, just kidding! I mean, either way, I’m sure you find that all very hard to believe, being human and all!”
"VERY hard to believe, yes.”
“Yep, I thought so. Ahahaha!”
"You’re a great demon – as magnificent as you are charming. And this person just CHASED you off? THAT’S what’s so hard to believe.”
“…Come again? Well, that’s not the response I was expecting. So you’re not just a hottie, you actually listen, too?! Oooh, that’s an INCREDIBLE combination!”
"I don’t know about that. But I guess I DO have incredible luck. To walk into a random bar, sit in a random seat, and find myself next to you… Anyway, I’d love it if you’d tell me more about yourself, Asmodeus…”
I gawked at him.
“…So yeah!” He gave me his brightest smile. “The two of us really hit is off, and we ended up sitting there and talking for hours.”
“…You found him by LUCK?!”
“Heehee. Yep.” He winked. “Apparently, Asmodeus took such a liking to me that he tried to charm me using that special power of his, but I ended up talking him into forging a pact with me. So really, I was the one who charmed him. 'If you forge a pact with me, I’ll always be there to remind you of how great you are. Forever and ever.’ That was the pitch, and it worked.”
“…You went out for a drink, sat down, next to ASMODEUS, one of the SEVEN RULERS of the Devildom, in a BAR in the HUMAN WORLD, too drunk off his ASS to realize he was making a pact… By luck.” I sat back, blinking in disbelief. “…That’s some luck.”
He shook his head. “But no more luckier than you, right? Normal human life, and then whisked off to the Devildom to live with all seven, in the perfect position to forge pacts with them all.” He sighed with jealous longing. “You should’ve seen Asmodeus’s face when I showed him the signed pact the next day, after he was all sobered up! Ahahahaha! I still remember like it was yesterday…”
I was shaking my head. I should be scolding him, of course. But it was a long time ago, and what’s done was done. He is who he is – as is Asmo. And he was right. I’d manipulated most of the boys into their pacts with me, as shameful as it was to admit. Mammon and Levi in particular were a heavy burden in my heart sometimes, and they were even made before I’d met Belphie and planned pacts with the others to help him escape.
Though by the time Satan came around… I was doing it for… love.
The pact between him and I was formed out of love…
I looked down at the table, chewing my lip slowly as I fell into my sad rumination. I thought about him so much, so casually, every day, without realizing, even before he’d left. I didn’t realize how much I looked around and saw him everywhere, until he was gone, and those thoughts hit me like a brick wall. Today had been very distracting indeed. Solomon was like that, of course. Chaotic in a way Mammon could only aspire to be sometimes, in a way that distracted me entirely, so I had gone most of the day without thinking about Satan. But it was inevitable.
Solomon sighed softly across from me. “…When I think about how Asmodeus must’ve felt the day I met him… Believing you’re important to someone else, that they need you… And then to suddenly lose them…”
I raised my eyes back up to him.
He was looking down at the dregs of his drink in his glass, both of his hands wrapped around it.
“Solomon…”
“You keep growing closer and closer to the brothers. And with every step you take towards them, I feel you getting farther away from me…”
This had taken a turn. For us both.
I reached across, taking one of his chilled hands from around the cold glass, curling my fingers over the sides of his. “Solomon… Have you been lonely without me? Purgatory Hall, Simeon, Raphael… Please, Sol… Talk to me.”
“Hah…” He raised his eyes to mine. “I’m sure this must be amusing.”
“Amusing…?”
“That I seem like such a jealous child.”
I shook my head firmly, with a light squeeze of his fingers. “Not at all.”
He gave me a pained smile. “Sorry, don’t get the wrong idea, Chise… I’d just gotten so used to having you around in the human world – sharing a real home with you – so when I find myself alone for a bit I get a little caught up in my own head… So, let’s just forget this little sad spiel ever happened, okay? You’ll do that for me, right? You’ll forget about tonight?”
“Oh, Sol, my sweet and crazy man…” I was wobbly as I leaned forward across the table, nearly tipping entirely while brushing a kiss to his cheek. “I’m going to settle our bill. Let’s take our time on the way back… We’ll go slow.”
“Oh no, don’t try to change the subject! I’m not going to drop this until I hear you say you’ll forget! Actually, I have half a mind to demand that you promise it in writing right now! Maybe I should even consider having you swear an unbreakable magic oath?”
I smirked at him as I slid from out of the booth.
“Whoa, wait up! Chise!” He fumbled with his coat that laid in a heap next to him, before scrambling after me. “Come oooonnn, say you’ll forget! Oof!” He stumbled over his long coat that was dragging on the ground under his arm, though he regained balance before he fell on his face. “Chiiiiseeeee! C’monnnnn, pweeease?! Ahuvatiiiiiii!”
I giggled as I swayed myself over to the till, where the waitress waited for me, smirking as well.
Chapter 26: Intermission: Cursed To Be Yandere
Notes:
Content warning for frank discussion of suicidal ideation.
And then for some disturbing possessive Yandere Belphie behaviour.
I was listening to “The Other Side” by AT NIGHT while writing Belphie’s smut. It was kind of hot.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“I knew I’d find you here– whoops!” Solomon stumbled over a loose stone with a squeak, throwing his arms out at his sides to re-balance himself.
Barbatos turned his head to give him an exasperated look from his place on the wall. “…Are you drunk?”
“Weeeeell, I wouldn’t say drunk, exactly…”
“I left you with one horn of Demonus.” Barbatos raised his eyebrows at him as he watched the sorcerer stumble towards him, to slap his hands on the stone wall with a sigh of relief. “…It seems I started a party for two.”
“It’s after midnight,” Solomon said brightly, “so I’m no longer a curse to talk to!”
“You are a daily blight, no matter the occasion.”
“Heyyy... I said curse, not blight…”
“You recall correctly. It was I who said bligh– Oh for…” Barbatos stopped his sentence with a sigh, as he watched his drunken master try to scramble his way up the stone wall to sit beside him. “Must you really…?”
“I climbed a tree today!”
“And now, you are climbing a wall.” He rolled his eyes at Solomon’s huffing. “…Or, rather, attempting to. Unsuccessfully.”
“I saved an underworld butterfly, too.” Solomon grunted as he slapped his palms at the top, toes slipping on his chosen foothold.
“How kind of you.”
“And then I sang with a canary. And then I fell out of the tree, and into a bush! Well, Chise ‘accidentally' dropped me into the bush. Don’t worry, though. I wasn’t injured.” Solomon panted a bit, before reaching up to try again with a little hop. “Urrf… How do you do this…”
“Carefully,” Barbatos answered dryly.
After a few more moments, with the only sound coming from Solomon – grunts and huffs and the scratching of his shoe on the stone and the sound of dirt shaken loose – Barbatos finally sighed again, and reached his hand down. It’s not as though he was going to get any peace from the sounds of his scrabbling anyway.
“Oh, thanks!” Solomon grinned as he jumped up with the foot he still had planted on the ground, nearly pulling Barbatos down entirely – who grimaced in disapproval – before finally getting enough purchase to pull himself up the rest of the way on his own.
He swung his legs over the ledge, brushing his knees of dust.
“Phew!”
“…Imbecile.”
Solomon sighed with content as he kicked his heels against the wall annoyingly. “The breeze is nice up here. What a great view.”
“…Yes.”
“How’d you find this place, anyway?”
“I don’t remember.”
“Chise was happy to see you today. I could tell. Haha! I got such a scolding after you’d left! Love a good scolding from her.” He grinned. “She’s totally my type of woman, you know; one who could kill me with her pinky finger, but then doesn’t.”
“…Is there a point to you being here?”
“To talk to you!”
Barbatos sighed. “I was hoping that would not be the case.”
But Solomon, despite his declaration, fell silent. They both did, as they both looked over the valley of the orchard.
His lightheartedness was a façade, then. As usual. Quite an abrupt shift in his energy, too.
It’d be a good harvest, Barbatos thought, fancying that he could feel the Depravity Fruit trees soaking up the moonlight. This year’s Demonus vintage will be a fine one, once aged. He’d have to remember purchase a bottle or two, to uncork for the Young Master, in a thousand years hence. Or thereabouts. Perhaps two thousand, as a treat.
“…So, I think I know how you feel now,” Solomon finally said, breaking the silence. But softly, rather than a cut.
“Pardon...?”
“The reason why you’re so angry with me. Maybe I understand the offence you’ve taken after all.”
Barbatos frowned. “…I believe you may be including me in a conversation you’ve already half had with yourself?”
“Ah…” Solomon chuckled.
“You always were a sad drunk at the end of the night. After you’ve gotten your exuberance out of your system.”
“Yes…” Solomon agreed. "Sometimes..."
"A lot to regret, I suppose."
"Sometimes. Some things."
“At least you have some sense of self-awareness, then. Now, if you would like, please start this conversation over from the beginning. Preferably including me this time, if I’m to endure your company regardless. I would like to avoid having the headache you’ve already given me turning into a migraine instead.”
“You were eighth on my list of demons that I planned to make pacts with. You found that list.” Solomon gave him a weak smile. “That’s why you’re always so angry with me, right?”
“Yes, as I’ve told you before, many times. And certainly, it is the catalyst; the foundation of which you continue to build upon.” Barbatos shot him a baleful look. “But believe me, Solomon the Foolish, when I say this: That is not why I am always so angry with you.”
“Hehe. But you’re touchy about it.”
"Touchy?" Barbatos glared. “I was number eight. Me. The eighth name on your little list of demons you intended to approach for a pact.”
“I mean, personally, I wouldn’t say that a list of seventy-two names is little. Parchment was precious to come by at the time, you know.”
“I am not saying I should have been first. I am not even saying I needed to be one of your top three. But HOW could you put me at number eight? Squarely in the mediocre middle ground… it is unforgivable!”
“Aww, come on, you’re exaggerating… Eight out of seventy-two isn’t the middle. Besides, it’s not like I’d given permission for you to rifle through my papers in my home… It was quite uncharacteristically rude of you to do so, in fact! And out of all the ethically dubious writings you surely must have found in your ransacking of my private study, that was what you placed so much importance on…?”
“Yes, I’m sure it doesn’t seem all important to you. Clearly you thought it would be 'nice' to forge a pact with me, but if it didn’t happen, so what? That’s what being eighth means. Me. Eighth. The gall…”
Solomon winced. “It wasn’t about who I wanted to pact with most. I just wrote those names down in the order they happened to come to mind–"
"Ah… You wrote them down in the order they happened to come to mind, did you? So then, the list represents how you feel deep inside. The voice of your subconscious, calling out to you. ‘Barbatos, the Demon of Time itself, rumoured Father of Demons, is eighth.' You may as well do away with my very name. From now on, you may call me 'Number Eight'.”
Solomon hummed thoughtfully. “Yeahhh… Very touchy still, it seems...”
Barbatos tsked. “So, what is your point? Other than iring me.”
“Come onnn, Barbatos…” Solomon pouted at him. “That was a long time ago, anyway! There’s no need to be crabby still.”
“I am not crabby.”
“Well,” Solomon sighed, “your irritable reaction does cement my point, in a way… Though I would say that… despair would maybe be more… apt.”
“Have we turned morose again?”
“…Chise.” Solomon turned his face back towards the valley as her name left his lips.
Barbatos narrowed his eyes at him. “…What about Chise?”
He pressed his thumbs together, quiet again. For him to voice it would be another step entirely. A confirmation to himself, really. But it was bubbling, and had been for so long. …Had it been long? How funny. He had lived for so long, and yet…
In the last year, his concept of time had sped. Too fast. It was slipping through his fingers, too fast…
A mortal life passing through, slipping too fast. To love a mortal…
“I want to spend every single moment of every single day with her,” he whispered finally, though it seemed more to himself. Barbatos, more as witness to this personal confession, rather than a participant to any conversation. “Already I look at her, and see… loss. Again. Already, she slips away. And this time, I cannot…”
Barbatos was silent.
Of course he was silent.
After all, he loved her as well. Felt the same way. Felt the slipping of Time. Even for a demon such as himself.
Solomon gave him a weak smile. “I would do anything for her.”
“…I know.”
“But would she…” he continued in a whisper. “…You are lucky.”
Barbatos frowned. “I am…?”
“There is no doubt that you are higher up on her list than I.” He let out a strained laugh. “Simeon, too. We were together for years; and then a feather for her, after two. And now he doesn't have any left! You know, maybe I'm quite jealous?" He giggled. "...Hehe, just kidding!"
Barbatos stared at him in growing concern.
"I don't blame him. Because if I had a feather to give, I would have done the same for her; sooner, even. Hah. No, I don’t blame him one bit.”
“…I am… unsure of what to say…”
Drunk.
He shook his head. “Were she not mortal… If I did not have to watch her time slip through all of our fingers… Perhaps I would not feel this panic. This fixation, on this list. And Simeon… Gods, what have I done to Simeon… How could I have…?”
Barbatos did not need to say it. Did not need to say, 'She would not have survived otherwise; there was no other way’. He knew that already.
“And now,” he whispered again, “I’m going to lose two, if I don’t do this.”
Yes, Barbatos thought. He hadn’t known exactly what would befall Simeon. If he had, would he have made the same choice? He had his own lists, and not just in the Lesser Key, where Barbatos had found his name writ. Even if Chise were at the top, would he have still chosen her?
Choosing her meant that he had doomed himself to lose two loves, eventually. He had simply bought more time.
Choosing Simeon could have meant an eternal happiness with one, at least. Even if he never would have gotten a feather necklace of his own. Because Solomon… was not at the top of Simeon’s list, either.
...If their relationship could have even survived her loss. If Simeon could even ever forgive him, if he found the truth of the choice.
Squarely in the mediocre middle ground…
What a sad way to look at his relationships. Barbatos supposed the mortal upbringing within him never would dispense with itself entirely, no matter how quickly and desperately he tried to run away from it. To not face it.
They were his people. But they were not him. He was not theirs.
This, Barbatos thought, is the hollowed-out shell of a desperate man.
“'I would rather die with you than live forever after you're gone',” Solomon murmured. “I said those words to a good woman once. Meant it, once. And yet, when the time came, I shied in cowardice. Buried another. Everything I’ve done, everything I’ve felt, have been experiences entirely of my own making.”
Barbatos hesitated. “…You are very annoying, and have done many annoying things. …But you owe it to no one to suffer as you do, Solomon.”
He glanced at the demon beside him. “…It’s time, Barbatos. I can’t live with the weight any longer.”
“Solomon, are you–”
“I can’t chance waiting any longer. Anything could happen. I dreamt that she had an aneurysm in her sleep. Blinked into death, gone, before anyone could get to her, before she could be found, healed, saved. Dead. Dead. Don’t you ever wonder what it's like, losing what you cannot be without? Again. And again. And again.” He was nearly babbling now, voice choked. “If I can’t rise above this cowardice, then I’m going to erase it.”
One way or another.
Barbatos turned his face towards him fully, concern in his eyes. “Solomon, what I am asking is–”
“You can’t say that you don’t want the same,” Solomon pleaded. “You don’t want to lose this…”
“…I am asking, are you all right?”
Solomon stopped, and slid his eyes away from his. “…No. I would rather be dead.”
“That… is…”
A concept he was not familiar with.
At least, as far as he could remember.
“I cannot do this. Immortality…” Solomon shook his head. “It’s just another sort of death. A crueller sort. Without…”
“You realize that, in saying so, you are asking for my help to condemn–"
“Please!”
Barbatos let out a sigh. Not of exasperation, or annoyance, or even of resignation. But of pity. “I will only help you make one. You will choose, and then pass that choice on to your choice.”
Choose. 'Them'. Laughable. He knew Solomon's choice already; otherwise, he would have refused, pact be damned. Choosing Simeon would be met with a firm, resounding 'no'; and so he agreed, because he would reap in the benefits for himself. Tsk. Selfish.
But her words. What’s wrong with thinking about yourself for once? It’s your life, Barbatos. What are you actually working towards, if not for something for yourself as well? You're allowed to be happy before you've fixed everything. Surely you can atone while also being your true self?
You’re a lovely man… And you have so much… heart…
He hoped her belief in him would one day make her words true.
“One…” The word, broken; deep and throaty, expelled from Solomon’s lips.
Even as strong as Solomon was – as strong as any of the Father Rings were, anyway, one of which he bore on his finger – his power over Barbatos could be made tenuous, if truly forced. In this, he would not be compelled. He would resist.
…It would be an ugly thing. And not only in ugly violence, of which there would be much. But in ugly, unforgiving devastation; ugly devastation for Chise, that she would forever hold against whichever one of them came out on the other side in victory. Severed from her eternal. Victory, made pointless.
And Solomon knew it. And so, the word – 'One' – came from him as a broken breath of air.
“Just the one. There must be balance, Solomon. You understand the consequences. You risk everything you have worked towards in this request of me. And in that, you risk everything the Young Master has, and hopes to, accomplish. In this, we both take enormous risk. It is only because I…”
Because I love her, too.
Because he had Seen his empty house, with his barricaded door… opened, and filled.
And he wanted it so badly for himself.
Enough to shirk even duty and honour. At least, in this. Because he was desperate, as well.
“…Very well.” Solomon closed his eyes against his grief. “Please, don’t tell her. The real depth of this choice…”
“Never.”
He despised himself for the promise. Another betrayal.
Solomon shuddered.
Barbatos' next words went against the rules, of course. But he had already demonstrated his willingness to break them – long, long ago.
You are an empty house. And I think it is so sad for you, that you have never crossed that line.
And so…
He sighed. “…You still have a role to play in her life.”
“Role.” Solomon straightened immediately, eyes flashing greedily. Yes. Were he a Sin, he would be Greed; in that, Barbatos held no doubt. “And what 'role' might that be?"
"A life-changing one.” Barbatos inhaled deeply, and then exhaled, heavily. “…A life-saving one.”
Ill-considered, to offer this hope. But Barbatos was in a sympathetic sort of mood, and perhaps in an offering of such a destiny, of his importance outside of his untouchable symbolism, it would give him reason enough not to take his life after all. To stave off the impulse until he could find enough peace within himself to allow for the moment to pass.
So that Barbatos didn’t have to alter timelines again to undo such a desperate act.
“…One that only I can perform? Like… Simeon?”
“Yes.”
Solomon choked on a sob, clasping his hands tightly on his lap with a bow his head.
“…Thank you.”
Yes. He had become a desperate man. Lost through the ages. As admirable as they may sometimes be, humans were never meant to touch immortality. Their minds were not evolved for the concept. He touched, but could not grasp.
Barbatos watched the tears spilled from his squeezed eyes from the corner of his own. The Fathers had never intended for… this.
An oversight. One that had been unfortunately laid at his feet. For all his supposed power, he still had his limitations; fate always got the last laugh in the end, and would not bend to him, not matter how he rallied against it now and then in his frustration with inevitabilities that did not serve him.
Despite everything, he pitied Solomon; pitied this bumbling Child, who reached much too far beyond himself. Always had, really, since the day they had met. Perhaps he should have let him die that day after all, when he had found his broken body, already so near death anyway. It would have been a kindness to put him down, out of his self-inflicted misery.
But that had never been in the cards; in any timeline. All timelines where he had chosen such a thing had immediately blinked out of existence, to leave him back in the in-between, gasping at its abruptness, and then tutting in irritation as he plunged his hand into Time's soup to fish for alternatives. While fate laughed. He had seethed over the frustration as it dawned on him: Yes, he, Barbatos, was fated to pact with this foolish human, who condemned himself to his own suffering; so determined in it, that he had become a Point in time. A knot. At the humiliating expense of Barbatos’ Pride.
And so, he had found him. Or rather, been called to the screaming. Like a parent who catches sight of their child just as they touch the red-hot stovetop, a second too late to curb them from the consequence.
Except his was a consequence far greater than a burn. It was more akin to realizing your child had just somehow found and then doused themselves in gasoline, and then lit a match. And then somehow, they had survived the ordeal after you’d doused the flames with your own bare hands, and nursed them in their oozed wrappings, near death; until they emerged, permanently scarred, a pariah of his peers who averted their gazes forever more. Nerves numbed, or seared away entirely. His sense of touch dulled for the rest of his immortal life.
It was no wonder that he clung so desperately to any who would see him. Who would look, and accept, and extend out their hand; to touch him.
Even demons can be touch-starved sometimes. Chise’s words. That must mean it is a frequent human experience, to have adopted that idiom in their lexicon?
Solomon’s soul was touch-starved. Void of the human connection he so desperately craved, as a species evolved social, as a matter of their very survival. No longer was he a member of human community. Exiled. Near-deranged from its absence, that his human soul screamed for. Because that was what it meant to be human.
To find touch again… But not only a touch, but the touch of magic that matched his own that had so long been considered untouchable, and then to lose it… to time.
And Barbatos... Barbatos was the Demon of Time. And Solomon, his master.
Barbatos supposed that was enough to make a human man desire his own removal from existence entirely. Maybe, in a way, he could empathize. He was, after all, considered an untouchable creature himself… Who was touched by the same person as him, and lit aflame with a sudden enrichment that he had not realized he had lacked for so long, leaving him gasping.
Wanting to cling. Wanting to change it all, to make room for it. To keep. To really keep.
And so… all he could do, was pity this human man. And watch. To be caretaker to the idiot who had lit himself on fire. This wise fool to his people, who still searched the house, top to bottom, for more gasoline. Because maybe, this time, the outcome would be different.
How would lighting yourself on fire a second time produce anything different? What do you even hope to achieve? What ‘different’ outcome are you hoping to find? There is only burning alive that awaits.
No, no. Surely, surely, I shall find something different. I will be the first, to find whatever that may be. Because only I am brave enough to set myself aflame again. Has there been anyone else in history who dared to light themselves on fire a second time?
None who lived.
Ah, but I cheated death once, didn’t I? So surely, surely… I am made differently. And this time, because it is the second time, I will find something that no one had ever considered possible. Something entirely new.
Cheated death once. And weaker now for it. But still incensed, because maybe this time, this time, he will find something that will 'protect humanity’. Or whatever.
Barbatos sighed again, heavily, with his pity.
And now, after finding the gasoline that Barbatos had believed he had so carefully hidden, Solomon held the match up to Chise. Daring him.
Because surely, surely… This time… This time…
Fool.
“…Toda raba, toda raba, toda raba…” Tears streaked Solomon's cheeks as he lowered his face into his hands. "Thank you so much…"
“…Shalom aleichem, King Solomon the Wise. May you walk within it one day.”
A desperate man indeed. Desperate, and broken.
He sat next to him quietly, knees drawn to his chest, as his master broke into racking sobs.
Monitoring the flame. Before he could set the entire world on fire, to keep her warm.
Dark Dream – Curley Gao
When my eyes awake
Skies start to break
Storms overtake
Clocks cease to shake
Homeless forsake
Dream I'll create
Burns to remake
Craft dictates the fate I've made
Where echoes rave
When stars can't save
Can we bend the wave?
Void expands the world I see
Crimson floods the moon's decree
Light ripples through Time's debris
Bleeds my story
Whеre are the hands that writе my story?
Where are the chains that lock my glory?
Where are the lines that I can't outpray?
Who can see me?
Where are the flames that come in fury?
Where are the keys that carve truth from me?
Into the dark to dream and scream my name
Wonder or dismay
Madness or decay
With fragile Light
I vow to guard a world I stay
Stirring or delay
Rebirth or be same
With whispers in grey
Guide my shadow way
Fade away
Burn my broken shell to new sight
To be free in mist to hold a cup of Light
Where are the flames that come in fury?
Where are the keys that carve truth from me?
Into the dark to dream and scream my name
Wonder or dismay
Madness or decay
With fragile Light
I vow to guard a world I stay
Stirring or delay
Rebirth or be same
With whispers in grey
Guide my shadow way
Fade away
Chise: I’m thinking of you.
Chise: Goodnight.
Day 11
I looked over my shoulder with a frown. For, like, the fifth or sixth time.
“What’s up, Chise?” Asmo asked at my side. “Are you looking for Tinkerbell? I already fed her, so she’s napping it off in the living room.”
“So cute,” Levi squealed.
I shook my head. I’d seen her there too. “Has anyone seen Belphie this morning…?”
Mammon shrugged. “Now that ya mention it, I ain’t seen him yet.”
“I thought he’d woken up already,” Beel said, “but I guess he could have fallen back asleep.”
I sighed. As usual.
“He’s going to be late for school,” Lucifer cut in tersely. He’d been extra grumpy lately, much to everyone’s dismay, and inconvenience. Good for him. Guess he had the good sense to at least stew over me turning my nose up at him. “Someone go wake him up.”
“Hm.” I turned back to my plate to give my piece of bacon a delicate little nibble, with a snooty closing of my eyes. “I don’t know. Let him sleep.”
Lucifer’s voice managed to become more venomous. “That is out of the question. Someone go wake him up. Now.”
AKA, me.
Beel gave me a worried look. “…I’ll go too. It’s not easy to wake him up.”
I sighed again. We were basically the only two who could semi-reliably do it.
Surely it was his turn for the frozen watermelon? He was the only one left, after all. I was absolutely positive that Lucifer was not taking a turn with the fruit toss.
That’s why I’d been anxious over it, in anticipation.
…Fuck. The frozen watermelon really was working as enrichment while I paced my enclosure.
Hated that. Made me grumpier.
I stood up with a nod and a smile for Beel.
I wanted my fucking watermelon.
–
Beel sighed in fondness as we stood over the lump of purple blankets. “He’s fast asleep. It looks like he really did go back to bed.”
“Belphiiiiie,” I sang sweetly, softly, under my breath.
“Heh… Yep. Nothing.”
I leaned down to lift a blanket up, catching sight of a mess of dark hair underneath. “Belphie?”
Nothing.
I pulled the covers back with a sigh, shaking his shoulder. “Don’t make this harder than it has to be, mister. I will use–“
His warm hand slipped sweetly into mine, while he mumbled, “…This is a good dream…”
I made a little squeeing sound at the cuteness.
Beel, however, had the good sense to shake his head, not falling for it. “Belphie, this isn’t a dream.”
“…Hm?” Belphie cracked an eye open, before letting out a soft little yawn. “So… this is reality?”
He’s like a kitten when he’s eepy.
He smiled sweetly at me. “Did you come here to wake me up?”
“That’s right,” Beel answered for me, seeing as how I currently had sparkling stars of affection in my eyes, fighting the urge to coo. “You’re going to be late if you don’t get up soon. Lucifer isn’t in the best mood.”
“Mmm…” Belphie pouted his protest with a sullen blink.
“Come on,” I encouraged, with, yes, a coo in my voice. “Change your clothes.”
“Can’t I have a couple more minutes to wake up…?” More sweet blinking. “Maybe cuddle first?”
“Lucifer’s going to be mad if you’re late,” Beel chided again as he reached into the pile to literally lift him while he whined. “I don’t want to see you get in trouble. I’ll help you change, so can you at least sit up on your own?”
Belphie sighed in resignation, and then turned his sweet smile on his twin. “Thank you, Beel.”
I smirked as I sat my ass down on his bed while Beel went to grab him a clean uniform.
“No privacy, Chise?” he cooed at me quietly with a smirk of his own, out of earshot from Beel.
I wiggled my hips in a show of planting myself firmly in place. “Not on your life, Belph.”
–
Belphie yawned widely as he slumped in place, before scratching his cheek with a grumble.
“Now we just need to do your tie.” Beel waved his hand in front of his face. “Belphie, look this way.”
I rolled my eyes with a grin. “Talk about spoiled. Don’t you think this is a bit much?”
“But I’m sleepyyyy.”
Beel just shook his head. “I can’t help myself either when I’m hungry. It can be tough dealing with a Sin on your own. So I know how Belphie feels when he can’t fight off his drowsiness. Maybe that’s why I end up spoiling him.”
I was absolutely certain that Belphie struggled with as the Sloth. No question.
Just as I was equally absolutely certain that he played it up to take full advantage of being babied as much as possible.
“Okay, we’re done.” Beel smoothed down his tie. “We’ve really got to hurry.”
Belphie sighed.
“I’ll hold your hand,” I offered brightly.
“Heh. Okay. I guess I can stand up for that.”
Beel shifted as he looked very obviously between us, touching his wrists.
I grinned at him. “You can hold my other hand, Beel!”
He smiled back shyly. “Okay.”
But later, after school, Belphie still hadn’t sought me out.
I stalked my enclosure impatiently, restless.
“Beel?” I caught sight of him coming out of his room with a basket full of laundry. “Have you seen Belphie?”
Beel shook his head. “He was supposed to bring the clean sheets in from the clothesline and hang up the next load, but he didn’t come back. Both him and the dry laundry are missing.”
I sighed. So he’d absconded with fresh laundry again. “So I take it he’s not in your room.”
He shook his head again. “But I bet you can find him, Chise. You always do.”
“I’ll find him in three minutes flat, and then I’ll give him heck for leaving you to do the laundry alone again.”
“Haha. Don’t worry about it.” He gave me a sweet smile, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “He looked pretty tired, so I don’t mind.”
It was my turned to shake my head, with a soft laugh. “Maybe we spoil him a little too much after all.”
“I kind of like to,” Beel admitted sheepishly.
“Heh. Me too.”
“Good luck. But, um, remind him that it was my own bedsheets that he stole, so… If I could get those back before I go to bed…”
“Pfffff.” I laughed a little harder. “Sure thing.”
I took off towards the attic.
So cute. So cozy. Like a kitten, curled up in freshly laundered sheets, with only his dark hair peeking out from the nest he’d made on the bed.
“Belphie…? You sleepin’, baby?”
“…Mmmff…” He sighed, before pushing out his arms through the sheets with his head tucked between them in a little stretch. And then relaxed again.
I sighed indulgently as I crossed the messy room to go to him, slowly lowering myself onto the bed to sit next to him, fingers soon gliding through his hair. Until they snagged on a tangle within his bedhead. I smiled with a shake of my head. I’d have to comb that out later.
He curled again at my touch, tucking his arms in like a damned velociraptor. His lips were parted. He breathed out through his mouth, eyes closed. Once again, looking like a sleepy kitten.
I touched again, brushing his hair back from his warm forehead.
“Nnh…” He breathed out a sigh. “…Five more mins…”
I leaned forward with a giggle, my lips near his ear. “…I’ll give you five seconds.”
“Whaaaat?” He huffed, without even opening his eye. He’d been awake, probably from the moment I’d first tried to run my fingers through his hair. “That’s barely any time at all…”
“That’s what I thought,” I said with a smirk, referring to his feigned 'sleep'.
He quirked a smile, before slowly cracking an eye open to look at me from its corner. “…Fine. I guess I could try and wake up for you.”
I kissed the same ear that I’d whispered against. “Your generosity knows no bounds.”
“So?” He stretched out his arms in front of him with another sigh. “Why were you looking for me?”
“Beel would like his sheets back. You should really be helping him, you know.”
“Hmph. I brought all the laundry inside, isn’t that good enough? I was just sleeping off all the effort.” He chuckled mischievously, with another glance at me. “…That sure was a nice try, Chise… So let’s try that again.”
“Huh?”
He gave me a little smirk. “Why were you looking for me, before you ran into Beel?”
I frowned. “I just wanted to see you…”
“Is that so…? Well, here I am. You found me. So c’mon…” He pulled more sheets back with his arm outstretched towards me now, smile widening. “Come here. You should join me.”
“Well…” I looked back at him uneasily. There was an edge to his smile. Like a cat who’d flipped onto her back to show you her belly in invitation. Purring, kneading her paws into the air.
And yet, at the same time, her tail would be thumping; once, twice, thrice, telling you – 'I'm luring you into a trap.’
He sighed in content. “Aren’t fresh sheets just the best? They’re so soft and warm… They just suck you riiiiight in…”
“Nice try.”
“Hehe… But you came here to see me, right?” He rolled more onto his back, eyes lifting in their corners with his sweet smile. Yes, just like a cat-trap. “Here I am. And I’m not getting up. At least, not until you tell me the real reason why you’re here. And even then, well… we’ll see.”
I sighed in resignation. So he reeeeally was in one of those moods, huh?
Well, whatever. If this was a tickle-trap waiting to happen, I’d just Stay him.
“Fine…” I crawled in with an exaggerated show of reluctance, and he hummed in amusement as he shifted over to make room in his nest. I could never fool him. I settled next to him with a sigh, warm in the spot where he’d just been laying, where he’d just moved from to make room for me. Warm, next to him, as he radiated heat from being engulfed in layers of fabric. I laid there on my own back, shoulder to shoulder with him.
"“Hehe… I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist.”
We looked up at the ceiling together. At the draping fabric of the sheer canopy above, and their twinkling fair lights that Beel and I had put up with him. For ambiance.
“Being next to you is nice and warm, too. I bet I’ll sleep even better than I did before…”
He let out a big, slow yawn, squeezing his eyes against it.
“…Belphie?” I’d kind of been waiting for tickling.
“Besides, the real problem was giving me this chore to do in the first place. It’s such a slog. There’s no way I was going to make it all the way through.”
I snorted, raising my eyebrows as I decided to just play along with whatever the fuck game he’d decided on for us. “But you’re so good at this kind of thing, Belphie.”
“Pfff…” He rolled onto his side to face me, curled. I turned my head to look back at him. “Are you trying to sweet-talk me into doing more work?” He sighed. “Well, it’s not going to happen. I did plenty today already. Actually, I put in enough effort to cover tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after. So aaaall I plan to do now, for the next few days, is sleep… like…” He closed his eyes, voice drifting. “…this…”
I blinked my quiet disappointment as I watched his face relax.
“…Why did you come find me, Chise…?” he murmured sleepily.
“I thought that maybe you’d like to hang out,” I whispered back. “Do something together, maybe…”
He cracked his eye open again.
Devilish focus. That eye, locked to both of mine. Capturing me.
“…Awwwhh… poor baby…" Belphie gave a little smirk as he lifted his arm up over me, pressing his finger to my collarbone, before he dragged it down the middle of my chest. “…Did someone think I was planning something special for her today just because all my brothers have done something for her so far? All worried about you, mother-henning you, spoiling you, because you've been such a sulky little babyyyy…"
I felt my face turn beet red, and immediately fought the wave of disappointment that swept through me from showing on my face. "I just... thought that you would have liked to spend some time together."
"Mmm. So YOU want to spend time with me, but I'M supposed to be the one who makes it happen?" His smirk deepened. "Hmph. So, what about you, Chise? You didn’t make any special plans for me either, right?"
I fucking squirmed, feeling myself actually turning sulky as I scowled at him.
This. Was. JUST. Like. Him. It was frustrating.
“Hehe..." He chuckled as he pulled his hand away from my body to lift his arms above his head in another good stretch, turning onto his back again. “Mmn, ahhhh, that’s what I thought… But eh, even if you did plan something for me, I'm kinda feeling lazy anyway. I slept for so long, I can’t even summon the energy to do anything else."
"...You and Satan are close. I don’t get it."
"Ahh, and there it is." He turned to me with a sweet smile. "Well, it's about time."
I felt like curling up into a ball. "...What do you mean...?"
"You've been trying to distract yourself, right? EVERYONE'S been trying to distract you. It’s all been pretty pathetic to watch, to be honest." He shrugged casually. "I thought you were actually growing a backbone these days, personally."
Now I was just getting pissed off. "...If this is your own way of dealing with all of this, it's kind of fucking me up. So… Yeah. Bye–"
He grabbed my wrist, just as I moved to get up. I scowled as I tried to pull away, but his grip only tightened.
"Belphie, I am NOT in the mood–"
He shook his head with a tsk. "What are you going to do about this, Chise, when distractions aren't going to work anymore?"
I gritted my teeth, glaring at him quietly.
"Because they will stop working. And then what?"
"...I don't know," I answered tersely.
"You should think about it."
"I don't want to."
"Just gonna let him run away, huh?" He rolled his eyes. "Damn, I would be pissed if you didn't go after me."
"You're different people. Besides..." I finally pulled my gaze away. “…He asked me not to bring him back."
"Heh. Is that so? Well, that certainly wouldn't stop ME from going after YOU. I'd have dragged your ass back here already. And I wouldn't be gentle about it. I'd be pissed.”
"...Different people."
"But you are pissed, right?"
I felt my poker face slip, as I pulled in my bottom lip to chew on it. Continuing my refusal to look at him.
"Pff. Well, if you're not going to get him back for yourself..." He settled flat on his back with a sigh, arms resting behind his head. "Then get him back for me.”
I blinked in surprise.
"For us, I mean. Because unlike you, I ACTUALLY can't do anything about it. None of us can. Only YOU can get him back." He tutted again, shaking his head. "Master."
"That's… not…"
I really did begin to curl into myself, cursing the whimper that managed to escape.
He turned his face to look at me. "...Come here."
"No..."
"Come on."
"No!"
He sighed, before wiggling himself to the side, hips and shoulders working to bring him closer to me. I didn't move away. I didn't know how to feel.
He rolled onto his side, and pulled me to him. I was limp throughout the pull, and limp as he wrapped his arms around me.
I felt the sting of tears searing my eyes. I squeezed my eyes shut to ease the burn of them, feeling my tears spill as I did.
"I love you," he whispered, before pressing a kiss to my forehead. "I would never abandon you."
"...I know."
"You'd never abandon me."
“N…! Never.” I choked on the word, my voice low in my throat.
"But even if you did, even if you TRIED to abandon me..." His hold on me tightened, nearly squeezing the air out of my lungs as he curled his fingers painfully into my arms. "I would STILL not abandon you. Never. I’d force you to come back… And then I would never let you leave again."
I laid there in his embrace, quiet. The muscles of his arms were flexed tight with his grip on me. I felt how his heart raced against my temple as my forehead was pressed over his chest. He was genuinely upset. Like me.
Slowly, I relaxed against him. A little sniffle, before I let out a soft sigh, turning my face to press against him in his embrace. His heart beat under my lips and chin now, and I felt his own lips press another kiss to the top of my head. I kissed his chest back, pulling my arms out from between us to slide my palms up from his hips to his waist, until I wrapped them around him. The space between us had loosened with my arms no longer there. So I snuggled closer.
"I love you," I whispered, as I pressed my forehead to his chest harder in a show of sincere affection. Like a cat, headbutting, I thought lightly, as the heaviness in my heart slowly began to ease in his warm embrace. I sniffled again, clearing my sinuses so that I could inhale against him. His scent... Always tinged with a bit of the natural musk of his sweat, from his constant burrowing naps under heaps of blankets while wearing cozy sweaters.
And he liked to light candles sometimes, too. Diffusers, oils. And he liked snuggling in clean laundry, of course. Fresh detergent, the fragrance of a candles, his deodorant, body wash, shampoo. His sweat. Clean, but still with his musk.
Belphie.
"I will always go after you," I promised, in another whisper. "I will never abandon you, either. I love you to death."
"Are you saying that to me, or about someone else?”
I swallowed nervously at his tone. “I will always bring you home, Belphie. I will always find you, even if you try to melt away again. I will always keep the light on to guide you home, until I find you for myself. The moon belongs up in her dark yet starry sky, right? I will always love…"
I stopped at the touch of his fingers under my chin, panting with fresh tears in my eyes in anticipation as he tipped my face up. My heart raced as we neared. Half a heartbeat, though time felt slowed, as he leaned to close the gap.
He captured my mouth with his. Hard, rough, open-mouthed, his teeth scraping against mine from the force. I whined brokenly as my fingers curled into the front of his shirt, pulling on him insistently like a child. He rolled with my tugging, crushing me under him as he came to a rest on top, his hands sliding down my body to grip my hips hard while his tongue was shoved into my open mouth.
"Belphie, Belphie," I panted, muffled, before meeting his tongue with my own with another whine. I wrapped my legs around him to crush him down closer, locking my knees with a press of my shins, squeezing my thighs. He didn't make a noise, other than huffing breaths into my mouth, and the sound of our sloppy kisses between us.
He rolled his hips, I tilted my pelvis.
And then his hand, gripping my neck tight with a growl in his throat as I let out a strangled yelp.
"You'd better not be lying."
“…I'm not," I huffed in a wheeze, eyes widening in alarm. "Not..."
"Mmphh..." He shoved his tongue back into my mouth with another throaty growl. Another roll of his hips. Fingers still gripping the sides of my throat, near my jaw. And then licking, swiping his tongue across my teeth, while he let out a groan. I whined my need again, rolling my own hips to meet his next.
"Promise," he hissed, between the rolls of our mouths.
"Prommshh..." I only managed that much, before he took my tongue between his lips to suck it in, hard, making me wince at the pull. I yelped against his mouth as his tail came slamming down on the floor right beside my head, close enough for its fur to whip against my cheek, for it to half-cover my face, for the fur to pull into my mouth from the force and slop of his drooling kisses, making me splutter to unsuccessfully spit it from my tongue.
He put more pressure on my windpipe as he switched to biting my lip with a growl. Too hard. I yelped again, as I struggled under him, against him now.
Demon.
"Stay," he hissed in my face.
I stilled, wide-eyed, his eyes locked to mine. Glowing, swirling; a dark, purple abyss, capturing me like a fly trapped in tainted amber.
Demon.
I touched his grip on my neck lightly with my fingers with a pleading whimper, wordless.
"I love you," was all he said. Simply. Coldly.
I mouthed it back, feeling my face going red, with a pressure in my skull that made the back of my eyes ache deeply, that fogged my vision, and thoughts.
And then he let go of my neck, giving me a sweet smile, tilting his horned head slightly to the side. “Heh. I would never actually hurt you… But you know that already. Right, cutie?"
I nodded weakly, with a touch to my neck, bottom lip trembling.
He closed the gap again to brush his lips against mine, light and tender. "Do you see what I mean...?"
I nodded again.
Another kiss. "I love you. Did I scare you?"
I hesitated, and then nodded again. “…A bit. But I love you too."
"Heh..." He chuckled with a little shake of his head. And then took my hands in his, lacing his fingers in mine, pressing them gently to either side of my head. “Okay, crazy girl. How would you like it – gentler...?"
I felt my eyes go round, and then sting of tears pricked them again. "...Yeah."
"Okay," he said softly, with another tender press of his lips. "I think that's what you need."
I felt one of those tears break loose. "Yeah…”
“Am I reading you?”
My bottom lip trembled. “…Like a book.”
He nodded, kissing me gently again. “You’re allowed to be upset, Chise… You’re allowed to be angry, too.”
“Thank you,” I whispered.
***
During our struggle, he had managed to get his knees to either side of my thighs to break how I had wrapped around him. He leaned back on them now, pulling off his sweater as he sat on me. He watched me, eyes soft, while I watched him, as he unbuttoned his uniform shirt. He hadn’t bothered to take that off after school. Straight from uniform pants and into sweats and sweaters for sleeping, but too lazy for buttons. Sweats and sweaters… My eyes drifted down his body where he bulged inside those sweats in a generous tent, and I bit my lip at the sight.
He chuckled at my peeking as he got his shirt off, and my eyes lifted at the sound, at his leaning down again, to rove my eyes over his abdomen and chest and shoulders. His cow-blotted demon marks stained his skin like spilled ink.
“I’ve always loved your horns so much,” I whispered as our eyes met again. “Their spiral. Like a ram’s.” I lifted my hand, palm-up. “And your tail.”
He smiled at me with a sideways tilt of his head as he let his tail drop lightly in my hand, the narrow part mid-way, before he slid it through my fingers that I half-enclosed on it until I held a fistful of the fluff.
“You’d think it’d be coarse, right?” he said softly. “Like a real cow’s. But it’s soft fluffy.”
I smiled. “Perfect for a Sloth to nap on, when he finds himself without a pillow.”
“Exactly.”
He came down to me, and kissed me sweetly, fingers on the tie of my neck scarf on the side of my throat. A tug that made me swallow against the pressure it pulled across my esophagus, before he moved on to the buttons of my shirt, down and down.
He tsked as I laid there, to be undressed by him. “Lazy girl.”
I nodded, the backs of my hands resting on the bed again where he had left them by my head, while I watched him with a smile.
He began to work deftly on my pants, unbuttoning, unzipping, casually moving back to start tugging them down my hips. I lifted my legs up, and he gave a small smile at my pliability, indulging my quiet meekness. This was, after all, for me. His way.
He stood from the bed to pull them from me, and to pull his own down. Casually. No boxers. Coming to me again, naked, cock straining, as I began to tremble for him.
"You didn't take my underwear off..." I whispered teasingly.
"You're right," he replied, as he slipped his hands under the back of my thighs, "I didn't."
I sighed under my breath as he pushed my thighs up gently, watching as he dipped his head down between my legs to press a kiss to my panties.
And a little warm lick against the fabric.
I smiled. "I don't always get this from you..."
He chuckled low. "Usually only after..."
"I guess I really am getting spoiled today-- mmm..."
He pulled the fabric to the side to half-reveal me, kissing one side of my folds sweetly. Another lick, a finger slipping under to slip through the silky heat of me.
"Heh. Already wet I see. Always shameless."
"Been wanting you all day."
"Haha. I see." He smirked up at me. "So that's how you intended to end our 'date,' hmm?"
I giggled with a roll of my hips. "Just get on with it."
I sighed when he slid his finger through again. Moaned at the third time, when he slid from even lower than my folds, from just near the other hole and up.
"Take them off," I begged shakily, body quivering with sudden need at the tease of what he promised, as I hooked a thumb into the waistband of my own underwear.
He tsked at my impatience, before sliding his tongue up through my folds again, ending with a flick against my clit that had me moaning more need. And then I gasped as he slunk his fingers into me slowly. Achingly slow. Half-curling them downwards as he went, pressing along the bottom. I rolled my hips again with a whine when he pulled them out entirely. He teased my entrance with a swirl, before pushing in again, to pump slow.
"Please," I whispered, with a tipping of my head. "Please, Belphie."
He tutted at me. And then finally, finally, his tongue pressing my clit, while he slid his fingers in a little rougher, a little faster.
"Oh gods," I groaned. "Hells, Belph..."
He pulled his fingers out again, and I whined at their absence. And then back in, but -- they were dry, though they sunk easily anyway, with how wet I already was.
"Nice and prepped," he murmured, before I heard him spit, and then I was groaning, spreading my legs wider, tilting my pelvis, shaking, as I felt him teasing my other hole. Both touched, one hand still pumping me slowly, while his other fingers prodded me. Swirling, pushing, and then I choked on my next moan while I squeezed my eyes tight and slid my hands under my thighs to hold them up, as he pushed those in, too.
I panted, groaned, as he twisted those in my ass, while he switched to curling his fingers up to drag those along the top of my other heat. His tongue flicked me, and then again. He pumped one in while the other pumped out, back and forth, quickening together, while he flicked with the tip of his tongue outside of his rhythm, shocking me with gasps.
I was squirming, panting, moaning, tilting my head back. Crying out now as he shoved both deeper, harder, rougher with a growl in his throat.
The tighter swell of my entrance began to burn with his roughened, jamming pumps, and I cried out noisily and open-mouthed while I curled forward to watch him, shaking. He flicked his eyes up to hold my gaze for a moment, flashing fierce and feral, locking eyes on mine while he took my clit into his mouth with a sharp suck. I choked on a dry sob as my spine bucked with electricity. Both holes, my clit, he pumped and sucked and then bit down on me, making me shriek with another sharp tip of my head backwards. Pressure in my ass, fire burning inside my pussy, lightning in my clit.
It wasn't taking long at all.
"I'm gonna cum I'm gunna cum PLEASE!"
He growled, low and throaty, pressing his wet tongue to the underside of my bud while he scraped his teeth along the top. I cried out, bucking, my eyes squeezed shut, my spine curving the other way, flexing, gasping, tears pricking my eyes as I was washed under.
I heaved in a breath to hold it.
My bucking writhe abruptly ended in a rigid backwards curl while my next cry was ripped away. I choked, throat tight and restricting, breath held despite my open mouth, lungs still. While inside I raged, contracting around his fingers, clit thrumming with incomprehensible sensitivity.
He rode me through with a groan, humping his hips desperately, wanting to be in in in to give it to me to join to throw himself at me to ravage me. The pumping of his fingers began shaky as he resisted himself, his hot breath heaving over my clit as he watched me with deep, feral hunger. Demon. He was always meant to be a demon. Always had it in him. Fierce and possessive and snarling and manipulative and sly and taking whatever he wanted.
I choked wetly once, twice, my fingers in my thighs sunk deep into my soft flesh. And then I slammed myself back with an explosive rasp of the breath I held, sucking more in noisily, desperately. I descended with a groan while my body still pulsed, sensitive.
I let my thighs drop with a whiny sob. He pulled his fingers from me with a sigh, and I shivered as he ran the flat of his tongue up through my slit. Lapping cream with a throaty hum, pleased. Licking fingers. Licking me, while I laid there, getting my breath back.
Didn't take him long to give in to his other, more urgent desperation.
"...Yep," he said tightly as he pulled his face away, masturbating his cock while he walked his knees closer to me. "I'm gonna fuck you now. Get your panties off, baby, and your bra. I want to see your tits bounce."
"Fffffuck," I whined in a high voice, as I forced myself to obey, folding myself with a lift of my legs to hook into the band of my panties, pulling them shakily over my thighs. He hummed in approval as he ran his eyes over the back of my thighs and rear, his hand gliding faster on his cock, eyes locking greedily to my sopping wet cunt.
I panted as I left my legs open for him while I scrambled with the clasp of my bra behind my back next, my chest heaving with my breath as he wasted no time to dip himself down, stilling his masturbating to grip the base of himself while lining up.
I'd only just gotten the hooks behind me undone before I was moaning with a sharper arch of my back as he sunk himself into me immediately. My wet heat took his generous girth and length easily, greedily, so soaked for him. It was all I could do to pull one strap of my bra off from my arm, to toss it across my chest, still hanging from the other.
He bottomed out quickly, and then pulled back with a strained chuckle while he checked. "Yep. You've already creamed my cock wet. That ring you leave around my base, mmff... I love fucking your ass, baby, but this..." He plunged back in, and I threw my head back with a throaty cry. "...This, I can't get from being inside your ass."
"Belph...ie..." I moaned, as I slipped my hands under my thighs to hold them up and apart again. "Feels so..."
He pulled out, slammed back in with an umph. "...Fuck..."
I choked desperately as the fire pierced my belly, squeezing my eyes shut.
Fully in, hilted, he fell forward to land above me with a slap of his hands on other side. It shoved him in rougher, and I let out a sharp cry.
"...There," he whispered huskily, with slower rolls of his hips. "How's that feel?"
A whimper laced in with my panting, vision blurred my eyes half-closed.
"How good does my cock feel?" He pressed a kiss to my jaw, full-lipped and sweet. "So good, right?"
"So good," I agreed shakily, before tipping my head back with a gasp as he rewarded me for my words with a firmer push. "Oh, Belphie, you feel so good... Ohhh hells!"
He pushed his pelvis down at a tilt with a sigh, grinding for a moment until I mewled with a shiver, for him to resume his slow roll. Deep, using the full circular motion of his hips, pushing down, down, while I spread my legs further, higher, choking on moans.
"Oh my god, Belphie..." My voice was high, shaky. "Oh my god you're so deep... Oh my god..."
"Mmm..." A hard, hard press, that he leaned into, lingering, tip kissing my cervix, while I tipped my head back again with a cry.
"You l-love me..." I curled my fingers over the curve of his shoulder.
"I love you so much," he said shakily, "that I don't even know what to DO!"
He slammed into me hard on the last word, making me cry out again.
"So I kiss you..." He brushed his lips on mine. "And FUCK you..." Slammed his hips.
"Oh g...gods!" I choked, my knees spreading out as far as I could. "S-So deep...!"
"Fuck," he breathed, as he pressed his forehead to my cheek. "Fuck you feel so good, you feel so. fucking. good!”
I cried out with every piercing. He was getting faster, faster, chest beginning to heave with his breaths as he pinned me down hard. His face was red, eyes glazed while he began to take me, groaning, heavy on me. I took him into my arms with a broken whine to steady him in his thrusting, clinging to him while he sleeved himself inside of me, again and again.
"I want you," he panted. "I want you, want you, want you, want you!"
"Belphiiiiie," I groaned. My throat felt so tight. "Oh hells Belphie please..."
"Tell me what you want..."
"You...!"
He ground himself with a growl, before thrusting smoothly again, though his arms shook. "Tell me what you want me to do..."
“P… Please… Slap me…"
He immediately lifted his hand, and cracked it across my face while I let out a sharp yelp.
And then he gripped my chin in his fingers, hard, hissing, the sound of it broken by the rhythm of his thrusting. “Mmm thought you needed…"
"You," I finished for him, the word sounding whiny and pathetic and small to my ears. Desperate and needy.
He crushed my lips with his, thrusting, thrusting, pounding, gripping my jawbone painfully as he kept my mouth captured, pressed so hard I couldn't take in a breath. I wheezed as I scrabbled at him, heels kicking in the air.
He abruptly let me go, and I sucked in a desperate breath of air, feeling my muscles work his cock inside of me from the coughing fit I fell into. Tears stung my eyes again as I looked into his face with helplessness, mouth open still as I gasped with every slam of his hips.
"Beautiful..." he muttered.
"I'm... gonna cum... sssoon..."
“…Fuck. I'm only going to say this once, ever," he whispered in my ear while he rutted, “Listen. Fucking. Listen.” Thrusting, mercilessly. “I LOVE making you cum, Chise. I LOVE it. I don't always care about making you cum. But when I do, I fucking. Love it. When. You. Cum."
I let out a sob in response, my heart swelling in my chest with my worshipping adoration of him.
He leaned back a bit, and slapped my other cheek, hard, sending my face rocking to the other side, while I let out a choked sob. His thrusting didn't break stride as he did it again.
And then he thrust his hand down between us to torture my clit, with rough, rapid rubs that felt like I was being mercilessly scratched.
I screamed as my orgasm ripped through me at the sudden abuse that my body took as pleasure in the split second it had to decide. So it rocked me, the pain, the overstimulation, searing me, burning me up, while Belphie continued to deliver blow after blow with his cock against my cervix as well. It burned hot, all of it, like road rash, and my body responded with deep contractions, a reflex to the shooting electricity that split through me.
"Fuuuuck..." he groaned. "Your pussy feel so GOOD..."
I choked and shuddered, open-mouthed on my back. He leaned to me again, panting, to drag the flat of his tongue up my cheek, leaving it cold with cooling saliva once he pulled away. And he fucked my tightly-bunched body, rocking the whole of me ruthlessly as my muscles refused any flexibility. I choked, choked, choked again, before expelling the enormous breath of air I'd held with a pained groan.
Sinking down, while he continued taking.
My mind was trying to brace for more from him now that he had me vulnerable, but he sunk down with me with a low groan, nestling his head under my jaw as he began to slow, taking me sweetly instead. Rolling thrusted, tender, while he nuzzled into my collar with soft moans, eyes squeezed tight.
"...I love this," he whispered against me. "I love this so much. The most beautiful thing I've ever had in my whole life… Is you…”
I sighed as I very shakily lifted my arms to slip my fingers into his hair, holding him against me while he moved lovingly between my legs. "I love you, Belphegor..."
"I love you..." He pressed a kiss to my hot skin. "Mmnn... I love you so much... Thank you… I love you..."
I slowly wrapped my legs around him, pulling him to me gently with each roll of his cock inside me while I grazed kisses over his forehead. Finally he came up, catching my lips against his mid-kiss to his skin, to roll kisses just as sweet. I felt the flex of his shoulders under my arms as I held him, nuzzling, kissing, lips on lips.
"...I think I'm gonna cum soon," he whispered shakily.
My hands drifted down from his hair to the peaks of his shoulders, where I pushed him lightly to the side. I rolled him underneath me while he gasped softly against my mouth, his pace within me stuttering briefly, before he resumed again with a soft moan. I straddled, lacing my fingers with his as I rose and fell on him with a lift of my thighs, pressing the backs of his hands to the mattress on either side of his head, like he had done to me.
I rode him, rolling hips, knees and thighs and core working, swallowing his cock in and out of my wet heat, again and again. He gasped against my insistent, gentle mouth, each gasp getting louder, sharper, as I rode, and rode.
"Chise… Make me cum…"
"Come on, baby," I whispered against his lips. "Cum for me. Cum inside me. Inside me."
He tipped his head back with a throaty groan, my lips grazing his chin as it passed. He rolled his hips harder, gasping, shaking, his fingers laced in mine curling tighter. His back arched with his next groan, eyes squeezing shut.
"Cum, Belphie baby… You can cum…"
He shuddered, skidded in me as his pelvis twitched, and then with a soft cry, he began to pump his sticky seed, hot within me. Shuddered, shuddered with each tense pulse, with soft bucks of his hips as he hissed quietly through his teeth. He bowed his head forward to press his forehead to mine while I cooed at him, thumbs brushing the sides of his hands that shook in mine, as my rolls in top of him eased with his draining. Flooded thick inside, drooling along his shaft with each additional swallow that pushed more of it out to run in milky rivulets down his cock.
I nuzzled him tenderly as my hips finally came to a rolling stop.
///
I sighed, kissing the corner of his mouth as he sucked in a sharp, noisy gasp, with tears stinging the corners of his eyes.
He was shaking, hands shaking so hard as I gently uncurled my fingers from his. He laid in place, lips parted, eyes glazed.
"You're so cute," I whispered, pressing a kiss to his jaw. "Sooo so cute, Belphie..."
He let out a long, soft sigh. "...Man... Where did that come from...?"
I curled a bit over top of him, nestling on his chest. "You needed it too."
"You're everything..."
"I'll never leave you." I kissed his neck. "Never ever."
"Yeah..." he sighed again, before I heard a small smile in his voice. "I know."
"If you ever start to doubt it, come to me right away so I can tell you again."
"Ahh..." Finally, he found the strength to lift his arms, wrapping them around me. "Heh. Yeah, sure. IF I doubt it."
Belphie's greatest fear: Being abandoned. Being alone. Being left behind. Despite his outward aloofness, he struggled with attachment issues.
No wonder he had been such a sucky baby. And a spoiled brat...
He had a point with what he had said to me. But damn, the projection was there, too.
Belphie sighed tiredly. "Do you think Beel is going to want me to re-wash his sheets...?"
I snorted in amusement. "You're such a little shit."
"I fucking love you, Chise... I should say it more, you know, so... I love you, I love you, I love you, Chise."
"I love you so much, Belphie. I adore you."
"You'll never get rid of me."
I giggled. "I know. That's okay. I think I can tolerate it..."
"Pfff..." He cupped my face, pulling me into a kiss–
“Belph– …Ah.”
I shrieked in terror as I grabbed the sheets to pull them over myself, rolling off of Belphie in a tangle.
Lucifer, stony-faced, was standing in the doorway.
Belphie sighed in irritation, not having even so much as flinched. “Would you fuck OFF, Lucifer? We’re kind of in the middle of something private here.”
“…I came here because you left Beel to handle the laundry by himself again.” He looked around with a scowl. “This room is a mess. Clean it, Belphie.”
“Whatever,” Belphie muttered. “Fine. I’ll get up. Now could you please leave?”
“Chise, ensure that he does as he’s told.”
I stared at him, still frozen in embarrassed shock.
Lucifer sighed with a roll of his eyes at my jaw-dropped silence. “And if you don’t, Belphegor, you WILL be answering to me.”
And then, he disappeared around the corner again.
“AND CLOSE THE–" Belphie growled low in his throat. “…Door. Ugh. Ass… There’s no way he didn’t do that on purpose. Just because he’s been in a bad mood over Satan…”
That surprised me enough to bring me out of my shock. “Over… Satan…?”
He glanced at me. “Yeah…? I mean, you’ve noticed he’s been an even bigger asshole than usual, right? It’s pretty obvious.”
“Yeah, but I mean…” I squirmed with a frown. “I thought that it was because of me…”
He shook his head in surprise. “Nope. It’s because of Satan.”
“Are you sure…?”
“Yeah, completely.”
I glanced back at the doorway. “…If you say so.” But of course, I believed him. Reluctantly, because it just made me feel… confused.
Belphie shrugged. “Whatever, doesn’t matter to me. I mean, maybe it would if he wasn’t being such an jerk about it. Once Satan’s back, we're going to prank him good.”
I couldn’t stop the small smile.
“Anyway…” He sighed. “You made a huge mess, rolling off of me suddenly like that. I guess I’ll text Beel that he can use my sheets tonight. I’ll wash these again.” He smiled sweetly at me. “Hey, once I go to hang them up outside, I want to show you something. You’ll come with me, right?”
I stuck my tongue out at him over his I-know-you-will tone. “Well, I did want to spend the day with you…”
“There we go. Hehe. You can help me do my chores while you’re hanging around.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah. I’ll ‘help’.”
He chuckled with a smirk.
Chise: I’m not going to put up with this for much longer.
Chise: “On our relationship”? “On our trust”?
Chise: What about MY relationship. What about MY trust.
Chise: When do *I* get to call on it? When do *I* get my turn?
Chise: We are TWO, Satan.
“Perfect.” He stretched his arms over his head with a yawn. “SOMEONE around here needs to snap. Now, it looks like these sheets are done, so let’s go and pin them outside on the clothesline. Though I guess that won’t be dry before bedtime.” He gave me a sly smirk. “Hehe. I guess I won’t have any sheets tonight, so I’ll have to sleep with you in your room.”
“Pfff…” I stuck my tongue out at him again. “As if you don’t have nests of blankets set up all over the house.”
“Mhmm, but I don’t think I’ll find any Chise’s in those.”
I shook my head with a smile. “Aren't you going to pick that basket up?”
“Mmm… I don’t know… It’s kinda heavy, being all wet like that. I might have overdone it while fucking you up in the attic.”
“Ah, what a shame… Welp. See ya.” And then I took myself out of the laundry room with a little goodbye wave, and a little hum.
He chuckled under his breath as he picked up the basket to follow me.
“I like devil dandelions. They start as the sun, turn into the moon, and then…” He blew on the one he had picked gently, smiling as his eyes followed the fluffy seeds he'd loosened. “…Disperse into little stars.”
I giggled as I watched him. “I guess the Devildom and human world have them in common. They’re considered weeds up there, though.”
“Even better.” He shot me a wink. “Sun, moon, stars… And they annoyingly spreading their seed everywhere.”
I shook my head as I clucked my tongue. “Are you going to help me reach or what? I’m too short for the line…”
“Is that why you always thrust your basket of sheets at the first demon you find in the house to deal with it for you?”
“Yup.” Even Lucifer had gotten a basket wordlessly jammed against his belly. It was hilarious when he’d just taken it from me with a resigned sigh. I targeted him a few times after that, before he finally just took a pillow case out and slapped it wetly over my head with a glare.
“I just thought you were as lazy as me.”
“If I was as lazy as you, I’d never have clean sheets. I don’t have an eternally patient twin who picks up the slack.”
“Hehe.” He smirked again as he took the corners from me. “Touché.”
“You said you wanted to show me something out here.”
“Mhmm.” He clipped the final clothespin in place. “It’s in the forest.”
I raised an eyebrow at him. “In the particularly dark forest? It’s pretty late, you know…”
He turned to grab my hand with a grin. “I mean, you ARE a sorcerer, right? Or do I have that wrong.”
“…Ugh.” I scrunched my face as I fished around in my brain for a spell. “Fine.”
I chose to visualize quite the pretty one, if I do say so myself. Little glowing balls of orange drifted lazily around us as we walked, hand in hand. They barely illuminated the path enough, really. But it was enough. The bushes, the pathway ahead, encircling our feet so we didn’t trip over any roots. And our faces.
And best of all, they seemed to have attracted the flit of fireflies anyway.
Belphie did have a soft heart in there. He liked pretty ambiance like this, and he looked around us, unguarded in his enjoyment of it, all smiles. I watched him from the corner of my eye, smiling myself.
He was in a much better mood at least.
Maybe I was, too.
“You know, I did all that work washing the sheets without a single nap, too. Which probably explains why I’m so sleepy right now.” He caught my eye. “So why don’t we sleep out here tonight, in this hammock?”
“Hammock?” I looked over to where he was pointing with a frown. “Oh…!”
He chuckled at my reaction. “Yeah, I put one out here last week.”
I tutted. “So THAT’S why I couldn’t find you in any of your nests…! I’d wondered where your new one was…”
“It’s amazing to sleep in,” he explained with another grin as he went to it. “This is a pretty great reward for a day full of chores, don’t you think?”
I looked around at the spot he had chosen. It was kind of perfect, actually. The canopy overhead really blocked out any light at this time of night where the moon was positioned, but here, it did actually peek through at juuuust the right angle, and the canopy above was juuuust thin enough to let the light stream through prettily.
“It’s nice,” I murmured.
“You should join me, Chise.” He was already in, swinging precariously with a soft laugh. “Yep, this feels great. There’s plenty of room.”
I smiled again as I uncurled my palm in front of me, for my balls of light to dance around him.
He laughed again, eyes soft as he reached for one. It darted away.
I eyed the hammock dubiously as I approached. “Are you sure there’s room…? I don’t really feel like tumbling into the dirt in my sleep.”
“I promise,” he assured me softly.
So, I climbed in, wincing a bit as I nearly tumbled him out.
“Whoa, watch it…” He laughed as he opened his arms for me to shakily climb into them. “Mmm…”
Slowly, slowly, it began to settle. Slowly, I relaxed with a sigh of relief.
“The way the hammock’s rocking is nice,” he said quietly as he wrapped his arms around me. I could hear the smile in his voice. “And you’re so warm… Plus, we’re out in the fresh air. At this rate, I’ll be out in no time.”
“Pfff… You never have any problem with that.”
“Yeah, and I skipped my afternoon nap, too.” He brushed his fingers along my jaw. “Hey, Chise? Would you mind giving me one more reward for all my hard work, before I nod off.”
I let out an exaggerated sigh of exasperation, grinning as I lifted my head up to him. “Are you looking for another kiss, Belphie…?”
“A kiss, hmm?” He pulled my face closer by the back of my jaw. “That’ll do for a reward.”
Another sigh of exasperation, but a real one this time. Still, I smiled as I neared him, to press my lips to his sweetly. It was a tad chilly, but he was warm. His other arm wrapped around my waist a little tighter while he kissed me back. It was tender.
“Hehe…” He smiled softly as we broke away. “All that effort was totally worth it. Getting a kiss from you is the best reward of all.”
“You’re such a little shit,” I whispered to him near his lips.
“You know, going straight to sleep would be a real waste…” He sighed sadly, ignoring my teasing insult. “I want to keep kissing and cuddling… And whatever other rewards you’re willing to give.”
I giggled. “In a hammock?!”
He chuckled as he slid his fingers into the back of my hair. “I love you, Chise. You love me too, right?”
I tilted my face up to graze my lips against the tip of his nose. “I love you, with all of my heart. I adore you, with every inch of my soul.”
“Heh…” He brushed his thumb across my cheek, eyes fond. “I wasn’t expecting you to react that way. That was pretty cute.”
“Cute, huh?”
“I always think you’re cute…” He rubbed the very tip of his nose, where I had kissed, against the very tip of mine, while closing his eyes. “My cute little human…”
And then he sighed, slowly sinking back, lips parting as he relaxed.
I smiled with a shake of my head while I watched his chest rise and fall in sleep.
“Silly yandere…”
Mammon: Where are ya?
Mammon: We can’t find you anywhere. 🤬
Chise: Belphie fell asleep on me. He’s definitely not moving for a while.
Chise: I’m fine, though. I can breathe and everything.
Mammon: That punk…
Mammon: Gonna kick his skinny ass next time I see him for stealing ya!!!!
Chise: I’ll let him know that there’s a price on his head. 😉
Mammon: Heh. A’ight. Nighty night baby. Love ya.
Chise: Night, babe. Love you.
Notes:
Yup… Made Solomon a Final type Yandere.
Belphie’s Devilgram: A Little Growth (NB)
Chapter 27: Intermission: Bathed In Moonlight
Notes:
I literally had a dream about the house worm conversation I’m NOT even kidding. That’s why it was written. The moment I woke up I scrambled for my phone to open my notes app.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Day 12
Mammon: I am BEAT.
Mammon: Like, what the heck was all THAT about yesterday?!
Mammon: Cleanin’ the house from top to bottom, with Lucifer crackin’ the whip!
Mammon: Like, literally! He WHIPPED me!
Mammon: It ain’t fair!
Belphie: It sure was a pain in the neck…
Mammon: I don’t even wanna talk to ya! You hardly did anythin’!
Belphie: Now I’m extra sleepy today.
Leviachan: Me too. 😮💨
Mammon: Don’t ignore me!
Asmo: I am SO sore from scrubbing my tub!
Leviachan: Looool yeah. I’m sore from cleaning Henry’s fish tank.
Mammon: Hey, what about me?! I’m sore from bein’ WHIPPED!
Asmo: It’s not a small tub, you know!
Leviachan: Yeah, and Henry’s tank is pretty big.
Mammon: WHIPPED!!!!!!!!!!!
Belphie: I’m sore from… heh, well.
Mammon: Belphie, whaddya mean?!
Belphie: 🤫
Beel: I’m fine, personally.
Chise: Everything’s really clean now, though.
Chise: So that’s nice.
Belphie: But at what cost?
Chise: It just comes with eating the house worms. 💪
Mammon: …WHAT did you just say?!
Asmo: EWWW, THAT VISUAL!
Belphie: The heck were YOU doing while I wasn’t looking, Chise?
Chise: *DOING
Chise: *HOUSE WORK
Chise: AUTOCORRECT
Leviachan: ROFLMAO
Asmo: I am NOT kissing those lips of yours until you’ve brushed your teeth, Chise!
Beel: I don’t think even I would eat house worms…
Chise: IT WAS AUTOCORRECT, DAMMIT.
Mammon: Uh, I’ll still kiss ya…
Asmo: Gross!
Chise: I fucking hate you guys.
Asmo: 😘
Beel: I’ll kiss you too, Chise.
Mammon: WHAT?!
Mammon: OH NO YOU DON’T.
Mammon: NO KISSIN’ CHISE, BEEL.
Beel: It’s not like I haven’t eaten worms before.
Beel: So I guess maybe I would eat house worms?
Asmo: 🤢🤢🤢
Leviachan: 🤮🤮🤮
Mammon: DAMMIT, BEEL, THAT’S NOT WHAT I MEANT.
Chise: I’m blocking all of you.
Beel: What do our particular house worms look like, Chise?
Beel: The Devilnet search is giving me multiple results.
Leviachan: Lol, Beel.
Chise: 😒
Simeon: Good morning, sweetheart!
Simeon: Are you free today?
Simeon: Would you like to get together?
Chise: Is it your turn with the watermelon today, Simeon?
Simeon: Hmm…? 😶
Simeon: Watermelon?
Chise: Heh. Nevermind.
Chise: I would LOVE to see you today.
Simeon: Would you like to come over right now?
Simeon: And maybe pack an overnight bag…? ☺️
Chise: Oh? 👀
Simeon: And your swimsuit.
Chise: Will this overnight stay be happening at Purgatory Hall?
Simeon: Nope! But the ‘where’ is a surprise until you get here.
Chise: Well, well.
Chise: I guess I’ll let everyone know that I’ll be gone overnight.
Simeon: 🤭😇 Oh dear. I’m going to be getting a few outraged texts sent my way, aren’t I?
Chise: You’d better count on it.
Chise: I’ll see you soon!!!!
Simeon: Yes! 🥰
“Thanks for coming, sweetie,” he greeted me warmly as he took my hands in his, leaning to kiss my cheek.
“What’s this?” I smiled as I stepped forward instead to go into his arms, wrapping mine around his middle. “You’ve been pretty vague over this ’surprise’.”
He hummed, smiling as he wrapped his arms around me as well, sliding them through the straps behind my backpack. “So, this is kind of random, but have you ever heard of moonlight fireflies?”
“Pff!” I raised my eyebrows at him with a laugh. “All right, you did just warn for random. But no, I haven’t heard of those.”
His eyes lit up, presumably believing that added a bit of extra spice to my surprise. “They’re rare fireflies that only exist in a certain part of the Devildom. As their name suggests, moonlight fireflies light up by reaction to moonlight. You can observe them at the lake near a campsite, but since that place is so popular now, you need to make a booking beforehand.”
“Oh...?” I said coyly. “That sounds like the kind of place that I’d love to visit.”
He chuckled softly. “I had a feeling you’d say that. It seems like the kind of place you’d enjoy. Now, as for your surprise…”
“Why, Simeon… Don’t tell me that you managed to get such a booking?”
His smile widened into an expression of true delight. “Yup. I’ve wanted to go there for some time now, so I applied for some tickets a while back. And it just so happens that I managed to get two tickets, so, well…”
I giggled. “Weeeell?” Making him work for it.
“Ahaha.” He kissed the top of my head indulgently. “Well, beloved, how about it? Would you like to go with me?”
“Simeon,” I sighed happily, snuggling against his warm chest. “That sounds amazing. Yes, please.”
“Oh, I’m so glad…” He tipped my chin up to look at me again, blue eyes shining cheerfully. “Even better, there’s a full moon tonight. Moonlight fireflies light up brighter than usual when there’s a full moon, which I hear makes everything look even more beautiful.”
“Aww, Simeon…” I leaned up to peck his lips with mine. “This really sounds wonderful. Thank you.”
He nuzzled me gently. “I hope we can make a lot of beautiful memories on this trip.”
“The most beautiful man I’ve ever seen, under the glow of moonlight and fireflies, with a lake as our backdrop?” I smirked at him as the red shade of embarrassment hit his cheeks. “I can guarantee it.”
“Pff, oh, look at you…” He laughed with a shake of his head. “What a flirt.”
Simeon grinned at me while taking my hand to help me down from the last steep step from the bus. “We’re here!”
“Sooo…” I looked around for a reception building. “Are we renting camping stuff, orrrr are we really roughing it tonight?”
“Hehe.” He gave me a little wink as he swung his own pack around. “Solomon gave me a little parting present when I’d told him about today.”
He opened it, and I peered in with a frown. “…A void?”
“A Bag of Holding! That’s what he called it.”
I sighed in relief. “Oh, what a wonderful man…”
“And now…” He took my own pack from my shoulder. “We travel light. Besides watching the fireflies, there are a lot of things to do around the river at the campsite. Apparently, they’ll open the fireflies’ habitat to the public once the moon is properly out.”
I hooked my arm in his with a smile. “I guess we still have some time to kill, then.”
“Mhm.” He kissed to top of my head again. “In the meantime, why don’t we have fun in the river? We have everything we need for camping in the pack, but we can rent all sorts of other equipment to use on the water.” He nodded across the way. “I’m personally curious about those small boats… Those over there, I’ve heard they’re called kayaks?”
I blinked in surprise, before gasping in excitement. “Ooh, Simeon, you’ve never kayaked before?!”
“Ah, so you have?” He gave me a sweet smile, though a little self-conscious. “No, I can say that I have.”
I grinned. “I would LOVE to go kayaking with you. I can show you the ropes! They’re very beginner-friendly, I promise.”
He chuckled. “Well, in that case, would you like to share a two-seated one?”
I nodded eagerly. “I’ve not done a two-seated kayak, but I’ve canoed with someone before. And kayaking is even easier than that. Though, err, you should take the back seat.”
He tilted his head. “I should?”
“It’s the most important position for steering, so I’ll have to teach you how to do that, but it’s not hard. It’s just…” I rubbed at the back of my neck sheepishly. “…You’ve got more arm strength and stamina than I do. You, uh, might be paddling us by yourself now and then… From personal experience, my stamina is…” …on par with Levi’s.
He burst out into merry laughter. “I see, so it’s a rather important position!”
“It’s perfect for you.” I winked at him. “You do have some issues with control, after all.”
He gasped, eyes widening. “No… Wait, I do…? You’re joking, right?”
“Pff…”
“How so?!”
I dragged him forward by his hand, laughing. “Let’s go, Sim! I’m so excited!”
“You’re laughing, so… you really are joking, right?!”
I just grinned.
I was very happy that it was Simeon’s turn with the watermelon.
Solomon: Did you two get there safe? Sim is doing okay? No troubles?
Solomon: No eeeevil deeemons licking their chops, salivating nearby?
Chise: Yeah, we're here and doing fine. We’re in line to rent a kayak together. I think there was actually a human witch on the bus with us, so that was cool. Too shy to talk to her, though.
Solomon: Oh, good! Should have gotten her name.
Chise: Why, were you expecting us to run into trouble…? Are we in a bad part of the Devildom or something?
Solomon: Whaaaat, I can't check in on my two partners?! What if a meteorite strikes the two of you in one fell swoop? I'd be pretty bummed if it did, you know!
Chise: I love you, Sol, you silly man.
Chise: We're perfectly fine. We'll send pictures of the fireflies.
Chise: Well… *I* will. Simeon would probably end up sending pictures of his blurry thumbs over the lens to everyone in his contacts list by accident.
Solomon: No truer words have been written.
Solomon: Have fun! Remember that I'm just a phone call away if anything happens! I love you both.
Chise: Yeah, yeah. Thanks for keeping tabs, grandpa.
Solomon: WHOA! I have been wounded…! How will I ever recover?!
Chise: Love you, ahuvi. Don’t worry, I shall protect us from any incoming meteor strike.
Solomon: Looove youuuu.
Solomon: …Hey, would you be opposed to grabbing a firefly or two or ten for potion ingredients…? >:)
Chise: Not doing that!
Solomon: Fine, fine. Worth a shot. 🤷♂️
Chise: 🙄 And just when we were talking about bringing you next time.
Solomon: Awwwwwww, ahuvati, baby, don’t tease me like that!
Solomon: You have no idea how valuable those fireflies can be!
Chise: Byeeee, Solomon.
“I’m glad we could rent a tandem kayak,” he said cheerfully, as he dragged the craft into the water with me in his swim shorts.
I bit my lip as I glanced at his loose shirt that hung forward with his lean. He really did have the sexiest bone structure.
“From here on,” he continued, oblivious to my shameless stare, “we’ll paddle in unison and make sure we stay in sync. I’m really looking forward to this, Chise. You and I are a natural team, I’ve always thought so.”
I nodded with a smile as I steadied the boat, gesturing him in first. “We’ll take it slow. Let’s practise how you’ll steer us over in that bay over there. I really like skimming through reeds and lily pads anyway.”
“That sounds lovely.” He smiled at me. “I’m in your hands today.”
“Oh boy…” I smirked at him. “Just don’t go ‘playfully’ tipping us. This isn’t a rolling kayak.”
He chuckled in amusement. “You must have me confused with our Solomon. Don’t worry, we’ll be fine. I trust you implicitly.”
“Oh boyyyy…”
–
He hesitated. “Speaking of Solomon earlier…”
I looked over my shoulder at him in concern at the reluctance in his tone, slowing my own paddling too. “Something wrong…?”
"Was everything okay with him the other day? When you spent the holiday together?"
"Yeah, I think so..." I turned my head to him with a frown at his hesitant tone. "Why, did he say something?"
"Ah, no, it's just... Apparently he came home quite late. Or, rather, quite early, as Raphael was already awake and saw him."
"Really...?"
He was pretty drunk when he dropped me off at HOL, but I hadn’t thought that he was drunk enough to get lost on his way home...
"Yes. He was actually dropped off by a rather irritable-looking Barbatos, who charged Raphael to 'take over babysitting the wretched human’."
I started in surprise. "Barbatos dropped him off?!”
“Mm, I thought it was odd.”
“How on earth did he find himself at the castle…”
Simeon shrugged. “Well, I do know that the memorial holiday can be particularly… difficult for him. And to spend it in the Devildom…”
“Oh no…” I looked down in shame. “I mean, he had a moment or two of insecurity for sure. But I thought I’d… helped, towards the end of the night. I guess maybe I should have pushed getting a hotel together after all…”
“I was wondering if you two had spent the night, and that’s why he was home so early in the morning.”
I shook my head. Spending the night at HOL with him was out of the question with the brothers sniffing around and inserting themselves. And spending the night in Purgatory Hall, with Raphael roaming around… That’s not something that I’d wanted to do. So, I’d offered to find us a hotel room. I’d actually been taken by complete surprise when he dodged the offer. And maybe a little disappointed…
“Anyway, so he came home, and then..."
"And then…?"
"He was fairly manic, to be honest. I'd never seen him in such a state… And, ah, well, when I did get out of bed to go downstairs, I found him in the kitchen.”
“…Oh gods.”
“And he was in there, practising making what he called his… ‘Night-Night Cake'.”
"Oh GODS.” My eyes widened in alarm. "Are you fucking... serious. What the hell is a Night-Night Cake?! That sounds so menacing!”
“Ominous for sure.” He sighed. "This is how we die, right? We love him, we die."
"Survival might come down to him versus us, you know."
"I don't know if I can hurt him like that… I’d sooner perish."
“Me too. It was very nice loving you, Simeon."
"I love you so much, Chise. I'm sorry that it has to end this way. Tragically, from Solomon's Night-Night Cake."
I let out a strained giggle. "He'll be prodding our bloated, decomposing corpses, asking how we liked it, and if we would like tea as well.”
Simeon chuckled nervously. "Anyway, we survived in the end, on account of him passing out on the couch drunk while it was still baking in the oven. Still… I've not seen him like that before."
I laid my paddle over my lap with a sigh, rubbing the heel of my palm into my forehead. “…I should have stayed with him. I feel bad.”
He shook his head. “Don’t feel bad. I think he’s under some… stress. It’s not your fault.”
“Stress...?”
He hesitated. “Well, I… I can’t say that his stress isn’t… my fault, in a way…”
Raphael.
“Simeon…” I whispered, heartfelt. Oh gods, I should be more involved. This wasn’t fair. I had been refusing to be near the seraphim out of anger. But really, in doing that, I had just made that anger about me, and left my two men to fend for themselves…
And now, Simeon was looking down at his own lap. He opened his mouth, and then closed it again. And then again. I waited, holding my breath. I nearly quivered. Please. Finally. On the water, where my feelings of heaviness had always buoyed by the time I reached shore. Lay it to rest in the waters, and then swim up for your air, lightened. Live again. Here. With me.
Please, tell me.
“…Anyway.” He smiled weakly at me, finally meeting my eyes. “Do you see that little opening over there, hidden behind all those reeds? I was wondering if we would be able to paddle through it.”
My disappointment sunk heavily within me. I turned my face towards where he indicated to hide how my expression fell. “Well, let’s go check it out. Maybe it leads to another bay. It might just be a shallow stream, though.”
His smile widened, eyes softening, the moment slipping through our fingers. “That’s okay, we have time for adventures.”
I trailed my fingers in the water with a nod as he dipped his paddle in, before I took up my own again.
–
The stream widened out, so we continued to push through, marvelling at the denser forest around us as we took it slow, before reaching the other bay I’d suspected was on the other side.
“Wait.” He frowned as he paused, turning his head. “Do you hear a waterfall…?”
“A waterfall…?” I frowned too, listening. It’d probably be more like rapids, or a dam. Well, those would be a better case scenario than a fucking waterfall; but either way, not good.
But yes, there was the unmistakable sound of rushing water coming from nearby.
“We should head the other way, or go back…”
“Oh look, there it is.” He craned his head. “Doesn’t it have a sort of otherworldly beauty…? I could stare at it all day.”
I sighed as I felt the tingle of magic. “Oh boy…” I looked behind me in concern. “Uh, Sim, you’re steering towards it, love.”
“Huh?” He shook his head. “That’s weird. No, Chise, the boat’s moving on its own.”
His paddle wasn’t dipped in the water at all, held suspended. No steering.
I looked over the edge in alarm. “I don’t feel any wind. Have we caught a current?”
“I don’t think so…” A knot formed between his brows. “So why are we moving in that direction…?”
“…You can’t feel it?”
“Feel what…?”
The magical allure.
“Chise, at this rate, we’re going to be pulled over it!”
“Ah, fuck.” I held up my hand. "May the illusion clouding our minds be dispelled! I am the one they call Chise. Hear my command!”
Simeon’s eyes widened. “A curse…?”
“Simeon… Look.”
He turned his head to stare where I pointed.
His paddle was in the water after all. It’d been him.
“…Oh my gosh…”
I shook my head. “Don’t feel bad. Your paddle didn’t look like it was in the water to me, either.”
“Thank you, Chise.” He sighed, wilting. “I’m so proud of you for seeing through that. You’ve become really sensitive to magical influence.”
I smiled reassuringly at him. “I’ve got you, Sim.”
“Umm…” He looked down at his lap. “I’m sure that Solomon would be very proud of you too. But if it’s okay with you, since he’s already been so stressed…”
“Yeah, I won’t tell him. We survived, after all. Neither of us got hurt in the end.”
“And thank goodness for that,” he sighed in relief. “Thanks, sweetheart. I was hoping not to worry him. Give him a night off…”
I nodded. “Let’s go the other way, huh? And find somewhere to take a break maybe.”
He nodded back, smiling softly again.
–
“Looks like there are lots of aquatic plants growing in this area.” He smiled as he looked around. “Kayaking is fun. Even just drifting in the water like this, taking in the sights around us, is really something.”
I skimmed my fingers through the surface. “I’ve never seen these kinds of lily pads before, or the lilies. They’re beautiful… A blueish white, glowing faintly under the moon, and their light reflected in the water like this. I’ll never get over how life here in the Devildom photosynthesizes the moonlight, rather than sunlight; and how often things here are bioluminescent, too.”
He nodded. “That one there is a hell water lily, and those plants over there are jet-black duckweeds.”
I laughed with a shake of my head. “'Hell water lily,' huh? The originality of the Devildom strikes again.”
“Hehe. They really are quite a literal people, aren’t they?”
“Pff, well, I guess I can’t really talk.” I grinned at him. “Human bird-namers are the worst. Once, someone posted in a birdwatching group I was in, but only with a really bad drawing they’d done. They asked, ‘what’s this black bird with red wings?’ And people responded, ‘You’ll never guess’.”
His smile broadened. “And their name?”
“Red-winged black bird.”
“Heh! How adorable. There’s a bit of whimsy to that, don’t you think?”
I giggled. “Better than ‘hell water lily,’ honestly.”
He chuckled. “I’m inclined to agree.”
“They’re lovely birds. They’re often near bodies of waters, singing and playing in the reeds and cattails, swaying with them while they rest on top. Their songs are pretty.”
"So I take it you've spent a lot of time around rivers and lakes, Chise?"
"Yes," I said wistfully. "A lot, actually... My family had a cottage, once upon a time. Water became my peace."
He'd stopped paddling, the oar skimming just a bit through the water, which rippled in its wake. "...Truly? You hadn't... mentioned."
I turned back to him in confusion. "Something wrong...?"
"It's just..." He hesitated a moment, and then laid his paddle over his lap with a sigh. "It just struck me that, well... I don't know much at all about your childhood."
I shook my head. "I prefer to live in the present these days anyway."
"But..." He gestured around us. "It is still a part of you. A part of you that I am missing in knowing."
I smiled softly. "I don't know anything about YOUR childhood, either."
"Well," he sighed, "perhaps that's why I thoughtlessly didn't ask after yours. It has been a long time since then and now. Since I'm... an angel. And growing up in a community where everyone knows everyone since childhood, it seems moot."
"That makes sense."
"Still... I don't like to think of that as an excuse when it comes to you and I." He looked over the horizon for a moment, before nodding to himself. "But now I know that water brings you peace. I guess I lucked out in what I picked for us to do."
"Any time spent with you is precious to me." I reached to press my fingers to his knee with a smile. "But this is particularly lovely, yeah."
He smiled back. "Tell me one more thing about your childhood.”
"Hehe. I really liked to walk around near the grasses and mosses of the lake’s shore, catching frogs. Or tadpoles, if it was still spring. You’d see me out there all day with my big white bucket and a net, and by the end of the day, my mom had to spend her evening convincing her reluctant daughter to let them all go. Frogs, tadpoles, minnows. Whatever I could catch with my net in the shallows." I giggled. "Once, right before we left the lake to go home, I found a frog and put it under my hat, and then got into the car without my mom knowing about it. It took an hour of me giggling and holding my hat down for her to finally act on her suspicions of her giggling, nature-loving daughter to figure it out."
"Oh no!" He burst out laughing.
“‘Why are you holding onto your hat like that, Chise?’ ‘I don’t know!’ ’…I think I’m going to pull over at the next gas station.’”
"No pet frog for Chise then, I take it."
"Ahahaha, no."
"Hehe." He smiled fondly as he took up his paddle again to dip it back into the water. "A single story, and somehow it sums up the person you are now so well. In a way, you’re still that little girl, aren’t you?"
"Hey!" I was laughing again, shaking my head. "I really don't know if that's a compliment or not!"
His eyes shone with his soft affection. "Please, promise me that you will give me a little story like that again. I want to know every part of you. The happy, and the sad. I have a feeling… that you have been sad, too. I want to know that as well. Everything, Chise, even if slowly."
"I will," I promised softly. "...But was that comment just before an insult or not?!"
He shot me a wink. "As if I would ever dare insult you, sweetie.”
"Dare?" I pouted as him. "Not 'as if I ever could,' it's DARE, as in, like, from fear?!"
"Pfff..." He paused his paddling to laugh into the back of his wrist, eyes crinkling. "Love, I said no such thing! Maybe you're... projecting in some way?"
I growled in outrage as I stuck my hand in the water to push through it, splashing him a bit, while he devolved into a harder fit of laughter, thrusting his own hand into the water to get me back.
…Water fight initiated, I got his white t-shirt a bit wet. Felt pretty smug about that.
–
I hummed happily as we paddled on slowly, with the hell lily that Simeon had picked for me tucked behind my ear. I was really just paddling for show, not really doing all that much. My arms were tired, so it was just a kind of lazy effort while Simeon did all the work behind me.
“…Chise?”
I turned back to him with a blink. “Yeah?”
“Heh. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but the boat has actually stopped moving.”
“Wait, what?” I looked over with a frown again. “That’s odd… Maybe we’ve gotten stuck in some plants? Oh wow, they’re quite pretty…”
Little blue flowers, shimmering just under the surface, as though we were in a flooded field.
“What should we do?” He looked worriedly over the edge as well. “I’ve been trying to propel us, but…”
I winced with guilt. “Sorry, I haven’t really been putting much into it. Let’s try together, in sync?”
But he should his head. “I feel like if we try to force us through any harder, the boat might tip over…”
“I wonder what these plants we’re tangled in are?”
“They might be on the camping site guide.” He reached behind him into the trunk. “Let me check my D.D.D.”
“You got it?”
“Mhm. I have the app already opened so I could find it easily. Here we are… These are devil dayflowers. They’re aquatic plants native to the Devildom, and apparently, they like to wrap their vines around boats to stop them from moving when they’re in a bad mood.”
“In a bad mood…” I rolled my eyes. “This realm is so odd.”
“Hehe. Well, I guess we have to… put them in a good mood?”
I thought back to how Solomon and I had pacified the canary. “How about you sing to them, Simeon?”
He blinked in surprise. “Me? Sing to them…? I’m not sure if that’ll improve their mood, but I’ll give it a shot if you think it will.”
I smiled, nearly quivering again, but in excitement. “Sing! Pleeeease!”
“Oh my…” He blushed in the face of my enthusiasm. “Perhaps I’ll just hum?”
“Pleeeeease!” I laughed as Solomon’s own begging came to mind.
“Hehe, well, all right. I suppose I can sing a quick lullaby.” He cleared his throat, smiling at the flowers over the edge. ”…Lullaby and good night, with roses bedight. With lilies o'er spread is baby's wee bed. Lay thee down now and rest, may thy slumber be blessed… Oh!” His eyes widened. “My, would you look at that! The dayflowers have lifted, and they’re rocking us gently!”
“Oh, Sim,” I sighed with affection. “Your voice is so soft, and so breathy; you’re so beautiful…”
“Aww, Chise…” He ducked his head with a blush. “Only you can bring heat to my face like this.”
“I think they’re rocking us to the melody.” I smiled at him. “Is there a bit more?”
“I suppose…” He laughed self-consciously. “Well, yes, it’s only right that I should continue, since they’re so enthused. All right, pretty flowers, are you ready for more?” He took another breath. ”...Lullaby and good night, thy mother's delight. Bright angels beside my darling abide. They will guard thee at rest, thou shalt wake on my breast… They will guard thee at rest, thou shalt wake on my breast…”
He ended the melody slowly, softly, as though a babe had closed her eyes to drift into sleep, lulled by her father’s sweet voice.
I’d never really thought about the tenderness that came from the lullabies. I’d been read to in its place – which was totally fine, as not everyone is comfortable singing – and another act of love. Because yeah, a lullaby really was born from pure love.
It was for no one else but a child soothed, in that private moment between parent and baby. Not for show or any demonstration of skill, and kept so simple. It was for the benefit of the child. Reading, too. The parent’s voice, the last thing heard. A show of safety and security. Sleep could be a scary, unknown thing, to those new to it. I’m here at the end, and I’ll be there again at the beginning, to care about you, always.
Simeon would be the most wonderful father. Already was in a lot of ways, to Luke. Maybe to a lot of others in his long life. Perhaps children needing mentoring were placed with his nurturing heart often? I could see that.
“Thanks for listening,” he said softly to the waters. “What did you guys think?”
They sunk, lowering us gently. And continued to lower, to rest in the shallows, sparkling.
I smiled. “They let us back down.”
Simeon hummed in delight. “Does that mean I was able to satisfy them?”
“You are so caring, Sim.”
“Hehe. Well, I’m glad we could get ourselves out of that situation. We wouldn’t have been able to get a closer look at them if they hadn’t held us back, so we ought to thank them for that.”
“Thank you, sweet flowers,” I cooed. “I’m glad you had my back, Sim.”
“I could say the same for you, too, Chise.” He looked around us in curiosity. “You know, I’ve been keeping track of the direction we’ve been headed in. It’s strange – I know that the campsite blocks off the main lake for the firefly show before it happens at night, but I feel like we may be approaching it from a different direction?”
“Ooh, a secret path to get there?”
He smiled sweetly. “Maybe. Perhaps we could even find somewhere to rest, off the beaten path?”
“Let’s try it!”
He laughed at my enthusiasm. “Off we go, then.”
“…They’re so beautiful,” I whispered in awe, as we both eased in our paddling. We were in the middle of the lake now after emerging from a well-hidden path, surrounded by tiny flickering glows of blue-whites. There were hell water lilies here, too, and they matched the ambiance. Blues, with soft whites illuminating everything. And in the middle of it all, we drifted, amongst all of the lights that reflected off of the water’s surface. Like we drifted amongst the stars themselves, eternity stretched above and below.
Simeon smiled. “It is, though this only seems to be the pre-show for now.”
“Hah…” I shook my head in wonder. “I can’t imagine it getting any better than this. I didn’t know there would be so many of them. Regular fireflies flit here and there, but this is… they’re so dense.”
He chuckled in amusement as he looked around. “Supposedly, we are visiting during peak, ah, courtship dancing.”
I giggled. “How romantic…”
“These fireflies are rare even in the Devildom, so this must be the only place you can see them in such large numbers. This is a conservation, where they’re protected.”
Well, no wonder Solomon wanted to get his hands on a few…
"Hence why the lake is blocked off for most of the day, and visiting hours restricted. The Devildom works to preserve their habitat.” He sighed as he looked up at the sky. “We can’t see the moon right now since it’s hidden by the clouds… Since moonlight fireflies light up when the moon shines on them, they must glow even brighter when the moon is out.”
I smiled in delight. “And it’s a full moon. It should be breathtaking.”
He nodded. “Yes. I doubt there are many occasions you get to see moonlight fireflies under a full moon, so I’m excited to see what they’ll look like.”
“I hope the clouds part soon.”
“Well, we might just be in luck on that front.” He nodded again, up towards the sky. “Look above you, Chise. It’s starting to clear up.”
Just as I looked up, everything got bright.
I gasped with rounding eyes.
“Wow!” Simeon breathed, eyes wide as well. “Everything’s so much brighter now because of the moonlight fireflies! We can even see the lake clearly in their light’s glow.”
“It’s almost like daylight in the Devildom,” I whispered in disbelief. I turned to look at him. “Simeon, this is…”
He was turning his face back to me as well. “Isn’t this just stunning, Chise…?”
And then his lips parted slightly, as our eyes met. His eyes widened further as he fell silent, staring at me.
“…Simeon?” I asked softly. “Is something the matter?”
“Ah…” He shook his head in wonder. “Nothing in particular. I just wanted to look at you, that’s all.”
“At me?” I smiled shyly, feeling colour rise to my cheeks. I didn’t need to really ask why. I wanted to look at this beautiful angel too, in this heavenly experience…
“I was just mesmerized by how ethereal you looked, bathed in the light of the fireflies,” he answered softly, with a blush of his own rising to his cheeks. He gave me a soft smile, eyes adoring. “Sorry for going quiet all of a sudden and staring at you. It’s true that I wanted to see the moonlight fireflies, but to be honest, the real reason I invited you was so I could see you against this backdrop.”
I hid my face shyly with a soft laugh. “You’re such a romantic, Simeon… But wow. You are just… so beautiful right now as well. I can’t believe this is really happy.”
“I’m so glad that we have this romantic memory now.” He reached forward, and I reached back, to touch fingers. “Though I think as long as we’re together, I can enjoy any place I visit.”
“I hope we can visit so many more together.”
“Me too.” He laced his fingers in mine. “Could I take a few pictures of you, Chise, with this backdrop? And the water lily in your hair. It’s like you float among the stars themselves…”
“Hehe. I was thinking the same thing.” I squeezed his hand. “Only if I can take yours as well.”
He nodded. “Deal. I want to capture this moment forever. Though I’ll etch the true experience in my mind, and never forget it. Chise…”
“Yeah, Sim?”
“I love you, Chise,” he said with breathy sincerity, his eyes holding mine in heartfelt earnestness. “Don’t ever leave my side.”
I shook my head. “I couldn’t ever imagine doing that, Sim. I’m yours.”
–
“One more, while I kiss you?” He very nearly pleaded the request through his shyness. “Under the moonlight…”
I giggled as I scooted over to his side shakily, rocking the boat. “Are you sure getting a picture isn’t just an excuse to kiss me?”
He winked. “If it were, it’s a convenient one…”
“It is.” I snuggled close, and he shifted to adjust his weight while pressed my cheek against his. “I don’t need any convincing, either way.”
“Hehe. Umm, front-facing camera, right…? And this…?”
“Pff, yes.” I grinned as I touched the button for him, and we both laughed as the screen caught our expressions off-guard. Me, smirking. Him, a look of pure confusion. “You’re so adorable. But… why on earth are you holding it from the top with your fingertips like that?” I laughed as I wrapped my hand around his wrist while I took the phone from how he dangled it. “This way. So you can press the button one-handed with your thumb, and not get that very same thumb in the photo.”
“Oh, oops. Heehee.” And then he snapped one very suddenly, just as suddenly as he had turned to press a kiss to my cheek, capturing how he’d caught me off-guard.
“Sim!” I laughed in delight, and then laughed harder as he captured my laughter. “Did you hold it like that on purpose? That’s SO unfair!”
“For my eyes only,” he assured me softly, though he couldn’t hide the amusement in his voice. “Now that I have this thumb freed, Chise…”
He touched the side of my chin lightly, and I let him turn my face to his. We gazed into each other’s eyes for a moment, so close that the tips of our noses brushed. He drank in the private moment a little longer, just for him, just for us, before taking our picture like that to immortalize it. If my expression was anything like his right now, he was immortalizing how lovingly we looked at one another.
“I bet that’ll be a beautiful one,” I whispered. “But I don’t want to look away to check…”
“Neither do I…” he whispered back, before brushing his lips to mine. “I guess we’ll just have to keep taking more, and hope some turn out.”
“Mm, I think that’s all we can do…”
I wasn’t sure how many pictures he took, or if he got too distracted to take any at all. My lashes fluttered closed as our lips moved gently, grazing. They could turn out blurry for all I cared. We had enough, right here. I’d never forget this.
We finally broke apart, breath a little shaky, staring at each other again with widening eyes and fires growing in our bellies. His thumb hovered over the capture button, but he didn’t press it, and his phone shook in the air with his hand.
I glanced down at the crotch of his swim shorts, and then back up at him. He swallowed visibly at my peeking, eyes still locked to mine, not even shy about it.
I was heating, too. And quickly.
It took everything in me to tear my eyes away, looking around with a casual turning of my head, hiding my desperation.
There.
“…Simeon, look over there.” I jutted my chin out to the side. “There’s a beach…”
“Hmm…” He gave me a mischievous little smile, the spell broken for now. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
“That depends.” I returned his sly smile. “Are you thinking that we aren’t on any list of guests out on this lake, and therefore, aren’t in any kind of headcount they might be keeping track of?”
“Mhm…” He faked a look of thoughtfulness. “Though, that’s only half of my thought. The other half is that the beach you just pointed to looks quite cozy and private, and there seems to be no one else around us in this part of the lake.”
“And my arms are kind of tired, to be honest.”
“Hmm. It’s a long way back, too… Are you sure you can manage, sweetheart? I’d never forgive myself if you were injured.”
“To be honest, I really could use a very long rest, but it’s already so late…”
He laughed sweetly. “Hehe… Surely, no one would begrudge us if we set up a little camp here tonight, rather than on the campgrounds proper?”
I grinned at him. “That’s exactly my thought. We’re very good people, and there’s just the two of us, after all. We’ll do everything we can to respect the fireflies and their environment, and leave no footprint behind when we pack up our camp in the morning.”
“That, we vow.”
“So surely there’s no harm?”
He was smirking now. “How alike we are in these thoughts! On the same page as ever, my love. Let’s go make camp.”
“Yeah. Because if I keeping kissing you right now the way I want to kiss you, this boat is going to tip us out from its disgust in my behaviour alone. Let’s go, Sim; I want to kiss you on that beach over there, while surrounded by fireflies.”
“Oh!” He blushed deeply. “Oh my, well… Hehe.” He gave me a private, sultry little smile, eyes bright with interest. “Now, how could I turn such a sweet thing down?”
It wouldn’t stay sweet for long. I wanted this man. Badly.
“I think everything is all set up for us.” He settled next to me on the blanket he’d laid down on the grass, overlooking the small strip of beach where the lake gently lapped. Illuminated. Though amongst the shade of the trees – a funny thing to say, since it was quite late – it was a little darker, like our own hidden pocket.
“Thanks, Sim.” I leaned towards him, resting my cheek on his shoulder. “I’ll get a fire started us to cook our dinner soon.”
“Cooking over a fire with my sweetheart, surrounded by starlight. That sounds so wonderful, Chise…”
I tore my gaze from the beautiful view to look at him, once I'd felt his hand lay gently on top of my own. His blue eyes shone back at me with the glow of the moon and fireflies.
The elegant curve of his jawline and cheekbones. His kind eyes, lidded, and his perfect nose. The curve of his lips formed a soft smile. The pastel blues and whites around us danced their glow across his dark skin, and shone in his soft, dark hair, his fringe swept to one side of his forehead.
Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful. My gorgeous angel.
"...You are the most beautiful man I have ever seen," I whispered in awe. “I have never… seen…”
"Ah..." He let out that breathy laugh of his, that I so adored. Peaceful and calming and soothing and warm.
I could see the blush that touched the dark skin of his cheeks, the lake reflected the light around us so brightly. His smile widened as the hand he had laid on mine drifted up my arm, the touch feather-light, until it came up to cup my cheek.
"You are exquisite," he whispered back, "inside and out. This light around us compares not to the light in your heart. Here, you are truly ethereal, Chise."
I blushed, looking away with a shy laugh. "I guess that's what I get for loving a poet..."
He chuckled softly as his fingers released their gently hold on my cheek to drift down again to my chin, to turn my face back to him.
We looked at each other quietly for a long while, with the moon, the lake, the fireflies, all forgotten in our moment.
Until he leaned in, and I did likewise, to meet him in the middle with a gentle kiss. A brushing of lips.
"...I love you, Chise," he whispered again.
"I love you so much, Simeon." I turned myself towards him, tucking my legs underneath me on their sides while I reached up to cup his face as well. "I've never met anyone like you... I never want to be without you. You’re…"
He took my other hand to lay it over his heart. "I'm yours. For the rest of our lives."
And then he kissed me again, firmer, as he laced his fingers over the back of my knuckles through my own, to press the heel of my palm tighter to him. I felt the beating of his heart underneath, elevated. His next kiss, more meaningful. His fingers on my chin, sliding along the curve of my jaw now, to sink into my hair behind my ear. Holding me by the back of my head. His next kiss, deepened.
My body thrummed. I quivered at his gentle yet bold touching, each press meaningful and deliberate. He tilted his head, and I tilted mine, while he curled his fingers in my hair into a tangle. His lips pressed fully to mine, and he sighed, breath hot, against my mouth.
I slipped my hand that was on his cheek further, my arm coming around with it to pull him to me by the back of his neck and shoulders. He pulled me to him too, his hand on mine over his heart releasing me to wrap around me as well, his palm flat on my mid-back. His kisses slow, but full and heated, as though he savoured my taste.
I was leaning in, as he was too. In each other's arms, mouths rolling in tight presses, his arms coming around me fully to guide me along with his own lean to the side. Our kisses did not break stride as we came to a rest, side by side, our bodies pulled flush, my shin sliding up his own to hook him closer.
He slid the flats of his palms down the curve of my ribs, down my waist as he rolled us, guiding me onto my back for him to lean over me. I spread my knees for him to settle between my thighs, before dragging my calves up along the backs of his, wrapping him tight.
He gently touched the tip of his tongue to my lip in sweet request, and I granted it, obliging with an opening of my mouth to meet his gently probing tongue with mine. Our kisses wetted, noisier with ever parting roll, before pressing back together, a slow cling to one another, lingering as long as we could before we reluctantly came up for breath.
Longer and longer did we hold our breath, as though we drowned, so that when we broke surface, came up from under water, we were gasping, before plunging back in. His palms were pressed tighter to me, up and down, lowering to grip just above my hips, for him to press his thumbs firmly into the bones of them.
I huffed shakily as I rolled my hips against his touch, and he groaned against my mouth as he rolled back on reflex. I moved my knees up and down, caressing his backside, my own palms sliding up and down from in his hair to his lower back in slow massages.
His tongue was pushing deeper into my mouth, his breath that he expelled with it shaky and hot on my face. I opened wider, rolling my tongue to his, before sucking it in lightly with a throaty hum. He returned the sound, deeper, a firmer roll of his hips, meaningful, telling me, proving it, his desire.
I came up for more air with a gasp, cheeks flushed. "Yes, Simeon. Yes–"
***
He plunged into another kiss, hands sliding from my hips until his fingers were curling over the waist of my skirt. He pulled, and the elastic gave way easily, loose fabric dragged by his fingers. They were off. His was unbuckling his belt, unzipping, huffing against my mouth when he had to pull away, but only pulled away just enough to pull his slacks and boxer briefs down, freeing his desire, freeing his legs, one knee and then the next, while I unbuttoned his shirt with a whimper of need.
His pelvis fell back down to me heavily, down to land between my spread legs, where he humped slowly against the fabric of my panties, both of us staining them on either side. Him with pre-cum, me with my slick, rubbing, gasping, while he finished the buttons of his shirt for me, to tear it shaking from off his arms.
I choked on a whine as I ran my fingers along the delicate bones of his shoulders, eyes roving back and forth across their beautiful shape, while he tried tugging my own shirt up as I indulged.
"Please," he whispered with a smile against my lips.
I sighed shakily as I finally raised my arms above my head with a smile of my own, freed for him to dip his head down to mouth at the tops of my breasts. I arched my back up, pressing the soft mound to his lips while I unclasped my bra. Slackened, pulling that off, whimpering again as he began pressing attentive kisses to them. Slow and tender and adoring and full-lipped, all across my chest, worshipping my body.
Gently, slowly, while I shivered, I felt him slip his hand into the front of my panties. He pressed his fingers lightly to my skin there, before sliding them forward, and down over the curve the led between my legs. He cupped me fully with his palm, sighing in satisfaction at finally having reached me. He was working his way down, down, kissing my ribs, kissing my belly, while he rubbed me with the flat of his palm between my legs, cupping my folds.
His other hand came around my waist to pull my underwear down from my backside. Finally…
I lifted my hips and raised my legs up and straight for him to pull them up and off, his hands coming to a rest near my ankles for his palms to slide all the way back down to my hips, opening my thighs up again while he came back down to me. He kissed down my inner thighs, each press of his lips so tender and soft with undivided attention. He closed his eyes as he grazed his nose down my skin, fingers trailing just as gentle. Nearer, nearer.
"Sol was right..." he whispered shakily, finally arrived at his prize. I shivered as his fingers trailed over the curve of my rear. "Heaven is right here, Chise..."
I swallowed my shyness at his tender words and voice, before breathing out a soft sigh at the feeling of his lips pressing to those of mine between my legs.
"Your scent drives me into a fervor," he murmured, before spreading my folds further with a finger, and licking with worship.
"Ffff Sim..." I groaned as I rolled my hips up towards him, my hand reflexively reaching down to sink my fingers into his soft, dark hair. "Oh, Sim..."
He licked me again, humming soft. A small and tender glide of the tip of his tongue through the heat of me, while I whimpered from above him. He dragged the finger he had used to unfold my sex through my slick, a slow touch, to cover the pad of it. Swirling gently around my entrance while he gave another lick above, through the soft pink path between entrance and clit. I groaned with a loll of my head. Swirling, swirling finger, breathy little licks. Not meaning to tease me. Indulging in me, lovingly, in reverence. A worship of me, between my legs.
"Please," I begged in a whisper, with another roll of my hips.
And then I was moaning as he obliged, sinking two of his slickened fingers into my sex, while his tongue wandered up the path where my clit lay waiting, already thrumming in anticipation.
A little lick, a little lick, another to the bud while I let out another moan, his fingers pushing in slow.
"Stars, so wet, and so soft…”
I moaned again in response. Of course. For him. Always wanted him. How sweetly he cherished me. I carnal need that he made feel pure, in a way that no partner I have ever had made me feel. To love Simeon was wholly unique. Never, ever could I doubt his love, in how he expressed it.
Expressed it now, head between my thighs, loving me with tongue and fingers, that he began to pump slow. He would sigh shakily in satisfaction when he pulled back in brief need for air. And then back again, while my fingers flexed in his hair, while I laid the back of my knees over his shoulders, toes flexing as well.
His fingers pressed and pulled, so slick, soft sounds of wet punctuating the night air now and then, even with the slow pumping of them. I mewled softly as I dug one heel gently into his back, rolling my hips up again with the next pushing entry of his fingers. Please, please...
His next pump inside brought along with it a gentle little twist, his knuckles rubbing with the roll, making me tip my head back with a moan. I was shaking, in need, beginning to gasp as he quickened slowly, with heavier licks of his tongue against my clit. I thrummed with everything. Everything. Gentle, but I thrummed from that, too. My body was begging.
"Please, please," I gasped again. "Please oh please oh sssstars..."
"Love," was what he murmured back with a quicker twist of his fingers that had me crying out softly. I was beginning to sit up now, one hand with my palm flat on the blanket to hold me, while the other began to shakily guide his face in a faster rhythm. He shuddered out a breath of growing desire as I forced his nose at the top of my folds up and down.
He finally took my clit up between his lips, and my dragging of him tugged him on me while he licked. While his fingers twisted the other way, and then remained up, curled, to drag as well, up and down, massaging the ceiling of my sex, while my hips began to buck. I was crying out in earnest now, beginning to squeeze my knees together, crossing my ankles over each other to lock him in, fingers curled into his hair, humping his face. He rode through, humming low in his throat, fingering faster, faster, sucking harder, fingers faster, sucking, even faster, pressed up, in, in, in.
I sucked in a sharp breath. "I'm gunna cum, I'm gunna cum!"
He groaned against me, fingers pumping slick and hot and noisy now in my dripping sex. I huffed, huffed, sucked in a sharp breath, rolling, rocking, my thighs visibly shaking with the effort of their flex. Toes curled. Coming undone.
"Right... there..." I gasped, right before I was wrenched into my high, stars sparking behind my eyes as the first wave hit me in a contracting pulse. Pulsing, pulsing, contracting, legs quivering in the air from how rigid they'd gone in response, the current shocking me to stillness between twitches. I was perfectly silent as he continued to ride me through it. Loving me. Lavishing me. Kissing, licking, stroking, as though I weren't already raging over him.
And then I gasped, and choked. Broke on a dry sounding sob of relief as my body let go to relax. I let out a strained moan as I finally began to fall back, my fingers slipping from out of his hair to release him. My thighs and knees and ankles unlocked, going limp.
I stared up at the sky, panting, keening, while he slowed between my legs. Still soft licks, reluctant to leave. Stroking my inner thighs, planting soft kisses there to ease me, before coming up to me. I felt his erection drag over my legs as he did, but he was all soft smiles for me, tenderly brushing my hair back from my face while he brushed sweet kisses to both of my cheeks. I huffed weakly, pursing my lips for him to take up with a soft laugh. He wrapped an arm underneath me to hold me tighter against him, flush. Looking at me with adoration.
"You're pretty good at that," I whispered teasingly, putting some extra exhaustion in my voice.
"Pfff...!" He shook with quiet laughter, face turning a bit red. "Ah, well... I do my best."
I sighed as I ran the side of my shin up against his, smiling. "I love you. You're amazing..."
He returned my smile with a sheepish one of his own. "Well, I can't say that I do it all for you..."
I smirked. "Mhmm, oh, believe me, I can tell."
"Ahah..." He ducked his head in embarrassment, grinning now. "You're embarrassing me."
I trailed my fingers up his arms, meeting his eyes fully. "Please take me, Sim. I want you in me."
"Already, hm?"
I raised an eyebrow as I gave a meaningful roll of my hips. "...Seems like YOU'RE ready for it, too."
"You're making me blush!" he protested, before catching my smiling lips against his own to shut me up, though he couldn't stop the laugh from bubbling through.
I deepened the kiss on him, and he surprised me by immediately deepening it right back with a huff. Yes, he was ready. Willing and wanting and desperate, after having teased himself just as much as he teased me with his tongue, if not more. Eating me out made him wild to take me after, however much he tried to hide it with more sweetness. He wanted me, had to have me. I opened my legs more to drag my heels up again with a shaky exhale against his mouth, my hand pressed to his cheek.
He swallowed, before heaving air when our kiss broke, his hand reaching down between us to grip himself. "If it's my cock that you want..."
I moaned. He was NEVER crass. To hear that word from his lips shot a new burning heat through me. Simeon's passion. Simeon's cock. I nodded desperately, dropping my hands to hold onto his shoulders while I tilted my hips, my pelvis, while he guided himself towards me.
His tip touched my entrance, and we both sucked in hitched breaths at the connection. But I nodded, pleading with my eyes, fingers curling tighter on his shoulders.
He didn't waste anymore time. And how easily I took him, with how wet and wanting he had made me.
He sunk smoothly, quickly, guiding through with a gasp while I moaned with an arch of my back. He climbed up, connecting, joined together, his generous cock seating deep in my heat, reaching for my core. I quivered with a little choked noise while we stared at each other with knots of desire between our brows. Looking, feeling.
"I can't believe... I get to have this," he whispered. "This..."
I was speechless, throat too tight to respond as I gave him a nod. I breathed out my held breath shakily while I raised my hand to brush my thumb over his cheek bone. My beautiful Simeon, intimate with me, united together. To be loved by him was... a blessing so deep.
"I love you," I finally managed to croak.
He took my hand from his cheek. Took my other from his shoulder. Laced his fingers through them, guiding them gently to either side of my head. "I love you too, Chise..."
He kissed me.
And then we moved.
Hips, gently rocking.
Fingers linked, and lacing.
Tears pricking my eyes, and his.
He took me sweetly. My bare legs in the night air, my back on the blanket that covered the grass underneath. His eyes locked to mine, glassy, his lips parted in reverence as he watched while my breath hitched. Gentle pumps of his hips, rocking me back and forth, his sweet cock dragging through my walls, again and again, tunnelling through, the length of his shaft led by the curved spear of his tip, and then back again, again, again, again, and again.
He was deep. He didn't give me full, top to bottom trusts. He stayed deep, his thrusts reaching bottom, pulling back gently, to reach again. I shuddered underneath him at the sweet, persistent massage, my moans long and drawn out. I was relaxed, but he truly was reaching deep, so deep, and his knuckles gripped against mine so tight. My belly was burning up, counter to the softness of both of our moans.
He came down to me to press sweet kisses to my mouth, huffing, taking, pressing the backs of my hands tighter to the blanket under us. His moans so sweet, so breathy, his chest heaving with his growing desire, his knees spreading further apart between mine.
"Please," I whispered shakily. "Please..."
"You're so beautiful," he murmured. "So beautiful to have. Let me have you like this a little longer."
But he rolled his hips a little harder anyway, and I bucked gently to meet it. He sighed shakily with a knot forming between his brow, and he bit his lip to contain himself.
"Please..."
"Chiseee," he groaned, pressing his lips to mine shakily. A little heavily, breaking it off to pant softly, eyes glazed. "Oh, Chise..."
He was using the tops of his thighs, a forward lean, to fold me up higher. Reaching so deep, while my moans pitched higher. He tilted his pelvis to meet the folding of mine, drawing his hips back further, for more room to tunnel in again. Longer strokes, his knuckles gripping mine tightly while he began to snap his hips quicker, quicker, more insistent, hungrier, his passion boiling over.
"Simeon..." I moaned under my breath as I tipped my head back, my glazed-over eyes catching the blur of moonlight and fireflies overhead. My back was rolling, he was pressing hot kisses to my throat, he was thrusting, his chest was heaving, it felt like he was all over me, spreading me open. This beautiful man, spreading my legs with his thighs, pushing my hands apart with his, keeping my throat exposed for his lips with the press of his forehead to my jaw. Huffing against me. Thrusting. My moans becoming soft cries.
Until he was plunging, his cries soft and high and emotional, to my loud and desperate and passionate. I quickly became overwhelmed from his increasing desperation. His shoulders rolled, hands pressing mine down tight, while he took me, gasping, drowning in it, as I climbed higher, shriller, the light around us growing so bright, blinding.
"Simeon!" I cried. "Sim, please! Gonna cum! PLEASE!"
I don't know what I begged him for, but I begged.
"Come on, sweetheart," he begged back. "Come on... Oh, please..."
I locked him in tightly between my thighs with a cry, before my muscles truly locked on their own, dragging him down, pulling him deep, as I was swept under another tidal wave of pleasure. Heat bloomed with every kiss of his cock in my core as he continued to thrust into me, rocking my rigid body while I came undone beneath him once again, my silence punctuated my strained chokes while I pulsed in my contractions around him. Wave after wave, kept up and up by the continuous delivery of more, more, more of him.
"...I want so much," he whispered into my neck while I heaved out a shudder from underneath him. “How can I want so much… But this can’t be sin; there’s too much love for it to be… Mmff…” He pushed into me with a grind. “Oh, I love you… And to make you cum, is…"
"...Mmmore," I strangled out.
My beg came over him like a sharp slap. He gasped sharply, pulled back, and then he slammed, and then he pounded. Thrusted wildly. Pounding my shuddering body as the tension in within me finally began to release, leaving me gasping for air. Hips snapping desperately, he fucked that air out of me, crying out, clutching me to him.
"Stars, Chise! Oh stars, oh stars! Chise!"
I wrapped my legs around him and slammed him into me with a groan. He let out a sharp cry. We sounded so wet together.
"Ohh, Chise! I-I can't hold... I'm going to cum in you..."
"...Please, Simeon," I whispered as I slid my fingers around to cup his cheeks. I pressed my forehead to his while he gasped with my next slam of him into me with my legs. "Cum for me, Sim..."
He cried out again as he pressed his forehead back to mine, squeezing his eyes shut, and then a slamming thrust that rocked us both back, and he was releasing. Hips rolling with each pulse that shook him, he pumped his cum into me with choked sobs of need. I held him close, whispering shakily, stroking his face with a hitched breath, wrapping him tighter to me with my legs to take it all.
This beautiful, tender, loving man; he gave to me desperately, choking on air with each flood of his seed, his breath hot on my face, forehead and nose pressed to mine. Shuddering through his climax, pouring his love into me.
And then his forehead slid down my cheek while he let out a soft and tired moan, sweet to my ears, to press against the side of my neck while he trembled in my arms.
///
My hands slid from his cheeks for my fingers to sink into his hair, and I cupped the back of his head to hold him to me, turning my face to press shaky kisses. "I love you so much," I whispered, in a voice that broke with my emotion. "I have never felt... So tender... So soft... So... moved… Like this…"
"My heart..." He sucked in a shaky breath, steadying the overwhelming intensity of his own feelings. "I love you, with all of mine..."
"I can't imagine my life without you. You are my anchor, Sim..."
"So don't imagine it," he whispered back, with a soft press of his lips to my neck. "I will share in all of your life. In every joy, and ever grief. I'll be walking hand in hand with you through it all, to experience it all. You are mine, and I am yours."
"Gods, Simeon. Promise..."
"I promise." He took another steadying breath. I suspected that if I were to see his face, if I were to look into his eyes, I would see tears there. They'd match my own. "I promise. I've found the freedom to truly love in you. I'm going to cherish it. Cherish you.” He wrapped his fingers around the necklace that laid at my throat. “I will cherish this whole life with you."
I choked then, my breaking point reached. I felt so sad for him. Sad for them all. I didn't want to leave them in pieces. I didn't want them all to see me grow old, to witness the reminder. I just didn't want that for them...
What was the point in giving a feather necklace to a mortal...? It was supposed to be... lifelong. And I was just a drop in the ocean to his. Surely he would regret it one day; that one day, even if it took twenty thousand years or more, he would fall in love again. And he would regret that he gave his only necklace to someone so perishable, and so long put behind him.
What a foolish thing, to hold up something so fleeting. To love it so fiercely, even knowing how it will end...
"My love... My blessing..." He came to me. Yes, tears in his eyes. His glassy and unshed, while mine flowed freely. And as though he heard every thought, every doubt, his words were offered as a balm. "Oh, I will never regret meeting you. Never regret loving you. My life's blessing."
I should regret it. I should regret letting them all love me.
I sniffled quietly as I cupped his cheek, my bottom lip quavering.
"...Neither will I..."
He ran his hands up the curves of my body, the sweat from our passion cooling on my skin. I shivered as I held him closer, pressing his warmth to me.
"Come on, sweetheart," he said in his light voice, full of his kindness and patience and tender affection, so breathy near my ear. "I want to bathe with you naked in the lake under the moon. And then I want to wrap you up warmly, and dry your hair by a crackling fire. I want to share bedding with you all night under the moon and stars, the fireflies dancing overhead, guiding us to sleep. I want everything, Chise. Be wholly mine tonight. And then, in the morning, I want to take you again, before I cook you breakfast over another fire. Be mine in the morning too, Chise."
"Oh, Sim… I’ll always be yours.” I pressed him to me with a dreamy sigh. “But yes. That sounds so perfect… You’re so perfect. I want every word of that too."
He brushed a kiss to my jaw, laughing softly. "Let's have more perfect nights like this. You and I."
"Yes." I tipped his head up for my lips to near his, my other hand running down the bare skin of his beautiful back. "I want every moment of every perfect night like this, with you."
He neared willingly as well, meeting his lips to mine.
“I don’t believe it,” Lucifer sighed in irritation as he strode through the halls of the Demon Lord’s Castle. “I asked him to look over these documents by the end of the day. But when I should up, he’s not even in his study. And I don’t see Barbatos around, either. Tsk…”
He paused with a frown, listening intently. After all, it could just be one of the Little D’s, or…
“…Ah.” No, the voices were deeper. He approached the sitting room with relief. “Is this where they are, then?”
"…Mm, excellent. Barbatos, you are simply amazing.”
“You flatter me, My Lord.”
Lucifer paused again, at the door, as their voices drifted through to him.
He really, really shouldn’t eavesdrop.
"Mm… delicious! Your hellfire mushroom rolled cigar cookies are just wonderful, Barbatos.”
“You always have loved these, haven’t you, My Lord?”
“Yes, and they’re especially good paired with this flaming gecko sauce.”
Lucifer heard Barbatos sigh indulgently. ”You still like to cover your cookies in that sauce, as if to disguise them as dinner rather than dessert. That’s another thing that hasn’t changed.”
“Why don’t you try some yourself? They’re delicious.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Barbatos declined with a chuckle, "but thank you. I’ve already sampled them. These are all for you. Please, eat as many as you’d like.”
“Thank you, I will! These really are great. The flavour, the texture…”
Barbatos tutted, though there was amusement behind the exasperated sound. "I’m glad you’re enjoying your snack, My Lord, but please don’t forget that you have student council business to take care of afterwards.”
“Ah, now that you mention it, I seem to remember Lucifer asking me to look over some documents before the end of the day… Oh well. I guess it’ll be all right if I do it tomorrow morning at RAD.”
Lucifer rolled his eyes.
He really, really shouldn’t be eavesdropping. But by the nine hells, this exasperating man of his…
Well, there was no helping it. He would admonish him thoroughly tomorrow. He had better things to do than chase after him for its completion tonight.
He turned to leave.
"…Every time I eat these, I can’t help thinking… Lucifer really is good at anything and everything, but…"
Lucifer stopped again, back turned to the room.
"…when it comes to making hellfire mushroom rolled cigar cookies, I doubt he could hold a candle to you, Barbatos."
After another moment of stillness, their conversation now falling quite suddenly deaf on his ears, Lucifer continued on his way.
Well, of course not. How preposterous. Lucifer was no baker. What a silly thought. Diavolo really did just blurt out any whimsy that came to him, no matter how foolish. Young and silly. Barbatos, wise and composed and full of his unfathomably long life’s experience as he was, made good hellfire mushroom rolled cigar cookies. His dedication to his hobby had earned him the well-earned admiration of even those in the Celestial Realm, reluctant as any of them would be to openly admitting such a thing about a demon. He was the exception.
Yours said ‘Walk around in an animal onesie for thirty minutes’. Just so you know, I’m not the one who came up with these tasks! That would be Barbatos!
Do you think it will work? Pleeeease? She’s so much HAPPIER after she’s spent time with you! ...Barbatos! You must do everything you can to make her feel like the princess that she is!
Lucifer really is good at anything and everything, but when it comes to making hellfire mushroom rolled cigar cookies, I doubt he could hold a candle to you, Barbatos.
The muscle on Lucifer’s jaw twitched. Young and silly and whimsical. What ever would the Devildom do without Barbatos’ guidance? What state would it be in without him at Diavolo’s helm, shepherding his wandering attention and impulsive thoughts along? The perfect advisor, the most loyal of friends, whom Lucifer himself respected deeply. Perhaps more than any other. An ageless mentor to all, worthy of being held in such high esteem.
And Barbatos’ cookies were, of course, absolutely delicious.
(Look who came in the maaaail! ❤️)
Notes:
Lullaby: Brahms’ Lullaby, ‘Cradle Song’ – Johannes Brahms (1868)
Simeon’s Devilgram: Beneath the Moon’s Glow (NB)
…Highly recommend searching up the artwork for this one because umph. Nngg. Nkk. Mmmf. *panting noises* Meeeeooooow…
LOVE how the Devilgram artists are CLEARLY thirsty for him as well… Like, constant artwork of his sexy back, too. “Heartwarming Steam,” “I Want To Help You,” “Memorable World” (flower unlocked) ...“YUKATA FASHIONISTA”?! Like HEELLLOOOO?!
Chapter 28: Intermission: Melancholic Pride
Chapter Text
Day 13
Mammon: Dear brother Lucifer.
Levi: We have nothing but the greatest respect for you.
Beel: We appreciate all that you do for us.
Lucifer: 😒
Lucifer: Drop the farce and tell me what you want.
Mammon: Sorry, Lucifer! We broke a window at RAD!
Levi: We shouldn’t have been playing baseball with the cleaning tools. It was the height of stupidity.
Beel: My swing was too strong. I feel bad about that.
Lucifer: I see. I’m proud of you for turning yourselves in.
Mammon: YES! 😁
Mammon: So, does that mean you’ll forgive us?
Lucifer: I’ll forgive you after you write one hundred apology letters.
Beel: That was to be expected.
Mammon: 😨
Levi: 😰
Lucifer: Chise has a single day’s vacation from your shenanigans, and this is the result.
Lucifer: So believe me when I say that that is a generous punishment.
Levi: Did we mention that we’re very sowwy…?
Mammon: Shaddup, Levi! Before he makes it 200!
Lucifer: 😒
Lucifer: A splendid show of reaching for greater heights of atonement. 200 it is.
Mammon: DAMMIT.
I smelled something absolutely disgusting coming from the kitchen once I got home.
“…Oh gods," I breathed in alarm, dropping my pack at the door. "Oh gods please don't be here, making your Night-Night Cake.”
–
But Solomon was not, in fact, in the House of Lamentation, making his Night-Night Cake.
...Lucifer was in the kitchen instead.
I stood in the doorway, staring at him, as he glared down at the tray in front of him; his arms were crossed, with oven mitts on his hands. He looked so ridiculously ‘homemaker-esque’ that in any other circumstance, I would have laughed.
“I don’t understand,” he muttered in frustration to himself. “How did they turn out like this? I was trying to make hellfire mushroom rolled cigar cookies. But these don’t even look like rolled cigar cookies at all…”
I raised my eyebrows in surprise. And confusion. And a lot of other things.
“And they were supposed to be sweet,” he continued, after biting into one with a grimace, “but these are so spicy that they could kill a man.”
“…What are you doing?” I asked, despite myself. I was just so confused.
He turned his head towards me quickly. “…Ah, Chise. You're home.”
“I am…”
“Did you have a good time with Simeon and the fireflies?”
“Yeah, it was… magical. But Lucifer…” I gestured to the tray. "What are you doing?”
“This…” He turned his face to look down at it with a sigh. “I am attempting to bake hellfire mushroom rolled cigar cookies.”
“But why…? I’ve never seen you try to bake before. Not sweets, at least.”
He tsked. “It is ridiculous.”
“Uhh, what is?”
He waved his hand over the tray. “The reason for this utter crap.”
I frowned. He didn’t swear often. He was in quite the mood.
I turned away with a sigh. I guess I wasn’t getting any answers. “…Well, if you're not going to tell me–"
"...I don't know why he left, Chise," he called out to me softly.
I glanced at him coolly from over my shoulder. "Sorry, but I find that very hard to believe."
“It is difficult to explain. You would find it quite frustrating."
"I have been waiting for an explanation for nearly TWO WEEKS, Lucifer. I'm finding your lack of explanation frustrating as well. You wouldn't accept this in my place, would you?”
“I suppose… you make a point.”
“A good one. I need this explanation, Lucifer.”
He sighed. "All right, then you shall get it. That day – I was discussing student council business with him. The discussion was perfectly civil, and in my opinion, it was a productive conversation. And then he just... became enraged." He shook his head. "Truly, Chise, I am just as perplexed as the rest of you, if not moreso, knowing the context in which is happened. Truly..."
I'd turned around to face him again, quiet, my teeth clamped together in a tense grit while I frowned at him.
I had a hard time believing it. I'd seen him purposefully provoke Satan enough times to know that Lucifer knew exactly how to get under his skin, subtly or otherwise. Or accidentally. Even if it were true that it had been an accident, I had a hard time believing that he wouldn't be able to connect the dots on how it happened after he'd reflected on it.
"Chise... Would you say something?"
But the expression on his face went counter to that disbelief. The man was prideful. Literally Pride. So having him look at me pleadingly, sadly, as he beseeched me to believe him, with his palm pressed subconsciously over his heart like that...
I breathed out through my nose. "...Okay."
He sighed again. "You don't fully believe me. I suppose that is fair, considering..."
"Fuck." I rubbed my forehead with the heel of my palm. "I'm mad because I DO believe you."
"I see..." He regarded me levelly, though there was hesitation in his voice. "...Thank you?"
Yeah, I guess I would be confused too.
"Not at you... Maybe..." I flicked my eyes down to the floor. "Now I'm just mad that I really don't have answers, and I don't know what to do with that..."
"I'm sorry, my dear," he said softly, with a rare touch of sympathy. "...And I am very sorry that it took this long for me to explain myself."
I nodded quietly. Yeah, that'd been the biggest problem I had with him, in the end. Always. Always, his refusal to open up. He'd rather allow people to think he was a cruel monster than admit any vulnerability. He'd rather allow me to be hurt and angry, than to...
I felt his touch on my cheek. He'd strode over to close the gap between us while I mused darkly while staring at the floor. He tilting my face up with a cup of my jaw.
"I am so sorry, my lamb."
I sighed, and stepped into his arms.
I wasn’t really sure about all of this, but…
He wrapped me to him immediately, cupping the back of my head to his chest, his warm breath in my hair as he exhaled a breath of soft relief. Warm. Clean. Smelled good. Lucifer.
Safety.
“…Why are you making cookies, anyway...?" I muffled into his shirt. “You're covered in flour...”
Flour, that I was also now covered in.
"Ah, well..." He sighed in resignation. “It is nothing major.”
“Uh-huh… There’s something wrong. You can’t hide it from me.”
“…Well, I suppose… yeah. It really isn’t a big deal. In fact, it’s so minor that it’s hardly worth discussing.”
I looked up with narrowed eyes.
His lip twitched at my expression. “…But yes, you’re right. It’s bothering me enough that you were able to pick up on it. Seriously, I can’t hide anything from you, can I?”
I stuck my hand out towards the kitchen behind us, gesturing.
“A man can’t bake on a whim, and get a bit frustrated in its result?”
I growled low in my throat.
“Fine, fine.” He sighed again, as was his usual. “It truly is ridiculous. You’re going to be sorry you asked. It’s about something that happened yesterday. I stopped by the Demon Lord’s Castle on student council business.” His face fell a bit, giving him away. “When I got there, I overheard Diavolo and Barbatos discussing something..”
“Oh? Eavesdropping on the royal prince and his butler, Lucifer?”
He tsked. “I did not intend on eavesdropping. I heard my name mentioned, is all.”
I grimaced. No one liked to be talked about behind their back. “Ah…”
“Diavolo said that I am good at anything and everything.”
I blinked. “…Okay. That’s–“
”Except,” he continued, “that he suspected that I could not 'hold a candle’ to Barbatos’ hellfire mushroom rolled cigar cookies.”
Oh my god. Pride, you fucking idiot…
“It’s not like I feel as though he was comparing me to Barbatos. But, hmm… How do I explain it?”
“It made you sad? Made you feel cast aside?”
He tsked again, with an accompanying scowl this time. “I’m not a child, Chise.”
“I didn’t say that. But you’re clearly conflicted.”
“Yes, maybe that’s it.” He looked over the top of my head, thoughtful. I’ve never felt like I was competing with Barbatos before – like I was inferior or superior. I’ve never even challenged him to see who made better cookies before. And yet, the idea that Diavolo is so certain I would lose doesn’t sit well with me.”
I sighed heavily. “Soooo, you’re making hellfire mushroom cookies, huh?”
“…Attempting it, yes. And for the attempt, I have been rewarded with cookies so spicy that they could–"
“Kill a man, yeah. I heard you.”
“Ugh…” He shook his head. “I am also covered head to toe in flour as well. And now, so are you – my apologies. Look, even your cheeks and the tip of your nose are white from my coat.” He tutted as he inspected me, before licking his thumb to wipe at my cheek, presumably against a flour-coated spot.
I blushed, blinking.
He chuckled with a small smile at the sight of my colouring cheeks, eyes finally softening a bit as he returned his focus to me. Smirking, he leaned down, kissing the tip of my nose with a sneaky little lick, making me squeak. “There we go. Got rid of that.”
“Luciferrrr…!” I hunched in his arms shyly.
“Hey, what’s with that embarrassed look?” He tipped my face up again, smiling wider, with even the corners of his eyes crinkling. “Look at you. You’re bright red. If you’d like, we could take a shower together.”
“Lucifer!” I admonished him, gasping.
He chuckled again. “I was only joking. There's no need to look at me as though you’re about to slap me.”
I ducked out of his arms with a giggle.
“Hmm? Where are you– Excuse me, missy, just what do you think you’re doing?” He followed me, exasperation in his voice. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
I was smirking, picking up a cookie.
“…You aren’t seriously planning on eating that, do you? You’d better not. I’m not even sure they’re edi–"
But I was already choking, eyes wide as my hand flew up to grip my throat, my face now red for other reasons.
He sighed. “The adventurous type, I see. Well, you can’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“W-Waterrrr…!” I expelled some of the dry ‘cookie’ with my next choke.
He was tsking again with a shake of his head, reaching for a glass. “Ever the naughty one. Whatever shall I do with you? I tried to stop you, but you didn’t listen.” I heard the sound of the tap running, but my eyes were watering so badly the room was blurred completely. “Now then, calm down for a moment and drink this. No dying on me, Chise.”
I sucked the water from the glass that was placed against my lips greedily, gasping.
“There’s no way I can feed these to Diavolo,” he sighed. “Why don’t we pretend they never existed? They’ll be our dark little secret.”
I gasped, and gasped again, heaving in air with my palm pressed to the spot above his belly for balance. “…You’re fine just… the way you are, Lucifer…”
He laughed softly. “Are you trying to comfort me right now? While choking on an absolutely wretched cookie, baked by my own hand?”
I wheezed out a giggle, wiping my eyes on the back of my sleeve.
“Be careful not to get that spice on your fingers in your eyes, dear. Anyway, it’s not as if this really bothers me. After all, think about it. If we take Diavolo’s comment and turn it around, he said that making hellfire mushroom rolled cigar cookies is the only thing Barbatos does better than me. In every other area, I compare favourably. That’s what it comes down to, right?”
“Pfffff! Wow!” I burst out into a bout of laughter, straightening up with a grin. My Avatar of Pride. “That’s some confidence you have there.”
“Hah. It’s got nothing to do with confidence.” He laid his palm on the top of my head affectionately. “I’m simply stating a fact. One other thing: thanks to a certain busybody sticking her nose into my business and requiring my care, I haven’t had time to feel down in these last moments. She seems to have broken the spell I was under with a charming one of her own. Focusing on you has ended up putting me in a better mood.”
“Now you’re just flirting…”
He chuckled while pulling me back into his arms. “I have you to thank for that, Chise.”
“Next time, they’ll turn out good.” I looked up at him, smiling. “We could make them together, if you’d like…”
“Mmm, well, maybe.” He sighed. “I don’t know how many centuries it’ll be before I try my hand at those again. I’ve learned my lesson.”
“Well, we’re already covered in flour…”
“Ah, my merry little lamb,” he said with amusement in his voice, smirking again. “How cute you are. Is that what you want? To spend time with me?”
I scrunched up my nose at his suggestive tone. “Hey, don’t get ahead of yourself. I’m still kinda mad at you.”
“That’s fair.” He pressed the tips of his fingers to the underside of my chin again, keeping me in place. “But perhaps I might request a kiss?”
“You’re not usually one to make requests…”
“Well, I do quite worship you. I’m making an exception.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re REALLY laying it on thick. But… yes. I guess a little kiss wouldn’t hurt.”
“No,” he said with a smirk as he neared, “not this one, anyway.”
Before I could make return his smartass retort with one of my own, his lips were pressed to mine. The fullness of them had me sighing into the kiss, my fingers coming up to curl around the collar of his shirt in a little grip. He got a little greedy, in a gentle way, as he took another, and another, while he slid the palms of his hands from the small of my back to my waist, pulling me flush, while he took another, and another, flour be damned.
I think I’d been hurting his feelings, I realized in the moment, throughout the tenderness of it all; maybe just as much as he had been hurting mine.
What did you do?! Where did he go!
Me? I did nothing.
BULLSHIT!
Silly Pride. You don’t need to be a child to feel sad, or cast aside.
I slid my arms around the back of his neck, pulling him down to me, kissing just as needily.
Belphie: Today, while it was my turn to go shopping, I ran into Beel on the way home.
Belphie: Without me saying anything, he casually took the heavier bag.
Belphie: Honestly, it was tough carrying everything along, so it was a big help.
Chise: He’s the best brother, huh?
Chise: He really loves you.
Belphie: Yeah, Beel’s always looking out for me.
Belphie: He’s a demon of few words, but he speaks through his actions.
Belphie: That’s why I can only trust you or him in a pinch.
Belphie: I’m so glad he’s my twin. I’m really proud of him.
Chise: I’m really proud of you, Belphie.
Belphie: I bet you think you’re being pretty cute with that little comment, huh?
Belphie: It’s not like I said anything special or anything.
Belphie: Eh, whatever. I’ll let it slide this time.
Chise: I love you.
Belphie: Yeah, yeah. I love you too.
Belphie: 😘
Chise: I’ll get the other one back.
Belphie: Hehe. I know.
Belphie: Give him hell, Chise.
Belphie: Viva la Anti-Lucifer League.
Day 14
Diavolo looked up from his desk in confusion at the sight of the gloved hand that quietly placed a container in front of him.
“Lucifer...?” He frowned, glancing down at the box, before looking up again. “What’s this?”
“Cookies.” And then, Lucifer placed a jar of Flaming Gecko sauce in front of him as well. “Hellfire mushroom rolled cigar cookies.”
“Really?!” Diavolo leaned forward eagerly, a grin forming on his face. “I didn’t expect this! Thank you! You didn’t have to–"
“I made them.”
Diavolo froze. Flicked his eyes back to Lucifer. “…You made these?"
Lucifer looked away uncomfortably. “Yes.”
"...You made these for me?”
"I... suppose you can look at it that way."
“But… you don't bake."
"I'm not partial to the hobby, no."
Diavolo looked at him in disbelief. "But you still... made these for me."
Lucifer rolled his eyes. "So we've established."
“…Thank you, Lucifer," Diavolo murmured softly, eyes round.
"Hmph..." Lucifer looked away again, waving his hand dismissively. "You’re assigning too much importance to them. Besides, I can't promise that you will enjoy them. Truthfully, I dared not try them myself. It was Chise who assured me of their adequacy."
Diavolo grinned once more. "So Chise helped, huh?"
"Believe me when I say her intervention was absolutely necessary.”
“Hahaha.” Diavolo’s eyes softened. “Lucifer..."
Lucifer sighed in exasperation at the tone of fondness. “Yes…?"
"I love you..."
Lucifer felt a flush of heat spread on his face. He sighed again. There was no helping it now,; his own face betrayed him thoroughly. "...I love you too. Silly man... Enjoy your cookies.”
“…Ah, wait. Now I know what this is about. Oh dear…” Diavolo’s face fell as he rose from his chair, coming around from his desk towards him. “I take it you overheard my conversation yesterday?”
“I did not mean to.”
Diavolo sighed with a smile, and a shake of his head. “And you say I’m the silly man.”
Lucifer tsked as he watched him draw near, until they stood, nearly chest-to-chest.
Diavolo raised his hand to cup Lucifer’s cheek. “I can think of other things that Barbatos cannot do for me, that you excel in…”
Lucifer snorted in amusement as Diavolo’s face neared, quirking a smile when his prince was close enough that he couldn’t see the movements of his lips.
“Thank you, Lucifer,” Diavolo whispered.
“There’s no need. It was nothing.”
“I need you like no other; you know that, right? Therefore…” Diavolo chuckled with a smirk. “You needn't have gone to such lengths to get my attention. 'Silly man'…”
Lucifer scoffed, scowling again; but before he could reply, Diavolo’s lips were on his, along with a soft laugh, and fingers sliding into his dark hair to playfully hold him in place.
He hummed indulgently in amused defeat, before lifting his own hand to hold it against the nape of Diavolo’s neck, and kissing him back.
I initially didn't pay attention to the movement of somebody in front of me, assuming that it was a student taking a seat at their desk. So I kept my eyes down. Purposely, in disinterest.
But I had the sense that the chair was turned, and that the body within it sat still, and inexpectant. Looking at me.
I raised my eyes.
Barbatos, sitting across from me, hands neatly laid in his lap. His own eyes soft as he met mine.
I visibly started in my surprised confusion. "Barbatos? I'm so sorry, I didn't realize you were there.” And then I winced as my surroundings came back to me. “Oh no, I’m so sorry, I know I messed up my potion again…”
He chuckled in amusement.
“I swear I was listening… I don’t know why these things keep happening…”
“I did not know that you messed up your potion again, Chise. But thank you for your honesty.”
“…Ugh.”
He smiled kindly. “Next time, we shall partner together. I am curious to see your methods anyway.”
“My methods,” I muttered in embarrassment, as I slid down a bit in my seat in a sulk. “Though, I guess partnering with you would be, umm… nice.”
Great. Now my cheeks were turning pink, too.
“As to why I have approached.” He straightened in his seat a bit, facing me directly. "I have come to apologize to you, Chise."
I gave him a confused look. "What for...?"
He bowed his head a bit. "I must humbly beg for your forgiveness once more, that duty should interfere with, well, what would probably be seen as the correct course of action within a relationship."
"You're being awfully formal," I said uneasily.
He smiled sadly at me. "I know where Satan is."
I inhaled sharply, eyes widening as my entire body stilled.
“…You…”
“I do, yes. He is in the human world, staying at Hotel Corvo.”
“…Barbatos,” I said faintly. “Please… explain yourself.”
He sighed. “I regret the secrecy deeply, Chise. Satan arrived at the Demon Lord’s Castle to request that I open a portal for him, to Hotel Corvo. The Young Master agreed to such a use of my powers to give Satan a break from his… situation. He was very distraught. He was granted, shall we say, mental health leave from his classes, and student council duties. For two weeks..”
I wilted in my seat. “I see… And today is…”
“Two weeks, yes. Though as it is nearing the end of the week, the Young Master can overlook a couple more days, if he needs convincing to return.”
“Thank you…”
“It was agreed that this should not be disclosed to anyone, for his privacy. Chise… Are you disappointed in my choices?”
I shook my head as I leaned up on the tips of my toes to brush a kiss on his cheek. "You're an honourable man, Barbatos. I love that about you."
His face coloured prettily as he watched me pull away with parted lips. "My deepest thanks... my dearest."
"But you owe me."
He bowed his head. “You are so gracious. I am indebted to it.”
“…If you’re going to the human world,” Beel interjected from behind me, “make sure to bring back whatever we need to make human world-style ajillo dishes.”
“Beel!” I admonished him, turning around with a scowl. "That’s your first thought?!”
But he was smiling warmly at me. “I’m glad you’re going to go get Satan back, Chise.”
I let out a heavy sigh. “He asked me not to summon him… But… Belphie… And two weeks…”
I think, more and more, I was coming to realize that my reluctance was the result of my nervousness.
…I feared rejection.
“Did he request such a thing?” Barbatos pulled my attention back to him with his tone of amusement. “If that is the case, Chise, if you will pardon the demon nature within me, surely teleporting to him directly is quite a different thing from summoning?”
“Pff…” Despite myself, I left out a short laugh. “That’s true… Does that make you the little devil on my shoulder, Barbatos?”
Barbatos quirked a smile. “I offer my perspective, nothing more.”
“Thank you.” I smiled back at him. “Though mark my words, I’ll be collecting on your debt soon.”
He bowed over his lap. “I look forward to it. Thank you, Chise.”
“Wait a minute… Barbatos?”
Barbatos turned with raised eyebrows, before he gave a kind smile. “My goodness, if it isn’t Thirteen. I hope the afternoon finds you well?”
“I’m doing all right. I’m on my way to the Demon Lord’s Castle right now.” Thirteen tilted her head as she considered the odd man, with the odd soul. “How about you, Barbatos? What are you up to?”
Barbatos held up his bent arm in show. “I was just buying a few refreshment for the Young Master.”
"Refreshments for the Young Master, huh? Tch.” Thirteen kind of sort of managed not to roll her eyes. “I see. Don’t you think you baby that ‘Young Master’ of yours a bit too much?”
Barbatos blinked. “Do I?”
This time, Thirteen didn’t hold the eye-rolling back. “You totally do! The prince isn’t a child anymore, you know? Just how long are you going to continue seeing to his every need? You want to create a demon king who can’t function without you or something? Is that it?”
Barbatos chuckled good-naturedly at her candid accusation. “Preposterous.”
“Hmm…” Thirteen sighed in exasperation. “Is it though?”
“Tell me then,” Barbatos answered in a lightly teasing voice, “what would you have done in my position, Thirteen? A small demon standing there before you, grasping the key to the room, trembling as he looks at you and says, ‘I’m not letting you out of this room until you promise to be my loyal steward. For the rest of your life.’”
“Wow…” Thirteen raised her eyebrows in disbelief. “He told you he wasn’t going to let you out of the room? He actually said that to you of all ‘demons’? The only one with the power to travel to any world at any point in time at the drop of a hat? Interesting choice on his part…”
“Indeed,” Barbatos agreed with another chuckle. “But to hear that little demon say something like that to me, and so formally royal in his high voice, while hoping to hold me captive… It was just so adorable, you see.”
“Interesting. Are you good with kids then, Barbatos?”
He dipped his head. “I like their more simple, easy-going company, free of any motive other than that of their zest to explore their relatively new life. And I rather enjoy passing along knowledge to prepare the next generation.”
“I can see that, yeah.” Thirteen sighed, crossing her arms, before letting out a small laugh of her own. “Having a cute little demon plead with you like that. I guess I can understand how you ended up the way you did.”
He quirked a smile. “That’s very kind of you to say. By the way, I’d heard that you would be joining us for tea today. I took the liberty of preparing some of your favourite cakes.”
“Really?” Thirteen grinned with a sparkle in her eyes. “YAY! What kind… chocolate? Strawberry?”
“Both. And I was just on my way back to the castle, actually.” Barbatos half-turned, gesturing. “Why don’t I accompany you there?”
“Perfect!” Thirteen skipped to his side. “That means there’s plenty of time for you to tell me why you’re mad at Solomon. I want to hear all about it!”
“I’m sorry,” Barbatos said with a sniff, “but I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Thirteen rolled her eyes once more. “There you go, playing dumb again. I’m not letting you worm your way out of telling me the truth this time!”
“Hello there!” Diavolo greeted Thirteen with a grin. “Welcome. So glad you could come, Thirteen.”
Thirteen tsked haughtily. “Well, it’s not like I had much of a choice, did I? You DID summon me here, after all.”
“Ahahahaha!” Diavolo threw his head back with his booming laughter. “You always have a biting remark at the ready, don’t you? I have to say, I love the uniform! It really suits you.”
Thirteen looked down at her tastefully torn crop-top with her bare midriff showing underneath. The only piece of RAD’s uniform that she wore was the jacket, that had been tied around her hips, with its boring buttons replaced with ones in the shape of hearts. “Why thank you.”
“We’re never had the opportunity to host a reaper at RAD before,” Diavolo continued with a friendly smile. “It’s a pleasure to have you here with us. I can’t tell you how happy I am that you agreed to take part in the exchange program, Thirteen.”
“…Don’t get too excited,” Thirteen retorted haughtily, with a dismissive sniff that could give Barbatos’ own a run for its money. “I was just curious, that’s all. I mean, demons are so selfish. Generally you have one-track minds. I didn’t think it was possible for any leader to finally get a bunch of demons to fall in line. But now you’ve suddenly got demons, humans, and angels all studying together like one big happy family? Times certainly have changed from when I was a little girl.”
Thirteen said the last with a meaningful look at the much younger demon before her, who only continued to grin puppyishly, eyes keen.
She sighed with a casual shrug. “I thought I’d come see what kind of place RAD is like for myself.”
“Why, thank you! I appreciate you saying that”
Thirteen rolled her eyes, yet again. “It wasn’t really meant as a compliment.”
“I’ll get to the reason for my summons. Please,” he gestured to the table that had been set for tea, “have a seat.”
“Why thank you,” Thirteen replied as she sat down like a princess, “I shall. Is that my cake? I’d like some right now, please.”
Barbatos chuckled as he cut into it.
“Having to make the trip from your cave all the way to RAD each day must be difficult. If you would prefer, we can go ahead and prepare a room for you at Purgatory Hall.”
Thirteen spluttered, scowling. “Purgatory Hall?! You MUST be joking!”
Barbatos cleared his throat in warning as Diavolo blinked in surprise, taken aback, but she ignored him.
“You think I’d stay under the same roof as a certain shady sorcerer who shall name be named?! The mere idea is insane! Absolutely not! I take I that’s all you wanted to talk to me about?” She stood with a hmph, though she’d picked up her plate of cake. “Well then, goodbye!”
She disappeared, cake absconded with.
Barbatos chuckled with an amused shake of his head.
Diavolo sighed, leaning back with a smile. “As always, it doesn’t take much to set Thirteen off.”
“I must remember never to underestimate what Solomon’s capable of,” Barbatos sighed. “Really, to anger a Reaper so…”
”Hey there!” came the dreadfully sing-song voice. “Good to see you!”
“Good gods, speak of the devil himself,” Barbatos muttered, while Diavolo let out a little giggle.
“Did I show up a little early?” Solomon continued in, unsure as he glanced at the set table.
Diavolo shook his head. “No, you’re right on time. You were in the middle of consulting with Chise when I contacted you, weren’t you? Sorry for calling you down here on such short notice.”
“Oh, it’s fine,” Solomon replied cheerfully, taking the seat that Thirteen had evacuated, much to Barbatos’ irritation. “Actually, I’ve been wanting to talk to you as well. There’s something I’d like to ask you…”
Barbatos flicked his eyes up to his other master at his sudden sombreness.
“…It’s about a friend,” Solomon continued.
Diavolo nodded, face also turning serious. “Yes, I know what this is about. And naturally, I have no intention of hiding anything from you.”
Gods, what have I done to Simeon…
“…Would you care for some tea, Solomon?” Barbatos asked softly, with a bit of renewed pity.
“I’d love some, thanks.” Solomon turned his face up at him with his absolutely sweetest smile. “By the way, Barbatos, what was it you were saying about me a moment ago?”
Immediately, pity dissipated. “Oh, nothing. Well, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to prepare some of my very best tea for you.”
The madman brightened. “How very kind! This cake looks delicious, too.”
“I’m sure,” Barbatos muttered.
I took a breath, closing my eyes in concentration.
"...In the name of the sorcerer Chise, I command you! Create a path where there is none. Lead us to Hotel Corvo!"
Notes:
We're back on track!
Chapter 29: Chapter 70-A: Shadow Cursed
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“Holy crap…” I breathed. “I didn’t even teleport us into the air…”
“YAAAAAY, WE MADE IT!” Asmo sang as he dropped my hand to spin. “After all this time, we’re finally in the human world again!”
“I’m amazing…”
“Wh… Whoa, hold on!” Levi looked around in concern. “Is it me, or is something not quite right?!”
Asmo stopped with a frown as he looked around. “Now that you mention it, yeah. This sort of looks like London English, huh?”
“It doesn’t just look like London,” Levi snapped, “it IS London!”
“Ohhh…” I winced as I looked around. “Uhhh, any chance we could NOT tell Solomon about this?”
“I will assure him of our success!” Asmo agreed. “…Umm, assuming we do actually get to where we need to be and don’t need to ask for his help to rescue us?”
I let out a heavy sigh. “I’d never live it down…”
“But still, Chise!” He laced his fingers in mine with a grin, holding our hands up between us excitedly. “You transported yourself and TWO HIGH-LEVEL DEMONS across WORLDS! That’s AMAZING, sweetie! So what if you got the place a little wrong… We didn’t arrive in ribbons!”
“Aha…” I grimaced. “That can happen?”
“Oh, I’ve SEEN it happen, petal.”
Levi shook his head, mouth flat. “Not pretty.”
“…You two trust me way too much.”
“Well, anyway, now that we’re in the human world, it won’t be as hard for your next try!” Asmo smiled at me encouragingly. “You won’t be teleporting us across worlds, which is really the hard part.”
Levi nodded. “Chise, try that teleportation spell one more time! You’ve got this!”
“Well,” I sighed, as I took up both their hands again, “I hope you’re right.”
“Aww…” Asmo pouted. “You want to leave already? As long as we’re here, we might as well have some fun!”
Levi rolled his eyes. “We’re supposed to be here looking for Satan. Hanging around London would be a waste of time! Now come on, let’s go!”
“I hope this wasn’t a fluke and I don’t teleport us into the air this time.”
“What?!”
"In the name of the sorcerer Chise–"
“In the air?!”
"I command you! Create a path where there is none…"
“Just don’t land me on my pretty face!”
”Lead us to Hotel Corvo!”
“I CAN’T HANDLE A BRUISED–"
“…Wh? Lololol hold on loool. Is it me, or are you even farther off this time?!”
I sighed in shame. So much for my 'natural pull' to Satan.
It’s like there was… a fissure. Doubt.
“Wait, are we in Japan?!” Asmo squee’d in excitement, looking at his brother hopefully. “Levi, isn’t this the chance you’ve been waiting for?! Now you can visit Akihabara, right?”
Levi gasped, taken in by the fantasy for a moment, before he came back to himself. “But this obviously ISN’T Akihabara!”
I was so proud of him for reining in Asmo for once, and not falling for his shit.
He looked around. “Where in Japan are we, anyway?! Chise are you even TRYING to get us to the right place or what?!”
“I guess I’m not really feeling myself today…” I flashed him a cute smile of apology. “Whoopsie…”
Asmo giggled in delight. “Oh Chise, you’re SO adorable!”
Levi went bright red at the batting of my lashes and precious smile. “Maybe so, but STILL! You have to get this right!”
“I know, I know… Hold my hands, guys.” I took a breath, centering myself.
Listen carefully, Chise. Teleporting between worlds requires a great deal of magical power as well as mental strength. And the more people you try to teleport at once, the more powerful your magic must be. I guarantee that you have what it takes to do that. It’s just a question of whether you can properly harness your ability. As long as you stay calm and focus, I know you can do it. Trust me.
Maybe I will tell Solomon… Just so I can also tell him how much he means to me. How much strength he gives me, when I’m panicking, and in my own head.
How much he centers me.
”In the name of the sorcerer Chise, I command you. Create a path where there is none… Lead us to Hotel Corvo…”
I think he would like that.
Maybe it’ll give him strength as well.
“We…” Levi gasped as his head swivelled from our sprawled place on the sidewalk. “WE MADE IT! We’re at Hotel Corvo! FINALLY!”
“WOW! Way to go, Chise!” Asmo bubbled, too excited to even pretend injury from his fall, while I groaned from underneath them both. “I KNEW you could do it!”
“Lolol. I guess this is one of those ’the third time’s the charm’ situations?”
“Either way, that was incredible!” Asmo sang. “Chise just successfully teleported ALL THREE OF US across worlds! As a sorcerer, you just keep getting more and more powerful! You’re so amazing I can barely stand it!”
“Thanks,” I muttered grumpily. “Just call me ‘the All-Powerful Sorcerer’. Now could you two get off me? …Maybe help me up while you’re at it!”
Asmo giggled as he hopped to it, offering me his hand. “You got it, Chise the Great! You may be Solomon’s apprentice, but you’re so talented that even HE pales in comparison!”
“Pff, I don’t know about that…” I smiled shyly. “I’m sure he could teleport a whole hoard of demons, and have them all land safely on their feet.”
“…Yeah, it still took you three tried to get us here looool.”
I stuck my tongue out at him. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Levi...”
“Tch, Levi! Why do you have to be such a wet blanket?!” Asmo placed a smacking kiss on my cheek with a loud ‘mwah,’ making Levi glower darkly at him. “You’ll get there, sweets!”
“Well, EXCUSE me for being the gloomy otaku that I am. Anyway, Chise did manage it on the third try, so… that’s good.”
Asmo giggled with a knowing smirk. “You should stop pretending like you’re not impressed and just say ’thank you, Chise, my goddess princess.’ Now come on, let’s go!”
Levi followed us, muttering with a blush.
I swallowed, heart sinking with sudden doubt and reluctance.
Finally here.
I’d been averting my eyes from the true depths of my heartbreak throughout the entirety of the last two weeks. Playing with frozen watermelons like a coward…
No wonder it had taken me three tries to get here.
“…Welcome to Hotel Corvo,” the receptionist greeted us in a friendly voice, eyes falling on me. “You must be Chise? We’ve been expecting you. I’ll show you up to Mister, err, Satan’s room.”
I took a breath, before returning her smile. “That would be great, thank you.”
Asmo hooked his arm in mine, giving it a squeeze to him.
–
She gestured, embarrassed uncertainty on her face. “He… must be in here, instead of his room. It’s a private lounge that he’s favoured… Again, I apologize for the state of his… Well, that’s not our hotel’s standard, I can assure you.”
“No, I understand.” I hesitated at the door, before turning to the receptionist. “Thanks, we’ll take it from here. Oh, shoot…” I fished around in my purse, but of course I didn’t have any human world bills on me. “Sorry, I don’t…”
“Haha!” She gave me a warm smile. “Don’t worry about it. I’m paid, err, really really well here. Like, absurdly well…”
I laughed with relief. “Oh, I’m glad. I’ll at least put in a good word with, uh, Mister Barbatos.” I didn’t know if Diavolo had actually taken on the name of John-Whatever, so I took a stab that at least Barbatos was known around here by his true name.
She brightened. “That would be wonderful, thank you! Anyway, I’ll leave you to it. Just call reception if you need anything!”
I gave her a wave as she began to turn. “Thank you.”
–
We stared at each other. Silent.
He looked thoroughly panicked, and so sad. Crestfallen, once he’d laid eyes on me.
“…He’s giving off such tense vibes,” Levi muttered to me from out of the corner of his mouth. “And we’re in a private lounge, right? Private lounges are supposed to be chill.”
I really wished he would stop talking. I barely heard him.
I was just… staring at Satan.
“Why are we having such a tense moment in such a chill place… It’s just weird…”
“Well, what choice do we have?” Asmo whispered back. “After all, Satan’s room is a disaster area.”
“He must’ve gotten angry and started breaking stuff while hanging out alone in there, right? Though I still don’t understand how he managed to trash it that badly. And now he’s just sitting here in silence. He hasn’t spoken…”
“Chise…” Asmo nudged me with a worried look. “Say something to him.”
“…Satan,” I finally croaked, my voice breaking on his name.
He flinched.
“Everyone… has been worried…”
“That’s a lie.”
I was taken aback. “…You don’t believe that.”
“I’m sure some of you have been thrilled that I’m not around anymore.”
Levi glared at him. “If we weren’t worried about you, we wouldn’t have come all this way to see you.”
“You read my texts,” I whispered. “What about… us…?”
Satan’s mouth pinched flat as he looked away. “…I don’t…”
I took a half-step forward. “Please. What happened, Satan…?”
“…Nothing,” he replied hoarsely, looking down at his lap.
“It was definitely SOMETHING.” Levi rolled his eyes in frustration. “Seriously, stop being difficult. Since when are you such a diva?”
“Levi!” I hissed.
Asmo hugged himself in his nervous uncertainty. “You had a fight with Lucifer, right? And that’s why you left?”
He was silent.
“…Please, Satan,” I begged softly.
He took a breath. “…There was some student council work I was supposed to do, but Lucifer took care of it instead.”
He stopped at that.
“Okay…” I frowned in confusion. “And…?”
“That’s it.”
Levi stared at him. “Wha?”
Asmo shook his head in disbelief. “So, you’re saying THAT’S what caused your huge fight with Lucifer? That’s why you left all of us?” He glanced at me. “And Chise…”
Satan’s expression darkened dangerously. “When I pressed him to tell me why he did it, do you know what he said?”
I shook my head, hugging myself now too.
"’It doesn’t matter which one of us does it, because this is you and me. It’s the same either way.’” He growled as his hands curled into fists on his lap. “It’s the same either way? The same? Yeah, of course. Of course it is. After all, I used to be him, didn’t I?”
Levi yelped with a jump as Satan’s power hit us, smack in his brothers’ faces, the room darkening with his aura of anger. “Wh…” He looked around wildly in alarm. “H-Hey! I can hear the windows creaking! They’re going to break!”
“Satan, please!” I begged again, taking a step forward.
”DON’T!” He thrust out his hand in front of him to warn me away. “DON’T, Chise! I’m not…!”
“Satan, come on!” Asmo pleaded as well. “Try to calm down!”
“If I’m the same as him…”
Levi and Asmo both yelled at him, as a pulse of his power came with his abrupt transformation into his demon form.
"Then why do I even EXIST?! WHAT MEANING DO I HAVE?!”
“Wait, no no no!” Asmo held out his hands in a show of surrender. “Come on, please! We can’t have you going full demon in here!”
“Satan!” I choked, as Levi threw his arms around my middle to drag me back. “No, that’s not who you are! You and I, we’re–"
But Satan’s tail lashed in the air as he snarled at us all. "GET OUT. ALL OF YOU."
I choked on a sob. Overtaken by Wrath’s delusions.
“I think we’re done talking!” Levi shouted at us, as he shuffled back with me. “We need to leave!”
“NO!” I struggled, but Levi, despite his insistence on his lack of strength, was still a demon. Stronger than me by far.
“R-Right, yeah!” Asmo backed away hurriedly. “After all, i-it’s getting late. Let’s leave the heavy discussions for later!”
“NO! SATAN…!”
Levi shut the door behind us with a gust of wind.
–
I was sobbing in the corner of another lounge that the kind receptionist had hurriedly shown us to after Asmo had ran to her to set up ‘accommodations’.
“He’s like, REALLY mad,” Levi said in a high voice.
Asmo shook his head sadly. “Lucifer said that in exchange for permission to go to the human world, we weren’t allowed to return without Satan, no matter what… But if Satan won’t listen to reason, then we’re out of luck.”
“Yep, no way we’re going to get him to listen to reason while he’s like that.”
“I’m NOT leaving him here!” I choked out between sobs, eyes and nose streaming.
Asmo sighed as he gave up handing me tissues one at a time, setting the whole box on my lap instead. “Well, if we’re going to stay here for tonight–“
“That sounds good to me!” Levi said quickly.
But Asmo sighed again. “There are three of us, and Lord Diavolo reserved two rooms. “
“…Mmhmm…”
They both glanced at me.
“We shouldn’t leave Chise alone.”
“…Nnnhnn…”
“Chise...?”
I looked between them out of swollen eyes, bewildered. DAMN you, Diavolo. “I-I can’t decide that…! W-We could all just… I’ll sleep in the middle.”
Asmo hesitated as Levi started to slump in expected pre-defeat, his Envy creeping in. “Well, I need my beauty sleep, and I’m sure you’ll be up for a while anyway…”
“Asmo…”
He ran his fingers through my hair. “It’s okay, kitten. But if we have to stay longer, I get next turn twice-over!”
I hesitated, and then nodded my own defeat. I certainly didn’t feel like arguing this point. “All right…”
He was a good brother. His kindness was expressed differently from Beel’s, but it was still there. Thoughtfully given when a soft heart mattered most. For fuck’s sake, he had just overcome his Lust for Levi just now. And for me.
He winked at me playfully. “Anyway, before we even think about sleep, we should head into the same room to strategize.”
I nodded again as I was helped up by them both on either arm. Levi was silent, lips pinched flat. A little bewildered, even. “…I love you both. Thanks for coming.”
“He’s our brother too,” Levi pointed out.
“We want him back just as much,” Asmo agreed in a soft voice.
Asmo giggled as he sat himself on the bed in the quite frankly generous hotel room. “So, now that we’ve had out dramatic, knock-down drag-out fight to settle who’s in what room…”
Levi rolled his eyes, no doubt still a little suspicious over what motivated the kindness.
“It’s time for a ‘How to Bring Satan Back to the Devildom’ strategy session!”
Levi was shaking his head now. “You can strategize all you want, but it won’t work. With Satan in that state, the only option is to drag him back with us by force.” He glanced at me. “I mean, can’t you just Stay him or something?”
I shook my head sadly. “I think that’s a bad idea… We’d just be putting him under the same roof as Lucifer before he’s processed through this.” And there was no way I was using my pact with him in such a violent, abusive way.
“Right,” Asmo agreed. “Ideally, we want to convince Satan to return to the Devildom with us of his own free will.”
Levi sighed in exasperation. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you, though. I don’t think that’s going to happen.”
I sighed too, feeling helpless. I felt like I had an angel and devil bickering with each other on my shoulders.
“Oooh, I just remembered…” Asmo pulled his bag to him. “Mammon gave me something to bring along with us before we left. I’d completely forgotten about it!”
“…Did you say Mammon?” Levi looked at the little orb that Asmo produced. “I don’t like where this is going…”
Asmo placed it on the bed between the three of us. “No, it’s nothing bad! It’s a magical item with the power to conjure a copy of anyone you want. Mammon said he got it from a witch after paying off the money he owed her.”
“This is sounding more and more suspicious by the second…”
I frowned. “How does ‘creating a copy’ of someone even help us, though…?”
“He said that if Satan wouldn’t listen to reason, we could create a doppelgänger of Lucifer and have him get down on his knees and beg or something!”
“Asmo…” I sighed. “Satan will see through that instantly.”
“I dunno. He’s delusional right now.” Asmo shrugged. “But even if he does, so what? We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”
“Hmm, he’s already super mad…” Levi chewed his bottom lip thoughtfully. “So if we end up making him madder, I guess it wouldn’t really change anything, huh?”
“…Aside from blowing up Lord Diavolo’s hotel located in the middle of Vancouver in the human world?”
“If we have ‘fake Lucifer’ kneel in front of Satan AND tell him how much he regrets what he did, then we might at least get somewhere!”
“Guys…”
“Hmm…” Levi picked up the orb to examine it. “I’m pretty sure this sort of magic item works best if you have your target inhale its scene while asleep…”
Asmo bit his lip with a frown. “You’re saying we should sneak into Satan’s room while he’s asleep and leave it there?”
“…Guys…”
“So, who’s going to do that?”
Levi shrugged casually. “The one who has a room to himself, of course.”
“WHAT, ME?!”
I sighed. “Do what you want. But I am not taking part in this.”
“You couldn’t pay me,” Levi added. “It’s your idea, Asmo.”
Asmo sighed too. “All right, fiiiiine. Anyway, I guess I’ll head to my room after I roll this into Satan’s or whatever.”
I grimaced as I watched him take the damned thing from Levi’s hand. “Text me when you’re safe in yours, please, so I know if I have to mount a rescue. You have ten minutes.”
He giggled nervously as he hopped off the bed, skipping towards the door. “Will do! Though you know, the thought of being Chise’s very own damsel in distress…”
“Be careful,” I chided him with exasperation as he gave us a wink just before he shut the door behind him.
Leaving Levi and I, alone in our room.
He was cross-legged across from me, where I hugged my knees to myself. My eyes still ached from crying, and my vision had a sort of blurry tunnelled effect like it would if I were ineffectively squinting. But my eyes were just puffy.
We were quiet. For a bit.
Until Levi cleared his throat softly. “…So, Asmo’s gone now… Umm, and it’s getting late and all, so…” He swallowed as a blush started to rise to his cheeks. “Should we go to bed, or…?”
“Sleep?” I unfolded myself, before reaching across to take his hand. “That’s what you want?”
He jumped, eyes widening. “W-Well, now that you put it that way, I… um, wouldn’t mind staying up.”
I laughed softly as I shifted closer, crossing my legs as well.
“…Hey, um…” He swallowed again as he watched me carefully. “Can I rest my head in your lap, Chise…?”
I giggled now, teasing him with the non-answer.
His face was bright red now. “…But don’t you you dare tell the others that I asked you if I could put my head in your lap while we were alone together, all right?!”
“I won’t,” I said softly, as I pulled him to me to kiss him instead.
He nearly yelped against my lips at their brush. “…That’s not fair, kissing me out of no where like that.”
“Sorry,” I whispered.
“B-But… Don’t stop now. Kiss me on the cheek, and on the lips…”
“Okay…” I smiled as I pressed two slow kisses to both cheeks, before meeting his lips again, which he moved against mine this time.
“…Mmn.” He leaned forward, with a little smile now. “But this is going to stay out little secret, okay? You promise, right?”
I brushed his messy fringe out of his eyes, smiling as I held his cat-gaze. “I promise.”
He hesitated. “…Would you have chosen me?”
“Yeah.”
He blinked at my immediate answer.
“Heh…” My eyes flitted away for a moment, guilt in my heart. “Though to be clear, I would have kept fighting for us all to share. I meant that I chose you instantly in my head, but wouldn’t have said it out loud, because it wouldn’t have been fair. It’s not that I don’t love Asmo, because I do…” I sighed. “I hope you understand.”
Telling him about Mammon’s ring was going to suck. I’d be eating my own fucking words, I realized.
“I, umm…”
My smile was both sad and fond. “You asked because you knew that, right? Because maybe you’re really starting to believe me, deep down? That I want to be with you. To spend time with you, deepening this between us. That I love you, and always will.”
He shrunk back a bit, looking away, but I pulled him closer.
“…L-Look. I know you’re not… really in the mood…” He shifted self-consciously, giving away his own urge that my words had inspired in him, with the movement also happening to shift him closer. The guy wanted to rail after that.
But he was a good boy, on his best behaviour for me, mindful of my deep sadness.
I hummed softly in confirmation. “I’m sorry… But I promise it’s not because I'm rejecting–”
“B-But that’s okay.” Slowly, he leaned forward, slipping his arms around my waist while he rolled onto his hip, until he was beside me. We snuggled against each other as I put an arm around him to pull him close, with his head coming to a rest on my shoulder. “I know you’re upset. Still, maybe this is me being a selfish jerk, I don’t know… But I’m happy I get to have a whole room with you.”
I wrapped both arms around him now, pulling him half into my lap. “Me too, Levi. Cuddling with you is what I need right now.”
“C-Cuddling, yeah…” He tucked his chin in further, embarrassed. “I guess w-we’re… cuddling… alone. I-In. A hotel. Room. Yep. That’s what…”
I giggled. He was like a kicking puppy right now, wriggling gently against me with a drag of his heels on the bed in his bout of shyness. “Is this a bit too normie for you?”
“Mmffrr.”
“You’re so cute.” I pressed a kiss to the top of his head. “I think if I tried to sleep right now, I’d just lay awake, spinning up worse case scenarios. I kinda want to distract myself until I just clonk out. I brought my handheld console…”
“…Me too…”
“Wanna play our island, while we cuddle so close that it’s hard to use the joysticks?”
“Heh…” He bumped his head more firmly under my chin. “Yeah.”
“While we kiss now and then.”
“Yeah, that sounds great. …I really love you, Chise. I wanna be the one that’s here for you right now.”
“You’re right here, right now, aren’t you? You came with me, because you love me and your brothers.” I held him tight, squeezing my eyes shut, releasing tension with a shuddering sigh. “Thank you. I love you so much, Levi… So, so much.”
“Hey, uh, Levi…?” I turned my face slowly to look up at him, blinking sleepily.
“Mmm…?” His lashes fluttered, eyes half-open.
“Did you bring any travel adapters to charge our D.D.D.’s in human world outlets…? I didn’t realize mine died after Asmo texted me…”
He sighed heavily in exhausted realization. “Nng, shit, no…”
“That’s all right… I’m sure Asmo brought one. We can take turns charging ours tomorrow…”
“Mmm…”
I sighed sleepily as I snuggled closer to him. “Night, Levi…”
“Nnn…nnigh…”
“Hey there, Lucifer!” Solomon called out cheerfully. “On your way back from shopping?”
Lucifer glanced. “Ah, Solomon. Yes, I was just heading home.”
Solomon smiled sweetly. “Well then, want to make a pact with me?”
Lucifer regarded the man who approached with baleful eyes. “…Generally, you’re not supposed to follow ‘well then’ with something completely unrelated to the topic at hand.”
“What’s it matter, right?” Solomon’s sparkling smile turned into a grin. “This is you and me! Requesting a pact is just what I do. It’s sort of like a ‘hello’ between us.”
“That’s a very strange way of saying ‘hello’…”
“You’re heading back to the House of Lamentation, right? Well, it just so happens I need to see Mammon about something. Why don’t I go with you?”
“…Do as you like.” It’s not like he really had a choice in the matter. The path home was the path home.
Solomon fell in stride with him. “Oh, by the way, Simeon’s doing well.”
“I didn’t ask.”
“Well…” Solomon gave him a sly glance. “You looked like you were curious.”
Lucifer was silent.
“It’s not like we planned this out exactly, but…” Solomon’s smile dropped a bit. “I feel like you and I have both been trying to make sure that Simeon’s never alone, in a low-key sort of way. Right?”
Lucifer, again, was silent.
“On the other hand, we don’t want to make Simeon anxious, or be a burden in any way.” Solomon looked down at his feet as he walked. “It’s difficult, huh?”
“…You’ve been having a one-sided conversation for a while now, you know.”
“Oh, don’t mind me!” Solomon laughed lightly. “I’m just talking to myself. As for Luke, I’m sure he doesn’t know what’s going on, but he’s been staying close to Simeon anyway. He’s worried about Simeon, even if he’s not really aware that he is. I have a feeling Luke helps keeping Simeon sane…”
“…Luke has a promising future ahead of him.”
“Ah.” Solomon turned his grin on him again. “You finally said something. So, what do you intend to do about this, Lucifer?”
Lucifer rolled his eyes. “You tell me. What do you intend to do about it?”
“Hmm, I don’t know…” Solomon sighed quietly. “Good question…”
–
Belphie looked up from his curled spot on the couch curiously. “Oh, Solomon. Hey.”
Beel glanced up at Solomon’s name. “Didn’t know you were going to drop by.”
“Hey there!” He approached the living room with his signature wave. “Hope I’m not intruding.”
Mammon snorted as he turned the page of his magazine. “What, are ya here to see if you can get Lucifer to make a pact with you again? You never learn…”
Solomon laughed cheerfully. “Yes, I’m always hoping to do that. But today I’m here because I have a message for you, Mammon.”
Mammon gave him a glance of suspicion. “For me?”
“You recently received a magic item from a certain witch, right? To congratulate you for repaying the money you owed her…”
“Oh yeah, that… Wait.” Mammon narrowed his eyes. “How’d you know about that?”
“Weeeell, she and I go back a long way, you see. And she mentioned to me that she’d stuck you with a cursed item. So I was a bit concerned.”
“SAY WHAT?!”
Solomon nodded. “You might want to be careful, Mammon…”
“…Wait.” Belphie sat up. “This cursed item Solomon mentioned…”
Beel’s face fell. “Is that the thing Mammon gave Asmo?”
“WAIT, WHA?! Solomon, you idiot!” Mammon snapped at him as he fumbled for his D.D.D. “You shoulda told me that sooner! Chowderhead of a…!”
Solomon shrugged. “Well, I told you just now, didn’t I?”
“Oh man oh man oh man, this is bad! She’s not picking up! This is real bad…”
Beel sighed. “Mammon’s own curse strikes again…”
“Everything he touches, turns to dust,” Belphie agreed. “His whole existence is a curse.”
“How’s this MY fault?!”
“…So now we have ourselves yet another situation,” Lucifer said from behind them all, making them jump. “Wonderful.”
Mammon squeaked in fear as he attempted to melt into the couch.
“Hmm?” Solomon blinked in confusion. “Has something happened?”
Lucifer tutted. “Well, for one, your apprentice is now in the possession of this cursed object, none the wiser on its true properties.”
“…Oh dear. Perhaps I should have come sooner? Barbatos’ tea is just so delicious…”
"DAMMIT, SOLOMON."
"You’re the one who pissed off another witch, Mammon,” Belphie pointed out dryly.
Lucifer snatched the demon who had just jumped up to flee by his collar. “Mammon. My study. Now.”
“But I was just tryna heeeeelp…” Mammon sobbed. “Why mee-eee-eeee…”
“Well, I guess I should–"
”Solomon. You as well. NOW.”
He pouted. “Aww…”
“Knock knoooock!”
But Asmo pushed past Levi to burst into the room. “Satan deeeear? How are you feeling?”
“Hey, good morning,” Satan greeted us, with a cheerful smile.
We all stopped in our tracks.
“…Uhh… wha?”
“…What the fuck?” I whispered.
“Hmm?” Asmo tilted his head. “Is it me, or does he seem like he’s in a good mood.”
Levi smacked his arm. “Don’t be dense!”
“Tch.” Asmo rolled his eyes. “Also, what’s up with that outfit? Did he just feel like a change of pace or something?”
He was wearing a… very odd suit. More of a costume, really. The waistcoat was teal, with golden thread uses along the seams. The rest was a charcoal grey, including the cummerbund, that also had gold vertical clasps.
His blue and black human-world tie was tucked into the front of the cummerbund, clashing with the already gaudy attire.
“H-He’s… even scarier…” I whispered, still in disbelief.
“Ahahaha!” Asmo giggled. “Good observation, Chise. Very sharp. You’ve come a long way.”
Levi smacked his arm again.
“What?” He shrugged. “Why not just roll with it? Even if there’s some sort of catch behind all of this, it’s easier on us if he’s in a good mood. We might even be able to convince him to come home! We can figure out the rest when we get back, right?”
Levi looked around with a frown. “You know, I don’t see ‘fake Lucifer’ OR the magic item from last night anywhere. That’s kind of strange, don’t you think?”
“What are you guy’s whispering about?” Satan leaned forward in curiosity. “Come on, are we going to go out for breakfast or what?”
Asmo shook his head nervously. “Oh, I’ll pass on breakfast, thanks…” He sighed in relief. “You know, I SO didn’t get enough sleep, worrying over you! As long as you’re feeling better now, I’m going to go take a nap before we head back to the Devildom. See you later, Chise!”
“Wait, Asmo, could we borrow an–"
“Adapter?” Levi finished for me lamely, but Asmo had already skipped away. “For our D.D.D.’s…”
“He’s gone,” I muttered.
“I know that…” Levi sighed as he glanced at the door Asmo had cheerily skipped through. “If Beel heard that he turned down breakfast, he’d probably faint…”
“Oh, I have a portable adapter you can use!” Satan stood with another smile to retrieve it, before approaching us with it to take me by my arm. “Come on, let’s go down to breakfast.”
I was too choked up to speak at his touch. I let him lead me away wordlessly, feeling like I was about to throw up.
“Well…” Levi shrugged. “I’m pretty hungry.”
–
“Whoa!” Levi gawked at all that the buffet bar had on offer in the dining room. “This looks JUST like the salad from the 'Sound Off Symphony!’ summer band camp storyline…!”
I sighed as I picked up a plate, before going to town. I hadn’t eaten dinner.
“Loool Chise lolol! I know this is a buffet, but you piled WAY too much food onto that plate of yours looool. If you pile on the food like that. Satan’s going to yell at you about how it’s bad manners. Isn’t that right, Satan?”
Satan stood next to us with a blank smile.
“…Okay.” Levi shifted nervously. “Now he's just creeping me out. Usually he’s lecturing us anytime we’re in public. I mean, it’s great that he’s not mad and all, but Satan’s definitely acting weird.”
“Satan,” I said softly, turning to him. “Can I make a plate up for you…?”
“That would be lovely!”
“…Okay…” I picked up another, choosing his favourites.
–
“You know…” Levi looked across the table at his brother nervously from under his fringe. “Everyone was worried after you disappeared on us like that, Satan.”
Satan nodded politely. “I see…”
“And at RAD, tons of people came up to us wanting to know what had happened to you. Luke, Simeon, Solomon, and lots of others, too.”
“I see…”
“After we get back to the Devildom,” I added softly, “you should probably stop by Purgatory Hall and say hello…”
He turned his pleasant smile to me now. “I see…”
We all went quiet around the table. Satan wasn’t touching his food. Just sitting there, back straight, palms on lap, with a politely blank expression.
He rather reminded me of Barbatos. But… it was chilly. There was nothing.
“…Hey, Chise,” Levi whispered from the corner of his mouth again. “What do you think, huh?”
I nodded sadly. “This isn’t right…”
“I know, right? Hmm, what is it, exactly… Oh, Chise.” He pointed at my D.D.D. that laid near my glass of water. “I guess yours is charged enough now.”
I leaned forward with even more growing dread. “…And I’ve got notifications.”
"A lot of notifications, yeah…”
Mammon: 🫶
Mammon: Yo, how’s it going up there in the human world?
Mammon: By the way, I gave Asmo this magic item before you left.
Mammon: Funny thing, but now I hear that it’s supposed to be cursed.
Mammon: SO, uh, make sure to tell Asmo that it’s dangerous, and not to use it. Got it?
Mammon: Thanks. ✌️
Mammon: …Did I mention that I love ya?!
Mammon: Like, sooooo much! 🫂
Mammon: 😍
Mammon: SOOOOO MUCH.
“…Fuck.”
“WHAT?!” Levi immediately slammed his forehead down on the table. “Well, it’s a little late NOW!”
–
“All right, everyone!” Levi said seriously from his place on the lounge sofa, taking charge. “Let’s go ahead and review what we know about the situation.”
I raised an eyebrow at him.
“…I know I said ‘everyone’ even though it’s just you and me here, but whatever.”
I sighed. “Okay. So after getting in touch with Mammon, we’ve learned that the cursed item he gave to Asmo gives off a special scent. Inhaling it will cause your own shadow to take control of you.”
Levi nodded. “In other words, it seems Satan is being controlled by his own shadow.”
“What does that even mean?!”
“Your reaction doesn’t inspire confidence, Chise!”
I groaned as I lowered my face into my hands. “And on top of Satan being cursed, we don’t know where the item even is.”
“Riiiight…” Levi winced. “I guess, first we need to find that item, since it seems to have disappeared.”
I sighed as I stood. “We’d better go wake up Asmo and have him help us work out a plan. And to find the damned thing…”
–
“For the second time today, knock knoooock!”
I pushed past Levi and into the room.
“Wh… Hey! Wait.” He stopped behind me in his tracks, almost bumping into me as I did the same. “…What the?!”
Satan and Asmo, sitting together quietly. Asmo, in a similar suit to Satan’s, but the teal was a deep pink on him.
“Whoa, what’s SATAN doing here?!”
“Look what he’s got in his hand,” I pointed nervously.
“Wait, does that mean…”
“Oh no, Asmo…” My face fell. “He’s been cursed too…”
“I don’t want to believe it either, but it seems that Asmo is under the control of his shadow now, too…”
Satan got up, expression pleasant as he stepped around us, leaving while we watched on in shock.
“…Uh-oh, this is bad.” Levi whirled back to me. “What do we do?! Should we go after Satan, or stay here with Asmo…”
Now that Satan had left, Asmo sniffled, hunching where he sat.
I blinked in confusion. “Asmo…? Are you okay–“
“Ugh, WHY did I have to be born this beautiful?”
Levi glanced at me. “…He’s talking like his usual self, but he looks completely miserable. It’s like there’s some sort of bug in his programming!”
“Asmo…” I went to him, keeping my voice gentle. “What’s wrong?”
“I mean, I mean…” He looked up at me, tears in his eyes. “Just LOOK at me, Chise. Look at this face.”
“I’m… looking…”
He choked on a sob, expression crestfallen. “I’m blessed with this incredible beauty, which means everyone loves me. But it ALSO means that no one ever really understands me…”
“Ugh, I can’t take this.” Levi rolled his eyes. “‘Normal mode’ Asmo is bad enough, but THIS is unbearable. If you’re depressed over something like that, how am I supposed to feel? Am I just better off dead? Is that it?”
I kneeled down in front of the crying demon, lightly placing my hands on his shoulders. “You’re fine just the way you are, Asmo…”
“Are you telling me I should stay this way?” He sniffled. “That I should live my life knowing that no one will ever understand me, because I’m so ridiculously beautiful? Ugh, it’s so lonely being me…”
I sighed in frustration. “Levi…?”
“I’m not sure I totally get what’s going on here, but it doesn’t seem like Asmo’s shadow is a ’separate personality,’ exactly.” Levi shook his head. “I guess it’s more like the embodiment of the fears he holds deep in his heart?”
“The fears…?” I turned my face back to Asmo, who let out another sniffle.
“I gotta say,” Levi started with a sigh, before continuing in frustrated anger. “I know he’s not supposed to be himself right now, but THIS is just ridiculous!”
“Levi,” I warned him.
“I don’t care if you’re being controlled by that cursed item or your shadow or whatever. You’re still my adorable younger brother, Asmo! So adorable that it’s irritating!”
“Pfff!” My eyes went wide, a giggle bubbling out of me despite the dire situation. “Levi?!”
“And I’m GOING to turn you back to normal if it’s the last thing I do!”
“Levi…?” Asmo sat up straighter, blinking away tears. Finally, after a moment’s pause, he let out a little giggle as well. “You almost sound like my older brother right now! You even sound a bit cool…”
Levi glared at him. “I AM your older brother, Asmo!” He turned back to me. “Anyway, how can we pry that shadow off of him? Maybe we’d better catch Satan, take the cursed item, and–“
“…Ah, just look at my reflection in the mirror here!” Asmo cooed, brushing a lock of his hair back from his face while smiling into his compact. “I’m just as stunning as ever! Oooh, is THIS was true perfection looks like?!”
We both stared at him.
He was back in his regular human clothes. The costume was gone.
“Ugh!” He giggled to himself. “It’s hard not to fall in love with myself! I wish that was another me in the mirror instead of just a reflection!”
Levi gasped. I’m pretty sure my jaw had dropped to the floor.
“That sounds like regular Asmo!” Levi turned his face to me. “Is he back to normal? Did one of us do something to change him back?!”
“Oh, Levi, you sweetheart…” I laughed as I threw my arms around him, hugging him tight while he let out a squawk of surprise.
“WHA?!”
“You called him your ‘adorable younger brother’.”
“Huh?” He blinked down at me in confusion. “But why would that lift the curse that was…”
“If his shadow was the embodiment of his inner dears, then when you eliminated that fear, you lifted the curse!”
Levi gasped again. “Could that really be it?!”
“We need to find Satan.” I took his hand. “Right now. Let’s go.”
“…This face, these eyes, this hair, this skin, this body…” Asmo continued cooing to himself. “Ugh, everything about me is just so beautiful!”
“…Let’s leave Asmo here,” Levi muttered. “He’s annoying me.”
“…Agreed.”
“There he is!” Levi hissed beside me as we peeked around the corner. “It’s Satan!”
“Well,” I sighed, “you were right.”
He nodded. “He may be under the shadow’s control, but Satan is still Satan. I figured we’d find him if we searched all the bookstores. Okay, so! In order to eliminate Satan’s inner fears, we need… umm…”
“…A cat?”
Levi shrugged. “Can you summon a cat here, Chise?”
I was not chancing a ribboned Tinkerbell showing up, so I reached out in general with my magic. Hopefully I didn’t cause any trouble for anyone…
”The sorcerer Chise commands you. Come forth, feline…”
…Meoooow.
Satan sat up straighter, turning towards the noise in surprise, before he lit up with a sweet smile. “What’s going on? Where’d you come from, little guy?”
I quivered with hope that I really dared not have as the tabby weaved its way coyly over to Satan's outstretched hand.
“Aww, you’re so cute,” he laughed softly. “How’d you like a pat on the head, hm?”
I almost goddamn blacked out with relief, I swear. I was dizzy from it. “That’s… Satan.”
“Do you think he’s changed back?” Levi whispered excitedly.
I hesitated as I continued watching.
Levi sighed in exasperation. “Well, sure, he’s happy, but it doesn’t look like he’s back to normal. I guess the whole cat idea was a bust…”
Really, I should have known. His love for cats was a coping kind of thing… Not a direct confrontation of his fears.
“Ugh, this is so frustrating!” Levi muttered. “I’m almost ready to summon Lotan, and knock some sense into that dumb younger brother of mine!”
“Levi,” Satan said lightly, his eyes lifting to meet ours. We jumped in confusion at his casual spotting of us.
“…Uhhh, yeah?”
“There’s a store down one of the side streets nearby selling a mini VR Ruri-chan figurine, you know?” He smiled kindly. “I’m pretty sure those are exclusive to the human world, right?”
“WHAT?!” Levi’s eyes flew open wide. “Forget what I just said about you being my dumb younger brother! You’re my BEST little brother EVER!”
I sighed in exasperation. “Levi, seriously?”
“I’ve GOT to get there!” He turned on his heel. “I’ve gotta buy it… I’ve got to HAVE that!!!”
“…Dammit.”
And then I jumped at the touch of Satan’s hand in mine. I stared up at him, jaw dropped like an idiot.
He was smiling pleasantly down at me. “Well, that got him out of the way.”
I shrank back a bit in confusion. “What…?”
But he leaned closer. “So, what now, Chise?”
So close.
I hesitated a moment, before reaching up to gently touch his cheek. He simply looked back at me, holding my eyes.
I looked up at him with a sad heaviness in my heart. “Are you still in there, Satan…? Can you still hear me?”
He blinked at me.
“Please, Satan… Please, say something. I’m not giving up on you. I want to help you. Please, say something…”
He pulled me up gently from my crouch by my hand. “Why don’t we go take a walk in the nearby park, Chise?”
I felt myself crumbling. “…Okay. Let’s go to the park.”
“Asmodeus!” Mephisto called into the next room, finally sighing out a sound of frustrated relief when his eyes fell on one of his brothers. “Belphegor! Where’s Asmodeus?!”
“Asmo?” Belphie shrugged. “He took the day off.”
“What?!”
“What’s wrong, Mephisto?” Luke’s eyes lowered to what the fuming demon held in his arms. “And what’s with that cardboard box?”
“Ugh, it’s absolutely ridiculous.” Mephisto slammed the box down with a grunt. Not really out of frustration, but because the box truly was heavy. “Here, take a look.”
“Letters?” Belphie leaned forward. “‘To My Sweet Asmo’… And this one is addressed to ‘My Darling Asmodeus’.” He wrinkled his nose in distaste.
“Wait, are they ALL fan letters for Asmodeus?!”
“That’s right.” Mephisto rolled his eyes. “Honestly, they should’ve had Serun deliver all of these. It isn’t the newspaper club’s job to deliver mail!”
Luke tilted his head. “But you went ahead and brought it here anyway, didn’t you?”
“Hm.” Belphie leaned to rest his elbow on the desk. “What an honest thing to do. If it’d been me, I would’ve tossed the whole box in the garbage.”
Luke smiled brightly. “You know, you’re really considerate, Mephisto!”
“W…Well.” Mephisto straightened a bit, clasping his hands behind his back. “It’s just a box of letters. It wasn’t that big of a deal for me to bring it here. And someone bothered to write and send each one of these letters. When I considered that, I couldn’t just leave them undelivered, could I?”
“Mhmm!” Luke nodded his agreement. “You may be a demon, but you really care about others!”
Belphie considered the man in front of them. “…By the way, Mephisto, we were just about to head to Hell’s Burger. Want to come along with us?”
“Hell’s Burger?” Mephisto frowned. “What’s that?”
Luke gasped.
–
“…Wow, I was beyond shocked when he said that,” Belphie muttered to Luke at his side.
“Yeah, I know! That might be the most surprised I’ve been since coming to the Devildom.”
Belphie shook his head. “I can’t believe there actually a student out there who’d never seen a hamburger before… incredible.”
“Tch.” Mephisto cleared his throat as he followed suit with the other two, crumpling the aluminum wrapper in his hands. “Well, there has to be a first time for everyone.”
Belphie gave a slight quirk of his eyebrow. “True, but still.”
“What I found surprising was the fact that they charged so little for their food.” Mephisto shook his head in wonder. “How can they possibly stay in business with prices that low?”
Luke shifted self-consciously from foot to foot. “Well, my budget is so tight that even picking up a snack at the store is a big deal for me. I just blew a huge chunk of my money. If you think it’s too cheap, what does that say about me? Wh-Whoa…!” Luke’s eyes widened at what pulled around the corner behind Mephisto. “What is THAT?!”
Belphie blinked too. “Now THAT is an expensive-looking car…”
The driver of said car stepped out smoothly from the driver’s side, before coming around to the back with a bow. “Young Master Mephistopheles, I’ve come to pick you up.”
“Ah, right, thanks.” Mephisto nodded to the man, before giving another to his burger companions. “Well, see you guys at RAD.”
They watched with shocked expressions as the car pulled away.
“…He’s gone,” Luke muttered. “B-But wait, what’s going ON?! I mean, I’d heard that Mephisto was rich, but WOW. It looks like he’s ‘Diavolo’ rich! Maybe even BEYOND ‘Diavolo’ rich!”
“Huh.” Belphie scratched at his cheek thoughtfully. “With money like that, no wonder he’d never heard of Hell’s Burger. His father has a seat in the House of Lords, right?”
“Umm, I think that’s right, yeah.”
“Hmm...” Belphie sighed. “Old money, huh? Guess we’d better keep being nice to him. If we’re lucky, maybe we’ll get some political sympathy for Chise through him.”
“Huh?!” Luke’s eyes widened. “Is that a thing we can DO?!”
“Politics, Luke.” Belphie shook his head. “It’s all politics. You'll get it one day.”
“…I already hate it.”
“Mhmm.”
Notes:
There won't be an update tomorrow as I'll be out of town all day for a concert. Hehe sowwy. I know this is a bit of a cliffhanger.
OH AND I spent so long on the intermissions that I managed to get to the end of the hard mode scenes. I now have ever single scene unlocked in both OG and NB. Yay!
Chapter 30: Chapter 70-B: Soft And Sharp
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
In the beginning there was love
And it listened while you were voiceless
In the beginning there was light
Just a pinprick, and you ruined it
From the depths of your blood
On the restless nights when you keep waking up
Stir the echoes of the night
They left you naked, the same as I
The same as I
Though you know your broken soul must be avenged
You're gonna kick against your nature 'til the end
Though you know your broken soul must be avenged
You're gonna kick against your nature 'til the end
From the depths of your blood
On the restless nights when you keep waking up
Stir the echoes of the night
They left you naked, same as I
The same as I
The Same as I – Dirt Poor Robins
“So, what now, Chise?”
Satan looked at me expectantly from our place on the bench I’d sat on in the park. I hadn’t asked if he wanted to sit. And like I’d expected, with a sinking heart, he simply sat beside me. And so he sat, straight-backed, looking at me, with his palms on his thighs near his knees, looking out of place in his costume – which had earned us a few odd looks, but this was Vancouver.
I looked up at the sky. It was a gloomy day. Looked like it would rain soon. This was Vancouver.
Every time I changed course, every time I did something different or paused, he would look at me and ask me:
“So, what now, Chise?”
And then I’d say:
“…You already asked me that…”
Except now, he added something new, with a pleasant smile on his face.
“Do you think you can lift the curse on me and take me back to the Devildom all by yourself?”
I stared at him, taken aback. And still, he looked at me with that pleasantly expectant expression. Just… waiting.
“…You’re aware that you’re cursed?”
He gave a single nod. “Yeah.”
I looked down at my hands that were curled palms-up in my lap. “Satan… Let’s talk. For real this time.”
He tilted his head, ever so slightly, expression unchanged. “How is talking to you going to change anything? Do you actually think anything you can say would convince me to go back to the Devildom.”
My heart was breaking.
I took in a shaky breath. “I thought that I could… because I’m important.”
“If your texts couldn’t get me to come back, why do you think you arriving in person would do anything to change the outcome?”
Tears in my eyes now. “…Can I talk, then? If you’re not going to have a conversation?”
“You can try.”
I took his hand. He looked down at our joined fingers briefly, blank and uncurious, attention simply pulled down by the sense of it, before looking back up, returning to his blank expectancy.
"The moment I laid eyes on you, Satan, I felt an unmistakable pull. I know you felt it too that day, when you and I brought down that spirit. We're part of each other in a way no one else could be. The moment we pacted I felt this... completion. Meeting you, falling in love with you, was always meant to happen. We were always going to be pulled together."
I paused.
He nodded. "I see."
"I’ll love you when you can’t speak. When you shut down. When you disappear. My love for you is infinite and eternal. I will always find you. Always bring you home."
He hummed non-committally. Maybe even with a tinge of neutral doubt.
"No matter what, no matter how often your footing slips, I will keep loving you. I know you love me. Soul mate. I love you."
"I see."
"I hope one day you really will believe, deep inside, how much I love you." I ran my hand along his thigh as I leaned to rest my head against his shoulder. "You're going to be a wonderful father... The best there could be..."
His head didn't move to look down at me on his shoulder. He didn't move at all. No indication that those words had reached through to him, or had not.
Based on the pattern... I went off the assumption that they had not.
There was too much self-loathing. Too much doubt. Sometimes he would look at me with a flicker of uncertainty.
I suddenly wondered if my presence was actually only making this worse. Maybe me being here only made his fear double-down on itself.
Did my words only make him feel more unworthy…?
“Please, love. Come back to the Devildom with me…”
“No.”
Said so simply.
I flinched, before pulling away from his coldness with a sigh, looking at him with sorrow in my heart. He was looking back with his quiet, blank expectation.
Nothing.
"...I suppose I really can't be everything, huh?" I tried to keep my voice light, but it wavered anyway. "Like with my dad, some traumas just... run too deep for one person alone to reach."
I was talking out loud to myself now. A sentiment that I'd of course heard before, but only came to understand the hard way. Blaming myself for not being enough, because I made others' problems my problems, and failing to fix their problems was a failure to fix my problems. I internalized it all. And then it was too late, where they'd become unreachable, unresponsive, dead to reason, or they even lashed out, and I burned alive for it.
And then I would wrench myself away at a run. And then watch my failure crumble without me there to keep them afloat.
I wouldn't run this time. But I was still burning. I couldn't put out the flames fast enough. Not alone. I was alone a lot. Neither the person nor I were courageous enough to ask for more help. They burned, and I doused. Ineffectively. Maybe buying a bit more time, until the structure of us collapsed. Too slow.
I sat there as I felt us both sinking into failure. As I felt the urge to run away from my hurt, my will for this burning low, our house on fire. Frightened, fearful, my window of escape was narrowing, disappearing. And he was refusing to leave with me.
I needed help. I wasn't enough. I couldn't carry him. I couldn't force him. Help. I needed it. Even if I couldn't grapple with that personally, I finally looked up at it in acknowledgment for what it was. I hated it, so I had refused it in the past. But it was going to be there anyway.
I hated not being enough. I gnashed my teeth at the concept, snarling, readying for another fight. And still it would loom, threatening to crush me. So then I'd rear away, panicked, viewing it as just another failure, another threat to my survival. But ignoring it didn't make it go away. I simply wasn't enough, it simply was a thing I could not change, and no amount of force would conquer that barrier.
If I continued to insist that I could one day be enough, if I just tried harder, I was going to lose Satan forever.
This was not my problem to fix.
I didn't feel courage or brave in acknowledging that. I felt small and defeated and heartbroken. I should be enough I should be enough I should be enough because I love you so much, I love you so much.
I turned towards the wall that was erected between the two of us on my knees, head bowed in defeat. No, I didn't feel courageous. I felt helpless.
I needed help. That didn't feel brave.
I needed help. It made me feel weak.
I'd lose us both anyway, if I didn't ask for help to save myself.
Pride really was a bitch when it was broken.
“…I can't break this curse."
I said it in a whisper to myself, looking down at my lap, bowing my head in defeat as I acknowledged it out loud.
"Ah." Satan nodded. "So you give up. That’s probably for the best, Chise."
Of course. He didn't understand the concept of asking for help either. My defeat was his defeat.
But there was only one thing left that I could do for him.
Ask for help.
And there was still someone greater than myself who could break this curse.
Only he could undo this.
I took my hand away from Satan’s, and touched the Ring of Light.
“I’m sorry, Satan.”
He quirked his head.
Well. No one liked a welfare check snitch when you’re in the middle of self-immolating. This probably wasn’t going to be pretty…
"Hear me, and heed my call."
Satan’s eyes widened. “Wh…?”
The clouds that had hidden the heavens parted. Or, rather, dissipated in their place, dissolved, but no rain fell. The soft grey sky faded into a bright blue.
The park erupted into bright sunlight. Its beams danced at our feet, on our clothes, our faces.
But I hardly noticed. I was far away from it all.
”In the name of the sorcerer Chise, I draw upon my pact with the Ring of Light.” I took in a deep breath, tipping my head back with the closing of my eyes. ”Come forth, Avatar of Pride… Lucifer!”
It was like a gale hit us both, and Satan hissed under his breath as his hair, my hair, was blown back from our faces.
“…Please…” I whispered. “I need you…”
A circle of searing blue light drew itself in front of me, completing, before it burned brighter, lines and curves burst forth to complete the mark.
His sigil. The peacock. The blue erupted into a hot, searing white, brighter, brighter, brighter. I threw my arm over my eyes with a loud wince, squeezing my eyes shut.
Until I felt it extinguish itself.
A couple blinks, and I carefully lowered my eyes. Spots still swam in my vision, temporarily burned behind my eyes.
But there, as my vision focused, stood… Lucifer.
Expression carefully masked, though there was a hint of puzzlement there, and a firmer blinking against the sunlight of the human world. He said nothing.
I’m sure his silence was him playing off his absolute shock.
Satan had stared, jaw dropped for a moment. And then, surprise abruptly shaken by his anger, he jumped to his feet with a snarl.
”Impossible!" He clenched his fists to his side.
Lucifer glanced at me. “…Did you actually just summon me to the human world?”
I nodded weakly. I felt rather dizzy, actually. Heady? Maybe this was what Solomon had meant by ill-effects of powerful magic. I actually hadn’t eaten much of my breakfast, despite how high I had piled my plate. Or maybe it was just the bright light that left this headache. I was suddenly very thirsty, too. I hadn’t had anything to drink in–
Lucifer’s expression softened into a look of true, prideful love. “You’ve become an even more powerful sorcerer than even I had thought. There’s really no telling what you’re capable of, Chise.”
"Lucifer…!" Satan took a step forward, eyes flashing in fury.
Lucifer’s eyes slid from mine to Satan’s. “Asmo and Mammon told me what happened. I take it you must be Satan’s ’shadow’?”
“…This is all your fault,” Satan hissed.
And then he transformed.
I quickly sent up a shimmering shield around the three of us with a gasp. It was reflex.
If anyone who passed by looked in this direction, their eyes would slide away, uncomprehending. If anyone came close, they would feel a gentle urge to change their direction.
Not a beginner’s spell. And one I’d just done without thinking. Without incantation.
Lucifer flicked his eyes to me in approval. Satan, however, was much too far gone to notice.
His barbed tail lashed, nearly striking me. It crashed into the spot Satan had just occupied beside me with a crack, and I jumped with a yelp.
“It’s all because of YOU…!”
I choked on a sob as I scrambled over the back of the bench for cover, avoiding the splinters that his tail had just left in its wake in the center.
“I’ll never be anything more than a shadow of you!” Satan continued, the breaking of his heart punctuating through his fury. “I’ll never be enough! Not for her, not for anyone else! I can’t be myself, because you’ll always loom over me!”
“Satan!” I cried out to him from my cover, looking on through the slats.
Lucifer held up his hand to quiet me.
“Take THIS, Lucifer!”
Satan sent a blast of his magic, his aura, crashing forward where Lucifer stood. My eyes widened. Surely that had been much of what Satan was fully capable of… and the blast had left a blazing trail of fire in its wake, a corridor of crackling, burning heat that stretched from Satan to Lucifer.
But Lucifer kept his hand up, palm facing me still; still standing where I had summoned him, and untouched.
Satan growled with a bunching of his muscles, fists tightening at his sides again. “…Did you just neutralize my attack?!”
“Enough!” Lucifer rebuked him with a deep frown, eyes dropping to the damage that stretched from his feet. “You can’t go creating chaos here in the human world!”
“SHUT. UP. I DON’T CARE. WHAT DOES IT EVEN MATTER?! THAT’S WHAT YOU SAID, RIGHT?!”
“Listen to me, Satan.” Lucifer lifted his eyes again. “When I told you that ‘It doesn’t matter which one of us does it, because it’s the same either way’–"
“SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!”
“I didn’t mean that you’re a copy of me. I meant that I can entrust any task of mine to you, knowing that you’ll do just as good a job as I would.”
Satan froze, expression still twisted into a snarl.
“Because you’re just that talented. I may not show it, but I value you more than you’ll ever know. I need you, Satan. The family needs you. Chise needs you.”
Satan took a step back, face falling, shaking his head.
Lucifer glanced at me.
He swiped his held hand in the air.
My eyes widened as a bubble surrounded the two demons. A shield. No, no, no, NO.
But just as I began to lean to the side to dart from where I hid, words of pact on my lips, Lucifer’s mouth began to move.
He spoke for a bit while pressing his palm, fingers splayed, over his heart as he talked. Privately. Satan stood, looking stricken, wide-eyed and in shock, while his eldest brother continued.
Until Lucifer stopped. Both of them quiet for a moment. Both unmoving. Lucifer’s eyes were… Soft. Fond.
Sad.
Satan’s shoulders slumped. I saw him choke.
I saw Lucifer sigh, smile softly, and then, with another glance at me, he dropped the bubble of privacy.
“…So come home. Come back to the Devildom.”
I lowered my eyes to my knees from where I huddled in a squat. The costume Satan had worn had de-materialized back into his human clothes.
Just like that.
Whatever he had said in that bubble had completed the easing of Satan’s fear.
Doing what I could not.
Satan’s gaze dropped to his feet. “…In that case, I guess I’d be willing to come back.”
Please, love. Come back to the Devildom with me.
No.
“Good.” Lucifer nodded once, still smiling, though there was a happiness to it now that replaced the gentleness that had seemed a bit sad. “Then it’s settled.” He chuckled as he turned his attention back to me. “Still, it’s been a long time since I’ve been summoned to the human world. I believe I’ll go ahead and stay here tonight.”
I looked at him, brows drawn together in puzzlement.
Satan lifted his eyes to mine.
“…Let me spend the night in your room, Chise.”
There was desperation in his eyes, and the a guarded expectancy for the worst. We had a lot to talk about. But no one would blame me if I turned him away. Him, the least.
“…Okay.”
Lucifer cast his eyes down, before catching my eyes again. “I think I speak for Solomon as well when I say that I’m very proud of you for your actions today, Chise. You demonstrated talent beyond talent, and exceeded all expectations that have been placed on you, fairly or otherwise. Well done, and congratulations.” He actually hesitated. “…Perhaps I will see you at breakfast, and then we can all return home afterwards. Together.”
I nodded. Even Satan followed suit.
“Thank you, Lucifer,” I croaked, throat parched. “For everything.”
He gave me another gentle smile. “I think I will walk about the city a bit while there is still sunlight to enjoy. I’ll see you later.”
Long after Lucifer was out of sight, Satan and I still stood across from one another, silent. The fire that had lit the grass had extinguished itself into a small spot of devastation. There was no helping the bench. Whoever managed the park was going to be quite perplexed.
Finally, I sighed, dropping my own barrier with the expelling of my breath. “…I’m thirsty. I’m going to stop for a smoothie on the way to the hotel, and then I’m going straight there.
Satan nodded again. “All right. I’ll come with you.” He hesitated, glancing at the bench. “…Your smoothie is my treat. Not that it…”
I nodded back, before turning down the path.
I pressed the heel of my palm into my eye as I strode into my room with more confidence than I felt.
"Right. I just got off the phone with Barbatos."
He lifted his eyes, and hesitated at what he saw. "...You've been crying."
It had, indeed, been an emotional phone call.
He sighed from his spot on the edge of the bed. "...You should just get it all out. Okay? You always pretend you're not angry, but–"
"Oh, I'm furious.” I was already raising my voice, the words erupting from me, high and shaky as I forced the breath to say them from through my tight throat. "You disappear, don’t answer your phone, and I’m supposed to just – what? Pretend it’s all normal?! Do you know how many worse case scenarios I played out in my head, Satan? WAS I SUPPOSED TO JUST WAIT AN INDETERMINATE LENGTH OF TIME FOR YOU?! While you fucked off, choosing to be mysterious and emotionally unavailable!"
He nodded slowly.
“You start by sending me a cryptic text that, the longer your silence DRAGGED ON, the more likely it could be taken as relationship-ending–"
“No–"
“–and then you turned your back on me, NO clarification, NO explanation, and went to BARBATOS!”
He was frantically scrolling through his phone to see the message he had sent me over 2 weeks ago. "…Shit. Shit."
"I could end this relationship over this. But holy hells..." I broke on a sob at the stricken look on his face when he raised his eyes back up. "I could never. I love you! How could you not KNOW that I love you, Satan!"
"Dove, I know that you love me. That's not... Fuck." He dropped his hands to his lap, his D.D.D. cradled in his limp fingers. "I just didn't believe that you should.”
“I GET TO CHOOSE YOU!” I shouted at him in response. “And I stood by your request not to summon you because of those words – on our relationship, on our trust. I stood by them, even though your brothers were pretty much BEGGING me to break them in their kind of stupid way. But I chose YOU!"
"Even though by invoking those words, I wasn't respecting them," he admitted quietly. “You respected me, when I didn’t… I am so, so sorry."
I strode over to him, tears tracking down my cheeks, to grip his chin tight with my fingers. I pulled his chin up to tip his head back, forcing him to lock on my gaze before he’d even made the decision to do so himself.. He blinked in surprise at the forcefulness of it.
My words were soft, but flat.
"You know how my dad died, right?"
His eyes widened, with another stricken look overtaking his face. "...Yes."
"January seventh."
"Yes..."
"Donations to a local mental health group appreciated."
"...Yes..."
I sucked in a shaky breath. "...I have a stipulation. If you don't agree to it, I can't..."
He nodded. His expression was just... sad. Broken.
“I need to be really fucking clear on this. I never WANT to operate on ultimatums–"
"Before you tell me the concession," he interrupted hoarsely, "can I tell you something?"
I studied for a moment, muscles tensing, a flare of anger rising up that he had dared quiet me.
But the look on his face...
So I nodded slowly, silent.
"It's about what Lucifer had said to me privately."
I hesitated, trying not to show my immediate desperation for that information. My burning curiosity, for whatever Lucifer had said that had sealed the curse away.
"...Go on." My voice was a croak.
"First, he said that if I had been born in the Celestial Realm as an angel, my wings would have been glorious. As glorious as that of my Phoenix's, though they'd be white, and… numerous."
He'd said as much to me privately. That he had said those words to Satan... I felt myself swallow down the wave of emotion.
"Second..." His voice got quieter. "He said that had I been an angel, he had no doubt that I would have been made the youngest seraphim by far. Younger than even Raphael. I'd have rose quickly through the ranks. And that I would have flourished in the role."
I sucked in a breath, and then slowly let it out. Nodded. "...Yes. He would know."
“I guess he would, yeah..."
And then he pinched his lips flat, holding his breath.
"Is there something else...?"
Very quickly, tears began to flood his eyes, threatening to spill in the corners. He swallowed, licked his lips with a swipe of his tongue, and swallowed again.
I just waited. I was owed.
His words were shaky. "...He said that you had once told him that I was far more important to you than he would ever be. He said that I had... won in what mattered most."
I started visibly, eyes widening, as I internally scrambled through my memories to find that moment. When? When had I said that...?
Your behaviour in that bar at the carnival? Beyond reprehensible. The moment those words flew out of your mouth, any traction you and I had gained on that ferris wheel died. The instant you said that, I regretted kissing you back.
Just so that we are clear, Satan is far more important to me than you will EVER be. If you want any chance in hell in getting close to me? You will not. fuck. with. him. again. Do you understand me?
Get ahold of your Pride, Lucifer, or we are done before we even begin.
We’d come so far… that I’d forgotten…
"He said that I'd won... you. Your heart. That you will always love me more than him. And there is nothing that neither he nor I could do to change that. That I'm the better man... who's more deserving of you.”
I sucked in a sharp breath of my own.
He hesitated at my silence, before pressing on. "Is that true...? Did you say that to him?"
I squeezed my eyes shut, and just nodded.
Yes. I had said that.
And I had–
"...Chise. Did you mean it?"
–meant it.
I stared at him, before I swallowed next
"...Yes," I answered hoarsely. Honestly.
"And... now...?"
Sorrow flooded in my heart. Again, and again, and again, hierarchy reared its ugly head. I was so flawed. I was so unfair. I was such an asshole. They kept saying I was kind, and caring…
And coward that I was, I didn't dare say such a thing out loud.
So I could only give a nod.
He hissed out a breath of air, his D.D.D. falling from his lap and onto the floor when he raised his hands up to lower his face into them. Sucking breaths in, and out, and in, and out.
“…How could I have ever left you?!" he finally said in a muffled cry. "How could I have ever…!”
It was awkward, shuffling forward to stand over him, with his knees in the way of me getting close enough to pull him by his shoulders to press him to my belly in an odd embrace. Like holding a child to me. But he leaned forward with a choked noise in his throat to press his face to my stomach, his hands coming away to grip my shirt near my hips. He pulled me closer, but I refused his gentle drag for me to be pulled into his lap. I straddled over his thighs and held his head in my arms while his shoulders shook with his tears.
“…Even if I believe I don't deserve it, you still love me anyway, and I could've still tried to be that man... But I ran. I hurt you. Maybe so that you wouldn't love me? Because I thought it'd be better if I tried to make you fall out of love? But you still loved me anyway. You still came for me. I should've trusted you to... help... but..."
He was babbling, until he slumped harder against me, shuddering.
"That's the problem," I said quietly. "You couldn't. And I can't make you. I can't help you in the way that you need help."
He shook his head. "You're everything I could ever need..."
I sighed as I ran my fingers through his hair. "No, I can't be. So that's my demand. That you get help." I took in a deep breath. "This isn't negotiable."
“Wh…What...?"
"RAD is going to start offering a counselling service for students. Coincidentally, you're going to be the first enrolled in it. How convenient.”
He pulled his face away from my stomach, confused. "What? When did...?"
"I mean, I was on that call with Barbatos for a while.”
"You just..." He stared at me, perplexed. "...Called up Barbatos, and… started a counselling service at RAD?”
I shrugged. "Diavolo was full steam ahead."
“Of… Of course he was..."
"I'm not insisting on this as some kind of punishment, Satan. I'm doing this because I clearly can't be your only means of support. I'm doing this because you scared me so badly, and I'm worried about you. I don't want to lose you again. And I think that even if you don’t want to do it yourself at first, you should consider doing it for me. Because if you can learn to cope, and regulate, you stand a much better chance at fulfilling your promise not to hurt me."
"This is..."
“Even if you agree to do it for me, I hope that one day, you’ll be doing it for yourself. But if you have to start with me, so be it.” I shook my head. "I can't wake up every day with your baby in the next room wondering if today is the day her father is going to leave her."
"No... I would NEVER–"
"You left ME!" I cried out fiercely again. "I don't TRUST you anymore, Satan!"
His face fell.
"If you want us to be together, you have to REBUILD that trust! Without me feeling like I have to carry it for the both of us! You need to learn how to COPE, Satan! Without me.”
Because I’m not going to be around forever.
"Chise... I'm so–"
"You're Wrath." I brushed my fingers across his cheek. "Your idea of who you want to be for me means running away from that. You can't, Satan. You're Wrath. You can love me while being that just fine. You can't keep hating that part of yourself."
"I've hurt you. Hells, if I felt unworthy before..."
"I can't make you forgive yourself." I smoothed his hair back from his face, but the silkiness of it simply fell over his forehead again, as always. "And if you can't either, I need you to see someone who can help you overcome that feeling of unworthiness."
He sighed. "The Devildom isn't exactly known for our 'mental health care', Chise. We're demons, and expected to give in to losing control. I'm not sure how equipped..." He frowned as he finally caught on to the guilty little look I was giving him. "...What?"
"Nothing."
He narrowed his eyes. "What is it?"
“It’s nothing."
"...You were on the phone with Barbatos."
"Yeah, I said that."
He sighed. "...Please don't say that it will be Barbatos who's 'counselling' me."
I gave him a sad, guilty smile. Or more of a grimace, really.
“Holy nine hells... You can't be serious..."
"Sorry…"
He closed his eyes, thinking. Frowning. Grappling.
Lucifer wasn’t the only prideful one around here.
“…Well," he sighed again, opening his eyes with a look of defeat, "he's wise, level-headed, and he’s definitely capable of physically subduing me if I get out of hand. But he's busy, Chise. He’s… Barbatos. And my brothers..."
"Will never know." I cupped his cheek to turn his face back when he tried to look away. “And most people don't need a counsellor forever."
"All right... I can't see anyone else in the Devildom able to do this. Fuck." He sighed again as he lifted his hands up to press the heels of them into his eyes.
"That's my condition."
"I know." He nodded, palms still pressed. "I really fucked up this time. Fuck."
"This can't happen again," I agreed. "Not if you want to move forward with me.”
“I understand…”
I sighed. “...And speaking of moving forward, I also have something to tell you that might be painful to hear."
At that, his hands parted for his eyes to meet mine again.
"Mammon got me a ring."
“…Ah. Mmm." He nodded with a frown of thought. "All right. I'll get you one too, then.” He hesitated. “Ah, that’s… assuming you’d say yes. Maybe after I’ve been… counselled for a bit…”
I blinked. "...Uhhh."
He snorted, with a quirk of a smirk showing through. "We're not a monogamous society; it would be a mistake for Diavolo to push things towards that. It will take more ironing out – the tax implications and succession of inheritance in estates will need a more creative solution than what the human world tends to implement – but I suspect that the groundwork for marriage between demons will be laid first before interspecies rights–"
"You're… kidding?"
He raised an eyebrow. "No. You know that the Devildom doesn't have marriage. Not in any human sense, anyway. What we have at the moment is sort of a common-law concept for household taxes; but we're a long-lived species, Chise. Dying isn't really a common thing – usually only in cases of accidents, rather rare illnesses, or most likely in violence – which is occurring less and less often. When it happens, the matter of distributing estate falls on the Crown to figure out on a case-by-case–"
"You're serious?" I breathed. "I might be able to marry..."
He shrugged. “Anyone. But make sure I'm second.” Sudden doubt flickered in his eyes as he caught himself. “…Ah, but again, that’s assuming you'd..."
"...I don't have a lot of ring fingers," I whispered to myself, looking down at my spread fingers with a frown. “I only have two.”
"Pfff. Hahaha!" He couldn't stop the laugh from shaking him underneath me. "Hells, you're adorable. Your hands are going to be too heavy to hold up."
"Like gemstone brass knuckles..."
"Pff..." He reached out to wrap me in gentle affection, pulling me to him again with a sigh, as though it were the most natural thing to do. Pulling me down to his lap out of pure habit, unintentionally forgetting my previous refusal just by virtue of the act being so normalized between us. Rote, by memory, a casual gesture.
I didn’t resist this time. I softened. Melted down into his embrace.
Finally, I allowed myself to be lowered down in his lap. He gasped softly in realization at what he had just done – and at my acceptance of it – and he scooped me quickly to hold me against him. He clasped me to himself immediately, as though he was worried that if he didn't, I'd change my mind and slip away. I didn’t slip away. I let myself be held.
A gentle peace spread throughout me in his arms.
"...If you promise to get help," I murmured into his neck as he settled me against him, “and really took the sessions to heart, and just... promise not to abandon me again, then I would say yes…"
"...Ah." I heard him swallow hard. "Dont tease me, human."
I hummed softly. "Of course I would. It's not like you haven't already taken a handfasting vow with me anyway, officiated by Simeon and everything."
"O-Oh…?" His arms tightened their hold on me in his tentatively keen interest. "Is that how you saw it at the time?"
"Heh... Not until it was already underway."
"And yet you still went along with it."
"Of course." I pulled away from his neck, cupping his face in both hands. "You and I are meant to be. Being bound by your magically threaded blood was just a formality."
He shook his head with a sad chuckle. "I don't know how you can crack jokes, after everything I just put you through."
“…Did you like the picture I sent to you of my new dress?"
“Ah. Very much..." he whispered, cheeks turning pink. "I almost lost my nerve quite a few times over your messages. That one included. Almost gave in..."
I stroked his cheeks with my thumbs. "'If our demons can't dance'…”
"Then neither can we.” He leaned forward to press his forehead to mine. "I love you. I understand what that means now. The depth of it, under the surface."
“You're Wrath. I love you, Satan, Avatar of Wrath – and you are more than enough."
"Yeah." He sighed, closing his eyes. "Yeah, I see. I'll reach out to Barbatos."
"He'll take your privacy and confidentiality seriously."
He sighed again. "Well, Diavolo already knows."
"So do I, but I'll never know any specifics unless YOU tell me. And none of your brothers will know at all, including Lucifer."
He snorted. "As if Diavolo could keep his mouth shut."
"He will. On pain of Barbatos going on workers’ strike if he doesnt."
He gave me a look of incredulity. "...Barbatos would do that for you?"
I shook my head. "No, but it seems like it was an effective enough threat." With a very amusing reaction to it, really, and one I would have laughed at, if I hadn't been trying not to cry throughout the stern warning. "And Barbatos'll come up with a better excuse for the two of you spending time together than I could ever dream of, so make sure you talk to him about your privacy expectations."
He turned his face and pressed a quiet, hesitant kiss to my hand that cupped his cheek. "You're right."
I smoothed the thumb of my hand that he kissed in a soft brush over his skin. He kissed it again.
"...I should still be yelling at you," I murmured.
"Yeah." His arms cradled around my waist. "I feel like you should be."
I watched him as he kissed my palm again. Watched him, as he watched me.
I leaned forward, pressing my forehead to his as he turned his face back towards me to meet it. "...I love you."
"I love you too." He tipped his face up, our noses brushing, lips nearing mine.
“I still want a family with you. I still want to fight for this. And for everything that comes next.”
“…Chise.”
I blinked at the seriousness in which he said my name. “Yeah…?”
"You can't just say that to a man, and not expected to get kissed.”
His voice was husky. I swallowed hard as I gazed into his elegant green eyes, quiet. His gaze had a bold intensity to it.
“…So can I kiss you, Chise?"
"I shouldn't let you..."
“Yeah,” he agreed easily. “I’d understand if you said no."
“…I could never say no…” I closed the gap for us both as my words came out on my breath, until I was brushing a shaky kiss against his lips. Immediately upon our connection, a lump formed in my throat, the small contact searing me. I hadn't kissed him in over two weeks. What a waste of our time...
He kissed me back, but let me set the graze of it, and didn't press – though I felt a similar trembling overtake his arms from their press around me.
“...I can’t believe you managed to summon Lucifer to the human world.” He shook his head in wonder. “Thanks to you, I’m… me again. I'm so proud of you. Little dove, you're so strong."
I shook my head, throat feeling tight.
He sighed. “I was able to cast off my own shadow, and Lucifer’s as well. You were so brave...”
"No... It didn't feel brave. I felt like I... failed you. I… couldn’t–"
"Never, dove," he murmured. "...C...Could I have another kiss...?"
My palms slid from cupping his face back towards his ears, where I stroked the tips of them with my thumbs, fingers curling into his hair behind them. I pulled him forward, tighter to me, my next kiss a little deeper while I turned to face him more directly on his lap.
"...Keep going," he whispered hoarsely, in a small break for air.
I went back, kissing him again, and again, the fullness of my lips pressing against his. He shifted me, lifting my thighs slightly, and then I was positioned in a straddle on his lap, the weight of my knees dipping the mattress on either side of his hips. His arms came back around my lower back to press me as flush to himself as he could get me, while we both tilted our heads to opposite sides to deepen our slow kisses.
We gasped as we came up for air, noses pressed, lips parted.
"Ch...Chise..."
"Satan... I don't..."
He huffed a few times with a firm press of his forehead to mine again while he squeezed his eyes shut. "...I've kept waiting for you to stop choosing me."
"N-No."
"Listen to me." His voice wavered as his palm slid up my back. "You didn’t, though. And it made me so scared that who I was born as would hurt you. You made me want things I told myself I’d never deserve. I didn’t know someone could feel like a safe place until you did."
"Please..."
He cupped me, one palm between my shoulder blades, the other on my lower back, as he slowly rolled us. "I will never leave you again..."
I was beginning to pant, my body responding to him as though I were in a haze. Two weeks. Two weeks.
“I am so sorry, Chise…” He exhaled shakily as he trailed his knuckles lightly down the curve of my waidt, leaning down to press his face to my neck. “I missed you so much…”
“D...Dammit, Satan…” I pressed my fingers to push them against him with a small whine, the gesture half-hearted. “Please, I’m still…”
He turned his face to brush a kiss against my jaw. And then another, more firmly, voice going husky. "Where is my line tonight, Chise? Set it now. Whether it's just holding you close all night, or kissing every inch of your body without truly having you. I'll take anything. Anything, as long as I can stay in your room with you tonight. I want to sleep with you in my arms tonight, Chise. Is that okay with you?"
I whimpered with a tip of my head back while he trailed kisses down my neck.
"Set the line, Chise," he whispered. "And I'll abide by it. As long as I can stay here tonight..."
"Sssatan, you're..."
"If you don't draw a line in the sand," he murmured as he reached my chest through my shirt with his kisses, "I'm not going to have anything to cross. I'll have you."
"Satan, y-you're..." My chest was heaving with air against his lips. "You're turning me on, and..."
His hand on my waist slid up to curve over my belly. "I know. I know you're getting turned on."
He rolled his pelvis against my thigh.
"I'm turned on too."
I groaned at the proof of his words that he pressed to me.
"I should be..."
"Yelling at me..." He slipped his hand that was in my belly underneath my shirt, lifting it as he slid his palm up. "I know that, too. I missed you so much, Chise."
"I missed you," I replied hoarsely. "So much..."
He flicked open the button of my pants with the fingers of his other hand. "...And I'm so, so sorry."
"This isn't going to make all of the hurt go away."
He lifted his eyes to mine. "I know."
And pulled down my zipper.
***
I sucked in a breath, my heart squeezing in my chest. “...I... I thought that maybe... our last night together made you..."
He shook his head, expression serious, while he tugged down both my pants and panties over my hips. "That night was amazing. Never think that."
The whine that escaped my throat sounded pathetic to my ears. "I thought... so much…”
"None of it..." He pressed slow, full kisses down my belly. "...was your fault. None of it."
I whimpered with a lift of my hips, allowing him to drag my pants down and down, until he let them slide from my ankles from where my legs hung over the side of the bed.
He was between my legs, kissing my inner thighs with a back and forth turning of his face for each one, his arms sliding up to slowly fold me forward.
"Satan..."
"Shhh. Unless you're moaning, I don't want to hear it."
"Oh fuck," I whispered, before giving him that moan, with his tongue sliding up slowly through my folds.
He hummed huskily as he took another taste. "Hells, I missed you..."
His next taste, the drag of his tongue, was wetter, much wetter, leaving a trail of saliva that soaked me. I choked on my desperation as I felt his fingers swirl slowly around the cusp of my entrance, slick, so slick, so easily he slid them inside of me while I threw my head back with a gasp. I spread my legs further, shaking with another moan, with an arch of my back, as he pushed them further and further in.
I gasped at the next drag of his tongue. "S-Satan!"
"Shh..."
"Get on the bed!"
He raised his head, blinking. "What...?"
"On the bed. On your back."
“But–"
I dragged my shirt off from my head quickly, before fumbling with the clasp of my bra with my shaking fingers. "Do it!"
He flinched at the command, eyes widening as he slowly crept up onto the bed, rolling over onto his back while his chest heaved in confusion. I immediately let the compel fall the moment he had obeyed, freeing him again.
"You want to taste me?" I asked him hoarsely.
He swallowed with a nod, reaching his hand out to me.
I crawled to him, hooking my knee to his other side in a straddle. "...So taste me."
He sucked in a breath out of wonder as I lowered my hips down to his face, my knees at his shoulders while my trembling hands worked the clasp of his belt open.
"Hells, Chise... You're so beautiful." He slid his palms up the sides of my thighs until he was pressing down over my curves to pull me down to his lips. He sighed against me, before dragging his tongue back in with a throaty hum while I unzipped his pants, slipping my hand down the front of his boxers to find him inside. So hard for me, with an excited jump at the brushing of my fingers.
I slid my hand down further, breathing heavily in my desire for him, grasping him around his shaft to pull him out. He groaned as he was freed, rolling his hips up to slide his cock through my fist while he dipped his tongue inside of me with a swirl.
I groaned too as I quickly, greedily, sunk him into my mouth, teeth lightly dragging along the generous girth of his shaft. I wasted no time in beginning to suck, pulling back up, and quickly swallowing down again, my mouth watering around him. Down again, a wet slide, following the downward stroke of my fist, his engorged member dragging along the flat of my tongue.
"Fffff..." Slowly, he inserted his fingers back into me, his touch shaky, with a hitched breath against my sex at the next moan I gave around his cock stuffed in my stretched mouth. He pulled up his knees to tilt his hips further towards me to meet my swallowing. I choked lightly as he pushed in further towards the back of my throat, and he let out a soft moan of need in response, rolling his hips again.
"More!" I gasped, after coming up for air. "Mmorrre..."
Shaky, frantic, wanting to give, he lifted his head up from the bed to press his lips and tongue harder to me, fingers surging onwards until he was to his last knuckles. And then a quicker pumping, back and forth, gliding smooth in the silk of my heat, while I whined over his cock, falling into a bobbing rhythm that he set with his fingers inside of me. He lapped, licked, kissed, huffing noisily, fingers moving slick inside of me.
He came away to press his cheek to my inner thigh with a groan when I gave the base of his cock a squeeze with my fist. And I fisted harder, forcing the pace we wet forward, rewarded by the curl of his toes and a shudder of his body underneath me.
He thrusted, and I took it the best that I could, gurgling in the back of my throat before I could gag. His other hand that wasn't curling into my sex slid along my waist, trying to reach my upper back, as though he were trying to reach my head to push me further down on his cock. He was panting between licks, desperate, thrusting up into my waiting mouth.
I forced my mouth wide, relaxed my throat, flattened my tongue, and took him down as far as I could. Holding there, eyes watering, throat muscles flexing as I gave him a hard suck.
"Fuck!" He kicked a leg back out with a gasp, his back arching in reflex to the spasm of pleasure my hot throat and greedy suck gave him. "Ch-Chise, I... If w-we want this to last, you should–"
I came off of him, coughing, stomach reeling as I crawled myself forward down his legs.
"Chise...? But you haven't cu–"
“I want you.” I turned around, panting hard, and lowered myself down onto his lap. A natural line-up. I took him easily. So wet. He throbbed in a pulse against my entrance, and then I had him through, had him rising up inside of me while I sunk down on him. “I want to take you…”
His eyes were wide as he watched me, lips still glistening from eating out my sex. "Oh fuck... Oh that's..." He shakily reached to take me by my hips. "I love you... Holy hells you feel so–"
"Perfect," I whispered. "Made to fit."
He nodded, brows drawn together in need, in his desire. I'd seated, and he rolled up into me with a sigh, lips parting with his breath as he looked up at me in awe at my quiet moan.
"Kiss me, Chise…"
His beg was hoarse, his grip on my hips tightening a bit with his plea. My heart was thundering with my need for him in my chest as I leaned forward, parting my lips too, pressing them against his fully while one of his hands slid firmly up my spine with a soft reverence to slip into my hair. He moved his hips gently, and then again, rolling up into me while my head was held for his insistent kisses. I tasted myself on him, and he licked my lips, licked my tongue, sliding his cock in and out of me with noises of slick that matches those of our connecting lips.
"…Keep going," he whispered shakily against my lips. "I don’t want to get any sleep tonight. I'll cum in you. And then I'll cum in you again, and then again, and then..."
I pressed my mouth tighter to his with a groan at his words, the pooling in my body flaring at the promise. Slowly, while rolling my shoulders back, I lifted myself up off of him to sit, trapping his thighs tightly between mine. And then my hips were rolling, and again, and again, my knees and thighs lifting me up and down, sliding up and down, pulling and sinking onto his cock. Stretched, I hilted him inside of me, again and again.
“…Oh gods, Satan," I gasped, tipping my head back while I rode. "Oh my god... Oh hells..."
“Chise, dove," he groaned back, hands pressed to my hips as he rolled his own up into me. "Hells I missed you..."
I moaned as I pressed my palms to his flat belly, squeezing my thighs with my next roll on him, working my knees to lift myself up and down with a slower rhythm. He kept me going with a guide of his hands on my hips, slow but deep, making love to me back, his own head tipping with small gasps in response to every low moan that fell from my lips.
“…Chise, I don't know how long I'm going to last, I've just missed… you... But after this… nnnk.” He tipped his head back with a gasp. "All night. I promise. All night."
"Satan, Avatar of Wrath," I whispered, my lashes fluttering my eyes closed.
“Dove...?"
"Your master Chise I commands you – you will not ejaculate until I release you.”
He sighed lightly with a squeeze of his eyes, whilw he rolled a firmer thrust into me. "Yes... I'm yours."
"Until you beg for it," I whispered again, leaning down to brush my lips against his.
He groaned into my light kiss, his hand coming up from my hip for his splayed fingers to slide into my hair, cupping the back of my head in place so he could deepen it. His other hand slid around the small of my back until his arm held me around my hips to press my belly to his. I rolled still, but held in a tighter grind; but him, he freed room for him to pull further out, to drag the full length of his cock back into me.
"Oh gods please..."
"For you, baby dove," he murmured against my lips, his arm around me tightening with his fingers curling into the roots of my hair. "Want it...?"
"Always..."
"You're right," he whispered in a strained voice as he gave me a firmer thrust, drawing a high whimper out of me. "I can't leave you again. Never again. You're my salvation."
"That's not..." I pressed my forehead to his. "I want you to just be… you…”
"I know." He pressed another kiss to me, full-lipped and harder, stealing my breath away. "...But you're showing me how. My gift. I'm so unfair. But hells… I can't stay away..."
"I love y–" I gasped as he thrusted even harder.
"I love you. I promise I'll do better."
"Please..."
"I promise I'll be more for you." His words were hoarse, shaky, as pressed on the small of my back, hard enough for my knees to naturally spread further over him. "...And for myself." He inhaled sharply at our next full joining. "Oh hells, being inside you is the most incredible feeling..."
"I'm going to cum from this," I whispered faintly.
"But we're going so slow..." he replied teasingly, though his voice was still rough and gravelly.
But he was deep. And he was, "Right... Right theeere..."
"Right here." He thrusted again, and I let out a desperate moan, squeezing my eyes shut. "That's what you want?"
I nodded quickly, curling my fingers to dig my nails into his skin. "Please..."
He hit up sharply, making me cry out, before dragging back slowly. And then another, piercing, cock slamming straight up, tunneling through my tensing walls.
"So… perfect,” he grunted, as he did it again, while tears stung my closed eyes. "Going to cum with you."
And then more, and more, piercing, spearing, both of us gasping with groans laced in our heaving inhales for air. I was bounced roughly up by him with every hard thrust. Faster. Unfurling. He was curling forward on his shoulders with his lips parted again, eyes faraway in a haze. And every slam up into me stoked my fire higher and higher, and my belly, and my walls, my cervix, my fucking uterus itself, was contracting hard with each spark.
"Cumming cumming cumming!" I already was, just barely getting the words out before I threw my head back with a cry. He growled as he grabbed me by the roots of my hair to force my face back down to look at him. Fierce, his cheeks red, eyes intense as he captured my gaze. His chest was heaving while I choked on screams, my mouth open as I spasmed on him, my nails digging tight into the soft flesh of his belly between us.
"Hhhow," he growled again, his heaving for air a desperate bellow. "Hhhhow... I'm... cumming..."
I only made a wet choking noise in response, my eyes rolling back.
"Fuck fffffuck fuck fuck FUCK!” He broke eye contact too, to tilt his head back with a cry while he slammed harder. Desperate, desperate. "I. KEEP. CUMMING!”
Like me, I thought hazily. Their's were over too quick. There's my gift. Feel like me. Feel how I contract for full minutes. Feel the wash. The undertow.
“FUCK!" he cried out again, as another contraction took him. His eyes were squeezed tight as he ravaged up into me, seeking more, seeking the end, seeking to seed. "I JUST KEEP..."
"Beg..."
"Nnno! No! Fuck! Ffff-ffff!” He slammed up with another cry, grinding, his muscles tensing as his back arched up sharply towards me. His grip on my hips were bruise-worthy. He was twitching, choking, glazed, rigid, unmoving aside from quick, shuddering contractions that wracked his tight muscles. Like me. It ripped through him while he went quiet with it, breath held, face turning red. Shaking.
And then finally, finally, with a broken choke, his back relaxed down. His grip on my hips loosened, fingers sliding down to press lightly to my thighs. He heaved in slow, deep breaths of air, almost wheezing. He looked up at me as I was coming back to myself first. He was glazed. Drifting.
I rested my palm over his beating heart while I pressed my forehead to his collarbone with a heavy sigh, blinking heavily. He was shaking.
Still hard as a fucking rock inside me, twitching through the softer spasming aftermath. I felt his girth swell with each pulse, moving with a jerk in me, before stilling again.
"Not... done..." he whispered faintly, staring at the ceiling now that I wasn't within his sight. "Need..."
I kissed his hot skin lazily. And then slipped off over him with a sigh, eliciting a strained groan from him underneath me. Shakily, I lowered myself, pressing tired kisses to his chest, to his belly, to his cock. He hissed through his teeth, heading lolling to the side at the touch of my tongue to the bulbous swell of his cream-coat head. I lapped slowly, cleaning, while he huffed above me. I hooked my fingers around the band of his pants he still wore, and he shakily helps me roll them down for him to be fully freed.
As he pulled his shirt off of his head, pants and boxers still around his thighs, I went back to him; back to the renewed pool of pre-cum in the dip of the tip, that I took with a swipe of my tongue, collecting the cream with it. Careful little licks down his shaft, soft little sucks to where his balls met his base, eating the ring of cream that collected there as well. He groaned louder at that, so I wrapped my fist around his cock to slide it up and down with my slick cream as lubricant, to open my mouth wide, and press my tongue to one side of his sack.
“Please," he moaned softly, voice light and shaky with his plea. “Chise..."
I took the skin of his sack into my mouth, slowly sliding my tongue up and down while I gave a gentle suck, with my hand still gliding slowly along his shaft. I switched to the other side to treat it the same, and soon, I felt his hand wrap around mine to pick up the pace of his fisting. I was gentle between his legs while he began to thrust through the tight ring I made with my fingers, while the sound of our hands on his shaft increased in volume and tempo. A quick sliding motion, friction.
He was moaning again, huffing noisily in between, chest rising and falling – slowly, but deeply. His pelvis was moving in short humps as he squeezed my hand tighter over himself. I couldn't keep up with the movement of his thrusts at his base, so I raised my head, parting my lips, licking them in anticipation.
His next moan was on the verge of a cry as I took him into my watering mouth, sucking on the purple-red engorged head of him. I sucked and sucked, licked, my head and hair jouncing with his quick thrusts in between my lips. It was our hands that worked his shaft still; my mouth, working his head exclusively, tongue swirling, wet suckling noises that had him arching his back at the sound of each one.
“…I'm cumming," he stated in a strained, almost flat tone. And then he was heaving, gasping for air, right there, head tipping up and down. "Going. Again."
I dared not encourage it, just in case I broke my compel. So I groaned eagerly over him, enclosing him tighter between my lips with a firmly suck, allowing my mouth to water more. Rivulets of drool leaked from the corners of my mouth to add to the slickness of my cream. The sounds our fists made on his cock were lewdly with the sticky wet lubricant I’d given him.
"Going to, going to, going–" He threw his head back with a guttural groan, his back slowly following suit into a slower arching. He fisted and fisted and fisted while I watched in amazement at the desperately purpling colour that rose to his head. From the denial of his ejaculation, or from how tightly he was gripping himself, I didn't know, but his cock with jumping desperately against our restraining hold.
And finally, with a gasp, he slammed his fist and mine to his base. He gripped there, tilting and rolling his hips around it. His cock was trying to pump. I saw how it contracted, engorging with each pulse, but nothing spilled. He was rigid again, choking, desperate, hopeless, his thighs jerking on either side of me. Still his cock throbbed and throbbed and throbbed to no avail. His knuckles were white in his grip, and his eyes had rolled back while he choked on his split collecting in his mouth.
His body couldn't keep it up. With an explosive expelling of his held breath that released the arch in his back, he sucked the next in slowly, lowered, whining, his hand over mine going lax. I looked on in amazement at his wreckage. He was blissed and uncomprehending, unseeing while his body recovered, while it rejoiced in the intensity.
I wondered to myself, as I crawled back up to him, if this is what I looked like when they made me bliss. Probably, I answered myself with embarrassment.
I kissed the corner of his unresponsive mouth. It was hot.
"Chise..." he whispered, his head still lolled to the side where he couldn't look at me directly.
"Shhh..." I smiled as I smoothed his damp hair back from his sweatie forehead, feeling rather smug. "Just rest a bit. We've got all night, remember?"
He groaned with what sounded like a bit like despairing realization.
I laughed softly, putting a tease in my voice. "I'm just returning all those little magic tricks you've given me in bed."
"Mistress of evil," he whispered, with a quirk of a lazy smile.
I giggled as I pressed another kiss to that same quirk. "Had enough...? Want me to release you?"
He closed his eyes with a tired sigh. "Mm, no, not yet…”
And then I was screeching as he flung his arms around me with a laugh, throwing me down into a roll onto my back while I squawked and kicked in surprise.
“…I want to be on top," he said hoarsely, while spreading my thighs with his palms. "And then I'll fill you with my cum."
“Aww…” I bit my lip at the desire that flooded me again. “Don’t tell me you were pretending…?"
He laughed with a shake of his head. "Absolutely not. But..." He leaned down to press a kiss to my lips, his cock sliding up to press to my belly. "...I'm a demon, little dove. You can't match my stamina, no matter what spell you use."
“Oh f–!”
He whisked my cursing away with another kiss while he moved his hips back, rolling, finding me again, so slick and wet and already so ruined. The tip of him prodded at my entrance, before he held, capturing my gaze. I whimpered my need, eyes unexpectedly tearful.
“…I want you so badly," he growled, before he thrusted his cock straight into me, to the hilt.
I threw my head back and screamed at the shock of it. Empty, and then brimming with him, the girth of a demon's cock. His. Him. Stretched by his girth, pierced by the full length of his hard, unyielding member. And then I was crying out noisily, shrilly, as he began to take me hard and rough, rumbling growls vibrating deep in his chest in response.
"You want my cock, Chise?" he hissed at me. “Fuck, I've wanted to take you rough this entire..."
"Satan! Satan!” I cried out his name through tears, overwhelmed as I tried to hold onto him to steady myself. He was pounding into me, hard, rough, feral, the slap of his skin in contact with mine a sharp, rhythmic noise. I spread my legs, tilted my pelvis, desperately trying to thrust my hips up to meet him as the embers inside me flared into an immediate inferno.
“Chise,” he hissed. “You.. feel…”
“SO BIG, SO BIG,” I sobbed, my head trashing back and forth. “SATAN!"
“Chise... small, mine…”
With shrill cries, I wrapped my legs tightly around him, my body, my breasts, jouncing from how hard he rocked my body. He held himself up over top of me, arms straight, palms flat on the bed, while he slammed his whole body forward to fold my knees closer to my chest. I sobbed as I scrabbled at his shoulders, senses too overwhelmed for me to do anything but he taken wildly. I submitted, clinging to him while he outpaced me, my gulps for air interrupted by choking cries.
“FUCK ME!” I cried out, tears blurring my vision of him over head of me. “FUCK ME! Fuck! Fuck! Ffffuck mmnne…!”
His hips snapped, and snapped, and snapped. I was rolling my back and shoulders, choking sobs, clutching him, shaking, and then shuddering, gasping, lashes fluttering.
"Give me another, Chise," he said in another growl, his words terse from effort and the intensity of his nerd. "One more, dove. Let me give you another. For being so good. For loving me so much. Such a good little bird."
"C…” The word ended in a crackle in my throat. “C… C…”
"CUM, Chise!"
I fell from him to land hard on the mattress, muscles already screaming in protest as I was washed away. He was talking to me, his words fierce and demanding, but I couldn't process any of it as I heaved through the eruptions that spasmed through me. I contracted around his cock, again and again, the intensity of it rolling through my back in waves, a ripple-effect that had me shuddering rhythmically underneath him. He was still slamming into me just as hard, just as fast, though his lips had stilled. He gasped, eyes glazed. So easy to cum, when I didn't allow for the previous one's completion.
His arms were stiffening, his thrusting becoming tighter. I sucked in a gasp, and then another, and another, tears streaming down my face as I watched him approach another bout of bliss. Chasing it, reaching for it, desperate, denied enough.
"...Look. At. Me," I begged him in a high, trembling voice.
He refocused on my eyes, panting noisily.
"Look at me when you cum," I pleaded. "Look into my eyes when you're filling me..."
He nodded tightly, falling onto one elbow with a groan. "Please..."
"I release you!” I sobbed the words, my voice high and shrill and begging. "Cum in me, Satan! Fill me! PLEASE!”
He pressed his hand to my cheek with a gasp to pull my face close to him, our foreheads connecting tightly. Brow knitted, breath hot on my face, he thrust into me with a throaty noise of deep relief, before beginning to spill inside of me. Eyes locked, the angle of his face against mine making his serious green eyes the only sight for me. He was tense, trembling, and then slamming, hissing through gritted teeth as he pumped his load into me, his breath hitching with each pulse. He stayed looking at me, gasping and overwhelmed, while I whined out my aching desire for him.
His hot cum, near-scorching, flooding me. His delicate almond-shaped eyes, the most shocking hue of sparkling green, boring into my own in deep concentration, in intense satisfaction. He gave another small thrust, another soft gasp at his peak, lashes fluttering, before he fought and won back control to look at me directly again. I shivered while I was filled by him, his scorching cum meeting the scorch of my belly, my fingers coming up to press to his cheeks with a hoarse whine. My touch released him from his rigidity, and with a groan, he began to relax, began to fog, with another glazing overtaking his eyes.
He was sinking down on me slowly with another low groan of exhausted satisfaction, and my fingers drifted up as his head sunk down, to curl into his silky hair. His cheek came to a rest against the center of my breast bone where my heart beat rapidly under his ear, while he sucked deep breaths in to fill up his parched lungs again.
We rested, shivering. Shaking. Together again. Joined again. Fused again. Complete again.
///
The soft unintentional whine of heartbreak only left his throat for a half-second before he cut it off again, but I'd caught it.
"No," I whispered, pressing his face more firmly to me. “Don’t do that. Just rest. We’re together. Back together."
"How could I have ever left you..." He choked as I tried to shush him. "No, that's not even it... How could I have stayed away, after I DID leave...? I felt so much shame for what I did, that I couldn't go back and face you... And then shame for that, as well. I couldn’t…"
I pressed kisses to him, again and again, nuzzling into his hair. "...Say that you love me."
He choked on another sob, his throat clearing tight. "I love you so much. How could I..."
"Say that you love me."
"I love you… But–"
"Say it again."
"...I love you."
I sighed softly. Though his voice still sounded weak and broken, he quieted. "I love you too."
“You–"
"Say it."
He sighed this time. "I love you…"
"I love you too."
He curled into me tighter. I brushed my fingers back and forth over his shoulder.
Confident, cocky, well-spoken, always with an intelligence behind his eyes. Straight-backed and serious, well-read and well-educated, yet exuding alluring charm. That'd been my impression of him when I had first arrived in the Devildom.
Satan himself. Everyone had heard of his name, in one context or another – but almost always a context of corruption and evil.
A demon, whose name struck fear in the heart’s of humans.
And now that demon, that man, THIS man, the man I've truly come to know, was curled against my naked body, trying to plead with me to convince me of his unworthiness, tears sliding down his cheeks while he clutched me to himself. His façade fell away when he fell into bed with me, tangled in sheets. Doubt gripped him. Trauma, crisis. And yet, he found it within himself to fall in love with me anyway. And he loved me deeply, desperately, with a full heart.
"You're very much in trouble still," I whispered, "but I love you, and I'm standing by you. You don't have to make any grand gestures, or perform any dramatic monologues, or fall on your sword to make up for this. Just... be with me every day. Show up. Love me."
"I will," he agreed hoarsely.
"Face yourself for me."
"I will… I promise."
I shifted underneath him, forcing his head up with a tip of my fingers under his chin. He blinked at me, green eyes red-rimmed.
“Tomorrow, we go home.”
He nodded, lifting his hand to caress my cheek. “Home. We’ll go home together.”
“Your name was the first on her lips before she tried to use the Night Dagger on herself. When she thought she was about to die, it was your name she uttered before any other’s.
It was your forgiveness that she sought in that moment.
She will always choose you.”
Notes:
STRAIGHT to therapy.
Chapter 31: Chapter 71-A: Back To Normalcy
Chapter Text
The moment I saw you, my soul was awakened
I knew all that I owned was too worthless to trade in
Though nailed to the floor, still somehow I was shaken
Afraid I would love you and then be forsaken
Why have you brought me here?
Answer the doubts in my ears
And speak to me
All I need is you to speak
Speak to me
Say my name
Speak to me
Everyone says that it’s better to love than
Be left all alone and to never have known it
But I hold to the notion that those who can own that
Have always been loved and have never been broken
But when will your voice appear?
The sound I am burning to hear.
So speak to me
All I need is you to speak
Speak to me
Say my name
Speak to me
So speak to me
Speak to Me – Dirt Poor Robins
Chise: I’m so sorry for putting this on you.
Chise: When I called to suggest it, I really didn’t mean for you to take it on yourself.
Barbatos: There is absolutely no need for apologies.
Barbatos: In truth, I am looking forward to the challenge.
Chise: It’s going to be a challenge, yeah…
Chise: Please just let me know if this overburdens your already ridiculous workload.
Chise: We can figure out something else for the long-term, though I really appreciate you stepping up to get it started right away.
Barbatos: Nonsense.
Barbatos: Thank you for coming to me for support, beloved. I am touched that it was me you looked to.
Barbatos: Your kindness is beyond laudable. As it is always.
Doubt crept in me as I read his words. Yeah. My ‘kindness'…
Chise: I love you. I owe you.
Barbatos: Not at all. It is RAD that thanks you for your empathetic petition. You shall make for an excellent student council officer when the time comes for your inauguration. Your human touch is what is needed for our institution to grow.
Barbatos: And I pledge that I will do my best. And not just for your sake.
Barbatos: I assure you, Satan will be in good hands. 😊
Barbatos: Oh! But I did not respond to the first part of your last message. Yes, I love you too.
Barbatos: 😊😊
Chise: …I’m going to need to see you soon. Because that was very cute.
Barbatos: 😶
Barbatos: Was it…?
Chise: VERY cute.
Barbatos: I see. How interesting. That is not a common word attributed to me.
Barbatos: I feel like if anyone else described me as such, I would feel quite opposed. Odd, then, that I should feel this much warmth that you should think so. Interesting…
I smiled to myself, knowing that I’d just made him blush rather hard.
Barbatos: To be in love is a pleasant thing, is it not?
Chise: So pleasant… 😊
Barbatos: 😊
Solomon: …
Solomon: What?
Chise: Yeah!
Solomon: Haha! Wow!
Solomon: YOU DID WHAT?!??!?!?!?!?!???!?!?!?!?!?
“SATAN, YOU PUNKASS BITCH!”
…Those were Mammon’s first words to his previously missing brother once we’d gotten through the doors of the House of Lamentation.
“Yeah!” Levi glowered, hands stuffed in his pockets. “Y-You… You punkass BITCH!”
Satan glared at him. “Shut up, Levi.”
Levi squeaked in fear. “…O-Okay.”
“So. Did you get your Ruri-chan figurine?” I asked him dryly.
He brightened. “YEAH!”
“After you’d abandoned me.”
“Oh…Y…Yeah.”
Oblivious idiot of mine.
“Wait…” His face went red. “Why am I getting picked on?! Mammon was the one who started it!”
“WHA?! HEY, THAT AIN’T TRUE!”
“It’s LITERALLY true! Plus, YOU were the one who made everything worse with that cursed–”
"Anyway," Belphie sighed from where he sat on the stairs, pillow clutched to his belly. “What the hell, Satan? We could have planned a way to get back at Lucifer together. Talk about overreaction…”
“Not helping,” I hissed at him.
Satan, rather emotionally delicate at the moment, was looking increasingly pissed off.
“SATAAAAAAN!” Asmo was the next to come bounding down the hall, throwing his arms around him. “OHHHH I’M SO HAPPY YOU’RE BACK! Your shadow was just so CREEPY!”
“Asmo, get OFF of me! AND STOP STROKING MY HAIR!”
“Welcome back, Satan,” Beel greeted him with a warm smile. “Did you get everything you needed to make human world-style ajillo dishes?”
“I swear to all NINE fucking hells,” Satan muttered darkly, still struggling to free himself from a very insistent Asmo. “I’m going to KILL every last one of you.”
“Enough, all of you,” Lucifer sighed in exasperation while hanging up his coat. “Don’t you all have homework to do? Scatter, before I make this headache a problem for all of you. Satan, you will be on cooking duty for the next two days, to make up for the days you missed.”
Satan growled. “I know that. I was about to offer myself.”
“As well as garbage duty, guest bathroom cleaning–"
“Shut up! Don’t tell me what to do!”
Lucifer waved his hand dismissively as he strode down the hall. “Make that three days of cooking duty.”
“…Asshole!” Satan shouted after him, before he was jumped on again by a squealing Asmo.
“Could we have al ajillo?” Beel asked hopefully.
I sighed as I toed off my shoes with a shake of my head.
Straight back to normal.
I don’t know what else I expected.
“Lucifer...?” I called into his office softly.
I followed him soon after he’d whisked himself off.
He raised his eyes to look at me. “Chise.”
“Already working?”
He hummed in amusement as he set the paper he’d been holding down, smirking a bit. “Yes. I was, after all, summoned away from my office rather abruptly yesterday. I was in the middle of RAD paperwork then, which had been left unfinished.”
“Heh…” I gave him a bashful smile. “Sorry…”
He shook his head. “I had not been summoned in a very long time. Truly, Chise. I’m proud.”
“Thanks.” I shifted back and forth on my feet. “…So you’re busy?”
He chuckled as he slid his chair back a bit from his desk. “Not too much. Not for you.”
I skipped towards him with a grin, immediately sliding into his lap, earning myself a snort of amusement from him.
“So you’d been summoned before?”
“I have. The last time, by a sorcerer who had many years on him.” He smiled pleasantly. “Actually, that’s an understatement. He was near his end. A powerful man who had spent his entire life dedicated to magic. A prideful man. And in his last act of life, he had one thing left that he wanted to prove to himself: summoning me.”
I blinked. “It took him his entire life to do it…?”
He chuckled again, but with a mischievous smirk. “Yes. You could say it took him his entire life.”
My eyes widened. “He… died summoning you…?”
“Oh, no.” Lucifer reached to stroke my hair lightly, tucking it away from my face. “He survived. But he knew that summoning me would, well… provoke a rather Prideful reaction on my part.”
I went white. “You… killed him…?”
He shrugged. “Truthfully, in my surprise, I may not have. But it was his expectation, and even his wish, as his last act of the ultimate display of his power. He wanted to go out with a… bang. A rather bloody one, in worshipping reverence to me.” He smirked again. “An offering of himself and his very soul, you could say.”
I grimaced, making a noise of disgust.
“A futile show of worship, given that I’m no patron." He tutted. “There was no afterlife reward for his sacrifice like his people thought. Only consumption awaited him.”
“Ugh…”
“I’ll admit that it was rather entertaining at the time…” He sighed wistfully. “Ah, but that was thousands of years ago. He did go down in human history for the feat… at least for a while, until that history was lost to time, his kingdom fallen and all traces of it wiped. Now, his prideful act languishes in eternal obscurity. Only I remain to remember it.” He brushed a kiss to my forehead. “And that is what summoning one of the Seven occasionally nets you. And now, a young girl has summoned me, breaking all records of age and power. Oh, how he must be turning in his grave. …Figuratively speaking, of course. I didn't leave anything worth burying, you see. Or did they burn their dead…? I don’t remember.”
“Gross.” I scrunched my face. “I think I’ll stop asking questions about that.”
He chuckled. “As you wish. Now, I take it you didn’t come to me for macabre stories?”
With a shake of my head, I pushed down my squeamishness. A demon was a demon, and Lucifer was Lucifer. I reached to cup his cheek. “I came here to thank you. I couldn’t have done that without you.”
“Hah.” He shrugged casually. “You are my master, and I do as I’m bid.”
I smirked at him. “Nice try. You missed your brother.”
“Tch…”
“Nice tryyyy.” I leaned to press my forehead to his jaw, and he wrapped his arms around me to hold me closer. I dropped my voice into a quiet murmur. “…I needed you. I needed your help. And you came.”
"But of course. You’re my lamb."
“I love you.” I tipped my head up to kiss his jaw. “Thank you for helping me. I felt so lost and alone, and you just… took over what was hurting me, and just…” Made it go away.
You are important, Lucifer.
I felt tears stinging my eyes as I curled tighter against him.
He turned his head to kiss my brow, cradling me close in his arms. “I will always come when you call, my love. Always.”
I raised my face just as a tear escaped from the corner of my eyes, and pulled him to me by the back of his neck.
“I’m so sorry for these last couple weeks. So sorry for everything.” My nose grazed his as I closed my eyes. “I should have seen it…”
“Chise–"
“I wouldn’t even exist without you, love…”
“…Lamb…”
He closed his eyes too, just as we met. Connected.
I kissed him. Deeply. Pulling him close, and kissing. Kissing.
“Hello hello hello!” Diavolo beamed as he strode into our dining room, arms stretched wide in greeting. “Thank you so much for inviting me over tonight!”
Simeon raised a hand in greeting as well as he followed in after. “Are you sure we won’t be in the way, though? After all, Satan just got back from the human world. Wouldn’t you prefer some family time right now?”
I tilted my head. I wanted to know why he was arriving with Diavolo. Though maybe they had just happened to arrive at the same time.
Nevermind, that must be it. I caught sight of Luke’s smaller frame peeking out from behind Simeon, and gave him a wave.
But mostly, impatiently, I craned my head a little to the side; I smiled as I caught sight of Barbatos standing, hands clasped behind his back, behind Diavolo’s large frame. He inclined his head towards me when he met my eyes.
“Pff.” Mammon shrugged. “‘Family time’ isn’t really our style.”
I rolled my eyes. Maybe that was the problem. They were just as anti-intimacy as any display of human toxic masculinity.
Mammon grinned. “It’s more fun to invite a buncha people over and have a big meal together, right?”
“Exactly!” Levi smiled, though he darted a glance at Satan. “Tonight’s dinner can serve as Satan’s way of apologizing for running off to the human world.”
Satan tsked as he shot a scowl back at him at the jab.
I sighed. Yeah. His brothers weren’t doing a whole lot to support the breakdown he’d just had.
“Right!” Asmo beamed. “Satan did all the cooking tonight, after all. He said he’s going to treat us all to a really nice meal.”
Satan’s scowl deepened further. “It’s not like I’m doing this to apologize. It’s just that I missed my turn on meal duty while I was in the human world. I’m making up for the days I missed that Chise stepped up for, that’s all. So I’m treating Chise."
“Oh, Satan,” Asmo cooed affectionately, throwing his arms around him. “We see right through your excuses, dear.”
…Hm. I guess even displays of intimacy was pissing him off, too.
Belphie nodded. “They finally finished repairing the kitchen, so this is good timing.”
Beel was grinning, ear-to-ear, cheeks flushed pink. He was fairly dancing in his seat with his bouncing knees. “To think that I finally get to have Satan’s poison viper worm al ajillo aagain…”
“Hey, Beel,” Belphie said with a fond smile as he reached for the pile of napkins that were always set out for Beel. “Come on. You’re drooling.”
Lucifer nodded, smiling as well as he strode to greet them directly. “I opened a bottle of gold Demonus that I’d been saving for a special occasion. So make sure to really enjoy yourselves tonight, everyone.”
“Well, what do we have here?” Barbatos took the bottle that Lucifer held for inspection, eyes flashing a bit with approval. “A 4000-year-old vintage?”
“Ooooh!” Diavolo grinned with puppyish delight as he leaned forward to look too.
I snorted. Damn, those three could drink. Three royal drinking buddies.
“It is, isn’t it?” Lucifer chuckled as he took the bottle back, turning to me. “Don’t be shy, Chise. Have some.”
“Thank you, Lucifer, I’ll have a glass.” I smiled up at him as he tipped the bottle to pour for me. Damn, he was in a good mood. And I guess any alcohol that had been aged for 4000 fucking years would taste yummy?
“Hello, adorable apprentice,” Solomon greeted me with a kiss to my cheek after he’d brought up the rear, earning everyone some glares. “I’m so so so so proud of you.”
Simeon nodded from down the table. “We heard. Congratulations, Chise. What an incredible development!”
“Summoning Lucifer,” Luke agreed faintly.
“Thanks, guys. Solomon…” I smiled as I touched his sleeve. “I’ve got a lot to tell you.”
“I should THINK so!” He grinned at me as he scraped a chair over and plopped himself down closer beside me, earning more glares.
“The aroma of this vintage is sublime,” Barbatos complimented, as he took an offered glass, before all of our guests began to seat themselves. I had a feeling that he had pointedly pivoted to snub Solomon in his own way.
I glanced at the angels. Beside Solomon, sat Simeon. Beside him, Luke, and then Raphael. Unfortunately, Diavolo took his spot at the head of the table opposite of me, where his butler would, of course, not leave his attendance. So Lucifer and Barbatos sat far away, at his sides.
“…What’s wrong, Raphael?” Luke whispered to him.
“Mmm, I notice that you’ve been staring over at Satan…” Solomon agreed quietly.
Belphie sighed with a concerned glance at me.
…Uh-oh. Belphie’s spidey senses.
I slapped at Solomon’s knee.
“Well,” Raphael began in answer, “it’s just that when I look at him now, I can’t help but think…”
“Raphael, STOP!” Levi hissed. “Hit the pause button!”
He continued, socially oblivious. “Satan reminds me so much of Lucifer, it’s uncann–"
Satan slammed himself into his demon form so suddenly that I actually reeled from my pact’s connection to him. And, probably, from the aura that almost slapped me, though it still stole my breath away.
“Eeek!” Asmo dove under the table.
…Ineffectively, because Satan immediately flipped it.
“RAPHAEL, YOU IDIOT!” Mammon shouted at him. “READ THE ROOM!”
“Hmm. There goes that vintage!”
Belphie sighed as Beel began to roar in grief and horror and rage next. “…And we’d just finished repairing the kitchen.”
“MY… MY POISON VIPER WORM AL AJILLO…!”
He erupted next.
Barbatos, back straight, glanced at me in consternation from down the way, a platter deftly caught in his lap before it had upturned.
I sighed. Yep. This is what you signed up for, Barbatos.
Good fucking luck.
Lucifer was the next to stand, and the third to explode. Asmo screeched in horrified fury over the sauce that found its way into his hair. Levi began to summon Lotan. Mammon, for once, did not add to the guilt of the situation, and was simply rolling his eyes, along with Belphie.
…Diavolo began to roar with laughter, while Barbatos shook his head with a tut in response to his amusement.
I took a small sip of my Demonus that I had thankfully already been holding when the table flipped. After I’d swallowed, I cleared my throat, and then took in a breath.
"…ALL OF YOU…"
Mammon screamed at the sound of my raised, bellowing voice, hitting the floor himself before he could be forcibly slammed. From much experience, it was his least favourite part of it.
Solomon tittered with a grin. Luke was sat looking on with horrified shock at the carnage. Simeon shook his head with a light smile of amusement. Raphael tilted his head, perplexed by the sudden eruption of screaming from the brothers.
“ALL of us…?” Belphie sighed as he slowly followed Mammon’s example, sliding down from his chair to lay on the floor. “But I didn’t even do anything…”
Diavolo began to slap his knee, his other arm holding his belly. Tears were streaming down his face from his uproarious laughter.
Barbatos sighed.
I did put an awful lot of force behind it. But in my defence, it had been a long few days.
And so.
“… S T A Y ! ! ! !”
“Hello and good morning, everyone!” Diavolo’s cheerful, booming voice greeted us all as we shuffled into the student council room together.
Mammon winced as he massaged at his shoulder with the heel of his palm. “Lord Diavolo, why’re you actin’ all chipper and stuff? Do you know how early it is?”
“…I’m still half asleep,” Belphie sighed under his breath, eyes literally closed as he walked along.
“I didn’t know Chise was coming either,” Beel added with a smile.
I shrugged. “Why’re you so surprised? I’m kind of here for these a lot now.”
It was meant to be a joke, but Diavolo immediately began to nod with vigorous enthusiasm, a reaction that usually didn’t bode well for me.
“Yes, I asked Chise to join us for this morning’s student council meeting. As for why, well…”
Great.
“I thought I’d have Chise serve as a student council officer for a day!”
I blinked.
Asmo tilted his head in similar confusion as he took his seat. “Student council officer for a day?”
“Pff.” Levi snickered with a glance at me. “Where’d you come up with an idea like that? Sounds like some sort of reality show stunt…”
I scowled at him as I slammed my heel down on his boot, earning me a yelp.
Diavolo chuckled. “It’s no stunt – I promise you that. It’s something new I’ve decided to try, and I’d appreciate it if you’d take it seriously.”
Lucifer shot a glare at Levi. “As you all know, Chise is hoping to earn a spot on the student council. And that requires an understanding of what the job entails.”
“Ah, I get it.” Satan nodded his understanding. “So that’s what this is about.”
“Well, all right then!” Mammon threw an arm around my shoulders with his crooked grin. “Chise, looks like you’re the Mammon’s new assistant!”
I snorted at him, smiling with a roll of my eyes. “More like the other way around.”
“WHAT?!” He poked the top of my head. “You’ve got a lotta nerve sayin’ something like that to me!”
“Diavolo and I are going to be the ones giving the orders,” Lucifer cut in dryly. “Barring any extenuating circumstances.”
“What the… NO FAIR!”
“Mmhm.” Satan nodded again. “I figured that would be the case…”
“Hmm, Chise?” Asmo leaned over to poke me for my attention. “Mind telling me why you’re staring over at Satan, and not at moi? Do you find him that captivating?”
I hissed as I batted him away, cheeks turning pink as Satan turned his attention to me in surprise.
“…What?” Satan looked down at the table, and then back up at me. “Why are you looking at my computer like that? I don’t see what’s so fascinating about it…”
Asmo giggled. “Well, it IS covered in cat stickers, after all. Not to mention that cat wallpaper you set as your background. Really, one glance and you KNOW that’s Satan’s laptop, don’t you?”
I smiled quietly, wordlessly shy.
I’d missed him so much.
“As long as we’re on the subject, you gotta see MY laptop!” Mammon snapped it open with a grin, a little bit on the you-shouldn’t-use-force-like-that-to-electronics side. “BOOM! Check out that Demonio 666 Lexura colour scheme! It’s a special edition, y’know!”
“Well, my laptop has a giant picture of Seraphina plastered onto it! Naturally.”
Asmo rolled his eyes. “Yes, Levi, her massive tits look very two dimensional and everything.”
I spluttered out a laugh while Levi went red in the face, slowing closing his laptop screen.
“…All of you put so much effort into decorating your laptops,” Lucifer sighed. “If only you cared about your student council duties with a fraction of that intensity.”
Satan shrugged. “Well, as secretary, I’m at my computer all the time. I need a calming, soothing environment. It helps me work better.”
Belphie’s brows were drawn together in soft disappointment of his brother. “And that’s why your laptop is covered in cats…?”
“Speaking of which…” Lucifer nodded at me.
I blinked in confusion. “Of cats…?”
He ignored that. “Chise, we still haven’t discussed what your role on the student council is going to be, have we?”
Oh, right. I shook my head.
“As you know, Diavolo is student council present. Satan serves as secretary, and–“
“Pardon the interruption.”
I turned so fast at the sound of Barbatos’ voice that a muscle in my neck seized.
“D’AH, BARBATOS!” Mammon grimaced as he visibly recoiled. “What’s with the giant stack of documents?!”
He looked down at it, before looking back up at Mammon with a smile. “It is today’s student council paperwork. Since you’re all here so bright and early, I thought this would be a wonderful opportunity for you to get started.”
“Grr… Wonderful?!” Mammon glared at his kindly expression. “There’s nothin’ wonderful about it!”
Lucifer eyes the stack too. “Looks like we’ll have to continue this discussion later.”
“Well then, let’s adjourn for now.” Diavolo smiled around the table. “Those of you who have paperwork to attend to should stay here and get started. Also, Chise, I’d like you to go empty out the bloody box and bring back whatever’s inside.”
I blinked. “O…kay…”
“Beel, Belphie, go along with Chise,” Lucifer ordered.
“Aww…” Belphie sunk his chin down onto the table with a sigh. “Do we have to…?”
Belphie’s reaction was completely within my expectations of him, but even Beel had quietly sighed at the order, which didn’t inspire much confidence in the task.
“I can’t believe we’re stuck emptying the Bloody Box,” Beel grumbled, only adding fuel to the sinking feeling I was getting in my chest. “We really drew the short straw.”
“You can say that again,” Belphie muttered. “I mean, why should we be the ones to do it? Is Lord Diavolo hazing us or something?”
“Maybe Chise…”
“The Bloody Box…?” I cut in nervously. “Uhh… What’s that again?”
Beel raised his eyebrows at me. “You’ve never used it? It’s RAD’s suggestion box.”
Belphie sighed sulkily. “When students add their suggestions, it starts to fill up with blood, until the box looks like it’s crying bloody tears.”
I looked between them both with dismay. “You’re kidding?”
He shook his head. “Seriously, whoever designed it had really bad taste.”
“That’s an understatement of the year!” I blurted, horrified.
Beel nodded. “And it’s all of us on the student council who are responsible for it. I know it has to be emptied from time to time, but still…”
Belphie came to a halt. “…Ugggh, I knew it.”
I turned to stare.
“It’s a bloody mess,” he sighed again.
“Looks like it’s going to be another big haul today…” Beel muttered with his own dismay.
“There’s actually sort of a trick to opening it, Chise.” Belphie took my hand, leading me towards it, probably sensing that I was not about to do that on my own. “Want to give it a try?”
“Not really!”
Beel pointed on my other side. “See that key hanging down from the box? You have to channel magical energy into it.”
“Right.” Belphie began guiding my reluctant hand. “Take the key, hold it in your hand, and focus.”
He physically wrapped my fingers around the fucking thing.
Both he and Beel took a step back. “Go ahead.”
I stood there, staring at the key, and then at the box. Well, there was no helping it. Obviously by sending me to do this task, I was the one expected to open the damned thing.
I sighed as I began channeling magic, while nearing the key towards its matching lock on the chains that bound the box in place. “All right, here it goes…”
I screamed once I turned the key in the lock, my vision going dark, skin suddenly feeling… wet.
My hair plastered to my forehead.
Hyperventilating as I blinked away the thick liquid that had blinded me, looking down at my body. My clothes. Shoes. Everything.
“The box leaves whoever opens it covered in blood,” Beel explained. “Like it did with you just now.”
“Yep, which is why everyone hates getting stuck with Bloody Box duty.”
“AND YOU DIDN’T TELL ME THIS BEFORE?!"
“If we’d warned you about it, you wouldn’t have wanted to do it, right?”
“NO SHIT, BELPHIE.”
He sighed. “You okay, Chise?”
“NO! I AM NOT OKAY, BELPHIE! I’M COVERED IN MOTHERFUCKING BLOOD!”
He grimaced at my screaming. “Calm down. Let’s get you back to the student council room to get cleaned up.”
“DON’T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!” I shouted at him. “I’M GOING TO KILL HIM!”
“Honestly, I wish.”
“THAT HAZING MOTHERFUCKER.”
“I know, I know.” He looked me up and down with another grimace. “Let’s go. Anyway, we empty the Bloody Box once every two weeks or so. You end up with a lot of requests regarding the cafeteria menu, fan letters addressed to student council officers, and other stuff like that.”
“I don’t care,” I moaned, trailing after him while leaving blood tracking behind me. “How about ‘change the suggestion box out for a NORMAL LOCKED MAILBOX.”
“Heh…” He smirked over his shoulder at me. “Not bad.”
“We get all sorts of messages,” Beel continued on in the explanation I didn’t give a single shit about. “Everything from students needing advice on how to deal with their personal problems to people wanting to discuss school rules.”
“Lucifer and Lord Diavolo are the ones who decide what to do about each message. Sometimes they’ll deal with whatever the issue is, or bring it up for discussion during one of our meetings, or just take note of it and move on. At times, we even have the newspaper club publish the student council’s response for everyone to read.”
Beel sighed. “Whenever I make a request, it always ends up in the reject pile…”
Belphie tilted his head at him. “What requests have you made, Beel?”
“Making everything at the cafeteria free of charge, for one. And getting rid of the limits on how much food I’m allowed to order…”
Belphie shook his head in exasperation. “The cafeteria would go bankrupt if we did that.”
Beel’s face fell. “So you’re saying I should give up hoping…”
“Yeah… Sorry, buddy.”
Barbatos’ eyes widened as they came to rest in witness to my state.
Diavolo gasped, eyesbrows shooting up in shock. “What do we have here? Look at all that blood. The box really did a number on you, huh Chise?”
“Come off it!” I snapped at him in anger, box of horrors clutched to me. “THIS STINKS, DIAVOLO, LITERALLY! You did that on PURPOSE!”
Diavolo gave me a guilty smile. “All council members retrieve the box at one point or another!”
“YOU'RE NEXT!”
He chuckled. “Vague and ominous. I do like that about you. So spunky!”
I just managed to flatten my lips together in time before I began to sling treasonous death threats at the Devildom’s future monarch.
“Come here,” Lucifer sighed as he stood before I could kill Diavolo with my bare, bloody hands, beckoning me towards him. “I’ll get you cleaned up.”
I pouted like a child that had just fallen into a muddy puddle as I marched towards him, stomping blood along the way.
He placed his hand on top of my head, and the blood began to collect, beading up into large spherical droplets on my skin. They quivered, and then burst with soft, wet pops. Into nothing. They were gone. I blinked down at myself in surprise.
“There, that’s better.” He patted my head where he had rested his hand. “Try to be a bit more careful the next time you empty the box.”
Belphie frowned while I hissed like a spitting cat. “How exactly? It showers you in blood the instant you open it…”
“Yeah.” Beel shook his head. “There’s no ‘being careful’ when it comes to that thing…”
“There is a way.”
After a moment’s silence where Lucifer did not expand on his statement – “…Are you going to tell us?”
“It’s not difficult. Figure it out yourselves.”
“Seriously?” Belphie rolled his eyes. “Fuck you.”
Diavolo chuckled, earning him a glare of fury from me. “All right, Chise. Your next task will be to sort through all of these messages you brought back from the Bloody Box.”
I turned and slammed the damned thing down on the table. “Great. Fine.”
“Have fun!”
“I WILL, THANKS.”
Levi sighed as he moved his seat beside mine. “Well, Beel has practise this morning, Lord Diavolo sent Belphie out to do the morning rounds, and everyone else headed back to the classroom carrying big piles of paperwork… So Lucifer says the two of us have to sort the suggestions from the Bloody Box on our own.”
“Thanks for helping,” I mumbled grumpily as I leaned to the side to bump my cheek on his arm.
He jumped, a little more focused now. “Y-Yeah, sssure thing.” His cheeks flushed as I turned my face up to look at him. He busied himself by hastily reaching for the first envelope. “Uh, okay then, I’ll give you a quick rundown of how this works. After reading each message, you sort it into ’topic for discussion or advice,’ ‘request,’ or ‘others’. Then we give everything to Lucifer and Lord Diavolo, and they’ll handle it from there. Oh, by the way…” He sighed. “Any fan letters for Asmo or Lucifer go into the ‘others’ pile.”
I snorted. “That figures.”
“Not like they concern me,” he muttered. “No one sends fan letters to the antisocial, depressing one. Anyway, we might as well get started. You can learn as you go. Let’s start with this one here… ’Beel is always eating during class, and it’s annoyingly loud.’” He sighed at my giggle. “So, how would you categorize this one, Chise?”
I smirked. “Topic for discussion or advice. Someone’s gotta have a chat with the distractor.”
He nodded, smiling back at me. “Yeah, that sounds good to me. Okay, moving on. ’I find myself thinking of Asmo a lot, to the point that I can’t fall asleep at night. What should I do?’”
I wrinkled my nose as I took it from his hand to slap it into the ‘others’ pile.
“Mm, yeah.” He nodded with a sigh. “Let’s just call that a fan letter. Also, couldn’t they just post about it on Devilgram or something…?”
“All right, next we have… hm?” I reached for one, turning the envelope over with a frown. “What’s up with this one? It’s not addressed to anyone.”
Levi frowned as well. “And it doesn’t say who it’s from, either…” Levi lifted his eyes. “Hey, Barbatos? Is it okay if we open this? It’s been shut with a wax seal and everything…”
Barbatos strode over to us, hovering behind my shoulder. “Hmm, I sense faint traces of magic coming from that. Set it aside, and don’t try to open–“
I yelped as the wax seal abruptly ripped itself off of the envelope.
“Chise, no!” Levi tried to make a grab for it.
Barbatos was faster, snatching it from my hands just in time, taking the brunt of the curse that was unleashes.
“BARBATOS!” I gasped as I jumped from my seat to reach for him, but he quickly stepped back, blinking. “Are you all right?! Are you hurt?!”
“…What’s going on?” Lucifer called to us as he strode back into the room, with Diavolo following behind.
“Is everything okay?” Diavolo asked with a frown.
Barbatos blinked a couple more times, and then looked down at me with a sweet smile, stepping forward again. “Yes, not to worry. I’m completely fine.”
I coloured prettily.
“Um, are you sure about that?” Levi looked him up and down. “Because despite the super-nonchalant look on your face, it seems like you’re standing REALLY close to Chise right now.”
Barbatos’ smile quirked a little wider, eyes still locked to mine. “Am I…?”
“…Yes,” I breathed.
“YES!” Levi agreed, voice full of jealousy as his expression turned into a sulk. “WAY too close! Get away from Chise!”
“Hmm…” He tilted his head gently. “I’m afraid I’d rather not to do that. I find the idea of leaving Chise’s side… unappealing.”
They all stared at him in shock.
I went red.
Diavolo’s frown deepened. “…Barbatos?”
“Wait!” Levi gasped. “Maybe someone put an enchantment on that letter! Could that be it?! An enchantment that makes the victim fall madly in love!”
Diavolo shrugged. “But he’s already madly in love with Chise?”
Levi scowled darkly. “FINE. UNCONTROLLABLE LOVE. WHATEVER.”
Asmo: You won’t BELIEVE what I just saw!
Asmo: Barbatos! Snuggling up to Chise! AT RAD!
Mammon: What?
Asmo: Seriously, he was ALL OVER Chise!
Asmo: Ugh, I don’t BELIEVE him!
Belphie: Really? I know they’re together, but Barbatos doesn’t seem like the type to do that sort of thing in public. Especially RAD. He’s a teacher and student council officer.
Belphie: …I mean, does he even ‘do it’?
Mammon: SHADDUP.
Beel: Are you sure you saw what you think you saw?
Asmo: YES! I’m sure! I saw it with my own two eyes!
Levi: Wait, it’s not like that! He wasn’t trying to put the moves on Chise.
Asmo: Oh yes he was!
Asmo: He was like a cat in heat!
Mammon: WHAT?!
Belphie: Huh. Still can’t see it.
Satan: Hold on, I don’t understand. It’s the females that go into heat…
Lucifer: All right, stop. This isn’t what you think.
Belphie: Chise, just curious.
Belphie: Do you have sex with Barbatos?
Chise: 😳 BELPHIE!!!!!!!!
Chise: I am going to kill you.
Belphie: Huh. So you do. Weird.
Belphie: Still can’t picture it.
Chise: SO STOP TRYING WTF?!?!??!!
“…Umm…” Solomon raised his eyebrows in surprise. “What’s going on here…?”
“It’s like Barbatos is glued to Chise,” Luke whispered.
I sighed. Barbatos, bless his soul, was so close to me that I could feel his breath in my hair.
“Hey! Barbados, you son of a…!” Mammon scrambled from his desk to race over to us. “Get away from Chise!”
Barbatos shook his head. “No.”
Mammon came to a screeching halt, obviously not having planned for resistance. “WHAT?!”
“I’m not leaving Chise’s side.”
“Grr, you lookin’ to start a fight?!” Mammon put up his fists next. “All right, let’s do this!”
I rolled my eyes. “Knock it off.”
“Sooo, it seems there was an enchanted letter mixed in with the suggestions and stuff from the Bloody Box,” Asmo explained.
Satan sighed. “Apparently it was the work of some student who wanted a connection on the student council. They didn’t care who. Whoever broke the seal on the letter would be summoned to their side, and immediately fall in love with them. At least, that’s how it was supposed to work.”
Asmo giggled in delight. “But Chise’s magic was too strong, and it ended up overriding the spell. So instead of being the victim, Chise became the ‘caster’!”
Satan nodded. “When Barbatos snatched the letter away from Chise, it caused him to fall even more in love with Chise. Infatuation, really. And there you have it.”
I felt Barbatos privately place a couple fingertips to the small of my back. I sighed, struggling against feeling pleased over the intimacy of his touch.
“I wanna know WHO did this!” Mammon snapped. “Who put the enchantment on that letter?! I’ll beat ‘em to a pulp!”
Satan shrugged. “They already found the culprit. Lucifer made sure to give them a… very stern reprimand.”
“Yep!” Asmo grinned. “There was still magic present on the letter, which he traced back to the demon who cast it.” He sighed longingly. “Really, it’s hard not to be impressed…”
Mammon put his hands on his hips with a growl. “This is no time to be admirin’ Lucifer’s detective work! We gotta do somethin’ to fix this!”
Solomon tutted. “You know, there’s something I don’t quite understand…”
I frowned at him. “What…?”
“Barbatos should be able to break a run-of-the-mill enchantment like this on his own.” He gave him a sly glance. “Isn’t that right, Barbatos?”
Barbatos dipped his head. “Yes, I imagine I could.”
“What?!” Luke gawked at him. “Then why not just do it?!”
Barbatos’ face actually fell. “Because then I’d have to separate myself from Chise, wouldn’t I?” He touched my back again, eyes shining fondly for me. “And I could never leave my darling’s side. It’s unthinkable.”
Solomon burst out into merry laughter.
“Ugh…” Luke scrunched his nose. “He DIDN’T just say that…”
“GRRR!”
Asmo giggled. “Still, this isn’t such a bad deal for you, now is it Chise? Barbatos IS a real hottie, after all! I bet you don’t mind having him glued to your side one bit, do you?”
I flushed red again. “We’re… We’re already together…”
“But hardly public,” he cooed. “Now EVERYONE will know he’s yours!”
“D’aaaaah, STOP!” Mammon clapped his hands over his ears. “I can’t take this anymore!”
Solomon giggled next. Seriously, he had more in common with Asmo’s mannerisms than either of them would probably ever admit. “If Barbatos refuses to lift the enchantment, then I guess you’re just going to have to do it yourself, Chise. Unless… you refuse as well…?”
“Sh-Shut up!” I snapped at him.
“Pfff…” Solomon bit on his fist to stop himself from breaking out into more laughter.
I glared at him. ”In the name of the sorcerer Chise, I command this curse release its hold on the demon before me!”
“Chise, you’ve been able to break the spell all along?!” Mammon was glaring at me now. “Grrr! Why didn’t ya do that to begin with?!”
“I forgot!” I snapped at him.
“HOW DO YA KEEP FORGETTIN’ THAT YOU CAN USE MAGIC?!”
Barbatos blinked a few times, and then a touch of colour rose to his cheeks as his eyes widened in horror.
“Barbatos?” Luke tilted his head to the side. “Are you free of the enchantment?”
“…Yes.” He cleared his throat, embarrassed. “I am, thankfully.”
“Whaaaat?” Asmo pouted. “Awww…”
“Chise…” Barbatos glanced at me. “I must say, Mammon has a point. I would have appreciated it if you hadn’t waited quite so long to break the enchantment.”
My face was crimson. “I’m so sorry…”
Solomon burst out into laughter again, fist in his mouth be damned. “I guess she enjoyed it a little too much!”
“Shut! Up!” I hissed at him.
But Barbatos relented with a fond chuckle. “What am I going to do with you? When it is put that way, it’s hard to be upset.”
I groaned as I lowered my head into my hands. “I’m so sorryyyy…”
“Still, I suppose you lifted the spell in the end.” His eyes sparkled in amusement. “And you did it of your own accord. I must give you credit for that.”
I groaned again.
“Pff…” Mammon scowled at him. “You sure talk big for someone who was fawnin’ all over Chise a minute ago.”
Lucifer sighed as he strode into the room with a glance in our direction. “From the looks of things, I take it the enchantment has been broken?”
Barbatos inclined his head. “Yes, it would seem so.”
“All right then.” He turned his eyes on me. “There’s still plenty of student council work left to do, Chise. I expect you back in the council chambers at lunchtime.”
I groaned for the third time.
Barbatos chuckled again, dropping his voice quietly as the others resumed whatever they were doing before. “Still, I regret the unsolicited public show of my affection for you…”
I lowered my hands with a blush. “I-It’s… fine…”
“Perhaps you did enjoy the attention after all?”
“Shh… Shh…” I scrunched my face.
He smiled fondly. “Chise…”
I gave him a little look of suspicion at the tone of his voice. “Are you sure I uncursed you?”
“Absolutely,” he murmured. “I just already loved you very much, and missed touching you.”
“…Oh gosh.” I lowered my face back down into my hands to hide my deepening blush.
He laughed softly in amusement. “My love, would you happen to have time tonight for tea with me?”
I nodded shyly, peeking out from between my fingers.
His eyes crinkled in their corners with his delight. “I am glad. Tonight, then.”
“I apologize for calling you in here during lunch, Chise,” Diavolo said with his signature friendly smile as I peeked into the student council room.
“Come here.” Lucifer beckoned me to him again from his place at Diavolo’s side. “You can help me organize my student council materials.”
I sighed as I went to sit beside him. To stay in the Devildom, I must do paperwork.
“…Here are the contents of the Bloody Box, Young Master,” Barbatos said smoothly as he leaned down on Diavolo’s other side to place them in their respective tidy piles. “Chise and Leviathan already went through and sorted everything.”
Diavolo sighed as he looked over at the generous stacks. “It’s going to be a hard job reviewing all of these.”
Barbatos dipped his head as he took a seat too. “Even so, we’ve had far fewer complaints regarding the exchange program recently.”
Lucifer rested his cheek on his fist as he idly reached across for an envelope to turn it over. “Perhaps that means the backlash to having students from other worlds has subsided.”
Diavolo frowned. “I’d actually like to pose that question to the students directly. I want to know their current opinions regarding the exchange students.”
I raised my eyebrows slightly in surprise as I pretended to read one of the papers Lucifer had set in front of me. I guess these men really could discuss work in a mature, thoughtful manner. AKA Diavolo surprised me.
“Come to think of it,” Lucifer said with a soft frown of his own, “when Luke first arrived in the Devildom, he was always upset over one thing or another.”
Barbatos nodded. “Indeed, yes. It was always something. ‘Demons tried to chase me down, I hate it here in the Devildom, I want to go home.’”
Lucifer chuckled. “I remember he hid in the bushes to escape them once. But they heard him in there grumbling about it, so he had to take off running again.”
Barbatos quirked a fond smile. “I haven’t seen anything like that happen to him recently, though.”
“Right.” Diavolo nodded seriously. “If we’re going to question our Devildom students, then we should do the same with the exchange students. I’d like to hear what they say.”
I nodded absently too. It was all well and good to survey the students, but if the victims who’d been harassed weren’t considered either to get the full scope of the situation, well, they’d just be fostering more ignorance while patting themselves on the back.
Diavolo caught my nod with his glance, and he broke out into a grin. “All right, I know just what to do! We should have Chise put together a report for us!”
I abruptly stopped my nodding, sliding my eyes over to him.
He was sat up straight, eyes gleaming with excitement. “We’ll make it a requirement for admission onto the student council. Chise’s second trial.”
I pouted a bit.
“What exactly should this report be about?” Lucifer asked for me. I had a feeling he was asking more for my sake, in dad-mode, rather than as student council officer. Barbatos took out a pen and paper to be the note-taking student council officer for him.
Diavolo lifted his eyes up to the ceiling in thought as he leaned back with a crossing of his arms. “…Hmm. How about this. A survey of the student body’s current opinions of the exchange students, as well as the exchange program itself. And a survey of exchange students regarding what they’ve gotten out of their experience here. As well as–"
I sighed as Barbatos’ list continued on in length.
“–their opinions on achieving peace and strengthening the bonds between the three worlds. How does that sound?”
I nodded. As far as second trail’s went, this was much better than hunting down stupid cursed cards and climbing stupid trapped walls. This actually made sense. “I can do that.”
Diavolo beamed at me. “Yes, it really is a good idea if I do say so myself! I can’t wait to read your report!”
I fought to stop myself from rolling my eyes.
Barbatos nodded. “I must say, that does make for a wonderful trial, Young Master.”
There was a touch of relief in his voice. So he, too, thought this was a more mature trial that brought out my ‘talent for bringing about unit’ than running around like a chicken.
“I look forward to seeing the finished product, Chise!” Diavolo fairly wiggled in his excitement. “Shall we make it for one week from today? I shall expect it on my desk for then.”
Barbatos chuckled at the subtle look on my face as I voiced my agreements.
“Tadaaaa!” Mammon smirked at his gathered brothers in the council officer’s lounge. “Check these out!”
Belphie narrowed his eyes. “What do you have there?”
Beel tilted his head. “Are those letters?”
Asmo sighed. “I was wondering why you called us all in here… So, you just wanted to show us some letters?”
Beel shook his head in disappointment. “You said you had something good for us… I thought it was going to be good. Now I’m all disappointed.”
“Five letters…” Belphie scanned them carefully. “I take it that means there’s one for each of us?”
“This is my own fault,” Satan sighed next. “I should’ve known better than to show up when Mammon invited me. I mean, it’s Mammon.”
“Wait!” Levi gasped in realization. “Hold on a second! It can’t be.. Those look like–“
Mammon’s scowling expression returned to a smirk. “Heh heh heh! Finally figured it out, did ya?! I knew I could count on you, Levi! You know that suspicious letter that was in the Bloody Box, right? Well… I went and made five more just like it!”
Levi’s eyes widened as he took the one addressed to him in Mammon’s sloppy writing. “S-So that means… I could use this letter here to make Chise fall head over heels for me?!”
“How silly.” Asmo rolled his eyes. “I don’t need cheap tricks like that. Chise is ALREADY head over heels for me.”
Satan shook his head in irritation as he turned back to the doorway. “I guess this just shows that when a fool gets an idea, it’s always a waste of time.”
“Mmhm,” Belphie sighed, turning to leave as well. “Agreed.”
“Hey!” Mammon snapped. “Why do you guys gotta be like that, huh?! In that case, I’m not gonna let you have ‘em!”
“Come on.” Satan frowned over his shoulder. “If these really do function like that other enchanted letter, then why would you hand them over to us?”
“Well like, here’s the thing…” Mammon slapped on a sweeter smile. “I only made ‘em LOOK like the letter from before. They’re not real. It’s all for show.”
They all groaned.
“Wait wait wait! There’s a fan letter inside each one of ‘em for ya! I found ‘em In the Bloody Box, and I figure I’d deliver ‘em to you!”
“Pfwah…?!” Levi startled. “A fan letter?! F-FOR ME?!”
“Hmm…” Asmo finally took his letter with a frown. “If this is a letter from one of my precious little doves, then I really should read it. I’m going to go ahead and open mine, mmkay?”
“…Wait.” Belphie narrowed his eyes again. “Something doesn’t seem right.”
“Maybe there’s food inside,” Beel said eagerly, as he took his own thin and flat letter.
Satan was tamping down on his eagerness as he took his as well. “If this is a fan letter, then I guess I’d better open it. It would be rude not to.”
Belphie sighed in deep exasperation as everyone yelped with the opening of their letters, his own refused. “You all just had to open those, didn’t you? Well, don’t blame me for whatever happens next.”
Everyone stood still while Mammon snickered quietly, grinning around at them all.
“…Mammon, here.” Satan finally fished out the contents of his pockets. “This is for you.”
“Wh?!” Belphie’s eyes widened. “Satan… what’re you doing? That’s you wallet!”
“Hehehe!” Mammon smirked as he took it from him. “Thanks, buddy!”
“Here, take my wallet too!” Asmo sang, handing it over with ease. “Please, I want you to have it!”
“Hey, thanks! I’d be glad to take that off your hands!”
“I want you to have my wallet, too.”
“Yeah, mine too!” Levi scrabbled at his pockets to join the fray.
“D’ahahahah!” Mammon grinned from ear-to-ear as he held the wallets in his arms against his chest. “Man, I’m LOVIN’ this! I gotta say, that ‘give the Mammon all your valuables’ spell really kicked in fast! …Wait a minute.” He looked around. “What happened to Belphie? Where’d he go?”
"…If you’re looking for Belphie, he came to get me."
Mammon shrieked at the sound of the deep voice, clutching the wallets tighter.
Lucifer glared as he stepped into the room, arms crossed. “He tells me you used enchanted letters to rob all of your brothers blind…”
“N-No, you’ve got it all wrong, Lucifer!” Mammon squeaked as he hurriedly backed away from the approaching demon. “They OFFERED me their wallets! Wouldn’t take no for an answer…!”
"MAAAMMOOOOOOONNN?"
"EEEEEK!"
“Lemme down from heeeeere…” Mammon sobbed. “Heeeelp…”
Luke sighed with a shake of his head, looking up at the slowy spinning demon above them. “No matter how many times Lucifer hangs Mammon upside down from the ceiling, he never learns… I wonder why?”
Simeon was smiling broadly, one hand on his hip as he looked up too. “Maybe that’s just part of what makes Mammon… Mammon?”
Barbatos gave a nod. “I’m sure this is a common occurrence at the House of Lamentation, but here at RAD it’s a rare sight indeed…”
Mammon whimpered, before breaking out into more sobs. “…HHHHEEEELLLLP!”
Chapter 32: Intermission: A Broken Teacup
Notes:
WOW this one got long. Had to make it an intermission. ....Smut goes to the end. 👀
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Beel: I’m really glad that we have Tinkerbell now.
Beel: The café we went together was a lot of fun, and we got to spend time with all of those rabbits, and they seemed to enjoy their work. It was awesome.
Beel: But it also made me feel kind of lonely after.
Chise: Really…? 🥺 Lonely how? Are you okay?
Beel: I kept remembering Marshmallow, my bunny.
Beel: I wish we could meet again.
Chise: Awww, Beel.
Chise: I wish I could meet Marshmallow too.
Beel: Yeah. I’d love to play with Marshmallow one more time.
Beel: If we ever see Marshmallow again, I’ll give that bunny the most delicious carrot in the Devildom.
Chise: I’m sure Marshmallow would love it.
Beel: Yeah, I think so too.
Beel: I hope we can see him again someday.
Beel: But just as I started thinking about Marshmallow again, Tinkerbell jumped up on my lap.
Beel: I love Tinkerbell, too. I’m glad we have her.
Chise: Me too. ❤️
Chise: Thank you for being you, Beel…
Beel: 😶❓
Beel: You’re welcome. Though I don’t know how to be anyone else.
Chise: Exactly.
Chise: I love you. ❤️
Beel: I love you too, Chise. ❤️
Chise: Please talk to me about Marshmallow whenever you want to.
Chise: Or about anything else.
Beel: Okay, I will. ☺️ Thanks for listening, Chise.
Diavolo smirked at Lucifer as he leaned towards him, cup of Demonus in hand. “Do you remember…”
Lucifer quirked an amused eyebrow.
“…the day we first met?”
He immediately sighed. “As if I could ever forget. Why? Do you feel like reminiscing?"
“Hehehe.” Diavolo grinned as he reached to pick up the quickly dwindling bottle to pour Lucifer another glass. “Well, I don’t see why not. Come on, let’s think back on it together. I remember how it all started…”
Lucifer scoffed as he picked up his glass, swirling it. “Here we go…”
“It was as if a giant, brilliant shooting star had fallen down to the Devildom. That was the first time I ever saw you, Lucifer.” Diavolo looked over at him fondly. “As a shooting star, hurtling across the sky.”
“Yes,” Lucifer sighed. “I remember that mud went flying everywhere when I touched down. I was wearing my armour of light, which ended up absolutely filthy.” He shook his head with a tsk. “I remember it like it was yesterday. I felt an instant sense of discomfort.” He quirked a teasing smile, despite himself. “‘You’ve got very low-quality soil here in the Devildom. You need to do something about that.’ …That was the first request I made.”
Diavolo guffawed, grinning. “Oh, was it now? I know it’s a little late to be admitting this now, but I didn’t even hear the first words you said to me. I was too mesmerized by your grandeur.”
Lucifer cleared his throat, his cheeks pinkening as he darted his eyes away. “Ha, sure you were… That sounds like an excuse to me, since you still haven’t done anything to improve the soil here.”
Diavolo chortled with a shake of his head. “Well, it’s true. And what made even more of an impact was the way you clearly ignored me when I greeted you and held out my hand to shake.”
Lucifer’s blush deepened as he sighed in discomfiture. “Forgive me… I was younger, and I didn’t know better. Back then I honestly thought I couldn’t trust you. I thought you’d try to impress me with good manners, to trick me into thinking you weren’t so bad to cover up the fact that you’re a demon.”
Diavolo nodded his understanding. “I see.”
Lucifer quirked another smile. “After all, all the worlds have heard of the demon penchant for manipulation, to seduce their quarry into lowering their guard. Luring, before they strike.”
Diavolo raised his eyebrows, quirking them up and down briefly. “Seduce, you say? And did you just say luring, or alluring?”
“Pfff.” Lucifer rolled his eyes, smile widening slightly. “I would not allow any such thing to befall me, Lucifer Morning Star. I wanted to expose who you really were as soon as I could, so I intentionally tried to anger you. I was testing you.”
Diavolo chuckled again, leaning back further in his armchair. “It’s very honest of you to admit that…”
Lucifer chuckled too, switching his glass to his other hand to lay the one he’d freed on Diavolo’s own. “But no matter how hard I tried to upset you, you weren’t the slightest bit bothered. I couldn’t understand it. I kept thinking, ‘What’s up with this guy?’ Little did I know, you really are just an eager pup.”
“My, you really are being honest with me today.” Diavolo grinned again as he curled his fingers around Lucifer’s. “I appreciate that.”
“Pff. More like, I have been plied with fine Demonus to spill my guts.” He frowned mockingly. “What was it that I had just said? About the manipulation of demons…?”
“Hehe. That wasn’t my intention. Consider me in a wistful mood.” Diavolo drained his glass, before setting it down on the table beside him, to pour another, one-handed. “Well, for my part, I was overcome with joy at having you visit us at RAD.”
Lucifer huffed. “And so I was unceremoniously led off to RAD, before we’d even really introduced ourselves to each other.”
Before the fall…
“Well then, Lucifer the Archangel…” Diavolo, sporting his newly designed RAD uniform, turned to Lucifer with a overfamiliar grin. “I know you’ve only just arrived, but it seems that your appearance has stirred up quite a bit of excitement among the students here.”
Barbatos bowed at his waist, clothing draped over his bent arm at his side. “I have already prepared a change of clothes for him.”
Lucifer fought to hide the horror on his face as Barbatos smoothly snapped the uniform he switched to holding in both hands to unravel them tidily, holding them up for display.
Diavolo nodded. “Excellent, Barbatos. Very speedy as usual.”
Barbatos took a step towards the Archangel seraphim, folding the clothing over his arm again to lift his free hand. “So then, without any further ado, let’s get you changed.”
And just as Lucifer took a step back at the butler’s approach, Barbatos snapped his fingers, abruptly redressing Lucifer in the garments.
Lucifer looked down at himself with an insulted scoff. ”What are these clothes you have me wearing…? Where is my armour?”
Barbatos flourished him a bow. “Your armour is in safe hands.”
Diavolo nodded again, smiling as his eyes took in the sight of Lucifer from top to bottom. “That would be an example of Devildom fashion. And I’d say it looks quite good on you!”
“Pff…” Lucifer’s cheeks turned a shade of pink in his anger. “Hardly.”
Though it fit him well. It was not restrictive at all, and the fabric felt nice against his skin…
Diavolo leaned forward eagerly. “Is the outfit to your liking?”
“Are you insane?” Lucifer glowered at him. “Of course it’s not.”
Diavolo’s face fell. “Well, that’s too bad… It shall only be for a little while.”
“Tch…”
But the truth was that it fit him better than the celestial armour he had always worn. Of course, as one of the highest ranking angels, he could never admit to such a thing. Especially this small feeling of being dressed as though he were a fallen angel.
How insulting, he decided.
Diavolo’s expression softened. “You may find that it feels a bit awkward on you at first, but you’ll get used to it before long. I ask that you try to tolerate it for just a little while.”
Lucifer narrowed his eyes. “You asked that I tolerate it? Don’t be stupid. I will not allow myself to be clad in demon garb. I’m going to strip off every last piece of it this very instant and fling it as far away from me as I can.”
“Oh, would you…?” Diavolo shifted from one foot to the other. Barbatos stifled a sigh at his Master’s rather obvious crush-at-first-sight.
“Give me back my armour,” Lucifer snapped. "Now."
“Now, now,” Diavolo said with a pleasant smile. “No need to get upset. I believe there’s a saying in the human world: ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do.’”
Lucifer growled in his throat. He didn’t understand Nothing seemed to get under this man’s skin. How could he be so calm in the face of him lashing out? That smile of his never left his face… Why?
It’s hard to tell which one of us is the angel…
Lucifer shook his head, scowling deeply. His eyes flicked to Barbatos. “You… butler. Take good care of my armour. Be very careful with it.”
Barbatos swept another polite bow. “Of course, sir. I won’t allow even a single speck of dust to alight on it.”
Lucifer frowned in puzzlement over this odd man’s perfect mannerisms too. For a demon.
Diavolo beamed eagerly. “So you’ll wear the outfit we gave you, then? Wonderful. I thought a seraphim like you would be tolerant and understanding. I’m glad to see I was right.”
A tendon in Lucifer’s neck twitched in anger.
Diavolo chuckled. “Moving on… Allow me to formally welcome you to the Devildom, Lucifer the Archangel.”
“I had no choice but to come. Being too busy to come himself, my Father sent me as his representative.” Lucifer stood straighter with a frown. “So, who are you exactly, and where are we?”
“I am Diavolo,” he answered easily, “and I’m next in line to become the King of the Devildom. As for where we are… this is RAD, our royal academy. A school, essentially.”
“Hmph…” Lucifer quirked a mocking smile as he crossed his arms in front of himself. “And what is it that demons learn, exactly? The entire concept sounds so pointless that it’s laughable.”
Diavolo crinkled a smile back at him, crossing his own arms as well. “Well, we must be sure that all who live in the Devildom are given an adequate education in order to have a healthy, well-ordered society.”
“Education? Well-ordered society?” Lucifer scoffed darkly again. “You’re a demon. I’m surprised someone like you is able to feed me lines like that with a straight face. You’ve got some nerve.”
“Come now,” Diavolo said pleasantly, “don’t say things like that. Why don’t we have some tea while we talk.”
With Diavolo’s gesture towards the table in the lounge, Barbatos gave another bow.
“If you’ll pardon me…” he murmured, as Lucifer reluctantly took a seat. “I’ve prepared some royal milk tea for you, made with premium quality Assam tea leaves. Please… enjoy.”
“Thank you.” Diavolo nodded to him as he seated as well. “Barbatos makes superb royal milk tea. Really, you must try it.” He chuckled. “If you don’t, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life, I assure you.”
Lucifer narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “What is that supposed to mean?”
Diavolo tilted his head. “I mean that it is delicious. Barbatos, did you make this cake yourself as well?”
Barbatos ducked his head in a nod. “I must admit that I did, yes.”
“…What’s this black part on the inside?” Lucifer pointed.
“Blackberries, sir.”
Diavolo chuckled again. “There’s no poison in it, nothing of the sort. And let me tell you, this is another item you simply much try. I have to say, I’m overjoyed to be able to have tea with an Archangel seraphim like this. So let me begin by thanking you for this opportunity.”
“…You can skip the formalities,” Lucifer retorted gruffly. “What is it you want?”
“Right.” Diavolo nodded again, his face turning serious. “All throughout time, angels and demons have stood opposed to one another. We’ve always had a hostile relationship. I’m sure you feel this hostility and distrust swirling inside you at this very moment.”
Lucifer clenched his fingers around his very good cup of tea.
“But why should we continue to be bound by this ancient, outdated tradition? Isn’t it time we put an end to it?”
“Put an end to it?” Lucifer frowned. “And then what?”
“I’d like angels, demons, and humans to each recognize and accept one another, and work together for the betterment of all. I want us to create a new world together. We wouldn’t be enemies, but I’m not suggesting we all become friends, either. No… ideally, I believe we should be somewhere in the middle.”
Lucifer stared at him. At this demon… prince across from him.
To recognize and accept one another, and work for the betterment of all…
If that were possible, then why hasn’t Father made it his goal as well?
I thought that demons were creatures of conflict, that they liked being our enemies.
Was I wrong?
…Ah, I know what’s going on here. Clearly, he’s trying to deceive me.
“Oh dear…” Diavolo sighed at the angel’s frozen silence. “I’d hoped to relax and enjoy talking, but it seems that our conversation has gradually drifted toward a more serious subject, hasn’t it?”
“My Lord,” Barbatos interjected quietly, “it is almost time.”
Diavolo glanced up at the clock that hung on the back wall, before nodding, setting his cup down. “Right. Well, shall we be going, then?”
“…Shall we be going where?”
Diavolo’s smile returned. “To the auditorium. We’re having a small ceremony to welcome you, our visitors from the Celestial Realm. I’m fairly sure your Father was informed of the schedule of events. Did no one tell you?”
“No, I was told.” Lucifer replied coolly, as he set his cup down next. “Naturally, I was told.”
He had not been told.
“Excellent!” Diavolo stood with a grin. “Everyone here at RAD is looking forward to hearing what it is you’ll say in your speech.”
Lucifer flinched slightly, ducking his head as he stood to hide his swallow. No one told me anything about this. And I have to give a speech as well? I had no idea. Father, please don’t tell me that you sent me here in your stead because you didn’t want to have to give a speech.
–
Barbatos entered the guest room with his head dipped in a bow. “Pardon the interruption. Would either of you care for more herbal tea?”
“Thank you, Barbatos.” Diavolo nodded with a pleasant smile. “But fill Lucifer’s cup first, if you would. It’s empty.”
Lucifer shook his head as he pushed his teacup and saucer back. “No, I won’t be needing any more.”
Diavolo leaned towards him. “Oh, now don’t say that. I’d like to show you a bit of hospitality at least. Please allow me that.”
Lucifer caught his gaze. The closest they had physically been thus for. Diavolo’s smile was warm.
He certainly was a young pup.
And his eyes… so golden.
So brilliantly, attractively golden.
…With the signature slitted pupil of a demon.
Demon.
Lucifer looked away, pulling back from his closeness, uncertainty gripping him. He kept his expression blank.
“I’m genuinely impressed by your performance today,” Diavolo continued. “You gave a wonderful speech, and you exuded such charm. Everyone in the auditorium was completely taken with you.”
“Tch.” Lucifer turned his eyes back on him with a glare. “I won’t be deceived by the honeyed words of a demon. The only reason they were so focused on me is because they found me to be some sort of exotic curiosity.”
He had to admit to himself, the speech did go quite well. Though as to Diavolo’s words – that the auditorium had been taken with him – he rather believed that it was Diavolo who gave off such an air of dignity and had such overwhelming charisma.
…He’s almost like Father.
“Hmmm…” Diavolo leaned away to study the board in front of him again with a frown. “I believe I’ll move my bishop at this point.”
“Hmph.” Lucifer quirked an eyebrow in amusement. “You may think you can draw me into a pitched battle now, but it’s not going to work.”
Diavolo chuckled. “You’re very cautious, careful, alert. I’m impressed.”
Lucifer clenched his jaw a bit. “I told you, I won’t be won over by your honeyed words.”
Diavolo flicked his eyes back to Lucifer’s, holding his gaze, expression more serious than his usual friendly warmth. “…When I compliment someone, I always mean it. Also, I never lie. It’s one rule I never allow myself to break. Please, remember that if you would.”
Lucifer blinked, taken aback, though captured by his gaze again. He fell quiet while Diavolo’s slitted golden eyes continued looking deeply into his halo’d red.
It was Barbatos tinkering with tea leaves in the corner that brought Lucifer back to himself.
He cleared his throat as he pretended to study . “…Hmph. I’ve never heard of an honest demon.” His eyes lit up as he reached his hand forward. “Well, it seems you’ve been preoccupied trying to think up lies to tell me, haven’t you? You should have been focused on the game. You’ve left yourself open.”
“Oh dear…” Diavolo chuckled as he looked down at the board himself, crossing his arms. “So my bishop and my rook were both forked.”
“That’s it,” Lucifer said with a sigh, leaning back in his chair with a smug smile. “I’ve clearly won. Rather than dragging this out and embarrassing yourself, you should admit defeat now.”
But Diavolo sat, drumming his fingers on his crossed arms, with a small smile as he looked down at the board. “…You may find the idea of an honest demon to be laughable, but nonetheless, that’s what I am. I don’t lie. Angels, demons, humans. I said that I dream of a world in which we all recognize and accept one another, and I was telling the truth then as well. If we don’t find a way to maintain a state of balance between us, we’ll likely end up destroying ourselves someday. “
Lucifer scoffed in annoyance. “You truly are shameless. You are creatures of the dark, and we are of the light. Do not speak as if we are in any way equal!” Lucifer jabbed his finger down on the table next to the board. "Yield the game."
“It was light itself that made the darkness you speak of,” Diavolo responded softly as he moved another piece, before lifting his golden eyes back to Lucifer's. “If it is right that light exists, then the same must be true of the darkness it creates.”
Lucifer spoke through his clenched, gritted teeth. “Your entire premise is ridiculous. Whatever you might say, the Celestial Realm will never be destroyed. Only the realm of demons and that of humans. Not as long as my Father exists.”
“So…” Diavolo mused, still holding his gaze again, “you think he’s all-knowing and all-powerful…”
Lucifer’s frown deepened.
“…and will you be like him someday?”
Lucifer flinched. No one… What kind of…? Question…?
“…No,” he answered, looking to the side. “No, I won’t.”
“You don’t aspire for it?”
“Tch. There is no greater power than my Father, and there never will be. None – not even I – may ever surpass him.”
Diavolo smiled kindly. “That’s very humble of you to say. However, you can never say never in this world.”
“Hmph. Maybe you should stop wasting your time thinking about this and focus on the game you insist on dragging out instead? You’re about to lose another major piece due to your clumsy pla–"
Lucifer frozen, staring at the board.
Diavolo waited, his cheek resting on the knuckles of his fist.
“…I’ve lost,” Lucifer whispered in shock.
Diavolo shook his head. “Your king isn’t in check yet.”
Lucifer barely breathed as his mind raced through his options.
But no.
“…Even if we continue this, there’s no way I can win.” Lucifer lifted his eyes from the board. “Don’t make me say it when you are well enough aware of that. How many moves ago did you know that you would win?”
Diavolo shrugged with a smile. “Ever since you took my rook, I suppose.”
Lucifer frowned. “You knew that far back? I was certain that I had the upper hand…”
“Yes, that was my plan.” Diavolo nodded. “I wanted you to think that you held the advantage. But the truth is that I’ve been working to maintain a state of balance between us.”
“I don’t believe it,” Lucifer murmured, leaning back in his seat in defeat.
“As you can see, the more prideful your opponent is, the easier it is to turn the tables on them. It’s the same with everything in life.”
Lucifer stared at him again.
I don’t need…
Some young pup…
“I’m not trying to achieve victory over my opponent,” Diavolo continued softly. “That’s not what I seek. I seek to maintain equilibrium, to maintain balance.”
“…I see.”
They fell into another silence. This time, Lucifer avoided the other man’s golden eyes. Surely, those eyes… must be his demon’s power…
He shook his head, closing his eyes to clear his thoughts.
“…Diavolo.”
“Hmm?”
“Your strategy is truly fascinating,” Lucifer said quietly, looking away from the stir. “…Do you think we could get together again sometime? I’d like to learn more about it.”
Diavolo hummed, smile widening, though still soft. “Are you talking about chess now? Or the nature of our relationship…?”
“Hah…” Lucifer cleared his throat. “…I don’t catch your meaning. I’m talking about chess, of course.”
“That’s when you finally held your hand to me,” Diavolo said softly, his hand in Lucifer’s, “and we shook. The way you radiated charm as you smiled at me. I still remember it like it was yesterday. When I saw the look on your face, I was convinced.”
Lucifer quirked his brow. “Of…?”
“I was convinced that you were fair and righteous,” Diavolo answered softly again, “and someone who would be able to lend an ear to anyone, to listen to what they had to say. Someone who had a truly beautiful spirit.”
Lucifer chuckled quietly. "That is your takeaway? From all of my attempts to derail that first meeting?”
“Oh?” Diavolo smirked at him. “Is that what you were doing? I just thought that part of your charm.”
“Tch…” Lucifer waved him away with a smile.
“Ah, well…” Diavolo picked up the empty bottle, shaking it for proof of its demise. “I suppose I shall have to grab another from the cellar. No, no, I don’t mind, I gave Barbatos the night, but that doesn’t mean I’m incapable–"
Lucifer grabbed him by the wrist, rising with him. “…Diavolo.”
He blinked at him in confusion. “Yeah…?”
“You changed my life that day.”
Diavolo stared, colouring a bit. He blushed even less frequently than Lucifer himself.
Lucifer tugged his hand, pulling him closer. “…I need you. Did you know that…?”
Diavolo’s breath caught in his throat as he stepped closer to breach the gap. “…Oh, Lucif–"
Lucifer kissed him hard, desperately, with fingers sinking into the younger man's soft auburn hair. His prince, pulling him close, kissing him back, with just as much desperation returned to him in kind.
Need, adoration, affection, want, love. Though their mouths rolled hot and shaky, tender-heartedness swelled in their chests. The ache in their hearts, a soft experience; and the ache between their legs, a demanding one.
They fumbled with the each buttons of each other’s shirts, mouths pressed, again and again.
Warm, familiar. Always.
Barbatos lifted my hand to bow over it, pressing a light kiss to my fingers after I’d walked through into his room.
I blushed with a grin. “Hello, Barbatos.”
He flicked his eyes up. “Hello, darling Chise.”
Damn. Cue the deeper blushing, and a girlish giggle.
He smiled at my reaction as he led me to his small table. “Today’s tea leaves are a variety that you previously expressed a liking for. I have prepared them at the optimal temperature as usual, so please enjoy.”
I smiled as I sat. When I had been in his room for the first time, there had only been a single chair set with the table. After my first sleepover with him… a matching second had materialized.
His favourite tea set graced the table, set for two. I smelled warm spices. My favourite. And non-caffeinated, so it wouldn’t disturb my rest, giving the evening hour.
“Speaking of which,” he continued, as he sat across from me, “you may have already heard, but rumour has it that a store specializing in rare teas will be making an appearance at the festival in Long Hu Town.”
“Oh?” I perked up. “Are you talking about the firebird thing?”
He nodded. “So, you do know of it. Indeed. There is a variety of tea called flame leaves that is said to summon a bird of flame.”
”Really?” I’m sure my eyes gleamed. “I would love to see something like that.”
“It is a very rare sight. I would love to sample the flavour and witness the flame bird’s dance.” He quirked an amused smile at my eager nod to his baiting. “As it happens, the Young Master has granted me a period of leave during the festival. So, I was thinking of paying Long Hu Town a visit…”
I squirmed in my seat at his pause. “…Can I go tooooo?”
He chuckled in delight. “Yes, of course. In fact, I was planning on inviting you. I am sure you will have a wonderful time.”
I poked my tongue out at him. “Tease… You couldn’t just ask, huh? Had to make me jump for it?”
He laughed with a shake of his head. “I must protest against such an accusation.”
“That would make you a liar.”
He chuckled as he relented. “You have caught me. As soon as I had heard this news about the festival and the firebirds, I thought of you immediately. It is interesting, how I could not even picture myself attending such an event without you at my side.”
“Barbatos…” I ducked my head with a blush. “You flirt…”
He hummed in amusement, not denying that at least. “Now, onto the present day’s events – I must say, your second trial seems to be… more in your ‘wheelhouse,’ does it not?”
I sighed. “I’m pretty relieved, actually. I was getting tired of all the inane running around...”
“You are excellent with your writing, as well. Very articulate." His eyes gleamed in amusement. "It earns you extra points in your potions class..."
I laughed at the jab. "Ohhh, so THAT'S how it's going to be tonight? Dangling date carrots? Razzing me over my 'potions’?” I smirked at him. “Well, even so, I hope I'm no teacher's pet. That'd hardly be fair to the other students. Fail me if you must, O Master.”
He chuckled. “You will not fail on my watch. I do my best to remain neutral, though I'll admit it can sometimes be a conscious effort. I am only thankful that your cooking remains superb, as it is a more everyday skill than potions. Enchantments can produce very similar results to any potion, and can be quite interchangeable. I expect great things from you in that area.”
“Oh…” I dipped my head as I blushed again as he poured for me. “I don’t know about that. Solomon is the master there, and he’s, uh, got some years on me.”
“I still hold onto hope.” He sighed with a quirk of a smile, before standing again to turn towards a platter had hidden by his gorgeous drawers of spices under a lid. “It would be nice to see him crushed in some areas.”
“Pfff… What’s the deal with you two, anyway? Ooooh!” I brightened as he set down the spiced scones and clotted cream. “For moi? Barbatos!”
He chuckled again. “I am glad you find them to your liking. Please, have as many as you would like.”
“Don’t mind if I do…” I murmured, making a slow grab for one, trying to balance eagerness with manners. “…They’re freaking good,” I said over a slightly-muffled mouthful.
I did know how to balance that eagerness with manners, and sometimes he delighted in letting the latter slide, particular if a compliment was delivered with it.
He laughed with a shake of his head. “You are silly. Whatever am I to do with you?”
“Heh.” I smiled after swallowing, victory achieved. “Speaking of, one of these days you’re going to have to teach me how to properly curtsy.”
“Hmm, perhaps…” He smiled over his teacup. “But I rather enjoy your style.”
“Pff!” I nearly spat my tea with my laugh. “My ’style’? Wow, it’s tease Chise day, is it?”
He smirked a bit. "Chise allowed me to follow her around like a lovesick puppy today.”
“Heh…” I ducked my head again. “Sowwy.”
He snorted. “Are you attempting to be adorable to get away with your crimes?”
I batted my lashes. “Is it working?”
He smiled sweetly now. “Yes.”
I smiled back. “As long as that’s the case, I’ll keep being adorable for you.”
“Hah…” His expression softened into fondness. “You do not have to try hard to achieve it, believe me.”
“Heh. Flirt…”
–
“Chise…” He set his emptied cup down on its saucer, his eyes following it.
I tilted my head a bit. “Barbatos?”
“…Stay the night?" Said so soft, it might’ve been a wish.
I smiled with a touch of a blush. “I’d intended to…”
He smiled too, lifting his eyes back up to mine. “I am glad. I, ah…”
I raised my eyebrows, voice a little teasing. “Go on…”
He blushed a bit as he shifted in his seat. “…Our night that we made love.”
“Oh…” I hid my blushing face a bit behind my hand. Of course I knew where this was going. But he had quite a frank way with words sometimes.
“I have not been able to stop thinking…” He looked down at his lap, face red. “…You are an amazing woman, Chise. At times, I feel unworthy of you.”
I shook my head firmly. “Unworthy of the Demon of Time…? Please.”
He smiled to himself. “I do not understand this… I knew that I… would meet you.”
“Wait, you did…?” Not that I should have been surprised. I’d just named him as the Demon of Time. But my eyes widened anyway, and I felt uncertainty stir in me, just like I had with Simeon’s own revelation.
“I did.” He sighed in resignation. “I must confess this before our hearts tangle further, if you would please listen…”
I nodded, feeling unsure, but also needing anything he could give me of himself.
“I knew that you would come to play an important role in my life, but I did not foresee the depths of how I feel. I hope that you will continue to stay at my side forever… Chise. I love you so very much. It burns me.”
I chewed on my lip, the question burning. “I love you too… But how did you know that it was me you’d meet?”
“By this.”
He reached under the collar of his shirt, pulling the string of his necklace out to show me.
I frowned at the odd thing. “What is that, anyway? It’s kind of familiar.”
“Do you remember when we ran into each other that night in the Demon Lord’s Castle during the exchange student retreat, and my tray of tea was upturned?” He chuckled softly. “You pricked your finger on a broken piece of teacup…”
My blinked as that night came back to me. It’d been a completely inconsequential thing, aside from deeply embarrassing myself in front of Barbatos. I’d hurried away to return my focus to finding out more about why I was chosen for the exchange. It’d been nothing more than… nothing to me. “…That’s…”
“I sanded the sharp edges, and enchanted it so that it would never chip, crack, break…” He turned it over. It was just a small, partial spot, but yes. The tip of my bloody fingerprint was preserved on it.
“Wh…” I stared at it. “Why…?”
“I saw it in a future of mine by accident,” he murmured softly as he turned it back over in his hand.
“What future…? What did you see?”
He shook his head with a soft smile. “I cannot tell you that yet. But I will. Suffice to say, once I saw it there, held between your fingers, before dropping it from your injury, I knew you would be important to my life.”
“You knew then?” I shook my head. “But we’d hardly spoken. And…”
“It did take us a long while to become closer,” he agreed softly. “Truthfully, I was in a bit of shock upon seeing it. I did not know… that you would be human. And a magic-less exchange student at that. It was rather… puzzling.”
“Oh…” I stared at his chest now after he tucked it away.
“I did not force it to happen,” he promised. “I watched you, but had… reservations. Perhaps what I had seen in the future was not as I had interpreted? It was a passing glimpse, that I turned from quickly. Perhaps you only led me elsewhere? I could not say for certain. My previous assumptions for my future became uncertain. So I simply waited, in caution.”
I nodded slowly. “I don’t blame you.”
He stood from his seat, coming to my side of the table while I watched him in puzzlement. He kneeled down in front of my lap, taking my hands in his.
“I have sworn to serve the Young Master for the rest of my life. However, these feelings simmering in my chest belong to you and you alone. Lord Diavolo is an important and irreplaceable part of my life.” He squeezed my fingers gently. “And yet, I have come to think the same of you. I adore you, Chise.” He lowered his face to press his forehead to my lap. “I love you. Will you accept this truth that I have hidden?”
I smiled as I freed one hand from his, to stroke his hair lightly. “Maybe I’m not entirely happy about it, but I understand why you did. You have rules.”
“I do. Still, I apologize…”
“It’s even a little bit romantic.” I laughed softly. “A future vision of a broken teacup? And then you find it, after running into a clumsy human girl in the middle of the night? You must have been stunned.”
He laughed softly too, raising his face to look up at me. “Indeed. After we grew close, I, too, saw it as deeply romantic on my end. I am glad to hear it from your own lips… I would have understood if this was unacceptable.”
“Heh. But you still won’t tell me what you saw.”
“Aha…” He winced in guilt. “No. Not yet, anyway.”
“But one day,” I said softly.
He nodded. “That, I promise. All will be known one day.”
I watched as he lifted my hand that he had clasped still, turning his face to kiss my knuckles.
“Chise…” He breathed out a warm sigh over my skin, before standing, gently bringing me up to stand with him. "Every night since I gave myself to you, I have wanted you in my bed. Yearned for it. I know that it is not a realistic imposition for either of us to always have you by my side, but Chise, now that I have you here again, I burn for you with fever.”
“Barbatos…” I sucked in a breath as I felt my own heat beginning to ignite in me at his words.
"For the first time in many, many years,” he murmured as his face neared, “I pleasured myself to the memory of that night together.”
“Oh my god…” I swallowed hard, feeling myself begin to shake as he tilted my head up with the crook of his finger tipping my chin. “I… I hope you really have recovered from earlier. From the curse. I… I’d hate to think..."
“Nonsense." One hand came up to trail lightly over the curve of my waist. "It takes no spell for me to want every part of you. Every inch."
I shivered at his ticklish touch, and the lust in his voice and words. I took a small step forward, my toes coming to his to close the gap completely. I curled my fingers into the front of his shirt, my brows drawn together as I return his look of desire. “Just… Just kiss me now,” I said hoarsely. “Please… I feel the same way. Completely. I want you so badly. Everything. Please, I want–”
He neared further while I begged, cutting my pleas off with a full yet sweet kiss. He let out a soft breath of air through his nose as our lips connected, as though he had been waiting for so long to do this, but tamped down on rushing through. So gently he kissed me, lingering, reluctant to let go.
"...There is something about you…" he murmured when it did finally break. "Can you feel the heat radiating from my lips? It is you who causes this fire within me. Here… See for yourself."
He took my hand and closed our fists over his chest, where his heart lay.
"I feel it." I uncurled my fist from his to lay my palm flat over the beating of it. "Your heart's racing..."
He nodded. "Why does my heart try to break free from my chest every time you are near? It only makes me want you more, Chise."
I took his other hand, and laid that over my breast as well. "I'm the same... Every time I look at you, even just a glimpse, my heart races. And then you kiss me..."
"Like so..." He let my hand over his heart go for him to tip my chin up again, capturing my lips in another kiss, deeper.
***
I tentatively slid the tips of my fingers up his chest to the top button of his shirt. He nodded against my lips, meeting our next roll with a longer, more substantial kiss while I popped the little botton free. And then the next, and next, while his lips rolled gently against mine, our heads tilting. His hand came to a stop from his stroking at my ribs, before taking my elbow. His other hand dropped to slide around my waist, pulling my belly flush with his after I'd freed the last button that had been tucked in his slacks.
"I have been wanting so very badly to pleasure you," he murmured, "as you did for me last. You were incredible..."
I worked on his belt next with shaky fingers, the clink of metal on metal the sound of its freeing. He sighed huskily into our next kiss at the sound of his zipper, his arms sliding tighter around my body, the flat of his palm sliding up the spine of my back. His other dipped down under the seat of my pants, rubbing up and down gently rather than squeezing. I whimpered against him as I untucked the rest of his shirt, loosening the waist of his pants, my fingers lightly running along the band of his boxer briefs, before I slid them down to cup his straining member gently.
"Chise," he groaned softly at my press. "Chise..."
I thought he was about to thrust his hips, but he had slipped his hand out of my pants to wrap his arm under my rear, pressing me tightly to his groin while he lifted me against him like that. With my feet off the floor, he carried me in his embrace to the bed, the both of us huffing between kisses as I wrapped my arms around his neck.
"...You have me burning," he breathed against my mouth, before he lowered us both down carefully, his palm under my shoulder blades steadying me.
"You have me wet," I whispered teasingly, before pressing another kiss to him just as he made a noise of surprised self-consciousness. I parted his shirt back from his front to run my hands down his undershirt, trailing along the hem in request.
He dutifully raised himself from me slightly on his knees to drag the long-sleeved dress shirt from his arms behind him, allowing for me to raise his undershirt up properly. He leaned back, curling a bit as he took that off over his head too, his stomach rising and falling from his quickening breaths. I slid my hands down his body to rest them there, feeling him, until he came back to me, pink in the face and lips parting, seeking more kisses. He touched my belly under the hem of my shirt delicately, with his own request. I nodded against his lips, arching my back up for him to pull me shirt over my chest, where I took the rest off for him.
He leaned back on his knees as he let it drop to his side, eyes traveling up my torso with plain and tender want. His eyes travelled down to watch me, lips parted still in his desire, while I unzipped my own pants from underneath him. He slowly slid backwards off over the edge of the bed to lean down over me, kissing my belly as I arched it up to him so that he could drag my pants down over my hips.
He was shaking now. But bolder in how he undressed me this time, in contrast to the last. He even pressed a hesitant kiss to the fabric of my underwear after he had my pants off entirely, looking up at me with a tentativeness in his eyes.
I spread my legs a bit. "You can kiss me there..."
"You are… certain that you would like that..?"
I smiled. "I wouldn't have offered."
"Of course..." After a moment, he kissed again, a little lower. And then lower, over my folds, with a soft inhale. "...Ah, yes, you are... wet."
His voice was tight with his shy desire. I blushed. No doubt he had kissed a wet spot that was forming…
"Do you want to take my underwear off?" I asked softly.
He paused, looking down at me at what he had in front of him. He hesitated, and then pressed a little kiss again. "...All right."
"You can take them off, but you don't have to stay down there. You can come back up here."
He shook his head while he pulled down on the waistband, kissing just the top of where my folds began as he revealed it. I closed my thighs again, tilting my hips back, while he raised himself up to take my panties off the rest of the way.
I was left only in my bra now as he pressed his cheek to my shin, fingers to the side of my knee, before lowering himself down with a slide against both, back down between my opening thighs.
"Barbatos..."
"You tasted... wonderful," he murmured huskily, eyes roving down along my thigh to watch his trailing fingers run down the soft and plush skin of them. “I want…”
I spread my thighs a little wider. "Only if you want to."
His face turned a deeper shade of red as he continued not to meet my eyes. "I would like for you to tell me if I am doing it wrong."
I smiled comfortingly, in case he was watching me out of the corner of his eye. "Of course. But you'll be fine. Just relax."
"Chise." He finally met my eyes, though there was still shyness there. "May I touch you?"
"Please," I whispered, reaching down to stroke his hair. "I want you."
His face neared my sex, his eyes slowly closing with his sigh. "As I want you…”
I let out a shaky sigh too as I felt his tongue give a tentative little lick against my folds, gentle. I felt him expell a soft breath of warm air against me as he pulled his tongue in to taste, the sound shaky as well, before he gave another. I moaned softly as I pulled my knees up to dig my heels into the bed, sitting up as well to watch. To watch Barbatos, with his hands resting on either side of my inner thighs now to keep me spread, kitten-licking my sex with closed eyes.
Small little tastes, though his tongue slowly began to dig a little deeper, until I gasped as the tip slid along the pink connecting path between entrance and clit, his tongue swiping against the latter on his way up. At my noise, he finally opened his eyes again, locking them to mine as he did it again, a little harder. My shoulders rolled as I moaned softly with a brief closing of my eyes.
"So it's there," he murmured.
I nodded, eyes lidded with soft, distracted pleasure.
"And..." One hand slipped down. I gasped as he touched the pads of his fingers to my entrance. "...There."
I nodded vigorously, panting slightly. "Please..."
"My fingers would reach deeper than my tongue."
"Please," I whined. "I like fingers… T-Two of them…"
"Two..." He swirled them around my entrance through my slick, making me moan. He shuddered out a sigh of pleasure at the sound. "You are soaking..."
“Please– NNNG! Ahhh...!" I threw my head back with a soft cry as he sunk his fingers into me, the sound gently sticky with their entry.
"Are you all right?" he murmured absently, eyes still trained to my sex while he pushed through.
"Yes...!" My voice was a high whine as he continued all the way. "Oh gods Barbatos...!"
"I have dreamed of pleasuring you in this way," he murmured still.
I threw my head back with a whine as he firmly licked at my clit again, my fingers sliding into his hair while I rolled my hips up to him on reflex from the thrumming pleasure he sent through me. Slowly, he pulled his fingers back from my sex, paused, and then slowly, pushed them back in. Rhythmic, slick, from last knuckle back out to fingertip, sliding again and again while I rolled my hips with another moan.
"Faster," I pleaded shakily.
He went in quicker, giving another lick, and another, and then experimentally teased the bud of me with the very tip of his tongue to press there for longer. I arched my back with another moan, fingers flexing in his hair while the fingers of my other hand curled tighter in my palm. He hummed in satisfaction over my reactions, gently moving tongue and fingers in different ways to read me.
He was good.
"Suck," I asked in a whisper. "Th-The... My clit. You can... suck. A-And fingers... curl up."
"Like this...?" He curled his fingers first as he slid them in next, eliciting a soft cry from my lips. And then he took my clit in between his own lips to gently tug, gently suck, and I cried out again, louder, with a bucking of my pelvis.
"Barbatos…!" I gasped. "Oh hells please...! Keep going! F-Faster! Curl!"
He hummed again over my clit as he licked it through his lips, pulling lightly while I squirmed, crying out from the harder drag of his fingers along my ceiling, and the faster pace he set. He was pumping them in and out of me now while I moaned and whimpered, absently pressing his face tighter to my sex as I gasped with another bucking of my hips grinding against him. He hummed in amusement this time, quickening his pace even further, to be pressed even more firmly to me by my grip in the roots of his hair.
"I-I'm going to cum soon!" I cried out softly, tipping my head back. "Please, Barbatos! Just like that! Please! Don’t stop!”
Still pumping his fingers, he pressed the tip of his tongue to me hard, pushing my bud back into myself, his other hand not in my sex coming up to massage at the same inner hardness above my clit as the last time. That was all that was needed to tip me over, was that gentle massage. I cried out loudly, the sound desperate as I bucked in response, heels kicking and dragging on his mattress, before my back went into an arch with the orgasm that washed over me.
My cry was cut off in a choke as I shuddered through the waves of heat that pulsed in me, contractions lighting my belly, pulsing under his tongue, around his fingers. I heard, felt, his warm sigh of satisfaction as he watched my shoulders roll back, my throat exposed with my tilted head, my racing heart beating its pulse in my veins. My thighs trembled around him, knees and heels lifting up slowly, toes curled, hand pressing on the top of his head to keep him there.
He continued through it, keeping me there, earning more shudders from me anytime he gave more massages to my inner clit. Until I sucked in a noisy gasp for air, before letting it go with a sob. Still I raged, but slowly I loosened with strained groans, still twitching at his gently slowing administrations. Until finally, he was pulling his soaked fingers from my sex, inspecting the heavy creaming of them in amazement for a moment before looking up at me with just as much awe.
"That is... what it's like," he murmured softly. "To pleasure a woman so..."
I nodded with another groan.
"I had forgotten..." he whispered faintly, before turning his attention back to his fingers. He paused a moment, before giving them a little lick. I huffed with a shiver as I watched him, my arm pressed to my forehead now while my lungs fought for air.
He hesitated at my gaze. "I... hope this is not..."
"You can suck them clean," I said hoarsely. "There's nothing improper here."
After a pause, slowly, he put his fingers in his mouth for a few moments, cleaning then with his tongue within. He dropped my gaze to do it, red in the face, while pressing his thighs tight together.
I smiled lazily. "I love you... You're so sexy."
"Sexy..." he repeated in a murmur, after sliding his fingers back out from the press of his lips that collected the rest. "I do not remember ever being called such, except perhaps by Asmodeus..."
I giggled, pressing my palm over my heart as the laugh interrupted my quest for more even breathing. “Barbatos, that… was amazing. Thank you."
He blushed a little harder. "I am glad. Thank you for... communicating."
I quirked a smile. "Barbatos..."
He met my eyes again. "Yes...?"
"Would it be okay if you undressed completely this time?"
"Oh." His eyes widened a bit. "I... I suppose last time, in my, ah, haste, I had not..." He looked down at his body in hesitation. "Apologies."
I shook my head. "It's okay. And you don't have to."
But he slid from the bed anyway, further undoing his belt.
"...So, um," I started softly, as I began to unclasp my bra behind me as well, "you don't... remember? These sorts of... things?"
“I truly do drop my guard in your easy presence, don’t I…?” He blushed a bit, eyes sliding away from my breasts as I revealed them. “…I suppose I have done a poor job at hiding it."
"Just your nervousness, Barbatos. Nothing more."
“It is your kindness that sets me at ease in the end. …As for your question." He shook his head slowly, his hair tossing a bit as he lowered his pants down to his ankles, stepping out of them to stand in his boxer briefs. "Regretfully, with a memory as long as mine, some things must be... put behind. And I have chosen to remember less personal events, for history's sake."
"That's a shame," I whispered in sincerity.
He shrugged a shoulder after he stood tall again. "I suppose in not remembering, I feel as though I have not lost anything. Though now, I suppose it would be... helpful. To remember for you, at least."
"I'm sorry. If I'd known, maybe I'd have... taken it slower last time? Guided more?"
He shook his head with a smile, slowly seeming to become more at ease with his near-nudity. "I could not have asked for a more perfect... 'refresher'?"
"Pfff, haha..." I grinned at him. "You really are cute."
He hummed as he knelt on the bed again. "You are cuter."
"I don't know about that," I murmured affectionately, as I raised myself up to meet him. I sat on my knees as well, cupping his face. "I think you remember more than you realize. You're so sweet. And you pay attention. Paying attention makes for the best lovers."
"Then I will continue to pay attention to you," he whispered huskily, before our lips connected again after I'd neared. A few sweet kisses, and then full-lipped, lingering ones, while my hands dropped from his jaw to curl around the band of his underwear, pausing there. He nodded, and I pulled slowly, eyes closed, not looking for his sake, though getting the fabric over his generous erection was a brief struggle. But then I had them pulled down near his mid thighs. At that, he leaned us both down so that he could lift his knees one at a time to get them off the rest of the way.
And then he was over top of me, kisses broken while we looked at each other. He was panting a bit. Shaking a bit. Just watching me, while he held himself low over top of me on his elbows. The head of his erection was pressed to my lower belly, near me.
I reached up to stroke his cheeks with both hands, smiling softly. "I love you…"
"I love you too, Chise." He touched his nose to mine, before dipping his hips tentatively, his cock pressing to me more firmly.
"Hold on," I said softly. He blinked as I slid my arms around his ribs, and with my knee pressed to his hip, I pushed us into a roll.
"Oh..." he whispered, eyes round as he looked up at me now over top of him, his cock now seated between my legs, pointed up at his belly.
I smiled, before dipping my head to kiss him gently. "Is this okay with you? For me to be on top like this?"
He nodded slowly, lips parted from my kiss, as though paused in more awe.
I cupped his cheek, looking down at him fondly. "Just tell me..."
He nodded again. "I will."
I leaned back upright onto my thighs, that I straddled more comfortably around either side of his own, squeezing his together slightly while he watched with a hard swallow. Slowly I lifted myself up, slowly I reached between us, my hand hovering over his solid member while I met his eyes again in question.
He nodded again, pressing his lips together tightly as his brows came together with sincerity in his eyes. Desire. And then he watched, sucking through his lips as I gently touched, and then curled my fingers around underneath to point him upwards. His chest rose and fell quicker as I slowly lowered, lining up.
"Okay...?"
He nodded vigorously. "Please...!"
His voice was soft and hoarse, but it broke on a desperate note as he panted, eyes locked on my hand on his cock. He pressed his fingertips to my knees with a keening noise as I connected us through my folds, resting him at my entrance. He release his pressed lips to pant quietly out loud, nodding his head again. And I lowered, lowered, pushing down against the pressure.
I gasped, and he moaned with a tipping of his head, his panting breaths releasing into shuddering sucks for air as his cock breached me. His fingers left my knees to slide back up to himself with a high whine, curling his fingers into his sheets as I continued to sink down on him, swallowing his generous girth inside while I let out a soft moan of my own.
Until I came to a stop on his lap, having sheathed him inside of me entirely. He expelled a breath at my pause, tipping his head back down to meet my eyes. Half-lidded and desperate as he panted again, his thin chest rising and falling. I rested a trembling palm on his belly as I let out a shaky breath of air too.
“B-Beautiful…” he mumbled in a strained voice as he ran his eyes up and down my body, until he gazed into mine again. "Oh, Chise, you are so very..."
I leaned down to press my lips to his again, making him groan at the shifted angle as he raised himself up slightly to meet my kiss. I kissed, and kissed, and then raised myself up along the shaft of his cock again, capturing his gasp with another kiss, and then another as I sunk back down.
I leaned back again, smiling teasingly as he chased for more kisses, trailing my fingers down his body as I went, until I was sat back in my straddle.
And then slowly, with a hitched breath, I began to ride him.
He hissed through his teeth, eyes locked to mine in desire with his palms flat on the bed by his hips, as I rose up and down on his lap in a gentle ride. His member slicked in and out of me slowly, length appearing until he was sinking back inside again. I reached down to take his hands and laid them on his hips with a gentle roll on him, guiding, showing, encouraging.
He sat upright slowly with a soft moan while he slid his arms around my middle, holding me against him while the rising and falling of my sex around his cock pleasured him. Us. Feeling the lift of me in his lap hampered by his embrace around me, he leaned into it instead, lifting me with flexes of his arms and then guiding me down to sink again. He held me with a shaky whine as he curled forward to press his forehead to my shoulder, beginning to roll his own hips up to meet me when I came back down to take him in fully, in sweet little thrusts.
“...I... I like… this..." he choked out against my skin. "I love... this… and… you..."
"Love," I whispered with shaky warmth as I pulled him into my embrace as well. We held each other, helping me ride, his head lifting and falling gently along with my shoulder while in rode, while he gasped into the bone of it.
I pressed my thighs around him tighter, shifting to pull his hips closer so I could press my knees more firmly. It gave me purchase, it squeezed his member tighter in me with the slight closing of my thighs around him, and he turned his face to moan into my neck in response.
He pushed his hips up in a firmer thrust, eliciting a gasp out of me, and a tighter fire in my body. He did it again, and again, holding me, upper body harder moving as he held me close, while his hips began to work us both with his pumps.
I tipped my head back with a whimper, rising up and down on my knees faster in response, and he pressed suddenly animated kisses to me exposed throat. He released me in his arms slightly to press his palms on either side of my mid-back, where he leaned me backwards to trail kisses down my chest. I gasped as his mouth connected with my nipple while I rode, dipped over his arms behind me, my breasts tilted up towards him.
He mouthed them gently, eager, with small licks, back and forth while he continued to move inside of me. His one arm slid around my waist again while his other came up to support me by the nape of my neck, leaning forward, leaning me back further, attentive to my chest while his adjustment of us tilted my pelvis tighter. I cried out at his next suck, his next thrust, shuddering in his arms in surprise over his sudden taking over. I rode, but he began to plunge up firmly, speeding us, jostling me up and down more forcefully while my sex gripped him.
"Oh hells..." I moaned shakily, lashes fluttering as I stared up at his ceiling, beginning to bounce now. "Oh hells, yes, yes... Barbatos, yes..."
"Yes," he breathed softly against my chest. "Y-Yes, this feels… mmmnn..." He gasped as he turned his face to press his cheek to my breast. “Su-Sublime..."
"You feel so good," I whispered absently, my vision beginning to blur from my unfocused eyes. "Feels so good. You feel so good ins... inside."
He made a high sound of desperate agreement in his throat "It feels... so good to be inside..."
I slowly slid my knees further apart, panting as it made him remain deeper through each thrust. "Barba...tos..."
He took the change in my spread on him for his own as well, thrusting up harder, his rhythm unwinding into one that felt more desperate as he began to let go in the moment. He gasped, moaning, squeezing me to him, pressing his face to me, his arms shaking around me.
"Ssso deep..." I choked on a sob as I leaned myself forward again to wrap my arms around his head and shoulders, holding him close to my breast. "Rrright there. I feel it. In my belly. Ssso. Hhhot."
He shuddered at my words with a groan as he thrusted even harder, hitting deep, hitting up, his arms coming away from around me for him to grip my hips again so he could pull me down onto him with more force. We joined and joined, harder, the dull sound of skin on skin echoing in his room, along with my shriller cries.
“…I'm gunna cum!" I cried desperately. "Barbatos I'm gonna cum! Keep…!”
"Come, love," he huffed against me, voice deep and strained, muffled against my skin. He hit up, and up, and up.
I went rigid in his arms with a cry, curling over myself to press my face onto the top of his head, squeezing my eyes shut against his hair. I shuddered and rolled in twitches with my contractions while he continued to take me, huffing, not rough, but passionate, gripping my hips and nuzzling my chest as he groaned in reaction to the orgasm he gave me.
I clung to him through it, shoulders rolling, thighs shaking with their tension, grinding while he took me from underneath. And then I let out a choking dry sob, heaving air as I collapsed into his waiting arms, to be pulled to his chest with a gasp as he held me tightly. Eyes squeezed tight, no longer thrusting, he rocked us both from side to side, embracing me close as he held the back of my head to press my face to his neck while he laid his cheek against my hair. He rocked me, and rocked me, rubbing my back so lovingly while I whined softly against him.
"Bar...batos..." I choked, nearly in tears over the tenderness of his warm embrace. "Oh… Oh I'm so glad I found you… Oh my gosh…"
He shuddered as he tightened his hold on me, pressing his face tighter with a low noise in his throat.
"You okay...?"
"J-Just rest. My Light."
I turned my face to kiss his tense neck. "Tell...?"
"I-I am closer to finishing with you on top, but I don't think I will actually..." He squeezed his eyes as he panted louder. "I-I would... like y-your... help to finish... If that's..."
"Of course," I whispered huskily as I pulled my face away, cupping his face to kiss him as I leaned him down with me.
He shook his head. "Y-You can rest. First. I am only…” He swallowed. “…Excited.”
"Not while you're so bothered," I murmured with a teasing smile, dropping one hand from his face to walk my fingers down his chest.
"Aha..." His already flushed face turned a deeper shade of red. "You are… Mff…”
He lashes fluttered as I reached him, my fingers curling around his shaft gently. He bit his lip slightly at my squeeze, tilting his head back with a low throaty sound in his chest.
"Good," I whispered to him, while I brushed a soft kiss to his cheek. "You're so loved by me. Did you know…?"
He inhaled softly at that, turning his face to meet my gaze while I slid my palm up the length of him. I caught his lips in a gentle kiss that he returned with a shaky sigh, before he pulled me closer to him by my waist, pressing my naked body to his while my hand dropped back down his shaft, and up again. Slowly, smoothly with the cream I had left on him, soft sounds of slick with each change in my direction. His back rolled gently with a gasp when I ran my thumb along the underside of him, and he gave a little roll of his hips in response.
I kissed the corner of his mouth sweetly. "Do you want my mouth again...?"
He nodded quickly. Very quickly, clearly eager, before he caught himself, swallowing his embarrassment. “…Ah… Please..."
"You're allowed to want what you want," I murmured, pressing a kiss to his jaw. "What happened to the Barbatos who was just telling me that he'd pleasured himself while thinking of me...?"
"He was not so naked," he answered hoarsely, "nor underneath you, and at your mercy."
I giggled softly against his neck. "Fair enough."
He sighed as he slowly relaxed fully on his back, resting his head on his pillow whil lifting his arm to rest over his forehead, watching me trail down his body with that soft awe that always made my heart swell in my chest. He watched as I continued to slowly glide my fist on his cock, sucking through his teeth everytime I teased at his head's sensitive underside. I kept my eyes on his, kissing down his belly, and shivered as he let out a soft groan of anticipation once I'd finally reached the base of him.
I hovered over him, my hand enclosing over the head of him.
"...This is what you thought of," I whispered, "when you touched yourself, isn't it?"
I sunk my lips down the tip of him before he answered, sliding my hand down on him as well at the same time. He cried out softly with another tip of his chin, giving a tight nod as his fingers curled into his palms.
I didn't go down very far, before I was coming back up, my thumb rubbing over the dip of him while he groaned again. "Maybe you touched yourself more than once...?"
He let out a soft whine as he rolled his hips.
"Thinking of being inside of me, and then tasting me, and then my mouth on you, and then... swallowing your seed...?"
"Chise," he groaned. "Please..."
"So improper," I murmured teasingly, before taking him into my mouth again. I relented to his growing urgency, set by the increase of his rolling hips, gripping his cock more firmer in my fist while I masturbated him, tasting myself on the head of him while I slowly fell into a rhythmic bobbing. He dug his heel to push it forward in a drag as he twisted his torso slightly with more gasps, his eyes squeezing shut while he clutched at his sheets and his pillow overhead. He wasn't going to take long, I thought, as I felt his thighs shaking under my elbows. He'd already been close.
I slid him up and down the flat of my tongue, hand fisting faster, twice for every bob of my head, then three, four, becoming furious now as he began to cry out softly for me. He rolled his hips in time to my mouth, but his chest rose and fell with panting breaths in time to me hand. He rolled his shoulders, half sitting up, blinking blearily, slowly shutting his eyes again, opening them blink, tipping his head back with a moan as he squeezed them tight.
His hand found its way into my hair. He left in there, shaky, just touching, holding, while his hips pumped up into me. His panting grew louder, and his eyes, when he opened them, became glassier, glazing.
He bolted in a lean forward with a gasp. "Ch...Chi...se... I am... going to…"
I nodded with a firmer suck, holding his gaze again while I took him a little deeper, choking wetly while my throat muscles flexed around him.
"OH!” he cried out, before his next thrust remained raised in place, and he let loose in my mouth, his first pump of hot seed splashing at the back of my throat while his thighs shook from their half-lift off the bed.
Beautiful. His ethereal blue glow that illuminated this corner of his room in a soft light, his demon markings beginning to thrum along his skin, down his belly, hips and thighs. I could see them completely now that he was undressed.
Beautiful. So beautiful. His eyes were alight. His beautiful voice fell desperate gasps with each load he fed me while I dutifully swallowed him down, his muscles bunched and frozen in place while his chest heaved with his contractions, while his markings thrummed with light and colour in time to the pumping of his seed into my mouth as well.
I huffed shakily in his lap as I struggled to take the last couple pumps that filled my cheeks, and then blew through my nose in relief when I felt the next one subside into a trickle. He choked on a groan as he tucked his chin under, his thumb brushing at my hair slowly, shakily, with his finish.
I slowly let him drop from my mouth into my palm, and then laid his softening member down, before pressing soft kisses to his thigh. He was visibly shaking hard as he laid down flat again, still stroking my hair, or trying to.
I went to him, crawling up his body to wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him half onto his side while I laid on mine. I hooked my knees over his hip as he managed to shakily pull me to him by my waist with trembling arms. He rolled slightly over me and pressed firmer, emotional kisses to my lips, small sounds in his throat while he held me tighter.
"I love you," I sighed.
He trembled with a nod, his voice hoarse. "I love you. Y-You are so dear..."
"I'm right here." I nuzzled against him while I stroked his arm gently.
"Y-Your kindness overwhelms me." He brushed another kiss to me.
We laid in silence for a while, actively snuggling, almost pawing at each other. As though we could even hold each other closer than we already were. He brushed shaky kisses to me, again and again, fingers flexing in little curls around me.
As our racing hearts finally began to ease up, he swallowed, and sighed slowly, holding me still against him in a tight embrace. “…I am beyond grateful for you. Your beauty stirs me in ways I had long forgotten."
I took in a small breath. "...You're so beautiful when you cum." I shifted with a shy smile. "Your demon marks are beautiful."
"I thank you, sincerely. It has been many, many thousands of years since I have allowed anyone to touch my skin, let alone see them.” He dropped his voice into a murmur, as though musing to himself. “Perhaps even as far as a million… I am unsure… I wonder…"
I blinked in shock.
He hesitated, seemingly unaware of my jaw that had just dropped. "You see my marks when I… 'cum'. To cum is... to finish. Is that... correct? In this language?"
"Ohh." I smiled, brought abruptly back to the present. "Yeah, that's what it means. An orgasm. I wonder when people started saying 'cum,' and why..."
He quirked a small smile. "I fear to search for the answer to that on the net..."
I giggled. "You and me both."
He swallowed as he shifted, as though he could get any closer, though he pressed his forehead to mine. "...I am so very glad that I met you as well. You breathe new life into me."
"You're such a sweet man." I pressed my hand to his cheek. "There really wasn't any choice in falling in love with you, with how lovely you are."
"You, as well," he whispered, brushing another kiss to me while he trailed his fingers up my back. "My Light. You give me... hope. For our future."
I smiled shyly. "I like the sound of 'our future'..."
He nodded, pressing his forehead tighter to mine. "Me, as well. Sweet Chise.”
“…Would you wake me up when you get up this time?”
He hesitated. “I get up very early, Chise….”
I kissed his chin. “I want to wake up with you.”
“Ahh…” He snuggled me to him. “Me, as well… All right. Yes, Chise. I shall wake you for more tea.” He kissed my brow. “That would be… very nice for me indeed. A thing that… I dared not ever have…”
“I want to have it with you,” I whispered against him.
He squeezed his eyes shut. “Chise… My love…”
“Yeah…?”
“…I am so very glad it is you who faces the future with me.”
I didn’t care for the cryptic choice in words, and in the soft tone of his voice. I could only be glad with him as well. To love him like this, no matter what.
I'd face anything with this tender man at my side.
I brushed my lips against his cooling skin. “Me too, Barbatos. I’m right here.”
Notes:
Lucifer’s Devilgram: The Glory Days (OG)
Note: The game appears to treat the capitilized version of Archangel different from the rank of archangel (which is ranked below seraphim). So even though Michael is seraphim, he's called Archangel Michael, with Archangel being like an honorific. In this Devilgram, Diavolo calls Lucifer Archangel Lucifer as well, even though Lucifer is a seraphim. No other seraphim are referred to like this as far as I'm aware. So Lucifer seems to have been once ranked beside Michael, above Simeon and Raphael, who don't get the honorific.
I added the rank seraphim into the dialogue to avoid confusion. Because when I first played the game and hadn't had a grasp on the ranking system yet and didn't notice the capitilization use, man was I confused.
Chapter 33: Chapter 71-B: Lost In Endless Night
Notes:
I misspelled ’student council officer duties’ as ’STUPID council officer duties.’ My inner Chise reared her indignant head.
Chapter Text
Lucifer: Chise.
Lucifer: Chise!
Lucifer: 🥰
Lucifer: 😊
Chise: Eh? What’s going on? It's 2 a.m.
Lucifer: Hmm? Nothing.
Lucifer: I suddenly felt the urge to chat with you. That’s all.
Chise: Are you drunk?
Lucifer: How could you tell? You really know me well, Chise!
Lucifer: Hehehe.
Chise: You’re absolutely adorable…
Lucifer: YOU are adorable. My adorable little lamb.
Lucifer: I wish I was petting you right now.
Lucifer: Wait, where was I…
Lucifer: Oh.
Lucifer: So I was drinking Demonus with Diavolo earlier.
Lucifer: And you know, he kept saying all these nice things about you, and now I can’t stop thinking about you…
Lucifer: Let me tell you, I’m so happy you’re down here with us. With me.
Chise: I’m really happy to be back with you too. ❤️
Chise: Where's Diavolo now?
Lucifer: He's asleep at my side.
Chise: You guys are cute.
Lucifer: Are we? Maybe we are. Maybe you should join me.
Lucifer: I would like that a great deal.
Chise: PFFF. You're going to cringe when you read this all back tomorrow.
Lucifer: We'll see. Present me doesn't give a shit. Present me is being honest. Present me would love to have you both in this bed.
Lucifer: A little fantasy of mine, bur keep that between you and me.
Lucifer: *bur
Lucifer: *BUR
Lucifer: *but
Chise: Future you is going to skin me alive just for bearing witness to this. Hey, Future Lucifer: FYI, this isn't my fault!
Lucifer: You're so funny, Chise.
Lucifer: …
Chise: Are you all right?
Lucifer: Who even came up with the idea that whoever empties the bottle first, wins…?
Lucifer: Oh, right. I did…
Chise: Oh, love. 😂
Chise: You’re going to have one tough morning tomorrow, huh?
Lucifer: My bad. Ah, my head is spinning.
Lucifer: Good night, Chise.
Lucifer: Love you.
Chise: I love you, Lucifer. Remember to drink blood orange juice in the morning.
Chise: Goodnight, mine. ❤️❤️
“…All right, let’s get this started,” Solomon began seriously, his fingers resting on his chin as he faced his housemates directly. “Raphael, you’re new here, so you may find what I’m about to say shocking. But I need you to listen carefully.”
“…All right.”
“Now, none of you are to breathe a word of this to anyone,” he ordered, “understand? I mean it. We’re about to discuss Purgatory Hall’s most important secret. This is classified information–“
“Um, Solomon?” Simeon chuckled with a shake of his head. “You can go ahead and cut the act…”
“Right, exactly!” Luke chided. “And you’re scaring Raphael!”
“Um, no.” Raphael shook his head. “He isn’t scaring me…”
“Ahahah!” Solomon devolved into cheerful laughter, eyes crinkling. “Well, I was only joking anyway!”
“Your jokes always suck,” Luke muttered as he leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms.
“I was actually hoping to discuss who’s going to be doing what chores, that’s all!”
Simeon turned towards Raphael to take over. “Here at Purgatory Hall, we took a page from the House of Lamentation, and divided up the chores between each of us.”
“As it stands,” Luke continued in his higher voice, “Simeon and I are in charge of meals. The two of us take turns cooking. As for Solomon, he’s in charge of cleaning.”
…Such as it was.
“Yes,” Simeon agreed, “and all three of us take turns doing everything else, like laundry and shopping.”
Raphael gave a nod. “I see.”
“That’s how it’s been up to this point, at least,” Solomon explained. “But now that Raphael’s living here, maybe we should go back to the drawing board, and reassign all of our tasks?”
Simeon straightened in alarm at the entirely too eager expression on Solomon’s face. “Whoa, hold on. Personally, I’d rather keep things the way they are in terms of meal duty!”
Solomon tilted his head, touching his chin again as his smile fell slightly. “Oh, really?”
“Wait, what about Raphael?” Luke glanced at him. “We haven’t asked what he thinks…”
“Meal duty, hmm…” Raphael frowned as he looked down at his hands on his knees, before giving another nod. “You know, I might like to try that.”
Luke brightened. “Okay then! Would you like to make dinner with me tonight? What do you say, Raphael?!”
Raphael gave a thin smile, genuine for him. “All right, that sounds good. Well then, I say we make something amazing tonight.”
“Right, yeah!” Luke bounced in place. “We’ll work together to create something special! I’ll show you how to cook with some Devildom ingredients, it’ll be great!”
Solomon smiled fondly at the boy. “It sounds like you two will make a great team. If there’s anything I can do–“
“NOPE, WE’VE GOT THIS.”
“Ahahah! Well, I’m glad to hear it!”
“Y-You just stay here and keep Simeon company!”
“Hmm, I like the sound of that! I think I will.
Simeon sighed privately to himself. “I hope everything turns out okay…”
–
"G’AAAAAH!"
Simeon and Solomon jumped from their place together on the sofa, Solomon’s arm falling from along the back cushion to rest across Simeon’s shoulders on reflex at the sudden crash that sounded out from the kitchen.
They both turned their heads in confused alarm.
"It’s burning! IT’S BURNIIIIIING!"
They glanced at each other.
"Raphael, no…! Don’t add so much death’s door sauce! WHAT ARE YOU– Oh no, the oven!"
Simeon sighed. Solomon grimaced.
"There’s SMOKE POURING OUT OF IT! AAAAAAH!”
Solomon’s expression of concern grew deeper. “…Maybe Raphael is actually bad at cooking?”
“Hmm, I don’t know if it’s that he’s ‘bad’…” Simeon winced at the sound of the next yelp. “…I believe he’s actually an average cook. But I’ve heard that when he attempts more complicated recipes, he has a tendency to mess up.”
“Luke does like to challenge himself with his recipes, yeah…”
“I’m starting to wonder if we’re going to have dinner tonight at all…”
Lucifer: Forget ANY of the above ever happened.
Chise: Well, well, well. Good morning, sunshine.
Chise: Fat fucking chance. 😂😂
Lucifer: 😒
Lucifer: Strike 1.
Lucifer: We will not speak of this again.
Chise: Hehehe. That’s what YOU think.
Lucifer: Strike 2.
Lucifer: Don’t test my hangover, girl.
Lucifer: And delete those screenshots that I know you took.
Chise: Future Lucifer, save me!
Lucifer: Future Lucifer does not exist. I am ALWAYS Present Lucifer.
Chise: 🥶 Damn. That went hard.
Chise: Go drink your orange juice, old man.
Lucifer: Brat.
Lucifer: Strike 3.
Lucifer: I am looking forward to coming up with your punishment.
Chise: See??? I KNEW I was going to get in trouble. 😭
Chise: ...*bur
Lucifer: 😒
“Hello, sweetie!” Simeon lifted his hand in greeting as he caught sight of me after he’d turned the corner down the hall of RAD. “Are you just about to head to lunch?”
“Simeon! Yes!” I grinned at him as I picked up my pace.
For a brief moment.
Before I slowed again, though I kept my smile on – rather fixed, to remain polite – as Raphael turned the corner next.
Raphael regarded me for a moment as Simeon openly took me in for a squeezing hug. “…Well, we were just about to have lunch ourselves. Care to join us?”
I blinked in uncertain surprise.
If we’re going to question our Devildom students, then we should do the same with the exchange students. We’ll make it a requirement for admission onto the student council. Chise’s second trial.
I put on another pleasant smile. “Sure…!”
–
“Here you go!” Simeon smiled sweetly at me as he placed a wrapped sandwich in front of me from my place beside him on our picnic table outside. He reached across to do the same for Raphael. “Enjoy!”
Raphael dutifully pinched at the corner of the wrapping to carefully unfold it, while I basically ripped mine open like a salivating animal. “Are these your special BLT sandwiches, Simeon?”
Simeon’s eyes crinkled in their corners with his smile. “Close, but not quite. These are my special BLT devil sandwiches.
Raphael’s brows lifted in surprise while he chewed his first bite, his half of his sandwich held in both hands, while I chomped down one-handed. He nodded in approval, even giving a small smile after he’d swallowed. “This is quite good, Simeon.”
“Really?” Simeon straightened, pleased. “Well, I’m glad you like it.”
Raphael nodded again. “The pasta Solomon made was quite good too.”
I choked on my mouthful.
“Not to mention the sweet treats Luke gave us yesterday. Those were very nice as well. To be honest, I didn’t expect I’d much enjoy living in the Devildom. But I have to say, life at Purgatory Hall has been quite nice.”
My eyes widened in surprise as I dropped my sandwich back on its wrap, scrambling for a pen and paper from my bag.
“Ahaha…” Simeon’s smile twitched into a bit of a fixed grimace. “Well, I’m not sure how I feel about having you compare my food to Solomon’s…”
I swallowed. “Are you a good cook, Raphael?”
“Ah…” Simeon cleared his throat. “We’d rather not discuss that. Isn’t that right, Raphael?”
I abruptly came back to myself. Right…
Simeon and Raphael were hanging out…
I looked between the two of them.
And Simeon was teasing him good-naturedly…
Raphael tilted his head. “Why are you answering for me, Simeon? Chise asked me.”
Simeon chuckled. “There are some things you really shouldn’t share. The world is better off not knowing.”
Raphael frowned in confusion. Socially oblivious once more. I decided not to press the issue on his cooking skills. I could only feel terrible that Simeon and Luke apparently lived with another of those.
“By the way, Chise” Simeon turned his face towards me with another soft smile. “You came out of the student council room yesterday, right? Is everything okay?”
“Actually…” I smiled back at him, schmoozing for the request for interviews. “I was made student council officer for the day yesterday.”
“You don’t say! Student council officer for a day, huh…?” He chuckled again. “Diavolo really comes up with some interesting ideas.”
I sighed. “Speaking of which, I’ve been given my second ‘trial' for joining fully.”
Simeon straightened. “Well, it’s good that you’re finally moving forward. I’m sure there was a pause put on that for, ah, addressing the last couple weeks. What is it? Is there anything that we can do to help you?”
“Actuallyyy…”
–
Raphael nodded. “So, as a requirement for admission onto the student council, he wants you to put together a report… I see.”
“Well,” Simeon laughed, “that’s a lot simpler than–"
“Running around,” I sighed. “Yeah. I’m relieved.”
“As long as you have to do these trials, I think this is a lovely one!” His eyes sparkled. “I wouldn’t mind such a straight-forward project myself to at least keep flexing my writing muscles.” He sighed. “Research, and then a beginning, middle, and conclusion sounds quite nice.”
“Aww…” I gave him a sympathetic smile. “Writer’s block again?”
“Ahaha…” He rubbed at the back of his neck. “Well, but this isn’t about me.”
“I still wouldn’t mind if you’d proofread it for me after?”
He nodded eagerly. “That, I can certainly do!”
I bowed my head in exaggeration. “I am honoured, Christopher Peugeot.”
He waved me off with a laugh. “I guess this means we really can help. What has your experience been like, Raphael? You know, coming here to the Devildom to study?”
“Hmm…” Raphael looked up at the sky while he thought. “To be honest, I expected the denizens of the Devildom to be more hostile towards me. So when I showed up and found that wasn’t actually the case, I was a bit surprised. I suppose it’s due to the policies implemented by the Devildom’s prince. They’ve borne fruit.”
Excellent and well-articulated material. I stuck my tongue out as I scribbled to try to preserve that so I sounded smarter.
“Right, yes.” Simeon nodded. “So, after taking the plunge and coming here yourself, you’ve found that it isn’t so bad.”
Simeon was the best.
Raphael jumped a bit as he looked down at his D.D.D. “…Ah, look at the time. I didn’t realize how late it was. I’m sorry, Simeon. I’m going to have to go. I was hoping to stop by the library for my next class. Thank you for the BLT devil sandwiches.” He nodded at me. “…Good luck, Chise.”
“Thanks…” I nodded back. “Maybe I can ask you more later.”
“Of course.”
I turned to Simeon after he’d strode away. “I’d like to hear your opinions too, Sim.”
“My opinions?” He frowned. “Ah…”
He stared at the table, frowning, chewing his lip.
“…Hmm…”
“Simeon…?”
He smiled at me as he began to stand, wrapping the rest of his sandwich. “What do you say we go for a walk, Chise? We’ll talk along the way.”
I blinked, before standing as well. “Sure.”
He chuckled as he looked down at my pen and paper. “Maybe it would be easier for you to record conversations and transcribe them later?”
I sighed in relief. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of that. That is an excellent idea, thanks.”
He took my hand gently, giving my fingers a squeeze. “Come on, Chise. Let’s walk the forest a bit.”
–
“It was Lucifer who first told me that Diavolo sought to bring harmony to the three worlds. Lucifer was still an angel back then, of course.” He looked down at our feet as we walked slowly down the path. His voice was quite soft as he told the story. I’d tucked my D.D.D. into my bra while we walked, so it could pick up our voices while my hands remained freed up. “He’d been to visit the Devildom at Diavolo’s request. And little by little, he was starting to broaden his horizons… When I first heard about what Diavolo had said, well… It struck me as nothing more than the foolish whims of a naive prince.”
I nodded slowly.
“Do you find that harsh?” he asked softly. “Well, it’s how I felt at the time.”
I was shaking my head now. “No, I don’t find that harsh at all.”
He nodded. “However…”
“Simeon, Luke…” Diavolo nodded to them in greeting. “I’m so glad you could come. On behalf of the entire Devildom, welcome.”
Luke shrank back from the large, imposing demon, stepping behind Simeon to half-hide. “If… If you think you can get on our good side by playing nice like that, you’ve got another thing coming!”
“Luke…”
“We didn’t WANT to come to the Devildom. We only agreed to do it because Michael insisted! Nothing more, nothing less! I’m NOT about to befriend any demons!”
Simeon sighed as he reached around to place his hand on the angel’s head. “Luke, you shouldn’t talk like that.”
Luke looked up at his mentor in surprise. “But… Simeon!”
But Diavolo only smiled warmly. “Thank you for being so frank with me, Luke. I appreciate it. It took a lot of courage for you to come here to the Devildom, didn’t it?”
Simeon felt a wash of soft approval at the demon prince’s words.
“…W-Well, it’s not like I’m scared of demons or anything!”
“My dream is for there to be peace and harmony between the three worlds.” Diavolo got down on one knee, looking up at Luke directly. “Someday I want angels and humans to be able to visit the Devildom whenever they like, and to feel no fear or ill will towards demonkind. I’d like us to be able to come and go between worlds as if visiting a friend’s home. This is genuinely what I want for all of us.”
Simeon looked down at the demon prince as well, the inspiration of the man’s words touching him, despite his own reservations.
So this… It was this man who touched even Lucifer.
I can see why.
Diavolo looked between the two of them, expression serious. “I have a duty to protect both of you. Please don’t forget that.”
Simeon sighed. “The future demon king actually said that to us… two angels. It was incredible. He looked at us with a completely serious expression and promised to ‘protect us’. Us angels, who pride ourselves on our abilities as Guardians, offered his protection. It was a completely foreign concept. Unheard of. I honestly couldn’t believe it. Peace and harmony between the three worlds… I thought it could never happen. My belief reinforced further after Lucifer’s… fall…”
“I can see why you felt like that,” I assured him softly. “I know that was really difficult for you. It became a more personal reinforcement.”
He nodded, before he stopped us on our path while turning to me, hand still in mine. “But little by little, this entire place has begun to change. And RAD has been at the center of that transformation. It feels like the demons here have started to accept different cultures and different beings. That’s an incredible thing, Chise. Don’t you agree?”
I nodded back to him. “Yeah. The more I learn about your histories, and every legend that’s in the human world as well. Angels and demons couldn’t be more opposite. Like they couldn’t even touch each other. And humans, well…”
He sighed. “In the middle – at least, in a manner of speaking. And considered of little consequence to the other sides. They, too, have every right to feel their own fear and contempt.”
“I guess… Diavolo really is different. This all shows what he’s been capable of.”
“Hah.” His expression softened. “Yeah, I agree. It does. Diavolo might just manage to pull off something that no one ever thought possible.”
“…Did you blame him for their fall?”
He sighed, and then nodded. “For a time. It was easier…” He looked up, scanning the canopy of leaves above us, before his eyes fell on the moonlight that streamed through. “And then, after coming to the Devildom and seeing all of the blood, sweat, and tears Diavolo has put into this from up close, I started to think… Maybe it’s me who’s been clueless all along. He offered to protect Luke and I, two angels, and I couldn’t believe it. But why not…? He sheltered the brothers, after all. He protected them. …From my Father.”
“…Simeon,” I whispered, taking a step closer to him.
He turned his face back down to smile softly at me. “If we can make it so that it doesn’t matter what world you’re from, or what sort of being you are… If we can create a world where everyone respects each other…” His words began to warble a bit as his throat began to tighten with emotion. “…It would be a truly, truly wonderful thing.”
“Simeon…” I frowned as I pulled him to me, reaching up to touch his face.
He leaned his cheek into my touch. “Like it is between the two of us. The way I feel about you… It shocks even me. A truly, truly wonderful thing… And I’m more and more in love with you with each passing day.”
“I love you as well…”
“If I could, I would give you feather after feather for the gift of having you each day…”
“Don’t pluck yourself bare,” I whispered softly. “I don’t need anything else from you. I already feel how much you love me, every single day.”
He reached up to stroke my hair. “You know that one song that’s been really popular with everyone at RAD lately? It sums up how I feel about you perfectly. It goes like this…” He raised his voice in soft song, his gaze holding mine while he sang. "'I was wandering, hurt, lost in an endless night, and you reached out to me; nestled against each other, we wished that morning would never come. No one can know, no one can know, but I love you so deeply it hurts'…”
I felt tears pricking at my eyes, stinging them. “…I’d like to kiss you.”
“Me too,” he breathed, as he gently pulled me closer to him by my waist. “Right now I want to kiss you so badly I can barely stand it…”
I dropped his hand to raise my other up to cup his face, pulling him down to me. The desperation of his kiss when our lips met stole my breath away, and I inhaled another deeply through my nose as I returned it, lips trembling as I squeezed my eyes shut, my hands pressing tighter on his jaw to keep him there to me. Warm. His lips, always soft, pressed fully to mine, with a soft noise escaping from his throat.
The kiss broke with a gasp from me, but he only pressed himself against me with a hard swallow.
“…Come closer,” he whispered, squeezing his eyes shut as he pressed his forehead tightly to mine. “Stay right here with me. So I know I’m not alone…” Both his arms wrapped around me, pulling me tight to him, bodies flush. “Please. I want to feel you against me, Chise…”
I made my own soft noise in my throat as I dropped my hands to his tie, fingers pulling at the knot the loosen it. He sighed in husky approval as his mouth sought mine again, his hands sliding down my back to untuck my shirt from my uniform skirt, before pulling down the zip of it behind me.
***
It fell to the ground easily once loosened, pooling around my ankles while I kicked off my shoes. He dipped to place his splayed palm on my thigh, lifting it up to slide along his, sliding his hand along my thigh towards my knee with a sigh of longing against my lips. I hooked my leg around where he settled it as I began to pull open the buttons on the front of his shirt, desperate to touch his chest, his warm skin, sliding my hands over his body after I pulled his shirt apart to reveal his torso. He rolled his hips towards me while our kisses heated, my hands back to cupping his jaw tightly for me to press my lips harder to his.
He bent again, wrapping his arms around me to scoop me up against him in a gentle lift, before falling to his knees with my legs wrapped around his hips. He leaned forward to gently set me down on my back, kisses falling away from my lips to trail down my neck, lips reaching for my cleavage in my slightly opened shirt.
“Your D.D.D. is still recording,” he murmured.
“S-Sorry…”
He gently pushed my hand that I had reached down away. “Leave it.” He raised his face up and pressed another fierce kiss to my mouth, a single one, deep; his chest rumbled in desire as his hands moved between us, while he rolled his back up into an arch to make room for their reach. “...And send it to me after.”
I whimpered softly as I heard his own belt unclasp, and then his zipper next, my thighs lifted in their wrap around him still, pelvis tilted towards him. I moaned softly in needy anticipation at the sound of rustling fabric, and the flex in his arm signalling that he was pulling his member free, gripped in his fist. I rolled my hips up, desperate to connect, feeling him press his shaft to my underwear, sliding himself over my covered sex with a small roll, and a huff of need as his warm lips came back to me.
Like I’d demanded him to do the last time we had desperately come together in goodbye, so long ago in that outdoor venue garden, he spit on his hand without request, slipping under the fabric of my underwear directly between my legs to palm at me gently, wiping up and down while I keened with another lift of my pelvis towards him.
“I love you so much, Chise,” he whispered shakily, as his fingers pulled my underwear further to the side while he dipped his hips. “I love you so much…”
“Simeon…” I whimpered, feeling the head of him slide up through my wetted folds to find me, lining up. “Won’t you please…”
Tell me…
“Chise,” he murmured softly, the tip of him dipping down to my entrance, where he gently pushed.
“Oh gods, Sim…!” I gasped as I slid my hands over the curves of his shoulders to grip there, squeezing my eyes shut with a high mewl as he slowly sunk himself into my heat. He groaned as I shuddered over the arm he wrapped around my waist, pulling our bellies flush while he climbed up inside of me.
“It feels so… easy to be…” He moaned as he came to seat inside of me, pressing his forehead to my jaw. “To… be… with… you…”
“I’m with you,” I whispered shakily, wrapping my arms around his neck to hold him close, my body curled up towards him with my arms and legs around him. “I’m always with you…”
He grazed his lips along my jaw. “My loving heart.”
And then he was sliding back, so slow, dragging back through the tunnel of my sex that closed and relaxed in his wake. And then pushing through again to open me up, stretching me once more, the head of his cock pushing through for the rest of himself to slide in while I choked on my next whine. Again, and again, a slow back and forth, his hips moving in slow rolls, pausing with the tip of him in, pausing as we joined completely again, dragging through, drinking in every inch of sensation.
“Chise…” His breath was shaky as he moved. His forehead pressed tighter to me while he held me close, back arched while he sunk in, again and again. I moaned at his entries, sucked in more air through when he pulled back. Soft, my body gently curling and uncurling again with his slow movements inside of me, as his shoulders pressed forward with his hips, and then relaxed again with his pulls. I drank it all in too, lashes fluttering with each joining, lips parted with sighs while he made quiet love to me.
His arm around my waist tightened around further to steady us both while his other hand came up around to cup my cheek opposite to the one he pressed to. He tilted his face up while he turned mine to face him. His was a little lower, his sky-bright blue eyes gazing lovingly up at me from where his cheek rested on my shoulder, his brows knitted upwards together in his soft expression. I couldn’t tell. Couldn’t tell if that was only soft love, or if that awe there was actually sadness instead.
I tucked my head to reach his lips with mine, and he tilted his chin up further to meet me. Soft, grazing kisses, that could be deepened if he moved up from where he pressed his chest to mine. But he stayed there, kissing soft, taking soft, moving inside of me gently. Soft pleasure thrummed through me with every full connection, but he was making slow love with me. Intimate. So intimate. So loved. I sniffled slightly as I unwrapped one arm from around him to cup his face again as he did mine, lowering my face further for those sweeter kisses, fuller-lipped, though I kept them soft and light and so very loving.
He returned them, breathing shakily, softly between each one, while he moved in me. The desperation he had started this with bled into desperation for soft intimacy, expressed slowly. I felt every inch of him inside of me while he moved. Felt him pulse in our completion.
“You’re so warm,” he breathed into my kisses. “Being inside of you… You’re so warm, my love…”
“Simeon,” I choked softly. “I ffffeel so beautiful. When I’m with you. You and I. Are so beautiful.”
“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured, his lashes fluttering as the roll I gave with my hips against his next push seated him tighter.
“You’re so good,” I said in a tight voice. “So good. So good. Good to me…”
“Are there angel humans, Chise…?” He pressed tighter, held longer, making me gasp. “There must be, right…? For you to exist… Or is it…”
“I’m human,” I whispered, “and I love you.”
He rolled higher, firmer, lifting my hips up further off the dirt below us in a folding-press while I tipped my head back with a moan, leaving his lips. He grazed soft kisses to my throat while pulling back, and doing it again, pressing me higher. Himself, finally adjusting further up over my body, lips at my jaw now while I choked on another moan as the tip of his cock kissed my cervix, only just. But it thrummed me, plucking a taut string within me, that was beginning to beg to be snapped at his cock’s more insistent touch.
“Please,” I whispered, feeling tears prick my eyes again as he stayed in that spot, hovering while I quivered. “You make me feel so good.”
“That’s all I want.”
“I want you to… feel good…”
“Believe me when I say…” He let out a heavier, shakier sigh, with a shake of his head. “That I could not feel any more complete than I do right now…”
He paused inside.
And then slid out with a lighter sigh, while I whined softly.
“…And again,” he whispered.
And did it again. Cervix, kissed. String, plucked.
“And again… Complete…”
Kissed, plucked, thrumming, a growing echo throughout me.
I choked as he pulled back again. “Please, Simeon! Just take me! I want you!”
He hissed through his teeth with his next thrust that pushed a soft cry out of me, my head tipping back again at the spark I felt inside. And then again, and again, pulling smoothly, with firmer thrusts inside of me, quicker joinings, shorter pauses, louder sighs that fell away into open gasps against my skin. He was folding me further, one hand sliding down my thigh again to pull me tighter. I pushed my heels in more firmly, pressing them with every push inside of me, bending my knees to tighten my wrap around him. I flexed my thighs and rolled my hips up to meet him, coming together harder, deeper.
Soon, he was thrusting in earnest, gasping while I moaned out my desperation, my nails digging into the back of his shirt while I clutched him to me. My body began to rock up and down along the curvature of my spine while I clung up to his body with arms and legs. I tucked my chin to press my forehead to the top of his head, crying out into his soft hair, squeezing my eyes shut as his thrusts turned into desperate plunges.
“Heavens,” he whispered in a high voice. “You feel so good…”
“Please,” I begged, barely getting the word out in my own pitched voice, my throat tight. Everything tight, as I neared, plucked and plucked and plucked by him, fraying apart. “Please…”
“Oh, Chise…” He pressed a long kiss to my neck while he was pounding down into me. “You’re… so close, aren’t you…?”
“Please!” I could only keep begging in my strained voice with each thrust, as the pooling in my belly ignited, something within me unfurling. “Please! Please! Please!”
“Come on, sweetheart,” he murmured huskily. “Cum for me. Let me feel it. I want to hold you…”
“Nnngggkkk!”
He slammed, grinding tight. “Come on, love…”
I fully wrapped my limbs around him with a cry, my body tensing so hard I visibly shook; hands clenched into fists, elbows and arms and knees and thighs locking him to me mercilessly, my belly tightening, my neck bowing to press my face harder into his hair. He slammed again. Finally, the taut string within me snapped apart, and then I was cumming, shuddering out small sobs as I contracted around his rapidly spearing cock, while he gasped above me with a roll of his shoulders in the pleasure of my tightening heat.
I was curled up, trembling, sucking in gasps when my lungs demanded it. He continued rocking me, huffing with strained effort and pleasure while I jolted with each burst of electricity that contracted what felt like every muscle in my body, including those that he sunk himself into, again and again. He was gasping, and then moaning, the sound strained, his arms beginning to shake, his shoulders rolling while his thrusts had a desperateness to them now.
“I’m going to cum,” he choked out. “I’m going to cum.”
“Pl…Please…” I whispered through my blinding haze, my voice breaking high. “Sim..”
He gasped, thrusting, thrusting, slowly falling into my arms as he was overtaken, washing over. “…I… love you…”
And then a slammed deep, pumping of hips in place while he gasped, until the pumps fell into slow rolls with his groans, while he released himself inside of me. Rolling with his own contractions while I pressed my heels to keep him deep, his seed flooding into that depth of mine, pumping his wet cum hard inside of me, one after another while he groaned with his relief. His hips twitched as he began to ebb, his body falling more firmly on top of me, taken into my already wrapped arms. His belly heaved with his last pump, and then he shuddered into stillness, other than his quiet panting, warm against my neck.
We laid together there on the forest floor, joined and shaking in one another’s arms, pressed tight, still thrumming with the overwhelming aftermath.
///
I pressed a shaky kiss into his hair, sniffling. He shuddered out a sigh, pressing his forehead to me tighter in response, shaking his head slightly to nestle with a barely perceptible sniffle of his own.
I slid my hand up from around his shoulders to press to the back of his head to me. “I love you, Simeon…”
“I love you, Chise,” he whispered softly. He pressed his palm over my racing heart. “I love you…”
“Would you like to talk…?” I brushed his hair back from where it fell over his cheekbone. “I think… that’s what you wanted to do, right?”
Over and over and over again.
“…Maybe in a bit,” he murmured tiredly. “A bit…”
I gave a small nod.
We rested there on the forest floor together, breathing in tandem, chests rising and falling in time with the other’s. I cradled him close, pressing a kiss or two now and then, blinking my half-closed eyes slowly against the stream of moonlight while I drifted through a haze.
I don’t know how long we laid like that together. But it ended when Simeon bolted up over top of me with a gasp, eyes wide. “Class!”
I jolted with him in surprise, feeling befuddled and confused still.
“Lunch is long over,” he said quickly, pulling away from me with soft gasps from the both of us. “Oh, I’m so sorry, honey. I got carried away. Now you’re…” He winced as he looked down at my compromisingly rumpled state. “Oh dear…”
I slowly sat up with a groan. “…Your knees are covered in dirt.”
He grimaced as he leaned forward. “…And I’ll have to brush your back off. Your skirt is… well, at least, ah, the seat of it didn’t get… Your, ah, underwear, though… And where's your other shoe...?”
I giggled weakly as he turned his head back and forth in a distracted panic. I raised my hands up to re-button his open shirt. “One thing at a time…”
He sighed, and then gave me an embarrassed smile, before tucking ‘himself’ back in to close his pants.
“…You don’t happen to have any tissues in your bag?”
“Umm…” He reached for it with a frown. “I think I do…”
After he produced a travel pack of them for me, and then he blinked in surprise as I ripped them open with a sigh of defeat, before I began stuffing the wad into my underwear.
“Oh…” He gave me another sheepish smile, rubbing at the back of his neck in guilt. “Whoops…”
“Mmhm.” I stuck my tongue out at him as he handed me my skirt. “Of course that’s a me problem now. What time is it, anyway?”
He sighed. “The after lunch period is almost over… We’ve basically missed the next class entirely.”
I groaned. “Well, shit.”
“Yeah… My sentiments exactly…” He stood with a wince, before reaching down to help me up next.
I pulled out my D.D.D. from my shirt to check the time for myself, and then stopped with an eep.
Seeing me staring at my screen, he looked too.
And then we both broke out into laughter as I hit the stop button on the rather lengthy recording.
I smirked at him as I pressed save.
“Mmm…” He brushed my hair back, before leaning down to graze a kiss to my ear, voice a whisper against it. “…I’d better get a copy of that.”
“Simeon, Chise…” Barbatos quirked an eyebrow at me, expression otherwise pleasant. “I’ve been expecting you.”
I grimaced as I paused in the doorway. “B…Barbatos…”
He smiled kindly. “Welcome to detention.”
Simeon sighed in resignation. “I never imagined the day would come when I’d actually be sent here…”
“Yo, Simeon!” Mammon called from his place in the corner, frowning as he twirled the ring of a keychain around his finger. “Is that supposed to be some sort of dig at us detention regulars or what?”
I sighed along with Simeon as we both made our way in. “Of course you’re in here, Mamms.”
“What’s that supposta mean?!”
“Mammon!” Thirteen snapped at him, leaning back in her own chair with her arms crossed. “Do NOT lump me together with you! You’re the only ‘regular’ and this is only my second time here.”
“Yeah, but how long’ve you been here, less than a month?!” He glowered at her. “You only just came to RAD, and this is ALREADY your second time here. I’d say that makes you a full-fledged occupant.”
“What did you say?!”
“You two,” Barbatos sighed with a shake of his head. “I believe you’re supposed to be writing, not talking?”
I slunk over to an empty seat, shame-faced under Barbatos’ glance at my movement. Simeon followed behind with another grimace to sit next to me.
“…Grr…” Mammon shot a glare at Barbatos. “What’re ya in for anyway, Chise?” He narrowed his eyes. “…And why’re ya with Simeon?”
Simeon cleared his throat. “…Chise was interviewing me for her paper. It went on for longer than expected.”
I nodded.
“Chise and Simeon…” Barbatos placed notebooks evenly in front of us both. “This is your first time in detention, correct?”
I nodded again as I slumped a little.
“Here at RAD, if you skip class or fail to do your assignments, you’re given an hour of after-school detention as punishment.”
“I know…” I mumbled.
“What students have to do for that hour differs from day to day. Today’s punishment is to write sentences.”
“Ah, so that’s what’s been going on.” Simeon nodded. “I was wondering why Mammon’s been writing ‘I am a total ignoramus’ over and over again…”
“OI!” Mammon cupped his hand over his writing with a growl as I giggled. “Did ya gotta go reading it out loud?! NO LOOKIN’!”
Barbatos shook his head in disappointment. “Today Mammon was spotted watching a live feed of shadow races during class, which is why he’s being punished.”
Simeon raised his brows. “…And I see that Thirteen is writing ’Sorry for having such a bad attitude’… With a heart?”
“You be quiet!” she snapped at him. “I’m only doing this because Barbatos said I had to!”
“Thirteen tried to set a trap for Solomon during class, you see,” Barbatos explained.
“…Did it work?” I whispered to her.
She shook her head sadly. “Anyway. It’s not MY fault that my Devildom law class is so insanely boring!”
“Incidentally, I’m the one supervising detention today. Normally, a teacher or student council officer is supposed to serve as a supervisor… But in recent years, certain student council officers have been landing in detention quite a bit…” Barbatos glanced at Mammon pointedly, “…despite the fact that they’re supposed to be the ones supervising it. Which has become a great source of concern.”
“Hey!” Mammon snapped. “Don’t look at me when you say that!”
“…So I just happened to get detention on the day you’re supervising,” I muttered.
He quirked a small smile of amusement. “Now then, Chise and Simeon, it’s time for you to begin your punishment.”
I blinked prettily at him.
“All right then,” Simeon sighed as he opened the provided notebook. “What should I write?”
“Hmm, good question.” Barbatos tilted his head slightly in thought. “How about this… 'I may smile all the time, but I’m scary when I’m angry!' …With an exclamation point, as well as a little heart at the end, please. I think that should do.”
Simeon’s pen held poised over the page as he slowly raised his eyes back up to Barbatos’. “…Do I really need to add the little heart at the end?”
“Yes.”
I slumped further, my backside almost on the seat of my chair. “And me…?”
“Hmm… How about… 'I shall not skip potions class to instead roll around on my back in mud puddles within RAD’s forest'.” He smiled pleasantly at my rounding eyes and reddening face. “...With a little heart as well, if you please.”
I slowly picked up my pen as my eyes slid down from his, face crimson.
“Pff,” Thirteen snickered behind me. "That’s a long sentence. But why doesn’t Mammon have to draw hearts?!”
“Because his hearts are unsightly.” He turned back to Simeon, who was dutifully writing, eyes glued to his notebook, face also a dark shade of red. “By the way, I know of an excellent dry cleaner who could get the mud stains out of the knees of your slacks as well, Simeon, if you would like their address.”
Mammon slapped his palm down on his desk. “WHAT?!”
Simeon swallowed, ducking his head further, ears burning now. “…I would appreciate that, Barbatos. Thank you.”
Barbatos nodded, before clasping his hands behind his back, to walk up and down between our desks to monitor our progress.
About halfway through, he pulled up a chair, and planted it right in front of Simeon and I to sit. He steepled his fingers over his lap while he watched us directly.
…It was a very, very long hour.
Chapter 34: Chapter 72-A: Light The Way Forward
Notes:
Proofreading is for REAL SERIOUS writers. Of which, I am not.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Simeon: I'm sorry, Luke.
Simeon: I hate to ask you this, but could you take over dinner duty tonight?
Luke: Sure, but why? Is something wrong?
Simeon: Well, I only just got out of detention. It looks like I'm going to be home late.
Luke: HUH?!
Raphael: Detention? YOU were in detention?
Simeon: Well, what can I say? Everyone has their bad days.
Solomon: So, who was supervising today?
Simeon: Barbatos. Why?
Solomon: Well then, you were lucky.
Solomon: I heard that when Leviathan was in charge, he made the students read every volume of TSL, and then write a 100-page paper about their impressions.
Luke: 😨
Simeon: Actually, you could say that I'd have been luckier to get a punishment like that. 😩
Solomon: Ah, I forgot. You're the one who wrote TSL to begin with.
Solomon: 🤭
Simeon: 😮💨
“Ughhhh…” Mammon groaned, shoulders slumped as we all slunk out of the room. “F-Finally, it’s over…”
“Yes,” Barbatos sighed, “that was exhausting, was it not?”
“All YOU had to do was sit there and watch!”
“Ah, Chise.” Barbatos turned his head to me. “You mentioned that you needed to see Mephisto, didn’t you?”
“Well…” That had been Simeon’s suggestion to me, that I’d wrinkled my nose at. Also, he’d suggested that quietly.
“Hey!” Mammon put his fists on his hips, scowling. “Listen to me when I’m talkin’!”
“He should be in the newspaper club room right now.” Barbatos nodded to the side. “It is through that door there.”
“…So that is why the lowly human exchange student has come to me on bended knee, is it?”
I gave him a baleful look.
Mephisto sighed. “You want me to ask the student body for their opinions of our exchange students, as well as the program in general? Really?”
I rolled my eyes this time. “Do you think you could help me out here or not?”
”Tch.” He scowled at me. ”Me? Help you? A human exchange student? The answer is no. I’m busy.”
“Liar,” Mammon growled at him. “You just don’t wanna help Chise, that’s all.”
Mephisto waved his hand dismissively. “Say whatever you like. I don’t care.”
Barbatos cleared his throat. I glanced at him. “…Well?” he said quietly. “What are you going to do now, Chise?”
Invoke his patron saint. I sighed in disappointment. “Lord Diavolo was really hoping you could help out… But I guess–"
“Lord Diavolo wants me to help…?”
“That is right,” Barbatos cut in smoothly. “The Young Master would like to see this survey succeed as well.”
“You should’ve told me that to begin with!” he snapped at us. “So, let me see if I have this straight. You want me to survey every student at RAD?” He frowned in thought. “If I have Serun create mirror images of himself and then go around conducting interviews, then that shouldn’t be a problem…”
Who the FUCK was this tiny Serun mailman dude who could do that? Man’s an underrated legend.
Mephisto nodded. “All right, I’m in. I’ll get started tomorrow.”
Solomon: Chise.
Solomon: Would you happen to be free tonight?
Chise: I’m just writing up my day’s report, but I can be free soon.
Chise: Why, what’s up?
Solomon: Ah, that’s right.
Solomon: Don’t worry if you’re busy. :)
Chise: What’s going on…?
Solomon: I think Simeon could use some extra support.
Chise: I’m coming right now.
Solomon: Really?
Chise: Duh.
Chise: And to be clear, I’d do the same for you, Sol.
Chise: I want to be there.
Solomon: Ahuvati… Thank you.
“Luke!” I smiled as I spread my arms wide for him to squee and run into.
“Chise!” He smiled happily at me. Was he getting taller…? “Wow, I didn’t know you were coming over!”
I ruffled his hair. “I’m here to get some help from Sim and Sol for my report.”
“Oh yeah!” His eyes rounded. “Simeon told me about your report! You have to interview all of us, right? Even me?”
“Oh,” I laughed as I grappled for ways to redirect him. “Yeah, for sure! What do you say we go to a café together tomorrow for a sit-down? I want to write up the rest of what I have for today in Sim’s room, but I definitely need more material for tomorrow.”
He bounced happily. “A café? Yeah, that sounds great!” He gave me a hopeful look. ”Our café maybe? We haven’t been there in a bit.”
I nodded, smiling behind him as Solomon came down the hall towards me with a smile and a wave. “Our café. Sounds good.”
“I know they are known for their human world drinks,” he mumbled, “but they also make the BEST bufo egg milk tea…”
“Bufo egg milk tea it is. My treat.”
“Really?!”
I wink at him. “Interviewers pay.”
“YES!”
Solomon laid his hand on the young angel’s shoulder. “You’ve got homework still, right Luke?”
Luke’s face fell. “Yeah, I guess…”
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I promised him.
He nodded. “Okay. Good luck on your report!”
After he’d scampered off to not do his homework in the kitchen, I took Sol’s hand in mine. “What’s going on…?”
He gave me a gentle smile. “He hasn’t come out of his room.”
“Is that all…?” I tilted my head. “I mean, it’s only been a few hours since we got out from RAD. There’s more, right? Maybe he’s just…?”
“Maybe,” he said with a small tug on my hand, “we can go keep our writer company for a bit.”
“Our writer…?”
“Our writer, who has a rather severe case of obsessive writer’s block.”
“Ah…” I nodded, squeezing his hand.
–
And there we found him, distracted as he smiled and greeted me, Solomon sitting on his bed together to study while he sat at his writing desk. Sighing, tutting, shaking his head, huffing, frowning, biting at the end of his fountain pen.
“…Sim?” I asked quietly.
He glanced at me. “Mmm...?”
“Is everything okay? You look really worn out.”
He really did.
He smiled, but his brows drew together along with it, looking a touch frustrated. “Thank you for your concern, sweetie. I’m just going through a bit of a rough patch…”
“A rough patch…”
He nodded. “I’ve been trying to make some headway on the ninth book in the TSL series, but… I’ve come up against the most persistent case of writer’s block that I’ve ever experienced. I can’t come up with a single new idea.”
Solomon sighed softly at my side.
Simeon rested his chin on his knuckles, almost pouting. “I’ve become completely entrenched in a creative slump… And I’m at a loss as to what I should do to pull myself out of it.”
I hesitated. “Your… Book of Prophecy hasn’t jumpstarted anything?”
He dismissed the suggestion with a small wave, clearing his throat slightly. “Ah, well… Not really. Not this time.”
I smiled patiently at him. “Maybe you should try something new?”
He tapped his fountain pen against his lip with a thoughtful huff, looking down at his notebook. “True, deviating from the norm might do the trick…”
“When you’re working on anything creative, you draw from your own experiences to make choices, right?” I stood up to go to him, resting both my hands on his shoulders from behind him to give them a squeeze. “If you don’t try new things, then you’ll have nothing new to write about. You need to find inspiration from the world around you.”
“New things…” he murmured, raising his hand to touch my fingers that curled over his shoulder. “Like the fireflies…”
“Mhm.” I leaned down to kiss the top of his head. “But you’ve got to keep going.”
He turned his face up at me, smiling sweetly. “I’ve got to ‘keep going,’ hmm…?”
I ran my fingers through his hair. “That’s what I said.”
“Thank you, Chise.” He sighed fondly. “That’s an excellent idea.” He looked between Solomon and I; the former sat on his bed still, watching us with his hands wrapping one knee to him, the other hanging over the edge, swinging a little. “Would the both of you be joining me…? To keep going?”
“Always,” Solomon replied softly.
Simeon gave him a gentle smile. “I worry that if I go about this alone, I’ll end up dragging my heels on it.”
“Then don’t go about it alone,” Solomon answered.
I looked between them both, hesitating at the heaviness of it. I leaned down to wrap my arms around Simeon’s shoulders. “You’re not alone.”
He pushed up one of my arms to press a kiss to my skin. “Thank you, sweetheart. Do either of you have any suggestions for this 'new thing'?” He looked between us again. “A video game, or movie…?”
“Pff…” Solomon shook his head with an amused smile.
Simeon raised an eyebrow at him. “Are you about to weigh in on this dilemma, dearest Solomon the Wise?"
I giggled at Solomon’s wink. “Would you please deign to part with a piece of your wisdom, O Master o’ Wit?”
He grinned at me. “First of all, sir and madam, those tones of yours aren’t conveying the respect due to one of my esteemed station.”
“Sincerest apologies,” I mocked. “We are but lowly peasant folk, unfamiliar with your Wise Ways.”
Simeon snorted.
Sol chuckled. “Changing my surroundings is what does the trick for me when I come up again this problem in my research. So I go wander off somewhere.”
“Hmm, I see.” Simeon smiled fondly at him. “You’re getting me out of the house.”
He snickered at being caught. “I could have you somewhere drastically different in a snap.”
Simeon hesitated. “You wouldn’t mind…?”
He shook his head, eyes finally lighting up. “As long as traveling by magic’s fine by you.”
I felt myself relax too. “Where’s the field trip?”
“I heard there’s a lake filled with spirits who are big fans of stories. So!” Solomon leapt to his feet. “I’ll drop us all right at the water’s edge.”
“There you go.” Solomon grinned as he gestured in front of us while we gawked. “One spirit-infested lake, as ordered.”
“Oh, my…” Simeon looked around us, eyes wide. “Isn’t this a fanciful area?”
“And the spirits,” I whispered in awe.
It was like the lake teemed with ethereal eels that writhed slowly in the waters. But their edges were soft, lacking substance, and they emitted soft glows of colours that filtered through the water. They collected heavily in the center, a great school of them curling and slithering over one another's phantom essence, with some breaking free to twist in the waters on their own in a solitary dance, before rejoining the fray.
And the murmurs. Soft and hushed, almost like the sound the forest around us made in the breeze. But it was pleasant. Non-threatening. Muffled conversations that you might hear in a nice restaurant's dining room, but heard far away, and under water. Just talking.
It was all so soft and slow, but ever-moving, a non-stop dance.
It just felt... social. A community lived here in this lake.
Solomon nodded. “These guys love stories. If they see someone who strikes their fancy, they’ll take it upon themselves to recite a tale from that person’s… dark past, shall we say.”
I darted a sudden nervous glance at him. "Dark past?"
He giggled. “Don’t worry, they’re a good bunch. Just a group of kind-hearted souls who happen to like harmless gossip."
Simeon looked at the spirits doubtfully. “It… really makes you wonder how they go about peering into your personal history. Fascinating…”
“Hey, look.” Solomon smiled as he turned back to the lake. “One’s coming this way…”
We followed where he pointed. Simeon, too, seemed plainly nervous.
“Hmm, I think this one’s taken an interest in me…” Solomon smiled as he stepped forward, before kneeling down to touch the water’s surface.
Deep in a dimly-lit laboratory, a certain sorcerer toiled away at his beloved research – magic born of pure chaos. One day, this sorcerer was particularly eager to startle a friend of his with a new spell he was in the midst of crafting.
“Oh dear…” Solomon laughed. “Well, this is about to be embarrassing.”
But, that lack of focus would be his undoing. One careless move sent the half-finished potion splashing down his leg. And lo, that foolish sorcerer found himself shrinking in stature, assuming the form of a mouse… Fervently praying that his good friend wouldn’t decide to suddenly drop in for a visit with their pet cat in tow.
Simeon and I stared as the spirit slowly and smoothly circled itself, before it swam away, to disappear in the soft lights, melting its essence within it.
We looked at each other, and then we burst out laughing. Solomon grinned sheepishly at us as he rubbed at the back of his neck.
“Even you screw up sometimes, huh?” I managed to get out through my laughter.
He gave me a look of mock-surprise. “I hate to disappoint you, but my failures far outnumber my successes.”
I shook my head, grinning. “Well, failure is what fuels most humans’ growth? But wow, I really would’ve liked to see you as a mouse…”
He winked at me. “Don’t you go getting any ideas.”
“I bet you made for a rather cute mouse,” Simeon teased.
“I did, in fact! At least, I thought so…” He sighed. “I still thank my lucky stars that no one else was around for that one.” He pouted across the lake. “That was supposed to be a secret, you know!”
The lake pulsed in response, as though mocking him.
“Hehe.” He turned back to us, smiling sweetly. “Anyways, that’s more or less the kind of experience you’ll get here. Neat, isn’t it?”
“Indeed.” Simeon gave him a small smile back, that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I could see this place being troublesome for someone with a lot to hide. …Like Mammon, for instance.”
I hesitated. “Is it… always that harmless…?”
“Would you look at that,” Sol said lightly, “this next one seems to have taken an interest in you, Sim.”
Simeon swallowed as the spirit, a soft pink, curled in the waters nearby.
…There once was an angel with a horrible knack for machinery. Faced with a washing machine with a plethora of buttons, he was drowning in potential options – none of which made any sense. Steeling himself, he opted to select the one affiliated with his favourite colour… Washing the entire residence in the process.
“PFF!” I clapped my hands over my mouth as Simeon sighed, before bursting out into laughter anyway.
He was smiling, though.
“Okay.” I grinned as Solomon lost it next to me as well. “But that was actually a lot of fun.”
It’d been at the House of Lamentation, when Purgatory Hall’s washer had called it quits for a bit.
“You think so?” Simeon's smile turned sheepish. “I’m glad, but… you do have to admit that cleaning it up was a real chore. Even Lucifer was outraged that I’d managed to create such a massive disaster through such a seemingly simple task.” He turned his face back to the lake, expression softening. “These spirits really are quite something. How remarkably refreshing. And a trip down memory lane, too. Thank you, Solomon.”
Solomon smiled brightly. “Happy to be of service.”
“I’m so grateful you offered to bring us here. The trip really has lifted my, er, spirits.” He laughed, while I smiled with a shake of my head at the pun. “Changing your surroundings can make all the difference, can’t it?”
“Chise, look!” Solomon joined.
Simeon leaned forward with interest. “I wonder what story it has for you?”
I kneeled down closer to it, still feeling quite a bit nervous. Two examples did not make for a large sample pool for what they were capable of.
…There was once a small human girl playing in a farmer's field, empty of its crop and thick with autumn's mud. She played while wearing wellington boots too big for her child's foot, and soon found it sucked deep in the mud. She pulled, and pulled at her little bare leg, and freed herself – of her big boot. With a child's shriek, she fell on her rear with a wet plop.
Both Solomon and Simeon snorted, covering their lips. I groaned.
Picking herself out of the muck was no easy feat, and she turned herself, back thick with mud, to muddy her knees and hands too, her feet disappearing completely within it as she stood. She turned, and with all her strength, she tugged on that borrowed boot, but it would not free itself with her and its twin.
“And the end of this tale, dear spirit?” Solomon cooed in encouragement, earning him a glare.
And so she returned to the house with only one boot in hand, shame-faced, to stand in a bucket, and face the cold water of the hose.
“Pff! Hahahahaha!”
I scrunched my nose, cheeks pink. “Oh, hush.”
Simeon beamed at me with a grin. "Stalking frogs, menacing tadpoles, and tramping through fields of mud. My, what an adventurous child you were!"
"Frogs, hm…?" Solomon rested his chin on his fist. “I didn’t know your love of nature extended so far back… And with such enthusiasm."
I sighed. "I brought two pet snails I'd found in the schoolyard in with me for show-and-tell, too."
“Hah, so the humans do show-and-tell in their schools too?” Simeon’s grin widened. “Oh my, and another for Chise?”
I groaned as a soft yellow glow approached me. “Why are you picking on me, spirits?!”
Solomon laughed in delight. “They like you!”
Sweet human child with a heart of gold, she admired all that life gifted around her. She would take it for herself, she decided, and her mother fostered that keen interest, and gifted her daughter a container in which her bugs would live. And so she did collect them, different kinds for variety's sake, providing twigs and leaves for their pleasure. It was then that this girl learned of the circle of life, for in her hunt she had come upon the newest crown jewel of her collection: a female preying mantis, who would home with her housefly and moth.
Solomon raised his eyebrows. “Uh-oh..."
Overnight, her preying mantis fed well on both, with proof of her hunt smeared on the plastic walls in tribute to her new master.
"Oh NO!" Simeon broke out into gasping laughter, tears filling his eyes. "YOU POOR THING!"
Solomon was wiping his own tears away, wheezing now. "What a way to learn..."
I pouted at them both. "I was five years old, and TRAUMATIZED!"
"No doubt!" Simeon took me into his arms, still laughing. "Poor dear... How distraught you must have been..."
I let out an exaggerated sigh. "The bugs stayed outside after that, to be admired as they went about their buggy business in their own habitats.”
Solomon chuckled. “Seems you and I learn our lessons pretty similarly: the hard way.”
I rolled my eyes. “Guess trial and error eventually leads to wisdom?”
"Hehe…” Solomon smirked. “Barbatos once said to me, 'I named you Solomon the Wise for your possessed knowledge alone, not because of any sense of sound judgment.’”
"PFFFF!” I burst out laughing. "Oh no! You got the impression of him nailed down and everything!"
Solomon winked. "Don't tell him I did that. I'll never hear the end of it..."
I giggled. "Honestly, even if I wanted to take you down a notch, I would NOT go that route. I’d never hear the end of it, either."
Simeon chuckled in delight. "That's very like him. He can be, err..." He winced at the memory of our detention earlier. "...Quite biting in his disapproval."
"Though USUALLY a bit more passive aggressive." I smirked at Solomon. "You must have REALLY pissed him off..."
He pouted at us. "Well, they do say the closer you are, the more you fight?"
I snorted, rolling my eyes. "Yeah, but knowing you, Sol, somehow I don't see that as being the full case here."
"Huh?" His pouted deepened. "What do you mean? Barbatos and I are good friends! He was just teasing me a bit, that's all!"
Simeon chuckled with a shake of his head. "This is exactly what I needed. Ganging up on Sol with Chise... Yes, I missed this."
"Hey! What about the spirits?!"
It was Simeon's turn to wink at him. "The spirits are nice, too."
"Speaking of..." I pointed with a curious tilt of my head. "That one looks pretty different from the rest, doesn't it?"
Solomon nodded. "Looks like it's taken a shine to Simeon, too."
“That one doesn’t have the same colours as the rest.” Simeon frowned as he looked up at Solomon from where he kneeled. “Sol…?”
This one. This one emitted a bright white light.
It felt… old.
Simeon and I gasped, wide-eyed, as the three of us seemed to be transported.
"After the fall," came a voice, "there was a lonely angel…"
“…Perhaps I shouldn’t have stacked all these books on top of each other,” the vision of Simeon before us in his angel’s clothing sighed, “even if I can carry them. I can’t see a thing in front of me…”
And then the obvious occurred, as he came to an abrupt, jolting stop, the books toppling from his arms to scatter at his feet.
“Oh, dear…!” Simeon gasped in horror at the mess, before raising his head up towards the other angel he’d just run into. “I-I’m so sorry...!”
Raphael gave him a look one might give after catching a child stumbling while engaging in silly behaviour. “What are you doing, Simeon?”
“Raphael!” Simeon jumped in realization. “My apologies, I was trying to transport all these books at once, but you can see how well that’s going.”
Raphael frowned as he kneeled down with Simeon to help stack them. “And they’re all… novels? Why do you have so many?”
Simeon smiled sheepishly. “A little while back, Leviathan told me I ought to take a stab at crafting something of my own, since I have such an active imagination.”
“Leviathan…” Raphael looked down at the books.
After the fall, there was a lonely angel…
“It was a fair suggestion, but… I’m not good at fine art or musical composition. Still, I thought I might try my hand at creative writing.” Simeon gestured with one hand, a book in the other. “Hence the abundance of research materials.”
“I see.”
Simeon chuckled softly. “I’m not a seraphim anymore, so I’ve got time to spare… Why not make the most of it?”
Raphael frowned slightly. “That’s nothing to laugh about. I swear, sometimes you can be so…”
“Hm?” Simeon raised his brows, smiling warmly. “Are you worried about me?”
Raphael gave him a direct looked. “Of course.”
Simeon blinked in surprise.
“You might be smiling as though you haven’t a care in the world… but I know better.”
“…I see,” Simeon’s smile turned softer. “Well, you have always been perceptive like that. I was thinking of writing a short poem, to start. I suspect it would be too frustrating to attempt to pen, say, a sprawling narrative right from the get-go.”
Raphael gave a nod. “That sounds sensible. You’ll have to read it to me, once it’s finished.”
Simeon grimaced, cheeks flushing a bit. “Err, personally…?”
“I once happened to hear you singing, a long time ago.” He stood with Simeon, both with books in their arms. “It was the first time I ever had, actually. But, I remember it like it was yesterday.”
Simeon chuckled sheepishly, blushing a bit more. “Oh, please. As if the most celebrated vocalist in all the Celestial Realm would be moved by such a mundane performance.”
Raphael shook his head, eyes flicking to the side as his voice went soft, not looking at Simeon. “…I couldn’t possibly forget how beautiful your voice was, nor how lovely you looked as you were singing… And everyone else who was watching was just as captivated by you.”
“Ah…” Simeon’s expression softened. “Why, thank you. You’re too kind.”
“…I’d like to experience that again, sometime.” Raphael’s eyes slid down to the stack of books in his arms. “As a proper member of the audience.”
Simeon’s brow quirked into a brief frown at the angel in front of him, who's words had just become a bit more stilted than usual.
And then, a soft look of realization.
Raphael looked back up at him, with his small, awkward smile. “Here are your books, Simeon. Mind your surroundings, and watch your step.”
“Ah, right.” Simeon nodded as he dipped to take the rest of the stack. “Thank you, Raphael.”
We all blinked against the shift in our vision as the lake shimmered back before us.
My breath was caught in my throat.
“…I wasn’t expecting to have a memory that I had genuinely forgotten recounted,” Simeon said softly, rubbing at the back of his neck with a small smile. He chuckled. “Well, that’s a little embarrassing. But you know, not long after that, I did finish my poem – though in the end, Luke was the only one who ended up hearing it.”
I was just looking at him, listening, still feeling stunned.
“Since then, I’ve been steadily writing more complex pieces… But, for all that I’d like to finish this new novel, I can’t seem to settle on anything.” He sighed as he looked wistfully across the lake. “Still, I wonder if there was a reason that spirit chose that particular memory?”
“…To get you to go back to your roots?” I offered softly.
“Ah, true…” He looked down at his knees. “That is a distinct possibility. Maybe I should circle back to poetry, for a change…”
"You never needed any Book of Prophecy to lean on," Solomon said softly. "Long ago, I met a creative who spoke to my soul. That's always been you, Simeon. That's what matters. It's what's in you, and everything that makes you, everything that you are that matters. Your life, and everything you've taken from it; how you've interpreted it. The good and the bad."
“Heh. Good and bad make for good stories…”
I knelt down beside him, taking his hand in mine. “And the best poems.”
“Say,” he looked between the both of us, smiling, “why don’t we compose something short together? In honour of the occasion.”
“I’d love to…” I smiled back at him. “I don’t know if I’ll be any good, though.”
Solomon smiled too, waving his hand dismissively. “Being ‘good’ sometimes isn’t the point.”
“Hah…” Simeon gave him a soft look. “You’re right. All right then, why don’t we pick a few words – whatever comes to mind – and string those together into a haiku?”
“I think that would be fun,” Solomon agreed.
Simeon nodded. “I’ll go with… ‘lake’.”
“I’ll go with 'spirits,'” I offered.
“Oh, yes” Simeon brightened. “The current supernatural element would add a nice touch. Let’s see, then… ‘past’.”
“‘Angel,’” Solomon said softly. “That’s what I’ll go with.”
“Ah… Another fine choice...” Simeon turned his face back over the lake. “All right, I’ll try piecing those together. …Bright lake, pale spirits. An angel’s forgotten past. Lights the way forward.”
“Beautiful,” Solomon whispered.
I nodded. “A poem to keep going.”
“Goodness…” Simeon laughed softly, his eyes crinkling at their corners. “I think that might have done it. I feel like I’m brimming with creative energy. Thank you. Both of you. And thank you for listening…”
"Even if you were to ever be without your other sources, like your book..." Solomon came around on Simeon's other side, sinking down on his knees beside him. "You're my creative, Sim. And Chise is exactly right. Those are your roots. It’s all in you."
"Levi saw it in you as well," I said softly. "Creatives see creatives."
He smiled as he wrapped each arm around us, pulling us tighter on either side of him. "I love you both, you know that...?"
"We love you," I whispered affectionately, leaning in under his arm to nestle my cheek against him.
"Very much," Solomon agreed, wrapping his own arm back around Simeon, his fingers brushing up and down my back on his other side. He leaned his head to rest it on Sim's shoulder too, sighing contentedly.
I smiled. "You're both really cute, you know?"
"Hah..." Simeon ducked his head with a grin, blushing, though with both of us on either side, he was doing a poor job at hiding it.
"The cutest throuple," Solomon agreed, laughing lightly.
I sighed happily as I sank further into Simeon's warmth. "Let's keep our place in the human world. Or buy our own little spot in the Devildom, once the exchange program is all done. The three of us. And Luke, for as long as we can keep him."
Solomon turned his head with an inhale, his fingers paused on my back.
"...You mean that?" Simeon asked softly. "A place for the three of us?"
I nodded, closing my eyes with a hum. "I miss it. Miss having a home with you both. I won't always be there. But I want... us."
Solomon turned with a twist of his torso, wrapping both arms now, stretching them to pull me in as well. I watched with an aching heart as he buried his face against Simeon, squeezing his eyes shut.
"...Yes," he said hoarsely, as Simeon squeezed him tighter while I ran my hands along Sol's arm. "I'd like that. With you two. My two. Hearts."
Simeon pressed a kiss to his hair while I blinked rapidly against the sudden tears that stung my eyes.
He'd asked for my help. He'd actually asked for my help. This lonely man who shoulders it for us all.
This man had needed me tonight, too.
"...I'm going to stay at Purgatory Hall tonight," I whispered.
Solomon swallowed hard. "But..."
Raphael.
I patted his arm. "Don't worry about my report. I've got lots of time. I’ll double down tomorrow."
Solomon was still for a moment, before he slowly nodded into Simeon's chest still. "Please. It's. Been a while.
"You're always welcome, sweetheart," Simeon said softly. "...Let's stay in Sol's room this time."
I nodded. "Yeah." There weren't as many memories in there. We should fill his room with memories too.
A bedroom needed good things to sleep well in. Something to wrap yourself within against lying awake at night. I took up stroking Solomon's arm again.
I had boxes of fairy lights I'd been meaning to put up in my room.
Yeah. I'll bring those fairy lights, and string them around his bookshelves and bedframe and desk while he laughed at the childish of it with me and Sim. So that when he was alone, and wasn't asking for help, he could turn those on, and fall asleep in their soft and twinkling light, with us still with him. A bedroom needed those sorts of things.
I smiled to myself. "Take me to my room in the House of Lamentation first, so I can pack an overnight bag?"
"Sure," Solomon agreed quietly, before slowly turning his face from Simeon’s chest to look over the lake with a soft sigh. “We’ll go soon.”
I nodded. I was bringing those lights.
I woke up screaming in confused fear as the fire alarm screeched outside of Sol’s bedroom door. Simeon, too, sat up with a sharp yelp.
"...Haha, sorry!!" came my other boyfriend's voice from out in the hall. "Burnt my toast!!"
"SOLOMON!" I screamed at him over the blare of the alarm as I jumped from his bed, running straight for the broom closet in the hall to get said broom. “GET OUT OF THE FUCKING KITCHEN RIGHT NOW!!!”
Raphael blinked as I ran past him in my rumpled PJ’s, bare feet pattering in full force on the tile while I screeched Solomon’s name repeatedly at the top of my lungs, broom held high. “…Good morning, Chise.”
I rubbed at my eyes as I turned from one of the many filing cabinets that lined the wall, grumbling under my breath.
Apparently, the brothers were taking my appointed ’student council officer for one day’ and running with it.
For a little longer than planned.
“Chise, did you manage to find last year’s file folder?”
Even Lucifer was taking advantage.
I sighed as I handed it to him, briefly glancing over at my untouched laptop that I’d been intending to sit in front of to catch up on my report during my free period before lunch. “Yeah, here you go.”
He nodded. “Yes, this is the one. Thank you.”
Asmo glanced up from his own work. “Levi, have you finished checking the proposal yet?”
“Uhh…” Levi scrambled, caught at doing nothing in particular. “Give me a second. I’m nearly done.”
“Huh, that’s weird…” Beel squinted his eyes as he leaned over the copier, which was also doing nothing in particular. “Hey, this copy machine’s broken.”
Belphie sighed. “Beel, that’s what happens when you’ve got sauce from your nuggets all over your hands when you try to change the ink.”
“The copier’s broken?” Mammon snickered. “Guess it’s time for our vice president Lucifer to step up and fix it again.”
Lucifer let out a heavy sigh that could almost be mistaken for a growl. “Beel, how many times have you broken the copier now? I’ve lost count.”
“Sorry…”
Barbatos nodded his head towards the eldest. “Feel free to go have a look at the copy machine, Lucifer. I don’t mind. There aren’t that many ledgers left to do. I should be able to take care of the accounting on my own.”
Satan flicked his eyes to me. “Come to think of it, we still haven’t explained the different roles on the student council to you, have we Chise? Lucifer is the vice president. He and Barbatos handle most of the accounting duties.”
I nodded. I kind of wondered what Barbatos did in the background.
“What do you say, Chise?” Barbatos asked softly, gesturing to the chair beside him that Lucifer had vacated. “Would you like to practise working on the account books?”
I felt my cheeks turn an instant pink. “I-I can give it a try, sure!”
No no no I was so bad at math don’t make me do math with Barbatos beside me aaaah.
He smiled fondly at me. “That positive attitude will serve you very well on the student council."
AAAAAAAH MAAAAATH.
I smiled back as I lowered myself into the seat next to him, feeling myself break out into a small sweat.
–
“…Yo, you added that part up wrong, y’know?” Mammon jabbed at my work with a frown. “Like, if you’d just let the Mammon calculate all this out for ya, I’d be done with these books in no time flat.”
I wilted with a sigh.
Barbatos chuckled deep in his chest, signalling wry amusement as he glanced over at Lucifer. “I admit that you have a real talent for calculating numbers, Mammon…”
“Then why don’t ya ever let me do it?! Like, no one’s better than the Mammon when it comes to keepin’ track of money.”
I smiled to myself as Lucifer rolled his eyes, successfully baited.
“Because when it comes to your trustworthiness, you leave a lot to be desired. By the way, Mammon. According to these documents, it seems you’ve really been inflating the numbers when you charge things to the student council account–"
He was already bolting out the door. “I JUST FORGOT, MY HOMEROOM TEACHER WANTED TO SEE ME! GOTTA GO!
Lucifer sighed in disapproval as his brother’s backside disappeared around the door. “Mammon may be lacking in a lot of areas, but he’s mastered the art of running away.”
“By the way, Chise,” Belphie said, as he leaned a little closer to me at my side. “I heard about what’s up with your second trial. They want you to submit a report?”
I nodded. “Yeah. After I’ve interviewed the exchange students about their experience here.”
He frowned. “Isn’t that a little too easy…? After everything you went through for the test and first trial? Something tells me there’s more to this than they’re letting on.”
“Belph? What?” I blinked as I sat up straighter. Belphie was basically my foreshadowing sniffer dog at this point. “Do you actually think so…?”
“Hmm…” He chewed on his lip a bit, frown deepening. “I just can’t help but be worried.”
“Wh…” I glanced at Barbatos, who glanced up at my glance, rather blankly.
And now, I was worried.
“Hello, Chise,” Simeon said with a smile as he slid into the seat across from me. “Hope you haven’t been waiting here long.” He looked around. “Luke isn’t here yet? He was the one who wanted to come here to sample their new desserts. Wait a minute. There outside the entrance, is that Luke…?”
I turned my head. “Yeah. Looks like he’s talking to someone out there.”
“Ah.” Simeon breathed a small sigh of relief, the both of us standing. “He’s coming in now.”
“…Sorry I’m late!” Luke said breathlessly, puffing as he burst in to find us.
“It’s fine.” Simeon smiled patiently at him. “I just got here myself, actually. So, who was that you were talking to just now?”
I tilted my head. “A friend of yours?”
“Yeah.” Luke smiled with fondness. “We’re in the same class together. Actually, we’re both big into sweets and stuff! My friend was just telling me about some new menu items over at the Cat’s Eye!”
My eyes. Went. Round. With joy. “You have a-a friend…?” My little boy made a friend at school?!
Simeon tried to hide his pff’d at my fawning, though his smile grew wider too. “The Cat’s Eye? Isn’t that the place that’s known for its cat-themed desserts?”
“Yeah!” Luke’s eyes sparkled. “He was showing me pictures of their Devilgram on his D.D.D!”
Simeon chuckled fondly. “So, you have friends stopping you to give you the lowdown on the latest desserts now? People really do love you, don’t they Luke?”
He immediately turned red, his lip jutting out in a pout. “N-No… It’s not like that.”
I giggled as I put an arm around him. “Let’s get in line for that bufo egg milk tea. I’d like to see this Devilgram myself before interviewing my popular angel.”
He hummed and hawed with a smile, torn on if he should be bristling at my motherly doting – or pleased with it.
–
“So you have to put together a report, huh?” He sighed heavily. It sounded so world-weary and ‘adult’ that I almost spit out my coffee. “You’ve really got a lot on your plate, don’t you? I mean, all of that student council work on top of your studies…”
“Well,” I winked at him, “I’d love to hear what you have to say, Luke. Do you think you could help me out?”
He lit up. “I-I’ll be helping?”
Simeon nodded. “I’d like to hear what you have to say, too.”
I grinned at his wiggling. “Would it be okay if I recorded the audio? Totally fine if not, I can take notes.”
“Yeah! Go ahead!”
“So, after coming here to the Devildom to study,” Simeon started for me, “what do you think of it, Luke?”
Fucking LOVE Simeon. Basically doing the heavy lifting of my project for me so far.
“Umm…” He sighed a bit, realizing a personal admission was incoming. “Good question…”
I covered my smiling lips with my fingers.
“At first I thought it was dark and scary here. I couldn’t stand it.”
“Ahaha!” Simeon smiled dotingly as he rested his chin on the heel of his palm. “Yes, every day you’d tell me how much you wanted to go back to the Celestial Realm.”
He nodded shyly. “But as I spent more time here, I started to understand it better. I learned a lot of things.”
“For example?”
“For example… there are some delicious sweets that you can only find in the Devildom.”
Simeon’s grin widened. “…And?”
Luke sighed. ”And I found that there are demons who will go out of their way to help me, and reach me all sorts of things… After meeting demons like that, I realized something.”
“What was it?” I asked softly.
“It’s wrong to decide you don’t like this place just because it’s the Devildom, or that you don’t like someone just because they’re a demon.” He looked down at his milk tea that he cupped in both hands, chewing his lip a bit. “…You can’t pass judgment on someone before you know them. You have to take the time to discover what they’re like on the inside. And once I started doing that…” He looked up with his shy, boyish smile. “Before I knew it, I suddenly found that I’d made a lot of friends here.”
I was biting my lip too, to stop myself from squeeing. I’m sure my eyes were sparkling.
Simeon nodded, in mentor-mode, but his eyes were sparkling in approval as well. “Mm, I see.”
“Oooh, that reminds me!” Luke bounced in his seat excitedly. “I need to tell Satan about the new menu items at the Cat’s Eye!”
“Oh yes you do!” I agreed, grinning. “At this point, when it comes to Satan, it’d be mean not to.”
He giggled. “That’s for sure. What a weird guy… But he’s so nice.”
I nodded. “I have a question now.”
“Oh, okay!” He sat up straighter. “Sure!”
I mean, I should be doing some of this lifting.
I smiled. “I’d like a few words of closing. Do you remember what you said to me on the day we first met each other, Luke?”
He blinked in surprise, and then frowned as he thought. “I mean, obviously I remember meeting you, but I’m not sure what exactly…”
“I can remind you.” I sat up straighter as well. “You said, 'Never trust a demon'.”
He hunched a bit. “…Oh yeah.”
I nodded. “How do you feel about those words now? How do you think you’ve grown from them?”
He hesitated. “…You’ll really put this in your report?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be tactful. You can even read it first, if you'd like.”
He nodded. “I feel like I’m a completely different person from who I was that day, you know? Like, I look back at that and don’t even recognize those words?”
I nodded. “That’s really familiar to me as well.”
He smiled shyly. “And so yeah, that’s what the Devildom’s done for me. I think it’s made me… nicer. Which angels should be. So maybe… knowing demons, and humans… makes me a better angel.”
“I’m really proud of you, Luke,” I said softly. “It takes a lot to say things like that. Even just saying that is proof enough of how much you’ve grown as a person. And I’m really happy that things have turned out so well for you. You’re going to bring a perspective in the role of principality that will blow everyone else out of the water.”
Simeon was simultaneously grinning while looking like he was about to burst into tears of happiness.
Luke’s eyes were shiny. “Th… Thanks…” He quickly took a sip of his tea, coughing a bit. “…H-Honetly, compared to the way I was when I first came to the Devildom, I like the new me better.”
I patted his hand. "Well done. I'm really glad."
Simeon sighed happily. “That was a very good interview.”
“Yours was as well,” I said softly. “It’s going to be a good report thanks to you two.”
“Who are you going to ask next?” Luke piped. “You’ve talked to all of us angels, right? Oh, I guess that leaves…”
I nodded. “Solomon and Thirteen.”
Simeon nodded too. “I’m sure Sol can help you find Thirteen, so you might be able to knock them both off your list together. As someone who’s still new to the Devildom, Thirteen should be able to provide a lot of useful input.”
“Oh!” Luke straightened again, before fishing in his bag. “I almost forgot. Chise, I wanted to give you these! They’re some of the sweet treats I whipped up at home.”
I grinned in delight. “The cupcakes cooling in the kitchen this morning? They smelled delicious."
Simeon had gotten a firm little smack on his hand when he’d tried to sample one early before they’d gone through their decorating.
Luke smiled sweetly at me as he handed over the container. “Yeah, I’ve been experimenting with different Devildom fruit fillings, so each one is different. Pleeeease tell me which ones are your favourite. And… thanks for bringing me here and treating me to the milk tea and new desserts.” He wiggled a bit. “I appreciate it, Chise.”
“Thank you, Luke,” I replied with sincerity, “for being you.”
Notes:
Simeon’s Devilgram: A Memorable World (NB)
At least Chise was wearing PJ’s when the fire alarm went off.
Raphael, when Chise runs past him screaming with a broom in her PJ's: 😶
Raphael, if Chise had run past him screaming with a broom while completely naked: 😟
Chapter 35: Chapter 72-B: We're Only Human
Chapter Text
“Hey there, Chise!” Solomon called to me in his familiar sing-song greeting, all smiles as he came towards me from the other side of the courtyard. “What’s up? I notice you seem to be looking around. Are you searching for something?”
“Yeah!” I grinned at him as I made a run for his embrace. “And I FOUND him!”
“Oh! Oh!” He smiled as he wrapped his arms around me, the moment I'd run into them. "Why, hello there!”
I kissed both of his cheeks with instant forgiveness for his toast-burning sins. “Hi, I love you.”
He laughed in delight. “To what do I owe this lovely display of public affection?”
I batted my lashes at him. “…I still need to interview you and Thirteen for my project.”
“Ohhhh…” He smirked at me. “Ah, how mundane…”
“But I’m also VERY happy to see you!”
He chuckled. “I know, love. I can think of only two exchange students who would receive such doting treatment while invited for an interview. So you’re looking for Thirteen as well, I take it?”
I nodded. “Yeah, Simeon said you’d probably know how to find her.”
“Hmm. I haven’t seen her today.” He grinned at me. “But I can get in touch with her for you!”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Don’t piss her off.”
He held me tighter, his grin widening. “Just hold on a second!”
“…Solomon for real I need her coopera–"
“Ah, I see!” Solomon grinned down at me. “We’re playing in the colosseum today!”
I frowned as I looked around at said colosseum, still steadying myself from the teleportation in his arms. “Playing in the…?”
"…So you finally showed up, you sham of a sorcerer!"
I looked up with wide eyes towards the voice.
Thirteen, standing on a marble column, one hand on her hip, and the other…
“Allow me to introduce you to my adorable Oscar Octopus!”
Solomon blinked as he watched her wind up her arm behind her for the throw. “…Uh-oh.”
I yelped as I jumped up, cupping Solomon’s head to me to try and topple him down with my weight to push us out of the way.
“Tch, CHISE!” Thirteen scowled from her perch. “Why’d you jump in front of the blast of octopus ink?!”
I groaned as I sprawled on top of Solomon, the back of my uniform jacket once again ‘dirtied’.
Solomon sighed, and then tutted as he looked down my backside. “Just look at you. Are you okay, Chise?” He patted my head affectionately, smiling while I looked back at him with a glare. “I hate that you got hit, but still, I really owe you for saving me there. Thank you, Chise. She almost got me this time!!”
I sighed too as I rolled off of him. “…You have strange tastes in friends, ahuvi.”
He snickered as he got back to his feet, holding his hand out to me. “By the way, Thirteen, I heard what you said just now. I’m not just going to let it slide.”
Thirteen narrowed her eyes, both hands on her hips now. “What are you talking about?”
Solomon tutted again, with a shake of his head as he turned to face her. “I’m referring to the ’sham of a sorcerer’ comment.”
She shrugged with a disdainful sniff. “Well, it’s true, isn’t it?”
He gave her a glare – a very rare sight for him. “I’ll have you know Chise is no sham. You’re talking about a full-fledged, fully-licensed sorc–“
“Wait, WHAT?! I was talking about YOU, Solomon!”
I put my face into my hands with a sigh. I named you Solomon the Wise for your possessed knowledge alone, not because of any sense of sound judgment.
…I would have added ‘willful obliviousness to constructive feedback, all criticisms, and especially insults’ to that.
“…Me?” Solomon touched his chin, blinking. “Oh. Well then, I can’t argue with you there.”
I snort-laughed derisively into my hands.
“Ugh, I HATE it when you do that, Solomon!” she snapped, before finally jumping down from her villainous spot, landing gracefully like a cat on her feet. I peeked at her from between my fingers as I felt a touch of a blush hit my cheeks. How was she so hot.
–
“…Hmph.” She crossed her arms, frowning. “You want to know what I think of life as an exchange student? You expect ME to share MY opinions?”
I shrugged. “Why… not…?”
She sighed. “I don’t understand. Why should I help you with this little project of yours?”
“Uh…” I unslung my bag from over my inky shoulder. “Want a cupcake from Luke?”
She gasped down as I revealed them in their container. “What are these?! They look amazing!”
“If you have one, you have to promise to tell him how you liked the fruit filling.”
“FRUIT FILLING?!” She snatched one up with a grin while Solomon giggled quietly behind his hand over his mouth. “Well! In that case, I suppose I don’t need a reason to help, right? Sure, I’ll answer your questions.” She sighed dreamily as she took a bite. “Oooh, these are unbelievable… Not only do they look adorable, but they taste amazing, too! This one's kind of citrusy…”
I eyed the glob of jam that was left on the wrapper, and pointed at it. “…Could I try just a tiny bit of the fruit so I can tell Luke how I liked it?”
She shrugged. And evidently, had not seen me pointing to the glob on the wrapper, because she scooped out a dollop from her cake and stuck her finger straight into my mouth.
My eyes widened with a squeak as I instinctively closed my lips around her finger, my face turning a instant shade of crimson.
Solomon burst out laughing, doubling over with it immediately.
She pulled her finger out with a pop, grinning keenly. “Isn’t it fantastic?!”
“…Y…” I panted a bit after swallowing. “…Y… Y… Y-Yeah…? Cit… trus…”
Solomon beamed at her, thoroughly enjoying the display. “So you have a sweet tooth, do you? I didn’t realize. In that case, I’ll have to make dessert for you sometime soon.”
She froze.
“It just so happens I know a special recipe that I’m sure you’ll like!”
Thirteen hissed like a cat, pupils narrowing into thin slits as her eyes widened. “NO, DO NOT DO THAT. ANYTHING but that! Are you trying to KILL ME?!”
She even bared her teeth. Very feral-like.
“Ahahaha!” Solomon gave her his biggest, most cheerful smile. “Overly dramatic as always! I’ve always liked your humour, Thirteen!”
I glared at him. Well, it’s a matter of taste, really. But I guess I do find them quite attractive.
…At least he didn’t appear to stand a chance in hell.
Probably?
“I’m NOT being dramatic,” she snapped at him. “You gave me something you’d made at home once, remember? And when I tried it, I honestly thought I was going to die!”
Ah. Definitely.
–
“Hm.” Thirteen sat cross-legged across from us on the dusty ground, unwrapping a second cupcake that I’d had to bribe her with to not kill Solomon. “So, you want to know what I think about the idea of peace between the three worlds?” She shrugged as she took a big bite, continuing to talk through it, chocolate on her fanged teeth. “Well, I don’t really have any opinions either way. If you want to try that, fine. Go for it. I won’t cause any trouble for the time being.”
“…Cause any trouble?” I glanced at Solomon in concern, but he simply looked bright and happy to be there.
“I’ll just stay here at RAD and continue studying.” She ran her tongue across her teeth to clean them after she swallowed. “Until I get bored of it, that is.”
“…And after you get bored of it?”
She cackled. “Then I’ll just go do whatever I WANT! Duh!”
“Hah… Hah…” I glanced at Solomon again, who was laughing along with her in delight.
They were insane, I realized. They were both just super insane.
Which apparently I found attractive. So maybe I was also insane?
“Ha-ha-ha…” I joined their laughter, nervously.
“So,” she finally sighed with a grin, “that’s everything I have to say. Solomon, what about you?”
“Me?” He touched his chin with a frown. “Hmm, well…”
We waited in silence. Thirteen and I shared a glance as it stretched, while he continued tapping his finger on his chin, looking up while seemingly lost in thought.
And then, the bell sounded.
“…Ooh, too bad!” Solomon hopped up to his feet with a grin. “Looks like this is going to have to wait.”
“What?!” Thirteen glared at him. “Ugh, you’re NEVER any fun!”
I sighed as I stood to remove my ink-stained jacket before I got any passing comments over it from my ‘peers,' tying it around my waist, Thirteen-style.
“Baking soda MIGHT get that out.” She narrowed her eyes at my jacket, pressing a finger to her jaw while she thought about it a little longer. “…Maybe.”
“Chise…” Solomon squeezed my hand as we walked to our respective classes together, smiling sweetly. “Are you free after your class today?”
I raised my eyebrows at him. “That depends. Are you going to slip-and-slide your way through my interview with you?”
“Hehe…” He winked cryptically at me. “I was hoping we could go on a little date. And maybe, yeah, I’ll even answer some questions.”
I rolled my eyes, though I couldn’t stop the smile. “Yeah, I’d love to.”
“Great, I can’t wait!” He kissed my cheek as he stopped at his classroom before mine. “Well then, see you after class.”
Satan: Hey.
Satan: Somebody left their jacket on the sofa.
Satan: It’s going to get creased.
Levi: You’re like a mom.
Mammon: 🤣
Asmo: Thanks for always lookin’ out for us, Mom! It’s SO good to have you back home!
Beel: What’s for dinner, Mom?
Lucifer, Avatar of Asshole: I’m going to be late tonight, Mother.
Satan: 😠
Satan: I’m going to kill all of you.
Satan: So, who does the jacket belong to?
Belphie: Sorry, it’s mine.
Belphie: I was so eager to take my afternoon nap that I left it there.
Belphie: I’ll pick it up later… Mom.
Satan: 🤬 🔪🔪🔪
“Thanks for going out shopping with me, Chise.” He smiled excitedly. “I’m happy to say I found a lot of good ingredients for my potions!”
“Pffff…” I gave him a doubtful look. “That’s great for you. Just keep it in the RAD lab.”
He nodded. “You know, it’s been a long time since the two of us have been able to head out to a store or two just for fun. I think the last time was back in the human world?” He stopped. “…Oooh, I have an idea! There’s someplace I’d like to take you. Mind coming along?”
“Mhmm. This ‘idea’ just occurred to you, did it?”
He winked at me as he slid an arm around my waist, pulling me to him. “Of course!”
I sighed as I felt the tingle of magic that signalled an unwarned teleporting.
“Ah…” He kneeled down at the water’s edge with a few vials held in one hand, dipping one of them into the waters with the other. “The Phantom Spring really is beautiful, huh?”
“It really is. And I’m sure I was brought here for a romantic date, and not because you’re actively collecting more ingredients for your ‘potions'.”
Though I did have to admit, the deep, murky purple of the waters that reflected the moonlight so mysteriously, it made for another ethereal body of water experience. There seemed to be an abundance of bioluminescent plant life around the water’s edge.
“Just convenience,” he lied lightly. “But I really have always wanted to come here with you someday. And now I’m finally getting my wish!”
I looked out over the waters, hugging myself, and not just from the chill of the air. “Is it algae that makes the water look like this? It’s so… unique.” I frowned. “It feels ancient…”
He nodded. “You can sense it, huh? This spring is a wellspring of some very powerful magic. Algae, sure. There’s an entirely unique ecosystem that thrives here, and all of it combined with the natural magic of this place makes for some very unique properties. Souls gather here as well, hence the name, but they’re not really the gossip-y sort.”
“I take it the water is useful for potions, then.”
“Yep.” He tucked the last stoppered vial into his satchel, before standing up with a small groan.
“This is the spring that Asmo’s nail polish came from…” I glanced up at the moon above us. “…That became cursed when it was drawn from on certain days of the lunar cycle?”
He giggled. “I’d heard about that. Poor you…”
I sighed with a roll of my eyes. “I take it you came here on this specific day then.”
He only nodded.
“…Is all of this just for one potion? What’re you making?”
He smirked at me, tapping his nose. “That’s a secret.”
I gave him a flat look. “Really, I don’t even know why I bother at this point.”
“Aww, don’t be like that.” He pulled me to him, turning me so that he hugged me to himself from behind, so that we could both look over the waters. “I’ll promise to tell you, if it’s successful.” He chuckled softly against my ear as he rested his chin on my shoulder. “I just have to make sure it doesn’t just end up turning me into a mouse, first…”
“Aaaah…” I nodded my sage understanding. “Just in case I’m tempted to end you for the good of all in your vulnerable state, when I arrive with Tinkerbell in tow.”
“Pfff!” He let out a bout of his light, chiming laughter. “Now I’m EXTRA not going to tell you unless it succeeds.”
“Soooo, this is experimental.”
“You could say that.”
I sighed. "Please don’t make me your guinea pig again.”
He kissed my cheek, squeezing my middle gently. “You’ve been through one trial after another. I know it must be rough, right?”
“Changing the subject, I see.”
I felt his smile. “You could use a breather.”
I turned my head slightly to rub my forehead against his. “Thanks for caring, Solomon.”
He gave me a couple more kisses. “Well, I may not act like it sometimes, but I am your teacher, after all.”
“…What about you?” I asked softly.
He hummed in surprise. “Me?”
I rested my palms on his arms around me while I leaned back into his embrace. “You need breathers too sometimes. Thank you for messaging me yesterday…”
“That was very nice,” he said quietly, before swaying me back and forth a bit. “And so is this, with you.” He nodded his head towards the water in front of us. “Simeon told me that he had to sing a lullaby to some aquatic plants, is that right?”
“Yeah. He has a beautiful voice…”
“Oh yes,” he said fondly, with love in his voice. “He really does. When he told me that, it reminded me that I wanted to take you here. I’d actually forgotten this little trick.”
“Trick...?”
He cleared his throat softly, and lifted his voice in song. "Cry not a tear, for the light has gone, gone out. All for you, my dear; a lullaby of sweet dreams”
I sucked in a breath of wonder as his voice echoed around is, near-eerily, as though his voice shouldn’t be bouncing back to us with that much strength, and with those many repeated echoes. And the waters pulsed and shimmered with the gentle beats and in time to his words, the colours and their effects reminding me of the shimmer within Asmo’s polish.
“Is that the lullaby you sang before in Hebrew…?” I whispered. “You translated it…”
“Mhmm… Mmm, mm-mm…” he hummed, swaying me gently. "There in the dark, king of dreams, king of sleep, of sleep. Oh, silver dust, dark stars cast in my eyes. Oh, sweet dreams… Mm-mm-mm… Hold me tight, as I dream of a world far from here. Cloak of night, shelter me, and dry my tears. All for you, my dear.” He brushed a kiss on my cheek, sighing softly as he brought it to an end, though his voice echoed back to us just as strongly still ,despite the quiet end of his song. "All for you, my dear. A lullaby of sweet dreams. Oh lullaby, oh lullaby of sweet dreams…”
“Oh…” I lifted my hand to cup his cheek from behind me, turning to press my face to his jaw. “My Solomon…”
“The spring echoes the heart, but responds best when it’s through song.” I felt the muscles of his cheek turn up a smile against me, and my own heart swelled in my chest. “I thought you would like to understand it, so I translated it.”
“You translated it for me…?”
“Mhmm.” He chuckled softly, though there wasn’t any merriment in the sound. “I’ve translated it in many languages, but it’s been a long time. It was time to translate it in ours.”
“Ours…” I swallowed as I looked back over the waters, their soft pulses stilled in the silence. “…Solomon. If I ask you to do something for me, will you do it?”
I felt him pause for a moment, before he relaxed himself. “Of course. Anything you’d like, as long as it’s in my power.”
“It’s not natural for you to trust people, huh?”
“Hehe. Is that the impression you get?” He hummed lightly. “So, what is it that I can do for you, Chise?”
I turned my face back towards him. “You could kiss me.”
“Ah…” He smiled softly as he turned his face towards me as well. “Now that, I’d be happy to do.”
The soft press of his lips on mine warmed me in the cool nice, and I smiled as I leaned into it, fingertips trailing along the curve of his jaw. It lingered, tender, and then broke with a sigh from us both. I nuzzled my nose to his with a contented hum.
“Wait, that’s it?” His smile widened teasingly. “You asked me to kiss you… Surely you don’t want to stop already? Here we are, alone together, and the mood is perfect…”
“You’re right,” I murmured. “I’m not wasting this moment with you.” I turned slowly in his arms, placing my palm on his chest while I looked up at him. His grey eyes sparkled in the moonlight overhead.
I slid my palm up from his chest to run my fingers along his jaw, raising myself up on the tips of my toes while he watched me near with a soft look.
I pressed my lips to his. Gently, but fully, and lingering. He leaned down to meet me further, his palms sliding along my body to hold me to him closer with a press to my backside, my chest flush with his.
“Please open up to me, Solomon,” I whispered against his lips when mine parted. “I think I know some of it. But I need you to say it out loud to me. I need to hear it from you.”
The expression on his face slowly fell.
“Please, ahuvi. Give me something to be closer to me.”
At that, with a swallow, he pressed his forehead to mine. “…Okay. Up in the human world, we got to spend all that time together… So ever since coming to the Devildom, I’ve felt like something’s missing. It’s lonely without you around.”
“Yeah,” I continued in my whisper, cupping his jaw with both of my hands. “I’m so sorry.”
“I don’t want to let go of you.” A glossiness reached his eyes with his threatened tears; my breath caught in my throat at the sight. “I don’t want to say goodbye…”
“Goodbye…?” I shook my head. “If I ever have to say goodbye to you, I’ll be saying hello again as soon as possible. I’m here, Sol.”
His breath hitched, and there was a pinkness to his cheeks. “…I want to feel you here beside me all night long, Chise. I want…”
“Solomon…” My brows drew together in concern. “Are you sure that… I’m good for you?”
He inhaled sharply, eyes widening.
“I’m not suggesting anything,” I added quickly. “I don’t want to lose you. I have no intention of leaving you. I’m not even thinking about it. I just don’t want you to be in pain…”
He flattened his mouth and gave a firm shake of his head, holding me tight to him now. “I’m not letting you go. I’m not saying goodbye. Ever.”
It was almost childish, his declaration. The confidence of it. That things would never change.
And yet…
“All right,” I whispered. “…But I feel selfish when I say I’m glad.”
He sighed with what sounded like relief. “I’m glad that you’re glad. Actually, I think it would kill me outright if you didn’t feel that way.”
I stroked his cheek lightly. “There’s no need for that. Let’s figure something out, Sol, because I miss this too. I don’t care what it looks like. If me staying in Purgatory Hall is uncomfortable, then we can just teleport home in the human world and spend the night there. We can make it regular. No one will bug us.”
“…You mean that?”
“We scheduled well in the human world… We can switch back and forth between just us, and then with Sim as well.” I sighed as I slipped my fingers into his silver hair, pressing his forehead tighter to mine. “I’m so, so, so sorry. I’ve been so wrapped up in my own world, and I haven’t been fair to you. I don’t… know what else is going on… but you’re…” I swallowed. “…going through whatever it is alone. Supporting Sim…”
He gave me a sorrowful look at the strained tone of my voice. “I bet you feel left out, huh?”
“Probably not as left out as you feel…”
He hesitated. “…I told Sim that if you asked, I’d choose to tell you.”
I nodded slowly.
“What do you know, Chise?” he asked me in a whisper. “What do you suspect…?”
I felt an immediate tightness, and a warmth spread in my head as the my heart prepared me for my tears. My throat hurt. It was tight. There was a lump.
I closed my eyes, and shook my head.
“…I’ve noticed that you’ve stopped calling him your–"
I abruptly cover his mouth with my hand, a choked sob caught in my throat.
He blinked at me, and then understanding sorrow filled his eyes.
“…Oh…” I quickly took my hand away. “Oh I’m s-so sorry…”
He curled his fingers over my hand that had silenced him. “It’s okay.” He let out a shaky breath. “Maybe… it’s time that you… looked into it.”
I squeezed my eyes tight again. “…Yes.”
“It’s time,” he whispered. “He needs us both. I’m not… enough.”
I needed help. That didn't feel brave.
I needed help. It made me feel weak.
I'd lose us both anyway, if I didn't ask for help to save myself.
Pride really was a bitch when it was broken.
I opened my eyes, just letting the tears fall. His were already streaking down his cheeks, staining my fingers. I’d already felt them. “…I’m so sorry, Solomon. You deserve better.”
He shook his head. “Ahuvati, my love. My adorable apprentice. My equal. My reason. My passion. My tether to my humanity…”
I choked. “Sol…”
The sorrow in his eyes broke my heart. A fresh tear freed itself to track down his face. “Focus on this report.”
I started in surprise at firm shift in his tone and subject. "But–"
“It’s so important to me that you pass this trial.” He cupped my cheek, expression desperate. “Think of it as your way of helping Sim as well. And after… we can talk to Sim together.”
I nodded, eyes welling with tears again. “Wh… What should I do about your interview…”
“I don’t fucking care.” He shook his head, fingers sliding into my hair to curl into my roots. “You know me enough to make it up. I just don’t care.”
And then, gripping me with a firm press against the back of my head, he kissed me hard.
***
I threw myself against him in a jump that he caught to himself, our mouths crashing hard while our clasped hands shook in the others. I let it go wrap my arm around him with my other, and he clutched me to him in another tight embrace. He stumbled backwards with me in his arms, his backside connecting hard with a tree behind him that knocked his breath away against my mouth.
But he inhaled another, sharp and desperate, before his mouth came back to mine, lips and teeth open to swipe his tongue against mine. I took him up eagerly, his breath, mouth, hot on my chilled face. Our kisses were sloppy, shaky, desperate, like we'd devour one another.
He suddenly froze, eyes snapping open wide.
I opened my own in confusion. "Sol...?"
"...I didn't bring a condom." He hesitated. "I can teleport us… me…"
I searched his eyes for a moment. "It's up to you."
He was nearly panting, before he tried to swallow it down. "Up to me..."
"It's always been up to you." I touched his face. Always had been. With my IUD and his vasectomy. But his panic. Always up to him.
He took in a breath, holding it, staring at me. I stared back, heart hammering.
His voice was high and tight when he finally spoke. "...Wh... What would you do."
I touched his cheek. "Whatever you wanted to do."
"...Even...?"
I nodded. "It... wouldn't be my first time, to be honest…” He looked visibly taken aback by that. I sighed. “So yes, even that. Okay? I won't keep unless it's wanted by both."
He keened softly.
"Oh, Sol..." My brows drew together again in sympathy. "Let's go. If you want to come back here, we can always just–"
He spun me, pressing me up against the tree in his place, hot mouth on mine again, hot tongue pushed past my teeth when I gasped in surprise. He shifted me up the rough bark with a groan, and a press of his need between my legs when I wrapped them around his hips, my skirt hiking up my thighs with their spread around him.
“S–"
He kissed me, kissed me. Always passionate, the way he had me. Like I was a tall glass of water, and he was a man parched, lost in an endless desert. He drank against my mouth, rushed against my body, pressing his hands all over me like he couldn't believe I was real. Plain and raw desire. He pressed that to me now, grinding, flexing up and down on his toes in sliding humps, groaning against the pull of the fabric of his underwear in his pants that pinned between us.
My fingers flew to the clasp of his bolo tie to pull it loose, before quickly working the buttons on his shirt. He pinned me hard to the tree with his legs and pelvis while he struggled out of his jacket, his shirt falling to the dirt shortly after it.
He came back to me with hot, desperate kisses, the skin around our mouths wet, our lips moving frantically while I ran my palms over his torso with a whine of need.
"Please, please," he begged hoarsely. "Open your shirt while I kiss you..."
I pulled my hands from him with a touch of reluctance in having to leave his firm warmth, to quickly work the buttons down my own uniform shirt. His hand was slipping inside and under my bra the moment I released my chest, and he groaned into a slower kiss of satisfaction as he rolled my breast in his palm. Buttons undone, I struggled to free my arms, huffing hard while he fondled my chest eagerly.
I got one arm. Left the other. He simply lifted the cups of my bra up towards my collarbone to free my breasts, eliciting a moan from me against my lips as he gave my nipple a soft pinch. I reached down for his buckle, for the button on his slacks, for his zipper. He pressed his torso forward with a hiss so that he pull his hips back for me to dip my hands down into his boxers to find him.
"Oh gods oh gods," he groaned with a squeeze of his eyes as my fingers connected with him. "Chise, Chise, I want you..."
"I'm not even going to get this skirt off, am I," I murmured huskily in response, fully freeing him as I pulled his underwear down over his member. He shook his head desperately, his loosened slacks falling down past his knees with his cock straining over the pulled waistband of his briefs.
He slid his hands along my thighs, pressing forward again.
"...Are you sure about this?" I whispered quietly.
He nodded as he gently pulled the thin fabric strip of my panties between my legs to the side, my hand still on his cock to guide him. "I want you..."
"You don't have to–" I gasped as he came up to press gently to my entrance.
He leaned forward to whisper against my ear. "Realizing that I'd be having you at the same time as Sim next... After watching you ride him without one, watching his cum drip from you..."
I was panting. From his cock that rested at my entrance, and at the memory of the three of us together. "H-He could wear..."
He gripped my chin, swallowing hard as I shivered at his touch. "That he gets to have you bare while I… nngg…”
And then, he was breaching into me.
"...Solomon," I moaned, tipping my head back.
"Oh gods,” he moaned back. "Oh holy gods... You're..."
He both moaned long and low as he sunk himself into me while I was pressed against the tree, with him curled down to press his face against my shoulder while I held him by the back of his head. He let go of my chin to grip under my thigh again while his cock slowly climbed inside of me, the head of him pushing through to stretch me.
He was panting by the time he seated. "...Oh... Ahuvati..." And then small little pumps of his hips, barely back and forth, disturbing the slick inside of me experimentally while I let out a pitched mewl. "You're so, so wet..."
"S-Sol..." I clung to him shakily, whimpering as he rocked back and forth inside the one spot of my sensitive heat, slowly lighting it on fire with his stimulating of me. "Y-You feel..."
He slowly pulled back, and then with a sigh, tunneled through to seat again, moaning softly at the sound of wet between us. He shifted his palms while he had me pinned, speared by him in place to the tree, to slide his hands around my thighs to hold me steady under my rear, tilting my hips further towards him. I pulled him tighter to me with a press of my heels, whimpering as we connected deeper, his sack pressing to my panties that covered my rear.
"So deep," he murmured huskily. I nodded quickly, biting my lip with a small noise escaping from my throat, my heart racing in my chest as my sex pulsed around him in a hard spasm of anticipation, making him groan.
Soon, he was moving smoothly, with long, full strokes. We gasped together, pressing our faces against each other while he gliding in and out of me ethnically from his head to base. Soft thuds of our connecting bodies with every joining, fabric slamming against fabric muffling the force of the sound, our quickly-soaking joinings sounding through. He moaned as he took me, his mouth seeking mine again while he slowly quickened his pace inside of me, and I gasped into his kisses as my body was rocked up and down against the tree.
My fingers were curled tight in his hair while my sex was thrusted into again and again, his hips snapping tight and quick to deliver his cock into my depths without pause. He had been pulling back out slower, but that was falling away with his quickening, the pacing soon turning even; harder, faster, while he huffed against my mouth, relentlessly kissing me, leaving me gasping sharply for air between the insistent rolls of them. He was snatching my breath away, again and again, with the quick shove of his cock inside of me that pushed my breath out of me to be caught by his mouth and tongue, feeding me his own hot breath, his increasingly desperate gasps.
I tongued him back, but my efforts became lazier, and he had to chase me for more as I tipped my head back to bump on the tree with a groan of pleasure. He licked the inside of my mouth as he pressed forward, forward, forward, grinding, keening, as though he could somehow reach me deeper.
With the angle he took me, his cock was pressing up along my ceiling with each thrust that he was giving to me harder and harder with each passing moment, and soon my eyes were beginning to roll back while I clung to him, my spine trying to roll into small arches against the tree. That spot. That spot. My lashes fluttered as I gasped, my heels digging deeper, my arms gripping him tighter.
“Already…?” He let out a strained chuckle. “Cute..."
"Right… Nnn… Thhhng…"
He slammed up and in with a sharper tilt of his pelvis, and I cried out shrilly "Right there?"
I choked on a high-pitched sob, nodding with my head tipped up to the night sky.
He pushed up even harder, making me cry out as he pinned me again, holding me up with one hand and the weight of his body now as his hand slid up my stomach to pinch lightly at my breast. I mewled again, my head lolling. I let out a broken-sounding keen as he gave another grind of his cock up into my ceiling.
"Ready?" he whispered. "And then I take you on the ground for another? And then maybe another..."
I could only keen desperately, sinking my fingertips into his skin.
“Maybe I’ll have you all night…”
“Sol!” I bit him, my voice breathing hot through my teeth against his skin, and then I cried out to him as he gave me another. "Please! I LOVE YOU! PLEASE! FUCK ME!"
He gasped as the magic of the lake suddenly echoed my cried declarations back to us, our faces illuminated briefly in purple light. “Oh gods, Chise…”
He pulled back from me, and then slammed again, the shock of electricity pushing out a cry from my chest and throat. And then he was taking me, gasping against my skin while his whole body tensed to hold me up so that he could twist and pull at my nipple. I shuddered as I bounced, my eyes rolling as my cries bounced with me, my gspot slammed into again and again by his bare cock. The pooling in my body flared hotter and hotter with each reach of him for my core, his hips pumping desperately into me, falling into a shameless rut while he grunted in effort, his own fingers digging into the meat of my ass where he held me.
"Mmmm gonn..." I choked wetly on the words, nearly drooling.
"Cum. For. Me. Ah. Hu. Va. Ti," he ordered with every plunge of his cock that he delivered to me, his hand falling away from my breast to slap against the tree at my side with his gasp of pleasure. "Oh HELLS you feel so good...!"
I'd begun to contract on his cock at his words, my body stiffening in his tight press between him and the tree while my clinging to him became a tense freeze against me. He gasped, wide-eyed as he slammed his cock again and again, lips parted as he watched my face flush pink with my eyes glazing senselessly over. And I contracted, and contracted around him, and he keened, and cried out softly with each shudder of my body, his eyes locked to my face as he drank in every moment of my release.
I heaved air that I'd denied myself, throwing my head back to bounce against the tree again, though I hardly noticed through the haze. His hand came up to cup the back of my head, protecting it while he held me closer against his upper body, choking on emotional gasped while he pressed my forehead to his cheek. He continued to take me, pants down around his ankles on his shoes, shirtless with his cock out of his underwear to rut into me against a tree, cupping me tenderly at the same time that he took me wildly with powerful thrusts inside of my electrified heat.
And then I was curling my fist a little tighter against his skin. And then I was groaning with relief. And he was panting against me. Still wild.
He wheezed as he grabbed me fully to him again to pull me away from the tree, falling to his knees in what I idly thought must have been painfully, before he fell forward with me in his arms to continue fucking me passionately. I looked up at him groggily, though I was managing to pump my hips up a bit to meet his thrust. I watched his wide, desperate eyes that shone feverishly bright, and his lips that were parted as he pulled in gasps for air.
And he just kept hitting my spot. Again, and again, and again. And the new angle.
"Cumming," I whispered, before my eyes rolled back again with the arch of my back. I caught his eager, desperate nod, heard his panting turn gravelly with throaty groans as he watched me wash away again. I rolled up and down this time, my back and shoulders straining in and out of tight, rigid flexes. My toes curled, my legs high in the cool night air of the outdoors while I was taken on my back on the forest floor, my skirt hiked over my hips, shirt opened and my bra pushed up.
He watched me in amazement, keening while he watched my breasts rise and fall in my rolls. He hiked himself up to fold me further forward until my thighs were pressed to my belly, with my knees spread wide. He held me by the backs of my knees to keep me spread for him, pushing down hard as he used them to steady himself too.
"Chise... I... I'm going..." His eyes were bright, but there was tight hesitation that flickered in then. "Ch-Chise Chis... Can..."
"Your choice," I croaked, before shakily pulling one of his hands away from the back of my knee to press it to my breast. "Here, or... Anywhere..."
"Chi...se..." He keened again, a high sound, the need in his eyes burning hot.
"I'm with you..." I whispered, touching his cheek gently with the tips of my fingers while my body was rocked hard.
He slammed into me with a sharp cry, his cock exploding seed deep within me from his engorged tip, pumping up through the base of him to flood in bursts inside of me. He choked on more desperate cries with each roll of his hips that moved in time with his cock's swelling contractions, bulging from base to tip from the force of his powerful orgasm. I shuddered with satisfaction in his arms, moaning with every twitch of his body.
He was shaking as he slowly leaned back and lowered his eyes to where we joined, expression one of shock as his pumping loads ceased.
I watched him with soft eyes as he slowly pulled out of me, eyes widening as he watched his cum flow free from my sex in thick and creamy streams that drooled in slow spurts, timed to my still-softly-contracting sex. He watched as it drooled in strings down from my entrance, staining my underwear as the fabric soaked it, the rest clinging to the cheeks of my ass and dripping down onto the forest floor.
A lot. He came a lot. He stared at the mess as the small gushes of his seed ceased with a dribble.
"Sol..."
He slowly lifted his eyes up from between my legs to lock them onto mine.
I sighed with a soft smile, closing my legs to pull him closer with a squeeze of my feet to his sides. "It's okay, Sol. C'mere.”
///
After a long pause, he came down to me with a shaky sigh, to find my lips with his in a soft kiss.
"I love you." He slid his hands back to cup my head, eyes gazing into mine. "I mean it, you know. I'm not letting you go."
I nodded. "I'm here, and I love you too. I'm not letting you go, either."
He sighed again as he rested his head on my collarbone.
I wrapped him in my arms. "You okay?"
He nodded. "I've got you, don't I?"
I kissed his hair lightly. "Yeah, you do."
He laughed quietly. "I should be taking care of you, apprentice, not the other way around... How did you turn this on me so fast...?"
"Don't worry about it." I smiled to myself. "You're only human, after all."
"Hah. Yeah..." I heard the smile in his voice as well. “Yeah. I guess you're right. Sometimes I forget."
“I think a lot of humans do, hence the idiom.”
“Huh…”
“You don’t have to be the human world’s superhero all the time, or do it alone. Not anymore. And not Sim’s, either. Not while you have me.” I touched his chin lightly, tipping his head up. “I’ve got you, Sol. And you’ve got me. How about we sleep in our human world bed together tonight.”
“Chise…” He nodded, eyes softening. “I was just thinking that I’d like to do that with you.”
“Let’s go home, then.”
He sighed softly, touching the tip of his nose to mine with a gentle smile. “Let’s go home, ahuvati.”
The Sandman's Lullaby – Azophiel
Cry not a tear
For the light has gone
Gone out
All for you, my dear
A lullaby of sweet dreams
Ooh, ooh-ooh...
There in the dark, king of dreams
King of sleep, of sleep
Oh, silver dust
Dark stars cast in my eyes
Oh, sweet dreams
Mmm, mm-mm,
Mm-mm-mm...
Hold me tight
As I dream of a world far from here
Cloak of night, shelter me
And dry my tears
All for you, my dear
Ooh, ooh-ooh,
Hold me tight
As I dream of a world far from here
Cloak of night, shelter me
And dry my tears
All for you, my dear
A lullaby of sweet dreams
There in the dark, king of dreams
King of sleep, of sleep
Oh, silver dust
Dark stars cast in my eyes
Oh lullaby of sweet dreams...
Oh lullaby of sweet dreams
Oh lullaby of sweet dreams...
“Hang on…!” Asmo raised his eyebrows at me in surprise, putting his fists on his hips as he caught me coming through the Hall of Lamentation’s front door in the early morning. “Chise, you’re just now getting home? Since when are you one to stay out all night?!” He gasped before I could reply, breaking out into a teasing grin. “Wait, what’s going on?! Where were you last night? Who were you with?! Don’t tell me you…? Oh MYYY! You have to tell me ALL about it!”
He always was an early riser. I smiled secretively at him. “I was with Solomon.”
He sighed dreamily. “Now you REALLY have to tell me all about it! That man just WON’T let me get into his pants!”
I snorted, before laughing with a shake of my head. ”Not going to happen.”
“Whoa whoa whoa!” Levi, who had clearly been eavesdropping from around the corner, stepped out, face pink. “Why’d you immediately go there, Asmo? Chise might have just been somewhere with him enjoying an all-night gaming binge.”
Asmo giggled with an amused and patient shake of his head. “You’re the only one who’d stay out all night gaming, Levi. Isn’t that right, Chise?”
Oh great, we were provoking Envy early today. I clucked my tongue as I pretended to need to look at the ground to take off my shoes. “I’ll just leave it to your imaginations.”
“Oooh!” Asmo squee’d. “I’m free to let my imagination run wild? Because I should warn you, it’s going to get VERY creative.”
“Come on!” Levi snapped, mouth flat. “Stop making everything sound suspicious!”
Lucifer sighed as he was lured to the foyer by the nattering. “How’s the report coming along, Chise?”
"What I think about the harmony between the three worlds,” Solomon had sighed, finally giving in while I laid in his arms in our bed in the early morning. ”Good question… Personally, as long as it doesn’t put the human world in danger, I guess I don’t see any reason to oppose the plan. And I have to say, I really like life as an exchange student here. I don’t know if it’ll be any use in your report, but that’s about all I have to say.”
Because of course it was all he would say.
I nodded to Lucifer. “It’s going great. I’ve got my interviews, and my outline. Solomon and Thirteen’s portions need to be shoehorned in. Mephisto is going to get his stuff to me in a bit, then I just have to, well, write the thing up properly.”
He nodded with a smile of approval. “Well, you sound confident. I look forward to seeing how it turns out.”
I turned a bit pink as I smiled back. Great. Dad was going to grade it judgmentally in his head, and whip me into shape for any perceived weaknesses within it. Looking forward to it.
“Ah, by the way, speaking of Mephisto, he was looking for you after classes yesterday.” He raised an eyebrow at my sheepish look. “If you feel like talking to him, drop by the newspaper club office.”
“Well, you sure took your time, Chise!” Mephisto snapped grumpily at me. “I told Lucifer I wanted to talk to you yesterday. Why did you wait until today to show up?”
“It’s only one day,” Belphie replied with a scowl on my behalf. “Not even. What’s it matter either way?”
“Oh, it matters. It just so happens that the situation now is very different compared to yesterday.”
I frowned at him. “What are you talking about…?”
“We’ve finished conducting the student surveys you requested. At least, we were finished. But when I came in today and checked the survey results, I found nothing but blank pages.”
“What…?” Belphie blinked, frowning. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“All of the results were there yesterday. I checked them myself. And yet now suddenly they’re gone.”
My heart dropped into my stomach while he glared at me as though this was entirely my fault. “Blank…? Gone…?!”
“That’s what I just said, human!” He snapped. “And that’s not all. The finally draft of the newspaper is blank, too. It was all done and ready to be printed, but now it’s gone.”
“WHAT?!” I pressed my fingers over my mouth with wide eyes.
“What in the nine hells…” Belphie muttered, glancing at me in concern.
I was nearly pulling my hair out in class.
“Whoa… wait…” Luke’s eyes widened at the end of my story. “I’m pretty sure that’s one of the 666 mysteries of RAD!”
I stared at him. “…Wh-What?”
“You know what I’m talking about, right?” He grimaced at the shake of my head. “They’re 666 scary stories having to do with RAD!”
Belphie scratched at his cheek with a frown. “Yeah, now that you mention it, one of the stories did mention something like this. About the text vanishing from reports and assignment–“
Mammon spun in his chair with a gasp. “Hey, I had that happen to me once! I’d spent all night workin’ on this assignment, and then when I got to school the next day, the pages were blank. MAN did that suck… And to top it off, no one believed me! They were all like, ‘whatever, you never did it to begin with’!”
Luke rolled his eyes. “Well, that would be a tough story to swallow. I mean, this IS you we’re talking about.”
“Yep…” Belphie concurred flatly.
I nodded as well.
“HEY!” He glared at us, hooking his arm over the back of his chair to throw the look out between us more effectively. “What’s THAT s’posed to mean?!”
Belphie looked at me from out of the corner of his eye. “You’ve already finished the section of the report that covers the opinions of the exchange students, right Chise?”
I shrugged. “Mostly.”
He nodded. “You can worry about the data that’s disappeared later. Why don’t you go to Diavolo and show him the part of the report that’s done?”
I sighed, nodding in agreement. "Dammit…"
Diavolo beamed at me as he stood from his seat at the student council table. “Hello there, Chise! Come in! I’m glad you’re here. It gets depressing sitting here all alone doing paperwork.”
I looked around. “No Barbatos to keep you company, huh?”
The to supervise part in my head was left unspoken.
He shook his head. “Prepping for his next class. Did you drop by to say hello?”
I nodded. “Yeah. Though I thought I’d show you what I have for my report so far, and maybe work on it a bit in here if you have any feedback for the finishing touches.”
He lit up with excitement. “Really? You’d like to run it by me?”
“Well…” I shifted in place, laptop under my arm, a folder of my printed report in my hand. “If that’s all right with you, and you don’t think it’s cheating? I thought that since I’m doing this anyway, I’d really like for it to be accurate and digestible. I figured that it might reach the House of Lords eventually, so I want it to be a good reflection, and you’re the man to advise on that.”
He suppressed a flattered gasp. The man’s golden eyes fairly shone like the human world’s sun itself. “Well, that makes me happy. Of course! That makes so much sense! You’re likely very right about that. Why don’t you come over here by me?”
I smiled at him as I took a seat next to him, the expression on his face actually a little heart-warming. “You’re not too busy with work right now, though?”
“Oh, don’t worry.” He waved his hand dismissively over his paperwork with a laugh. “I need to take breaks from time to time.”
I saw some Barbatos-tutting in the future.
“Is that your report there in your hand?” He nodded towards it as I set it on the table in front of us. “Let’s take a look at that! I’ve been looking forward to reading it from the moment I first gave you the assignment.” He pulled it towards him. “So, let’s see…”
I stared at it as he flipped the cover open.
He frowned down at it in confusion as he flipped to the next page. “Is this supposed to be your report? Because it’s nothing but blank pages…”
“…Holy shit,” I breathed, feeling faint. “No no no, that’s okay, maybe I grabbed the wrong…” I swallowed nervously. I had not grabbed ‘the wrong folder’ that I’d happened to put ‘blank pages’ in. “Y-You can read it on my laptop instead.”
I opened my laptop hurriedly. He tilted his head as I put my fucking password in wrong twice with my shaking hands, before I finally got it open.
The report had been the last thing I’d had open.
The word doc was blank.
“…I-I…” I was tapping on the touchpad to look through my folders. I opened a previously saved, back-up version. Blank. Opened another. Blank. Opened my roughest draft. Blank. Opened my bullet-point outline. Blank. Diavolo glanced at me in growing concern. “…No no no no no!”
“Is everything all right, Chise…?”
I stood up abruptly, snatching my laptop up. “I’m so sorry! I’ve got to go!”
“G’AH!”
I yelped sharply as I was caught in the arms of the body I’d just run into.
Mephisto looked down at me in disapproval. “Chise? What were you thinking, darting out in front of me like that? If I hadn’t caught you, you would’ve tumbled onto the floor! You need to be more careful.”
I stepped back hurriedly. “…Thank you.”
He hmph’d. “I only did what anyone would do. There’s no need to thank me. It’s just proper manners. Though I suppose that must be a foreign concept to you… You know, as a foreigner.”
I rolled my eyes. “Look. I do not have time for this.”
He tutted. “Precisely what I mean!”
I stopped. “…You know what. I need to talk to you ASAP.”
He narrowed his eyes at me. “What a flip-flop you are.”
–
“So, your entire report has vanished now, too…?” He sighed.
“It just occurred to me that we could figure out why this keeps happening if we’re there when it happens.”
He chewed on his lip a bit, frowning. “Actually, I was just thinking the same thing. I don’t know if this has to do with the 666 mysteries of RAD or what, but I do know that I can’t have the newspaper club’s work vanishing anymore. So I was thinking we should investigate, and see if we can figure out what’s causing this. I suppose you can come along.”
I sighed in frustration. “Do you know anything else about this ‘RAD mystery’? Any rumours?”
His frowned deepened with thought. “Well, this same phenomenon has been confirmed several times in the past. It’s happened to tests in the staff room, to contracts in the council room, to files containing the personal information of newspaper club members… If you step back and consider what all of those have in common, it’s clear that only important documents have been targeted. Or it could be that specific locations are being targeted. Places where important documents are stored…”
“So even if we try to re-write the reports in time…”
He nodded. “There’s a high probability that it will simply happen again, and we’d both be presenting blank pages to Lord Diavolo on the deadline, which is completely unacceptable on my part.”
“What do we do… Where do we even start?”
He sighed. “A number of students have tried to figure out what’s causing this in the past. Some have made serious efforts, and some have just done it for fun. But none of them have managed to solve this mystery.” He tutted in irritation at the situation. “Now, it’s personal. This time I want to succeed. I want to figure out what’s causing this to happen.”
“Me too,” I agreed, with more desperation in my voice than I cared to admit, considering present rude company.
He nodded. “The more of us that are on the job, the better. I owe you that at least, I suppose. On my honour and all.”
“…Of course. I appreciate it.”
“See, was that so hard? My good manners must be rubbing off on you after all.” He looked up at the ceiling in thought, allowing me the opportunity to roll my eyes without him noticing. “As for the question of where to start…”
”In that case, I’ll help as well!”
We both jumped, heads swiveling in surprise at the sound of the large, booming voice.
Diavolo strode towards us, nodding. “As RAD’s student council president, I can’t afford to let this mystery go unsolved, after all!”
“Diavolo!” I sighed in relief. “That would be so helpful, thank you.”
Mephisto tutted in disapproval, bristling. “That is Lord Diavolo to you, human girl. How dare you show such familiarity–“
Diavolo clapped a friendly hand on Mephisto’s shoulder. “Not to worry, Mephisto! Chise and I are good friends.”
“…I hate to ruin your good time, Young Master…”
My face fell as I caught sight of Barbatos coming down the hall behind him, with his polite and pleasant expression of disapproval.
Diavolo squeaked, un-regal-like, like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar.
Nooooo…
“I believe you still have a very tall pile of documents awaiting your signature?”
“Ugh…” The large-statured prince seemed to shrink in size to become even smaller than Barbatos in his wilt. “Can’t they wait…?”
“No, they cannot wait,” he replied in smooth patience, portraying the depths of his impatience.
“Barbatooooos,” I pleaded on Diavolo's behalf.
He shook his head in kind sympathy at me, before continuing in his address. “You understand their particular importance that these fiscal reports make it to the desks of RAD’s most generous financial donors before your publicly declared deadline?” He gestured back behind him with a bow. “Now then, why don’t we return to the council room? I’ve made you some tea.”
As though pacifying a child with a treatie.
“But…” Diavolo pouted, sullen. “Awww…”
“Come along now. I have made your favourite.”
Mephisto, instead of being completely embarrassed by his Lordship for the juvenile exchange, straightened immediately. “Don’t worry, Lord Diavolo! Rest assured that I, Mephistopheles, will get to the bottom of this mystery!” He spun towards me, chin held high. “All right, Chise. Let’s go!”
I probably looked just as sullen as Diavolo himself, with the both of us slinking apart in opposite directions, visibly pouting with juts of our bottom lips over our shoulders at one another with sad regret in our round, shiny eyes. Like puppies led away from playtime.
…Holy shit Lucifer has a type.
“I thought we should go someplace where there haven’t been any recent reports of documents being erased,” Mephisto explained, “even though important documents are kept here.”
I looked around the library in doubt. “Uhhh, why?”
He frowned as he opened drawer after drawer in the records section. “But from what I can see, it doesn’t seem like there’s been any sort of incident here.”
I nearly threw my hands up in frustration. “Well, yeah!”
He sighed. “Then again, maybe it just hasn’t happened yet…”
I scowled at him. “This makes no sense. Where has it been happening the most?”
“…Mephisto, Chise?”
I spun around at the sound of Satan’s serious voice.
He frowned. “I don’t often see you two together.”
“Volunteering in the library today, Satan?”
He nodded, in serious-work-mode, which had me wiggling a bit. Hopefully un-perceptibly.
“Ah, Satan.” Mephisto brightened. Right, I think I remembered them being sort-of acquainted. “Perfect timing. You can help us.”
He frowned. “With…?”
–
“I see.” Satan nodded, touching his chin while I inwardly fawned over my librarian. “So you came here to investigate, did you?”
Mephisto nodded back at him. “You know this library top to bottom, right? Would you be able to access the especially rare book section for us?”
Satan frowned. “Well, if you’re looking for the rarest of the rare, those are stored on shelves in the restricted section.” He turned, gesturing from over his shoulder. “This way, follow me.”
I skipped along, dire situation be damned as my heart fluttered in my chest. He glanced at me from behind him, letting out a barely audible snort of fondness as he caught how I had been looking at the back of his head with sparkling keenness in my eyes. I stopped my skipping with a blush, smiling at him sheepishly as I walked like a normal human being again. He shook his head as he turned his face away again with a smirk.
I smiled to myself, despite my crimson cheeks. I’d missed him, missed him, missed him…
–
I ooh’d, eyes wide as we walked into the fancy room that Satan had had to unlock for us with the key he’d personally been entrusted with.
“This is it?” Mephisto looked around too, unsuccessfully trying to hide how impressed he was.
Satan nodded. “Yep, this is where they keep all of the restricted tomes. Normally you need Lord Diavolo’s permission to enter, but we student council officers are allowed to come and go as we please.”
Mephisto frowned in concern. “Aren’t you taking a big risk allowing Chise and me inside? Seems like a bad idea.”
I raised my eyebrows in surprise. I guess Mephisto really did consider Satan as a sort of friend.
And then I stopped with a frown of my own.
Satan shrugged dismissively. “Whatever, it’ll be all right.” He glanced at me. “Do you sense something, Chise?”
“Yeah…” I looked around, frown deepening in uncertainty. “I sense some sort of magic. But it’s faint…”
He nodded, a hint of pleased satisfaction flashing in his eyes. “So you feel it too, then. I noticed it as soon as we entered.”
I was blushing again.
He frowned too. “To be clear, I haven’t sensed this magic in here before.”
“Hmm…” Mephisto shook his head. “But there’s no sign that anything out of the ordinary is happening here.”
After turning around in a slow circle, I stopped abruptly, and then realized too late that I was pointing like some sort of indicating dog in the direction I’d landed on. Well, whatever. “I think I might know where it is!”
“Chise?” Satan followed after me as I darted forward. “Where are you going…?”
–
“Uhh…” Mephisto frowned, though I was coming to accept that the expression was a rather common one on him. “This looks like… the section devoted to books on cats?”
Satan was smiling in delight as he took a step towards a shelf. “Why’d you want to come here? I’ve read every book in this section. I’m especially fond of this one, Chise. Look, look.” He plucked one out. “This one. Cat Paw Pads: An Illustrated Reference Guide…”
I snorted as he opened it. “A whole book on…?”
He stared down at it in horror.
Mephisto, looking over his shoulder, looked taken aback. “Wh…?!”
“…I don’t understand!” Satan’s eyes had an instant flash of fury.
…And then he changed into his demon form.
“EVERY PAGE OF 'CAT PAW PADS: AN ILLUSTRATED REFERENCE GUIDE' IS BLANK!” He rifled through it with a deep cry of horrified anger. “WHAT HAPPENED TO MY BOOK…?!”
“Satan, honey… Emotional regulation, remember…?”
Mephisto rolled his eyes at him, seemingly unbothered by the tantrum. “Um, it’s not actually your book. It belongs to the library…” He plucked another from the shelf to check. “And that’s not the only one here that’s been erased. This one has, too. And this one…”
“What’s the MEANING OF THIS?!” Satan cried, as he scrambled along the shelves, making a mess as he rapidly went through what I guessed were ones that were particularly cherished. “I DON’T GET IT! Only my VERY FAVOURITE books on cats are being erased!”
I frowned. “But why cats…”
“WHY NOT CATS?!”
I sighed. I guess this 'mystery' targeted things that specific people it victimized felt were important, not things that were necessarily actually important. Which was at least a clue that we could go on, as well as one that cast more doubt on Mammon's experience. Maybe it sensed and fed on 'particularly' and even 'passionately' strong–
Mephisto’s eyes widened as he pointed with a gasp. “Look, over there, it’s a lesser demon! Could he be behind this?!”
I would have protested that it could have just been a regular library user, but the demon then darted with a guilty gasp at Mephisto’s shout.
“OUT OF THE WAY, MEPHISTO!” Satan pushed past him, making the him stumble to the side. “I’m going to STOMP THAT THING INTO THE GROUND!”
“Hey, stop!” Mephisto caught himself against the bookshelf he’d flown into. “Chise, catch that thing before Satan flattens it!”
”Spirit of wind, the sorcerer Chise commands you…!"
The creature in question gave a yelp as it was thrown to the floor in a sprawl under a blast of magic from above.
But, there was also the problem of– “…Also, Satan, Stay.”
Another yelp.
“All right!” Mephisto grinned as he stepped past a hissing Satan to inspect my other capture. “Nicely done, Chise!”
“GIVE ME THAT THING!” Satan kicked his feet uselessly, trying to propel himself forward with a scrabbling push of his toes while his arms stretched out in front of him, palming slapping the floor with a powerful franticness that might give any Olympian swimmer in a front crawl race a run for their medal. “I’M GONNA TEAR IT TO SHREDS!”
I watched him furiously floor-swim in place with my brows drawn together in embarrassed disappointment. Well, I was no expert on swimming techniques to comment anyway.
Mephisto rolled his eyes as he picked up the lesser demon by the scruff of his collar. “I’m heading back to the newspaper club office, where I’ll be detaining him for questioning. Satan, Chise, go tell Lord Diavolo about this demon.”
I sighed again as I looked down at my squirming demon. “…When’s your first session with Barbatos again?”
He growled menacingly as the lesser demon disappeared from Satan's murderous stare around the corner with Mephisto, too far gone to answer as he continued to struggle against his chains like a snapping guard dog, trained to go for the throat.
I shook my head. “Silly Billy. I love you so much, did you know that?”
At that, and with his prey out of reach as well, he stilled with a huff. Stretched out still like superman.
I crossed my arms with a smirk. “Gonna be a good boy now?”
His chin sank to the floor, and then he gave a slow nod of reluctance.
Lucifer gave a shake of his head as he looked down in disdain at the pathetic demon who cowered in his binds, his arms crossed. “I can’t believe a lesser demon was behind this the whole time…”
Barbatos nodded, resting his chin on his knuckles, his other hand on his hip as he considered the creature we encircled. “According to the Reference Guide to Lesser Demons, this variety likes to play pranks on others. They’re especially fond of taking something of important from someone and hiding it. They have very little magical power. I guess that’s why even those of us on the student council never picked up on its presence.”
“Great, mystery solved,” Satan growled. “Now, hand that thing over to me. I’m going to shove it in Beel’s MOUTH, so it’s never able to prank anyone again.”
Lucifer sighed. “You’ll give Beel an upset stomach.”
Diavolo looked up from the perpetrator to beam at me. “Well Chise, I have to say, that was really something! Well done! This means you’ve completed your second trial!”
I immediately blinked in confusion, staring at him. “…Uh?”
Barbatos chuckled at my expression.
Satan looked similarly confused. “What are you talking about? I thought her trial was to submit that report?”
Diavolo chuckled as well, grinning. “Oh, that was only a pretence. The truth is that I was hoping to solve the mystery of the vanishing documents! It’s been a real problem for us!”
Barbatos tutted. “It has been causing me some ire in particular as of late, yes. Preparing the Young Master's daily stacks of paperwork repeatedly has been quite a frustrating chore.”
I glared at Barbatos in particular. “You knew.”
He quirked a brow of complete innocence at me.
“Guilty as charged, I see,” I muttered, earning myself another soft chuckle from him.
“So with that said,” Diavolo continued, “…Chise, congratulations on passing your second trial!!”
He snapped those damned magical fingers of his with a grin.
I yelped at the popping noises that erupted throughout the entire room, throwing my arms up to shield myself from the harmless streamers and confetti that dropped all around us.
Diavolo burst out into merry laughter. Lucifer and Barbatos, however, sighed as they brushed at their hair, both evidently unaware of the additional touch to celebrate my success.
Satan tutted as he looked around at the chaos that now covered the floor with a scowl on his face – and confetti on his shoulders. “Surely you don’t expect myself and my brothers to clean up this mess?”
“Ah… ahah…” Diavolo rubbed at the back of his neck sheepishly.
“Young Master…” Barbatos sighed again, brushing confetti from my hunched back. "I shall be fetching a broom for you to use."
“Aww…”
"Chise... Is this..." Barbatos frowned as he took a closer look at the back of my uniform jacket, before leaning down to give it a sniff. "...Baking soda and... octopus ink stains...?"
I blushed in embarrassment, wordlessly nodding my shame, to everyone's puzzlement.
"...Let us trade. I shall launder this for you."
"...Thank you, Barbatos..."
Lucifer gave me a rather dour look of disappointment.
Chapter 36: Intermission: Steward And Stewardess
Notes:
This chapter felt more one-shot-y, sprinkled with mini lead-ups. Hope that’s okay. 🫣 Oh, right. It’s my fic. So too bad.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Thirteen: Hey, Diavolo just got in touch with me.
Thirteen: He says he doesn’t know where you are.
Thirteen: 😤
Thirteen: Why is he asking ME where you’ve run off to?! Really!
Thirteen: So, where are you, anyway?
Thirteen: HEEEELLLOOOOOOO???? 😡
Thirteen: How DARE you ignore ME.
Thirteen: Let me guess. You’ve gotten yourself caught up in some sort of trouble again, haven’t you?
Solomon: Oooh, thanks for the heads up! 😁
Solomon: Sorry, I’ve sort of got a lot going on, so I haven’t been able to answer.
Solomon: But don’t worry!
Solomon: I’m sure my apprentice will be able to handle whatever it is.
Solomon: I’ll go ahead and give you her contact info… 😉
Thirteen: 😒
Thirteen: What kind of lunatic gives away his girlfriend’s NUMBER?!
Solomon: Use it or lose it!!!
Thirteen: Fuck off.
Thirteen: Whatever. Not like I care. 😮💨
“Are you ready, Barbatos?”
Barbatos sighed heavily as he looked out over the steep cliffside, watching the rolling fog fall from the mountains in the distance to settle heavily into the deep valley before them. “…You are certain of this?”
“You’re not?”
Barbatos said nothing.
Solomon nodded. “Let’s begin. One extinct Ghost of the Hidden Mists, life sustained in its shuttle from a time long past, if you please.” He glanced at his demon companion. “A shame we’ll only pluck one. Chise loves her aroids, and orchids are so pretty; and this one legendarily so. I once read it described as like the last glint of frost that retreats from sunlight. ...A rare and beautiful gift, for a rare and beautiful spirit, riiiight?”
“Nice try.” Barbatos lifted his cupped palm up from his waist; his forked tail pulsed with aquamarines, and his skeletal horns spread their wingspan in a stretch as he drew upon his powers. “Let us begin, then, before a human and demon duo are caught thieving something unimaginably precious from the Celestial Realm.”
Solomon snorted. “To them, it’s already dead.”
Barbatos shot him a dark look. “Allow them to continue believing that to be the case, lest we incur more war as the consequence of our trespass.”
Solomon glanced at him again. “…How does it feel to be back here, after all this time?”
Barbatos’ tail pulsed bright with a flare of his anger. “If you want this damnable orchid brought through intact, I will now require your absolute silence.”
Thirteen: This is my contact info.
Thirteen: Go ahead and save it.
Thirteen: 🫡
Thirteen: After all, you seem to understand my traps, and you’re okay with them…
Thirteen: You don’t seem so bad for a human. So I’m making a special exception in your case, and sharing my number with you.
Thirteen: I hope you appreciate just how lucky you are.
Chise: Oh, sure, thanks. Contact me any time.
Thirteen: Sure. Maybe. 💅
My face was beet red as I stared down at my D.D.D. screen in my hand.
“…Chise! Over here! Hurry!”
I looked up at the sound of Asmo’s sing-song voice. He beamed at me from just down the hall, gesturing quickly.
Satan, Simeon, and Luke were with him.
He nodded to me too with a smile. “Take a look at the bulletin board here. The RAD newspaper ran an article about what happened the other day.”
“Oh?” I was already on my way, but straightened at the news.
Simeon chuckled as he snaked an arm around my waist once I’d reached them, earning himself a quick little glare from Satan. “That’s some headline… ‘Chise & Mephistopheles Solve One of the 666 Mysteries of RAD, Become School Heroes!’”
I snorted. “A bit dramatic…”
“Wow, Chise!” Luke looked at me in awe. “That’s amazing! You’ve really become a huge star!”
“Oh, please…” I laughed awkwardly as I scanned Mephisto's chest-puffing account of it all. “This is sort of embarrassing…”
Asmo giggled. “Oh Chise, are you blushing? You’re so cute!”
Luke smiled in excited realization. “So, since they solved one of the 666 Mysteries, does that mean there are only 665 left?”
Asmo laughed with a shake of his head. “No, actually. A new mystery has already popped up, so it looks like we’re still sitting at 666.”
“Hmm…” Luke frowned. “That’s sort of ‘mysterious’ in itself…”
“By the way, Chise.” Simeon pulled me a little closer to his side by my waist, flashing a doting smile down at me. “How did your report go? Did it turn out okay?”
Satan hmphed. “Oh, the whole report thing was just for show. The trial wasn’t really about that.”
Simeon blinked in confusion. “It wasn’t?”
“Nope.” Satan seemed a bit pleased that he was in the know before Simeon. I rolled my eyes. Somehow, despite their otherwise solid friendship and shared ‘vow’, and despite Satan’s apparent lack of concern with most of the others, it was Simeon he raised some jealous hackles at now and then. It was like a switch, too. Touch me, growl. Not touch me, friend.
As for Simeon, he was either entirely oblivious to it, or it was politely ignored. Or, now that I thought about it, he may be pretending to be oblivious while purposely riling Satan with touches…
I found myself rolling my eyes a second time.
“Apparently,” Satan continued, “the point of the second trial was to see if Chise would attempt to solve one of RAD’s problems out of genuine sense of caring, rather than having to be told to do it.”
“Ahhh, I see.” Simeon chuckled. “That does sound like the sort of idea Diavolo would come up with.” He looked back down at me with a smile. “So, does that mean it’s time for the final trial?”
“Oof…” I slumped with a sigh. “Haven’t heard what Diavolo’s next whim is yet.”
Asmo nodded. “Well, we’ve got Devildom Felicity coming up first, so he’ll probably be a bit busy with that anyway.”
Satan sighed. “So, it’s that time already.”
“Devildom Felicity? What’s that?” Luke looked at me with a frown. “Chise, do you know what he’s talking about?”
I shook my head. “No idea.”
Simeon shrugged as Luke glanced up at him next.
Asmo blinked in surprise. “Wait, you mean you’ve never heard of it?”
Satan chuckled. “I feel like you’ve been here at RAD forever, Chise. But now that I think about it, I guess you really wouldn’t.”
“…I know you’re exchange students,” came a haughty voice from behind us, “but really. How could you not know something like that?”
For the third time, before I turned with Simeon, I was rolling my eyes.
Luke jumped. “Mephisto!”
“Well, look at that.” Simeon gave him his kindly smile. “It’s the demon of the hour! Hello there, Mephisto.”
Mephisto puffed out his chest. “Saw today’s RAD newspaper, did you? Just so you know, I was the editor in charge of that article.”
“…What a surprise,” I muttered.
“No one asked,” Satan said outright, almost making me splutter. Apparently the friendship wasn’t fully requited.
Mephisto cleared his throat. “Anyway–”
I nearly spluttered again. I would have gotten an earful on manners, and Mephisto had no problem snapping at the other brothers–
My eyes widened.
…Oh my stars. Ohhh my stars. Mephisto has a crush on my Satan.
I was almost wheezing. Simeon frowned down at me in concern as I fairly quivered under his arm in amusement, fighting a cackle. He leaned down, whispering, “Are you all right, sweetheart?”
MEPHISTO HAS A CRUSH ON MY SATAN, was what I wanted to blurt out to him.
But I let out a light cough instead.
“–I suppose I should take it upon myself to explain Devildom Felicity to you.” Mephisto turned with a sniff. “Come with me.”
Mephisto scowled at us. “When I said follow me, I meant the exchange students. Asmo, who said you could tag along.”
At that, I did let out a wheeze. Satan had not been included in the dismissal.
“Aww, come on!” Asmo gave him a bright smile. “It’s not like I have anything else going on right now.”
Satan shrugged. “And I’m only here because Asmo dragged me.
“…Chise?” Simeon whispered, as I nearly lost it entirely at Satan including himself in the diss anyway. “You sure you’re okay? Your face is a bit red. From coughing? Here, I’ve got some water in my bag.”
Luke tilted his head in confusion. “What’s the harm in them being here anyway?”
Mephisto sighed in exasperation. “…Fine, whatever. Here, take a look at this.”
“What’s this?” Luke frowned down at the paper Mephisto passed to him. “A copy of the RAD newspaper?”
Mephisto nodded. “That’s right. It’s a back issue where we reported on Devildom Felicity.”
–
“Going out of your way to do something nice for someone else.” Mephisto beamed around at us all. “That’s what Devildom Felicity is all about.”
“…Uh.” I raised my eyebrows at the usually-sour demon puffing out his chest again while mentioning being nice.
“It all started when Lord Diavolo was exposed to a similar concept in the human world,” Satan explained.
…Ah. That answered that. Mephisto's other crush was involved. Or, rather, the man he outright worshipped.
“One that left a deep impression on him,” Satan continued. “Ever since RAD’s founding, he’s urged students to make an effort to do nice things for others.”
“Ahhh.” Simeon nodded in understanding. “Come to think of it, the student handbook mentions that, doesn’t it?”
“The student handbook?” Asmo giggled. “Who reads the student handbook cover to cover? People don’t do that, silly Simmy!”
I snorted.
Satan rolled his eyes. “They do, in fact.”
“Wow, that’s pretty bad…” Luke shook his head. “Considering this is also your school…”
“Oh my! You mean I’m the only one who didn’t read my handbook?” Asmo rocked on his heels with a pretty smile. “Oopsies.”
Simeon chuckled. “So basically, Devildom Felicity is an event that Diavolo puts on at RAD as a way of encouraging students to do nice things for others? Do I have that right?”
Mephisto gave a curt nod. “Not just Lord Diavolo. He isn’t the only one who does something for the event.”
Satan nodded too. “As RAD’s most influential organization, the student council has to set an example for the entire student body. So we do something for Devildom Felicity as well.”
…I suddenly had a very bad feeling.
“Interesting. So, what sorts of things do you do, exactly?”
“Well, Beel was in charge last time,” Satan answered. “He made it so that everyone could eat for free at any Devildom restaurant for a limited time.”
I nodded. “Well, that tracks.”
“That sounds like a clear abuse of power to me,” Luke muttered.
Asmo shrugged. “Well, I guess that depends on how you look at it. Demons everywhere got to experience the joy of a good meal, which means the event was in the spirit of Devildom Felicity.”
“And the student council covered all of the costs incurred by the restaurants,” Satan added, “so the event was something that everyone got to enjoy.”
Mephisto nodded. “This is the RAD newspaper from the day of the event.”
Simeon took the newly offered paper, reading out loud for the rest of us. "Beelzebub Organizes Hugely Successful Devildom Felicity, Earns Rave Reviews All Around. I see. People got to enjoy a nice meal for free, and the restaurants were happy too because they didn’t lose any money in the process.”
“Yeah, and there was this one dish that everyone was just wild about,” came a wistful sigh from behind us. “I’ll never forget.”
“D’AAAAH!” Luke spun around. “…BEELZEBUB! Don’t sneak up on us like that! Are you TRYING to give me a heart attack?!”
I giggled. “Hey, Beelz.”
“Hi.” He smiled warmly. “Sorry. I was just walking down the hallway, and I heard all of you talking about food.”
Simeon nodded. “You said there was one dish that was especially popular, right? Now you’ve got me curious…”
Beel’s face turned pink, his eyes crinkling in their corners with his smile. “Yeah. The thick-cut giant Devildom slug sauté.”
“Wait, giant Devildom slug?” Luke made a noise of disgust. “You mean those slimy, smelly, mountain-sized things?!”
Beel was beaming now. And drooling. “Yeah. Those things.”
“Ugh, I think I’m going to be sick.”
“They don’t look like they’d taste good, but they do!” Beel protested in a show of rare passion. “Chise, what do you say we head out and grab some together sometime?”
“…I’ll consider it,” I said, with a bit of a tight laugh.
Asmo smirked. “Really? Because that’s not what the look on your face says…”
Beel, however, wiggled a bit on the spot. “Well, if you’re ever in the mood, just say the word.”
Asmo shook his head. “Aaaanyway, I’m sure the topic will be brought up in a student council meeting quite soon!”
I had a sinking feeling that I’d be around for that particular meeting…
“So tell me, who’s in charge of Devildom Felicity this time around?” Simeon asked of the council around us.
“Who do you think?” Satan smiled. “Beel did it last time, so the next in line is obviously…”
I snorted. "Belphie?"
“Exactly.” Satan sighed in relief. “Better him than me.”
I shook my head with an amused smirk. “I don’t know about that…” Not for everyone else, anyway.
Belphie. The youngest. The laziest. The brattiest. The most devious. The most manipulative. The most spoiled-rotten demon in existence–
…Well, maybe aside from Mephisto.
–Doing a solid act of kindness for all, out of the goodness of his little black heart.
Barbatos bowed low, hiding his breathlessness as he remained within the show of deep respect, as though prostrating. “I apologize deeply for my tardiness, Young Master. I feel much ashamed. I would understand completely if you wish me to tender my resignation over such a disgraceful act of unprofessionalism.”
Diavolo snorted. “In a mood today, are you? You’re on time, Barbatos.”
“A butler should never be just 'on time,' My Lord.”
The prince rolled his eyes. “Would you please straighten yourself before you topple over? If you don’t, I’ll start calling you what Chise calls Leviathan. What does she say again…? 'Don’t be such a Drama Llama'?”
Barbatos sighed as he did what was ordered of him.
Diavolo quirked an eyebrow. “I take it that Solomon’s been dragging you around on account of Simeon’s ‘situation'? I couldn’t find him this morning either.”
Barbatos huffed his disdain for his other master. “Of a sort...”
He despised lying. So much so that Barbatos, with his many secrets that necessitated the despicable habit, had long ago convinced himself that vagueness was entirely different from an outright lie. A separate category.
A compartmentalization.
A separation.
Besides, he had stood at Solomon’s side when he had carefully collected the morning dew from a crystal lily swaying in a southerly wind.
…So it was not a lie. Not really.
Diavolo snorted as he returned to the folder he held opened in his hand, shaking his head, none the wiser. “Well, here’s hoping it works out for both of them. Keep lending a hand now and then if he needs it. I wish I could say that it's unbelievable, but…”
Barbatos narrowed his eyes at the folder. “…That folder is not one of mine that I prepared for you today.”
Diavolo gave him a surly pout in the face of the deserved mistrust. “Actually, I’ll have you know that I’ve already completed all of today’s student council work.”
“Have you now?” Barbatos raised his brows in surprise. “Well then, good work, Young Master. I have prepared hellfire mushroom rolled cigar cookies to reward your efforts. It appears I shall have to fetch them for you early.”
Diavolo brightened at that. “Thank you, Barbatos. I sped my way through so that I could finally find the time to spend reading through this.”
Barbatos came closer to look down at the tidily bound papers. “…Ah, is that Chise’s report? The 'second edition'?”
He nodded. “Yes. It may not have been Chise’s actual trial, but I still wanted the report, after all. Since the original manuscript vanished, Chise went ahead and wrote a second version.”
Barbatos nodded too. “I heard that Mephisto tallied the results of the surveys again, and then gave them to Chise.”
Diavolo chuckled in amusement. “Convincing Mephisto to help must have been difficult indeed. Chise really is something.”
Only as difficult as mentioning your name, Barbatos thought.
“…What was that about Chise?”
“Ah, hello there, Lucifer!” Diavolo beamed at him as he strode into the council room, burdened by a stack of bookkeeping in his arms.
Lucifer nodded to him. “I’m done filing all of those documents. I’ll be getting a head start on these ones now. So, what do you think of the report?”
“Good question…” Diavolo looked down at the folder in his hand, resting his fingers on his lips. “Including the demon students sent to the human world and Celestial Realm, it seems that eighty percent of our exchange students are rather lukewarm on the subject, or even think that we’re doing something silly in seeking peace and harmony between the three worlds.”
“Eighty percent?” Lucifer snorted. “Well, that’s about what I expected.”
“Yes, but even so, they’re still willing to go along with my plan.” Diavolo grinned. “That’s a good sign!”
Lucifer shook his head.
Barbatos leaned down further, hands clasped behind his back. “I see that sixty percent of the student body has unfavourable opinions of the exchange students.”
Lucifer sighed. “Over half of the student body doesn’t like having them here? We certainly have a long way to go.”
“No need to be so negative!” Diavolo’s grin widened. “Look at it the other way around. That means forty percent like the exchange students, right? When you consider how things were when Chise first came here, that’s incredible! If we’d conducted the same survey even just a few months ago, I’m sure the results would’ve been different. We may have a long way to go, yes. But we’re definitely making progress! Now, all we have to do is keep up the good work!”
Lucifer’s expression became more and more exasperated the longer the pep-talk went on. “Honestly. Is your brain just hardwired to look on the bright side of things? Barbatos, perhaps you should convince your ‘Young Master’ to be more realistic about our current situation?”
Barbatos chuckled indulgently. “Perish the thought. A world leader’s focus must be on creating a brighter future for us all. You do not want to ruin that, do you?”
Lucifer sighed with a vexed shake of his head. “You really do have a soft spot for your boss, don’t you Barbatos… I see that I continue to be the singular voice of reason at this helm.”
“Well…” Barbatos smiled politely as the sound of the ring cut the conversation short, though amusement flashed in his eyes. “There is the bell for afternoon class. I shall have to take my leave of you both. I wish you luck with the Young Master, Lucifer; I suspect that there is a small stack of incomplete paperwork that can be found in the usual hiding spot, if you would not mind checking in my stead?”
Diavolo gulped.
Lucifer rolled his eyes, waving Barbatos off in dismissal. “I'll give him an earful ‘in your stead’ as well. Now, off with you. Stars forbid you be late for once in your life.”
From the expression on Barbatos’ face, Diavolo finally found the good sense not to chuckle at that.
“Chise.” Barbatos inclined his head as he joined me at my station; his expression was polite, but his eyes glinted with familiarity.
I smiled warmly at him, almost grinning, and trying not to wiggle my hips in excitement. “Professor Barbatos.”
He chuckled at my poorly disguised enthusiasm. “I believe this is the first time that we have been paired together for applied magical potions. I look forward to working with you.”
“I believe it’s kind of rare for a student to pair up with the teacher anyway.” My smile widened. “Even though I’m basically on probation here, I’m still excited.”
He tutted with a quirk of a smile. “Probation? Not so. Call it professional curiosity at this point. However, if we simply follow the instructions, then there should be no chance of failure.”
I pouted. “No faith in me that I haven’t followed instructions to the T in the past? I bake now and then too, you know. I can follow recipes.”
His eyes sparkled. “Of course; I intended no offence. Now, if we are done flirting, let us proceed carefully.”
I dipped my head with a blush.
The corners of his eyes lifted slightly. “Remember, ‘always in haste but never in a hurry’. Let’s begin.”
–
“…Next, please add one teaspoon of the red reagent and two teaspoons of the emerald one.” He nodded over my shoulder, standing close behind me with his hands clasped behind his back while he supervised me. “Thank you. You measured those properly?”
I looked over my shoulder with a scowl.
He chuckled again. “I am only teasing. Working with you makes for a very smooth process.”
“We’ll see what the finished product looks like,” I muttered. “Or, worse, what it does…”
“Should it still not go our way, I have already confidently concluded that the fault does not lie in your methods or process. You have not erred. As long as you keep that up, you shall receive full marks on this practical regardless of whatever phenomenon of interference disrupts the final product.” Barbatos glanced to the side. “In comparison…”
Mammon was wrinkling his nose over their own mini cauldron at the station next to ours. “…Hey, Levi. How come ours is a different colour to everyone else’s?”
“Because you’re just dumping things in without measuring them properly!” Levi snapped at him.
“…Are you sure it was a good idea to pair those two together?” I whispered to Barbatos. “Seriously, I’ve been considering petitioning Diavolo for a restraining order between them. Get the both of them in the same space and it just spells disaster.”
He tutted quietly in disapproval. “Better to allow them to sabotage each other rather than foisting them separately on their peers for two teams to sink. I think of it as containing chaos into a single point. Easier to quash one fire than leap between two.”
“I don’t know, Barbatos,” I muttered. “They say splitting a single atom can cause quite an explosion.”
“Aha… Let us hope it does not come to anything as dire as–"
“Aaaah!” Levi leapt back with a yell. “There’s smoke coming out!”
Both Barbatos and I sighed.
“Whoa, that’s pretty cool!” Mammon grinned as he rushed forward. “Lemme get a picture!”
“H-Hey, don’t push!”
“AH, WHOOPS!”
“Chise, watch out!”
The entire class turned with gasps of horror at the sound of the commotion – a cry of ‘ah, whoops!’ followed by a shout of warning from the professor was never a good sign in potions class – and we all stared in horror as our eyes locked on Barbatos, standing in front of me, his front covered in whatever the hell Levi and Mammon had concocted.
“BARBATOS!” I went to touch him, but he leapt back from me with a shake of his head.
Levi gulped audibly, eyes round. “Barbatos covered Chise at the last moment…”
Mammon even took a panicky step forward. “Barbatos! Are you okay?!”
“Ah…” Barbatos grimaced as he tested if their potion was failed.
…He failed to fail them.
“Uh-oh…” Levi muttered, hunching. “He can’t move his hands anymore…”
“Ya hear that?!” Mammon beamed between Levi and I. “The Great Mammon’s potion works!”
“MAMMON!” I snapped at him.
“You idiot!” Levi scolded too. “Are you soft in the head?! Look at what you’ve done!”
“Yes,” Barbatos sighed in despair, “this is quite a predicament. If I cannot use my hands, then how am I to serve Lord Diavolo?”
"That’s what you’re worried about?!” I was pulling on a thicker pair of enchanted gloves. “Oh, Barbatos…”
He blinked in confusion as he allowed me to unbutton his jacket. “Is there anything else?”
Mammon rolled his eyes. “Sheesh, talk about the perfect butler…”
“You!” I snapped at him again, before pointing to the floor. ”Stay!"
He shrieked as he was thrown to the ground.
“Ah…” Barbatos’ attention was drawn back to the class as titters of laughter rang out over Mammon’s humiliation. “Well, I suppose there is no helping it. We will need to get the janitorial team in here to handle the hazard.” He nodded around the room. “Class is dismissed, everyone please leave your cauldrons and ingredients where they are and vacate immediately. Please enjoy the rest of your afternoon.”
There were a bunch of whoops and hollers as people began to pack up their bags.
“Anyway…” Levi gave his brother that still squirmed on the floor a brief glance. “Now that Mammon’s been taken care of, there’s nothing else we can do but make an antidote.”
I reached for the recently familiar in my panicky confusion. “Couldn’t I just…?”
Barbatos tutted in fond amusement. “Come back from your shock, dear pupil. This is no enchantment or curse that you can break.”
I felt my face go crimson in embarrassment. “Oh… duh… sorry…”
While potions and spells could produce similar effects, spells could usually be countered with other spells, while potions usually needed to be countered with… other potions.
At least I wouldn’t be accused of conveniently forgetting that I could break curses this time as a way of letting Barbatos continue to publicly simp after me.
Barbatos shook his head in understanding, before looking down at his useless hands. “Never you mind. However, it will take an entire day to brew an antidote. It seems that I will have to spend the rest of the day like this.” He sighed. “It has already been a very long one. Why not make it longer.”
It wasn’t like him at all to let slip complaints, so him doing so plainly let me know the true depth of his distress. I sighed too as I carefully helped pull the sleeves of his jacket off from his arms. “Well, I would command Mammon to make it up to you, but…”
He gave a strained chuckle. “I would rather be without hands, truthfully. Quite literally, in this case.”
“I’ll help you however I can instead.” I shot a glare down at the source of the whimpering on the floor while I slid Barbatos’ jacket into one of the lab’s hazard bags. “Do you hear that, Mammon? I’m paying your debt, so now you owe me.”
He stopped his squirming with a groan. “Aww, why’s this shit always gotta happen to me…”
I threw my gloved hands up in the air. “I’d like to know the same thing!”
He was lucky that I loved him. And that he was mindblowingly good in bed when he made me super angry. Which was a lot.
A lot of make up sex.
“Thank you for carrying my bag, Chise,” Barbatos said quietly as we stepped into his room. He gave me what looked like a lightly apologetic smile. “I should be able to manage on my own from here.”
“Yeah, I don’t–“
”…Barbatos? Are you back? Could you bring some iced tea to my office?”
Barbatos straightened with a widening of his eyes, before he cleared his throat. “Of course, My Lord.”
“Barbatos!” I hissed. “Just tell him! He’s not a child!”
“Ah, actually…” He looked down at his hands again with a sigh. “I had replied on instinct. I had forgotten that I cannot use my hands…”
I shook my head in exasperation. “You’re getting no where like this tonight. I’ll make the iced tea.”
“I’m terribly sorry…”
“Barbatos…” I leaned up on my toes, brushing a kiss to his cheek, earning myself a little blush. I giggled. “I’ve been wanting to learn how you make your iced tea anyway.”
“Aha…” He dipped his head with a small smile. “In that case… To the kitchen we shall go.”
–
He leaned down with a light inhale of appreciation. “That fragrance is lovely. Let the tea leaves steep for a while longer, and then add the ice.”
I nodded as I gave the leaves a little poke with my teaspoon. “You’d said earlier that you were already having a long day. Is everything all right?”
“Ah? Oh, that is nothing.” He gave me a little smile. “I was only expressing a moment of frustration, nothing more. So now while we are waiting, let’s confirm our next tasks.” He turned to lean over his extensively-filled notes app that I’d left open for him on his D.D.D. “The first is managing Lord Diavolo’s schedule… Ah, Lord Diavolo seems to be neglecting his student council work.”
I snorted. “When isn’t he?”
He sighed in consternation. “Yes, quite. And made all the more painful to know that others have taken notice. Let’s remind him when we bring the iced tea.”
I waved my hand dismissively. “I’m not exactly ‘an other who has taken notice’. I do hang around you lot quite a bit, you know”
He chuckled softly. “And thank all that is good for that; your company is forever welcomed. Now, when we get a free moment, we need to buy groceries for dinner. I despite the idea of you carrying armloads of shopping at my side while I hold nothing at all, so perhaps if you would be kind enough to load a shoulder bag for me when the time comes? Ah, or we could recruit one of the Little D’s…” He nodded to the side. “The menu and shopping lists are in my notebook.”
I looked over to skim-read it in curiosity. “Mmm. I don’t need to ask if you made this menu.”
“Yes. These are all meals with good nutritional balance to ensure that Lord Diavolo doesn’t fall ill.”
I sighed in peckish longing. “It sounds lovely."
"I am certain that we–"
“Pardon me! Hope I’m not interrupting…”
I turned my head at the sound of Diavolo’s voice, and then sighed at the sight of him walking in with his hands over his eyes, grinning teasingly.
I turned pink with embarrassment. “Hah-hah, very funny, Diavolo…”
He snickered.
Barbatos had straightened into immediate professionalism. “Young Master. The iced tea will be ready short–"
“It’s not that,” he cut him off, lowering his hands with a shake of his head. “I heard about the shackling potion from Mammon. So, I came to make the tea myself. However, you seem to be having fun in here with Chise.”
“F-Fun…?” Barbatos’ cheeks turned an even brighter shade of pink than my own as he pointedly did not look at me. “Young Master, nothing could be f-further from my mind…”
Diavolo burst out into laughter, with me almost following suit myself at the look on Barbatos’ face, despite the both of us being the butt of the joke. “Hahahaha! It’s fine! And you don’t need to worry about dinner, either.”
“Young Master?”
–
Barbatos came to an abrupt halt in his shock. “This is…!”
Diavolo chuckled at his side. “A rather splendid meal, isn’t it?”
“My Lord…?”
He clapped his large hand on the slimmer man’s shoulder. “Please, consider it a small token of my appreciation for the work you do. I also owe Chise for helping you out today.”
I was grinning ear-to-ear as I steered Barbatos towards the table.
Diavolo gave him a sympathetic look. “However, you can’t use a knife and fork like that, can you Barbatos?”
“Oh, no worries!” I pulled Barbatos’ plate towards me. “I’ll cut it up and feed it to you.”
“Chi…” Barbatos went red at Diavolo’s snickering. I, too, realized too late that we had just been set up for this.
Ah, well. Barbatos needed to eat.
And it’s not like Barbatos was going to open up wide for Diavolo to feed him.
I also grinned at the lack of Little D’s that were usually a bit underfoot around dinner time.
He cleared his throat lightly, nearly hiding his face behind his fringe with how he tucked his chin down a bit in his embarrassment. “…If you would be so kind…”
My expression softened as I looked at him. He was a mix of the two of him. Barbatos was at his cutest when he was struggling to keep his True Self from peeking out through the Impeccable Steward exterior.
“Hello, Barbatos,” I whispered with a teasing smile as I lifted the fork to his lips.
He quirked a brow in confused question, but he had already taken his bite before he could ask. He covered his lips behind his unbending fingers to hide his sweet smile. “…Mmm. It’s delicious. Ah.” He cleared his throat again, turning to face his Lordship. “My deepest thanks, Young Master.”
“Hahaha!” Diavolo leaned back with a grin. “I’m almost jealous of how well you two get along!”
“Ahhh…” Barbatos was bright red again, and his hair fell even further across his face. “I apologize for this disgraceful sight.”
Diavolo shook his head, eyes fond. “Why? Watching the two of you makes me happy.”
I snorted. “You’re the worst, you know?”
Barbatos gave an embarrassed chuckle. “I suppose I’ll just have to endure it until the antidote is ready tomorrow…”
“…Yeah, but it’s strange though, don’t you think?”
“Oh.” I sat up straighter to crane my head. “I was just wondering where you were, Number Two.”
Barbatos inclined his head towards the devil-fae creature that bounced into the room. “Whatever do you mean, Little D Number Two?”
“It’s just that… surely you don’t need to wait for the antidote?” It turned its goopy little body to face Diavolo with its horrifyingly pointy smile. "You have the power to break magic like this in a jiffy, don’t ya Lord Diavolo? I bet if you tried, you might be able to do it! Being the Demon King’s own son and all!”
“…Heh.”
Barbatos turned his face back to his Lord slowly. “…Young Master?”
I raised my eyebrow at him. "Lord Diavolooooo?"
But he was beaming at us shamelessly. “Aww, come on, no need to sound so much like Lucifer! Yes, sure, I can dispel the potion’s effects, but it’s such a treat watching the two of you have fun together with your relationship a bit more out in the open! Don’t you both agree?! I can tell you from my own experience–”
Barbatos tutted dangerously with a narrowing of his eyes. “Young. Master.”
Diavolo pouted in an eyelash-batting simper. “I was only doing it for youuuu…”
“How unlikely! And it is one thing to pull such a childish prank on myself, but another thing entire to involve Chise for as many hours as you have. Were you truly intending on allowing for this farce to continue on into tomorrow when the antidote became ready?” Barbatos sighed in exasperation as he turned to me with earnestness in his eyes. “My Lady, I apologize sincerely on behalf of us both for the waste of your afternoon and evening. I should have realized.”
I snorted, smirking as I crossed my arms over my chest while I leaned back in smug satisfaction. “Hmmm… How convenient that you hadn’t. My, my. Is anyone else in here getting a strong sense of déjà vu, or is it just me?
Eyes widening, he turned another pretty shade of pink, mouth opening and closing in protest.
My smirk deepened. Hello, Barbatos.
Diavolo burst out into another round of merry laughter.
–
“Ah…” Barbatos sighed in relief as he flexed his fingers in front of him.
I smiled. “Feeling better?”
“Yes, the magic is worn off.” Barbatos sighed again. “I am recovered completely. Finally, I can serve Lord Diavolo again. I shall need to take care of tomorrow’s schedule, then I need to answer the mail that came yesterday and sort out the paperwork in the office. Ah, I have so much to d–"
I stopped him with the fork I held to his lips, giggling. “Not before you eat your dinner.”
In his surprise, he obediently opened his mouth to take the morsel daintily, before slapping his hand over his mouth in realization that he had just done so.
Diavolo chortled behind his own hand, earning himself another scathing glare from his steward.
I gave him a meaningful look while Barbatos chewed slowly through his embarrassment. “You know he’s not going easy on you for the next month at least, right?”
Diavolo winked. “He can consider it payback for getting caught snogging in my kitchen. How about we all just consider ourselves even? Let bygones be bygones.”
My face was bright red as I pinched at the bridge of my nose, with my eyes shut tight in embarrassment. “...Fair enough.”
As for his reply, if I hadn’t known any better, I might have mistaken the noise that Barbatos made in his throat for an actual growl.
I smothered a giggle. But of course I knew better than to believe that.
Luke: I’m on shopping duty today, right?
Luke: I’m heading out now. Let me know if you want anything.
Simeon: There are quite a few things I need.
Simeon: So I’ll go with you.
Luke: Are you sure?
Simeon: Yep!
Solomon: Wait wait!
Luke: Huh?
Solomon: I also need to pick up a few things, so I’ll tag along too.
Solomon: It’s more fun to go shopping as a group anyway!
Luke: Then what’s the point of assigning shopping duty?
Luke: Still, if you guys want to come that badly, I won’t stop you!
Luke: Let’s all go together.
Simeon: 🥰
Solomon: 😊
After Barbatos had insisted on clearing the table of dinner, brewed too much tea, and then began to openly fret over his workload by listing it all off out loud, I’d made my excuses to Diavolo while my silly partner bustled distractedly in Butler Mode once more. I was relegated to guest status again, and I was causing him more work with him feeling like he had to wait on me as such. I suspected it was going to be a late night for him while he got himself caught up, if not a full all-nighter.
But as I turned towards the large and imposing doors to leave the Demon Lord’s Castle for the evening, I felt a gentle tug on my hand stop me.
“…You are going the wrong way."
I looked over my shoulder in surprise.
“My Lady Chise…” Barbatos lifted my hand to brush a kiss to my knuckles, eyes locking to mine as he gave me a soft smile. "My bedroom is this way, if you’ll remember."
I smiled shyly at the directness of his gaze, feeling a rush of heat hit my cheeks – and more still that pooled low in my belly. I stepped closer, lacing my fingers through his.
He chuckled as he led me away by my hand.
I guess I could hold a little bit of gratefulness in my heart for Diavolo’s ‘prank’.
Notes:
Barbatos’ Devilgram: A Butler’s Day Off (OG)
Chapter 37: Chapter 73: Insomnia & Narcolepsy
Notes:
Okay, so, I went through the in-game chats last night and realized to my horror that I had not been putting the main story chapter texts in my fic in acts 3 and 4. So I spent some time writing those up and shoving them into previous chapters. Obvs I’ll add the remainder into the chapters we still have left to go, but I ALSO wrote a bunch of chats myself, soooo that’s why there are way more text messages. Including, like, just little slice-of-life moments between characters, since there's so many now. 😮💨
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“It’s about DAMN TIME! Where’ve ya BEEN?!”
“WH?!” I slapped my hand over my thundering heart with a sharp gasp, only avoiding an outright shriek because I’d been trying so hard to be quiet already as I slipped through HOL’s front door. “…MAMMON! Don't you know that the saying 'giving someone a heart attack' comes from HUMANS HAVING ACTUAL HEART ATTACKS?"
He froze. “…Are ya havin' a heart attack?!"
"Not THIS time!" I sighed. "Anyway, it's four in the morning! What are you even doing up?”
Assured of my health and safety, he scowled as he rested his fists on his hips. “You’ve been gone all night for like, what, the last four days this WEEK! I’ve been goin’ to your room every night, but findin’ it empty!”
"Oh no..." My expression softened. "Mammon, have you been missing me?"
He growled low. "I didn't say that! No puttin’ words into my mouth!"
"I know," I cooed consolingly, going to him. "I just knew that you missed me through our undeniable psychic link of love…"
He narrowed his eyes at me as he let me rest my palm on his chest. “…You think you're bein' real cute about this, huh wife?"
I smirked at him. "Why don't you show me just how cute you think I am in your room?"
The moment those words left my mouth, I was squealing as I was picked up in his arms with another throaty growl, to be dragged off to do just that.
I really hadn’t been getting much sleep lately.
Raph: I apologize for what happened yesterday.
Simeon: What do you mean?
Raph: You didn’t get a chance to have any of the dessert that Solomon made, did you?
Raph: I have to say, I never expected to be treated to such delicious cooking here in the Devildom.
Raph: I’m sorry for not sharing with you.
Simeon: Actually, I feel like I owe you a debt of gratitude… 😵💫
Raph: ?
Simeon: Anyway, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it.
Raph: I also want to offer a second apology, through Confession.
Simeon: Goodness. 🤔 What other sins could you have possibly committed against me, Raphael?
Raph: Perhaps envy.
Simeon: Ah, I was just kidding… 😩
Simeon: Envy, huh?
Simeon: Well, it's been a long time since I've taken a Confession, but... Please, go ahead.
Raph: I’ve always assumed that the famed sorcerer Solomon was a shady character, and I held deep reservations over your friendship with him, as well as his corrupting influence over you... I blamed him for much. But I’ve come to see him in a new light.
Raph: His support of you has been admirable, and I’ve come to feel relieved that you have that.
Simeon: Well, I’m glad to hear that.
Simeon: For my part, I feel as though our saviour has finally arrived. 😮💨
Raph: ?
Simeon: On that topic, I have a question for you.
Raph: By all means.
Simeon: Have you formed an opinion on Chise as well…?
Raph: We have not spoken as much, but,
Raph: I passed unfair judgment based on rumours and assumptions alone. I'll be reflecting on this.
Raph: I’m beginning to see why you are very happy with both of them at your side, Simeon.
Raph: Congratulations. I’m happy for you.
Simeon: Thank you, Raphael. That means a lot.
Simeon: You're an amazing angel, you know?
Raph: I don't know about that.
Simeon: I'll believe in it for you, then.
Raph: Thank you, Simeon.
Raph: ...And my atonement?
Simeon: Just let Michael know that I'm happy.
Raph: I can do that.
It’s not that Belphie wasn’t kind. Because he was actually really, really kind. Or, well, he understood what kindness was, and if he chose to be kind, he really was very kind. He’d complete the act of kindness, seeing it to the end.
It was just that, if he chose to be kind, or if it was demanded of him…
Belphie gave a nod to signal his start, proposal in hand. “So, I’ve been thinking about what to do for Devildom Felicity, and I have an idea. How about this… I call it the Siesta System" He quirked a cute little smile. “In the human world they have this custom where people take an afternoon nap called a ’siesta,’ right? Well, I’ve been thinking…” His face fell into a cute little look of sadness that had just a small touch of pathetic-ness to it.
…he liked to benefit from his efforts as well.
“Sometimes it’s hard to stay focused during afternoon classes. To make it easier for students to concentrate, we could extend our lunch break so there’s enough time for a nice, relaxing nap. Then everyone would show up to class ready to learn once–"
“Out of the question,” Lucifer sighed with heavy exasperation, pressing his fingers to his temples.
Belphie glowered. “…I’m still not done with my presentation, Lucifer.”
“You’re just hoping for some extra nap time.”
Belphie shrugged, nonchalant. He’d been called out; but of course, it’s not like he had been trying to hide it, or anything of the sort. He was just being cute about it, that’s all. Thanks for noticing. “That’s true, but still.”
No time, effort, nor energy wasted. Two birds, one stone. One happy for thee, one happy for me. Sharing was caring. After all, as long as the other person got the warm and fuzzies, what did the ulterior motivation behind it matter? It was nice to feel good, when dishing out the good. It was all about the endorphins in the end. It was practical. It just made sense.
So, to put it mildly, hell had a better chance of freezing over than Belphie being kind in a selfless sort of sense. But I guess that wasn’t strictly against the rules. Beel had, after all, been lauded for his all-you-can-eat Felicity Day.
“Ahahaha!” Diavolo boomed in delight. “I love how honest you are, Belphegor.”
Lucifer shot him his Look next. “This is no laughing matter, Diavolo. We have a deadline to meet.”
“Tch.” Belphie tapped the papers in his hand on the table to straighten them. “Before you can make others happy, I think you need to be happy yourself.”
Diavolo nodded. “Yes, I agree with you on that point. I like your approach. It’s not bad! I look forward to seeing what else you come up with.”
A soft rejection.
“Wh…”
“Come back when you have something better,” Lucifer added dryly. "Much better."
Belphie did not get his way in that meeting, so I knew he was going to be a surly little shit, shut up in his attic to pout while he waited for someone to go comfort him.
“Hi Belphie,” I whispered fondly, as I brushed a kiss to his cheek.
“Mmm...?” His eyes cracked open as he held his favourite cow-patterned pillow tighter to his chest, curling around it in a ball. I watched as his eyes slowly focus into half-wakefulness, before sliding to peek at the sigh of my smiling face from the corner of them. “…Chise?”
I sighed, amused as I rolled over onto my side to cuddle up to him.
“Have you come to tell me dinner’s ready…?” he mumbled, chapped lips muffled from their press to his pillow. “It’s already dinner…?”
“Mhmm. And you need to drink extra water, mister. So many naps means you have fewer hours in the day for your full eight glasses.” I rubbed a fingernail against his cheek, making him frown. “See? Your skin is all flaky again, and your lips are chapped.”
“You sound like Asmo,” he muttered. And then watched as I reached behind me to place his cow-patterned water bottle within reach. “…Thanks.”
“Lost track of time again, I see.”
He sighed as he pulled his water bottle into his nest. “I’ve been so zoned out that I lost track of time.”
“Something on your mind?” …As if I didn’t already know.
“Mm…” He curled tighter for a moment, before releasing with a sigh, stretching out slowly like a cat. “...Mind if I talk to you about it?”
My heart warmed. I liked being talked to. “Of course, Belph.”
–
And so, he sighed, his head now resting in my lap while I sat with my legs crossed. “I have to admit, I found their response a little irritating. …Eh, but even so.”
He chewed on his chapped lip a little bit, before shooting me a glare when I plucked his bottom lip free with a light pinch of my fingers. I smirked at him, and he mock-chomped at my fingers in response.
He sighed again after I waited a bit longer. “After everything we’ve been through, I sort of see Lord Diavolo in a different light now. I guess I have a bit more respect for him than I used to.” He smiled sweetly up at me. “And more importantly, I see how hard you’ve been working to clear your trials, Chise. So I can’t just sit back and phone this in. That would be lame of me, right?”
“Belphie…” I smiled back as I brushed his messy mope of hair away from his face.
Belphie could be really, really kind.
He rolled onto his back, reaching up to touch my face. “I honestly don’t want to do this, but I think I need to take it a little more seriously. You know, put some real thought into it. For you.”
I hummed teasingly. “Hell hasn’t frozen over yet, Belphie. You beat it out.”
He narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean?”
I giggled. “I love this side of you.”
Belphie could be really, really kind, when he loved me.
“Psshh…” He smirked as he pushed his fingers to my jaw to turn my face playfully. “…In that case, I feel like it’s going to be worth putting extra effort into this.”
If he wasn’t going to do it for the good of the student body, he may as well still do it for someone.
A little blush crept along his cheeks. “…I want you to love me even more than you already do, Chise.”
I giggled again. There it was. His personal reward.
His smirk widened into a grin. “So, stay here and watch me do this, okay? I want you right by my side.”
“Belphie,” I murmured, curling forward to lean down towards him, “I love you so much that it already drives me crazy.”
“Guess you’ll just have to descend into the darkness along with me,” he murmured back, before meeting my kiss.
“…They’ll miss us at dinner,” I whispered with a smirk as I pulled away from him trying to deepen the kiss greedily. “After, okay?”
“Mmm, dessert…”
“Pff… That was so lame.”
“Hehe… You liked it.”
Satan visibly started, as though he had just run into a ghost.
“Oh, are you on breakfast duty today, Satan?” Belphie smiled at him, scratching at his cheek. “Good morning.”
“Belphie…” Satan blinked his wide eyes. “You’re awake?! What’s going on here?!” He swivelled his head around. “Is every clock in the house broken? And it’s already time for class to start? Did I sleep in? Or wait, is this a dream?!”
Belphie’s smile fell into a flat look. “No, the clocks aren’t broke, it’s not time for class, and you’re not dreaming. I’m just having trouble sleeping. I keep thinking about what to do for Devildom Felicity.”
“…Yo, mornin’– WHAAAAA?!”
“Hold on…!” Asmo gawked from around Mammon’s shoulder. “BELPHIE’S here?! Even though it’s morning?! Am I hallucinating? Oh stars, it is morning still, right?!”
Levi gasped as he came to an abrupt halt in the dining room’s doorway. “…Suddenly I can see things that should be impossible! Could it be that my latent superpowers are finally starting to awaken?! Ooh, my right hand, it’s… tingling with power!”
Belphie glowered at all of them. “Come on, this isn’t that shocking. Enough with the theatrics. You’re just being insulting at this point.”
It was at that moment that I walked into the dining room, before halting in shock. “…BELPHIE’S AWAKE?!”
“Oh for…” He sighed. “Hell’s sake, Chise, not you too…”
“Hey there, Chise!” Solomon slid into the seat on the bench beside me, leaning to give me a kiss on my cheek. “Good morning!”
“Good morning to you,” I said with a smile. I was happy that he’d been seeking me out a bit more.
“What’s this?” He blinked as he leaned forward to the demon who was face-down on the table on my other side. “Belphegor beat me to school again today? And here I was thinking I was early…” He laughed at Belphie’s light snore. “This feels weird. I just can’t get used to it.”
I shook my head as I looked over at him too. “I have a feeling it’s just a temporary thing.”
He tapped his chin. “I don’t know. I feel like it might be becoming a habit, and he’s just going to keep doing this.”
“I kind of hope not…”
“Heh. You really have a soft spot for him in particular, hm?”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re not jealous, are you? Don’t worry, Sol. If I didn’t have a soft spot for you as well, you’d be dead already.”
He gave me a flirty little smirk as a non-reply. “Everyone has been starting to talk, you know? They’ve noticed Belphegor’s been showing up awfully early, and they’re wondering what’s going on.”
“Geez, stick a church down in the middle of this place and we’d have ourselves a small town with the way the rumours fly…”
He smirked. “Let’s hope that doesn’t happen. A church might just explode on the spot down here.”
“Pff…”
He shook his head as he returned his attention to my eepy demon. “I mean, normally he’d take any chance he could get to grab some extra nap time, right? He’s… Sloth.”
I tutted. “That’s not all they are, Solomon.”
“Mhmm.” He waved a dismissive hand with a wink. “Well, I guess it just means he must be taking this Devildom Felicity thing really seriously. You think everything’s all right with him?”
I reached over to pet at his head. “Nope. Fairly certain he’s not having a great time. But what’s with the concern, anyway? You’re not exactly friends, as far as I’m aware.”
“Hmph… Well, I wouldn’t mind before friends. But I don't think Belphegor likes me very much."
"Pff. He just doesn't trust easily. Don't worry about it.” I shook my head. “Or, you know, stop sidling over to him for a pact as well. He’s, like, the second-most-common of the brothers that you ask. That’s not exactly fostering trusting friendship.”
He sighed. "The very least he could do is trust that I have your best interests at heart!"
I raised my eyebrows. "Does anyone trust you at all?”
He smirked. "Surely you?"
"I shall let you squirm over my refusal to answer."
"Hmph!" He pouted. "I see you're still holding grudges... Whatever happened to unconditional forgiveness in love? Don't you love meeeee?"
I giggled. "I think it died out when women were granted the right to divorce? And when have I ever said that I forgive you in the first place? For anything." I smirked as his pout deepened. “Anyway, I’m pretty glad that a pact between the two of you is completely out of the question. You two are both kind of deviously off your rockers. Very unpredictable. No where would be safe…”
“Wh?! You wound me…” He sighed. “Completely out of the question, huh? And no where would be safe…?” He shot Belphie, who now had a little puddle of drool forming under his cheek, a sly glance. “Even more tempting. Better fix whatever’s going on, Chise, before I have to swoop in to save the daaaay…”
“Do him dirty like Asmo, and I will usurp you as protector of the human race. Starting with your homicide.”
He smothered a cackle behind his hands. “Oof! I was just kidding!”
“I do not believe you.” I wagged my finger at him. “Don’t cross me. I’m so serious on that.”
He sighed dreamily. “Crushed by one's pinky… That’s the way to go about it.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “…Huh?”
“Heehee. Nothing. Ooh-ooh, there’s Simeon! And Raphael!” He waved at them. “Over heeeere!”
Simeon, of course, brightened immediately. But I frowned, now just straight-up bewildered as Raphael raised his hand to return my Solomon’s friendly greeting, before joining us entirely. At least he gave sleeping Belphie his small smile, too.
Barbatos: Chise, before you leave, could you come to the council room?
Chise: That depends. Are you going to confess your love to me?
Barbatos: Only if you want me to.
Diavolo: 🤣🤣🤣
Chise: UHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH????!!!!!
Chise: I THOUGHT THIS WAS MY REGULAR CHAT WITH BARBATOS I’M SO SORRY DIAVOLO.
Diavolo: 😹😹😹 Ohh that was so cute. Consider my day made.
Barbatos: 😊
Chise: …😖😖😖😖😖😖
Chise: Uggghhh…
Chise: Sooooo… You were saying…?
Barbatos: Actually, Luke and I did some baking yesterday.
Barbatos: Since I was teaching him as we went along, we ended up making a little too much.
Barbatos: We thought you could take some back with you to the House of Lamentation.
Chise: 🤤 Ohhhh. Absolutely.
Diavolo: I promise you that you will not be disappointed. It’s simply divine.
Barbatos: You are too kind, sir.
Diavolo: Though I’ll make sure to give the council room a wide berth while you two kids meet up. 🤣
Chise: 😖
Barbatos: 😮💨
“…So, I ended up ordering a giant stack of pies and eating them all right there,” Beel recounted to me excitedly as we walked the streets on the way home, his puppyishness at his own story making me giggle. “Hey, do you remember the name of that place, Belphie?”
I frowned at his twin’s silence, and at how Belphie dragged his feet oddly. “Belphie…?”
“Oh…” Beel’s face turned serious. “He fell asleep while walking. No one’s going to be able to wake him up now.” He gave me a reassuring little smile. “Don’t worry. He has a strange ability to make it home safely, even while asleep.”
“If you say so… I’ve never seen him like this before…”
He nodded. “As long as we keep an eye on him, he’ll be–“
“Oh, Belphie, look ou–"
I’d made a little half-hearted grab, and if he had been awake, my warning would have reached his ears in time for a reaction.
My reaction had been based on him being awake. I’d forgotten, just in time for him to walk straight into a bistro’s A-frame sign.
“Whoa!” Beel grabbed him up under his arms, blinking down at him.
“Oh, Beel, great catch.” I sighed as I inspected him. “Do you think he’s okay…?”
Beel was frowning. “That’s really weird, actually… Usually he moves out of the way of stuff like that even when he’s asleep. He must be really tired… Now I’m worried.”
“Belphie, baby…” Now that the top of his head was low enough for me to see, I had to sigh. “Oh, look at all that dandruff in your hair, sweetie… You’re raining snowflakes on your shoulders…”
“…Nngg…” He sighed as he went limper against Beel, forehead falling forward against his chest.
Beel’s face had fallen considerably. “I’ll carry him the rest of the way…”
I patted his arm. “It’s okay, Beelz. The Felicity-whatever only lasts so long. I’ll get this mangy, bedraggled cat into an oatmeal-and-epsom-salt bath, and then we’ll go from there to get him through this intact.”
Beel gave me a sweet smile. “Now you sound just like Asmo. That’s really cute, Chise. Thanks for always looking out for him.”
I blushed a bit as I smiled back, watching on with fondness as he hoisted him over his shoulder. I really was going to soak this kitty, even if I had to dump his skinny naked ass in personally. “You’re an amazing brother as well, Beel. I don’t know what he’d do without you.”
He blushed as he leaned to kiss my cheek. I caught another with my lips, before taking his free hand in my own.
Asmo: Simeon’s amazing.
Satan: What’s this now?
Asmo: I noticed something when I saw him with Luke just now.
Asmo: When Simeon walks with Luke, it’s as if he purposely matches his stride.
Levi: Srsly? I didn’t notice that.
Satan: Now that you mention it, I suppose he does.
Asmo: Simeon’s tall with long legs, so you’d expect him to walk more rapidly.
Asmo: But he was strolling along slowly, smiling and chatting with Luke.
Satan: ...I suppose he’s probably the perfect gentleman type in his relationships...
Levi: Srsly…
Asmo: Oooh, now that you mention it, I just realized that he must do it with Chise as well! Isn’t that cute?!
Satan: 😒
Levi: 😒
Asmo: What?!
Chise: Hey, love. ❤️
Chise: I keep meaning to ask you, but I haven’t been able to get you alone.
Chise: How did your first session with Barbatos go?
Chise: Not that you have to tell me any details! I just wanted to check in.
Satan: I didn’t realize that you were looking for time alone with me.
Satan: I’d very much like to make time for that.
Chise: Then let’s do that soon please. 🤭
Chise: Would you rather talk about it in person? Or not at all?
Satan: No, no. I mean, yes, I’m sure we’ll talk about it more in person. But to summarize, you were right about the first session leaving one feeling quite raw.
Chise: Yeah… But it’s a necessary first step, I promise. Though the first few might be more of the same.
Satan: I’m hoping not. Like I said, it was rather painful.
Chise: Oh, Satan… I’m so sorry… It really should get easier eventually. I’m here for you if you need me.
Satan: Ah, I didn’t mean to worry you. Don’t worry, the muscle soreness and bruises will be gone well before the next session. Demons heal much faster than humans, after all.
Chise: ………What?
Satan: What?
Chise: Muscle soreness? Bruises?
Satan: Yeah, a few scrapes too. ‘Raw’.
Chise: What in the nine fucking hells HAPPENED?!
Satan: ⁇
Satan: Well, you were right. Barbatos was a good choice. There’s not many who can subdue me, but don’t worry, he went easy enough for my survival, so there’s no permanent damage or anything. And even as sore as I am, I’ll keep sticking with it. Just like I promised.
Satan: We agreed on meeting somewhere with a padded room sort of setup, though. It was quite a mess.
Chise: Oh my GOD!!!!
Chise: 🤬
Satan: Hmm? What’s up?
Satan: Is everything okay?
Chise: I really am a human living amongst demons.
Satan: 🤨 Hmm? Is something wrong?
Satan: Did something happen where you are?
Satan: Don’t tell me Levi summoned Lotan again.
Satan: I really will fucking kill him this time if he did.
Satan: If he hurt my books…
Chise: …Yeah, no. It’s definitely NOT Levi.
Chise: Where are you? I’m coming over with a healing spell.
Satan: Hah. Because you’re the healing spell? How cute. Cheesy little flirt.
Satan: Maybe you’ll kiss them all better while your spell is cast from your lips? I’ll warn you, they’re all over.
Satan: Well, they’re really very minor injuries… But I guess I don’t mind, if it means being healed by your gorgeous self.
Satan: I’ll hurry home right now. Be there ASAP, dove.
Satan: 😊😘
Chise: 😒
Chise: Barbatos, my love.
Chise: Therapy doesn't usually result in violence. 😭
Barbatos: Chise, my heart.
Barbatos: Does it not…? 😇
Chise: No! It doesn't!
Barbatos: As you know, I am not supposed to disclose what occurs in our sessions.
Barbatos: But as Satan seems to have disclosed on this particular matter already... Just this once, my dearest, I remind you that you have tasked me with counselling the embodiment of Wrath himself.
Barbatos: We have simply established my authority. Now, after laying out clear boundaries, rules, and expectations, as well as how they shall be enforced, we may move forward.
Barbatos: 🐶
Chise: He's not a dog, Barbatos.
Barbatos. Then he should not act like one. 😊🐾
Chise: Touché…
Chise: …You’re actually enjoying this.
Barbatos: I may as well have fun with my assignment.
Chise: 😭 You’re not supposed to have FUN beating up your ‘assignments’!
Chise: …Or beating them up at ALL!!!!!
Barbatos: Oh…
Barbatos: 😇 I am learning.
Chise: I really am a human living amongst demons…
Barbatos: Quite so. 😊
“…I see.” Lucifer smiled at me, eyes soft. “So, that’s why you came to see me?”
He’d never admit it, but he adored it. That he got to play his support role in the background, doting on his brothers without acknowledgment. It was his way.
Especially when it came to Belphie, who he had a softer spot in his heart than the rest.
I nodded as I cuddled up closer to him. “I’m worry about him.”
He sighed. “You’re free to worry all you want, but you’re not to help him. This is Belphie’s task to complete.”
“Whaaat?” I looked up at him in confusion. “He asked me to be by his side… It’s not like anyone would find out… I don’t even understand why it can’t be a co-op thing with the council anyway–“
He shook his head. “‘By his side’ is not the same as ‘helping him directly’. I don’t believe that’s what he asked you for.”
There was a soft sternness there. A chiding, that I hadn’t thought of that. I wilted a bit in his arms.
He tsked as he cupped the back of my head to him. “None of that sulking. You might not be able to help him directly, but even so, there are things that only you can do for him, Chise. He’s not going to come up with any good ideas if he keeps obsessing over this. So, why don’t you force him to take a break?”
I smiled into his chest. “Mmhm. I knew it. You really are worried about him, huh?”
He snorted. “Are you poking fun at me right now? I see you like playing with fire.”
I turned my face up at him, blinking prettily.
He chuckled fondly as he placed a finger under the bone of my chin to tilt my head up further. “Well, there’s a punishment for getting cheeky with me like that.”
“Oh no,” I murmured, smiling under the warmth of his gentle breath on my face. “…But what about you, Lucifer?”
“Hmm…? Meaning?” He raised his eyebrows at me. “Bold of you to suggest that I be the one punished, when you came to me.”
My smile softened as I shook my head. “No, about what you said… That there are things that only I can do for Belphie.” I reached to rest my fingers on his cheek. “What about you…?”
He quirked a teasing eyebrow. “You mean, what it is that only I can do for… Belphie?”
I scrunched my nose at him.
He chuckled again. “It means a great deal already that you came to me, lamb. That’s what you give me.”
“Is that what you need? …Or want?”
“Hmm? What a strange question.” He frowned as he tilted his head in consideration. “Ah, I see. A relationship-building exercise, is it? Well, I can assure you that the two words mean quite the same to me.”
“Are you sure about that…?”
He huffed in amusement. “What is this about, exactly?”
He said that I'd won you. Your heart. That you will always love me more than him. And there is nothing that neither he nor I could do to change that. That I'm the better man... who's more deserving of you.
“I just want to treat you right,” I whispered in anxious insecurity.
He quirked another eyebrow at me, clearly bemused. “What an odd thing to say… Human minds really are unfathomable sometimes.”
“So you’re saying that the concept of wanting to treat me right is unfathomable to you?”
He narrowed his eyes in momentary silence, and then harrumph’d.
“Soooo, it’s not about you being a demon, and me a human. It's concept that somebody might want to treat you–"
“That’s enough, duck,” he murmured. “I know what people say about me; though don’t get the wrong idea, I’m perfectly content for people to believe that I’m ‘unknowable' and ‘unapproachable'. It serves me.” He shook his head. “But my appetites are quite simple, really. All I want from you, and need from you, is you.”
I slid my fingers into his hair, the tips of them running along his scalp. He blinked slower at my touch.
He said that you had once told him that I was far more important to you than he would ever be.
...And there is nothing that neither he nor I could do to change that.
I made another pass of my fingers through his hair. “Lucifer…”
“Mmm?”
“I love you…”
He gave me a soft smile, subconsciously leaning more firmly into my touch with a tilt of his head. "I know what you're trying to do. But it warms me to be needed by you, Chise. That it’s my strength you seek to support you in the face of your more difficult obstacles. It’s fulfilling, to be given such a purpose.”
I shook my head. “But–"
“Like I said, I’m a simple man. And a busy one, who respects that you’re kept busy as well. You run this household at my side, after all, and your consistent reliability fills me with pride.” He chuckled wryly. “Not to mention relief. After all, before your arrival, I had to have six eyes trained on my brothers at all times, but had to manage with my two. My dear, I don’t need very much from you to cherish you. You make it easy for me to love and admire you.” His expression grew fonder, eyes relaxing while he held mine in his gaze. “All I need from you is your need for me.”
I shook my head again, more firmly. "And what I need from you is for you to know that even if I didn’t need you like I do – and I do – I'd still want you." I made another gentle pass through his hair, earning another soft blink. "I'd still come looking for you in your office, to sit in your lap... So that I can kiss you, and talk to you, and run my fingers through your hair. Because I don't just love you. I like you, too."
He huffed softly in indulgence, though there was a flicker of surprise that passed through his eyes. "Is that so…?"
“I really mean that… Maybe it doesn’t mean as much to you, maybe my ‘need’ for you is more important and meaningful to you, but that’s how I feel. I need you. And I want you. And I love you. And I like you. I choose you.”
“Hmm. Well aren’t you a gushy one tonight?” He chuckled quietly, but he couldn’t stop the blush from touching his cheeks. “It’s been a long time since anyone has said that they 'like’ me."
I hummed softly. “You know, if you’re still not convinced, I’d like to spend the night in your room… to show you just how much I like you.”
“Is that so?” He quirked an eyebrow. “That sounds like a need.”
I smirked. “Actually, I’m rather thinking that it’s a want.”
“Hah. Want is desire as well, then? Well, in that case, ‘want' away…” The corners of his lips twitched into a teasing smile. “We do still have your punishment to consider, for your earlier cheekiness.”
“Mm…” I neared my face closer to his. “Whatever would I do without you around to keep me in line…?”
He gave me another chuckle of amusement. “Now that is a need. A requirement, even.”
“Maybe they can all overlap after all…?”
“Perhaps…”
I’d already closed my eyes by the time I felt his hand come up to cup my cheek, holding my face to his as he returned my kiss.
I was running a comb through Belphie's hair with one hand, while I ran the blow dryer over him with the other. He was hunched forward in lazy posture while he let me dote and groom.
And spoil.
It was when I saw his shoulders heave in a sigh that I turned the blow dryer off, setting it aside so that I could wrap my arms around him from behind. “How’s your scalp feel now?”
“Mm. Better. Thanks. The oil felt nice.”
“I wonder if a break will help, Belph," I said lightly, putting a touch of encouragement in my voice.
He snorted. "Nice try. I know you and Beel have been worried."
"Not just us." I leaned forward to kiss his cheek. "And don't 'nice try' me. I meant it."
“Pff. I meant the fake cheeriness in your voice to hide being a worried."
I sighed dramatically. "Damn, you caught me. And here I'd been trying SO hard to fake being nice to you."
"Heh." He turned his face towards me, the tip of his nose touching mine.
I blinked sweetly at him. "Will you please take a break? For meeee, your moonlight, while you're feeling so dark?"
He quirked a flirty little smile at me, eyes lighting up a bit with more spirit. "Well, when you put it that way..."
"Thank you," I whispered sincerely, before brushing a kiss to his lips. "I love you, Belphie. You asked me to be at your side, remember? Here I am."
"Mmm..." He bumped his forehead gently to mine. "I guess I did say that."
I smiled as I gazed at him. "Your eyelashes are really long and pretty, did you know that?"
He snorted as he pulled away to stretch his arms over his head, pretending to stretch the side of his neck as well so he could turn his face to hide his smile. And his blush. "Whatever. Fine. Have it your way. I guess a break wouldn’t hurt. Not like I’m getting anywhere anyway, may as well keep not get anywhere by not doing anything.”
“Yeeeeahhhh…” I laughed with a shake of my head. “That’s the… spirit…?”
At least it was a very normal Belphie thing to say.
I kissed his cheek again. “We’ll do something after class. No Felicity business.”
He smiled at me. “Thanks, Chise.”
“I believe in you. I know you can do this.” I smirked as I ruffled his fluffy hair a bit. "After taking a break. Oh! And moisturizer.”
He sighed in defeat. “Fine… I guess I’ll let you put that stuff on me…”
I snorted as I picked up the bottle Asmo had recommended. Uh-huh, yeah, as if he wasn’t enjoying the attentive pampering. Because he was definitely capable of putting the moisturizer on himself.
“Take a sip from your water bottle, Belphie.”
“Fine…”
Maybe I should have pushed Lucifer for him to be allowed to skip a day of school. I wish I’d thought of it at the time before we got there, because, well…
“You have to do something about Belphie.”
Asmo quirked an eyebrow at Raphael as he looked over his shoulder. “What do you mean?”
“What do I mean?” Raphael shook his head in exasperation. “He walked into the classroom, immediately collapsed onto the desk here, and fell asleep.”
“Well, I don’t see the problem.” Asmo shrugged. “Just leave him be.”
“He’s draped over my desk.”
Mammon spared the argument a glance. “Well, whaddya expect? Normally he spends most of the time sleepin’, but lately he hasn’t been gettin’ much rest at all. No wonder his batteries are drained.”
“This calls for desperate measures. Perhaps it’s time to summon forth my rain of spears.”
“Uhhh, no.” I laid a protective hand on Belphie’s back. “Let’s try to figure this out the nice way first.”
“Right, bad idea.” Asmo gave him a nervous smile. “Why don’t you rethink that, hm?”
Mammon rolled his eyes. “Man, you always take things too far, Raphael. I mean, c’mon.”
“Belphie and I were talking about him taking a break.” I stroked my sleeping demon’s hair. Everyone even let me do it. “Not sure what we’ll do yet, but he agreed.”
Asmo brightened. “Oooh, I agree too! He’ll never come up with an Devildom Felicity ideas in this state.”
Raphael glanced around the room. “By the way, I haven’t seen Levi today. Is he taking the day off?”
I sighed. I swear to god, if he was skipping while Belphie really could have used–
“Oh, him?” Mammon shrugged. “Seems he’s busy playin’ this new game he got.”
Raphael shook his head. “That’s no excuse for missing class.”
“Oooh, I just had an idea!” Asmo beamed around at us. “Hope about this? We all get together and play games! That would help Belphie take his mind off of his project!”
“Umm…” Sounded like chaos in the making when he needed to relax.
“Hey, yeah!” Mammon grinned back at him. “I like that idea!”
“Well…” I glanced at Belphie. “Maybe we should ask–”
“All right, it’s a plan! Raphael, we’ll see you at the House of Lamentation after school!”
I took in a deep breath to stop myself from groaning. Raphael, too…?
“…Wait. Since when am I a part of this.”
Luke: Is anyone still at school?
Solomon: Why?
Luke: I forgot my sheet music in the music room, so I need to go get it.
Luke: If anyone’s here, I was hoping we could go together.
Solomon: I see. It’s getting a bit late, isn’t it?
Solomon: Are you worried about the phantom piano in the music room? One of the infamous 666 mysteries of RAD?
Luke: I’m not scared!!!!!
Luke: I was just asking! I’m perfectly fine going by myself!
Simeon: 😊
Simeon: I’m still in the classroom.
Luke: Oh thank the stars.
Luke: I’m heading over there now, so please wait up!
Solomon: 😂 Me too!!!!! Hold tight, Luke!
Simeon: I didn’t realize you were still here too, Sol.
Simeon: I thought you'd have already gone home.
Solomon: I'm just sneaky like that.
Solomon: Or maybe I left my student ID behind in the classroom and had to go back. But that would be rather silly of me if I had, so that must not be the case.
Simeon: We’ll all go home together, then.
Solomon: After we rescue our Luke.
Simeon: Of course. 😉
Luke: Solomon! 😠
Luke: It’s not what you think!
Solomon: No? Well then, my mistake!
Solomon: 🤭 You can save me from the phantom piano instead.
Luke: I don’t even know why I asked in the group chat. 😒
Beel leaned forward eagerly. “How did you like dinner, Raphael? Because I was on meal duty tonight.:
“It was quite good.” Raphael glanced down at his plate. “But I have to say, the portions were small.”
“Beel.” Satan glared at him. “Whenever you make dinner, you do way too much sampling in the kitchen.”
Beel’s face fell. “Sorry… I was only trying to do a few taste tests, but you know… I sort of got carried away.”
“By the way, I noticed that Levi wasn’t at dinner, either.”
“Eh, he’s probably in his room.” Mammon leaned back, turning his head with a frown. “Hey, yo, Belphie! Where do you think you’re goin’, huh? You can’t head back to your room yet!”
Belphie glanced, expressionless in his suspicion. “Why?”
“Come on!” Mammon hopped to his feet. “We’re goin’ to Levi’s room to do some gaming!”
Belphie sighed in irritation. “Count me out. I don’t want to play games right now.”
“Come on, Belphie,” I said softly. “It won’t be as fun if you’re not there. Break, remember?”
He shifted a bit. “Mm. It does make me happy that you’d say that, but I’m just not really in the mood for games right now…”
I sighed. “Just for a bit.”
“Oh, I have an idea.” He quirked a slight smile. “Invite Lucifer to join us. If he says he’ll come, then I’ll join in too.”
I rolled my eyes. His way of saying nope. Mammon scoffed in thorough doubt too.
“Well, you heard him, Lucifer.” Raphael turned to him. “What do you say?”
Lucifer caught my eyes with a glance. “Fine, I’m in.”
I dipped my head with an appreciative little smile.
Belphie was visibly taken aback, his eyes widening. “…Knowing you, I thought for sure you’d say no.”
Lucifer smirked at him. “Is that so? Well, it seems that even I can still surprise you.”
Belphie narrowed his eyes, looking sullen now. “Why are you suddenly up for gaming night now of all times?”
Lucifer just chuckled.
“Ooh, by the way, I’m going to have to pass…” Asmo sighed sadly. “I have an appointment with the aesthetician.”
“Wh…!” I glared at him. “This was your idea!”
He batted his lashes prettily at me with a pout. “I’m sowwy. I forgot.”
”Sure you did…”
Satan sighed as he stood up. “I’m out, too. There are some books I’ve been hoping to read.”
“Satan!” I hissed.
“Well,” Belphie mumbled, “I need to work on my idea for Devildom Felicity.”
“Oh no you don’t. Liar." I stood to grab his hand before he could get away. “You promised me.”
“I didn’t promise…”
“And you’re the one who said you’d be there as long as Lucifer came,” Mammon added. “So c’mon, we’re headin’ to Levi’s room.”
Belphie sighed in exhausted defeat as I began tugging him along.
“Just for a bit,” I whispered. “They’re trying to support you. Make a show. It’ll take your mind off things.”
“Hmph…”
Beel was the one who knocked on his door. “Levi, you in there?”
“Yo, Levi! Quit ignorin’ us! We came to do some gamin’ with you!”
Beel shook his head at Mammon’s shouting. “If you want to go inside Levi’s room, you need to say the magic words first. Those are his rules.”
Belphie stepped up to the door. “Hey, if you don’t say something, we’re going to go inside without saying the magic words first. Is that what you want?”
Raphael frowned in confusion. “Are you sure he’s in there?”
“He has to be,” Lucifer answered. “He’s probably so absorbed in his game that he can’t even hear us.”
“All right, Levi,” I cooed, as I opened the app to unlock the door. “We’re coming iiiiiin.”
Belphie leapt back from my side once I’d pushed it open. “…What the?!”
“LEVI?!” I rushed to him, nearly sliding on my knees in my haste to drop to his side to take his face in my hands.
“Wh… YO!” Mammon rushed, the next to drop beside me. “He’s out cold! Levi…” He shook him. “Hang in there, Levi!”
“Mammon!” Lucifer called to him as he strode in. “Take a closer look.”
“Eh?” Mammon did a double take between them, before focusing back on Levi.
And as if on cue, Levi let out a soft snore.
“Wait, he’s just sleepin’?!” Mammon scowled down at him. “What the…! It looked like he was dead or something’! Dammit, he had me all scared…”
Mammon was being adorable, and I did note it for later praising, but I frowned still at the situation. “But we’re shaking him? He’s not like Belphie…”
“Hey.”
“You know what I meant.”
“Uhh…” Mammon slumped to sit on his rear. “Wh-What’s goin’ on…?”
I turned my frown on him. “Not sure…?”
“N-No…” He shook his head as though in panic, but his eyes were glazing further off. “Suddenly I feel all… tired…”
“Wh… Mammon!” I let go of Levi to catch him before he could topple over.
“Me too…” Beel mumbled, lowering himself to the floor. “I’m so… sleepy…”
“Wait, what?” I looked between the two of them in alarm as they both just…
Fell asleep.
Belphie’s eyes were wide too as he dropped to Beel’s side. “Wait… What’s going on?! Why’re they both falling asleep all of a sudden?”
Lucifer looked between the now-three sleeping demons, perplexed as well.
I gasped at the other sleeping body that was slumped against Lucifer’s shoulder. “Raphael!”
“Ah…” Lucifer glanced at him, before catching him under his arm with a sigh before he toppled. “Raphael as well. I was wondering why he was leaning up against my shoulder…”
“But…” I looked between Belphie and Lucifer. “Are YOU two okay?!”
“I’m fine.”
“I don’t get it,” Belphie said. “What’s wrong with them? I mean, the three of us are completely fine.”
“Is it a curse?!” I looked around in panic. “Levi always fucking buys the strangest shit, I swear to god…”
“No…” Lucifer answered slowly, frowning in thought. “I don’t sense the presence of a curse. There must be some other reason for this. I do sense some sort of magic, though.” His eyes flicked over to Levi desk in suspicion. “…Crowe, is this your doing?”
“Oh for fuck’s…” ‘'
"The three of you don’t meet the conditions necessary to participate.”
Belphie narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean we ‘don’t meet the conditions necessary to participate’? Participate in what?”
“Crowe, explain what’s going on,” Lucifer ordered. “Chise, don’t smash it yet, please.”
I growled closely over it with my fists bunched at my sides instead.
”Those asleep in this room are inside a dream world. Leviathan experienced a significant shock, which left him devastated. He said he wanted to fall asleep and dream of something fun and pleasant, so he purchased this service through my payment system.”
“When will he LEARN?!”
“A terrible shock?” Belphie frowned. “What sort of shock?”
"He lost the save data to a game he had been playing for three days straight without sleeping.”
We all sighed heavily together.
Belphie shook his head. “So he was looking for some escapism…”
“I understand why Levi’s asleep,” Lucifer said, “but how do you explain Beel and Mammon and…” He glanced down. “…Raphael?”
”Only those who are suffering from a lack of sleep may participate.”
Lucifer frowned. “Belphie? You’re not suffering from lack of sleep?”
“I mean… Nah, I slept all day at RAD today.”
I sighed. “He really did.”
"Chise got enough sleep last night, and therefore doesn’t meet the necessary conditions, either.”
Lucifer’s frown deepened. “What about me? I was up until very late last night.”
“Hmph.” Evidently he’d left me to sleep off my very sleepless past few days in his bed. After leaving me even more exhausted for it.
…Soooo yeah, I got a full night’s.
”My magic has no effect on you, Lucifer.”
“Ah,” Belphie sighed, “so that’s why…”
I looked around at them all again anxiously. “Are they really just sleeping…?”
”That’s right. They’re just sleeping.”
Belphie shrugged. “Well, guess we’ll have to do game night some other time.”
“Yes.” Lucifer shook his head at them all in exasperation. “Let’s just leave the three of them where they are and go.”
“Really…?”
Lucifer waved his hand dismissively. "What's the harm? Other than waking up from a good night's sleep to wreak energetic havoc. Prepare yourselves for dialed-up breakfast bickering."
“Come on, Chise.” Belphie held his hand out to me with a sweet smile. “They just need their own breaks.”
I took his hand with a last worried glance at them. “All right.”
Lucifer: Raphael will be spending the night at the House of Lamentation tonight.
Simeon: 😧
Simeon: What happened?
Simeon: Is something wrong?
Lucifer: No. Nothing’s wrong.
Simeon: Is it that he doesn’t like being on cleanup duty?
Simeon: Or maybe he suddenly learned to distinguish good food from bad, and then made the mistake of having some of Solomon’s cooking?
Lucifer: I said nothing’s wrong.
Lucifer: He’ll only be spending the night.
Simeon: 😥
Simeon: If you say so…
Lucifer: I’ll tell you the full story tomorrow.
Notes:
I’M SORRY, IVA. CHISE HAS FADE-TO-BLACK SEX AGAIN IN THIS ONE MULTIPLE TIMES BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE’D ALL BE WAITING YEARS FOR PLOT WHILE SHE SHAGS. BUT DON’T WORRY. SHAGGING RESUMES SOON.
Chapter 38: Chapter 74: World Of Our Dreams
Notes:
HEY HAHA, DID ANYONE SWEAT REALLY HEAVILY DURING BARBATOS’ BIRTHDAY VIDEO OR??? WAS THAT JUST ME???
I just wanted to post someone’s comment on the YouTube video that perfectly describes my reaction: "NO LUBE NO PROTECTION, NIGHT AND DAY, FROM THE KITCHEN TABLE, FROM THE ROOF OF THE HOUSE, FROM OUTSIDE THE GARDEn, FROM THE HOUSE PORCH, FROM THE COUCH, FROM THE BEDROOM, FROM THE CEILING, UP AND DOWN, LEFT AND RIGHT RAHHHHHHHHHHHH”
Chapter Text
“Hello!” Simeon called into Purgatory Hall cheerfully as he pushed the door open with his shoulder. “I’m back! Anyone around to help put these away?“
"Simeon!" Solomon rushed into the entry hall, breathless, expression panicked. “Where have you been?!”
Simeon started, before looking him up and down in concern over his visible distress. “What do you mean…? Did something happen here? Is Luke–”
“No, I just… Where were you?”
He frowned in confusion. “I was just out shopping. I’m in charge for dinner, but I’d forgotten to buy the seasoning for tonight’s meal. Here, see?” Simeon adjusted a bag on his arm to fish inside of it. “Devildom brand demon oil! I picked some up at the store. I got a few other things–”
Solomon sighed heavily, panic leaving his tense shoulders to slump as he looked at the oil Simeon held up with a touch of sadness. “…If you were heading out, you could’ve at least given me a heads up first. Considering we’d just walked home together, it gave me a real scare when I suddenly found you weren’t here.”
“Ooh, sorry.” Simeon gave him a soft, apologetic smile as he set the bags down. “It looked like you were in your room changing, so…”
Solomon shook his head. “You could’ve said something to me through the door though, couldn’t you…?”
“Hehe…” Simeon straightened up, going to Sol to place his hands on the other man’s shoulders to have The Conversation.
Solomon’s eyes flashed. “Do you find it amusing that I’m angry?”
Simeon shook his head, smiling kindly. “No, it’s not that. I just had no idea you were such a worrywart, Solomon.”
Solomon’s eyes darted to the side, his mouth flat. “Okay, but don’t blame me if you end up getting eaten by a demon.”
“Ahh, and there it is…” Simeon cupped his cheek. Solomon’s eyes flicked back to his at his touch. “All right, I get it. Come on, stop giving me the evil eye. I was wrong to leave without telling you, and I do feel bad.”
A muscle in Solomon’s jaw twitched, before he forced himself to relax the grit on his teeth. “Really?”
“Yes, really.” Simeon cupped his face with both hands now. “You think you have to keep an eye on me all the time, don’t you? You don’t want me off on my own.”
Solomon swallowed, silent.
“Ahahah.” Simeon pulled him into a hug, sighing affectionately. “You have the look of a child who’s been caught in the act.”
Solomon wilted in his embrace. “I’m…”
“Relax,” Simeon said softly, rubbing his back. “It’s not as if I didn’t know what was going on. I’m not stupid, you know?”
“I…”
“You’re worried about me, so you’ve been trying to ensure that I’m never alone, haven’t you?”
“…How long have you known?”
“Hmm… Good question.” Simeon released him, back still held him gently by his arms, still standing close. They were of a height together. “I don’t remember the exact moment I realized what was happening. At some point I noticed that either you, Lucifer, or Raphael always seemed to be nearby…” He chuckled softly. “And I started to get the feeling that it probably wasn’t a coincidence.”
Solomon looked away again from the kindness. From the patience. “…Well, what can I say?”
“But listen to me, Sol.” Simeon rubbed his thumbs against the long-sleeves of his arms. “This is my problem, not yours. You’re taking this on for yourself too much. You don’t need to look after me. On the contrary–“
Solomon reached up across his chest to still one of Simeon's hands. “Okay, stop right there.”
Simeon sighed.
“You’re… important to me.” Solomon swallowed, face tense, the twitching muscle returning to his jaw. “Am I the only one who feels that way? Because if you’re telling me that you wouldn’t do the same for me, well, I’m not sure if I could handle it.”
“Oh, Sol…” Simeon shook his head. “You’re not playing fair, asking me something like that.”
Solomon curled his hand around the one he touched, pulling it down between them to hold. “That’s right, I don’t play fair. But either way, you love me, don’t you Simeon? You think of me as important to you.”
“Of course I do…”
“In that case, you should understand that you’re important to all of us.” He tugged him a little closer, his other hand coming to rest on Simeon’s waist. “And we care about you. If you’re a true friend, you’ll accept that we want to help you, and feel grateful.”
Simeon gave him a small smile. “…I don’t know what to say. You make a very good argument.”
“Simeon…”
“I know,” he said softly. “Chise as well.”
“...Simeon…” Sol sighed. “Did I hear hyperventilating coming from your room last night?”
“Hmm…?” Simeon frowned carefully. Too carefully. “No, I don’t think so.” He gave another little smile. “Maybe something got caught in my fan?”
Solomon quirked a smile back, though it didn’t reach his eyes. Simeon still saw anxiety stewing there. “Ah. Then that’s that…”
Simeon cocked his head with a frown, eyes darting to the side. “Did you hear a sort of ‘thud' just now?”
“…Wait here. I’ll look.” Solomon let go of Sim to spin towards the direction the noise came from, face serious.
Simeon sighed as he did was he was told this time so as to not provoke Sol's anxiety any further. Off he went, no doubt expecting to find hidden demon house burglars looking to kidnap his helpless lover. Of course that should hurt him. But at this point, letting this hurt him would be a disservice to Sol’s faithful support, born of love.
So he just let the loyal dedication swell his heart in warmth instead. He meant well.
He was right. Lucifer was right. Raphael was right.
Chise was right.
Solomon strode towards the hall, whispering anxiously under his breath as he glanced in each room he passed. “Shit. Don’t tell me Luke was…”
“Hm?” Simeon quirked his head. “Sorry, what did you say, Solomon? Did you find anything…?”
“…Nothing. Never mind.” Sol turned back to him with a fix smile. “Maybe it was just another bat in the rafters.”
Simeon sighed. “Another one…? They sure do love it down here in the Devildom. Maybe we should get Barbatos’ advice on what to do about those.”
“Yeah, maybe…”
Simeon: I think I’m going to finally tell Chise what’s going on.
Lucifer: Are you sure you’re ready to do that?
Simeon: 😢
Simeon: Good question…
Simeon: I feel like I’m ready.
Simeon: Well, I feel like I should be ready…
Simeon: But maybe the fact that I’m messaging you about this means I’m not…
Lucifer: When are you planning on doing this?
Simeon: Very soon.
Lucifer: I could be there.
Simeon: No, no. There’s no need for that.
Lucifer: it wouldn’t hurt to have me around for this, would it?
Simeon: It’s fine. I’ll be fine.
Lucifer: Well.
Lucifer: At least tell me when you do, so I can keep an eye on her after.
Simeon: That would a relief, thank you. I will.
Lucifer: Also, Raphael will not be at school today.
Simeon: Wait, what?!
“Interesting…” Solomon giggled in amusement. “So they just fell asleep on the floor, huh?”
Thirteen’s strange wide eyes stared at Lucifer. “Wait a minute. So you’re really saying that ALL four of them – Levi, Mammon, Beel, AND Raphael – aren’t here today because–“
“They’re probably still asleep in Levi’s room, yes,” Lucifer confirmed.
Simeon was clearly fighting a bit of panic. “So they’ve been asleep since last night? Are you sure it was okay to leave them there?”
Solomon touched his arm lightly in reassurance. “Most spells have an expiry, Sim.”
“…Your wording actually doesn’t really make me feel better.”
“We did try waking them up this morning,” Belphie said, “but it was no use.”
Satan sighed, holding my hand under the table. “Good thing I didn’t join you guys last night. Because I wasn’t operating on much sleep yesterday.”
I’d been quiet throughout this whole conversation. I didn’t need to fuel my own clear panic that I haven’t been able to keep out of my voice all morning into this fire.
Belphie nodded. “If you’d been there, no doubt you would’ve fallen asleep too, yeah.”
“They’re supposed to be dreaming about something ‘fun and pleasant,’ right? I wonder what that could be…” Asmo shrugged. “I know of wish I could’ve fallen asleep along with them!”
“Should you really be saying stuff like that?” Mephisto chided him haughtily. “You might want to take this more seriously.”
“Hm...?” Solomon turned his head in surprise. “Oh, Mephisto. Since when have you been here?”
Mephisto glared. “What do you mean? I’ve been here this entire time sitting beside you. You need to have your eyes checked, human.”
“…You do have a point,” Satan sighed in reluctance. “I guess we can’t leave them as they are.”
“No,” Mephisto agreed sternly. “Considering tomorrow is Helldown Day.”
“Oh, shit,” I whispered under my breath. Even Satan’s hand flinched in mine.
“Oh no,” Lucifer hissed too in realization. “I forgot it’s tomorrow…”
Thirteen looked around at us all with a frown. “Just a second. Am I the only one who doesn’t know what you’re talking about? What exactly is this ‘Helldown Day’?”
“It’s the one day each year that magic is prohibited,” Lucifer explained.
“You’re kidding! You have a day like that?!”
Lucifer did his best to repress his sigh, exhaling it out through his nose instead. “Diavolo is the one who established the custom. It ensured that the magical power of all three worlds stays in balance.”
Solomon nodded. “Right. After all, the Devildom and the Celestial Realm require more magical power than the human world.”
“If any magic is detected on Helldown Day, the spell is cancelled by force,” Mephisto added.
Asmo’s brows drew together. “Then what’s going to happen to our four sleeping beauties…?”
Mephisto shrugged. “Hopefully they’ll be ejected from the dream, and that will be that. But there’s no guarantee…”
Lucifer let out a true sigh now. “Depending on the exact nature of the magic involved, it’s possible they could end up stuck there with no way of coming back.”
Asmo gawked at him. “…Is it me, or is that a BIG problem?!”
I frowned. “Okay, so we speak to Diavolo–"
”Lord Diavolo.”
“…We speak to Lord Diavolo and get it postponed.”
“There is no way to postpone it.”
“…WHAT?!” I gave him an incredulous look. “Are you…?! THERE’S NO FAILSAFE?!”
“…Yeahhhhh,” Belphie agreed. “That seems like a big flaw in the system.”
“Regardless, we can’t.”
“Th-Then, we have to wake them up!” The panic was back in my voice again. I mean, pretty understandably, considering the circumstances.
While Simeon’s expression was calmly kept in serious concern, his eyes flashed with panic. “You’re right. We have to find a way to wake them before the end of the day.”
“Okay.” Belphie stood abruptly. “In that case, we’d better head back to the House of Lamentation ASAP.”
I stood up quickly with him, unhooking my leg from the bench.
“Fine,” Lucifer agreed. “I suppose that’s our only option. I’ll allow you to go home early today.”
I gave him a light smack on the back of his head. He gave me an incredulous look at my audacity.
“We’ll go with you, too,” Solomon stood as well. “You may need my magic.”
“Yes,” Simeon agreed hurriedly. “After all, I’m worried about Raphael–“
“…S-Simeon, Solomon, do you have a second…?”
Both of them looked to the side in surprise as the little angel slunk towards them. I tilted my head with a frown at the look on his face. What’s up?”
Solomon gave him a soft smile. “Luke, hey.”
“…There’s something I need to talk to you about,” he murmured, with a shy glance at the rest of us.
Parenting time.
Asmo gave the three of them a sweet smile. “In that case, why don’t you two go with Luke and see what he needs? Don’t worry, we’ll make sure Raphael wakes up.”
Simeon hesitated for a second, before he relaxed with a gentle smile. “…All right. I leave Raphael in your hands, then.”
I touched his arm. “I’ve got this.”
“Thank you, sweetheart. I know you can do it.”
Sol nodded. “Just give me a call if you need anything.”
“What’s going on…?” Luke looked around at us all, sensing the somber atmosphere as new concern began to show in his face. “Did something happen to Raphael…?”
Solomon put his arm around his shoulders. “Nothing you need to worry about, Luke. Let’s go.”
Luke glanced back at us all in worry as he was turned to be steered away. “Okay…”
Lucifer stood as soon as they’d left. “I have student council work I need to take care of, so you’ll have to do this on your own.”
I looked at him incredulously. “Lucifer…!”
He waved his hand dismissively. “Go figure out a way to wake them up. I’m sure it’s only a matter of asking Crowe how.”
“Yeah, we were already going to do that, Lucifer,” Satan snapped at him irritably. “We don’t need you barking orders at us.”
He rolled his eyes. “Call me if you fail.”
“Again, we don’t need you–"
Belphie sighed as he took my hand. “Come on, Chise. Let’s go.”
They were still sleeping.
Asmo sighed. "Guess it was too much to hope that we'd find all them in here, playing games...?"
“Well, let’s get to it,” Satan said as he strode into Levi’s room. “Time to wake them up.”
Belphie went to Beel to sit cross-legged beside him, expression sullen. “How are we supposed to do that?”
Satan lifted what he held in his hand. “I brought a frying pan.”
I stared at it. “Wh… WHAT?!”
Belphie raised his eyebrows in disbelief. “A frying pan…?”
“RISE AND SHINE!” Satan shouted sternly as he banged the thing against the side of Levi’s bathtub, making the rest of us wince. “WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP!”
“D’ah…!” Asmo smacked his hands over his ears. “Stoooop! Any louder and I’ll rupture an eardrum!”
Satan stopped with a frustrated growl as the four sleeping bodies didn’t stir.
“…I don’t believe it,” Belphie sighed. “How can they possibly sleep through that?”
“You’re one to talk,” Satan replied dryly.
“Mmhm,” Asmo agreed with a sigh. “There’s no way that would be enough to wake you up either, Belphie.”
He glared at them sulkily as he rubbed at his ear. “Sure feel awake now…”
Satan sighed in concern. “We won’t get anywhere with them at this rate.”
Ah… So his bad mood and need to smack metal on echoing porcelain was because he was worried about his brothers. I took his hand with a squeeze.
“Well, with that experiment failing, let’s do what Lucifer suggested.” Belphie turned his head, raising his voice a bit. “Hey, Crowe. How can we wake the four of them up?”
”You want to know how to wake them up? Got it. When the four of them feel like they’ve had enough of the dream they’re in, they should wake up.”
I stared at it. “…WHAT?!”
“Okay, what if they NEVER feel like they’ve had enough?” Asmo asked it, eyes wide. “What then?”
”If they never feel like they’ve had enough of the dream, it’s unlikely they’ll be able to wake up.”
“WHAT?!”
And right on cue, Mammon began to mumble in his sleep. “…G’heheh… sweet… sweet money… Goldie… love you… soooo much…”
“Oh for…” I lowered my head in my hands. “Fucking hells…”
Belphie sighed as he looked down at Beel drooling with a smile on his face. “From the looks of things, I don’t think we can count on them waking up on their own.”
Satan nodded, his anger slowly giving away to the despair he was actually feeling. “I guess we’re just going to have to force them to wake up, whatever it takes.”
–
We all lowered our hands from our ears again, grimacing.
“So even this Ruri-chan alarm clock doesn’t work on him,” Belphie muttered in frustration.
“Honestly…” Satan sighed in exasperation. ”’Ruri Ruri Ruri Ruri Ruri-chan, yeah! Ruri Ruri Ruri Ruri Ruri-chan, yeah!' …I always did think that was a really weird sound for an alarm clock to make.”
“Fucking hate that thing when I stay in here,” I muttered under my breath.
“Sooo, Raphael deeear,” Asmo sang as he lowered himself to snuggle up to him on Levi’s mattress. He turned his face towards him. “Do you like it when I charm youuuu? Are you under my speeeell?”
I rolled my eyes. We all did.
“Ugh, UNBELIEVABLE!” Asmo glared at his peacefully sleeping face. “The most charming demon alive is RIGHT here in front of you, and you still won’t wake up?!”
“…How many hours have we been at this now?” Satan asked with hopelessness in his voice.
“I don’t know…” Asmo sighed as he rolled onto his back. “But it feels like a really long time. I’m tired.”
“Don’t you dare fall asleep in here!” I pleaded.
He shook his head. We all fell silent for a while. I hugged myself as I felt myself droop.
“…Well, they might not end up stuck in that dream, right?” Satan finally broke the silence in a quiet voice. “We don’t know for sure. It’s possible they’ll be ejected from the dream and wake up.”
“Right, yeah,” Asmo agreed softly. “Maybe it’s okay if we leave them like this… I mean, they look so happy and peaceful.”
I shook my head. “Are you really willing to take the chance and lose them…?”
They all looked at the ground, shaking their heads too. It’d just been a grab for hope in our hopelessness.
“Chise is right,” Belphie agreed out loud. “What if they really do end up stuck inside their dreams forever? And it was all because we decided to give up and let them sleep? We’d never be able to live with ourselves. I know we’re out of ideas and want a break, but we have to stay realistic about this. The clock is ticking.” He rested his hand on Beel’s head, eyes flashing angrily. “I don’t want Beel stuck like this forever. We’ve got to find a way to wake him up…”
We all fell into silence again. Thinking for real again.
“…I do know one thing we could do,” Satan spoke up first again.
I nodded. “We’ll go inside their dreams and bring them out.”
Belphie sat up straight with wide eyes.
Asmo perked too with a gasp. “Ooh, nice idea! But wait… How are we supposed to get inside the dream with them…?”
“Easy,” Satan answered with a smile, glancing at me. “We get Barbatos to help us.”
I gave him an incredulous look. “Barbatos?!”
He shrugged. “Portals that can go anywhere, to any time, any place in the universe… That’s what they say.”
“But…”
“The Demon of Time and Space. The Father of Demons…” His smile widened. “Why not? No harm in asking just what he’s capable of, right, Chise?”
“…He’s not exactly forthcoming about that.” I chewed my lip at I looked down at the ground. “Not even with me.”
He nodded in understanding. “But he’s always patient when he’s asked.”
“Yeah, that’s true.” I sighed as I looked down at my slumbering demons. “You’re right. No harm in asking.”
I didn’t know why I felt so reluctant.
“I think we’re going to need you with this one, Chise.”
And then I understood. I didn’t like that he might be willing to use his unfathomable powers for me. I didn’t want that kind of power over him emotionally, on a personal level between us over his heart, or general access to it.
But I didn’t want him to reject me, either.
I was worried that would change our dynamic. Our sense of trust. When he trusted so few.
…I was worried that I’d have to beg.
I glanced back into the room as I followed them all out, watching four chests rise and fall in unending sleep.
Because I would. For my boys. I would beg.
Of course I would.
“I’m not sure it was a good idea to leave Levi and the others in the care of Asmo and Satan,” Belphie murmured doubtfully at my side. “They’ll probably take advantage of the fact that their brothers are out cold, and write on their faces or something.”
I snorted. ”That’s your concern?”
He shrugged. “I don’t really care what they do to Levi or Mammon, but I don’t want them playing any prank on Beel.”
“…Ah.” Lucifer glanced at us, arms crossed as we entered the Demon Lord’s Castle. “I had a feeling you two might show up here.”
“Lucifer?” Belphie frowned. “Wait, does this mean you had the same idea we did?”
He sighed. “Waking them up turned out to be easier said than done, didn’t it? I thought that might be the case, so I went ahead and came straight here. Have you two come to ask Barbatos to let you into the dream world as well?”
I scowled at him. “You could have just told us.”
“Regardless–”
…That word of his that always made me even more frustrated with him.
“–something tells me this isn’t going to be easy.”
–
“No. I cannot help you.”
Diavolo gave him a pained smile. “Barbatos, there’s no need to be so blunt–“
Barbatos was shaking his head. “Even if I were to use more diplomatic wording, the fact remains that I cannot help.”
“Yes,” Lucifer sighed, “I thought you’d say that.”
“Because you don’t have that kind of power?” I asked softly.
“I did not say that.”
“…Why can’t you help?” Belphie was beginning to glare. “What exactly is the problem? We have three hours left until midnight, you know? And then it’ll be Helldown Day. At that point, it might be too late to help them at all.”
Barbatos gave a quick glance at my expression of despair.
But it was at that moment that Belphie’s power filled the room like a gale wind, his tail snapping in the air, the hairs of it bristling straight while his face twisted into a snarl. ”I might never get to see Beel again…!”
Barbatos’ glance immediately returned back to Belphie. He tutted at the tantrum, all of us standing strong in the whirlwind of black that tried to envelop us. If I hadn’t had a pact with him, I’m sure that I would have personally been flattened, but it simply slid harmlessly over my skin, though my hair still whipped in the wind.
As for the other three… Well. He was simply and absolutely no match for the three strongest demons in the Devildom.
“Belphie…”
“Belphie, enough,” Lucifer chided him sternly.
“But this is Beel we’re talking about!” he shouted back.
“Do you think that losing your temper is going to help you save Beel? Do you honestly think that you can force Barbatos to do this for you?”
Barbatos simply stood, expression blankly polite in the face of Belphie’s outrage, with his hands clasped behind his back.
Belphie growled low, fists bunched at his sides.
But what could he do? He knew Lucifer’s words were the truth.
“Calm down, Belphie,” Lucifer said, voice softer.
Belphie’s shoulders slumped as he looked down at the ground. The wind faded, his horns retracted, and the sconces in the room spluttered back to life.
I quickly closed the gap between him and I and took his hand.
He looked at me from the corner of his eye. “…Satan’s right. Please.”
I’m sure I looked stricken. But he held my gaze firm.
I would beg.
I swallowed as I turned my eyes back to Barbatos, who regarded me now with the same pleasant politeness. Knowing.
“…Barbatos,” I addressed him quietly.
He inclined his head to me. “Chise.”
Both Diavolo and Lucifer kept their silence, faces grim as they shared a glance.
I hesitated, before I stepped closer to him, until I was looking up into his face, while he looked down into mine. “…Please. As a… favour to me.”
Diavolo blinked. “As a favour for you? Chise, don’t tell me you’re planning on going into the dream with… …Oh.”
“Naturally she would,” Barbatos said simply. “Which is the problem.”
"What...?"
“I don’t want to live in a world without Beel…” I heard Belphie murmur from behind me in despair.
“Belphegor, Barbatos isn’t trying to be mean,” Diavolo explained with a sigh. “That’s not why he refused to help… The dream world is unstable. And sending Chise inside would only increase the danger. There’s no way to know whether a human could make it back out again.”
Lucifer frowned. “Though you did send Solomon inside a dream world once long ago…”
I started at that, before turning back to Barbatos, whose jaw twitched at that little revelation.
“Yes,” Diavolo sighed, “and it was several years before we saw him again.”
My eyes widened. What the fuck, Solomon.
Barbatos finally let his facade drop for a moment with a derisive snort at the mention of his other master’s name... and antics. “Well, it’s possible that’s because he simply didn’t want to leave. But yes.”
...What the everliving fuck, Solomon.
Diavolo shook his head. “And that isn’t the only problem with having Barbatos help."
“I know.” Lucifer nodded. “Barbatos has a pact with Solomon, after all. He’s a demon of elite status, and on top of that, his power is… dangerous.”
“A demon of elite status?” Barbatos murmured in amusement, with a quirk of his brow. “I must say, it’s an honour to hear that from you, Lucifer.”
Lucifer rolled his eyes. “Knock it off.”
“Okay then…” Belphie said slowly. “What if Solomon orders Barbatos to do it?”
“…That’s one way of going about this, yes.” Diavolo hesitated, before glancing at me. “Or you could provide Barbatos with reasonable compensation…”
I looked back at him, bewildered. “What…?”
“It’s our way.”
“An old way,” Barbatos murmured. “Though be aware, my services don’t come cheap.”
“Barbatos…” I looked up at him again.
He looked down at me. Sympathetically.
“…I don’t want to beg,” I whispered.
“I do not want you to die.”
My eyes went round at the bite he put into the last word. And at his own plea in his eyes, despite the neutrality he kept on the rest of his face.
“…Do not make me beg for your life,” he murmured. “My Lady Light.”
Don’t make it a matter between us. Please, please, please.
Neither of us wanted to deny the other’s pleas. For life itself.
“…This 'old way'…”
He nodded. “Would be the only way, for us. An exchange for my service.”
Neutral. Something in return, that wasn’t a heart, or trust, or a conversation.
Just a business transaction.
A ‘technicality’. A ‘loophole’.
…As if we could ignore that.
I heard Diavolo sigh sympathetically.
I nodded sadly. “What’s your price…?”
“You and I will play a game to determine whether or not I lend you my power. That will be my compensation.”
I blinked in shock. “A… game? With me? THAT'S what you want?!”
“That is my price.”
I hesitated, before looking to the side. “Belphie would make a better opponent than me…”
Barbatos shook his head. “I am the one who gets to select my opponent. Please bear that in mind. Thus, I have so named my price.”
Belphie sighed in acceptance. “What sort of game do you have in mind?”
“A simple game of chance involving a single die.” He held up his thumb and index finger loosely, where a die materialized perfectly between them. I didn't even bother to be surprised. “To win, you must guess whether the number showing on the die is even or odd. If Chise beats me, then I will do as you ask.”
I stared at the die in his fingers. “…And if you win, you won’t help.”
“Correct. We will play one time only, and there will be no do-overs. Is that acceptable?”
I still stared at the die in disbelief.
A game of chance.
“So… There’s nothing else I could give that’s… for sure?”
“Correct. Do you accept?”
Belphie came up behind me to murmur near my ear. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s acceptable or not, does it? We don’t have a choice. We're running out of time.”
I suppose it made sense. He was, after all, fighting for my life as well. To even give me the opportunity to play for theirs was generous, but of course it was offered with deep reluctance. Both of us held onto hope for separate results. No tears or pleas or waxing poetic in competition for who loves who more, neither giving in with so much on the line, until the clock simply struck twelve. There was a chance that the brothers would survive anyway, but it’d change Barbatos and I. I was sure of that. It already was.
This was my best chance.
“…I accept.”
“All right,” he said immediately, before striding to where he had been in the middle of making tea before our arrival.
I hesitated in confusion, and reticence, before following him. I watched him curiously as he dropped the die into a teacup, turned it over onto his palm, and shook it by his ear. Not unlike one would while shaking a cocktail, though the small die pinged in rattling tings in the pretty cup.
He nodded to me after he carefully removed his palm from under it, the cup now turned on its mouth against the platter underneath. “All right, the die is inside this upside-down teacup. I will let you be the one to make the call, Chise.” He focused his gaze directly on mine with the entirety of his attention.
It almost felt like everyone else disappeared in the room. Just us. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him even if I wanted to, I thought. Which I did not. His dark green eyes bore into mine.
“I love you,” I murmured softly.
His eyes softened. “I love you as I love no other. Chise... You must answer. Is it even, or odd? What do you think?”
“…Even.”
I dared to hope that luck was real after all, and that I pinned it on an 'even' playing field between him an I...
Equality.
That's how luck worked, right? You bet on the meaningful. The one that jumps out at you. Placing significance on... nothing in particular, to hope for a return.
Answer given, he nodded. The moment his eyes left mine, it was like a spell was broken between us. I let out a held breath as I watched his gloved fingers grip the bottom of the cup. And then lift.
I actually whimpered at the result, pressing my fist over my heart.
I heard Belphie slump back against the wall behind him in relief.
“The answer is even. It would seem that you have won, Chise. Ah…” He caught me by my waist as I swayed.
“All right…!” Belphie laughed out loud, a sound of deep relief.
Lucifer chuckled cheerfully too. “Luck is just another form of talent. Nicely done, Chise.”
Barbatos held me lightly, eyes twinkling with his small smile as he looked down at my upturned face. “Now then, you have provided me with reasonable compensation. What is it you desire of me?”
“…That’s… it…?”
“That is it,” he said softly.
I swallowed, searching his face. Kindness, and softness, and affection.
“…We want to go inside the dream world.”
He nodded, before gently releasing my waist. “Very well. Before we proceed, keep in mind that the dream world is an extremely unstable space.”
“Don’t worry.” Belphie’s voice was directly behind me again, making me jump. I looked up at him as he put his arm around his shoulder, smiling gratefully at my Barbatos. “I’ll keep Chise safe. All right?”
Barbatos hummed with another nod.
“All right,” Lucifer agreed. “We’re counting on you, Belphie.”
I pouted at them all.
Barbatos chuckled. “…And we believe in you too, Chise.”
Lucifer coughed lightly. “Right. Yes.”
I rolled my eyes. Sure, sure. After making me go through all that. So much belief.
Belphie laughed softly, sensing my irritation. “I’m your pact demon, remember? Your tooooool.”
“Shut up…” I said to him sullenly.
“Mm, is that an order, master?”
“Shut it… Before I make it one…”
He chuckled. Barbatos smiled in amusement.
“As though we praise the sword you wield in battle,” Lucifer added in dry amusement of his own, “its success in its sharp cut depends on that of its wielder. So of course our belief extends to you.”
“Hey, don’t call me a sword.”
“Oh shut your mouths, both of you…” I glared at them sulkily, though the relief in the new ease in the room was making me feel a bit giddy as well. “Trying to save face after being so rude isn’t doing you any favours…”
“Be very careful,” Diavolo said with an approving smile, amusement in his eyes as well. “Both of you.”
I nodded to him, before I felt Lucifer’s hand come to a rest on the peak of my shoulder by Belphie’s own arm around me, before giving it a squeeze. I turned my face up towards him.
“I’ll be standing by right here in case the two of you end up having trouble inside the dream world,” he murmured in reassurance. He gave me a small smile. “But I don’t want to have to go in after you. I’d appreciate it if you’d make sure it doesn’t come to that.”
“All right, you need to hurry,” Diavolo cut in. “You only have two more hours until midnight, and who knows how tough it’ll be to drag Mammon away from his money.”
I sighed.
“Don’t worry, we’ll find them and wake them up.” Belphie tightened his arm around me in a half-hug. ”All of them. Even Mammon… Isn’t that right, Chise?”
I smiled at him. “We’ll bring them all back. Count on it.”
“Even Mammon…”
“You keep repeating that.”
He sighed. “Just convincing myself.”
I rolled my eyes.
Lucifer chuckled. “All right. I believe you.”
“Well then.” Barbatos stepped back with a bow. “I shall go ahead and open the portal.”
“Barbatos… Thank you.”
His eyes flicked up to me from his bow. “Good luck, and please, do be careful.” He straightened, eyes softening. “Come back to me, Chise… That, I must beg of you…”
I nodded.
He returned it.
...Diavolo sniffled.
And then everything went dark around us.
–
“Wh…” Belphie and I stepped apart, facing one another while we looked around in alarm. “…It’s pitch black.”
“We can still see each other…” I looked down at my feet, stepping experimentally. Nothing, and no shadow. “Is this the in-between again…?”
“Maybe we’re inside the dream now…?”
"I suppose you could call this… the space between the waking world and the world of dreams. You would not be wrong to call it an in-between.”
I looked up into the empty space. “Barbatos…?”
Belphie frowned. “Barbatos, are you in here with us?”
"No, it is just you two. But it seems that you are still able to hear my voice. Please be sure not to lose your way. Because if you do, that will be it. Not only will you fail to reach the dreamworld, you will be stuck wandering the void for all eternity.”
I grimaced as I looked at Belphie. “…Aha.”
Belphie sighed in irritated exasperation. “Could you please not say things to intimidate us right now?”
"I do not mean to intimidate you. I am simply stating fact.”
I dropped my voice into a whisper as I took Belphie’s hand. “He’s not saying it to intimidate us on purpose. He’s thinking it because of…”
He nodded. “You. All right.”
”…You will not be able to hear my voice for much longer. Belphie, Chise… Please, try to be c…ful…”
We sighed together as the silence stretched.
“I wonder…” Belphie looked around with a touch of despair. “Is Beel really on the other side of this awful void…? It’s so… dark. And endless… I mean, what if I don’t find him…”
I looked up into his face. Watched him swallow. Withdrawing into himself.
I thought about the bogeyman.
This can’t be happening… it can’t be… BEEL! CHISE! WHERE ARE YOU! DON'T…!
I’m scared… I’m so scared! Where’d everyone go! Help! Chise! Beel! Lilith, please…! Please don’t leave me! DON'T LEAVE ME, DON'T LEAVE ME HERE ALONE, WHERE ARE YOU, PLEASE–
It's so dark... Her blood…
I pulled Belphie to me, before pressing my hands to his cheeks tightly to force him to look at me. "We will find him. Together.”
You found me, you found me! You found me again!
Always. I’ll always find you.
That’d been my promise to him – on that bench years ago, when we’d formed our pact.
I brushed his hair back from his face, smiling adoringly as he blinked at me. “You’ve got me along with you.”
He took in a breath, and then let it out with a smile. “Yeah… you’re right. As long as I’ve got you with me, things are going to be okay.” He pressed his hand over mine on his cheek, leaning into my touch. “Let’s hold hands.”
I nodded as I turned my hand over to clasp his, my smile widening with the warmth of our touch.
He squeezed it, his smile turning a bit self-conscious. “Holding your hand always gives me the courage to keep going…”
It was a vulnerable smile.
I pulled his hand to my lips to kiss it. “I feel the s–”
After I had kissed his skin, the darkness around us erupted into light.
I gasped as I leapt towards him in alarm, and he caught me from behind, his free arm wrapping around my middle.
After blinking painfully against the sudden flood of light, we stared around us in shock.
“What on Earth…?”
“…Where are we…?” Belphie’s eyes fell on the long, rich tables, laden with food. “It looks like some sort of restaurant?”
“A giant feast,” I murmured. “It smells amazing…”
He turned us slowly to take the rest of the room in. “If we’re inside a dream now, then we’re bound to find–"
“Mmm… This is good, too. And so is this…”
Belphie grinned, dropping my waist and hand to run past me. “BEEL!”
“Oh thank the stars,” I sighed in relief as I followed, smiling again. Of course we would be pulled to our other third, circle complete.
“Beel!” Belphie laughed as he threw his arms around his twin. “We found you!”
“Huh...?” Beel blinked down at Belphie, straightening from bending over the table in front of him to pile his plate. He brightened with a warm smile. “Belphie, Chise, where have you two been? You’re late. Dinner started a long time ago.”
“Man, this is AWESOME!”
I gasped as I spun.
Mammon, with his lop-sided grin, waving his fork. “Like, this beef is crazy good!”
“Mammon…!”
“Mammon!” came Levi’s scolding. How hadn’t I…? “No talking with your mouth full!”
Lucifer chuckled as he gestured to the seat beside him. “I’ve opened a bottle of my finest Demonus for you. Go on, have as much as you want.”
Satan raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Wow, I never thought I’d hear you say that. I guess hell must’ve frozen over, huh?”
Lucifer quirked an eyebrow back, smirking. ’So then you don’t want any, Satan?”
“Tch.” But Satan’s smile turned teasing with the sound of disdain. “I never said I didn’t want any.”
“Oooh!” Asmo wiggled, leaning forward to offer his own glass. “I’d love it if you could pour some Demonus for me too, Lucifer!”
I stared at them all in shocked silence.
“…Chise, are you all right?” came Belphie’s voice next to me.
I jumped in surprise. “…The whole family is here.”
“Yeah!” Beel beamed around at us all as he took his seat, plate piled high. “Dinner isn’t the same without my family eating with me.”
“Don’t forget where you are, okay?” Belphie murmured. “This is just Beel’s dream. Beel’s still asleep.” He sighed as he looked around. “This isn’t good at all.”
“What are you guys whispering about?” Beel asked over a mouth full of food, cheeks pink with his delight.
“Beel…” Belphie took him by his shoulders, turning him in his chair. “Listen carefully. I need you to wake up right now. You’re inside a dream.”
“Huh?” Beel swallowed in one gulp, face falling into worried confusion. “What are you talking about? This couldn’t be a dream. The food’s just too good.”
“It might be hard to believe, but it’s true. I’m telling you,” he pleaded, “Barbatos opened a portal which allowed Chise and I to–“
“Right, whatever.” Beel grinned as he waved his hand over to our usual seats. “Come on, Chise, have a seat at the head of the table. You sit there beside me, and Belphie sits on my other side, like always. Come on, your soup’s getting cold!”
“Beel,” I pleaded next, “listen to Belphie–"
“Let’s start with a toast.” He raised his glass of Demonus with a smile. “Does everyone have a glass. If not, then–"
“Beel, you idiot!” Belphie snapped, at he smacked the back of his head. “Why won’t you listen to me?!”
“Belphie,” I pleaded with him next.
“We don’t have time for this?”
“Belphie…?” Beel rubbed at the back of his head, looking up at him again in shock. “What’s wrong? Why’re you mad?”
I gasped as I stumbled back, nearly tripping over a chair leg as Belphie suddenly flickered from scowling in his casual clothes, to smiling fondly in his school uniform.
“Don’t worry, Beel. Just forget it. Anyway, you have to try this! It’s amazing!”
Beel took a bite, and then beamed again. “Hey, you’re right! It is amazing!”
“Belphie!” I cried.
”Chise!"
“Wh…?!” I looked around, eyes wide in fear. “Belphie?!”
”He must have forced a different version of me into his dream when I challenged him. Beel! That’s not really me! It’s just a version of me you dreamed up!”
“Ugh, come on, Beel,” dream-Belphie said with a patient smile, shaking his head fondly. “You’re spilling your soup.”
“Oh, whoops.” Beel returned his smile sheepishly. “Sorry, Belphie.”
”…It’s no use. He can’t hear anything I say anymore. We’ve got to wake him up ASAP, but I just don’t know how…”
“I’ll try,” I assured him, forward to place my hand on his shoulder. “Hey, Beel.”
“Chise!” He grinned up at me. “Take a seat! You’re late for dinner!”
I smiled as I rubbed my thumb on his shoulder. “I’d really like some giant Devildom slug right now.”
"…Chise? What are you talking about? This is no time to be–"
Beel had gasped, eyes widening. “Are you talking about thick-cut giant Devildom slug sauté? You remembered me mentioning it?”
"He heard you!"
I giggled. “Yeah, of course. I also remember you promising to take me out on a date to try it.”
He nodded, eyes shining. He scooted his chair back to stand. “Well, if that’s what you want, we won’t find any of that here, so–"
Everyone disappeared.
Everyone, except for Belphie, who wobbled on his feet while blinking rapidly in confusion.
I gasped as I ran to him to throw myself around his cardigan-clad middle. No uniform jacket.
“Oof! Careful…!” He looked around with a frown. “Where’d…? Everyone’s gone…” He looked down at me with wide eyes. “Do you think this means that…?”
My eyes were similarly round with our shared hope. “He woke up?”
He smiled down at me, before hugging me tight, rubbing his cheek into my hair. “Yeah, I think he must have. Because not only did he disappear, but everyone else in the dream vanished along with him. He made it back to the real world…” He laughed. “He wanted you to be able to try giant Devildom slug, so he went back to the real world to get some for you!”
I laughed with him. “That’s so Beel…”
He'd looked so happy.
...I was going to have to go on a date with Beel to eat slugs after this, wasn't I...
Belphie sighed in relief. “Wow, I feel so much better. And sleepy, too, now that I know he’s okay. Anyway, we’ve saved Beel. I’d say that’s good enough. What do you say–“
"Nice try,” I said with a glare. “Time for the next dream!”
“Ugh, but think about it… A life without Mammon and Levi… The peace… The quiet… The undisturbed naps…”
“Next dream.”
“No Lotan flooding the house, no awaking up on a soggy mattress, no checking to see if Mammon pickpocketed my wallet again, no checking my credit report to see if he stole my identity… again…”
“…NEXT DREAM.”
Before I could see his point and feel the temptation creep in as well.
I love them both I love them both I love them both holy crap they make it hard some days.
He sighed in resignation as the room began to dissolve around us. “Ugh, this is going to be so much work…”
We glanced at each other.
“So, we’ve gone from a restaurant to a casino…”
I sighed. “I guess that means we’re going to find–“
”Eeheheheheheheheheh!”
We both shook our heads as we turned.
“Oh man oh man OH MAN! I can’t stop smilin’!”
Mammon was, indeed, grinning from ear to ear.
“…Yep,” Belphie said flatly. “I knew it.”
Mammon turned his head towards the sound of our voices. “Hey, look who it is! Chise and Belphie! Sure didn’t expect to run into you two here. What a coincidence!” He smirked as he gestured around, other hand on his hip. “Welcome to the Mammon’s native habitat! This place was made for me. In fact, this NIGHT was made for me!”
I rubbed the heel of my palm hard against my forehead.
“I’ve been doin’ nothing but winnin’ tonight! No matter what I play, I win! It’s like I was MADE to win!”
“…Idiot,” Belphie muttered.
“I feel like Super Mammon! Tonight is Super Mammon Night! Catch the fever! D’AHAHAHAHA!”
Belphie tsked in irritation. “Sometimes I get so sick of him that I wish he’d just drop dead on the spot…”
“Eh?” Mammon leaned forward, still grinning. “Did you say somethin’?”
“It’s okay, Chise.” Belphie nodded to me. “Go ahead, do your thing. He is your problem.”
”Stay!”
Mammon yelped, thrown to the floor, as usual. He glared up at me. “GRRR, CHISE! What was that for, huh?! Why would ya do that to a fine, upstandin’ gambler like me?!”
Belphie sighed, before giving an exaggerated shrug. “Well, I guess there’s no helping him. Come on, Chise, let’s go.”
“Wait,” I said softly, looking down at my hands.
Belphie quirked an eyebrow at me. “Hm?”
“Mammon’s ring…”
Belphie snorted, looking away to the side. “Finally wearing that now, huh?”
“No…” I frowned. “I didn’t put this on. And it’s on… the marriage hand.”
“Didn’t know there was a difference…” he mumbled.
Mammon did. I’d explained it to him.
I looked at Mammon directly, twisting it a bit, and slowly began to pull it off.
“Wh-Wha…!” Panic in his eyes. Pleading, hurt, desperation as he scrabbled at the floor, wide eyes locked on the ring that I slid up off my finger. “N-N-N… Wh-What’re ya doin’?! H-HEY, N-NO, D-DON’T–"
He disappeared.
“…Well, he’s gone.” Belphie tilted his head, bemused. “Looks like he woke up. Well, that was pretty easy, huh? All right, what do you say we head to the next dream?”
I stared at the spot where Mammon had just been.
The ring between my fingers had disappeared, too.
“Chise?”
“…Yeah. Not much time left.”
He took my hand. “Halfway there.”
We looked around us, perplexed.
“…What is up with this place?” Belphie frowned in confusion. “Whose dream are we in?”
I shook my head. “It’s so loud. Mammon’s already awake, Asmo’s in the real world… Levi’s not–“
“Don’t even say it,” came a sullen voice from behind us. “I know what you’re thinking. Look at the antisocial loser sitting in the corner all alone. HE doesn’t belong here.”
I sighed as I turned to him.
Levi, looking up at us from where he sat in said-corner, hugging his knees to himself. Sulking. “…After all, I’m just a gloomy, depressing otaku. I tried to pretend I belonged here with the party demons, but this place is just too much! It’s like staring into the sun. I can’t take it lol.”
“Wh… Levi?” Belphie blinked. “Wow, this I didn’t expect.”
I shook my head. “Um. Kind of thought that you would dream about living inside Anidaemon, or that you were hanging out with Ruri-chan…”
“I don’t want to hear it,” he muttered. “I lost my save data, you know? From the VERY END of my game!”
“Yeah… We heard about that.”
“Crying isn’t enough. NOTHING is enough! It’s too sad for that. So I thought I’d transform myself into a club-hopping party demon, but it didn’t help at all! Now I just want to crawl into a hole and die.”
I lowered myself down in front of him, placing my hands on his knees. He hunched even more than he already had been, slow-blinking up at me with glassy eyes from under his fringe. “Oh, Levi… That’s not you.”
“I’m just so tired…” he mumbled. “I’ve had enough…”
He disappeared.
I blinked. “…Huh?”
“The fuck…?” Belphie sighed in exasperation. “I’m glad Levi’s awake now and all, but he really caused a huge mess doing what he did. And then he’s the easiest to wake up…? Like…”
I shook my head as I stood myself back up. “Drama llama…”
“You can say that again. Eh, but what else is new, right?”
I sighed. I wondered if I could shove him into a room with Barbatos for therapy as well. Nah… Therapy only worked if someone wanted to help themselves… And Barbatos might just snap and kill us all if he had to deal with Levi. Like I almost do sometimes. “All right. Only one more… I hope we can even find Raphael. I feel like we’ve kind of been pulled to everyone, like with Beel, but I don’t have a connection to him at all…”
“I’ve known Raphael for thousands of years.” Belphie took my hand. “I’ll pull.”
“Oh… Right…”
I was still struggling with the deep conflict I felt over Raphael. The brothers, welcoming him back with open arms. The look of horrible worry on Simeon’s face earlier. Even Solomon…
And now Belphie, confident enough in knowing him that he could pull us both to him.
I was feeling kind of alone in my suspicion of him. And I was feeling more uncertain over the position I’d staunchly taken, even as I felt like I couldn’t feel any other way about it. What did everyone see that I didn’t? Or maybe it was that everyone couldn’t see what I did? Maybe it was just that the longer he was around, integrating in our circles, the more relaxed that even Solomon was becoming. Unguarded.
Maybe…
Though still, as the thumping club around us began to fade, I had to wonder what Raphael’s dream would even look like, as quiet and private as he was.
…And if Belphie knew him well enough to figure out how to even wake him up from it.
We blinked in another scene of bright lights.
Belphie gasped as everything came into focus. “This is the Celestial Realm… Whoa…” He turned his face to me with a smile. “This really brings back memories. It hasn’t changed at all.”
“I guess it makes sense that this is Raphael’s dream…” I looked around uncertainly. “This is his home…”
“Ah, right,” Belphie laughed, looking around again, before pointing to some trees close by. “Look, there he is. And he’s…” He froze, smile fading in shock. “…Not alone…”
“Man, I don’t believe it!” Mammon stretched his arms up over his head. “We finally made it back to the Celestial Realm!”
Lucifer nodded as he leaned his back up against the tree that Raphael sat underneath in the shade, his six glorious while wings dwarfing the trunk behind him. “I never thought the day would come when we’d be forgiven, and return to the Celestial Realm in our original forms.”
Raphael tutted haughtily from where he sat, hugging his knees to his chest. “It certainly took you long enough. I was getting tired of waiting on all of you.”
Lucifer chuckled in amusement. “Hey, don’t say that, Raphael. This is a happy occasion.”
“I have to say, I didn’t look bad as a demon, but check it out!” Asmo giggled as he spun in his gown. “How do I look?!”
“You’re lucky, Asmo,” Levi said glumly. “I may look like an angel now, but I’m still just a sad otaku on the inside…”
“Don’t talk like that, Levi,” Lucifer said with a sigh of indulgence. “We’re finally back in the Celestial Realm, remember? And we’re going to get to hear Raphael sing again.”
“Mmm, you can’t beat Celestial food straight from the source,” Beel said happily as he reached up to pluck what looked like a pink apple from the tree.
I knew I should shake myself out of my shock. I knew that we were quickly running out of time.
Maybe I wouldn’t have been this shocked… Maybe I would have shaken it off much quicker, since it all should have made sense, since I had seen all of them in their angel forms before…
Except for one.
“I’m going to do some reading,” Satan said in a light smile as he opened a satchel to take a spot under the tree as well. “Look, all of these books you can only find in the Celestial Realm.”
Angel. Satan, as an angel.
And he was so, so beautiful...
Raphael… wanted… all of this.
“How can you still be hungry after you just got done eating all of those cakes and things I made?!” Luke chided.
“…They’re all smiling,” Belphie said softly. “They look so happy…”
Raphael looked up at his voice. “What’s wrong, Belphie? What are you doing standing over there?” He patted the spot on the grass beside him. “Come here. You’ve been wanting to go to the Celestial Realm, haven’t you?”
Belphie hesitated, eyes fixed to Raphael. “…Yeah. It really is nice here. It’s so warm and comfortable…”
Raphael smiled. The biggest smile I’ve ever seen him give. Well, big for him. It was still close-lipped. But it was lovely. And sincere. “That reminds me, Michael said he’d like to have tea up in the observatory after this. You’ll be joining us, right?”
“Us...?”
It was then that I snapped out of it. I grabbed Belphie’s hand again with a gasp as he took a step forward, pulling him back to me.
He looked over his shoulder at me with a befuddled blink.
“This isn’t why we’re here!”
Belphie jumped at the fierceness in my tone, eyes widening. “…Right. Yeah. This is a dream. For a second there, I nearly forgot…”
“We have to wake him up.” I nodded over at Raphael. “How do we…?”
“What’s wrong?” Raphael asked with a smile still. “Are you coming or not?”
I hesitated, sharing a glance with Belphie, who looked just as lost.
“…We can’t,” I answered, though I felt like I was grasping at straws, just buying time.
“Really…?” Raphael tilted his head in confusion. “Why not?”
“Because… we’re still missing someone.”
“Missing…?” Raphael frowned, and then brightened. “You’re right. We are, aren’t we?”
“Of course not,” Simeon said with his lovely laugh, sliding his arms over Raphael’s shoulders to give them a squeeze. He leaned to the side to bump his head against his. “See? I’m right here. I would’t give this up for the world. Not for anything.”
I stared at them both in shock. Stared at Raphael as he ducked his head with a soft blush, and a warm smile of delight.
I nearly choked with the pain of it. With his pain. With my own. At odds. Yet shared.
“We don’t have much time!” Belphie whispered at my side. “It’s almost midnight!”
I shook my head. “How do we do this…? Belphie, you’re the one who knows him…”
Belphie rubbed his forehead with a frustrated growl. “…Fine. Okay. I’m not sure this is going to work, but it’s worth a try. Raphael, can we talk to–"
But his brothers descended on him before he could truly pull Raphael’s attention to us, the seraphim now looking at Simeon directly, their faces close as they talked quietly. Beel was holding out an apple, Asmo was trying to pull my hand into the circle to take a selfie, Satan came over with a book, Mammon grabbed me from behind with a teasing laugh while I let out a yelp.
All laughing, playful, friendly.
But gripping us, stopping us from going to Raphael.
“Stop!” Belphie growled at them. “Let go, you assholes. I’m trying to talk to Raphael.”
“Raphael wants to be here,” I explained to him with a gasp as Mammon squeezed me from behind again. “He’s desperate to stay. He’s not going to let us get close…”
“Right, we’re trying to wake him up, so he’s doing his best to avoid talking to us.” Belphie looked at me in panic. “Chise, we have minutes until Helldown starts. This is bad. We might get stuck here with him!” He abruptly stopped struggling. “Chise…”
I looked at him, bewildered. “Wh-What?”
“Call our pact.”
“Wh-What…?” I shook my head. “And then what? What’s your plan?”
He sighed. “You might not like this…”
“What exactly are you going to do…?”
He looked around us, shaking his head. “I’m going to use magic to destroy this entire space.”
“What?!” My eyes shot open wider. “But we’re inside Raphael’s dream!”
He nodded. “Yeah, we’re inside his mind. So if we cause damage to this space, we’ll be damaging his mind as well.”
I stared at him, horrified. “…Absolutely NOT! We CAN’T do that! We might KILL him!”
“I promised that I’d take care of you,” he growled back, panic flashing in his eyes. “We have maybe five minutes, Chise. We can’t just go down with him.”
“We can’t KILL someone!”
“I don’t want to do this any more than you do. But if we want to make it back to the real world, we’ve got no choice.”
“…Really?”
We turned our heads towards Lucifer’s deep voice in confusion. Everyone else appeared to be oblivious to our conversation, purposely ignoring our words to maintain the farce. But Lucifer held our gazes with his own, directly.
Belphie blinked. “Huh…?”
“Are you sure about that?”
Belphie straightened, looking at me again. “Right. If Lucifer spoke to Raphael, he might actually be able to talk some sense into him.”
“What…?” Why would Raphael give us that hint? I looked around, suddenly aware that we’d been let go. Everyone watched us with patient smiles, though they still blocked us from Raphael.
Hesitation. Confliction.
“Chise, summon Lucifer!”
I touched my ring, though I still paused in panic. “…Summon in a dream world?!”
“You can do this, Chise,” Belphie encouraged me with a smile. “Don’t think, just do! I believe in you!”
”…Hear me, and heed my call. In the name of the sorcerer Chise, I draw upon my pact with the Ring of Light. Come forth, Lucifer!”
I cried out as the world around us began to shake, stumbling into Belphie as though the ground at our feet trembled in a horrible earthquake.
“Didn’t work properly,” he muttered. “I think it must be because we’re in such an unstable space. Chise, stay calm. Try one more time. It’s the only way now.”
I squeezed my eyes shut as he held me. ”Hear me, and heed my call! In the name of the sorcerer Chise!”
Even from behind my closed eyes, the brilliant light that shone stung them.
“That flash of light,” Belphie whispered in awe. “Chise, that… wasn’t the Ring of Light. It was Solomon’s ring.”
“What?” My eyes snapped open as I held out my hand to inspect it.
Here. This is for you, Chise. It’s a sorcerer’s ring! Since you already have the ring of light protecting you, you might not need another talisman from me. But even so…
Ahuvati… I love you too.
I twisted it lightly on my finger, focusing on it. “Solomon…”
It’s just a question of whether you can properly harness your ability. As long as you stay calm and focus, I know you can do it. Trust me.
I shook my head with a soft smile. “Silly, insane man… How do I keep hearing your voice…? Maybe I’m going crazy now, too.” I touched the other ring again. "…I drawn upon my pact with the Ring of Light. Come forth, Lucifer.”
Belphie sucked in a sharp breath, eyes widening in shock as he stepped back with me in his arms.
Angel Lucifer flashed a dazzling white along with my ring, leaving my Lucifer in the dream’s place.
He chuckled with a fond shake of his head. “Summoned into a dream? Now that I didn’t expect.”
“Chise,” Belphie whispered faintly in his shock. “You’re amazing…! To actually summon Lucifer from inside such an unstable space…! Incredible…”
I glared at him balefully. “…Thanks for believing in me.”
“Heh…”
Lucifer turned.
Raphael had stood up, watching us now. Despite the stillness on his face, he flinched when he met Lucifer’s eyes.
“…We’ve come to take you back, Raphael,” Lucifer said softly, though it was like his voice rang through the world. “It’s about time you woke up, don’t you think?”
Raphael’s face fell into a look of sorrow. Into an expression of quiet, voiceless pain.
The worst kind.
He took in a shaky breath, and then wiped the look away with a soft smile. The smile of a defeated man. “…I was hoping to stay asleep a bit longer.”
He looked down at his feet, letting out a soft laugh.
And then disappeared.
“So he woke up,” Belphie murmured.
Lucifer nodded towards where Raphael had stood, before turning to us both with a smile, extending both hands out to us. “Well then, I’d say it’s time we headed home as well.”
I rushed into his arms instead as the world around us began to fade, with Belphie’s hand pressed to my back.
Lucifer: How are things where you are?
Lucifer: Has everyone woken up?
Satan: Seems so, yeah.
Asmo: Lucifer, have you checked out my Devilgram page?
Asmo: You HAVE to see it!
Asmo: They all look absolutely adorable! ❤️
Asmo: 🥰😍
Lucifer: Are the four of them doing all right?
Satan: Sure. Other than the fact that they have ribbons in their hair.
Asmo: Ugh, SATAN!
Asmo: Why did you have to ruin the surprise?!
Lucifer: Regardless, I need you to bring them here to the Demon Lord’s Castle immediately.
Asmo: Whatever you say, Lucifer dear. 💃
“Belphegor, Chise, welcome back.”
I opened my eyes with a shaky breath, turning my tearful eyes towards Barbatos, who kneeled above me, smiling. I raised myself up to throw my arms around his shoulders, pulling him to me tight. He grabbed me back to him without hesitation.
“...You did not wake right away,” he murmured into my hair.
“I am so, so, so sorry…”
He held me tighter. I did, too.
“Oh thank goodness!” Diavolo sighed in relief. “You’re both awake!”
Lucifer chuckled. “Did you enjoy your time in the dream world?”
“Of course not,” Belphie answered with a glare as he sat up. “Do you know how nerve-wracking that was? If I ever experience a dream like that again, it’ll be too soon.”
“Great work, you two!” Asmo sang cheerfully.
“The clock just struck midnight…” Satan sighed, looking pale as caught my eyes over Barbatos’ shoulder. “You really cut that close, huh…?”
Right. Barbatos wasn’t the only one who didn’t want me to die.
“…Soooo, is anyone finally going to tell us what’s going on?” Levi asked sulkily.
I looked over at them. And blinked. And made a strange noise of relief, confusion, amusement, and irritation.
Mammon shrugged. “Don’t ask me. I must’ve nodded off at some point. And then I woke up with ribbons in my hair. I mean, you tell ME how that happened…”
They did, indeed, have ribbons tied in their hair. And Asmo was giggling his ass off.
Beel reached up to touch. “Oh, now that you mention it, I have ribbons in my hair, too… But whatever. I’m hungry.”
“Wait, none of you remember what happened inside the dream?” Belphie glanced. “Raphael, does that mean–"
“…No. I remember everything.” He bowed at his waist. “Belphie, Chise. I’ve been a real burden to both of you. I’m sorry.”
Belphie snorted. “Nah, it was no big deal. Actually, if anyone was a burden, it was Levi.”
“Pfwha?!”
“Yes, what a very good point.” Lucifer turned towards the trembling otaku, who eeped at the sight of his overly-pleasant smile. “Levi, you’re prohibited from playing any games for the next week.”
“WHA?! WHY?! HUH?!” I slapped his hands on his cheeks in horror, letting out a sob. “I can’t go a week without games! I’ll DIE!”
Belphie glared at him. “So die, then.”
Mammon rolled his eyes. “You won’t die, ya idiot.”
“Okay then, could YOU go a week without touching any kind of money, Mammon?!” he snapped back at him.
Mammon frowned. “Hell no. I’d die.”
“What’s wrong, Raphael?” Asmo asked softly. “Is it me, or do you seem a little unhappy?”
“…No, I’m fine.”
Satan gave him a look of concern. “Well, that’s not what the look on your face says…”
I was hoping to stay asleep a bit longer…
Raphael turned his face away. “I should let Simeon and the rest of Purgatory Hall know that I’m all right. I have a lot of missed messages.”
“Raphael...?” I called out softly to him as he turned.
He glanced over his shoulder at me. “Yes?”
“Glad to have you back with us.”
His eyes flicked up and down my face, studying me for a brief moment. “…Thank you, Chise. Thank you for… finding me.”
Asmo bounced on his heels, beaming. “We’re all glad, of course!”
Lucifer nodded to him, smiling. “We’ll all have to get together soon to celebrate.”
“That might be nice...”
Levi’s eyes widened hopefully. “Maybe we can all play games–"
"No!"
Belphie turned his face towards me, with a glint of revelation in his eyes. “…I know what I want to do for Felicity Day now.”
We’d all finally gotten home at around two in the morning, all of us who had worked on saving the others feeling exhausted, with everyone dispersing into their own rooms shortly after.
I should sleep. It’d been a long day. Emotional. I should be one of the exhausted ones. I was exhausted.
But as I laid there in bed thinking of the day's events, there was one image in particular that kept pushing its way through all the rest. Even pushing past everything that happened in Raphael’s dream, which tore me up too.
But not as much as Mammon's expression of panic and hurt, the moment I went to take his ring off of my finger.
I sighed as I rolled to my side, thoroughly sleepless, to pick up my D.D.D.
Chise: Hey, Levi, you still awake?
Levi: Yeah. What’s up?
Of course he would be up still. Slept all day, missed all of his anime releases. Even with his gaming ban, he still had a lot to catch up on. I expected nothing less.
Chise: Can I come to your room and talk to you about something that's been on my mind?
Levi: Oh, sure! Come over right MEOW. The door's unlocked for you.
Levi: Um... Are you going to stay the night?
Chise: Yeah, I think I will. 🙂
Levi: :D!!
If that’s something he still wanted.
Chapter 39: Intermission: Dance Of Fire, Song Of Sins
Notes:
Whew. Long chapter is long, hence delay.
I haven't written a poem in a long time. *brushes off the rust in my brain* I follow no rules in prose it's all vibes.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Simeon: You helped Raphael.
Simeon: Thank you for that, Chise.
Simeon: If you happen to catch his expression soften ever so slightly, that means he’s enjoying himself.
Chise: I’ve sort of picked up on that, yeah…
Simeon: Chise…
Simeon: He might seem distant, but he’s actually a big softie.
Simeon: I’d be happy if the two of you finally became friends.
Chise: What…? Are you serious?
Simeon: I mean that, Chise.
Chise: What’s going on…?
Raphael: It’s me, Raphael.
Raphael: I got your contact information from Simeon.
Raphael: I thought you should know how to get in touch with me in case you ever need me, so please feel free to save my number if you wish.
Chise: “Need you” how?
Raphael: If you feel like you need me, then you need me. It’s as simple as that.
Raphael: You know about Simeon’s situation, don’t you?
Raphael: I’m glad he has you and Solomon to talk to about it.
Raphael: 🙂
I stared at my D.D.D.
You know about Simeon’s situation, don’t you? I’m glad he has you and Solomon to talk to about it.
I bit my fist hard, squeezing my eyes tight with a whine.
I felt like I was going to puke…
“…Chise...?” Levi mumbled, rubbing his cheek against my shoulder sleepily. “You okay…?”
I turned towards him, wrapping him close.
“Mmm…” His breathing evened out into sleep as he snuggled into me.
Breakfast was…
Well, Levi was even more sullen than usual. In a bad mood, you could say, despite his early eepy cuteness. Which was the perfect recipe for him to stir up the rest of his brothers…
Against Mammon.
Which they all happily joined in on him with.
It began with Levi giving him a hard kick from under the table the moment he sat down.
“OW!” Mammon jumped, wide-eyed. “What the hell, Levi?! What was THAT for?!”
“For being a good-for-nothing NORMIE!”
Lucifer sighed, looking over at me from down the way in question. Given that I had just arrived with Levi, he had correctly surmised that I would know what was about to happen.
I simply held up my hand, showcasing Mammon’s ring on my engagement finger.
He sighed again, nodded, and went back to his food. They all had to get it out of their system eventually; and I did, after all, have Stay up my sleeve.
Which may have to be flexed, if things went too far.
Since everyone else noticed me holding up my hand as well.
…Except for Mammon, who was leaning to the side, rubbing his leg under the table.
It was time.
Everyone else – well, everyone except Beel – looked at each other, and nodded.
A rare, silent alliance was formed.
Next, they all turned their heads towards Mammon.
With fire in their eyes.
It. was. on.
“A’ight, OTAKU-BOY, I dunno what this is about– OW!”
Mammon got kicked again. By Asmo, who had draped his legs across Satan’s lap to do it. Who had let him.
“What the HELL?!” Mammon glared at him. “Why’re you two pickin’ on me?! WHAT THE– WHO THREW THAT?!”
They all shrugged innocence as they watched the baked devilbeans in brown sauce slide down his cheek. I hadn’t seen who had done it, but I suspected Belphie, the food-thrower.
Mammon growled wordlessly, clenching his fist around his fork, though there was a nervousness in his eyes as he senses an unsettling aura in the room. He glanced at me pleadingly, but I was pretending to be very interested in my food, and like I hadn’t noticed.
This was a family matter between them.
He gulped after finding no ally in me. “Y-Y'all hopin’ to get up close and personal with my fist or what?!”
“Try it,” Belphie cooed dangerously in a soft voice. “I’d like to see you take us all on.”
“Wh?! HEY! I didn’t do nothin’ to deserve this!”
“No? I’ve read sweeping epics shorter than your criminal record,” Lucifer pointed out dryly. “On top of that, your personality predisposes you to irritating those around you.”
“Wait, hang on! YOU’RE joinin’ forces with the weeb shut-in, too?!”
“Don’t test me, Mammon,” Levi snapped. “I’ll leave you bankrupt and panhandling under a bridge.”
Belphie frowned. “What’s a weeb? Oh, while we’re at it, could anyone tell me what ‘yandere’ means?”
“Weeb is short-hand for weeaboo. It’s a derogatory term for otaku! I will NOT stand for this!”
“…Okay. And yandere?”
“I thought that otaku was already derogatory…?”
“…WE’RE RECLAIMING IT!!”
Mammon’s head swivelled around the table, perplexed by the sudden intermission. “…WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!”
Lucifer sighed. “Honestly, do you have to yell, Mammon? Do I need to sew a zipper onto that overactive mouth of yours?”
“I DIDN’T SAY NOTHIN’!!”
“Oooh, Lucifer,” Asmo cooed admiringly, though he let out a nervous shudder. “How are you saying that in such a cold voice while smiling so warmly…?”
“WHY ARE Y’ALL BEIN’ SO MEEEEAN!! Shouldn’t y’all be hazin' Levi for yesterday?!”
“Rot in hell, you good-looking normie!” Levi snapped again. “I wish handsome guys like you would just combust!”
“…Eh?” Mammon stopped his wailing to frown in confusion. “Uhh, thanks?”
“Levi, you idiot,” Satan sighed. “You’re under-handed COMPLIMENTING him.”
“I’m telling him to DIE!”
“You’re supposed to say something like, ‘He’s got the looks and personality of crumbling dry wall’.”
Asmo giggled. “Oooh, that’s a good one! I’m soooo using that!”
Satan shrugged. “I’ve got plenty more where that came from.”
“Why’re YOU bein’ extra harsh, Satan?! You still mad ‘cause I ate that cat-shaped donut of yours?!”
“…That was YOU?!”
I sighed as I picked up my plate and mug, saving my bacon and coffee just before Satan flipped the table. I stood, walking out of the room to eat a nice, quiet breakfast in my own, just in time to hear Beel’s roar come from behind me.
Could I have used ‘Stay'? Sure. But Lucifer had added unnecessary fuel to the fire. I mean, the man literally helped Mammon save for the ring. He could clean up.
Barbatos: Good morning, Chise.
Barbatos: I am wondering if you are free this weekend to attend the festival in Long Hu Town with me.
Barbatos: Please let me know.
Chise: Oh hells Barbatos please yes take me away please.
Barbatos: Oh… my.
Barbatos: Well, then it is settled.
Chise: When do we leave?!
Barbatos: 😶 My goodness.
Barbatos: I am deeply touched by your enthusiasm. However, I do hope everything is all right over at the House of Lamentation, as I am getting the impression that things are… not?
Chise: 🫠 Lucifer is, once again, ordering a new dining table.
Barbatos: Hehe. Poor dear.
Barbatos: I see. Then I shall be happy to whisk you away.
Barbatos: 😊
Chise: My Prince Charming!
Barbatos: 🤭
As much as I looked forward to it – and I really, really did – I also connected the timing of him asking, offered so soon after ‘buying’ his service. I didn’t know what he was going to say to me. But I was going to say sorry – as many times as he’d let me.
“So, a variety of tea that summons a flame bird…?” I sighed dreamily as I leaned slightly to the side to bump shoulders with Barbatos as we sat together on the train. “Do you think we’ll really see it, or is it just a rumour…?”
“The information I received appeared to be quite reliable, so I certainly hope so.” He gave me a gentle smile as he looked down into my face. “You are looking forward to it, I take it.”
I nodded. “Though I’m trying to have reasonable expectations.”
“Do you?” He was slowly inching his arm around behind the small of my back, as though he were trying to be sneaky about it. “Expectations on its dance?”
“Expectations on finding it in the first place…” I smiled shyly as I curved my back a bit to give him room to hold me. “If we can’t, I’m sure the festival will be really fun anyway. You said it’s really rare.”
“Very.” He chuckled. “You are worried that you will disappoint me with your disappointment. Please, hope freely. Now I shall be making it my new life’s mission to witness a flame bird’s dance with you, whether we find it in Long Hu Town, or elsewhere.”
I reached across my stomach to touch his hand on my waist with my fingers. “Don’t go that out of your way. I’m here to be with you.”
“Nonsense.” He looked at me with fondness shining in his eyes. “I am sure that you will have a wonderful time. Watching a flame bird dance.”
I snorted with laughter, shaking my head with a grin. “You’re a stubborn man. Has anyone told you that?”
He chuckled again. “Daily.”
“It is quite lively, is it not?”
I held his arm lightly, rubbing my fingers against the soft and loose sleeves of his human world clothing. I felt like a true lady as we navigated the row of brightly lit stands where wares were being hawked. “There are a lot more stalls than I thought there’d be. Do you know what the store with the rare tea leaves looks like? Not that I mind taking our time to look at everything.”
He shook his head. “I do not think it will stand out specifically. We will simply have to walk around and look for it.” He patted my hand that held the crook of his elbow while he turned his head back and forth, forest-green eyes bright. “Our only clue is that I has a sign with tea utensils, but apparently that is also quite difficult to spot…”
I yelped as I tripped suddenly, grabbing Barbatos’ arm tighter for support.
“Oh!” Barbatos spun to catch me around my middle with his other arm. “Careful!”
”…Get bred, human whore,” came a passing hiss near my ear, as the demon who shoved me shot a knowing sneer towards Barbatos who fretted on my other side.
"My dear, are you all right? Wait…” He frowned as he looked over his shoulder behind us. “No. No. Excuse me? SIR!”
But the demon who had tripped me had long melted back into the crowd.
I touched his arm as he turned further towards where the man had escaped, his mouth set in a flat line. “He’s gone, love. It’s too crowded anyway.”
"Do not tell me that he called you what I think he called you?” His eyes were flashing darkly, staring down where he’d vanished. “I am capable of pursuing–"
I was shaking my head. “Please, don’t. Not on my account.”
"My lady, did you not hear him? You are not a wh...!"
I couldn't help myself. I had to laugh at the word that almost just flew out of Barbatos' mouth before he abruptly stopped himself. It was a laugh of affectionate sympathy, though, for his bewildered outrage. “I heard. Obviously I’m not. But please, Barbatos, there’s no need to continue that ‘interaction'. Not around all these people, at least. I don’t want anyone to get hurt.”
"My lady…"
He sounded so simultaneously sad and helpless and sympathetic and even sulky with those two words. I blushed as I gave him a sweet smile, pulling his arm gently back to me to hug it with both of my own. "Thank you for catching me, Barbatos. And for caring. You’re the sweetest."
He finally sighed, his cheeks colouring too at my words. "I suppose it would be uncouth to brawl in the streets of this festival..."
"Oh?" I grinned at him. "You were going to brawl in the streets for me?"
He huffed. "He is lucky to have not found out the answer to that. Regardless, I had hoped that this would be a nice outing for you, free of worries." Barbatos looked down at me, pausing with a held breath for a moment in hesitation. “…Do you… often have such confrontations with other demons while you are out in public?”
"Well, not usually, no.” I leaned against him, hugging his arm tighter to my chest. “It’s rare, and it’s even less often these days. Much less, in fact. Definitely not at RAD anymore, or the area around it and the castle. But also yes, now and then, whenever I go outside of that vicinity. But I usually have one of the brothers with me – or Solomon. Like that one time when Diavolo was investigating 'the illegal gambling' ring at the pop-up carnival that one time – Mammon and Lucifer were taking good care of me while I was there.” I shrugged. “I do get a few nasty DM’s on my Devildom socials, though.”
"I see..." he said softly. “Anonymous cowards…”
I looked up at him with a small smile. "You sound surprised."
“I regret that that has been your experience…” He sighed. “It brings shame to the Devildom. To us all. It appears that the Young Master still has a long way to go in his endeavours…”
I waved my hand. “Stuff like that doesn’t happen overnight. And now it hardly matters. I’ve got my own powers now, so I can protect myself. They’re no longer a threat.”
“But that you have to…” he murmured. “And if you were to be… cornered alone…” He sucked in a breath through his teeth, face reddening.
“It’s okay, Barbatos.” I gave him a sincere, reassuring smile. “It’s being actively worked on. That’s what matters. You are already fighting him for me. And I know that nobody believed in him at the time, but Mammon took amazing care of me when I first got here; it was one of the very few times I’ve ever seen him use his powers. He took taking care of me seriously. So I have lots of friends and allies, too. Including you.”
“Mammon got into a physical altercation on your behalf at RAD itself?” He stared at me in shock. “You were accosted on school grounds…?”
“Oh, ah, well, I wouldn’t exactly say…” I cleared my throat lightly, kicking myself. It’d been more of a plan being hatched to accost me on school grounds. A serious one if it’d been successful, but… “Anyway, I wasn’t hurt at all, and it only had to happen once for the message to get through. I didn’t have any problems at RAD after that.”
I decided it was best not to mention that it was actual HOL that had been the real danger, with Lucifer doing his best to murder me back then. On multiple occasions.
…And Levi.
……And Satan.
………And super duper definitely Belphie – who had been, you could say, the most successful one out of them all.
…Also multiple times, through multiple timelines. Oh, including this one, actually.
Didn’t seem constructive to bring those up. Water under the bridge and all that.
“How ignorant of us, to allow it to get to the point where Mammon himself had to step in…” Barbatos sighed. “Human culture changes so quickly, due to generations coming and going at… a faster rate than ours.”
I clenched my teeth a bit, looking aside at the tone in his voice.
“Old ideas die, to give way for the new. While your species’ progression is not always linear, it certainly moves forward.” He grimaced. “I am afraid that here in the Devildom, progress moves a great deal slower. The old remain old, collecting power as they go, and they resist change a great deal while they sit at the top of it while refusing to share in their lifetime’s spoils. To wrest their old-fashioned ways away from the ‘establishment’ they have created for themselves in their egos is a feat that challenges the young Crown much.”
I nodded. Wow, he thought as little of them as Diavolo. Maybe even more – Diavolo joked, and rolled his eyes with a smirk at the prospect of provoking them now and then, but Barbatos had just ranted. “That makes sense. I understand. So Diavolo really must seem like a young upstart, huh? He flies through changes. Maybe even faster than by human standards.”
Barbatos chuckled, and I caught a hint of pride in his smile of affection. “While he could learn a thing or two still on weighing the benefits between speed versus more careful planning… Yes. It is satisfying to watch. Despite his youth, he is rather ruthless with the Lords.”
“Ummm, Barbatos, sorry for changing the subject so suddenly, but…” I frowned as I craned my head – quite uselessly, as I was short by human standards, so I was absolutely dwarfed in a crowd of demons, where even their women stood at a six foot average. “Does it sound like there's something not-so-fun happening up ahead…?”
“I agree that I have been hearing a growing commotion for some minutes, and it is getting louder.” Barbatos was tilting his head up to look as well, frowning. “What in the Devildom are they all staring at…?”
“Is everything okay…?”
He stopped short, eyes widening. “Oh my… That appears to be a flame bird. But why is it…?”
“What?!” My eyes widened too, and I began to hop up and down, craning my neck more. “Really?! What’s it doing?”
“I had heard that preparing flame tea leaves will allow you to witness a beautiful dance…” Barbatos’ expression fell into a look of soft concern as he looked down at me. “However, that flame bird seems to be going on a rampage. The demons around it are all fleeing now. I cannot see the store owner, but it would be dangerous to leave the situation as it is…”
“Well, come on, then.” I tugged on his arm to lead him forward against the crowd that was streaming the other way.
Barbatos blinked as he went along. “Oh, my dear, I did not mean… Chise, I would not put you in any danger. Please, stay back while I–”
I gasped as I caught sight of it ahead, pulling us into a rush towards it now, my incantation on my lips while we broke into a run. "Spirit of Wind, hear me! In the name of the sorcerer Chise, still this bird’s wings!"
–
Barbatos smiled proudly down at me. “Just as I would expect of you, Chise. That was most decisive. I apologize for forgetting myself, in momentarily forgetting your capabilities.”
The surrounding stalls didn’t even drip too badly from my magic putting out the flames. I was a bit 'zealous' with my water spells in particular, or so Solomon said.
“You were just worried about me.” I patted his arm before I let it go, heading towards the bird that now lay stunned on the ground. “Poor thing… Is it safe for me to hold…? I feel quite a bit of heat coming from it.”
“I shall. Please, stand back so as to not get burned, my dear.” He took out his butler’s gloves from the inside of his robe. “Now we simply need to figure out where it escaped from.”
“…Are you the store owner?” I called lightly to a female demon with branching horns who cowered behind a nearby pillar. Her apron had an embroidered scoop and the kind of short whisk that I saw Barbatos use when he prepared matcha.
She nodded, bright yellow eyes wide. “Th-Thank you…”
Barbatos shook his head. “We do not require thanks. More importantly, what do you know of this flame bird? I had heard that they were of a more gentle disposition.”
She hesitated, her eyes scanning Barbatos up and down. “…It’s the way that the leaves are prepared. If it’s not done exactly right, they get a bit rambunctious.”
Barbatos quirked an eyebrow. "Rambunctious? Is that what you call it?” He sighed. “So if the tea is prepared properly, a flame bird of gentler disposition appears.”
She nodded. “And then it’ll dance until it’s satisfied and disappear. That’s what’s supposed to happen. But…” She glared down the street. “That asshole who ran away…”
“I see. So a customer disrespected the tea, the flame bird rampages, and escaped.” He looked down the street with a darker expression. “I wonder if it was that same demon who assaulted you, Chise.”
I patted his arm. “We don’t know that. There are a lot of assholes in the world. Let’s just focus on the now.” I looked down at the bird that rested in Barbatos’ hands still in pity. “Poor thing. I feel sorry for it.”
“Indeed,” Barbatos sighed. “Flame birds greatly value courtesy, so it is unsurprising that such disrespect caused it to go berserk.”
I quirked a smile as I fought my giggle, turning my face to hide my amusement. Maybe his demon mark was a flame bird.
…Huh. Barbatos’ demon mark…
I hadn’t thought about what that might be. Nor if Solomon– well, no. Solomon didn’t have any marks on his fair skin.
Barbatos tutted as he raised the bird to his face to inspect it. The bird glared with a rumble. “It is currently being subdued by magic, but I can tell from its expression that it is still fuming. It would not be wise to keep it in this state for long.”
The shopkeep shrugged. “Well, they disappear after a while.”
“Oh, no… Barbatos, isn’t there anything else we can do?” I looked up at him, a wrinkle between my brows as they drew together in sympathy. “It seems rather cruel to just wait for its suffering to end.”
He gave me a soft smile. “I can think of only one way to resolve the situation.”
The shopkeep turned pale, her eyes widening again from my naming him. “…B…B…B-Bar…ba…t-tos…? Th-Thee…?”
"Oh dear..." Barbatos gave her a patient smile.
–
“Building a trusting relationship with the flame bird and satisfying it is the only way to resolve this situation,” Barbatos murmured in his low, soft voice, as he stripped off his gloves to tuck them away once more. He looked down at the panting flame bird kindly. “We shall let it dance to its heart’s content.”
I smiled at him admiringly, hugging myself as I watched him turn to set up the tea set the shopkeep had granted him use of, his motions so familiar to me now. “You’re going to satisfy it.”
He nodded as he set the fine tea cups in a line along the outdoor bar. “I have heard that they appreciate having a large audience. We shall have it dance in front of the store, where visitors to the festival will be able to see it.” He smiled at the shopkeep. “I thank you for the use of your shopfront, and utensils.”
She shook her head, blushing prettily at his kind smile. “I-It’s nothing, M’Lord. M-M’Lord… Barbatos.”
The corners of Barbatos’ lips twitched as he returned his attention back to the subdued bird. “That being said… it may be unwise to give it free rein in its current state. To ensure that it does not go wild, we need someone to supervise it and control the dance.”
“Control the dance…?” I shifted nervously, hoping that he didn’t mean me, for whatever that meant. “Well, you're a lovely dancer yourself.”
He chuckled softly. “If you are recommending me, then I will have to fulfill the role.”
I breathed a sigh of relief.
He nodded, decided. “In that case, I would be most grateful if you could provide support.”
“Huh?!”
“I am counting on you.” He smiled at my bewilderment, holding out his hand to me. “An impromptu performance may be difficult, so we should practise in a spacious area first.”
My eyes darted around.
He laughed softly. “Come along, The shopkeep fetched the event manager, who has recommended someplace private for our use.”
Another sigh of relief, as I finally took his offered hand.
–
“How fortunate that there was a practise area.” He scanned the inside of the large tent that had been cleared out, nodding in approval. “We have received permission from the festival organizers, so let us begin.”
“Are you sure it’s safe to–"
“Come on,” he said softly, as he released the bird into the air. “You can move freely now. Show us your dance.”
The bird immediately flew to cling at a tent pole, hunched and eyeing us with mistrust.
“…Oh dear.” Barbatos sighed. “It was kicking up such a fuss earlier, but now it’s suddenly meek.”
I nodded. “I don’t think we fostered a lot of trust when we caught it and held it like that.”
He nodded too, fingers touching his chin as he looked up at the glaring bird above. “That is likely the cause. Considering , as well, that it was originally a rude customer that enraged it… We should probably demonstrate that we are of a different sort.”
“Guess you’re going to make two versions of the tea.” I smiled at him encouragingly. “And some high stand Barbatos manners.”
He chuckled, cheeks turning a touch of pink in embarrassment. “…I had the same thought. Naturally, I brought along some tea leaves so that we could enjoy a cup anytime.”
I giggled. “Well, naturally. As you do.”
“Chise…” He quirked a smile at me. “You make me feel good about the little things I do. I feel your affection in your teasing, and I adore it.”
“Oh…” I ducked my head, face immediately turning red. “Well, I adore you.”
He laughed, shaking his head. “No more than I adore you, Lady Light.”
–
“…It is ready.” He nodded down at his creation while tapping his teaspoon clear. “A blend tea.”
I bumped my head lightly against his arm. “It smells wonderful. A perfect cup.”
“But of course,” he said easily, with a teasing lilt in his voice. “My role is to maximize the potential of any tea leaves.”
“And you are legendary in that role. Some might even call you the GOAT.”
He blinked down at me in confusion. “The… GOAT?”
I snickered behind my hand. He tutted with an amused shake of his head.
“Fine, fine. It means ‘Greatest of All Time.”
“Hehe.” He returned to the teacup with a quirk of another smile. “Of all Time, you say?”
“Hehehe.”
“Silly.” He lifted his wide smile up to the bird, that adjusted its talons nervously as their eyes met. He stepped back from it with a nod, and swept a low bow. Quite fancy. “Now, let us see if our new friend takes an interest. Chise, I have made some for you as well. Please, the both of you, take a sip.”
“Are you sure I should go near it…?”
He nodded his head. “Tea is best enjoyed in good company.”
I hesitated, before taking a step forward, eyes on the bird. Curiously, it took a step down the pole, and then another, and another, with each one of my own.
Until we met at the simple table, where it hopped onto the surface to inspect the second cup. I raised mine to my lips. I smiled over the rim as it drank, while I drank.
“How wonderful,” I whispered affectionately.
“It seems to like it. Now then, let me ask again.” Barbatos gave another bow of respect. “Would you be willing to collaborate with us to put on a lovely dance in front of an audience?”
“…Is it… purring?”
“Is it really…?” Barbatos straightened with a smile. “So it is. How lovely. A singer as well, are you? My compliments.”
“You’re so sweet…”
“It really is, is it not?” He lifted his hand in greeting to the bird as it took off smoothly above us to with a beat of its now-fiery wings. “I did not expect to find such a friend today.”
I smiled as I watched him spin slowly with the bird with his hand raised towards it. I hadn’t been talking about the bird.
“It seems to have responded to my words,” he continued. “Perhaps flame birds that appear in the correct way also dance in this manner.”
“It’s like a completely different creature now,” I murmured in admiration as I watched it do a graceful little somersault in the air. “It’s beautiful.”
“Indeed.” His smile widened. “I am glad it decided to show us its true nature. I have thought of some good choreography that would take advantage of those flaming wings.”
I snorted in amusement, grinning now. “Of course you did.”
He chuckled in response. “While watching it dance freely is perfectly sufficient, perhaps we could make some suggestions?” He held out his hand to me. “Shall we see if it will listen?”
“My bird tamer,” I murmured, as I shyly took his hand.
He spun me to him, into his arms. He quirked another smile as the bird lowered its altitude to encircle level to our waists, though his eyes were glued to mine. “Follow my lead if you would, my lady.”
“Always, Barbatos.”
–
“It seems to have taken a liking to our choreography,” he murmured next to my ear, before dancing his fingers across my waist again while he set me into another spin. The bird trilled in response, flaring, until subsiding as Barbatos did. “We are almost out of practise time, so let us revise some of the finer points before the performance.”
I felt my blush rising back to my face. “You don’t intend to pull me into dancing in public, do you?”
He chuckled. “You would leave me to do it alone…? Here.” He moved me again, fingertips sliding tantalizing along my arm as he moved away from me this time, before coming back in. “And then…”
I stepped away, and then in, where he pulled me until my back was flush with his chest.
“Yes, that’s it,” he murmured against my neck. He flicked his eyes up to the bird. “After that step, if you could create a burst of flame…”
We were rewarded with it, both of us smiling in appreciation.
“Yes,” Barbatos said in approval. “That is perfect. Well done. Any suggestions, Chise?”
“Just that you showcase your lovely wings, pretty bird.”
“Yes, indeed,” he breathed against my hair, making me shiver. The bird, or me? But it was the bird that stretched its wings with another beat of them. “It seems to enjoy dancing for you…”
“You, as well,” I whispered.
He slowly let me go, tilting his head down at me with affection in his eyes. “I think we have reached a sufficient level of perfection. Shall we begin the performance?”
I sighed as I shyly stepped back into more of a shadow, trembling as the crowd around us finally began to disperse. “I’d never seen such a beautiful dance…”
The bird perched itself on a teapot, preening its flamed wings.
Barbatos nodded towards it. “I am sure it is delighted to hear that. It seems very satisfied, so I imagine…”
I watched on in sadness as it lifted itself back into the air with another little dance, its flames giving a final brilliant shine, before it enveloped itself. Not even ash remained, nor smoke.
“…Yes, it disappeared.” He smiled at my expression as he took my hand. “I am glad that we succeeded in making it happier while it lasted in this world.”
“Yeah…” I squeezed his hand.
He slipped his hand out to slide his arm around my waist instead. “The shopkeep gave us some special flame tea leaves as thanks for satisfying the bird. But you must be tired. Shall we find a quiet place to rest before heading back?”
He sighed contentedly as he turned from disposing of our food containers. We’d found a quieter, cooler spot on the edge of the festival, near some sort of lovely shrine. “Despite the sour start to our afternoon, just like our flame bird, I am feeling most satisfied at its conclusion.”
I giggled. "Oh no? So the rogue demon and rampaging flame bird weren't just your idea of a good time?”
He snorted derisively, though the corners of his lips twitched in amusement. “Careful. There is still time enough for me to open a portal back to a few hours ago to swallow him whole.”
“Damn…” I laughed. “There will be no need for that. After all, you’d just be creating more paperwork for Diavolo from the incident. Murder committed by his steward and all that.”
He wrinkled his nose. “A headache indeed to get him to complete it on top of his other neglected work.”
I tutted as I shook my head. “Now, as for me… I’m happy that you and the flame bird were satisfied, but…” I gave him a coy little look. “I don’t think I am yet.”
“Oh...?” He gave me a teasing smile in return. “Is something missing?”
I smiled warmly. “I want more Barbatos. Just the two of us.”
His laugh was a little higher than usual in his surprise. “Oh my, what a cute reason to be dissatisfied. In that case, shall I give you a hug?”
My smile turned into a smirk. “Oh, just a hug…?”
He chuckled. “I thought you might say that. Your expression seems to say that a hug will not be sufficient.”
“You’re such a tease, did you know that?”
“Of course,” he answered, dropping his voice into softness. “And you are not the only one who feels that way. I was thinking the same thing.” He gently pulled me closer to him. “I can never get enough of you, after all. I love you, Chise.”
I tilted my face up towards him as his neared. “I love you too, Barbatos.”
He kissed me, sweet, lingering, lips parting slowly in reluctant affection. He touched his forehead to mine as he hummed in soft delight.
“Barbatos,” I said softly, as I rested my hands lightly on his chest. “Would you dance with me?”
“You would dance with me more?” His eyes sparkled with pleasant surprise. “I would have thought you would be tired of it by now.”
I shook my head. “Not while in the company of such a lovely dance partner.”
“You, as well.” His hand found one of mine, fingers lacing together. “I would be honoured, my love. You could ask me to dance in the middle of a somber session with all eyes of the House of Lords upon us, and I would gladly accept.”
I giggled at the amusing visual. “I’d probably find a nicer spot.”
He chuckled too as he pressed his palm to the small of my back, sighing while pulling me closer. “This here, I think, is a good spot indeed…”
I hummed as I stepped closer to rest my hand over his chest, before resting my cheek upon that. “I agree…”
He hummed too, but continued on into a tune, his chin coming to a rest on the top of my head as he slowly began to move us.
I nestled a bit as I listened for a little while, before curiosity started to bubble. It seemed to be an actual song, not just idle. And I’d never heard him do that before. “Your voice is beautiful. What’s this tune…?”
“…In time long past, we were forsaken,” he began in a rhythmic whisper. “Born of a seed we did awaken. Rent from time and space, neither beast nor man; a rift from an ancient world, to a world empty, devoid of time's span. Left alone, to make the most of it.” He finally lifted his voice into a truer, stronger song. "And we made the most of it…”
“Barbatos…?” I whispered back. “What’s this song…?”
His voice was so rich. So beautiful, and deep, as he strengthened it. "Why have you brought me here? Answer the doubts in my ears. Speak, speak, into the silence.” He pressed his forehead in mine, spinning us slowly in place. "Make something of nothing, weave nothing to something. Was it chance that brought us together, in becoming – something more, something more.”
Prickles were rising on my arms, though I couldn’t pinpoint why. Was it the lyrics themselves that were chilling me like this? …Or was it power? Did I feel power laced in his voice?
"All we had was one another, until there was more. Something more, more to hold onto, more to let go. To let go… You let go.”
“This is a sad song,” I whispered faintly. “It feels… lonely.”
“Yes,” he agreed quietly, brushing his nose down mine. “But an important one.”
I studied his eyes at the seriousness in his voice. “Important…?”
“I would sing to you the whole thing.”
I nodded slowly. “Okay… But could you tell me why it’s important first? So I have context.”
His eyes softened in their corners. “This is my song.”
“Your song…?”
He pressed a kiss to my forehead, before taking a breath. “…Listen.”
I nodded again, more assured. Whatever this was… “I’ll listen.”
He slid his palm around the curve of my waist to pull me gently tighter. His fingers grazed, feather-light, up my wrist, making me shiver. He took a step, and another. I followed, and followed the next. Slow.
“Chise…”
“I’ll listen.”
He took in another breath, eyes gazing deep into mine.
“…In time long past, we were forsaken
Born of a seed we did awaken
Rent from time and space,
Neither beast nor man,
A rift from an ancient world
To a world empty, devoid of time's span
Left alone, to make the most of it.”
He turned me gently, his hand pressing my waist to guide me. Step, step, a gentle spin, the knuckle of his index finger trailing down my arm. I touched my fingers to his cheek. He sighed as he turned his face to kiss my wrist. “…And we made the most of it…”
“You were… left alone. Abandoned…?”
I was murmuring to myself to make sense of it, but he listened to me, too.
He danced his fingers up to lace them with mine on his cheek.
“Why have you brought me here?
Answer the doubts in my ears
Speak, speak, into the silence,
“Make something of nothing
Weave nothing to something
Was it chance that brought us
Together, in becoming
Something more
Something more.”
“Us...?”
He blinked at me slowly in response.
I shook my head in confusion.
“…All we had was one another
Until there was more
Something more
More to hold onto
More to let go
To let go
You let go.
“Why have you brought me here?
Answer the doubts in my ears.
Speak, speak, into the silence.”
“I don’t understand…”
“Was there purpose in the silence
What have we done, what have we wrought
Once, kings of our kingdoms
Finding love in alliance
But false was our guidance
One turned three in defiance
Waged a war, back and forth, back and forth
Ashes to ashes, blood to bone, we cannot atone.”
My eyes were round now as I listened, our next twirl a little faster. I fell into his eyes, into his voice, my mind ripping through the lyrics for meaning. But I was lacking context. There was no context.
Atone.
It is self-satisfaction in the name of atonement.
Did you do something you feel the need to atone for…?
I did indeed. Something I can never hope to undo.
You…? The Demon of Time?
No context…
How long have I been atoning for, you ask? For many millions of years.
Or has it been in everything, everything he’s ever said to me.
“Together, we are falling
Into nothing
Into nothing
Once more…”
I took in a breath. “…Alone. And then you met… someone. And built… what?” I blinked. “What does alone mean?”
Do you want to know me, Chise, as no one else does?
He quirked a smile.
Then I shall tell you something that I have told no other. I have been lonely, for a very long time.
I sighed impatiently. “So there was nothing, and then you built something with someone. A relationship? And then you fought, and it ended.” I looked at him in hesitant uncertainty. “…But this isn’t a breakup song.”
He shook his head.
“…Why have you brought me here?
Answer the doubts
Answer the doubts I have carried
Through all of these years.”
I huffed in frustration. “Why can’t you just tell me?”
“More to hold onto
More to let go
To let go
You let go…”
“Barbatos…”
He stopped our spinning, dropping his voice into a murmur for the rest. “And so I whisper, this ancient song… Of our bond, now no more.”
I swallowed hard, clenching my teeth. The song, and his voice, were so beautiful. But dammit. “…Another riddle, huh?”
He hummed sadly. “You tire of them.”
“I just don’t understand why you can’t be forthright with me, if you’re going to tell me this much anyway. If it’s possible to figure out as it is, then I could possibly figure it out.” I huffed. “So I could potentially know anyway. So why not just say it outright?”
He sighed as he slipped his arm from around my waist to take both of my hands in his, rubbing his thumbs over the backs of mine. “My fortune – I am to take someone special to my favourite place.”
I was still giving him a surly look, even though that immediately piqued my curiosity. Still, I remained silent, refusing to show any eagerness – just to be petty. But I was feeling justified in being petty.
He suddenly gave me a loving smile, so deeply adoring that it took me aback. From somber sadness, pensive, secretive, withdrawn and hidden, he turned the sun’s rays back on me. All for me. Just me.
I felt my anger melting away. I tried to hold onto it, but it slipped through my fingers anyway. I felt the tension in my shoulders give away a bit, and my fingers went laxer in his hands.
He lifted one hand up, to take that one in both of his, caressing it in a cup while he pressed a kiss to my knuckles. “For our next date, I will take you somewhere that no one but myself has seen in… many, many years.”
“Your favourite place…?”
He nodded, and then laughed softly. “It is the place I thought of the moment I read my fortune that day with you, so it could not be denied, as private a place as it is to me. Fate, yet again.”
I hesitated. “…If you don’t want to show me this…”
“Oh, but it is too late.” His eyes sparkled in amusement. “I drew my lot. Writ by my own hand, too.”
“You found it funny?”
“Oh, yes…” His smile widened. “Fate told me that day, ‘You shall be stripped, to lay your soul bare.’ I told you of the broken teacup.”
I nodded slowly.
“My fortune answered a burning question…” He hummed in amusement. "Who is she to me?"
“…And the answer…?”
“The answer… 'Someone I will trust with all of myself'.”
I sucked in a breath through my teeth. He gazed at me in soft affection, watching my surprise kindly. And my careful relief.
“…With all of yourself? Everything?”
He nodded. “Perhaps not revealed all at once. But my love… I know that you are my partner, for true.” He caressed my cheek lightly, smiling softly, eyes all for mine. “A true and trusting partnership, with my lady love.”
I felt my expression crumble into sadness. “But… The other day…”
Barbatos shook his head.
“I don’t know what kind of… betrayal happened in your song for things to go from something back to… nothing, but…” I sighed sadly. “I don’t want to be the cause of another one. Especially not on a scale where you’d make a song about it…”
He chuckled in amusement. “Believe me when I say that a betrayal on that scale is not possible between us.”
“Well… I can only hope you’re right about that. But still…” I stepped to close the narrow gap between us, to rest my forehead over his chest, trapping over hands together. “…I never intended on using you.”
“I know, my love,” he whispered against the crown of my head as he leaned to me.
“I won't–"
“I have lived a long, long time,” he cut me off in a soft voice, his breath warm in my hair. “And the one lesson that I struggled to grapple with, and still sometimes find hard to swallow to this day, is the acceptance of life’s nuance. The recognition of its existence. Make no sad promises to me, Chise, for I would be much sadder for you when you break them than I would be for myself – please believe me on that. We will take on the days, one at a time, as they come to us. We will overcome their trials together. And deepen love as we go. I see promises to be more of a frustrating hinderance that holds one back when the nuances of life snap them when they will not bend, rather than as the pledges they are thought of as a way to move forward.”
“That’s…” I blinked against him. “That’s incredibly wise.”
“So, will you allow me to deny you the promise you nearly just gave, Chise? I would not want to force what is just my opinion upon our relationship if you are not in agreement.”
I smiled, laughing quietly. “I think that’d be a relief, actually.”
He laughed as well. “Good. I am relieved as well.”
“Barbatos…”
“Yes?”
“Could I please ask you for another hint to this riddle…? Something that I can actually use…?”
He chuckled. “Yes.”
I pulled my face back to look up at him, narrowing my eyes in suspicion.
He was smirking at me.
“I swear to god, Barbatos… If you make me angry again…”
“Ahh, we cannot have that. You are genuinely frightening when angry.”
“…Not helping.”
“Hehe. All right. Here is your hint.” He touched his fingertips to the underside of my chin, lifting my face up more. “The Little D’s.”
I blinked in surprise. “What? The Little D’s? That’s your clue?”
He nodded. “The day you asked me about the Little D’s is the day where my true interest in you began to pique. I was very impressed.”
“Uhh…” I felt a bit of heat rising to my cheeks at the expression of gleaming pride he gave me with the delivery of his earnest praise. “I… don’t know if that’s anything for you to be impressed by. I was just curious, and happened to ask. I didn’t really place much importance on it beyond ‘Why was a Little D calling my partner ‘Daddy’.”
He snorted in amusement. “Yes, that was very funny. But that you thought to ask me about them? At such a time where your powers unlocked?” He shook his head, eyes glinting with excitement. “It was if it were… ordained.”
“My powers?" I shook my head, completely perplexed. “What does that…?”
“Oops… That was an unintentional slip.”
I jumped on it eagerly. “Another hint?”
He winked. “For a different mystery. One of the future, whereas the one we discuss now is of the past. But they are linked. As the past, and future, always is – as the future becomes swallowed by the past.”
“For fffffff…” I sighed. “Aaaand now I think I’m even more confused…” But I tucked it away. His reaction was taking me aback completely.
That conversation had been a long time ago.
“Ah, but never mind that for now.” He chuckled. “You are so adorable when deep in thought. Look at those gears go.”
“Umph?! Excuse you!” I wrinkled my nose as I glared at him. “Rude! NOT helping yourself, dearest.”
His smirk returned. “I did not mean any offence. My words came from a place of deep affection.”
“…Mmhmm…”
“What do you remember of the conversation?”
I sighed. “Only that they’re born from a tree as a counterpart to some demons, that the seven all have one, that they’ve very rare, and that they might be fairies.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “…And that 'no one’ knows for sure.”
He nodded, and a corner of his mouth twitched. “Very good.”
“Am I missing anything…?”
“One thing you left unmentioned, yes, though you may be able to figure out some of it without that piece.”
“Are you going to tell me…?”
“Heavens, no. That would be no fun.”
“…I might start cussing soon.”
He touched his fingers to his lips. “I would not blame you.”
I actually growled at him. “I see you smiling, Barbatos!”
“My love…” He took me back into his arms, smiling adoringly. “May we leave it at that for now?”
I narrowed my eyes. “What if I say that I don’t want to?”
He sighed sadly. “Then we shall begin arguing. Well, you shall. It will be a one-sided one, and quite circular. I do not want to engage in that on our lovely date.”
“What the?!” I scowled at him. “What kind of?!”
“After all, I sour your mood already, and now must put in extra effort to sooth you.”
I went red in the face at his meaning. “…You think you’re getting laid after all this, huh?”
“I do not know what that means.” I was not sure if I believed him on that. But his eyes gleamed, bright and keen, for what I felt were different reasons. “Though I can guess. But please, may I beg of you to instead think about the puzzle more? I am very excited over it, in truth.”
I glared at him for a long while longer, angrily chewing on my bottom lip. He simply held my gaze calmly, waiting for my acceptance, or denial.
Finally, I slumped a bit with a sigh. “…I’ll think on it.”
The motherfucker actually gasped in delight; one that was actually sincere, with no trace of mockery. “Wonderful! Thank you. We shall discuss your thoughts on our next date. I am looking forward to it.”
I shook my head in exasperation. “You are so weird. But could you please, I don’t know, write those lyrics down or something for me to sleeplessly stare at? Because it was a long song.”
He chuckled, wrapped my waist, and spun me while I squealed. “Yes, yes. I shall do so.”
“I am… sooo-ooo-ooo confused,” I whined, while clinging to him for dear life as he spun me again with another laugh.
“Ah…” He grabbed me tight to him. “I love you. I am so very glad it is you. That Time brought you to me through a teacup. And that you should be so lovely… How lucky…”
“Barbatos…” I felt myself soften at the genuine, beautiful joy in this man’s voice, as he cupped me so tightly to him. He was giddy, like a child. Carefree. Relieved. This was him.
Left alone, to make the most of it.
And we made the most of it.
“All right,” I murmured fondly. “We’ll leave it at that for now.”
He sighed as he buried his face into the crook of my neck, inhaling against me, his hair tickling my cheek. The hum he made was sweetly content. Happy, even.
He was cute.
“Barbatos… How old are you really…?”
He laughed merrily against me. “Chise… I have no idea. I cannot even begin to guess!”
“Pff!” I giggled too, before breaking out into laughter of my own.
He sighed as he embraced me warmly. “Let us go to the room I reserved for us tonight, Chise. You and me.”
“All right,” I whispered against him, a bit of peace finally settling in.
I gasped in self-conscious delight as we entered the lovely hotel suite, our bags having already been delivered from the station to our rooms and waiting for us on the bench by the door. “Oh, Barbatos, this wasn’t necessary…”
“…Even were that the case, I wanted special time with you. I was very worried while you were gone."
I turned to him in surprise. He rested against the door he’d closed behind him, his chin tucked a bit to look across the room at me from under his fringe. A little uncertain.
I took in a small breath, suddenly feeling shamed. With all the events of the day, I’d forgotten… “Barbatos... I'm so–"
"No, no..." Barbatos sighed, before pushing himself off from the door to come to me. "I understand that it was a necessary course of action, and that you did not mean to cause me worry. I am not seeking any apology for saying so. I just wanted to convey..."
I reached out to touch his hand in sympathy.
He hummed as he took my fingers in his, looking down at our touch fondly. "I fretted over you as I did when I lost the Young Master in the human world during the... 'portal mishap’."
I couldn't help but let out a small giggle at the memory, despite what he was trying to say. He did give a good-natured quirk of a smile.
"...It is just that I have not cared so much for another like I do for My Lord. Though do not misunderstand me, it is not that I was unaware of the depths of my love for you before my portal overtook you in sleep. But the moment your consciousness disappeared through it, for you to be gone from yourself in my arms, the true... fear of losing you… was very..."
I tugged him to me to wrap my arms around his middle, to rest my cheek on his chest over his heart. It beat quickly. "...I love you."
He wrapped his arms around me as well. "I love you. Let us avoid unnecessarily risks such as that in future, if at all possible..."
I smiled to myself. "Mhm. I wasn't exactly thrilled about it either."
"Ah, yes." He cupped the back of my head, pressing me closer. "I should have realized that you would have been frightened half to death too. Are you all right?"
"You're so sweet," I murmured. "I'm fine. I have… everything. Thank you for everything. I know that wasn't easy."
"No, it was not," he sighed in agreement. "But you are safe in my arms once more, so I shall cherish your success for bringing you back to me, and praise you for your courage and the strength of your bonds built upon your loving heart that allowed you to save them all."
I looked up at him with a smile. "My, my, you're fairly singing those praises."
He smiled back at me fondly. "I'll sing them gladly, whenever you wish."
I rested my palm on his chest. "You're a really loving man. You have a lot to give."
He gave a doubtful hum. "Not as much as you deserve, with my service–"
"No," I shushed him, with a press of my fingers to his lips. "You're more than enough. You make every moment with me count. Even in the silences." My smile widened. "Even in between your fussing over me, or your elaborately planned dates – which I love, of course – the rest you give me is still effortless. The whole thing."
He inhaled a little bit, before letting it out slowly. And then he let out a soft laugh as he kissed my finger on his lips. "Though I do still wish I had more of my time to give to you, I am glad that I can give you such happiness. I will do my best to take heart in your words. As long as you are happy."
"Please do… And I am."
He caught me gently to him as I leaned against him to stretch on the tips of my toes to kiss him. He let out a soft sigh of warm affection as our lips met, before he embraced me a little tighter to him with a tilt of his head. Full-lipped, but gentle and loving. I felt the depth of his worry and relief behind it, in how sweet and lingering he kissed me.
"...I love kissing you," I whispered to him, when we finally parted.
He nodded, the movement grazing his nose gently up and down against mine. "It is one of my favourite things to share with you. I could just kiss you for... Heh. Too long."
I giggled. "Too long?"
His eyes creased in amusement. "Too long, by human standards. You would succumb to sleep long before I would tire myself."
I laughed softly. "You're so silly. I love this side of you."
"Heh." He tilted his head down further to touch his forehead to mine. "With you, I am myself. It is effortless, as you said. You make me feel at ease."
I brushed another gentle kiss to his lips. "I feel the exact same way. I don't have to chase you around with a broom, either, which is a plus."
"Oh my..." He chuckled with a smile. "Do you often chase your partners with brooms...?"
"I swear it's out of necessity."
"I can very much believe that," he said through his soft laughter. "I will consider myself lucky that I am not on the other side of your broom, then."
I shook my head with a teasing smile. "No brooms for you, as long as you remain on my good side. You’ve made it a near thing, a time or two."
"Oh my." His eyes twinkled in humour. "I shall endeavour to remain on your good side, then… And toe the line…"
I hummed low in my throat, sliding my hand up to touch his cheek. He had slid his palm up my back in a firmer touch as he'd said that, while his other slid into my hair.
"I love you," I whispered. "I want you..."
His arm curved tighter around my waist while he traced a finger around the shape of my ear. "I love you. I want you. If that is what you want..." His nose grazed along mine again, so close our lashes nearly touched. "Then please, I beg you to have me."
I sighed shakily. “Barba–"
He cut me off with a deep kiss, both of us inhaling sharply into it as he grabbed me up in his arms to wrap me tight, fully flushed to his body as he tilted his head once more to deepen us. My breath was snatched by the passion of it as I was lifted from my toes to him in his embrace.
He'd become so much more familiar with me, so quickly, more confident in knowing how I liked to be touched, and that it was him who I wanted touching me. I pressed my hands to his jaw, my next kiss fiercer as a small noise of desire escaped from my throat. He returned the noise with one of his own, the sound reverberating deeper from within his chest.
***
I gasped as he took my hand to drag it down between us to press on his arousal.
"My love..." he whispered against my lips. "You do this to me so often, whether you are at my side or not, and it crazes me..."
I whined into our next kiss as I pressed the heel of my palm to him, rubbing up and down, earning a deep groan from him while his hands wandered along my body. He humped his hips against my massage, his hand sliding up to cup my breast through my shirt, to palm there in time with me as well. His other hand slid around my back, until he was lightly dragging his nails in a curve, from one hip to the other side. I moaned softly the satisfaction the gentle scratching brought to my skin, thrumming with it between my legs.
My palm slid up under the bottom of his longer changshan shirt, the fabric bunching as I went back up along the seams of his pants, seeking their fastenings. His breath hitched as I roved over his straining arousal again until I my fingers reached his belly to find his belt. I stepped closer, right up to him, breasts pressed to him, for my other hand to slide up to help, making a harder pass over his member as I went. He gasped as he nearly stumbled back, throwing his arms around me to pull me close to steady himself.
I kept us walking as I deftly unfastened despite the shake of my fingers, walking back until I was pressing him against a wall, rolling my shoulders to push his arms in a pin while I finally opened his pants. He gasped with widening eyes at my boldness, at my lifting of his top with his pants open, his arms raising up with it until his height had him taking it off the rest of the way. And then my lips were on his warm skin, in the dip between his ribs, over his diaphragm while his flat of his belly heaved beneath.
My hand was dipping in his pants, into his underwear to find him. He swallowed as I continued to press hot kisses, lower and lower.
"Chise," he gasped, pressing his palms flat against the wall behind him while I pulled his underwear down, kissing vertically with every inch I revealed of him. "Are you certain..."
I found my prize, sawing his pants and underwear down for room to free his long girth that had been trapped down his leg. He moaned softly as his member sprang free to lightly hit against my cheek, where I turned my face to kiss it, kissing, kissing there, up his straining shaft, my eyes locked to the bead of pre-cum that was beginning to pool in the dip.
"Oh please please..." he whimpered softly from above me, his head tipping back, palms pressed as though he would fall in a slid down the floor if he did not. "Oh, oh..."
This man, this proper man, unravelling from my lips, and how my fingers trailed up the length of him on the other side of his shaft, incensed me more. I hummed a sigh of satisfaction as I curled my hand around him to drag my thumb down along the dip, smearing his milky cum on the pad of it, before I licked that along with the tip. He let out what sounded like a soft sob in his throat, his legs beginning to shake as he press his whole weight behind him to hold himself up. His knees began to bend anyway, and I pressed my palm firmly to his thigh to pin him in place, before opening my mouth wider, my tongue flattening down behind my bottom teeth to make room.
He was watching me now, a knot form between his brow with the upwards drawing of them coming together, his chest rising and falling quickly while he watched me swallowing him down, cock sinking past my lips that I pressed tightly around for friction. He moaned as I raised my tongue up from the bottom for his cock to drag along the soft wetness of it while I took him down, my hand making a fist as best it could around the middle point of his girth.
The head of him was slimmer than the shapely swell of his shaft, a shape I actually found very attractive, and also allowed me to take more of him between my teeth before they grazed to a stop by my fist.
He made another broken noise from above as I slid him back out slowly, lips pressed firm, curling my tongue so that the tip of it dragged along harder until I pressed it to the sensitive underside where the slim flare of his cock's head attached to shaft. I swallowed down along the relaxed flat of my tongue again, and then back, teasing the little attachment, and then back down, and then my fist was moving, and I was falling into a slow pace. Easier, easier as I wetted him along the way, my lips beginning to glide in their press along the slick of my drool. And I drooled, groaning with him, the vibration flexing my throat around him as I took him down as far as I could.
"P-Please..." he begged in a high voice. "Are y-you able to... g-go a little faster...?"
Sweet beg. From Barbatos. Meeting him for the first time, and second, and third... I never would have dreamed I'd hear it. I held the sound of it to me dearly, warmed, and obliged, sinking him into me faster, with less of a pause before I was pulling back.
"Oh, oh..." He gasped, lashes fluttering. "...F-Feels..."
And my fist, too, glided through the slick I made, the wet noise of it falling into rhythm as I began to bob. More and more in earnest, earning me groans and soft pleas falling from his lips, his eyes shut now while he whimpered up to the ceiling of our room, his lips pursing and relaxing, as though he, a demon, whispered to the heavens in prayer. I heard my name said on his stuttering exhales, quick yet soft, barely audible, his thighs trembling, the back of his head coming to bump with a light thud against the wall behind him.
He was shakily moving his hips back and forth in small rolls to meet my fist at his base, pumping gently, gasping while he trembled. He thumped softly against the wall again, pressing one shoulder back while he released the other for his hand to come down to slip into my hair. I hummed my agreement, and he curled his fingers in, moving along with my bob. Guiding. Not deeper. Quicker. He pumped quicker, while he keened, eyes beginning to water, his cheeks flushed pink.
"But I, I want, you, I..." He whimpered again, his voice high. "I want..."
I squeezed. Up to him.
He shuddered. Whimpered once more. "S-S-So c-close but... Ch-Chise that's..." He pulled my head back from him with a soft gasp. I allowed him to, my lips curving into a smile as he fell from them, to hang heavily in my loosening hand.
He swallowed hard as he met my eyes, his own fogged in the bliss of his neared satisfaction. His cock pulsed in my hand on its own with his soft groan at the sight of me on my knees between his legs.
He suddenly slid down the wall with a sigh as his legs finally gave out, before coming down with a bump. I giggled as I leaned myself forward to curl my hands over his shoulders, resting my head in the crook of his neck. He laughed softly, before hooking one arm around my back, fingers flexing back and forth in a small scratchy petting. I hummed with the pleasure of it, shoulders relaxing while I leaned further into him in a snuggle.
"You are beyond wonderful," he whispered with a warm happiness in his voice. "You have come to know me as no other has..."
I giggled again. "Well, I hope not."
He laughed softly, the sound breathy in his throat near my ear. "No other can hope to get this close to me. So under my skin..."
I trailed my fingers up his curled belly, making him shiver. "
"I am beginning to think the key is for me to be on my back," he huffed breathlessly while I slid the flat of my palm up his chest. "As I relax."
"Well then, lay-"
He clutched me with an inhale through his teeth. "But I would have you first, beloved... I desire to move myself inside of you, and I know your own preference. I beg you to join with me; I am feverish to have you. I want to give to you."
I giggled shyly at his pleading, turning pink in the cheeks. "And are you going to 'give to me' right here on the floor?"
His cheeks turned pink, his widening eyes making me laugh again. He smiled good-natured, putting a tease in his voice. "For the sake of decency - and for your spine, dear - please immediately move yourself to our bed at once."
"Ooh..." I smirked at him. "Immediately, huh?"
"Before I lose my head and drag you," he whispered huskily, his thumb and index finger pinching the sides of my chin to force my head up. "To have you as I want you."
"And how do you want me," I whispered back, as his lips drew near.
"Primordially..."
I gasped as he kissed me fiercely, grabbing me tight to push forward from off the wall to hold me. And then his hands were on my waist, curving down, tugging my pants without bothering with their fastenings. He had me on my back while he pulled them and my underwear from my thighs and shins and ankles, his hands gliding back up my skin along the soft inside my legs. I moaned shakily as he already gently scissored his fingers to walk them lightly through my slick folds.
"So much..." he murmured, leaning over me to find my lips with his in a sweeter kiss. He hummed gravelly with my mewl when he pressed his fingers back together to drag two up in another pass through my folds. "And there, that makes you squirm most..."
And I was, my back arching on the floor as I gasped into his parted lips, my toes curling at the pinch he gave around my clit from the press of it between the middle knuckles of his fingers. I slipped my hands around the back of his neck to hold him shakily, the whisped ends of his hair falling over my fingers. His next pass through my sex already sounded slick to our ears with the slow circles he gave with his fingertips, teasing, experimenting, watching the tension in my face as he went. The fluttering of my lashes, the parting of my lips that he couldn't resist giving another soft kiss, the flush in my cheeks and the flex in my jaw and neck.
He pushed his fingers inside of me slowly, humming in satisfaction at the sound of my soft cry, my fingers flexing tighter on the back of his neck.
"Your embrace of me is so warm and taut," he murmured, not in reference to the way I clung to him. He pressed up along my ceiling as he pushed in further, making my next cry come out with a soft choke halfway. He leaned over me more, his hair falling around both of our faces like a curtain; his knees spread my thighs for him to press his final knuckles right up against my sex, his fingers fully enveloped by my heat.
"Barbatooos," I moaned. "Ohhh I love you..."
"My Lady," he breathed against my lips, before kissing me again, his fingers pulling back. "Please love me, always..." He kissed me again, so gently as he slid his fingers back in. "And be my companion, always..."
I whimpered, nodding as I pressed my face forward to brush my nose up and down his, my legs coming up to pull at his hips. "Always..."
"The one promise I will allow," he murmured, his hips lowering to my own while his fingers slowly pumped in and out of me. "I should really have you on the bed..."
I shook my head, nose brushing his again. "Here, now, please. Barbatos, please..."
I felt the quirk of his smile in his kiss. "If that is what my lady pleads for."
"Yes, yes," I gasped, as I felt him beginning to replace his withdrawing fingers. "Please, please plea-! Ah! Ahh!" I cried out at his push, again at his breach, again at his climb, a sob in my throat as I clutched him tighter to me while I wrapped my legs around him to pull him through his push.
"Div...ine..." he said tightly, pressing his forehead to my cheek to nuzzle my jaw. "Oh, Chise..."
"You're so sweet," I whispered in a high voice, my heels digging into him despite his pull back. "Mine..."
"Mine," he whispered back in agreement, before pushing back into my body with a sigh.
I whimpered as I felt tears sting the corners of my eyes, burying my face into his hair at the feel and sound of his soft, warm sigh against my jaw with the kiss he pressed there. I rolled my hips up with his roll forward, both of us letting out soft moans with the deep join.
He liked to hold me so close. He loved to. So close, with so many kisses, each so deliberate and attentive, cuddled under him as he began to make slow love to me. That is how he loved me. Skin on skin, flush to him, while his hips moved in dragging rolls, sliding in and out, and then gliding, joining, joining, while I mewled, dragging him back to me with my heels in an ebb and flow. His low voice vibrated with each exhale into my neck, his nose pressed to the dip under the bone of my jaw, brushing up and down in a nestle.
I wrapped my whole self around him from underneath his rhythmic body, whimpering, keening as he reached my depths again and again, my thighs squeezing him with every pulse within me, the growing tension of my muscles and the joining of his cock inside of me a bellows to my embers, feeding the heat that grew in my belly. I tilted my head back with a little sob with my next quiver, and he dragged his nose down to press kisses to the peak of my throat, the pressure of his lips tightening my exhales into soft rasps.
"Please..." My beg sounded weak and scratchy as I shuddered underneath him again. His smooth, even pace. Making love, making love. "Please..."
"Faster," he murmured with a touch of husky desire, teasing amusement, though he fought to find it in his own breathless pleasure.
I let out a strained keen as my belly flared. "Harrrder..."
His next thrust pressed, lingered, grinding, and the cry he thrusted out of me lingered with the pressure he gave into the depths of me. And then he pulled out, and then thrust again, swift, our skin connecting in a soft smack. I cried out as I scrabbled at his back, pulling my knees up to fold myself on reflex, spreading my thighs apart wider.
"Hells," he breaths in a rare half-cuss, "I hope this... feels as good for you, as..."
"Please," I begged in a sob, and then a cry with his next thrust. "You feel so good! Barbatos! More!" I nearly screamed with his next, now a plunge. "MORE! I'M YOURS!”
He gasped in shock at my declaration as he gave me his next, and another, and then an emotional moan as he raised his face to seek my mouth once more. And then passion, hips moving with more force, enough to push me up, folding me while he continued to chase forward for more depth. We cried out against each other's mouths, mine high, his deep, breaths meeting hot, lips damp, eyes shut tight while he took me. His hands pressed to my back on my shoulder blades while his own rolled forward again and again with every drive of himself into me.
Every reach of himself, so deep, every press of his cock's head to my cervix, sparked white heat behind my eyes and flooding into my belly. Passion. He moved with so much passion. With do much fervor. But for me, sharing his pleasure with me, giving for me, pressing forth when he heard a louder cry so that he would earn another, and hope for one louder. My normally reserved man, who spent so much of his day faded into the background in service, did not hide how much he loved having me, nor how good it felt for him, too.
It was when his hand, nails scratching lightly, slid down from my shoulder to slip between our joining to pinch me -- my jouncing went abruptly rigid as I let out a sharp cry with the arch of my back. No warning, I came underneath him while he continued to give in feverish lust, while he rubbed my clit deeply between his fingers. He groaned against my skin while he pinned me with more of his weight, plunging his cock into my soaking wet heat. The sound of my cries with every pinch, his pants and moaned, the collision of skin on skin, and of our slick, wet joining. Rhythmic, ringing in my ears while I stared unseeing at the ceiling through the heat that raged in me, sparking again and again.
"Chisee..." he groaned into my now-silence as I shook through my contractions. And then I shuddered, shuddered, shuddered, before my muscles released their tense hold on me in his arms.
I whimpered again and again as I slowly relaxed, eyes unfocused as he slowed down with me, sighing into a gentler love-making as he removed his hand between my legs to bring me down, caressing and kissing while I came back to him. I moaned softly, lashes fluttering as I loosened my tight hold on him, my fingers slipping into his hair while his cock slid in and out of me, movements so smooth now with his glide through cream. He was slowing, slowing to a gentle stop.
"Mm, no..."
"Chise...?" He paused in uncertainty. "Would you like me to pull-"
I sighed as I hugged him, rolled him, us, hooking one leg to slide it under one of his to unbalance him on one side. He inhaled shakily while he allowed for it, his hands on my hips now in a gentle grab to steady us both, keeping us together and joined. Which wasn't hard to do, with as large and as long as he was, kept inside while I settled in a straddle over his lap.
I smiled down at him fondly while I caressed his cheek, before leaning back to pull my shirt smoothly from over my head. My bra next, quick, both discarded.
"Oh..." His eyes looked me slowly up and down, his brows drawn together while his lips parted in wonder. "...You are so beautiful..."
I leaned forward again to brush his teal fringe back from his forehead, before touching my nose to his with an affectionate sigh. "So are you..."
"Mmm..." He tilted his face up slightly to graze a gentle kiss, before moving his hips, guiding my own with a gentle press of his hands, bringing us back into gentleness as I fell into pace with him. Slow and sweet we moved together, ebbing and flowing, more in gentle enjoyment with a softer sort of pleasure. Intimate, and just us, the way we moved to come together. He sighed softly, with a gentle shake in his breath against my mouth as lips rolled against his, slow, one for every three slow, tender joinings between our legs.
"You're an amazing lover..." I whispered sincerely.
"As are you," he whispered back. "Even this tenderness... You bring me so close..." He slid one hand up from my hip all the way up my spine to sink into my hair, the both of us sighing. "To make love with you is... beyond what I..."
I cut him off from whatever thought that may be with another lingering kiss; good or bad, it didn't need to be said, the emotion that shook his voice was enough. So I loved him. Finally I leaned back to remove my shirt from off over my head in one smooth pull,
"Chise," he sighed. "Oh..."
"Could I kiss you this time while I finish you?" I whispered. "Though I'm happy to give you my mouth."
He made a high little noise of desire in his throat as my words stirred him. "I would kiss you... please..."
"Okay," I continued in my whisper, smiling as I slipped my hand slowly down between us. "Would you like now...?"
"If you are..."
"You have me all night," I promised softly.
"Now, then," he agreed, barely audible, barely a breath of hope on my lips. "Please..."
I slowed my rolling on his lap with his own, kissing him slowly, gently while I found him with my fingers. He sucked in a soft breath, shivering at my touch, before relaxing again with a sigh.
"I'm all over you," I whispered again. "You're covered in me."
He shivered again, and again as I wrapped my fingers around him more firmly. "That is... a great and loving privilege..."
I laughed softly as I began to stroke him, gently sliding my hand up and down his shaft, so smoothly through the coating of my cum that glazed him milky white. He moaned softly into my kisses as I squeezed the top of him gently, before gliding back down.
"Here," I whispered, switching hands. "You haven't tasted me."
"Want to," he murmured through his shaky haze, and dutifully took my fingers between his lips with another sigh of satisfaction as his tongue slid from the pads of them down. I kissed around his mouth while he licked me softly, breathing shakily through his nose while I continued to stroke his member between his legs.
I slowly removed my fingers with a smile, gazing into his fogged green eyes, taking his parted lips that glistened with my cum and his saliva to mine again.
I slipped my dominant hand back down to replace the other, to trail down his cheek with more of my cream. "Would you like it faster now?"
He nodded slowly. "Kiss me..."
"All right," I breathed dotingly. To have this man who was capable of the unfathomable, this demon of enigma, to watch the glaze in his eyes while he pleaded for... little kisses, of all things. This was the only power I wanted over him. "I love you so much..."
"I love you," he whispered absently, his lashes fluttering again as I gave him another squeeze.
And then I tightened my fist on him, and from base to head, and with my lips on his, I began to give. I chased him for more of his requested kisses when he tipped his head back with a strained moan, his back arching from underneath me to press his chest to swell my breasts between us, his lips parting again as he huffed with my speeding hand. My hand was small, his girth was generous, my thumb positioned along the underside of his shaft again for me to press the pad of it to the bridge connecting his tip once more when I made another pass. He gasped, gulping for air, back spasming up with that press, as he began to thrust his hips up into my palm to meet me at his base.
"After all of... every-thing... I am not... going..." He gasped sharply against my increasingly greedy kisses. "...to last. Long."
"Come on, heart," I whispered back through the sound of friction I made between his legs. "I love seeing you. I love hearing you."
"Chii...ss... Kisss..."
I kissed him deeply, pressing my nose to his with a throaty moan against his lips.
His chest heaved in quick, sticcato breaths, pushing into my rolling mouth, his deep voice carried within them while my fist glided smoothly up and down through my cream on his cock. And then his hand was on mine, guiding it faster, squeezing my fist in his while he tipped his head back in a true cry. And another, jerking us up and down on his engorged member together, his stomach and shoulders rolling while his lashes fluttered. Nearing. Gasping.
"I... I..." He was beginning to lean back, rasping, mouth open. "P...Ple... I... I'm..."
"Come on, my love," I murmured through my tight throat as I squeezed him harder, eliciting another cry from him.
He sucked in a sharp breath. "I'm! I'm! Chise! I'm! Going... to... to...!"
"Cum for me. Let me see you." I tilted my face down, pressing my forehead to his jaw to watch us jerk him. "I haven't seen your cum spill from you like this... I want to see..."
He choked on a sob as his head tilted all the way back, just as his cock began to pump his seed all over my fist, painting his stomach as he let out another high, strained cry of effort. His pelvis bucked up in short twitches with each swelling contraction his cock gave in my palm, ropes of cum soaking himself, me, milky white and drooling from where the splatters landed. He collapsed back with a choking noise in his throat near the end, whining softly with a shiver with the last beading from his tip that ran over my thumb.
I released him, making him whimper again with quiet relief, before pressing my palm to the cooling cum on his belly while I leaned down to him for a gentle kiss.
"Mess..." he whispered shakily through his blissed glaze, eyes barely seeing despite the embarrassed blush that touched his cheeks.
"So beautiful," I assured him in a whisper of my own, smiling into the next kiss I grazed against his lips. "So sexy... And now I get to have a bath with you."
He huffed softly, the corners of his lips twitching. "...Ahhh..." The sigh sounded just as much like relief as it did affectionate approval. "Sly and villainous lady... You unveil your ulterior motivation at my most vulnerable."
"Funny man.' I giggled as I nuzzled him affectionately. "You're so adorable."
He huffed again, smiling lazily. "The Demon of Time... adorable..."
"Yes," I whispered in deeply amused agreement. "My very cute, very sweet, Demon of Time lover is absolutely adorable."
He laughed softly with a shake of his head. "How can I say no, when I am so completely at your mercy. Run a bath for us then, my dear, for I do not think I can get up from this hard floor for at least a more minutes longer. And this..." He tapped at my hand on his stomach. "...is getting quite sticky."
I giggled again. "Right away, sir. One hot bath, coming right up."
///
He ran his hand along my waist within the warm water of the bath, his other hand holding me to him by my stomach. “Your curves are so beautiful…”
I leaned back against his body with a sigh, flush to his chest while he drew caressing circles on my skin, the water swirling slowly. “Barbatos…”
“Yes, Chise.”
“I don’t want to ruin this moment, but… I want to ask you something… that I don’t actually want to ask.”
He laughed quietly. “I see. Well then, please, ask that which you would not ask.”
“…The die that you rolled. Did you rig it? So that… I would always win?”
“Hmm. I wonder…” He smoothed back my damp hair from my forehead with a smile. “Chise. Would you allow for that to be one mystery that you cannot solve?”
“Why…?”
“Because if I did, it would hurt you, and change our trust. Because if I did not, you would not believe me, and that would change our trust as well.” He sighed. “Even keeping it a mystery may change trust.”
“You don’t think I would believe you…?”
“Hmm.” He lightly combed his fingers through my hair. “I do not believe you would do it willing. But feelings are feelings, however irrational, and doubt is doubt.”
I turned my face over my shoulder to look at him, giving him a weak smile. “Sounds like therapy speak…”
He winked at me. “I am learning.”
“I’m so sorry that I had to ask for your help... It changed our trust, no matter how you look at it.”
He smiled again, before he cupped the side of my head to his chest. I turned a bit on my side to curl into his embrace, his knees coming up slightly to steady me between them. “You may always come to me. Even if I cannot use my power for whatever reason, Chise, I will offer my thoughts, and endeavour to ‘brainstorm’ alternative solutions. Always come to me; because either way, I will listen, and be honest with you.”
“Honest…” I blinked, and then laughed in realization. “You didn’t change the die. But maybe you would have.”
“I wonder…” He chuckled. “But if that were the case, it is theoretical only – an unimplemented thought experiment. If that were the case, then I did not have to make that choice. Either I changed it, or I did not.”
“Did you change it?”
“I did not.”
“Hmm, I wonder…” I smirked against his chest. “You might be lying.”
He chuckled again. “You might be right. Though there is an alternative…”
“What’s that?”
“Heh. You could have chosen wrong, and I could have laughed at the game, and done it for you anyway. Because what is important to you, is important to me, and watching you lose the gamble may have made me realize just how true that is. But of course, if I did not change the outcome, that was not a choice I had to make, nor a realization that I had come to the hard way from the look of despair on your face. So who knows if I would have chosen to hide using my powers for you, or openly used them anyway?”
I giggled. “Okay, fine. Maybe a bit of mystery can be funny.”
He hummed in delight. “Thought experiments can be funny, if you make them funny.”
“All right then.” I looked up at him with a smile. “I’ll choose to let it be funny, that you made me play a game of chance for it in the first place.”
He laughed, a true one, water rippling out from him with it. “That is funny indeed. What a silly thing to do, to play a game of chance to enter a dream. A portal into dreams? Who suggests such a light thing in return for something so complicated? In fact, who willingly requests such a thing in the first place…? It is absurd!”
“Oh my goodness…” I laughed too. “Insane, on both sides.”
“Indeed. It is madness incarnate.”
If that was the truth…
He’d done it all so that I didn’t have to beg. So that neither of us had to.
I hummed thoughtfully. “So many possibilities, so many thought experiments. All left up to my own imagination. You know, that sounds kind of entertaining.”
“And as likely as any imagined catastrophe.”
I turned in the water, resting my knees on the bottom of the tub between his legs as I cupped his face in my hands. “Mystery it is, then.”
His expression grew fond too. “I am glad. As I am so glad that you are mine.”
“I’m still sorry for worrying you.”
“That is life…” He reached to gently tuck my hair on the other side of my head behind my ear. “You are mine, but I do not control you.”
“I don’t want that control over you, either…”
The corners of his mouth twitched in understanding. “I see. I could say that I am relieved to hear you say that, but it would be a lie.”
I frowned slightly. “How come…?”
“Because I already know your intentions with me are pure love. I do not need to feel relief to hear what I already know to be true.”
I smiled as I tucked my head down in a bit of shyness with my blush. “That’s true. I’m glad you already knew that, then.”
“Without question, I assure you.”
“I can imagine that… you carry that concern around with you in a lot of your interactions.”
“I do. Of course.”
“Sounds lonely…”
He tipped my face up to his again with a light touch of his knuckle under my chin. “Not anymore…”
“I don’t want to take advantage of you. I want to love you, and I want to know you. I want you to be able to rely on me as well.” I reached to caress the shape of his cheek, before gently pulling his face closer. “Speaking of knowing you. Barbatos…”
He hummed fondly. “Yes, my Chise?”
“What’s your demon mark animal?”
He smiled at me in delight. “An owl.”
I smiled back. “That suits you.”
He made a sound of amusement as he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me more firmly into his lap – to kiss me.
Notes:
Barbatos’ Devilgram: The Flame Bird Show
Chapter 40: Chapter 75-A: Running Away
Notes:
We have some hard modes to catch up on in this one. 💃
Chapter Text
Helldown Day
“Yeeeaaah!” Mammon smirked as he ran towards a cupboard in Lucifer’s previously-locked study. “Now THAT’S what I’m talkin’ about… Heh heh heh. I KNEW it! The Mammon’s a total genius! Usually this room’s full of warp portals and curses, all sorts of magic charms and traps. But for this one single day, it’s totally, completely undefended! Oh, sweet, sweet Helldown Day, I love you so muuuuch!”
“…Why do you have to be so weird about this…”
“Yo, Levi!” Mammon snapped at him, broken out of his reverie. “How long are ya plannin’ on standing there, huh? Hurry up and get over here!”
Levi sighed, before slinking into the room after his brother.
“Quit starin’ off into space and get your head in the game! I brought you here to help carry loot, remember?!” Mammon began pulling open drawers, rifling through them rapidly. “C’mon! We gotta hunt down all the valuable stuff quickly! Oooh, lookie-lookie, a false bottom drawer? Heh heh heh. Here, hold this!”
Levi grunted as he caught the intricate brooch with a glittering gem inlay that Mammon had just chucked over his shoulder.
“And this, too!”
“OW! More WARNING, Mammon!” As the next one had just bounced off of Levi’s forehead. “You know, I REALLY don’t have time for this… I mean, I’m supposed to be playing the main gacha game for one of my favourite characters…”
“Shaddup! You lost rock, paper, scissors!” Mammon was throwing books and papers over his shoulders now. “This is what ya get for pickin’ a fight with me!”
“That’s because I wasn’t ‘allowed’ to use Lotan,” Levi muttered as Chise’s various list of consequences for trying it rang in his ears. He watched with growing horror as the scattered papers that Mammon was rifling through and throwing around began to grow in chaos. “…Mammon, don’t make such a mess! Like, aren’t you trying to do this incognito?! Papers all over the floor for Lucifer to find the moment he walks in isn’t exactly SUBTLE.”
“This is a nice find,” Mammon muttered gleefully to himself as he ignored him, “and this’ll be worth somethin’, too… Eh,I don’t feel like sortin’ through all this. Might as well just take the whole drawer.” And he did, ripping it out of the wall with a smirk.
"…Oh, looks like we aren’t the first ones here."
Levi screeched as he spun around guiltily, red in the face. “…BELPHIE! I THOUGHT YOU WERE LUCIFER!”
“Eh?” Mammon glanced over his shoulder, and then snorted. “You mistook pipsqueak’s voice over there for Lucifer’s? 'Sup, bros! …Oooh-la-la. Hope y’all here to help, ‘cause Levi’s arms ain’t bulky enough to carry THIS and the Demonus.”
“Seriously?” Satan sighed as he followed Belphie in next. “So, we all had the same idea, huh?”
“Whatever. Just so we’re clear, I was the first one here! Which means THE Mammon gets dibs on anything valuable!”
Belphie shrugged. “Fine. That’s not what we’re interested in anyway.”
Mammon narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “Then why’re ya here?”
While Belphie made a casual bee-line to Lucifer’s desk, Satan was pushing at the papers all over the floor with his foot, frowning down at them. “We came to see if we could find any dirty on Lucifer in here.
Mammon rolled his eyes. “Don’t ya have anythin’ better to do with your time?”
”You’re one to talk, Mammon,” Belphie said dryly.
“What’s going to happen to my login bonus…?” Levi whined under his breath. “I was supposed to hit thirty days straight today…”
“We ain’t gonna be here all day, nerd!”
“How about you, Levi?” Satan glanced at him. “What are you doing here?”
“Eh, just ignore him.” Mammon waved his hand dismissively over his shoulder as he began picking up bottles of Demonus to read their labels, before glancing over at Belphie’s audible ‘huh,’ indicating interest. “So, down to business. What’s inside that drawer there? Anything good?”
Belphie titled his head. “What do we have here…?”
“What is it? Some kinda treasure?!”
Belphie should his head. “I found pictures of Chise inside the drawer…”
They all froze for a moment.
Before Satan cleared his throat casually, before sidling over to the desk. “…Let me see.”
“Hey, I wanna see too!” Mammon snapped, rushing over to pick up one of the little stacks.
“…Aww.” Satan scoffed in disappointment. “I thought you meant pictures of just Chise. Too bad…”
“Well, at least they ain’t racy…”
“Whatever, you’d probably get off on those.” Belphie shuffled through them one at a time. “Here’s one we all took together. And here’s Chise with Lord Diavolo…” Belphie blinked. “His two… Huh. Him having this in here is kind of cute, actually.”
Mammon gave him a blank look. “Wha? Eh? Whaddya mean?”
Satan rolled his eyes.
Levi snickered. “His means Lucifer's two deities.”
“…Sure. Let’s go with that. Oh hey.” Belphie smiled as he flipped another over to show. “Beel looks really good in this one.”
“Now that you mention it, where is Beel?” Satan frowned as he subtly tried to pull a picture of himself and Chise from the stack. “I thought you were going to bring him along?”
“I invited him, but he said no,” Belphie answered, a tad sullenly.
“By the way,” Satan continued, “I heard that Beel got together with Chise today for lunch and had some of that giant Devildom slug dish he kept going on about.”
“Yep,” Belphie said with a fond chuckle. “He was thrilled about that.”
“Hey! Check out this picture!” Mammon grinned as he flashed it for them to see. “Totally brings back memories, huh? This is from right after Chise came here for the first time!”
“…You know, it seems like there’s a lot more smiling in the pictures taken after Chise showed up,” Levi pointed out.
“Yeah, totally.” Mammon’s grin widened as he went through them, one by one. “Like, check out this one of Belphie and Beel, after he got let out of the attic!”
Belphie rolled his eyes.
“You two didn’t use to smile like this, did ya? At least, not since after– uhhhh.” Mammon’s cheeks flushed red. “After we got here! Yeah!”
After Lilith. Belphie snorted, though he surprised himself with the noise coming out as one of amusement, not anger or sadness. “Well, as long as you’re picking on us, I notice it’s the same with to too, huh Mammon?”
Mammon’s cheeks turned a dark shade of red. “Shaddup!”
–
"…Grrrr…"
“It’s all right, Cerberus,” Lucifer murmured fondly. “Here, let me pet you. Who’s a good boy, hm?”
“Um, Lucifer?” Asmo-the-rat hugged himself with a grimace. “Aren’t you going to set Cerberus on them? I thought you’d want to punish them ASAP.”
“No…” Beel smiled sweetly as he eavesdropped outside of the door as well. “There’s no need to rush things, right?”
Lucifer chuckled softly. “I don’t think so, no. Let’s just wait a bit longer, Cerberus. Don’t worry, you’ll get your chance…”
”Grrrrr…"
“Now, now. It’s only your dear friend Tinkerbell coming down the hall. See? There she is.”
“Aww…” Asmo’s eyes went wide with wonder as the two – four? – animals touched noses, sniffing in greeting before Tink gave Cerberus an affectionate headbutt. “Who knew Cerberus could be such a gentle pup… with a cat!”
"…Hey, did anyone hear a growl from out in the hall?”
“A growl?”
“I didn’t hear nothin’.”
“…Damn, doesn’t this picture look a bit on the racy side?”
“WH?! DON’T YOU LOOK AT THAT! DAMMIT LEVI, COVER YOUR EYES!”
“I’ve SEEN her like that, you know! …K-Kind of…”
“Well, now you definitely have.”
“SHADDUP SHADDUP SHADDUP DON’T SAY THAT NO YA HAVEN’T!”
“Anyway, I’m so keeping this.”
“OH NO YA DON’T, NUH-UH! GIVE IT HERE, RUNT!”
“No way! I found it first!”
“GET BACK HERE!”
“Levi! Grab him! He’s headed your way!”
Lucifer chuckled again, a bit more sinisterly. “And that’s the end of that. Ready, Cerberus?”
"HOW’D YA MISS HIM, LEVI?! HE WAS RIGHT THERE!”
“He’s slippery!”
“Aww…” Asmo sighed with longing. “Now I wish I went in there with them.”
“…Me too,” Beel admitted shyly, before wincing at the piercing sound of the rest of his brothers’ collective shrieks as Cerberus was unleashed into the room. “…Or maybe not.”
“Hehe, Beel, you’re so cute.” Asmo shrugged nonchalantly, before turning away. “Oh well. I’ll just have to ask her to pose for me!”
A Piece of Solomon’s Past
“Hmm…?” Solomon paused after he took a step onto the creaky bridge, squinting in the dark. “…Hello? Is someone there?”
And the a golden white light basked his face, making him blink in surprise against it. But as his eyes adjusted, he gave a sparkling smile. “…Oh! Why, hello there! You scared me!”
“Did I…?” Lucifer replied to him dryly, his arms crossed as he beat his magnificent white wings once, dwarfing the path over the bridge that the sorcerer had intended to cross. “You don’t look the slightest bit scared to me.”
Solomon giggled. “Well, I am! You can hardly blame me. I certainly didn’t expect an angel to pop out of nowhere on my way to a reaper’s cave! And not just any angel…” Solomon’s bright smile slid into a smirk. “But you, Lucifer.”
Lucifer tipped his head up regarding the human man silently.
“Anyway, I’m glad you’re here!” Solomon’s smile returned to being dazzling. “Lucifer, how would you like to enter into a pact with me?”
“…I see you’re as big a fool as ever.” Lucifer stretched his wings. “As you can see.”
“Oooh, you can’t make a pact with an angel, I know. But I figured that a demon disguiseddemon is only an illusion, then I guess it’s not possible after all, huh? Hehe! I have to say, that’s an elaborate illusion you’ve created. Very nice! Just in terms of appearances, it’s a carbon copy of Lucifer in angel form.” He hummed sweetly. “There’s only one being who could create an illusion like that in a place like this. It’s you, isn’t it, Thirteen?”
Lucifer regarded him with more silence for a time, and Solomon waited patiently.
‘Lucifer’ finally sighed. “…I was hoping you’d be so startled that you’d slip and fall.”
“Are you crazy?” Solomon blinked. “Why, this is reaper territory! I’m not about to let myself slip and fall here. If I did, something tells me I’d have a rather hard time making it out of here afterwards!”
The illusion scoffed in annoyance.
Solomon laughed in delight. “So, Lucifer the angel… If you’re not going to make a pact with me, would you mind getting out of the way? I’m in a hurry, you see.”
The cavern went dark again, rather abruptly as the vanished illusion took its heavenly golden light along with it, leaving Solomon humming patiently while he blinked to adjust once more.
”I’m sorry, you think you’d ‘have a hard time’ making it out of here? You really know how to rub me the wrong way, don’t you? You’re supposed to say you’d ’NEVER’ make it out of here! Are you TRYING to infuriate me?”
“Hey there, Thirteen!” Solomon sang. “Hope you’re doing well! Do you think you could come out where I can see you?”
”Tch. Please. As if I’d bother to come out and greet YOU. So? What is it you want?”
“I brought you some of my home cooking!” He raised the dish he had been holding up for the dank cavern’s inspection. “It’s Solomon’s special paella. Have you heard of paella? It’s a human world dish, you see–“
”You MUST be joking. That’s the sort of thing you do for your next-door neighbour. You’re telling me you came all this way just for THAT? You made the trip from the human world? Just to deliver some paella
“Now now,” Solomon cooed, “don’t say that. I’ll have you know this is one of my best recipes! I’d really like for you to try it.”
”…You truly are an idiot with a capital ‘I,’ aren’t you?”
“Oooh!” Solomon looked down in delight at his empty hands. “I see the casserole dish just vanished into thin air. I’m going to take that to mean you’re going to try some. Good! That means it was worth the trip out here.” He turned around with a hum to make his way back. “I really think it turned out well, so… enjoy!”
"…WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS SHIT?! WHAT THE FUCK?! WHAT THE FUCK…?! IS HE TRYING TO KILL ME? DID HE SERIOUSLY JUST TRY TO POISON A REAPER?! SOLOMON, YOU…! OOOOOH! THAT JUST PISSES ME OFF! I’M GOING TO KILL HIM FIRST! KILL HIM, AND FINALLY TAKE THAT WRETCHED SOUL OF HIS. I’M GOING TO BLOW OUT HIS MOTHERFUCKING CANDLE IF IT’S THE LAST THING I–"
Devildom Felicity's Past – Third Edition
“Hmm, this doesn’t have anything useful…” Satan snapped the book he had been skimming shut with an irritated frown. “There’s nothing help in these books, either… What am I going to do?”
“…Uh.”
Satan’s eyes flicked up.
“Whoa.” Levi, hands in his pockets, looking around the room in bewilderment. “I’m used to seeing books strewn across your room, but not THIS many. It’s actually impressive.”
“…Oh, Levi.” Satan sighed. “It’s you.”
“Ummm… Are you okay?”
Satan frowned. “Why do you ask?”
“Because you haven’t been at school at all this week, have you?” He glanced at Satan’s book-covered bed. “...Are you getting enough sleep? Something tells me you’re not.”
“Tch…” Satan scoffed at him as he tossed the book he’d been holding down in annoyance. “You think I have time for sleep right now? You know I’m in charge of this year’s Devildom Felicity, right? Until I figure out what I’m going to do, everything else can wait. Sleep, food, water… All of it goes on the back burner.”
“Errr…” Levi glanced down nervously at the book that had landed at his feet. “Okay, even so, that doesn’t mean you’re going to find an answer in one of these books, right?”
Satan huffed. “I might not find an answer, but it’s possible I’ll find some sort of hint.”
Levi snorted in laughter. “I don’t know if there’s room for ANOTHER shut-in on the student council lool.”
“Quiet, Levi!” Satan scowled at him darkly, making him jump. “It’s your fault I’m in this situation to begin with.”
“Huh?!” Levi took a nervous step back as another book landed at his feet. “My fault?” And another book, making Levi wince. “Come on loool. So now you’re taking your frustration out on me? Lolol…”
“You were in charge of the last Devildom Felicity, right?”
“Uh, yeah.” Levi shrugged, confused at the turn. “Why…?”
Satan’s cheeks turned pink as he hissed through his teeth, gearing up for the distastefulness of the admission. “…I was genuinely impressed when you announced you wanted to start a system of after-school clubs at RAD. Your idea was so novel and interesting that I was honestly shocked.”
Levi’s eyes, to Satan’s annoyance, lit up at his brother’s compliment. “Umm, I don’t know if I’d call it novel. I mean, I lifted the entire concept from the human world, sooo…”
Satan grunted as he looked aside. “Human world schools have after-school clubs and teams. Culture clubs, sports clubs… There’s a huge variety to choose from. Students pick a club that interests them, where they learn all sorts of things. How to grow as an individual, how to work as a team.”
“Uhh, yeah, right.” Levi grinned at him in agreement. “That’s where all the drama of youth happens! Together with your teammates, or the people in your club! It’s anime and manga 101!”
“So you suggested that we adopt a similar system at RAD.”
“…Yeah?”
“Yep.” Satan glowered at him. ”You suggested it. You. Leviathan.”
He shrugged. “Lord Diavolo ended up being super interested in my proposal. I never expected him to be so enthused, but he was! He approved and implemented it ASAP.”
“Suddenly everyone had goals to work toward, be it a club competition or whatever. It gave students an official venue where they could challenge each other and engage in friendly rivalries.”
“…Yeah…?”
“As a result, there was less conflict between students in the year after the system was adopted. Which was just one of the many unexpected side benefits of the system.”
“Heh.” Levi bounced on his heels, still grinning. “I mean, I didn’t actually plan that part. That was just luck.”
Satan sighed. “…It made me se you in a new light, Levi.”
Levi froze, mouth agape. “…Really?”
“I thought you were just a sad, mood shut-in of an otaku, but it turns out that when you put your mind to it, you’re capable of great things.” Satan smiled at him. “You really impressed me.”
“Hey! Loool.” Levi began bouncing again. “You didn’t have to mix all those insults into your ‘compliment’ lolol!”
“If I’m going to do this,” Satan hissed, “it needs to be even better than your Devildom Felicity project.”
“…Uh.”
“That’s all.”
“Uh-huh… O-Okay…” Levi looked down again as another book landed at his feet. “I understand why you’re so worked up over this, but still… Try not to overdo it, all right? I actually brought you a can of D-Energy.”
Satan blinked. “…Oh, thanks.”
Devildom Felicity's Past – Fourth Edition
“Man!” Mammon grinned while he chewed. “Nothin’ beats grabbin’ a snack on the way home from school!
Asmo sighed. “Ew, Mammon…”
“Is that good, Mammon?”
“Yeah, it’s amazing… hold on! What’re ya askin’ ME for, Beel?! You bought the same stuff I did just now!”
Beel’s look of innocent curiosity fell into a look of pathetic sadness. “Well, it’s gone.”
“All gone?” Asmo sighed again, exasperated with his brothers. “But you bought so much… You’re telling me you’ve already eaten it all, Beel?”
“You could say that…”
“…So, yes.”
“Pff, there’s no ‘could’ about it!” Mammon rolled his eyes. “You totally devoured everything, and you know it!”
Beel shrugged, perking up again as they passed a storefront. “Well, I’m still hungry, so I’m going to pick up something else to eat. Look, there’s a place selling food right . Though I’ve never seen that store before…”
“Look closer, Beel!” Mammon gave an exasperated shake of his head. “That place doesn’t even SELL food! It’s a secondhand bookstore!”
“Oh. My mistake.”
“Wh?!”
“Really? They opened another new secondhand bookstore?” Asmo stopped to look at it, holding his elbows with a tilt of his head. “They’ve really been popping up everywhere, huh?”
Mammon shrugged. “Well, you know the deal. It’s because of Satan’s Devildom Felicity project.”
“Satan’s Devildom Felicity project…” Beel rubbed at his stomach, mumbling absently in his hungry distraction. “Uhhh… What was it again?”
“Beel…!” Asmo sighed, shaking his head. “Remember how there used to be way fewer bookstores and libraries in the Devildom?”
Mammon nodded. “Yep, and they were all super expensive and stuff. They wouldn’t let regular folks inside, or they’d only let the demon elite look at the books or whatever. Real hoity toity shit.”
Asmo nodded back. “Right, exactly. They weren’t the sort of places where you could just stroll in and pick out books whenever you felt like it!”
Beel tilted his head as he lifted his eyes up to the bookstore’s sign. “Now that you mention it, yeah, I guess that’s true.”
“Well, Satan decided he wanted to bring secondhand bookstores to the Devildom!:
“Oh yeah… ‘OLD books make for a NEW kind of bookstore’.”
“He kept goin’ on about how it’d increase the literacy in the Devildom, and pave the way to a brighter future and stuff. When the humans started doin’ it, their cultures started ‘flourishin’ or whatever.”
“It really was revolutionary, huh!” Asmo smiled fondly. “Thanks to his project, I’ve heard that more and more demons are heading to bookstores and libraries every day – and enrolment in RAD has been up, too! Diavolo’s been so happy, because that was kind of the point of RAD in the first place, to bring education to the Devildom – but only the elite were enrolling, because they were the literate ones.”
Mammon smirked. “Still, ya gotta think Satan only did all this so it’d be easier for him to find books he’s interested in, right?”
Asmo giggled. “Well, there has to be SOME side benefits to being in charge of Devildom Felicity, right? Otherwise, it would be too thankless of a task, you know? He even said ‘Why can’t acts of kindness be a bit selfish? Even if every SINGLE one is selfish, it’s still kindness’. Like, even if we’re programmed to want to do it because we get something out of it, even if it’s just that it makes us feel good – ‘en-dolphins’ or whatever he said – it’s still good!” He sighed. “He has a point. I mean, it’s soooo much responsibility to try to go REALLY big.”
“Man. Ain’t we supposed to be demons?”
“That reminds me.” Beel nodded to Asmo. “You’re in charge of the next Devildom Felicity, aren’t you, Asmo?”
“Oh yeah, that’s right! You are!” Mammon smirked teasingly at him. “I hope you’re ready, Asmo, ‘cause it’s a REAL pain in the ass!”
Asmo shrugged with a pretty little noise of unconcern, smiling wide. “Well, guess what? I’VE already decided what I’m going to do!” He blew his brother a little kiss. “Sorry if you were hoping to see me suffer!”
Beel raised his eyebrows in surprise. “You have?”
“What’re ya gonna do, then?”
“Hehehe! Curious?”
“…That’s why I’m askin’, ya nuthead.”
“Okay, so listen to this!” His grin widened. “I’m going to create a photo book, Asmo at His Most Alluring! And I’m going to give it to EVERYONE in the Devildom – for FREE! Isn’t that just the most amazing idea you’ve ever heard?! Oh, and don’t worry, I’ll personally sign both of your copies! As a special favour.”
Beel frowned, glancing at Mammon. “…I don’t get it. How does that benefit RAD or the Devildom?”
Mammon rolled his eyes. “Well, go ahead and suggest that if ya want. It’s your funeral…”
“Huh?!” Asmo pouted. “What do you mean?! I’ll be sharing my beauty with the whole of–"
“Yeah,” Beel sighed, “I think you might be taking ‘why can’t kindness can be a bit selfish’ a little too far, Asmo…”
“HMPH! None of you understand genius…”
“Fuckin’ egotistical egomaniac…”
“WHAT’D YOU JUST SAY TO ME, MAMMON?!”
“I’m callin’ ya a narcissist.”
“WH?! TRY LOOKING IN THE MIRROR YOURSELF ONE OF THESE DAY, SCUMBAG!”
“WHAT’D YOU JUST SAY TO ME, YA FRILLY PIPSQUEAK?!”
"EXCUUUUUUSE ME?! WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY–?!”
“…Anyway,” Beel sighed, as Asmo jumped on Mammon with a screech, “I’m going to head to that food stall over there. See you two at home.”
Chise: Thanks again for the outfit. ❤️
Chise: And thank you for the amazing weekend.
Barbatos: Ah, the outfit I thought lovely on you at the festival?
Barbatos I am pleased to hear it has arrived as scheduled.
Barbatos: The cardigan should be especially easy to pair with other pieces in your wardrobe, so I would encourage you to try it with multiple outfits.
Barbatos: That being said, I do hope that you will wear the original outfit first.
Barbatos: After all, I have yet to see it with the bracelet we found at the jewellery stall.
Barbatos: I would be honoured to see you wear that.
Chise: I’ll treasure it all. Especially the bracelet.
Chise: I feel so spoiled. 🤭
Barbatos: You deserve spoiling. 😊
Chise: How are you so smooth?
Barbatos: I am smooth? 😶
Chise: Your company is so easy and special to me.
Chise: You have a way of making me feel like I’m the only one who exists.
Chise: I love you.
Barbatos: I am beyond honoured that the feeling is mutual.
Barbatos: I feel seen by you, which is a feeling that I never expected to so deeply come to appreciate.
Barbatos: I love you too, my Lady Chise. 😊
Chise: See…? SO smooth. 😉
Barbatos: 😳🫣
Chise: Hey, I haven't heard much from you guys since The Dream Incident. Everything okay? How's Raphael?
Solomon: Oh, yeah, no worries!
Solomon: I'll let Simeon know that you miss us!
Chise: Is there something you're not telling me...?
Solomon: Ah, it's no big deal.
Chise: Solomon. 😒
Solomon: All right, since you're poking me into a corner with a stick. Luke has just needed a bit of extra support, you could say?
Chise: Support...? Is he okay?
Solomon: Yes! We've got it handled. You know how kids can be.
Chise: I could come over and talk to him too?
Chise: Sol...?
Chise: Solomon… 😒
Chise: King Solomon the Wise, do NOT make me come over there.
Simeon: Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask.
Simeon: How's Michael been doing?
Raph: I haven't heard from him since my report on Helldown Day.
Simeon: Ah, busy as always…
Raph: As always. 😮💨
Simeon slapped his D.D.D. screen-down on his bed with a hiss, before taking in a deep breath to re-center himself, pressing the heels of his palms against his eyes.
Breathing, breathing, breathing.
He knew it.
"...Father... WHAT are you doing. WHY did you send Raphael here." He shook his head. “Out of everyone in the war… NOT Raphael. Surely you don't doubt Raphael? How paranoid can you..." He sucked in another breath, before letting it out slowly. “Stop SENDING us here if you don’t–"
"Simmy…?”
At the sound of Solomon's knock and voice through his door, Simeon's eyes flew open as he bit his tongue to stop himself from saying anything more. "...Ah, yes? Sol?"
He held his breath for it. For him to ask. Are you all right? What's wrong? Can I come in? Can I help? What can I do, what can I do, what can I do? He could hear him now, those questions tumbling from behind the door, taking Simeon’s worry on as his own.
Always the saviour.
So focused on his assumptions, that what Solomon did say through the door... just confused him. For a moment.
"...Have you seen Luke? I can't find him anywhere…”
Until confusion gave way to wrenching worry.
"He's not answering his phone… Wasn’t he supposed to be back by now?”
Simeon jumped up from his bed. “I’m coming!”
“Belphie, Chise, what’s going on?” Raphael followed us through RAD’S courtyard with confusion. “Why did you come meet you out here?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Belphie answered with a smile over his shoulder. “Just shut up and follow us.”
I snorted with a roll of my eyes.
Raphael tilted his head with a touch of a frown. “If you’re planning on giving me a tour of RAD, I already got one on my first day here.”
“Nope, this is different.” Belphie slipped around him to push the angel forward into the planetarium by his shoulders, earning himself an annoyed sound of protest. “Okay, we’re here. This is the place.”
As the three of us stepped inside, Raphael’s frown returned as he followed where Belphie gestured with his arm. “…There’s a separate room inside the planetarium? I had no idea…”
–
Raphael came to a stock-still stop, blinking in surprise.
“What took ya so long, Raphael?!” Mammon greeted him with his lop-sided grin.
“Yeah, seriously.” Satan chuckled as he pushed a cup on the low table forward. “Your tea’s all cold.”
“Now now,” Asmo cooed at him, “no need to be grumpy about it! We’ll just make another pot!”
“I was NOT grumpy about it. Until you said something.”
“Raphael, this seat next to me is open!” Beel offered with a wide smile, eyes keen.
“Oooh, Chise!” Asmo wiggled over too. “You’re sitting over here next to meeee!”
“Hey, who said you get to sit next to Chise?!” Mammon snapped at him, before wiggling over on the other side to make barely-enough-room next to him instead. “Chise, you’re sittin’ over here beside us!”
“Eh, I’m sure you don’t want to sit next to ME…” Levi mumbled with hunched shoulders.
Lucifer chuckled with a shake of his head, leaning back comfortably with his arms crossed. “Come on, why are you just standing there at the entrance? Hurry up and come inside.”
The greenhouse had come together beautifully, with Barbatos and I working alongside Belphie on its design. It was lush, and a great many of my own plants had been donated to it, with how difficult it’d become to care for the extent of my own collection recently. The room was bright with the grow lights that were necessary in the Devildom where the sun never shone, while the Devildom’s own plant life stretched up towards the moonlight that streamed in through the greenhouse glass.
“…I don’t understand,” Raphael murmured to himself, his head swivelling. “What’s going on here…?”
“My Devildom Felicity project, that’s what.” Belphie grinned as he stepped in front, turning to him. “Here’s my pitch in a nutshell… ‘Create opportunities for students to come together and get to know each other better’.”
Raphael blinked at him, lips parting slightly, before he smiled. “…I see. Not bad at all.”
Belphie chuckled proudly. “Well, what can I say? I think it’s pretty good myself. RAD is renovating areas of its buildings for students to lounge and study, with a couple new cafés on the ends where the main cafeteria is pretty far away to walk to.”
I nodded. “Normally the only places you can really go to socialize are the library, cafeteria, or the courtyard. But these are more comfortable spots where people can get together to study or meet up for group projects, with lots of outlets for laptops, and snacks nearby.”
“I like that last part a lot,” Beel added with a beaming smile.
I laughed with a fond shake of my head.
“They’re more private than the cafeteria, you don’t have to be hushed up in the library, and you’re not at the mercy of the weather outside,” Belphie explained.
“And this… place…” Raphael looked around again. “It’s…”
“Call it an extra special space for exchange students and their friends to gather in particular,” Lucifer answered with a smile.
I nodded. “There’s plants from all three realms growing in here. All of us, come together.”
Belphie took my hand. "That part was Chise’s idea.”
“This wouldn’t have been possible without you, Belphie.” I squeezed his hand. “I’m really proud of you.”
“The three realms…” Raphael murmured to himself, before reaching to touch his fingers to a nearby frond that “Come together in this room. I see…”
"One caveat,” I said with a grin, holding up my finger. “The exchange students have to take care of their own realm’s plants in here to keep them going together – while learning about the others, too.”
“Hah…” Raphael nodded. “The symbolism of that could hardly be lost on anyone. And I’m sure that… I could get my hands on one of Simeon’s roses to plant for him, to contribute.”
“Simeon’s…?” I blinked. “…That would be…”
“That would be wonderful,” Lucifer said softly.
“Hey, that’s a great idea!” Mammon grinned. “He LOVES those damn things! You could always find him hanging out in the gazebo he planted them all around, huh? Man, that brings back memories…”
“He’ll feel right at home with those to fuss over!” Asmo agreed. “Even though he’ll be starting over with new bushes. Hehe. His own are thousands of years old, after all.”
“Something tells me he won’t mind starting from scratch,” Levi said with a smile. “He’s such a dad. Even with ‘raising his roses’.”
“Pff. Like plant mama Chise over there. They’re like his babies.”
I felt my face flush red. “Hey…!”
“No use denyin' it, plant dork.”
“Yes. He’ll feel right at home…” Raphael dipped his head. “Then I’ll get a few cuttings for him next time I visit. With his blessing.”
I froze, my smile dying slightly. But why–
What do you know, Chise?
“With that settled,” Satan cut in with surprising cheerfulness, despite the CR talk, “let’s have some tea. Come on, stop standing around. You can sit by me, Raphael.”
“Thank you, Satan. By the way, the book you recommended was very enjoyable. I’m looking forward to reading the
“Ah, I thought it’d be up your alley. I’ll put the next one on hold for you in the library for you to pick up.”
“I appreciate that.”
We’re looking for Raphael. Do you have any idea where he might be?
Look for him somewhere quiet.
To the library then, everyone.
Levi looked around. “Wait, wasn’t someone supposed to bring cakes and things to snack on?”
“Yeah!” Beel wiggled in his spot. “Luke said that he’d–“
But it was then that Luke burst into the room, tears streaking down his face while he threw his arms around me, wailing into my jacket.
“Luke?!” I hugged him to me with wide eyes. “Wh…What’s wrong, kiddo?!”
“I’m running away from home!” he sobbed against me. “I just can’t take it anymore!”
“Oh…” Raphael visibly wilted. “Luke…”
Mammon stared, perplexed. “…Say wha?”
"I’m moving into the House of Lamentation!"
Lucifer rubbed at his temples with a sigh. “Here we go…”
Chise: Guys?
Chise: I have Luke with me.
Simeon: OH THANK GOODNESS.
Solomon: Oh, of course. We should have known…
Simeon: What are you doing? Is he okay? Why hasn’t he picked up his phone…?
Chise: He’s fine, don’t worry.
Chise: We’re going to hang out for a bit. Maybe a sleepover.
Simeon: Oh, okay…
Solomon: I think that’s a wonderful idea. 😊
Simeon: Right, of course. I’m sure he’s thrilled to be spending time with you.
Simeon: But keep me updated?
Simeon: Make sure he’s doing his homework, too…
Chise: Of course. ❤️
“Hey! Chise was on dinner duty tonight?” Mammon bounced with a grin at his plate. “All RIGHT!”
“So, you made a modified human recipe using Devildom ingredients?” Lucifer nodded at the spread on our temporary table in approval. “I have to say, I’m impressed.”
“Thanks,” I murmured across to him with a shy smile, earning myself a flirty chuckle of amusement from him.
“…Everything you make is SO good,” Beel said in a muffle with a mouth full of food already. “I’ll go ahead and take seconds.”
“Hey! Loool.” Levi looked over at his plate in shock. “Like, how can you already be ready for seconds? You JUST sat down!”
“Beel, I’m not giving you any of my food today,” Belphie warned. “This is Chise’s cooking.”
“Aww…”
“Give it up, Beel,” he sighed. “Those puppy eyes are going to work this time.”
“Awwwww…”
“Well, I guess I’d agree that tonight’s dinner is good,” Satan joined in with a tease in his voice as he shot me a flirt smile. “It certainly isn’t ‘bad’.”
I stuck my tongue out at him.
“Why not just admit that you like it, Satan? Really…” Asmo gave him a sly, knowing smile. “You always insist on hiding how you feel. What ARE we going to do with you?”
Satan turned bright red. “I’m clearly… Compliment…ing…”
“By FLIRTING!” Asmo cackled, catching him in the real trap he’d just laid.
“You’re all super right!” Luke sang happily after he’d taken a seat between Asmo and I. “This smells SO good!”
“Whoa whoa whoa, hold on a second!” Mammon growled at him. “Who said you could just waltz in here and have dinner with us, huh?!”
“Mammon,” I sighed, “you sound like a territorial doggy.”
“DOGGY?!”
“Well, I’m staying here tonight, aren’t I?” Luke said sullenly. “Of COURSE I’m going to have dinner with you…”
I patted his arm. “You’re always welcome to come to dinner. Mammon’s just a butt.”
“A BUTT?!”
“Mmhm.” Luke shot him a look. “And not just tonight, actually. I’m LIVING here from now on!”
“YOU’RE WHAT?!”
Belphie sighed. “So when you said you were ‘running away from home’ this afternoon, you actually meant it…”
“Hehehe!” Asmo ruffled his hair fondly, earning himself a scowl. “Have you hit your rebellious phase, Luke? Aww, how CUTE!”
Luke’s cheeks turned pink. “No, it’s not like that!”
“Okay then, how about you tell us what’s going on?” Satan asked.
“Ah, um…” Luke ducked his head, looking down at his plate with all eyes on him. I think only Asmo and I could see how he blinked rapidly from under his blonde fringe.
“It’s not a hard question,” Belphie said. “He just asked you why you ran away.”
Luke’s fingers curled into bunched fists on his lap. “I… I don’t want to say.”
Belphie frowned. “Huh?”
I rubbed his back comfortingly. “You don’t need to tell us right now if it’s too difficult. Let’s just relax tonight. I’m sure it’s a little raw right now.”
“Chise, I… thanks.”
Mammon shrugged. “Well, it’s okay if he doesn’t tell us, right?”
I gave him a warm, appreciative smile.
Mammon beamed at my pride. “After all, everyone has a secret or two, right?”
My smile immediately fell into a flat, accusatory look.
“Uh-huh. Mammon has a few too many,” Levi muttered.
“WHAT’D YOU SAY?!”
Levi glanced to the other head of the table, ignoring his brother. “So, what are you going to do about this, Lucifer?”
Lucifer shook his head. “I’m sure it’s just a temporary thing. I don’t see a problem with it.”
“Wh…” Luke sat up a little straighter in surprise. “Th…”
“Interesting…” Asmo smiled in pleasant surprise too. “Not the response I expected.”
“Hear that, Luke?” Beel gave him his own warm smile. “You got permission to stay. Good for you.”
“Yeah, good for you, Chihuahua!” Mammon said with a grin. “Looks like we’ve got ourselves a new pet!”
“Belphie,” I cooed, “how’s your aim feeling tonight?”
“Pretty accurate. I can test it if you want.”
“Be my guest.”
”No food fights,” Lucifer admonished sternly. ”Even with Mammon as the target. This is the only ‘backup’ table I’ve been keeping in storage for when we need to switch it out.”
“And I’m NOT a Chihuahua!” Luke protested angrily.
“…I don’t get it.”
“Eh?” Mammon glanced beside him. “What’re you talkin’ about, Satan?”
Satan glowered up at the head of the table. “I’m not allowed to get a friend for Tinkerbell, but it’s okay to keep Luke around the house?”
“Stop talking about me like I’m a pet!” Luke snapped at him. “A-And, where IS Tinkerbell, anyway…?”
“Moving onnnn…” Asmo glanced around the table conspiratorially. “Where is Luke going to be sleeping, hm?”
Mammon froze. “…Wait, what?”
–
“I’m so happy I get to stay in your room, Chise!” Luke said with a beaming smile. “When I heard we were drawing lots, I was really worried. I guess today was my lucky day!”
I nodded. “Last time you were here you stayed in the twins’ room.”
“Ugh, don’t remind me…” He sighed. “Beel kept talking in his sleep and he was SO loud. Let’s just say it wasn’t fun.”
“Luke…” I sighed as I went to sit with him on the bed. “Did something happen between you and Simeon?”
He swallowed. No doubt he had absolutely expected this to be coming. “…Well, I’d be lying if I said everything was fine between us. I… I guess it’s okay if I tell you why I ran away. Since it’s you and all.”
I nodded. “You can tell me anything. It stays between us, too. I won’t tell Sim–“
”YO YO YO!” Mammon fairly kicked my door in with his enthusiasm. “Looks who’s here! It’s THE MAMMON!”
I sighed. Always inserting himself if he thought I was paying special attention to someone.
“Sorry, Luke,” Beel sighed as well as he poked his head in. “Mammon and Asmo insisted on barging in. I tried to stop them.”
And right on cue, Asmo skipped on in with a squee. “So, why don’t you go ahead and tell us exactly what’s going on, Luke?!”
”Guys!” I snapped at them in frustration. “Do ANY of you in this house understand the concept of ‘privacy’?”
“G-Get out, now!” Luke yelled shrilly as he withdrew into himself on my bed. “I’m trying to have an important conversation with Chise–“
“Luke, I brought you something sweet to snack on,” Beel offered. “And something to drink, too.”
“Though Beel actually ate most of it on the way here,” Asmo added with an exasperated sigh.
“See these little cake things…?” Beel laid the napkin he’d wrapped them in on my clean sheets, immediately spreading crumbs. “You mentioned once that you liked them, so I made sure to leave these for you to eat.”
“…You’re making it really hard for me to kick you out, saying stuff like that,” Luke mumbled, before letting out a sigh of resignation. “It was nice of you to do this. So, you really are concerned about me… …I think.”
“Hey!” Mammon growled. “Whaddya mean you think?!”
“Well, I’d say it’s half concern and half curiosity.”
I was the next to sigh. “Hey, Satan.”
“Satan?” Asmo raised his brows up in surprise. “I didn’t expect you to show up.”
“None of you denied what he said about this being half curiosity…” Luke pointed out sulkily.
I put my arm around him with a laugh. “They’re your friends, Luke. And they care.”
“…Right.” He sighed. “I know that.”
“We could tell somethin’ was botherin’ ya, though.” Mammon shrugged. “As long as we’re here, why not tell us what’s up? C’mon, let’s hear it.”
“Mammon…” I whispered in a chide.
“…No, it’s okay…” Luke chewed his lip for a moment while everyone looked at him, expectant. “It’s Simeon… He’s been acting strange. A-And Solomon…” He looked up at me, eyes wet with tears. “S-Solomon seems to be in on the secret. I heard him saying something about Simeon being in danger.”
“Danger…” I repeated in a whisper.
“B-But when I ask him about it, he won’t tell me anything! BOTH of them keep LYING or AVOIDING! S-Simeon isn’t a liar, so why…!” His bottom lip trembled with his whimper. I pulled him closer to my side, where he leaned. “…Here I am worried to death, but they’re keeping me in the dark. They don’t trust me with the truth, so they’re excluding me! That makes me sad…”
I swallowed, looking down at my lap as my vision went out of focus.
They don’t trust me with the truth.
Excluding me.
I'm sad, too.
“So,” Satan sighed, “that’s what this is about.”
“I’m sure it couldn’t be anything that serious though, right…?” Asmo asked gently as he took the spot on Luke’s other side to touch his arm. “It’s probably just some sort of mix-up, that’s all.”
“NO!” Luke protested. “Something’s DEFINITELY WRONG!”
“Luke,” I murmured.
“Something really bad is going on!” His voice sounded pleading, begging me to believe him. “I’m sure of it! They just won’t tell me what it IS! I’ve been trying for DAYS! I can’t really explain how I know, but I do…!”
Mammon looked to the side. “…Well, if ya ask me, you’re probably right.”
“Mammon,” I warned tightly.
“Come off it, Chees. I know you’ve been hurtin’.”
“That’s…” I pressed my lips tight in a flat line. That’s private.
“Chise…?” Luke looked at me with round eyes.
“Do you know something, Mammon?” Beel asked in surprise.
“Like, I don’t know what’s goin’ on exactly. But I’ve been gettin’ the feeling that somethin’s up with Simeon.”
“Really…?” Asmo tilted his head. “He doesn’t seem any different to me…”
“Luke,” Beel turned back to him, “when did you first notice something was wrong?”
I flexed my fingers in and out of small fists.
“Hmm… Well…” Luke frowned in thought. “…You remember when Lucifer lost his memory, right? It was a little bit after that.”
“All the way back then, huh?” Satan raised his eyebrows, intrigued as he crossed his arms over his chest.
“So you think something happened to Simeon around that time?” Beel frowned.
“Or it could’ve been before that,” Satan mused quietly.
Beel’s frown deepened. “Wait a minute…”
“Beelzebub?!” Luke sat up straighter. “Have you hit on something?!”
I was biting my lip. Hard.
“What if Michael was angry because he didn’t like the sweets Simeon sent to the Celestial Realm? I bet that’s it.”
“Come on!” Asmo smacked his arm in frustration. “This is clearly a matter of the HEART! He’s in love!”
“Come on, this is serious!” Luke snapped.
Satan shrugged. “Asmo could be onto something there. For once. Maybe that’s when him and Solomon started seeing each other?”
They all looked at me, and I flushed red at the question in their eyes.
When did…?
Just before we last left the Devildom again, over two months ago. After giving you the Ring of Light. I was just… He came to check on me, to see if I was all right, and, well…
I shook my head mutely, feeling as though I was going to be sick.
After Lucifer. Before they got together.
When Simeon had…
“…Nah, why would it be?” Mammon scoffed. “I mean, why’d that still be a secret NOW? They ain’t exactly subtle about it anymore!”
–
Luke groaned in frustration. “I was only planning on telling you what’s going on, Chise. But now all of THEM know, too…”
“Eh, what’s the harm, right?” Mammon broke out into a grin. “Y’know what they say. ’Two heads are better than one’.”
“Only if those heads have brains in them!” Luke snapped. “But your’s doesn’t SEEM to! Anyway, Mammon, how long are you planning on hanging around here?! Your brothers already left!” He glared at Mammon’s sprawl on my bed after he’d wedged himself between Luke and I. “Also, you seem TOO comfortable here! This is someone else’s room, you know?!”
“Eh, shaddup.” Mammon laced his fingers behind his head. “I’ll stay however long I want! Chise’s room is pretty much my room, too!”
Luke looked at me with wide eyes. “Is… Is that true, Chise?”
I coloured again. “Y… L-Like… How Simeon and I have sleepovers…”
He wrinkled his nose.
“That’s the way it is!” Mammon said with a shit-eating smirk.
Luke sighed in confused resignation.
“Anyway,” Mammon continued, “back to what we were talkin’ about earlier. Solomon’s not the only one who’s hidin’ something.”
Luke blinked. “What…?”
“Lucifer seems to know what’s up, too.” He shrugged. “And Lord Diavolo and Barbatos.”
I froze again. Silent.
“…Dammit,” Mammon growled. “I’m sick of them bein’ all secretive! Y’know, we should really do somethin’ about it!”
Luke looked uncertainly between the two of us. “We should…?”
Maybe… it’s time that you… looked into it.
It’s time. He needs us both. I’m not… enough.
Chise: Solomon…
Solomon: You talked with Luke.
Solomon: I’ll do it. If that’s what you want.
Chise: Am I right when I say that neither of us want that?
Chise: That we both want Sim to tell me himself?
Solomon: You would be right, yeah.
Chise: I hate this.
Solomon: He thinks he’s doing it out of love.
Chise: I don’t feel loved.
Solomon: I’m so so sorry, ahuvati.
Chise: You and him broke up all that time ago over something similar, I’m assuming.
Chise: Because otherwise…
Solomon: Yeah, you could say that.
Solomon: Because otherwise, he couldn’t be any more perfect in love.
Chise: I can see why it became too much…
Solomon: Oh gods don’t.
Chise: No, no…
I closed my eyes, resting the back of my hand over my forehead in the dark of my bedroom, listening to the even rise and fall of Luke’s breathing as he slept nearby.
What do you suspect…?
I touched the cool crystal of the feather at my neck.
He must be asleep, I thought, as I felt... nothing.
I’ve noticed that you’ve stopped calling him your–
Yes. Asleep, I decided, as I turned my head towards my D.D.D. Its screen remained dark. So he must be asleep.
I cried myself quietly towards my own.
Chapter 41: Chapter 75-B: To Tell A Truth
Notes:
CW for Belphie filth after the cut. Goes to the end.
Reminder: While you can argue that Belphie and Beel are closer to being actual brothers, as for the rest of them, in Celestial Realm they ALL call each other brothers and sisters, but aren't actually related. Their Father brings them into existence, and nothing is mentioned about angels actually being able to bear children themselves. 'Brothers' and 'sisters' to them is more akin to how a religious congregation would refer to each other.
...Or cults lol.If you cracked open a dictionary in the Celestial Realm, it probably defines 'siblings' as a community family, not blood family. That's my takeaway from everything I've seen in this world, anyway. I can't personally believe that NONE of the angels ever fuck because they're all ~brothers and sisters~ the way HUMAN society views it lol.
Regardless. I just wanted to clear this up for the implications I've made with Lucifer/Michael, Lucifer&Asmo, (...and Asmo/everyone, since I don't think he constantly went to the human world to 'fall in love' when he was an angel in CR), Raphael&Simeon, and now what I've implied in this chapter. If you think this is just a HC of mine and you're still uncomfy, that's fine. If you think that growing up close-knit but not blood related like step siblings is also crossing a line (how I personally view Beel/Belphie), that's fine. If you think my takeaway makes total sense, but that Beel/Belphie are the exception (I don't really think so tbh, but that's more up in the air), that's also fine. That's why I've tagged this as incest and dead dove: do not eat, after all.
Chapter Text
I'd woken up very early, and hadn't gotten enough sleep. Too early. An ungodly hour.
But even still, I didn't mind.
I knew there was a place where I could find private, quiet comfort at this hour.
"Chise?" Lucifer flicked his eyes up to look at the doorway wear I stood, after I'd knocked. "What on Earth are you doing up at this hour? You should be asleep."
"I couldn't sleep," I said softly.
“…Are you all right?”
I gave a little I’m-definitely-lying nod.
He regarded me for a moment longer, studying my mood, before letting out a sigh. And then a soft smile of affection as he pushed his chair back from his desk to pat at his knee. "My dear. Are you, perchance, looking for a cuddle?"
I smiled back as I padded into his room in my socks, before being scooped to him in his warm embrace, pulled down onto his lap. I tucked my knees up in a curl, nestling in against his chest, while he rested his chin on the top of my head with a hum.
"You really should be asleep," he murmured, as he ran his fingers affectionately down my arm.
"So should you," I whispered back in amused accusation. At his grunt of response, I tilted my head to kiss his strong jaw. "Do you ever sleep…? Sometimes I think that you just pretend."
He chuckled quietly. "Sometimes it feels like that's the case. Perhaps I’m even pretending to myself."
"I'm sorry if I'm interrupting something important. I won't stay long."
He sighed warmly into my hair as he embraced me fully. "You interrupt me in the same way that one’s attention is interrupted by their body's undeniable feeling of thirst, as a reminder to stay alive and hydrated.” He nodded towards the paperwork he’d abandoned on his desk. “I need you between the pages."
I smiled as I nuzzled, making his chin rub the top of my head with my back and forth shifting underneath it. "I didn't take you for the poetic romance."
"I can be, when over-tired."
"Ahh..." My smiled widened into teasing. “Definitely over-tired, for you to accidentally slip up and admit it."
He laughed softly. "It IS four in the morning. Maybe you can cut me some slack."
"I'll cut you slack when you cut it for yourself." I reached up to run my fingers down his jaw. "I think that one needs sleep just as much as water."
He sighed. "I may as well stay awake at this point."
I shook my head. "Maybe I'd go back to sleep if I was held in your arms... It'd be like... warmed milk."
He snorted in amusement. "Just who's the poetic one now? And I suppose you're hoping that me doing that will result in my eventual relaxing into sleep as well."
"You'd at least get a few hours," I pointed out. "And then you'd get to wake up with me in your arms, too."
"That does sound tempting," he murmured, tilting his head so that his chin rolled for him to rest his cheek against my hair instead. He sighed heavily.
I raised my arm to slip my fingers into his hair, stroking the dark silk. "For your lamb. Please?"
"Hah... Now how can I say no to such a sweet request? All right, lamb. As long as you'll allow me to carry you there."
I wrapped my arms around his neck to prepare for the liftoff. "Yes, please."
He pressed a kiss to my hair, his arms sliding away from his embrace of me to cup under my knees and hips. "To bed, then."
I felt myself finally relax into ease as I was lifted. "To bed..."
With him, I was safe. With him, I could figure anything out.
"I can't believe how much strength you give me, Lucifer," I whispered into his neck.
"Silly sentimental girl."
Yet I detected the unmistakable notes of quiet, touched affection in his voice. My 'silly sentiment' earned me another kiss to my forehead while he walked us down the hall towards his room.
“Hey there, Chise and Satan,” Solomon greeted us in his cheery voice. “Thanks for meeting me here.”
“Well,” Satan sighed, “I can pretty much guess what it is you want to talk about. But what’s Raphael doing here with you?”
“Ah, don’t worry about him.” Solomon waved his hand dismissively over his shoulder. “Just pretend he’s not here.”
Raphael stood, arrow-straight as usual, face expressionless, as usual.
“So, tell me,” Solomon continued softly, “how’s Luke doing?”
Satan snorted. “He’s furious. He says he won’t go back home until Simeon tells him exactly what’s going on. He is NOT happy.”
Solomon sighed, eyes sliding to mine. “I see… Yeah, I figured he wouldn’t be.”
Satan’s jaw was set in a tense grit, giving me a meaningful glance. “So you’re going to keep all of us in the dark, too? Seriously, what kind of partner–”
“Satan,” I muttered, touching his arm to stop him.
He sighed. “What happened to Simeon, Solomon?”
Solomon gave us a weak little smile. “No comment. If Simeon isn’t willing to tell you himself, then it’s not right for us to, is it?”
“…Us?” Satan quirked his brow at Raphael. “Raphael, what about you?”
“I’m not here.”
“Hold on.” Solomon looked over his shoulder in surprise. “Are you angry because I told them to pretend you’re not here? Is that it?”
Raphael looked ahead blankly in the direction he already had been throughout the conversation, not meeting his eyes.
Solomon giggled softly. “Yep, that’s it… Chise, you’ve been quiet, too.”
“I’m not here either…” I muttered. I’d been dragged by my other outraged-on-my-behalf partner, despite my protests.
He gave me a sympathetic look. “I just wanted to check in.”
“Yeah…”
“If you insist on keeping this a secret, that’s your prerogative.” Satan grabbed my hand. “But certain people are feeling very worried right now, and helpless as well. You should take their feelings into account. Otherwise, you might end up with a problem on your hands.”
Solomon blinked. “A problem? Oh my. That’s not–”
Satan nodded to the other side of the classroom. “Take a look over there.”
”…Excuse me?!” Thirteen bristled at Mammon. “You want me to create a trap that will project an imagine of what’s going on in someone else’s MIND?! What are you even talking about?! I know you’re stupid, but still! At least TRY to think before opening your big mouth!”
“Dammit, shhh! Don’t talk so loud!” Mammon tried to lunged forward to slap his hand over his mouth, but she dodged with a near-miss kick to his groin, making him jump back again with a yelp of fear.
“HMPH!” She held her foot out between them in warning. “Why should I make something like that for you, hm?”
“C’mon, seriously!” Mammon darted looks between her and our own little group. “Quit bein’ so loud!”
“…Pff…” Solomon pressed his fingers to his lips. “I take it that’s what you meant when you said I might end up with a ‘problem’ on my hands?”
Satan quirked an ambiguous eyebrow. “Why? What’d you think I meant?”
Raphael sighed. “If that fool tries something crazy, it might end up causing headaches for us, yes.”
Satan shook his head in exasperation. “Shouldn’t you do something before Simeon falls victim to whatever it is they’re planning?”
“We can’t force him to tell us,” I whispered to him, dragging him closer by his hand.
He looked down at me, perplexed. “But–"
“Thank you for understanding, Chise,” Solomon said quietly. “I appreciate it.”
“Yo yo yo!” Mammon finally spun towards us after Thirteen had stalked out, with his hands on his hips. “I’ve got somethin’ to say about this, too!”
“Oh, Mammon?” Solomon blinked prettily. “I thought you were busy talking to Thirteen?”
“…J-Just forget about that! Listen, you oughta consider Fido’s feelings!”
Raphael tilted his head slightly. “Fido…?”
“That’s what he calls Luke,” Satan explained.
“He was all like, ‘If Simeon’s in trouble, I wanna help! But I can’t do anything if they won’t even tell me what’s goin’ on!’” Mammon glowered at the two Purgatory Hall members. “You shoulda seen how sad he was, the poor pooch. It’s not right!”
“Pooch…”
“Well, good talking to you,” Solomon cut in with a sweet smile as he sauntered towards the door after Thirteen.
“HEY!” Mammon snapped at him. “Don’t ignore me!”
“Okay, let’s be honest here, Mammon,” Satan sighed. “You’re not just concerned about Luke, are you?”
“Eh? Whaddya mean?”
“You don’t like that Luke’s hanging around in Chise’s room constantly, because it means you spend less time together with just the two of you.”
“AH, UH, HUH?!”
“Hit the nail on the head, didn’t I?”
“N…n-nn-n-n-no, it ain’t like that! I-I-I don’t mind that Fido’s always tellin’ me to stop bein’ picky about food, or that I need to clean up after myself. I definitely don’t wish he’d learn to shut his trap!”
“…Chise,” Raphael addressed me quietly as he passed me while the two brothers squabbled.
“Yeah…?”
“I’m very sorry. When I’d sent my text, I hadn’t realized that you hadn’t been… told yet.”
“Thanks, Raphael,” I said quietly.
“I didn’t mean to cause you distress. However…” He shifted uncomfortably for a moment. “…He clearly loves you, so I know that he’ll tell you. You’re his feather-partner, after all. Even if it takes a while, in the end, there’s no secrets kept between feather-partners.”
I ducked my head as I felt heat rush to my cheeks. Not just at his words. But at the memory of him in his dream. And at my own confusion at the sympathetic comfort he extended to me.
“Even without knowing what’s going on, you still support him faithfully.” He nodded to me. “He’s lucky. Anyway, see you around.”
“See you…” I hesitated. “…Raphael–"
But Raphael either didn’t hear me as he continued on after Solomon, or he couldn’t bear to continue. And it was then that Satan turned his attention back to me, deciding that ignoring his older brother was now the best course of action. “Class is about to start. Come on, Chise. Let’s go.”
“HEY! Don’t YOU ignore me, too!”
“Oh, Chise!” Luke beamed from me from over his shoulder while stirring a pot in the kitchen. “Welcome back.”
I smiled at him. “Something smells good…”
“Oh, you can tell?” He swayed happily. “I’m making Celestial Realm food for dinner tonight. Since you’re letting me stay here, I thought I should do whatever I can to help out.”
“That’s sweet of you.” I went in further to join him. “I’ll help you if you’d like.”
“Thanks! Okay, I’d love that. Oh.” His head swivelled again as he caught movement. “Satan?”
I turned too, just in time to catch Satan jump in surprise to see us, before standing straight as an arrow with pink cheeks.
“What’s up?” Luke continued cheerfully. “Did you come to sneak a bite to eat before dinner?”
“N… No. I, um…”
I gave him a bemused look, which only made his cheeks burn brighter.
“Just… came to grab some, you know… milk.”
Luke tilted his head at Satan’s I’m-defintely-lying disposition.
“Y-You know! For… For Tinkerbell.”
“Milk… for Tinkerbell…” I repeated slowly.
“Y-Yup. She’s hungry.” He cleared his throat, ignoring the narrowing of my eyes. “Umm… that reminds me! Luke, I meant to ask you…”
“Yes?”
Satan’s eyes darted back and forth. “Did Lucifer say he was going to be home late today? …I think he did, right?”
“Oh, uhhh, I think so? Yeah.”
I nodded. “I’m pretty sure he mentioned that today at breakfast.”
“Satan.” Luke frowned. “Those are two plates of milk. You shouldn’t overfeed Tinkerbell.”
“Oh, this?” Satan stared down at them both. “O-One of them is for me.”
I looked at him flatly. “…What.”
“Umm…” Luke gave him a perplexed look. “You’re going to drink yours off of a plate…? Wouldn’t you prefer a cup?”
“Oh, um… I find it’s easier this way,” he responded super-quickly, picking up the plates.
“Aha… Ummm, Chise…?”
I sighed as I picked up the jug of milk that he had definitely not put away. “So you've brought another cat home, huh?”
Luke shook his head in exasperation. “So you were thinking the same thing I was, huh? Lucifer’s not going to liiiike thiiiis…”
“I-It’s not what you think!” He protested. “Just so we’re clear… you’re wrong. It’s not like I–“
”Now’s my chance!”
I sighed again. “What now…?”
Levi abruptly jumped through the door from around the corner, eyes burning fierce as he held something over his head. “Leviathaaaaaaaaan SURPRISE STRIKE! BOOM!”
“Oh my god,” I managed to get out, before I was coughing into my sleeve at all of the powder that Levi had just released into the room from whatever he had thrown.
“What the…?!” Luke covered his nose and mouth too. “Wh-What’s going on?!”
Satan wheezed, plates of milk ruined. “Was that a… party cracker? Ugh, it’s all over me!”
“BINGO!” Levi yelled in his enthusiasm. “You just got showered with magic dust from my party cracker, which meeeeans…”
Satan sneezed. And sneezed. And sneezed again. He’d taken the brunt of it.
“What IS this?” Luke muffled into his sleeves as he looked Satan up and down. “Looks like… pepper?”
”Achoo! ACHOO! LEVI! WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!”
“MMMMAHAHAHAHA!” Levi grinned triumphantly. “If you want the sneezing to stop, you’d better reveal your secret, Satan!”
“…On the way home from school, a kitten came up and started rubbing against me! So I took it home! And I’m secretly keeping it in my room!” And then he gasped, slapping his hands over his mouth with wide eyes.
“Hahahahaha! See?! No more sneezing!” Levi beamed as he bounced on his heels. “That’s the power of Levi’s secret weapon!”
”YOUR SECRET WEAPON?!” came a voice of outrage from down the hall that was thundering closer.
“D’ah…!” Levi scurried in to hide behind me. “Mammon…!”
Mammon stormed in. “YOU SON OF A…! I didn’t say you could HAVE THAT!”
I sighed again as I brushed myself down my front. “Okay, what’s the deal with the party cracker?”
Mammon brightened with a smirk. “Hey, I’m real glad you asked!”
“Don’t make me regret it,” I muttered, as Satan let out a growl of building fury as well.
“This party cracker is a trap I had Thirteen make for me!” He frowned. “I think she calls it the ’Secret Spiller Somethin’ or Other’. …Whatever! The point is, you saw what it can do! If the magic dust inside gets on you, you start sneezin’. And ya won’t stop until you reveal somethin’ secret.”
Satan let out a heavy sigh of disbelief. “I can’t believe she actually agreed to help you. Did you find some way to blackmail her or something?”
It was Mammon’s turn to growl this time. “Hey, c’mon! You make it sound like I’m evil or somethin’! I just made a deal with her, that’s all! She makes the trap, and I’ve gotta do somethin’ for her later. Whatever she wants.”
I shook my head. “You made an unknown deal… with a Reaper.”
“There you go again,” Satan sighed in agreement, “making promises without considering the ramifications. Don’t blame me when it comes back to bite you.”
Levi was snickering. “Anyway, I happened to overhear their conversation, and I thought this new trap sounded like fun. So I took it.”
Mammon shrugged. “Well, I did get to see the thing in action, so I guess it turned out okay in the end. Now I know it works!”
“Don’t use me as your lab rat!” Satan snapped at his two sniggering brothers. “You’re doing my laundry! TONIGHT!”
“Mine too,” I grumbled. "And Luke’s.”
“Aww…”
“Three full loads,” Luke suggested.
“Sure, why not! AND!” I gestured around at the mess. “You’re going to clean up this kitchen, too!”
"Dammit," Mammon grumbled. “She’s gettin’ just as bad as Lucifer…”
“Well, well, well. I guess you’ll be cutting up new vegetables for Luke’s dinner prep, too!”
“Busted…”
“Whaddya mean, busted?!” Mammon glared at him. “Dumbass! YOU’RE the one who threw the cracker! This is all YOUR fault!”
“Hey! YOU’RE the dumbass, dumbass!”
“STOP SWEARING!” Luke scolded.
“…Fine.” Mammon gave his brother a full-forced shove, sending Levi stumbling. “Idiot.”
“PWHA?! You jerk!”
Satan went to pour more milk into two plates with an annoyed tsk.
“Chise–" Lucifer frowned as he paused in my doorway to look down at my floor. “…What’s all this?”
“Huh?” I followed his gaze. “Oh. Magic circle.”
“I can see that…”
“For my class.”
“Well, it’s wrong.”
I glared at him. “How helpful of you. Thanks for letting me know.”
He waved his hand dismissively. “I will loan you the appropriate book to help you with whatever… you’re attempting.”
I sighed in defeat. “Fine. What did you need, anyway?”
“Not in as good of a mood today, I see.”
“It’s not like I was in a good mood the other night, either,” I muttered. “It’s more like I’m not feeling as sweet right now.”
He chuckled in amusement. “I’m here because I’ve noticed some sneaking about, and decided to ask the mistress of this house outright before I decided if my intervention is necessary.”
I sighed again. “Idiots…”
“…Okay!” Levi whispered loudly as he headed the Congo line of idiots to lead them inside the student council room. “No one’s here!”
“Yo, Beel!” Mammon hissed behind him. “Quit shovin’!”
“Sorry… I’m just hungry.”
“What’s what got to do with you shovin’ me?!”
“Hey loool.” Levi shot a baleful look from over his shoulder, mouth flat. “You guys really need to be quiet lolol in case you forgot, we don’t want anyone to know we’re in here.”
“You need to keep it down too, Levi,” I muttered.
“Oh, so I’M the bad guy?” He rolled his eyes. “You’re picking on me because you think it’s okay to be mean to the antisocial otaku.”
“Is this really the time to be fishing for my affection, Levi?”
“Herrrmph...?!”
“Whatever, time to focus!”
“Mammon. Seriously. Voice. Lower. Now.”
“Beel’s the one who was pushin’ me!” He protested. “It’s HIS fault! How ‘bout you yell at him?!”
“Beel…” I held a finger up. “Thank you for being a good, quiet boy.”
He beamed at me. “You’re welcome, Chise.”
Mammon growled.
I sighed. “All right. What’s this ridiculous plan you of yours that I was dragged in here for, and why are we sneaking into the student council room barely-incognito to pull it off?”
“Well, well, well. Wouldn’t YOU like to know?”
“All right.” I straightened up, turning. “Bye.”
“Nononono!” Mammon grabbed my hand. “Fine, fine! We’re gonna hide out in here until Lucifer and Lord Diavolo show up. Then we’re gonna take the party cracker here, and–“
“The dust inside is supposed to force people to reveal their secrets, right?” Beel gave it a doubtful look. “Are you sure it works?”
“Yeah, ‘course it does! We tested it out on Satan yester–“
”…Perhaps we should test it out one more time?”
“G’hwugh…!”
“D’WHA?!”
Everyone froze, and then everyone devolved into wracking coughing fits.
“Ah, fuck…” I fell to my knees, my eyes streaming. And then sneeze, sneeze, sneeze.
All of us, scrabbling around in the dust, sneezing.
Lucifer sighed, arms crossed, shaking his head. “Did you really think you could hide the existence of this little trap of yours? I figured you’d try to spring it on me. Seems I was right.”
“Well done, Lucifer,” Diavolo said with a chuckle from behind him. “You know exactly what your brothers are going to do before they do it, don’t you?”
Lucifer rolled his eyes. “So, what now? You won’t stop sneezing until you admit something secret, you know?”
“D’aaaCHOO!”
Lucifer quirked an eyebrow, a sinister smile curling over his lips. “We prepared a pot of curry last night to have today, but now it’s empty. Tell me, Beel. Who emptied it?”
“I-I don’t know…” And then he started sneezing violently again, the loudest of us all by far.
Lucifer tutted. “I told you the next time you snuck into the kitchen and stole food, you’d have to go without dinner. I take it that’s why you can’t bring yourself to admit it?”
“I-I didn’t actually get a seventy-two on my magical potions test!” Mammon blurted out. “I got a twenty-seven!”
“Yikes,” I muttered. “What the hell happened?”
“SHADDUP!’
Lucifer scowled now. “If you’re going to fudge your score tests, at least keep it within the realm of believability. Next… Levi, what about you?”
Levi let out a sob of despair. “I had Belphie answer for me during roll call, so it looks like I’ve been to class more than I really have!”
“Ahahaha!” Diavolo’s was beaming in delight. “I love how honest they’re being! It’s great!”
“No, it’s not,” Lucifer sighed. “Every one of their lies was utterly ridiculous.”
“I give up. ACHOO.” Beel sniffled, eyes watering. “It was me. I ate the curry…”
“You should’ve admitted that to begin with!” Lucifer scolded.
Diavolo chuckled as everyone fell to their knees with a gasp, quirking an eyebrow at me. “In any event. Chise. The dust hasn’t affected you at all?”
I was pulling out a tissue from my purse to blow my nose. “Not any worse than throwing ground pepper into my fucking face…” I glowered at my idiots on the floor. “Or maybe I just don’t have any secrets!”
Diavolo snickered. “That’s not true, now is it?”
“Perhaps it doesn’t work on humans,” Lucifer said absently, striding over to pluck the cracker he had thrown from off the floor.
“But it looks like so much fun!” Diavolo almost bounced in enthusiasm. “Lucifer, could I borrow that party cracker for a second?”
“Wait!” Lucifer’s eyes widened as Diavolo snatched it from him. “Diavolo, you’re not seriously planning on using that on yourself, are you?!”
“Don’t worry!” Diavolo grinned as he held it up high. “I’m just going to sample it a bit.”
I covered my ears agains the popping noise, deciding that now was a good time to retreat to a corner of the room further away from the power that kept being slung around.
“…Huh. That’s weird.” Diavolo pouted at his feet in confusion. “I’m not sneezing.”
“Honestly,” Lucifer sighed in exasperation, “I can’t believe you tried it on yourself. Who would do that?”
Mammon frowned. “Guess that means it doesn’t work on humans OR Lord Diavolo…?”
“Or maybe it didn’t work on him because he doesn’t lie,” Levi muttered.
Diavolo gasped, his beaming smile returning. “In that case, I’ll tell a lie and see if that changes anything!”
“Oh for…” Lucifer smacked his forehead with a groan.
“Let’s see… Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers!”
“That was a tongue twister, Diavolo!” Lucifer said. “Not a lie!”
“All right, how about this?” Diavolo tapped his chin in thought, before he brightened again. “Someone stole all my lamps, and I couldn’t be more de-lighted!”
“That was just a pun!”
Levi shook his head in amazement. “Are you telling me he doesn’t know HOW to lie?”
Beel shrugged. “I mean, that does sort of sound like Lord Diavolo.”
I tsked as I brushed my uniform of dust. “I’m leaving. And you two are going to do my laundry AGAIN.”
“…What about Beel?!”
“Beel is a GOOD BOY!” I called over my shoulder as I stomped out.
“Thanks, Chise!”
“But DO NOT eat everyone’s curry again! Hi, Barbatos!”
“Ah, hello–” Barbatos stopped with a blink, head turning to follow me as I marched on by. “That is to say… Goodbye, Chise?”
“Have fun!”
“…I see…” Barbatos turned his face back to the room, smile warm and sweet and pleasant. “What’s all this, then?”
“You’re kidding!” Asmo was hugging himself tightly with his laughter in the newspaper club room as the story was recounted to him. “I can’t believe that’s what ended up happening!”
“It’s not funny!” Mammon snapped at him. “Barbatos showed up afterwards, y’know?! And it was REAL scary!” He dropped his voice in imitation of Barbatos’ speech and inflection. ”’I don’t show any mercy to those who seek to do harm to the Young Master.’”
That only caused Asmo to devolve into more raucous laughter.
“That’s what he said! And he had a SMILE on his face the whole time!” He shivered. “Dammit! I mean, we didn’t ’seek to do harm’ to him. He used that thing on HIMSELF! And YOU!” He pointed at me. “YOU got Barbatos all EXTRA ruffled, too!”
I shrugged casually. “Not sure what you mean. I said a total of four words to him before I left.”
He growled at my insolence. “WELL APPARENTLY THEY WERE THE FOUR MAGIC WORDS!”
“By the way…” Belphie turned his head on my lap. “Where did Beel and Levi go? They were here a moment ago.”
Mammon shrugged now. “Beel was hungry, so he went to the cafeteria. Levi ran off somewhere. Somethin’ about a limited-time only gacha event.”
“Well, in any case, who do you think we should go after next?” Asmo leaned forward with a conspiratorial grin. “Raphael, maybe?”
“Nah…” Mammon broke out into a smirk. “I wanna find a way to get back at Lucifer. Show him the meanin’ of ’pain’!”
Belphie rolled his eyes. “Sounds like you’re just trying to settle a personal score. You want to use that trap to get Lucifer to reveal something to you, huh? Have you forgotten why we’re doing this to begin with?”
“What about you, Chise?” Asmo cooed in my direction. “Who do YOU think we should hit next?”
I looked down at my lap to break eye contact, but of course Belphie was there, looking up at me with a blink.
I sighed. “I don’t care…”
“Hmm, well how about Simeon?” Asmo tapped at his chin. “He IS the one at the center of all this, after all. If we can force him to talk, that would make things a lot easier.”
“…You…”
We turned our heads towards the exasperated voice, to be met with a glowering demon.
“The newspaper club officer isn’t your personal hangout space!” Mephisto snapped at us. “If you want to sit around talking, do it somewhere else!”
“Fine, whatever…” Mammon grumbled as he collected his things he’d scattered over an armchair.
“Whatever, fine,” Belphie sighed, raising himself up to sit.
“Don’t you ‘whatever’ me!” Mephisto scolded. “Learn some manners!”
“Whatever, Muffy,” I muttered as I passed him.
Belphie burst out laughing.
“WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?!”
“Muffy!” I repeated with a grin, as I ran out with the others cackling at my side.
Asmo was still giggling his head off. “You probably shouldn’t have said that, though! I mean, he’s basically RAD’s tabloid!”
I giggled too. “You’re probably right. And he also kind of had a point? I’m not sure why we didn’t just come here in the first place,” I pointed out as we approached our exchange student lounge, before I was stopped by Belphie holding out his hand.
“Hold on. It looks like we might’ve accidentally stumbled upon a great opportunity,” Belphie whispered excitedly as he turned back to us. “Look…”
“No way!” Mammon hoarse-whispered. “It’s Simeon and Raphael!”
“Looks like they’re relaxing over a cup of tea,” Asmo added. “So, what should we do?”
“Yo, we can’t let this opportunity slip through our fingers!”
“…What are all of you doing over there?”
The three of them jumped, caught in their scheming after Raphael had lifted his eyes to the noise.
“Great,” Belphie muttered. “They spotted us.”
“Hello there!” Simeon called sweetly, smiling at me in particular as I started going to him. “Perfect timing. I’m glad you’re here! Thank you so much for inviting Luke to stay with you! I’m sure he’s having a great time.”
Belphie quirked an eyebrow. “Sorry, did you say thanks for inviting him…?”
“You did invite him over, didn’t you?” Simeon tilted his head.
I stepped on Belphie’s toes on my way by as he opened his mouth with a frown.
“He’s got his guard down!” Mammon suddenly called out. “Asmo, now!”
“Oh! Shit!” I spun to hold up my hands. “Wait!”
1. Not in this small space, you imbeciles.
2. I am basically standing next to Simeon now, you idiots.
3. Think of the plants, you morons.
4. Now that I was faced with the truth, I did not want it.
Not unwillingly. Not like this. Not without being in his arms in a soft bed, alone with him. Or sitting in a forest under the streaming moonlight, holding his hand.
Not here, in this room, in front of all of you.
“Okie dokie! Just leave it to Asmo! Ready, aim…”
“JUST FUCKIN’ DO IT!”
Aaaand he did.
"Simeon!” came Raphael’s voice from nearby as chaos erupted. “Look out!”
I grabbed Simeon around his middle to push him back with me a few steps to get further out of the way. He followed in a half-stumble, almost squawking in surprise to suddenly have me there after having emerged from the cloud of dust. I inhaled against him as I went, suddenly feeling a tightness form in my throat at my emotional response to his scent.
“Chise?! Raphael!”
I pressed my forehead to him. “Simeon…”
And then, sneezing broke out, as the powder began to settle.
“…Wh! Raphael, why’d ya go and throw yourself in front of Simeon?!”
Belphie sighed. “Maybe he thought Simeon was in danger?”
Asmo giggled. “Well, I mean… he sort of WAS in danger in a way, right?”
“Wh-What’s all this…” Raphael was coughing, and spluttering, and, yes, sneezing. “…all this dust?!”
“Raphael!” Simeon turned me to cling to his side instead so that he could take a step forward to rest his hand on the angel’s bare shoulder.
“…Simeon should have been able to protect himself from an attack like that with no problem at all,” Belphie muttered.
“Shut up, Belphie!” I yelled at him, making him jump with widening eyes.
I turned pink in the face. I never raised my voice at Belphie.
“He protected Simeon, just like he did that other time!” Mammon also had the bad sense to add.
“So, what do you have to say, Raphael?” Asmo put his hands on his hips. “Is there some reason you keep leaping to Simeon’s rescue?”
“No particular reason, no– AAAACHOO!”
“He’s lyin’.”
“Yep,” Belphie muttered.
”ACHOO! AAACHOO!”
Asmo tutted. “What do we do now?”
“Nothin’ we CAN do,” Mammon mumbled.
“Raphael, are you all right?” Raphael frowned as he turned him, looking the angel up and down. “You’re not coming down with the case of the Devildom flu, are you?”
He ducked his head for his next sneeze to avoid spraying it directly into Simeon’s face, his voice nasally while he pinched the bridge of his nose. “No, I don’t have the flu…” And then he blinked, and straightened with a sniffle. “Oh, the sneezing stopped.”
“Aha.” Simeon patted him with a kind smile. “I suppose it was the dust that got up in your nose, then.”
“Ah…” Belphie sighed in disappointment. “When he said he didn’t have the fly, he was telling the truth. So his sneezing stopped.”
Mammon growled in frustration as he picked up the cracker again. “All right, time to re-try! And this time we’re actually gonna hit Simeon!”
“Mammon, Stay.”
He yelped. Down. Whined in protest as he thrashed like a turtle caught on its back.
Asmo sighed next. “This means that the magic dust is only good for determining whether someone’s lying or not, right?”
“Yep,” Belphie agreed, “in which case, we can’t force him to tell us anything specific, can we? Even if we ask.”
Subject... Truth... Even when not questioned..
Excellent. This is a TRUE truth serum, Chise! It doesn't just respond to vocal commands!
I sighed in relief as the memory of Solomon’s truth serum he’d given me came back to me. True truth was tricky to coax, even by magical means.
“Aww…” Mammon pouted. “So I didn’t hafta let slip my exam score?!”
“…That was a pretty obvious truth,” Belphie said in exasperation.
Asmo sighed again. “What a letdown… Anyway, I’m bored. Bye!”
Belphie shrugged, turning too. “Back to the drawing board.”
“…Aren’t you going to have some tea before you go?” Simeon called out to them in confusion.
“Ah, um, I, uh…” Mammon flailed, trying to swim away on the tile. “I, uh, just forgot! There’s somethin’ I gotta do!”
I growled as I grabbed Mammon by the hand to drag him out on his back. Thankfully, the tile was smooth and glossy enough for me to do it.
Simeon watched us go, perplexed. “What was that about?”
“Best to ignore them,” Raphael sighed in exasperation. “They’re fools. Whatever they’re up to, it’s bound to be idiotic, and a waste of time.”
I grumbled obscenities and insults under my breath as I dragged a whiny Mammon around the corner, unhappy to admit to myself that I, indeed, deserved to be included in that assessment, even if Raphael were generous enough to have not included me himself. Which was up in the air whether he did or not.
“And I don’t even blame him if he did!” I yelled out loud.
“Huh?!” Mammon frowned. “Chise, are ya gonna release me or what?!”
Satan: I have an idea.
Satan: A REALLY good idea.
Luke: Really?!
Asmo: Oooh, let’s hear it!
Leviachan: Since Mammon totally bombed his plan lololol.
Mammon: NOT THAT ANY OF YA ACTUALLY HELPED.
Belphie: And now, he has to do whatever a reaper wants.
Mammon: AAAAAAAH DON’T REMIND MEEEEEE.
Chise: 😒
Chise: Hey, ahuvi.
Solomon: Ahuvatiiiiii, how’re you doing?
Chise: I got my period. 🎉
Chise: Just so you know. ❤️
Solomon: 😳
Solomon: Oh…
Solomon: Not the message I was expecting, considering everything lol…
Solomon: I’m sorry you had to worry about that on top of everything.
Chise: It wasn’t me who was worried. 😊
Chise: I didn’t think about it until it happened, and then I thought maybe it might've be on YOUR mind, but maybe you didn’t want to ask.
Chise: So I just thought I would bring you some, I dunno, ~shalom~
Solomon: PFFFFFFFFFFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Solomon: AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
Solomon: Thanks for the laugh. 😂 I needed that.
Chise: Hehe. Me too.
Solomon: And thanks for telling me. ❤️
Chise: Don’t be afraid to ask.
Chise: If it keeps happening, that is.
Solomon: 🫣 It just might. Now and then.
Chise: Hehe. Love you.
Solomon: I love you so much. ❤️
Solomon: Anyway… Umm…
Solomon: …Happy period…? 🥳🎉🎊💃🍾
Solomon: Could I get you some ibuprofen, some chocolate, orrrrr? 🤣
Solomon: Oh! Tampons! How are you doing on those? I could get you a top up? 😅
Chise: LMAO. I’m good for those…
Chise: But I would NOT say no to some chunky monkey B&J…
Solomon: You got it. 😘
I sighed as I laid back, smiling. Adorable. He was adorable.
It was nice to talk about something other than Simeon – and Luke.
And to get some chunky monkey out of it, too.
"Well, well, well," came a murmur in the dark as the bed beneath me dipped with the weight of another's body. "What do I have here? Do I have a Chise in my bed?"
I giggled quietly as I turned towards him. "Sorry, did I end up in the wrong room? I thought this just the attic bed...?"
Belphie hummed in amusement as he snuggled up close to me, his arms sliding around to wrap around my middle, pulling me into his embrace. "Hello, baby..."
I nuzzled his neck affectionately. "I'm so proud of you for your Felicity Day idea, Belphie."
He chuckled softly. "Are you? Well, it's about time you said something. And just when am I going to be allowed to collect on my promised reward?"
"Did I make a promise...?" I murmured as I brushed his hair back to press kisses over his throat towards his ear. "You didn't do it aaaaall out of the goodness of your little Belphie heart?"
His hum was throatier as he tilted his head to allow me more room. "I did it for you..."
"Ah, that's right," I whispered against his ear, before giving the lobe a little nip. "Forgot I was your muse."
"Heh..." I could hear the smirk in his voice. "This is feeling more and more like a mutual thing."
"Do you think do?" I blew gently into his ear, and then let out a little giggle at the shiver I elicited from him.
"Mhmm..." And then he was rolling me, his lips on my cheek now, pressing full, deliberate kisses. "I came to check on you first, though."
I slid my fingers into his hair with a sigh, scratching his scalp gently, smiling as I was rewarded with a little growl of pleasure. "I'm okay, Belphie... You're here."
"You haven't talked to me like you did today in a while," he murmured.
"I'm sorry about that," I said sincerely. "I was... overwhelmed, and I took it out on you."
He pulled his face back a bit. "Do you know something that we don't? Is that why you're trying to stop us from figuring it out?"
I shook my head. Wordlessly.
"You sure about that?"
I huffed. Before shaking my head again.
He smoothed my hair back with his palm, studying my face carefully. "...You want him to tell you himself, huh?"
This time, I nodded slowly.
"I see." He dipped his head to my cheek again, pausing a moment, sighing. "...Get angry, Chise," he whispered in my ear. "You're supposed to be angry."
I shuddered out an emotional of my own sigh. "...Always the little devil on my shoulder, aren’t you…?"
"Simeon is almost as kind as Beel."
"Hah... I know."
"You're allowed to be angry at someone who's kindly hurting you."
I blinked in stunned silence as Belphie grazed a gentle kiss on my earlobe.
He pressed his nose where ear met cheek with a sigh, his breath warm on my skin. "How do I love you this damn much..."
"Belphie..." I turned my face towards him, my nose meeting his.
"You know every dark secret of mine," he murmured.
"I love you," I whispered to him, moving to turn into his arms again. But he stopped me to roll me flat, his fingers lacing in both sets of my own to press them on the pillow under my head while he straddled over top of me.
"I love you too," he whispered back, before his lips touched mine. And then again.
I smiled as he pulled back from the third sweet kiss. "You're a good kisser, did you know that?"
He hummed low in his throat, his gentle expression falling into a slight smirk. "Thanks. You're not so bad at it, yourself."
"Gee, thanks."
"In fact..." he purred, slowly going in for another, "you're the best kisser I've ever kissed..."
"Done a lot of kissing...?" I managed to ask teasingly, before he pressed his lips to mine more firmly this time.
"Mm, in my lifetime. When I felt like it."
I snorted. "How committed of you."
He shook his head. "Never any committment. Not until you."
“None…?"
He shrugged one shoulder, hands still laced in mine. "I never saw the point. Messy. Time consuming."
"Effort," I pointed out dryly. “I guess that’s quite ’you’.”
He quirked another smile. "I got what I wanted, what my body was itching for, and that was that."
I shifted a bit underneath him. "Why're you telling me this now?"
"I lied. You don't know all of my secrets. There's one more, that I've never told anyone."
I blinked, feeling uncertain. “Okay…”
"I never saw the point of commitment..." He looked to the side a bit, still looking at my face, but not into my eyes directly. "And then I fell in love with Lilith, and it was so confusing that I didn't know what it was. By the time I figured it out, she was gone. So I didn't even get to tell her that, or decide if I ever even would have, or look for signs that she ever even felt the same."
"Oh, Belphie..." I tried to move my hands to cup his face on sympathetic instinct, but he flexed his fingers gently to stop me.
"It kind of made it worse," he admitted quietly. "Grieving her as something more. She was the first one I'd ever fallen in love with, and I realized that wayyy too late. Not even Beel knows that, you know. You're the only one now."
My breath hitched in my throat as I slowly shook my head. Again, he pressed on my hands so that I wouldn't hold him to me. Kiss him.
He gave me a soft, affectionate smile. "That night on the bench, when I made my pact with you... I told you that I never saw you as Lilith. That I saw you as you."
I nodded now, feeling my heart beating faster.
You loved her. I'm her ancestor. You had regrets. You wanted to love again. To keep loving her, like your brothers wanted to have their sister back. Please don't say that you were just saying what I wanted to hear, so that you could love me in her stead. Please don't say that you–
"I didn't lie to you," he continued softly. "You could never be Lilith. I knew her in an extra special way. Loved her differently. So when I saw you, you COULDN'T ever be her, OR a replacement. She was also an Angel of Mercy. She was also kind and loving like you; and she had a righteous anger about her as well, just like you do.” He chuckled. “She had quite the temper, actually; but that's really as far as it goes, and ANYONE can be those things. I saw Lucifer change for her memory's sake, how everyone clung to those traits of yours as proof, and how much it hurt you. Don't look like that. He doesn't see that anymore. So much so that he probably can't even believe anymore that he did at first. But he DID at first, right?"
I nodded again.
"But you could NEVER have replaced my Lilith." He flexed his fingers again in a light squeeze, thumbs rubbing at the sides of my hands affectionately. "Lilith would ALWAYS be my Lilith. I'd look at you. And look and look. I'll admit that for the first bit, I WAS trying to see what my brothers were reacting to; but I stopped pretty quickly, because I just couldn't find it. I mean, I don't have any control over THEIR version of grief for our little sister. So even though it was kind of frustrating to watch how unfairly you were being treated, it's not that I think I was better than them, or more in the right..."
"But you loved her differently," I whispered.
He nodded. "And no one can replace someone's first love. A first love will always be special. Or so they say. Even when it's gone. It wakes you up somehow, changes you in a way, and there's no going back after it happens."
I nodded back to him.
"Huh." He frowned for a moment. "...I guess that's why I can't replace Mammon. I get it now."
I was so taken aback that my head sunk further into the pillow with my jolt as my eyes widened. I stared at him, horrified. Guilty.
He shook his head. "Forget that. That was for me. That actually makes me feel better. First love is first love. I didn't give a shit about finding love, didn't see the point at all, until it just... happened to me."
"I understand, but I also... still don't really understand..."
He smiled at me. "You're not Lilith. And Lilith's not YOU, either. You're Chise, the love of my life. And now it's all on the table."
"Belphie... Thank you for being the first to say what you did to me that day. It meant so, so much to me." I was the one who squeezed his fingers this time. "I felt so lost then. I was so angry and sad and confused..."
He nodded, expression softening again. "I could tell from the look on your face. I thought it would, but I didn't realize just how much until I saw your expression, so I'm glad I told you when I did. In a way, I guess we kind of found each other that night, huh?"
You found me, you found me!
"You didn't just find me," I whispered. "You saw me. You're so special to me. Irreplaceable."
"Yeah..." He smiled as he touched his nose to mine again. "You're irreplaceable, Chise. No matter what happens."
"Thank you for telling me..."
"I should have told you a long time ago." He kissed the tip of my nose. "You're very, very special to me, and it makes me angry to see you hurt. And frustrated when I don't see you get angry for yourself, even though you're fine with getting angry on the behalf of others, like I do for you."
"Ah..."
"And when you DO get angry?" His smile widened. "Man, you sure do get a lot done with it when that happens, don't you?"
I looked at him with uncertainty. "You think so...?"
"You got angry with Diavolo when he sent you back to the human world, and he let you COME back. You got angry with Lucifer, and made him change. You got angry with Asmo, and HE'S changed. He's nicer now, and isn't as much of a predatory creep. And I don't know what the hell you said to Satan when he came home, but he sure as shit is on HIS best behaviour right now."
"Mammon, though," I muttered jokingly.
He shook his head. "I'm talking about TRUE anger. Not scoldings. Mammon, weirdly enough, hasn't actually done anything to REALLY hurt you.”
I was quiet as I considered it all. I got angry at Solomon. He changed. I got angry at Barbatos. He changed.
I'd even yelled at God. Though I wasn't sure if that had changed much, other than putting me more on his radar...
"Righteous anger," Belphie whispered. "Lilith had it, too. And wasn't as afraid to use it."
"Uh, she started a civil war," I pointed out dryly.
He chuckled. "Yeah. A war of rebellion that needed to happen. For peace..." he brushed a kiss to my lips, "...to happen."
"That's scary to think about," I whispered.
He hummed in amusement. "I don't think confronting Simeon is going to start any wars.”
“You sure about that?”
He snorted. “Call it a hunch.”
I didn’t know about that. There is someone out there that I would wage one against, if Simeon…
Reining anger back in after I’d released it… was another thing.
I knew Wrath. Wrath, made up of grief. And fear.
She had quite the temper, actually.
...She was also an Angel of Mercy.
Was that how Belphie saw her? Her brothers, too? Odd, the thought that came to me next: If mercy was denied… what would its absence twist itself into?
Wrath, perhaps.
Would Lilith had been reborn as an Avatar of Wrath, if she’d survived…? Were Satan and I her divine replacements? Seven sins, seven virtues. But seven had fallen into six. An imbalance in nature. So fate birthed another. Ripping it from Lucifer.
Mercy, denied…
Was righteous anger…
At my sigh of hopelessness, my lips were kissed again. Finally, he let my hands slip from his so that I could pull him down to me, his chest flush to mine as I ran my palms over his soft sweater on his arms and back, my fingers splayed to take all of him in as I touched him, kissed him. Whatever. It was useless, to be musing over the past like that. What was done was long done, and it was Belphie who was tangible now, who’d survived it to be here with me, for me to tangle my fingers into his messy mop of thick hair. To curl and play in the white streaks underneath by his neck, and then to slide into the longer dark mass of it above; for me to gently curl my fingers further, to lightly drag my nails over his itchy scalp while he hummed with the pleasure of it, sinking further into my embrace like a petted kitten.
“I love you,” I murmured sincerely, my heart feeling as though it were singing with my words. “I can’t even begin to express how much I just… love you, Belphie.”
***
“Chise…” He smiled against my lips, purple eyes glowing a bit in the near-dark. "You'd better be careful... You're going to make me want you."
"Oh..." I slid my legs up the sides of his, half wrapping them around him. "I was under the impression that you always wanted me...?"
He hummed throatily into our next kiss, his hands sliding up my sides, slipping up underneath my pyjama shirt to press along my curves as he went. "I'll rephrase. You'd better be careful, before I stop resisting against the constant urge I have to just take you whenever I want. Which is, you're right, all the time."
"All the time, huh?" I murmured, with a roll of my back to press up to him.
"Wherever, whenever, in front of whoever." I felt the smirk on his lips with his next kiss. "Taking you like the used-up slut that you are."
I shivered with a quiet hiss, and he chuckled as he left my lips to trail kisses towards my neck.
"Now you've made me want that," he muttered huskily. "Guess I'm going to have to mark you tonight as the next best thing."
"Mark me--" and then I yelped softly as he bit into the tender flesh of my neck where it met shoulder, before he began to suck at the skin he had pinched between his fangs, hard. "Belphie, but...!"
Out of all my partners, if it was Barbatos who saw, I think I'd straight-up die.
He chuckled as he released me temporarily. "You've got scarves. Slut. Figure it out." And then he was on me again, his fingers on the tie of my pants next, while I whined with my fingers curling back into his hair to hold him there. He snorted in amusement against me at the sound of my premature moan if anticipation, shifting himself up into a hunched curl over top of me without releasing my neck so that he could get purchase on the band of my pants to start tugging them down. I whined again as I lifted my hips, my fingers pulling down the zip of his hoodie.
"...Wow." He chuckled as he roved his hands over my bare hips, with my pants pulled down to my mid-thighs. "No panties. Making this easy for me tonight, Chise?"
I felt my face go red in the dark. "They're uncomfortable at night..."
"Sure," he breathed huskily as he pushed up the back of my thighs to raise my knees into a fold, sawing my pyjama pants up the rest of the way. "Conveniently comfortable. Turn over. Your ass is getting fucked tonight."
I eeped in meek shyness at his command, slowly turning myself, still curled, onto my front instead.
I jumped with a yelp as he cracked his palm against my ass with a hum of satisfaction. "Good slut. Such a cute ass." He chuckled again. "Looks even cuter with my cock buried deep inside, though. Come on, hips up, spread those cheeks."
"Belphie..." I whined in embarrassment as I did as I was told, hips high in the air, rocking my knees and thighs apart while I curved my spine to present myself.
He sighed in satisfaction as he ran his palms over me, squeezing the handfuls of soft flesh he grabbed hard while he spread my cheeks apart more. My cheeks were burning by the time I jumped next at the lewd glob of spit that hit my entrance directly.
"Good," he murmured, swirling his fingers around to spread it, before sinking them in while I gasped in surprise. "Mmhm, I'm moving a little faster than usual, huh? That's because I'm barely holding myself back as it is. I want my cock pounding this ass so badly I feel like I'm going to straight-up cum in my pants thinking about it."
"I want..." I whispered, as I listened to the rustling of his sweater being removed, and his pants pulled down.
"Hmm? Want what, slut?" He patted my rump affectionately as he walked closer to me on his knees, directly behind. He laid his thick cock on my tailbone, making me hiss through my teeth again as the weight of it. A promise. "Come on. Use your words. As long as you understand that it's your ass I'm having. Ass or nothing."
I nodded meekly. "Rough."
"Rough, huh?"
I nodded again.
"Masochist slut..." He smirked as he grabbed two handfuls of my ass again, before letting go to slap me there with both palms. "All right. So no more lube. Just ooone siiiingle spit."
I nodded again, squeezing my eyes shut.
He patted me. "Why do you like this, do you think? Hm?"
I shook my head, surprised by the question. "I honestly don't know. But please..."
He shrugged. "I'm going to be really rough now, all right? I'm going to hurt you. You're probably going to bleed."
I nodded.
He flipped me. I yelped in shock as he grabbed my legs by the backs of my knees with one arm, to pull them straight up.
He grabbed another pillow that laid to the side to smother my face between it and the mattress, pressing down on it to muffle my screams, at the exact moment that he had thrusted himself near-dry into my ass. I kicked my legs as I screamed, but he held them up and locked together fast, leaning his body over top of me while his cock immediately bled me.
He let out a hissing wince, squeezing his eyes shut tight for a moment. "Ohh fuck that hurt me too, oh fuck that feels good..."
I stopped kicking with a sob after he seated, the muscles of my ass flexing in panicked spasms around his girth.
"It's okay," he cooed with a soft smile, stroking my thigh. "It's okay."
I nodded vigorously through tears, letting out another sob, my body immediately beginning to shake fiercely. I was sucking in air desperately the moment he began to move, rocking his hips back and forth for his cock to slide in and out of my ass while he hugged my legs to himself, the tilting of my hips back and forth causing my to strangle out groans of pain as well. My vision immediately unfocused as I laid there, noisily gulping air, twitching.
"Good slut," he whispered shakily, kissing my shins while he pumped his hips. "Look at you getting used. So good. You really are my little anal princess, aren't you...?"
I whined softly with a single nod of my head, staring unseeing up at the ceiling now while he slid in and out of the searing burn under my tail bone. He wasn't moving fast by any means, but my body still screamed to pull away, away from the fiery friction.
"Mmm..." He sighed as he watched me twitching underneath him. "Broken so easily this time... Maybe that's what you like. To go from intact, to broken, in a single moment. To not have it drawn out. Did your ass go from intact, to broken?"
I wheezed out my answer, lips parted while my body was gently rocked up and down.
"Let's see..." He glanced down. "Mhmm, you sure don't look intact to me... That's going to be a bit of pink creampie for me this time. When I fill your poor, broken ass full up with my cum, depositing into you like the cum sleeve that you are." He pressed in harder with his next pump, making me cry out weakly. "When I'm done using your body to get myself off. If only the others could see you now... What you actually like... What you actually are... What you're REALLY into."
I sucked in through my teeth, hyperventilating a bit again.
He leaned further over top of me, hugging my legs tighter as he folded me with his body weight, making me sob on my next cry. "Is this your dark little secret too...?"
I nodded with a broken whimper, barely registering that I was looking into his eyes, and his into mine.
"What other secrets..." he pushed in harder to connect his lips to mine, "...do you have, Chise?"
I gave him a glazed look, breathing evenly now, my body twitching from the depths he reached inside of me.
"Are you slipping away already? Come back here." He patted my cheek. I moaned softly in response. He chuckled at that as he relented in his press on me, leaning back a bit, shifting his knees a little further apart, though he still kept most of his weigh on my legs. He pumped his hips again, and again with a sigh. A soft moan of his own as he fell into a rhythmic rolling of his pelvis, his cock swollen inside of my burning ass, now gliding a little easier with our bodily fluids coming together. I sucked in through my teeth again and again, quiet as I was rocked, though my lashes fluttered when he seated deep inside. The pressure in my tailbone proof of his size as he reached there, deep into my guts.
"You feel so good," he murmured huskily, his usually soft voice strained into a rasp. “Your ass feels so good on my cock, Chise..."
I made a weak little hum in my throat on my exhale, my lips still parted, staring at his face while he looked above me, having me.
"How's my cock feel...?"
I could only mouth my answer. So good. The pressure under my tailbone. One of my favourite things. To feel him reach under there, through my tunnel, stretching me on his way, stretching the muscle of me that tried to push back, before he forced it to swallow him in again. And again. And again. It didn't make me cum. But that just added to it for me. That he got his.
He hummed as his fingers danced down the back of my thigh. I let out a broken, pitched sob, flinching hard at the twist he gave to my clit above where he planted his cock. Wrong hole, my body said. You have another one that's meant for this. This hole isn't for breeding. No babies are being made here. Why waste the cum?
I was just as fucked up as Belphie.
Belphie, who slammed into me with the next pinch on my clit, rocking my body up while I screamed in my shock. And then he was taking me, huffing, driving, plunging his cock into my ass again and again, holding my legs tight to his chest to balance himself while his other fingers held my clit in a pinch. I gurgled as I spasmed underneath him, too overwhelmed, the hard pinch too fuck much, it was supposed to ebb and flow, trying to thrum with no escape, while my ass was pounded. Thrum with that, then. I thrummed with it, choking, eyes rolling into the back of my head.
"Come on, Chise," he growled. "Come on, you fucking whore. Take my cock up your tight little ass and cum from it like the dirty slut you are. Is this what I have to do to make you cum, huh?"
I screamed as he twisted his fingers sharp to the side while he rutted, plunged me like an animal.
He panted as he watched me with dark satisfaction flashing in his eyes. "You feel. So. Good. On my COCK. And to see you..." He let go of my clit to slap my ass near my hip as hard as he could, the sound of the impact ringing sharp in the room, before he pounced further on top of me while grabbing my clit again, thrusting, thrusting, while I thrashed my head back and forth, screaming, my shins kicking uselessly into the air. "Is this what you wanted, Chise?!"
I broke out into noisy sobs, tears falling down my cheeks, my body going limp as my orgasm washed over me with a relentless violence behind it that left me in a tailspin.
"WORDS, Chise!"
"YES!" I screamed back.
"Say it say it say it!"
"Yes, yes, yes, YES, YES!" I sobbed as I nodded over and over and over again. "Keep! Keep! KEEP! KEEP! FUCK ME! FUCK! FUCK!"
"You're cumming, aren't you?"
"YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, MORE, MORE, MORE, MORE, MORE!" I threw my head back, sobbing, babbling, my eyes and cheeks and nose and lips wet, vision blurred. "MORRRRE!"
"Holy fuck..." he hissed while he slammed his cock. "You actually really fucking like this...? You're fucking insane..."
I reached to scrabble at him, chest heaving, begging, trembling, while he watched me, enraptured, his own breathing short and quick but heavy and sharp to make up for it.
His eyes were glazing over, too.
"Please please please," I begged in a whimper, feeling myself fading as I reached uselessly for him. "Please please please want your cum please cum in please want cum want please cum cum in..."
"Holy shit..." he whispered again, pressing forward once more to half-go into my reaching arms. His breathing quickened, his fingers curling into my leg. "Holy shit, Chise..."
"Want... want... want..." I hiccuped as I pawed at him, shaking uncontrollably, a helplessness overtaking me that felt just as broken as any glazed-over silence I could give, pathetically begging for his cum. "Please, cum, in... in..."
His face twisted fiercely. "You want my cum, dirty slut? Want me to fill up your ruined, bleeding ass while you BEG?"
"Pleeeeease," I sobbed. "Belphie pleeeeease..."
"I'm gonna cum."
"Please... Please...!"
"I'm gonna fucking cum. I'm gunna cum in you." He gasped again and again, his lips parting, eyes fogging, plunging, falling out of rhythm, desperate. "Cummm..."
I whined as I threw myself to him to pull him down, folding myself completely in the process as he gasped with the beginning of his spilling, slamming into me hard before he began to pump his hips in rolls again. I felt the hot spread of his seed flood deep inside of me with every pump that erupted from his spending cock that pulsed out his bliss, deep from under my tailbone, squelching with the extra smaller thrusts he gave me. He came into my guts. A mess. His eyes rolling back as he let out a loud moan at his peak, falling into my arms as his balance gave out.
He choked on a sob of his own against my chest when his cock finally stilled in its swelling pump of milky seed, and he laid trembling on top of me, clutching me to him while he pulled air into his lungs noisily. I rubbed his back while I whimpered where I'd tucked my head in against him in a curl around him from underneath. He shivered. I rubbed a little harder.
"Good..." I managed in a strained, high-pitched voice. "Not hurt... Good.. Did good..."
He sucked in another sharp breath, holding it in an attempt for that one to finally be the one to steady him, before he expelled it in an explosive sigh. "...Chise..."
"Mine..." I whispered, nuzzling him, my arms feeling like they were about to fall uselessly limp. "Good Belphie... Good Belphie..."
He breathed out a shaky laugh. "This is the cutest thing I've ever heard..." His voice softened into quiet affection. "My little subby baby, loving me up..."
I sniffled as I rubbed my face into him again.
"Thank you," he whispered, unwrapping his arm from around my legs to let me relax. I groaned as they slowly fell to the side, feeling his softening cock twist inside as my hips tilted over. He turned his face to kiss my arm. "You all right...?"
"Mhmm... You...?"
"Hehe... How could I not be, when I've got such a little cutie in my arms? And so worried about me, too."
"My Belphie..."
He hummed out an exhausted sigh, taking my fingers in his own to rub them lightly. "Could I heal you?"
"Take your time," I whispered.
He chuckled softly, giving my chest another kiss, before pulling off with a groan. I winced as I felt my body unfold painfully from where I'd been pinned for the last... while.
"Baby," he murmured, shifting himself back on his hands and knees, making me wince again as his cock was finally tugged out of my aching ass. He sighed as his eyes locked on the sigh of it, dipping his head down to kiss the back of my thigh while I leaked for him.
"Pink...?" I whispered weakly.
"Yeah." He stroked my skin affectionately, nuzzling near where he watched me, face close. "Don't worry. I've got you."
"I know," I said with a small smile. "Always, huh?"
"Mmhm." He looked around, before shrugging. "Guess I'm using your pyjama pants."
I snorted as I shakily threw my arm out to the side to point. "Tissue box right there, mister..."
He smirked, chuckling playfully. "Oops..."
I giggled weakly. "Nice try, though. I’d have been making you do my laundry."
He kissed both of my thighs again, before going to retrieve those. "You're so beautiful like this, you know."
I shook my head in amusement. "I think you might have a kink, Belphie..."
He actually giggled at that, taken by surprise. A very, very rare sound. "Hm. You think so?"
My smile widened. It was such a cute sound. I loved his higher voice.
“Remember everything, Chise,” he said seriously, coming back to me again. “Everything I say to you.”
“Belphie…” I reached down to graze my fingers through his hair. “You give me strength. Did you know that, too?”
He quirked another smile, caressing my skin gently.
"…May the vestiges of pain that linger in the one before me...” he said in a whisper as he nuzzled my thigh with his nose, the tips of his fingers brushing my skin, "...be eliminated. …I love you, Chise.”
I sighed as I relaxed back into the plush bed with a lazy smile as the cool rush of his healing spell spread throughout my body, singing softly with his affection that was carried through my veins. “I love you, Belphie. Thank you so, so much for loving me back.”
He hummed tiredly as he came back up to me on his side, finally pulling me into his arms. Leaning in to kiss me sweetly. Cupping me to him. Cuddling. Close and connected. Buried in one another’s embrace in the night.
Chapter 42: Chapter 76-A: Verbum Drops
Notes:
MORE sides & hard modes!
Chapter Text
Solomon brushed Simeon’s hair back from his forehead with the back of his fingers. “…I don't want you to feel the regret that you do over Lucifer, Simeon, but as long as you do feel it... Don't you want to learn from that…?"
Simeon closed his eyes with a sigh. “Solomon…”
"You regretted not talking with Lucifer. You regret that you let him pull away.” He shook his head. “So what about you, Sim? You're pulling yourself away from Chise, from Luke, not opening up, not allowing for any vulnerability. You're on the other side of the coin now. Both sides, actually. Not approaching her when she needs you, and refusing to go to her when you need each other. When will you learn, Sim...?"
“'When will you learn’…” Simeon’s expression fell into a look of pain as he squeezed his eyes tighter. “…That's what you said to me, all that time ago... When we fell apart. The last time we’d spoken."
"When will you learn, Sim," Solomon repeated softly, words carried on his exhaled breath.
After a moment’s silence, Simeon slowly opened his eyes. “It’s all my fault. But she’ll think it’s hers… She’ll think she’ll have killed me. Killed me, Solomon. And she’ll live with that for the rest of her life, watching the proof of it, no matter what I say to try to convince her otherwise. It’s not going to be a quick rip of a band-aid. She’ll grieve the whole time, as she’s reminded over and over again.”
“What’s done is done.” Solomon shook his head, jaw tightening. As it did, whenever he was forced to think about it himself. “Proof is proof. Whether you tell her now or not, you’re…. going to age with her.”
Simeon’s eyes welled with tears. “…Without you.”
Solomon looked back at him, expression carefully neutral, and his eyes unblinking. His mind blank, seeking disassociation again. That’s the only way. The only way to stop himself from crumpling into madness. The only way to cope. Was to not think.
Simeon snuggled closer. “I’m so… sorry.”
“Please,” Solomon finally spoke, voice brokenly hoarse. “Don’t. I can’t right now.”
“All right…” Simeon slid his arm underneath him, to pull him closer by his middle.
“Uuuugh…” Levi groaned as he trudged through the uneven forest floor. “I’m so tirrrrred… How much furtherrrrr…”
“Come on,” Satan sighed in irritated exasperation as he looked over his shoulder at his brother dragging his feet like a child. “You can’t be tired yet. We haven’t been walking that long.”
Levi let out a pathetic whimper-whine. “For a shut-in like me, having to walk this far is cruel and unusual punishment… lmao…”
“Well, we’re doing it to find ingredients to make verbum drops. So quit your whining already.”
“I thought Luke and Chise would be coming with us,” Beel said. “You didn’t ask them to come help?”
Satan shook his head. “This is too dangerous for Luke. And apparently Chise is busy doing something else.”
Beel’s face fell into a look of uncertain worried. “She, um, didn’t seem enthused, either.”
Satan waved his hand dismissively, though he pinched his lips in a flat line.
“Well, I have something else I could be doing right now too, you know!” Levi continued in his whiny voice.
Satan scoffed in annoyance. “Your ’something else’ involves video games, anime, or manga, and you know it. So give it up. You’re stuck with us today. Or do you want to see Chise continue to be absolutely miserable?”
“Grrr…” Levi’s shoulders slumped as he tucked his chin under to sulk.
Beel shook his head dismissively. “So, where are we headed, anyway?”
Satan jutted his chin to ahead of them. “The first ingredient on the list is black mistletoe sap. There’s a grove of black mistletoe trees up ahead.”
Levi frowned. “A grove of black mistletoe trees…”
Beel sighed. “In other words, we’re walking into a nesting ground for three-eyed crows.”
“Whoa whoa whoa, NO!” Levi planted his feet, eyes wide. “I don’t THINK so! Three-eyed crows are VICIOUS! They’re savage! You think we stand a chance against THOSE things without Chise – or even Mammon?! That’s LOL-worthy!”
Beel nodded worriedly. “If we don’t do something about the crows, we’re not going to be able to get at the black mistletoe sap. Do you have a plan for how to do that, Satan?”
“There’s only one way to go about it.”
Levi shot him a sullen look. “And that is…?”
–
“You’re CRUEL, Satan!” Levi sobbed. “And evil! You’re a cruel, evil sadist! I can’t believe you made ME distract the three-eyed crows while you collected the sap! You monster! I think I’m scarred for life!”
Satan shrugged with a grin, swinging the satchel in victory. “It worked, didn’t it?”
“Do you KNOW how terrifying that was?!” Levi snapped angrily.
“If Mammon had been there, we would’ve been able to take care of them no problem,” Beel pointed out.
“Yeah…” Levi sulked again, kicking at a loose stone with his hands shoved in his pockets. “Crows are like Mammon’s minions. He probably could’ve done something about those three-eyed crows, too!”
Satan sighed. “He’s usually useless, so I forgot that he’s actually handy to have around in situations like that.”
“Wow, that was cold loool. He is second-born…”
“Second-born idiot…”
“Wh?! WHAT DOES THAT MAKE ME?!”
“Third-born idiot.”
“AND WHAT ABOUT YOU, HUH? MIDDLE CHILD?!”
"Obviously the idiocy ends at my number. The rest of us have more sense than you combined.”
“I wish Mammon were here just so he could fight you.”
Beel was looking out over the water’s edge as he walked along the riverbed, ignoring the squabbling of his brothers once more. “So, what are we supposed to be looking for this time?”
“A shadow lava rock fragment. It’s a type of mineral that radiates light in its natural form. It usually camouflages itself to look like an ordinary rock, apparently. Also, it’s found at the bottom of riverbeds.”
“…So this is going to be a pain to find, too,” Levi muttered. “Great…”
“Sounds rough,” Beel agreed. “How are we supposed to find it?”
Satan turned with a pleasant smile. “Shadow lava rocks react to a demon’s scream by radiating light.”
Levi glared. “They react to a demon’s SCREAM? Come on, you can’t expect me to believe that…”
“Watch your step, Levi,” Beel said from behind him. “It’s pretty–“
”G’YAAAAAAAAAAH!”
“–slippery.” Beel sighed. “It looks like I was too late.”
Satan chuckled. “I have to say, that was a pretty good scream. That should make it a lot easier to find a shadow lava rock. And look, Levi’s already in the water.”
Levi sobbed through coughing and hacking from swallowing water, flailing on his back.
–
“Whyyyyyy…” Levi sobbed, dragging his feet again, sopping clothes dripping wet.
“Hey, quit your crying! You managed to find the shadow lava rock fragment!” Satan grinned at him. “Who knew you’d be the one so valuable?”
“Nnnnoooo…”
“Okay then! Next up: a toxic chameleon heart!”
“Like, how can you be so upbeat right now, Satan?” Levi moaned. “Loool… You’re enjoying this, aren’t you? You SADIST! Loool…”
“Quit complaining. You’re perfectly capable of drying yourself off, you’re just choosing to be miserable. Let’s go!”
“Ugh,” Beel sighed. “Please let this nightmare end…”
“YOUR nightmare?!” Levi shot his arms out from his sides, spraying drop of water. “If this is your nightmare, then this is my night TERROR!”
Satan sighed in irritation. “Beel can do the next one, then.”
“WHAT ABOUT YOU?!”
He shrugged. “I’m the brains of this operation, leading my cows to their slaughter. That’s my contribution.”
”WHAT?! I DIDN’T SIGN UP FOR THIS!”
“Mmm… Cows…”
“Maaaan…” Mammon sighed as he dragged his feet behind me. “Why do I gotta trek all the way out to this reaper’s cave at the drop of a hat, huh?”
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t know, Mammon. It’s so strange. You’d think you’d have learned by now, after constantly putting yourself in situations where you’re at the beck and call of witches.”
“I MEAN we should just do this at RAD,” he snapped back. “Can’t believe Thirteen’s makin’ me go to all this trouble… I mean, I know I owe her one for makin’ that lie-detectin’ trap thing for us, but still! It ended up bein’ worthless! Why’s she collectin’ on my promise that I’d do whatever she asked when she failed to deliver!”
“She didn’t fail to deliver.You failed to specify. You made a promise. Now you have to keep it.”
“Tch! Ain’t you a grump today!” He stopped at the edge of the next room with a sigh. “Anyway, I know, I know. I don’t need you remindin’ me that I made a promise. I kept my end of the bargain, didn’t I? I came all the way out to this reaper’s cave, so no yellin’ at me.”
“What I don’t understand is why I've been dragged along.”
“Now, let’s see,” he continued, ignoring me to look down at the words written in blood. Still had to ask her about that. “The rule here is ’Don’t look back.’” He grinned at me. “Chise, make sure you don’t look over your shoulder by accident, got it? You go first. Stay in front of me.”
I snorted. “How gentlemanly of you.” While my words were biting and sarcastic, I smiled at him. “Hoping that anything bad will happen to me first?”
“Wha?! No!” He chuckled as he came behind, slipping his arms around my middle. “Like, what kinda demon do ya think I am, huh?! The Mammon’s offerin’ to watch your back, okay? You oughta be thankful.”
I giggled as I leaned back in his arms. “I’m not going to be able to walk with you holding me like this. I’ll stumble, and fall, and look back, and then you’ll have to carry me in your arms as a Little D… …hopefully.”
“Hehe.” He gave me a playful little push. “I owe ya one for teleportin’ me here.”
“Right, right,” I sighed. "That’s why I’m here. Man, do I ever love you or what?”
“That’s right,” he cooed teasingly, before jabbing his finger into my back. “Now get walkin’, goose!”
–
“A’ight. We’ve made it through level two and level three of the cave.” He grumbled in his chest as he looked around the next room. “I guess this is level four. Dammit, this place goes on forever.”
”No eating,” I reminded him teasingly.
He snorted. “No Beel around, no prob. But I’m tired. Let’s stop and take a break at one of these tables, at least.” He shot me a smirk. “Y’know, Chise, that attitude of yours…”
I gave him a dirty look back. “What about it? Looking for me to turn it bright and shiny right on you by pointing it out?”
He snickered “Seems to me that you’ve been forgettin’ I’m your master lately.”
“Pfff…” I shook my head, cracking a reluctant smile. “Dammit, you…”
“Listen! You’ve my servant, got it? So,” he winked at me, “how ‘bout you give me a massage?”
I stuck my tongue out at him. “How about YOU give ME a massage?”
“Wha?! And why should I do that?!”
“Because I am here out of true love.” I sighed as I plopped myself into a chair, basically draping myself over it. “Plus, I’m worn out, too.”
“Are ya?” He came to stand behind me, sliding his hands over the curves of my shoulders. “Eh, fine. C’mere. I’ll give ya that massage.”
“Oh, really?” I smiled again as he gave my shoulders near my neck a squeeze, and then a knead with the heels of his palms. “I actually didn’t expect you to agree.”
“Hey, don’t get the wrong idea! I’m only doin’ this ‘cause you’re supposed to reward your servant every now and then, okay?! I’m the master, and YOU’RE the servant! Don’t you forget that!”
I giggled, reaching my hand up with a bend of my elbow to touch his hands with my fingers. “Yeah, yeah…”
“Huh…?” He paused. “…Wait.”
“Hm?” I tilted my head back.
He was looking at my hand in amazement. “…You’re wearin’ it? The ring?”
I stared at him. “…Are you serious right now?”
“Huh?”
“Mammon… Pfff…” I slapped my other hand over my mouth. “Mammon, that’s why your brothers were ganging up on you over breakfast! I HELD UP MY HAND TO SHOW THE RING!”
“…WHAT?!”
“Oh my god…” I burst out laughing. “Oh, Mammon! Oh my god! You’re… You’re so…”
“Y-Y’mean…” He began to stammer, eyes wide. “Th-They all know now? So you’re n-not just wearin’ it… now…”
“Oh, Mammon.” Though I still grinned, my eyes softened into fondness as I tilted my head all the way back to look at him, cooing affectionately. “Oh, Mammon… This is so like you.”
He growled in embarrassment, face totally red. “Just what d’ya mean by that, huh?!”
“Are you happy?” I lowered my voice into a whisper as I reached up to cup his cheek in invitation. “Oh, I love you… First true love…”
“Happy…? Are ya kiddin’?” He leaned down slowly, going in for an upside-down kiss. “I’ve never been so fuckin’ happy in my whole goddamned life…”
"…EXCUUUUUSE ME?!”
We both squawked in surprise at the outraged voice that rang out through the enormous dining room. I scrambled a bit in my chair before shooting up to my feet, while Mammon jumped back, almost falling on his ass.
"Who said you could get all cutesy-flirty in MY house?! Do you ALWAYS just walk into people’s kitchens and start making out like a couple of hormonal gropey teenagers?!"
“Wh-What’s goin’ on?!” Mammon swivelled his head around in shocked panic.
"Why are you looking around like an idiot? I’m not actually there with you. You know that, right?"
Mammon growled. “HOW’M I SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT?! I DON’T KNOW WHAT REAPERS CAN DO!”
"Oh, don’t worry. I can still see that stupid look on your face perfectly, too!"
“WHAT’D YOU SAY?!”
I snorted in amusement. “Soooo, just how long have you been 'watching us,' Thirteen?”
"…Come to me at once! And bring Chise with you, you idiot!"
“HUH?! WHY’D YOU SAY THAT YOU WANT CHISE, TOO?!”
"Shut up and do as I say!"
I smirked. Mammon and Thirteen were a hilarious pair, and becoming fast friends. I was really beginning to love their dynamic. I never even got jealous anymore when Mammon chased after her yelling. They bickered like brother and sister.
Mammon, of course, was growling. “One of these days she’s gonna learn not to insult the Mammon!”
I giggled. “Yeah, yeah. Better obey the reaper before she blows your candle out for good.”
"I’ll do it, too!"
“Eep!”
“Pff. NOW do you see why it’s a bad idea to make promises to reapers?”
–
“Well, took you long enough!”
Mammon slammed his fists on his hips. “I came all this way to see you, and those are the first words outta your mouth?! Why’s your cave gotta be so long, anyway?!”
“Whatever, you have to do something for me, don’t you?” She smirked deviously as Mammon bristled silently – or maybe his bristling was him shivering in fear. “Whatever I want. So, what exactly should I have you do? Hmm, I could use you as a test subject for one of my new traps… Or maybe–“
“Dammit!” Mammon growled at her. “Boil me, broil me, whatever ya want! Just get it over with!”
And then, we were quite suddenly interrupted by a little flash, and a little shimmer, and a prickle of familiar magic. Very familiar.
"Knock knock! Hellooo!"
I blinked in shock. “…SOLOMON?!”
He gasped in delight, his smile turning into a grin. “Chise?! And Mammon, too?! I didn’t expect to run into you two here!” He laughed as I went squeeing over to him, hugging me with one arm while Mammon growled menacingly. “What a coincidence!”
Thirteen. Was. Scowling. “What is it, Solomon?! Why’re you here?! Don’t you know how to KNOCK!”
He pouted. “I said ‘Knock knock!’”
“YOU CAN’T JUST SAY ‘KNOCK KNOCK’ AFTER YOU’VE ALREADY TELEPORTED INTO MY ROOM!” she scolded him, giving him her best glare. “What! Are! You! Doing! Here!”
I smiled. She had so many good friends.
Well, it’s a matter of taste, really. But I guess I do find them quite attractive.
It was just Solomon who I had to kill.
“Ah, right!” Solomon brightened again, lifting up the container he held for inspection. “So, I decided to try my hand at a new meatloaf recipe, but I ended up making a bit too much.”
At that, eyes wide, I scurried back from him in horror.
“What…?” Thirteen hissed, staring at the container with her own panic in her wide eyes.
“Uh-oh…” Mammon stepped back into a cower.
“Hmm, this is a problem, though…” Solomon pouted at the container, before giving us all an apologetic smile. “I only brought enough for one person. Now I wish I’d brought more…”
We all swallowed hard.
He looked at us. Expectantly. Eager. “But I could–"
“…I’m afraid I’m full at the moment,” Thirteen cooed in a sweet, soothing voice, as her eyes slid slyly to the side. “But don’t worry… Mammon will eat that instead. He just told me that he was sooo, sooo hungry…”
Mammon made a very odd noise in his throat. Whatever it was, however he had made it, it sounded absolutely pathetic.
“Ooh, are you sure?” Solomon smiled warmly as he turned to the demon, who trembled in abject terror. “Well, okay. Here Mammon. Have at it!”
“…WHA?!” Mammon squeaked in a high voice. “Y-Yo, I never said I–"
“You promised to do whatever I asked, didn’t you?” Thirteen nearly sang with joy.
Mammon was panting, eyes darting around between all of us. Myself, my hands were clapped over my mouth – in horror? Amusement? Was I hiding a laugh…?
He would never know for sure. He could only suspect.
So Mammon choked on a sob of despair as he took the proffered container from a grinning Solomon, whose eyes shone in sheer, absolute delight.
“Hm?” Simeon looked around in surprise at the near-empty room. “Wait, where’s Solomon?”
“No idea,” Raphael replied in his usual monotone voice. “I haven’t seen him yet this morning. I… thought you might have.”
Simeon shook his head, cheeks pinkening. They didn’t always share a bed. “Well, lunch is ready. You think he’s still asleep at this hour?”
Raphael shrugged. “I’m sure he was just up all night reading one of his books on magic or something.”
“Possibly, yeah…” Simeon agreed, a little absently.
Solomon had been working on something, all right. And it wasn’t ‘reading one of his books on magic’ like usual; he’d come home from visiting Thirteen yesterday in a bubbling excitement, waving around some ‘mushroom’ that he’d scraped from her cavern walls that she considered ‘unsightly’ anyway, and then went straight to his room with his prized ‘ingredient’.
Solomon was usually a morning person – at least, more so than himself and Chise, with Chise not able to fake the chipperness like he could in the face of Solomon’s excitability and eagerness to get into the kitchen first. So yes, he was usually a morning person, until he found a new and absolute obsession to fixate on that resulted in him losing complete track of all time, locking himself away like a gremlin hermit, running his experiments secretively throughout the night, until he collapsed from exhaustion. He’d emerge the next afternoon, haggard, and in need of a shave. So unhealthy.
What had Chise said grumpily one morning, as she chucked a new shrunken head treasure out the window for Solomon to find and retrieve later? ‘ADHD hyperfixation, though I’m no goddamn therapist’. And 'Too bad, because that madman really fucking needs one, but I doubt there’s a single therapist in all three realms who could help him'.
He’d made her an extra special coffee that morning in sympathy.
…Who was he kidding. He’d made her that coffee not in sympathy, but in complete and utter empathy, for their shared love for Solomon the Wise.
He could envision him now, steepling his fingers together in the dead of night with a grin over his alembic distiller, watching whatever terrifying concoction he was heating within the cucurbit to vaporize with glee, eyes trained on the condensation of vapour that materialize into some unholy liquid that would flow along the downwards tube, to collect in a growing pool within his Receiver of the Damned.
To be used for… whatever. For furthering science, expanding upon how it was currently understood? Contributing to the greater good of all with his groundbreaking discoveries? Changing the worlds as he knew it?
…Or to be used for nefarious personal purposes?
Unfortunately, both scenarios were entirely within the realm of possibility with him.
In Simeon’s mind’s eye, his lover was a caricature of a true villain.
So Simeon sighed, giving up the ghost. Solomon was Solomon, and it’s not as if he had any right to criticize the man for keeping his secrets. “Maybe I should go wake him before he wastes the day away…”
“Why not let him sleep?” Raphael replied, in a rare show of mercy for deviations of norms. “We have today off, after all. It’s not as though we have to eat our meals together.”
“Hmm, that’s true, but still…” Simeon smiled softly, though he was feeling delighted. “You two have been getting along pretty well, huh?”
Raphael just shrugged again.
“Well,” Simeon sighed, “if you don’t wake Solomon up in situations like this, he’ll end up sleeping all day and all night. I don’t want him to feel like he missed his entire day off, so I usually try to wake him up at least once during the day.”
Raphael sighed. “…You really do mother him, don’t you?”
Simeon laughed self-consciously. “I prefer to think of it as being considerate. All right, I’m going to wake him up.
–
Solomon, lips relaxed and lazily parted, stared down at his plate with half-lidded eyes. Unblinking. Almost looking like he was about to fall back to sleep – or drool all over his food.
“…From his catatonic state, I’d say he’s closer to ‘asleep’ than ‘awake’ at the moment,” Raphael commented dryly.
“Ahahaha…” Simeon rubbed the back of his neck. “You’ve got a point.”
Solomon mumbled, still unblinking, as he reached his hand out.
“Ah, Solomon,” Simeon said with a patient smile, as he gently guided Solomon’s hand away. “That’s Raphael’s cup, dear. Yours is right here. I made you some coffee to shake you awake!”
“Mmmnn...?” Solomon blinked slowly, squinting his eyes blearily. “Nngg oh, yeah, you’re right…”
Raphael rolled his eyes as he pulled his own cup from out of the man's reach.
“Here. I’ve served you some pasta.” Simeon leaned towards him to move his finger about, pointing while Solomon’s eyes sluggishly followed the movements. “Your spoon is right here. And here’s your fork. I think you should use your fork for the pasta. Don’t you?”
Raphael shook his head in disbelief. “You really do mother him…”
“Heh…”
And then, the table fell into silence while they ate. Solomon missed his mouth once, twice, before he finally got it in with a grunt. The scrape of cutlery on plates, Solomon’s constant stream of tired sighs, a big yawn, a rude sniffle as the big yawn had brought upon a bit of mucus and triggered Sol’s tear ducts that he rubbed at, before mumbling with another stab of his fork on his plate. Chewing, a loud slurp of coffee, lip-smacking, while Raphael rolled his eyes, shaking his head, tutting quietly now and then.
But that was all.
Otherwise, there was silence.
Had there been any other noise, all of the poor manners would probably have been absorbed within it, unnoticeable.
Probably.
Simeon eventually cleared his throat, smiling politely. “So. Nice weather we’re having today, huh?”
“How should I know?” Raphael answered in a dry voice again. “It’s always so dark here.”
“…Ahnng. So that’s what’s going on.”
Both of the other two raised their eyebrows at Solomon, who had finally just formed, and spoken, a coherent thought. Sort of.
“What do you mean?” Simeon encouraged him gently, earning another tut from Raphael.
“I was wondering why it seemed so strangely quiet.” He looked around the room, finally beginning to smile, coffee slowly beginning to beat within his system to breathe him back to life. “All it takes is Luke being gone, and suddenly mealtime has become silent time.”
“Yes,” Raphael agreed, “it seems we’re simply not able to hold a proper conversation when it’s just the three of us.”
Simeon laughed awkwardly at the angel’s ever-candid honesty. “You’re right. At times like this, Luke always suggests a new topic of conversation. And he’ll have this sparkle in his eyes…”
Raphael nodded, a slow, fond smile of his own touching the corners of his lips. “He’ll serve us some food, pour some drinks… He’s always making sure we’re engaged and having a good time.”
Solomon chuckled. “And after we’re done eating, he’ll offer us one of his homemade desserts.”
“Yes.” Simeon’s smile began to turn true. “And if you tell him you like it, this big, happy smile crosses his face.”
Raphael sighed heavily, before he gave Simeon a rather meaningful look. “I wonder when we’ll be able to have Luke’s desserts again…”
Solomon looked back down at his plate, pushing the food around with the prongs of his fork, before lifting it back up to bite, chewing with a soft sigh.
The silence fell again.
“…Come to think of it,” Simeon finally broke in again, “I wonder why Chise and the brothers decided to invite him over out of the blue like that?”
Solomon immediately began to hack and cough as he slapping his hand over the edge of the table, bending forward over his plate.
“Oh dear!” Simeon immediately reached to rub his back with one hand in alarm, the other holding his shoulder to steady him. “Solomon, are you all right?!”
“…Y-Yep,” he answered hoarsely in a wheeze, before coughing again, red in the face.
“Raphael...?” Simeon blinked. “Why are you looking away?”
“…No reason. I just… feel like looking at the wall.”
“Hm?” Simeon looked between them both in confusion.
Both the other men shook their heads in exasperation. It was confirmed: Simeon could be as much in denial as Solomon himself when it came to his cooking.
“Huh? Where’re Lucifer and Barbatos?” Levi looked around in confusion. “There’s only the one professor here. They’re never late to the group applied magical potions classes.”
Mammon shrugged. “I dunno about Barbatos, but Solomon and Lucifer are off helpin’ transport some materials or whatever. Hmph…” His expression turned sullen. “These big group classes where we’re all together in such a drag.”
“There’s only one lab like this one,” I reminded him. “It’s got the most equipment to practise for the semis.”
“I know that,” he grumbled back. “You’d think RAD’d have the money to outfit the rest of ‘em. Or the classes could, I dunno, take turns instead of all doin’ it together?!”
“Whatever. Just make sure you don’t end up as a dog this time, Mammon. Looool.”
“What the…?!” He sat up straight, cheeks immediately turning red. “H-How do YOU know about that?!”
Asmo giggled. “Chise showed us the pictures of you as a puppy. You were just adorable!”
“Wh…! Chise! I told ya to keep that a secret!”
I smirked at him. “What was it you said again? You were embarrassed that you didn’t transform into a big dog, but a little shitzu? But Mammon, you were so cuuuuute.”
His ears were turning red now. “You shaddup!”
Asmo snickered. “That was the result of a failed potions experiment on your part, right?”
Beel laughed fondly. “Mammon looked pretty cute in that picture.”
“Yeah,” Satan agreed reluctantly. “So much so that I started thinking a dog might actually make a good pet. You know what a cat demon I am. I thought I was going insane.”
Belphie chuckled with a smirk. “Yeah, I know. Who would’ve thought, right? I mean, it’s Mammon…”
“See?” I cooed. “How could I keep it all to myself?! It was too much for me alone!”
“You guys think you’re REAL funny, don’t ya?!” he snapped at us.
“Quiet, all of you,” Raphael admonished haughtily. “We’re in the middle of class.”
“Raphael, you have a lot of experience mixing potions, don’t you?” Luke peered over the other angel’s cauldron. “Have you made this one before?”
Raphael shook his head. “No. But as long as you know the basic principles, it’s not particular hard to make something like this.”
“Wooow!” Luke beamed up at him. “You’re amazing, Raphael…”
“Hmm…” Despite his noncommittal response, Raphaels’ cheeks turned a slight shade of pink.
“Really,” Thirteen sighed from nearby, “I don’t see why you’re so impressed. This is simple. All we have to do it make a magical potion, right? Now the question is…” She stared down into her own cauldron eagerly, sticking her tongue out to the side in thought. “…what sort of trap can I create with it?”
“…Just to be clear,” Mephisto sighed, “you have to make it like the textbook says. Otherwise it won’t count toward your grade.”
“What? Hmph.” Thirteen pouted. “Whyyy? From what I hear, that sham of a sorcerer makes whatever he wants! He cooks ALL SORTS of potions that aren’t in the textbook.”
Luke tilted his head to the side. “That sham of a sorcerer…?”
“I think she means Solomon,” Satan muttered.
“Hmph!” She sniffed. “Who else would I mean?”
“Well, he’s an exception,” Satan explained. “Lord Diavolo gave him special permission to do that because of how skilled he is.”
Asmo nodded. “He’s allowed to develop new types of potions during class!”
Thirteen scoffed. “What’s with that? That’s SO not fair!”
Belphie shrugged. “I've heard that if he comes up with a new type of potion in class, the intellectual property rights for it will belong to RAD.”
“Can confirm,” I said. “Probably the compromise they had to make after RAD realized they’d enrolled a mad scientist.”
Thirteen snorted.
Asmo giggled. “Well, Solomon doesn’t care about intellectual property rights. He does it because he likes experimenting, that’s all.”
“Grrr…” Thirteen growled into her cauldron. “I won’t be outdone by the likes of him… I’m going to come up with my own original potion! And then I’ll use it to create a truly amazing trap to ensnare my enemies!”
“I already told you, you can’t do that unless you get permission from Lord Diavolo!” Mephisto snapped at her.
“Whatever, Muffy…”
“WHA?!” He stared at her, aghast.
Satan sighed in exasperation, before turning to our group. “Anyway, listen carefully.”
“I’m hungry…” Beel mumbled.
“We’re going to put the plan into motion.”
“Are you sure we should do that…?” Luke muttered at his side. “Because I’m feeling really nervous about this… I mean, you’re talking about ’THE plan,’ right? THAT plan?”
“Yep!” Levi confirmed with a grin. “THAT plan!”
I felt the muscles in my jaw twitch.
If you really want to find out what it is that Simeon’s hiding, I know a way you can do that.
You do?!
Yeah. All we need is this book.
…A Dictionary of Applied Magical Potions?
Yep. It lists every known potion in the Devildom, what they do, and how to make them. And it’s a first edition copy, too.
A first edition? Why does that matter?
Oh, it matters. The first edition includes all sorts of dangerous potions. In the current edition, all of that stuff has been omitted.
Wait… If I remember correctly, we received notice that we were supposed to destroy and first editions we had.
Oh? Hehehe.
What?
So, like I was saying. I found something interesting in this book. It’s right here, on page 1633. A potion that can force someone to reveal secret information. Verbum drops. It isn’t in the current edition of the dictionary. If we had some, we could get Simeon to tell us what’s really going on.
You want to use a magic potion to force Simeon to talk against his will? I don’t know…
I’d rather not do that.
I understand how you two feel. However… Verbum drops could come in handy in all sorts of other situations, too. Assuming we succeed in creating them.
So that’s what this is about loool. You totally want to use them on Lucifer, don’t you?
It doesn’t matter. Anyway, the point is we’d be doing this for Simeon’s sake, Luke. So we can help him. If he’s in danger…
…R…right… We’d be doing it for Simeon’s sake… yeah.
I’m not going to do this. You guys are on your own.
That’s all right, Chise. You’re terrible with potions anyway.
HEY!
“All right, let’s do this.” Satan grinned eagerly. “Time to make ourselves a batch of verbum drops.”
“…I failed,” came a sigh from nearby.
I turned my attention to Raphael instead before I turned grumpy. “What’s wrong, Raphael?”
“I tried making ’Nectar of Eve's Apple’.”
Thirteen blinked, taken aback. ”Nectar of Eve’s Apple? I’ve heard of that potion. It’s supposed to have the power to seduce anyone, no matter who they are…”
My eyes widened in shock as I stared at Raphael. ”What…?”
“So you tried to create it and failed?” Thirteen looked over at his cauldron with a frown, giving it a sniff. “It looks like it came out fine to me.”
“See for yourself…” He turned. “Hey, Mammon.”
Mammon looked over his shoulder. “Wha?”
“This potion causes money to fall out of the sky if you drink it. Try some.”
I rolled my eyes as Mammon booked it towards him with his signature greedy grin, actually leaping over a table in the middle of the room like a parkouring maniac to slap his hands on both sides of the cauldron. “Ya don’t have to ask ME twice!”
“Sooo…” I watched him dubiously as he began to chug it back. “What do you think it’ll–“
“Money?” Mammon blinked as he raised his face up from the lip of the cauldron.
I tilted my head. “Uhh, money?”
“I don’t need money! Ya know what?” He set the cauldron down, eyes widening in realization. “I’m gonna give away all my money to people who really need it!”
And then he ran out of the room.
I stared after him in shock. “…Huh.”
“What’s going on?” Mephisto looked over with a frown, after having watched him streak by him at top speed.
“Apparently my angelic powers are too strong,” Raphael sighed. “They influenced the creation process. I seem to have ended up with a potion that purifies the heart.”
I. Gasped. Sharply. “Holy… mother… Raphael! You TOO?!”
He tilted his head at me. “Hmm…?”
I grinned at him in excitement. “I DO THAT TOO!”
“Do you…?” He blinked in surprise, and then looked rather impressed. “I see. Interesting. You really must be something else, to purify hearts as well… If that’s the case, I suppose it’s really no wonder at all that the Ring of Light would accept your virtuous spirit. That puts some matters of debate to rest.”
“…Oh, uhh…” I turned pink in the face as I rubbed at the back of my neck. “…Actually, I just tend to turn people into cats.”
“…Oh.” Despite the blank look he now gave me, having it fall from his previous glimpse of interest had made it somehow reek of abject disappointment. “…I see.”
I grimaced as he turned his straight back to me to dump his potions’ contents to restart, seemingly now disinterested in me once more. In his characteristica socially-unaware candidness, he had also just let slip the high likelihood that my acceptance by the Ring of Light was a subject of hot gossip up in the Celestial Realm; and that he, himself, likely harboured some… sincere doubts.
Which was just… great…
“Hmph, ridiculous,” Thirteen said with a sniff, growing bored as well. “How could you two even do that?”
Mephisto rolled his eyes. “As long as you’re picking on him, what about you, Thirteen? You’re not done with your potion yet?”
“I’m working on it right now!” she said smugly, looking down at it in pride. “It’s not like this requires much effort. I just toss a few things in the pot, aaaand…”
Aaaand…
“AAAAH!” She leapt back. We all did. “IT BLEW UP!”
“What were you thinking?” Mephisto scolded. “You need to MEASURE your ingredients before adding them!”
“Details!” she snapped back at him. “I don’t have TIME for that!”
I sighed as I turned back to my own group.
Satan was chuckling at my side. “Good thing we’re working in separate groups today. It doesn’t look like anyone else has figured out what we’re up to over here.”
“Let’s see…” Luke frowned down at the very thick dictionary opened in front of him, reading along with a slide of his finger across the page. “To make verbum drops, you will require viridis sap and a shadow lava rock fragment…” Luke looked up at Satan worriedly. “Are we going to be able to get our hands on all that stuff? Sounds hard.”
Satan grinned. “Don’t worry. We went ahead and collected everything we’d need in advance so we’d be ready.”
Levi muttered darkly under his breath as he scooped a teaspoon of sap.
Luke gave him a side-eye. “What’s up with Leviathan?”
“Never mind him,” Satan answered sweetly. “He’s always grumpy.”
“I guess that’s true…”
“Hmm, now that I get a good look at this shadow lava rock fragment…” Beel hefted it in his hand with a smile. “It actually looks pretty tasty.”
Satan frowned. “Whoa, hold on.”
“Yeah Beel,” Luke chided as well. “You can’t eat that.”
“No, that’s not what I mean. Though, yeah, Beel, don’t eat that.” He leaned down over the book. “Take a look at the fine print here…”
“Uggh…” Levi turned away in sullen disinterest. “My eyes are worn out from so much gaming, and the print is so tiny. It’s hard to read.”
“Yeah,” Satan sighed in despair, “that’s why we didn’t notice this part before now…”
I was toying with a measuring cup, never allowed to touch potions anymore. “What’s wrong now?”
“Apparently, in order to make verbum drops, you need to add one more ingredient at the end. ’The tears of the one whose confession you seek.’”
“You’re kidding!” Levi groaned. “You’re telling me we can only use our batch of verbum drops on ONE person?!”
Beel shook his head. “That’s not our only problem. Look at the quantities the recipe calls for. Three and two-fifths drops of viridis sap. A shadow lava fragment in weight of forty-three dragon whiskers…”
“That’s WAY too specific looool.”
“Yeah,” Beel agreed with a sigh. “This is going to be a pain.”
I shrugged casually. “Oh well, plan failed. Time to choose a different potion.”
“Hey, what’s with the defeatist attitude, huh?!” Luke protested, much to my surprise. “We’re doing this to help Simeon, remember?! Come on, if we all work together, we can do this!”
I sighed, going back to rolling the curved bottom of the measuring cup around on the table again.
“Hey, listen to you!” Levi grinned at him. “I love that plucky attitude. It sort of feels like we’re in a high school anime!”
“Still…” Luke’s exuberance wilted a bit. “We need the tears of the one whose confession we seek… How are we supposed to get that?”
“Let’s see…” Beel glanced over across the room. “Nope, no sign that Simeon’s about the cry. Guess I should’ve known it wouldn’t be that easy.”
“…Chise?” Satan looked at me hopefully.
“Nope. Not making my boyfriend cry.”
He growled in frustration as he looked over at Simeon as well, who was chatting with a friendly smile with Asmo and another group of demons now. Also with Belphie, but his face was planted on the table in front of him, asleep. “We’re not about to give up. Not when we’re this close. We’ll find a way to acquire Simeon’s tears if it’s the last thing we do!”
Luke pouted. “But how…?”
Satan huffed as he thought for a moment, frowning. “…Okay, listen up. I’m going to continue mixing the verbum drops. Meanwhile, you guys have to find a way to get some of Simeon’s tears.”
“How is THAT a plan?!”
“So you’re going to make us do all the hard work?” Levi rolled his eyes. “Loool…”
Satan glared at him. “Okay, Levi, would you rather be in charge of mixing the potion? It’s not like it’s going to be easy measuring out the precise amounts of each ingredient. …Or would you instead, perhaps, have Chise mix this for us, and be the guinea pig for whatever she manages to cook up.”
“Hey!” I sulked on my stool. “Why do you gotta bring me into this…”
“Noooo thank youuuu!” Levi shook his head virgorously. “I think I’ll stay right here on team ‘Make Simeon Cry’!”
“Hmm, tears…” Beel sighed.
“Tears, huh…” Levi sighed, too.
“Tears…” Luke mumbled.
“Teeeeears,” I cooed unhelpfully, earning myself some rather annoyed glares.
“…You know him second-best,” Levi muttered to Luke.
“Yeah, yeah.” He sighed, before hopping off of his own stool. “All right. Just leave it to me. Here goes nothing. It’s my time to shine…! Just have to make Simeon cry…”
–
We all huddled a little closer to Simeon’s group. Me, because I was honestly just straight-up curious – and incredibly bored.
“Simeon!” Luke bounced up to him. “Check out this movie! It’s so sad it’ll have you bawling. I found it on this D.D.D. movie app, and–“
“Um, Luke?” Simeon had turned to him at the sound of his name, and now gave his charge a patient smile as he took the excitable child-angel by the shoulders. “We’re in the middle of class. Why don’t we watch that together once you’re back at Purgatory Hall? Which, by the way, I’m wondering–“
“YOU’RE SO RIGHT,” Luke said extra loud in interruption. “This is class! I gotta go back to my group straight away! See you later…!”
–
“…Sooo, that didn’t work,” Luke sighed.
“Tch, excuse me!” Asmo stalked over to us with his arms crossed, glaring at our out-of-place group that was huddling nearby very suspiciously. “Are you guys trying to interfere with our group’s experiment?”
“N-No…” Luke turned pink in the face. “You don’t understand…”
“…Belphie.” Beel was poking at his twin. “Belphie, wake up!”
Mammon sighed as he waltz up behind us to check out the drama. “He’s asleep, huh? Man, he can fall asleep ANYWHERE.”
“…Back to your old self again, Mammon?” Raphael interrupted, with a touch of innocence to his voice.
“Eh?” Mammon blinked at him. “What’re ya talkin’ about?”
Thirteen snorted. “I guess the effect wears off with time.”
“Hmm, Belphegor really seems to be enjoying his nap, huh?” Simeon had sidled back over to the commotion with a sweet smile of fondness for the napping youngest. He rolled his shoulders with a sigh, before patting Belphie on the back. “I’m starting to feel sleepy just looking at him…”
“…Simeon, are you all right?” Luke asked in a small, worried voice as he looked him up and down. “You haven’t been getting enough sleep, have you…”
“Haha…” Simeon reached over to muss his hair. “I’m fine, Luke. But thank you…” He let out a long yawn.
“…HE’S YAWNING!” Levi hissed conspicuously. “Luke, now’s your chance!”
Luke gasped as he grabbed at a nearby vial – thankfully empty, since he hadn’t appeared to check – before thrusting it up with a hop at Simeon’s cheek, hitting the corner of his eye.
“Wh…?!” Simeon jumped back a bit in surprise, rubbing at his cheekbone in confusion. “Luke? What’s going on? Did I have something on my face?”
“N-No. Nothing.” Luke gave him a guilty smile. The young angel… had just lied. “Just an eyelash, maybe? But it’s totally gone now! You’re good.”
“Really?” Simeon smiled as he rubbed at his eye. “Well, good.”
We all abruptly scurried away, leaving the other group blinking in our dust. Asmo and Simeon shared confused glances.
“…YESSSS!” Levi whooped as he closed the gap to our group with a jump. “We got the tears! QUEST COMPLETE!”
I hunched sullenly back in my seat, pulling the measuring cup back to me with a sinking feeling.
–
“Beel.” Satan tapped his brother’s shoulder to get his attention. “Watch the pot for a second. Also, go ahead and add what I’ve chopped up on the parchment paper here. Make sure to measure out the exact amount the recipe calls for.”
Beel nodded as he slid over to take Satan’s place. “Got it.”
“…Uhh…” I straightened as I turned my head to follow Satan walking by. “You sure…?”
He waved his hand at me. “Bathroom. I’ll be quick.”
“Okaaaay…”
“…Let’s see,” Beel muttered, eyes sweeping over the ingredients that were laid out in front of him. “I think he said I was supposed to add some of this here…? Or, wait, maybe it was supposed to be this. And I think this…?”
I winced, tapping my foot as I painfully watched him. I could sabotage this.
…In multiple ways. But.
“We have to measure out everything precisely,” I reminded him, as I pointed at the crushed powder on the smooth waxy paper. “Oh, Beel, wh…” I sighed as he picked the whole thing up to dump it in. “Ohhh, Beeeeelz…”
He raised his eyes to me from across the table with a blink. “What’s wrong? You think I added a little too much of that?”
“He hadn’t measured it out first,” I reminded him. “He asked you to do it. You put the whole thing in, though…”
He looked down at the potion for a moment, before shrugging at me. “Eh, it’ll probably be okay.”
“Well,” I sighed, as I caught sight of Satan hurrying back over, “too late now.”
“So, did you add the ingredients to the pot, Beel?”
Beel gave him his signature warm smile. And even a thumbs up. “Yep, sure did.”
“Sir!” Levi skipped over with a grin. “We’ve successfully dissolved Simeon’s tears into the sap heated to a boil and allowed to simmer with a constant slow stirring with a spoon made of depravity tree wood for twenty-three minutes and fifty-six seconds, sir!”
“Great!” Satan beamed around at them all. “Everything’s ready here as well. Now all that’s left is to add the tears.”
“Okay then, I’m going to pour them in,” Luke offered as he held the mixture in its glass beaker over our cauldron. “I don’t want to spill any, so I’m going to take it slow and be extra careful…”
And then… explosion.
Lucifer: How are things going on your end?
Lucifer: Have you found the spare flasks?
Diavolo: We found a set over here.
Diavolo: How about you, Lucifer?
Diavolo: Do we have enough purified water?
Lucifer: Enough to refill the containers in the lab, yes.
Diavolo: 👍
Diavolo: We’re going to head back as well.
Barbatos: I have a feeling that something bad is happening.
Lucifer: A feeling that something bad is happening?
Barbatos: Lucifer, you may want to get back to the classroom sooner rather than later.
Barbatos: Please tell the sorcerer to come as well, post-haste.
Lucifer: …Please, no. I have enough problems as it is.
Barbatos: Unfortunately, I am going to assume that the explosion I heard and the tremor I felt are about to add to them…
Lucifer: Oh for…
Lucifer: 🤦♂️ I’m on my way.
Diavolo: I wonder which of your brothers is involved this time?
Lucifer: They’re ALL there.
Barbatos: Young Master, please hurry and catch up with me. You are falling behind considerably, considering the potential for a dire situation on our hands.
Diavolo: I’m seriously impressed that you can run AND text at the same time like that.
Lucifer: I wonder how he came to develop THAT skill. 😒
Barbatos: The both of you – if you cannot text and run, then I bid you, choose to run over text.
Chapter 43: Chapter 76-B: Eyes Wide Open, Tears Make Tears
Notes:
I've had a good chunk of this chapter written for a long, long time. I started writing it all the way back in Act 2 – a whole million words ago and more. I’ve been waiting to post this chapter for a long time. I hope I did it enough justice.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
It was utter chaos.
Glass shattering, the sharp pieces pulled into the air as shrapnel; cupboard’s ripped front their hinges to whip dangerously, the contents stored within shooting out after into the whirlwind. Demons screaming, bodies rushing and bumping into each other in the mad dash to evacuate the room.
Splintered wood, shards of glass, heavy cast iron cauldrons, the debris of potent and dangerous ingredients and powders swept into the air while students ran in crouches with their arms covering their heads for protection.
And the roar of wind, wind, wind.
"SPIRIT OF WIND,” I screamed into the mayhem, as I covered my own head, "I COMMAND YOU! IN THE NAME OF THE SORCERER CHISE, STILL YOURSELF!”
“IT’S NOT WORKING!” Satan yelled out, throwing his jacket over top of me before curling over me in protection.
“WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!” Thirteen cried out from underneath the table she’d ducked under.
“WHO DID THIS?!” Mephisto held onto a pillar for dear life, wild-eyed. “WHO CONJURED A TORNADO INSIDE THE CLASSROOM?!”
“This isn’t the time to be getting angry!” Raphael yelled over the fray next, on the other side of Mephisto’s pillar. “You need to do something about this!”
“Do WHAT exactly?!”
“…BELPHIE!” I screamed. “BEEL! BELPHIE’S STILL ASLEEP!”
Beel gasped, lunging. “Belphie’s being pulled…!”
“YO, BELPHIE!” But Mammon had lunged too, tearing himself away from what he had held to steady himself to throw Belphie behind a shelf.
And then, with a breathless gasp, now untethered, he was pulled in.
"MAMMON!!!!" I screamed in despair, my lunge stopped by Satan throwing his arms tighter around me.
“He was pulled inside the tornado!” Satan squinted his eyes. “Or… Maybe not a tornado?! Is that a dark crevasse?!”
“WHAT?!”
“It’s sort of like a mobile black hole!”
“…WHAT?!” I looked upon it in horror, tears streaming. “BUT MAMMON!!!”
Mephisto shook his head in horror. “How did something like THAT just appear out of nowhere?!”
“It’s getting stronger…!”
“Nooo…!” Levi sobbed “I JUST pre-ordered a Ruri Hana With Cream Azuki-tan figurine… and the new info drop for next season’s anime hasn’t happened yet…”
“LEVI, FUCKING GRAB ONTO SOMETHING!” I pleaded desperately.
“…and I haven’t done today’s gacha rolls in the Comic D’Moa manga app… and I haven’t played black mage in Demons of Destiny! There’s still so much I have to do in this life, I can’t…”
"LEVI!!!!"
“Ugh, Levi!” Asmo panicked as he was slowly pulled from the weight of his brother who’d thrown himself against him. “Don’t cling to me like that! You’re going to get us BOTH pulled into…!”
I keened, shaking against Satan.
“Wh-What do we do…?!” Luke sobbed. “What do I…!”
“Luke!” I tried a blast of air magic to send him back. It barely managed to shove him back up against the wall.
He shook his head. “D-Don’t worry about me! The angel’s blessing will keep me safe! I-I’m more worried about Belphegor!”
Beel finally managed to reach his precarious spot, the shelf Mammon had thrown him behind slowly having made its way towards the hole. “Don’t worry, Belphie. It’s going to be okay. I’ll protect you.”
“What happened to those who were pulled inside?” Raphael shook his head. “Where did they go…?”
“We’ll worry about that later!” Mephisto said. “Right now we’ve got bigger problems!”
“Lucifer…” I sobbed. “Barbatos…”
"SIMEON!" Luke yelled out in a piercing shriek.
"NO!” I yelled out, straightening. ”YOU CAN’T HAVE MY SIMEON!”
I didn’t even need to incant, or hold a hand out; nothing was needed for the pulse that I sent out from my body to push him back.
“Chise…” He gasped as he scrambled to catch at the stable pillar that I’d shoved him into. “Thank you, Chise…”
“Does anyone know how to extinguish a dark crevasse?!” Satan yelled out over the growing roar. “…Anyone at all?!”
“If I could make that thing go away, I would’ve done it a long time ago!” Mephisto snapped.
I squeezed my eyes shut, pinching my ring. ”…Hear me, and heed my call…"
“What are you doing?” Satan whispered to me. “What’s your plan? What can I do to help?”
"In the name of the sorcerer Chise, I draw upon my pact with the Ring of Ligh–"
“What is going on here?”
“–LUCIFER!” I sobbed, turning towards his deep voice of outrage. “LUCIFER!”
“Chise, what is–"
“What in the three worlds is going on?!” Diavolo shouted in the room from behind him, eyes wide.
“Huh…” Solomon peeked into the room as well with a blink. “Well well, look at that…”
“Unbelievable!” Lucifer snapped. “Every SINGLE time I take my eyes off of you, something like this happens. Is this the ONLY thing you’re all good at?! Causing trouble?!”
“We don’t have time for lectures right now!” Mephisto yelled back to him.
“Mammon…!” I sobbed still, bawling like a truly helpless lamb while Satan was pretty much throwing me forward against him towards the door.
“Mammon?” Lucifer looked around with a frown, before pulling me from Satan. “Where is he?”
“GONE!”
He turned his head towards the crevasse in disbelief. “…Gone?”
Solomon tilted his head with an impressed hum. “Did you actually cook up a dark crevasse? Because it takes a high-quality shadow lava rock to–"
“Didn’t you HEAR?!” Satan shouted at him. “We don’t have time for this!”
“Okay, fiiiine…” Solomon turned his head with a sweet smile. “Barbatos, could you take care of this for us?”
“Barbatos…” I reached for him with a whisper of despair. Of course. My Barbatos could do it all. Just like in the dreams. The impossible.
He tutted with a glance of annoyance at his human master. “You want me to do it, despite the fact that you’re fully capable of handling this yourself?”
“Pwetty pwease, with a pact full of cherries on top?”
“Barbatos…”
I don’t think he heard me at all over the roaring wind.
“…That does not even make sense…” He lifted his hand with a sigh of exasperation, his fingers coming together in a pinch in the air. “Well, I suppose I have no choice…”
–
Everyone who had still been in the classroom, holding on for dear life, all of the idiots who didn’t flee with the rest of the students who’d had sense – we all fell to our knees after they’d given out from under all of us. Panting. Me included, now huddling at Lucifer’s feet, clutching his pant leg. He was looking down at me with a sympathetic shake of his head. I’d likely be on his lap later, he probably thought. And he’d be right – if my thundering heart didn’t give out before then.
“…Finally,” Beel wheezed, with Belphie curled like a kitten in his lap, face relaxed. “It’s gone.”
“We’re saved…” Luke groaned in relief, falling backwards from where he sat to sprawl on the floor in exhaustion.
Thirteen looked around. “Uh, hey, what happened to everyone who was pulled inside?”
“Mm.” Raphael tilted his head back. “Look up.”
“Up?” Thirteen frowned as she tilted her head back, too. We all did. “…Oh.”
And then there was thuds and yelps, as the three of them fell hard to the ground.
“Owwww…” Mammon rubbed at the back of his head. “Ugghhh…”
“G’aaaah!” Levi slapped his hands. “Asmo, who said you could land on top of me?! Get off!”
“Mamms…” I sobbed as I crawled over to them all. “Levi… Asmo…”
And just as I collapsed from my crawl to lay my cheek on Mammon’s warm chest, feeling the press of his palm on my back and the thundering of his heart under my ear, more sounds of mayhem erupted from behind me – as everything that had been sucked inside the crevasse came crashing to the ground nextl. The higher-pitched shattering of more glass, the deeper din of furniture and stone – all rang out into the air as it landed together in one big heap of ruined rubbish.
Raphael sighed as he turned to look down at it all in displeased disappointment. “I wish I could say all of this made the journey as unscathed as the brothers, but that would be a lie.”
“There,” Barbatos said with a sweet smile at his master. His dangerous one. “I have done as you asked.”
“Thank you, Barbatos!” Solomon sang to him in delight. “You’re a lifesaver! Quite literally!” He nodded to the confused shock on my face. “You see, I have the ability to close a dark crevasse, sure. But I don’t have what it takes to recover something that’s been consumed by one.”
Barbatos made a little noise. “Is that an attempt at modesty?”
“Hm?” He batted his lashes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, mister eighth…”
“You…!”
I whimpered. “Barbatos… Thank you…”
He nearly jumped out of his skin when his eyes fell upon my miserable expression. He snapped out of his surly outrage with his master and immediately hurried over to me to kneel down in front of me, taking me by my shoulders in inspection. “…Oh, my Lady Chise. It was nothing at all. I needed no pact to save any lives, in the end.” He brushed at the debris on my shoulders gently. “My goodness, just look at you… Are you unharmed? Oh, tsk, a cut on your cheek… Allow me…”
Solomon tittered in delight from behind him. "Oooh, My Lady Chiseee."
If Barbatos were the type to snarl like Mammon, he would have snarled along with the glare he shot over his shoulder.
“Lady Chise…?” Diavolo fairly squeed, eyes round with simpering adoration. “That’s so cuuute…!”
Solomon laughed in delight. “Right?! I wished I’d thought of that one first! So gentlemanly!”
Barbatos sighed in defeat, turning his attention back to brushing out my hair with his fingers, frowning at the pieces of glass he found there. His sudden grimace, however, was out of place. It flashed across his face out of sync with the teasing behind him. Unrelated. And gone, just as quickly as it’d appeared.
“Are you okay…?” I whispered, studying his face carefully.
He gave me a kindly look as he met my eyes. “It is nothing, my dear.”
I blinked as I thought about it. “…Is it hard to close a crevasse?”
He chuckled softly in amusement, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. “Yes. Quite.”
“…Just who is responsible for conjuring that thing?” Lucifer was smiling dangerously. "Clearly you must really want to be strung up from the ceiling.”
Asmo shrugged on the floor. “I don’t even think it was Mammon this time! The others were pretty sus, though.”
“Now now, Lucifer,” Diavolo said with a nervous chuckle. “Calm down. The situation is under control now, right? Why not let bygones be bygones?”
“Bygones be…?!” Lucifer gestured around at the rather expensive-looking destruction. “You’re far too soft on them. If you say things like that, they’ll only take advantage of it. As you can see. I KNEW we shouldn’t have left them in Professor Abadon’s care alone…! Useless man… First to leave! Am I right? I’d bet on it with any of you who think otherwise.”
Diavolo continued his nervous chuckling.
Barbatos sighed. “I would not take such a sucker’s bet.”
“And to fail in his supervision such that he allowed students to create a dark crevasse…! That such a thing escaped his notice entirely! I TOLD him – no DEMANDED that he walk by my brothers in five minute intervals. Why, I’m of a mind to personally remove his miserable head from his incompetent shoulders. Though I’m sure he would simply continue to walk around as a headless chicken would, brainless as he is–”
“HEY! You three!” Mephisto nudged with his foot as Lucifer ranted. “Don’t just lie there! Help us clean up this mess!”
“Owww…!” Mammon winced, looking super sulky. He had, perhaps, expected me to baby him, but had lost out on me being babied by Barbatos next to him instead. “C’mon, my back hurts! Dammit!” He turned his face to growl at Barbatos who kneeled in front of me still, dabbing at my cheek with a kerchief. “Oi! If you’re gonna save us, be more gentle about it!”
Barbatos simply tutted, not even taking his eyes off of my cheek. I doubted that the cut was bad at all. He was just making a fussy point of ignoring Mammon.
“We brought you back from the dead, didn’t we?” Solomon answered for him. “I’d say you shouldn’t sweat the details, hmm?”
“I’ll sweat whatever details I want!”
“…Chise.”
Barbatos raised his eyes at the soft voice. I turned my face towards Raphael, who kneeled down at my side.
He bowed his head. “I’d like to thank you for what you did earlier.”
I shook my head. “What do you mean…? I was… I couldn’t even do anything…”
He reached to touch my shoulder lightly. “You saved Simeon. Thank you… Chise Lightbringer.”
My eyes widened.
Acceptance.
And…
I sucked in a breath, eyes darting to the side. Where Simeon stood, arms hanging at his sides, looking at the ground.
Solomon’s jaw set, tense. “…Is that so?”
“Chise was very brave,” Simeon said quietly as he raised his eyes back up, giving us a gentle smile. “As soon as things started flying, she was immediately casting spells to protect us all.”
I shook my head miserably.
“You would not have known how to stop such a disaster in the making outright.” Barbatos patted my shoulder. “So instead, you did well to buy time for our arrival. You gave the fullest of what you were able in the face of a dark crevasse, and were successful for it. That is no light thing.”
"Well done, Chise, for your commendable actions today,” Diavolo added seriously. “You have the thanks of the Crown itself.”
I glanced over at my three demons, who I’d almost lost. Successful for it? No. Not successful at all.
“Well then,” Solomon said quietly. “It’s a good thing we got here when we did. My adorable apprentice. I’m proud of you.”
“And Mammon..." Beel sunk down to his knees next, before gathering Mammon up in a bone-crushing, back-breaking hug, making the older demon squawk pathetically in pain. "Thank you so much, big brother. You saved Belphie. You sacrificed yourself for our little brother because you love him, right? Sometimes you can be a really good person."
"WHADDYA MEAN 'SOMETIMES'?!" Mammon struggled against the bear hug with a wheeze. "THAT AIN'T MUCH OF A COMPLIMENT, Y'KNOW! UGH, C'MON! GET OFFA ME, BEEL!"
"No. You're getting hugged.”
Barbatos blinked. “Mammon? What an unexpected surprise indeed. Perhaps there is hope for you yet.”
“WHADDYA…?! UGGGHHH…"
Lucifer snorted, smirking.
"I'm really proud of you, Mamms," I said quietly. "I'm so proud of you. You were so brave. You just… jumped in to save your brother without a second thought.”
“You got there before me,” Beel said seriously. “I think I’d have been too late.”
"...W-Well. Mmff. Wh. W-Well..." His face turned bright red as he stammered in the face of my adoration. "...O-Of course I was brave! Like, DUH! You're lookin' at the Great Mammon, after all! The powerful second-born, Avatar of Greed! 'COURSE I stepped up for my li'l bro! Number two’s gotta step up for number seven!” He sniffled, bottom lip wavering. “Th-That’s what big bros…!"
"Is he STILL sleeping...?" Asmo poked him, where Beel had laid him down. "...Yeah, he's still sleeping."
"For REAL?" Levi sighed. "Who sleeps through a TORNADO?!”
“…Mammon.”
Mammon glanced over at Lucifer at the sound of his name. “Wha?”
He was smiling softly at him, arms crossed. “Well done, brother.”
“…WH?!”
I smiled as I leaned away from Barbatos to hug him with Beel. “Thank you, hubby.”
“Nk…!”
He was truly red in the face now.
“…Chise,” Solomon murmured near my ear, after having taken me aside from the cleanup efforts. “We can’t let this keep happening. It’s time.”
I nodded down at the floor, tears stinging my eyes.
“Meet me in the lounge after we’re done here.” He sighed as he touched my arm. “I don’t think I need to say to come alone, but…”
Some extra care to make sure I wasn’t followed for an ambush was warranted.
I nodded again. “Of course. I’ll slip away from prying eyes.”
He leaned to kiss my cheek lightly. “I’ll see you then, ahuvati.”
Chise: Simeon…
Simeon: Hello, sweetie. ^_^
Simeon: How are you doing? Have you gotten home safely?
Simeon: How are you feeling after all that's happened today?
Simeon: I can imagine you’re pretty shaken up. Let me know if there’s anything I can do.
Chise: I found out about you and Solomon the hard way.
Simeon: …Yes. I remember.
Chise: It didn’t feel good. In fact, it still very much stings.
Chise: I’ve forgiven, I love you both, but I haven’t been able to forget.
Simeon: I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.
Simeon: I didn’t realize that was still on your mind…
Simeon: I should have.
Chise: There’s so much more than just that on my mind, Sim.
Simeon: Okay… I think I know where this is going…
Simeon: I’m listening, sweetie…
Chise: I had to find out from someone else about the significance of the necklace, and that it had never been given to a human before.
Chise: I had to find out from someone else the extent of how much our relationship is frowned on by your people.
Chise: I had to find out from someone else that you were demoted from seraphim from the war, and were pretty much on probation already before we even got together.
Chise: I had to find out from someone else that you stole the ring.
Chise: I had to find out about you and Sol the hard way.
Chise: Now I have Luke running to me crying and heartbroken to stay with me at HOL, talking about overhearing you being in some sort of danger.
Chise: And I got a text from Raphael accidentally assuming that I knew about your ‘situation' and telling me that he’s happy you have me and Sol for support!
Simeon: Wait… Raphael did that? What did he say, exactly?
Chise: Exactly NOTHING, Sim!!!
Chise: Don’t you worry, everyone is keeping your secret for you -- FROM me -- just fine!
Chise: You have THREE of my partners successfully keeping this from me!
Chise: And look at you, concerned about THAT part!
Simeon: You’re right.
Simeon: …
Simeon: I don’t want to hurt you anymore.
Chise: I’m not going to stop the brothers from fucking around.
Chise: And if THEY don’t succeed in getting you to spill your guts in front of a whole classroom, in front of all your friends, in front of me, in front of Luke, I’ll be asking Sol directly.
Chise: Do you want to hurt HIM like that? To KEEP hurting him? I’ve held him while he’s cried over you, without knowing what’s going on.
Chise: If I ask him, he’ll tell me. Even though he doesn’t want to, either!
Chise: But if that’s what it has to take at this point, fine. So be it.
Simeon: Please, no.
Simeon: Oh, Chise, when you lay it all out like this… I’ve been a terrible partner to you.
Simeon: I can’t believe I let it get to this point.
Simeon: I’m so, so sorry.
Chise: I should have said all of this a long time ago.
Chise: Even though I really have been begging all along.
Chise: But you’ve been making me feel so afraid to KEEP begging because of how much YOU’RE afraid to talk to me…
Chise: I’ve been waiting all of this time, not trying to push, not trying to pry it out of you or Sol, hoping against hope that you WILL trust me, that you DO trust me. That YOU’D come to ME.
Chise: But that’s not the case, is it…?
Chise: You DID let it get to this point, Simeon.
Simeon: Come to your room in the human world at 9 p.m. tonight.
Chise: My room in the *human world*?
Chise: What on Earth…?
Simeon: I’ll tell you everything.
Simeon: I’ll see you then.
Simeon: I’m so, so sorry. I love you.
I sniffled as I turned into Solomon’s embrace, who’d been reading my texts with Simeon over my shoulder with his arms around me.
He wrapped me tighter to him with a sigh, rubbing my back. “I’m sorry. I take him there now and then so that Luke doesn’t walk in…”
“So you’ll be there…?”
“Yeah.” I felt him swallow hard. “Though, if you need some privacy…”
I shook my head. “I’m glad you’ll be there for me.”
He kissed the crown of my hair. “Always, ahuvati…”
“Solomon…” I lifted my face, and my hand, running my fingers over his cheek. “I forgot to tell you… That whenever I feel panicked, whenever I feel my control over my magic slip, it’s your voice I hear.”
“Wh…” He blinked at me in shock. "Mine…?"
“All that you’ve taught me.” I cupped his jaw. “Your calm voice and wisdom. Your patience, when you’re teaching me. The way you guide me… It’s you who pulls me through. Your words, your voice. Your face.”
“Ahu…vati…” He blinked rapidly, eyes very quickly becoming damp.
“So of course I want you there.” I smiled weakly at him, my own eyes wet as well. “You might have to catch your apprentice if her teleportation has her falling flat on her face, after all. Ahuvi…”
He let out a single strained laugh, before pressing his lips together tightly to stop their tremble, nodding wordlessly.
After cuddling me for a while, after putting himself back together again, he finally spoke.
“After you're mad at him, Chise... Love him. He's suffered enough.”
I pressed my face against him. “I’ll always love him. And you.” I abruptly went silent. For a moment, I went still. “…Wait.” I pulled away to look up at him again, with a sudden realization settling uneasily in my chest. “Solomon, you don’t see my relationship with you being contingent on Simeon and I staying together, do you?”
“Oh…” He smiled down at me. “No, no. Of course not. I don’t think that. We got together before all of this, after all…”
His smile was not reaching his eyes.
My own widened at the confirmation I saw in them, despite how relaxed he was keeping his face otherwise. “…Because that’s not true. No matter what happens between Sim and I, you and I have each other. Separately.”
“Well…” He laughed softly. “Of course that’s nice to hear.”
“Solomon!” I cupped his face, my eyes widening with the horror that was dawning on me. “What’s it going to take, to convince you of how much I love you? That there’s no hidden ‘requirement’ that you have to meet to stay important to–”
He hissed through his teeth as he abruptly grabbed me up in his arms, holding me tightly with a press of his forehead into my shoulder. Squeezing me tight. Curling around my shorter height, his muscles bunched with his grip.
“…Oh, you silly man.” I grabbed him tightly back, squeezing my eyes shut as I turned my face to nuzzle into his hair. “You silly, foolish man of mine. I love you so much.”
I’d left the House of Lamentation to sit outside, alone, on a park bench.
Staring down at my D.D.D. in my hand, watching the time tick slowly towards 9 p.m.
Quiet. Silence. A little chilled on my arms. But I ignored the goosebumps that rose on them. I guess I didn’t even feel them at all.
It was my mind that raced, my thoughts roaring, ripping through all of the possibilities.
I was trying to prepare myself for the worst. But what could be the worst…? I spiralled and spiralled, trying to find the bottom. This is the worst. No, this is worse. This is so much worse.
What could be so bad – SO bad – that it would come to this…?
Where I wasn’t trusted. But Solomon was… And Lucifer, and Barbatos, and Diavolo. Why did they get to know, and not me? Why was Simeon so terrified to tell me? What could be so bad, that he’d lock me out…
No, this is the worst. This. This is. This is.
I touched the feather at my neck absently.
Nothing.
This… This is the worst. I’ve never felt worse. Please, please, don’t let this get any worse…
8:47 p.m.
Solomon would already be there. The both of them, in our home, together. Without me. What would they be talking about right now? Right. Me, obviously. They’ll be talking about me, without me. Were they also starting at a clock, counting down the minutes? Dreading it? Dreading the moment I’d show up?
Together. Without me. They’d been meeting up there. Regularly. Together.
Without me.
8:48 p.m.
Simeon shouldn’t have any trouble dealin’ with some chimera though. I mean, angels can use the power of their blessing to– Yo, what?! Why isn’t he usin’ his power?! SIMEON!
SIMEON! MOVE! MOVE! RUN! SPIRIT OF WIND, CHISE THE SORCERER COMMANDS YOU–!
Like, why didn’t you use the power of your blessing to make a barrier…?
Hush, Mammon. Just… Sometimes people just… freeze up. Oh, Simmy…
8:49 p.m.
And sure, I’ve got Simeon with me, but still. I couldn’t help worrying when we were suddenly told to go down to the human world...
I know Simeon smiles all the time… That’s just how he is, but… I have a feeling he’s actually been feeling anxious. It’s just the sense I get.
Why are you really here? Why...
Take the blessing, my love. ...But I am here for you. Of course I am.
The Celestial Realm is where I was born and raised, so it does have a special place in my heart, naturally. But you have taken root in my heart too, Chise. And it’s you I choose. I couldn’t bear to be without you for… as long.
But… I didn’t understand. Back then, I could use my necklace with him to communicate.
Why…?
What changed…?
They said somethin’ about Michael ordering them to coordinate relations between the human world and Celestial Realm.
That should be a job for the Dominions, not Simeon or Luke.
Okay, what’re you sayin’? That those two were lyin’ to me?
No… I’m saying that Michael has something else planned.
So you’re sayin’ he’s plotting somethin’ again?
What changed…?
8:50 p.m.
What are those… fliers?
Regarding the new exchange students. This term, RAD will play host to Thirteen and…
Raphael.
I guess you could say his job was to look after Michael’s needs, no matter how unreasonable.
8:51 p.m.
What’s wrong with you, Simeon? Like, it’s one thing for me to be taken in by an illusion like that, but you?
Seriously, what’s wrong with you? You’re actin’ weird. Isn’t that right, Chise? You think so too, don’t you?
I’m an idiot. An idiot. An idiot. An idiot. An idiot. An idiot. An idiot.
Simeon, you didn’t use the power of your blessing back when that chimera attacked you, either. And now you got taken in by an illusion? That’s not like you. Somethin’s DEFINITELY not–
MAMMON, THAT’S ENOUGH.
Idiot idiot idiot idiot idiot idiot.
…Simeon should have been able to protect himself from an attack like that with no problem at all.
Shut up, Belphie!
Idiot…
D-Don’t worry about me! The angel’s blessing will keep me safe! I-I’m more worried about Belphegor!
NO! YOU CAN’T HAVE MY SIMEON!
Chise. I’d like to thank you for what you did earlier. You saved Simeon. Thank you, Chise Lightbringer.
…Idiot…
8:52 p.m.
Ugh… It’s like ya already know or somethin’. Is that it? You’re leavin’ me in the dark on this as well?
Do you know something that we don't? Is that why you're trying to stop us from figuring it out?
What do you know, Chise? What do you suspect…?
I really shouldn’t be crying already. I sniffled as I rubbed my sleeves over my eyes, trying to dry them in time. In time for eight minutes from now. No…
8:53 p.m.
For seven minutes from now.
Like, angel blessings are strong, especially two of them – which is ALSO rare by the way?!
Rare.
To be granted two blessings.
Perhaps even…
Unheard of.
…May the blessing of light burn brightly within you, and keep the darkness at bay. In the name of Simeon, Archangel, I protect thee, always…
I curled my hand into a fist around my feather crystal.
What could be… the worst thing… that could happen…?
To an angel…
A-And…I know it’s against the Realm's rules, but… I don’t care! I’m really glad that you and Simeon love each other!
I choked on a shaky breath, feeling a whimper rise up in my throat. I keened as I dropped my crystal back on my collarbone to press the heel of my palm to my forehead, squeezing my eye shut as I fought down a sob.
My blessing will protect you to a certain degree. And now I will always be with you. It is the only gift I could possibly give you that would…
Simeon… Why did you do it, Simeon…?
…I can’t hide how dear you are to me.
Simeon. I couldn’t bear it if something were to happen to you. Not on my account. Please. Oh, Simeon… please be careful, love.
Love…? Is that what I am…?
Yes. Yes. You are my love.
I love you.
I love you too.
8:55 p.m.
The minutes were slipping by too fast.
I have something for you.
My feather, from me, to you.
Listen… When you’re done with your study abroad here, how would you like to come to the Celestial Realm?
I mean it, you know? I’m serious about this. You could… be with me. We could be together. We could love each other, every single day. If that won’t work, maybe I could go with you to the human world…
Because I’d give up…
I’d give up everything.
Why, Simeon…
So you mean to tell me – again – that Simeon failed to explain life-altering Celestial Realm culture to you? That it was ASMO who had to do so?
I hit the heel of my palm against my forehead over and over again. Fool. Fool. Fool. Fool. Fool.
Idiot. Idiot! No one will have to bother to test if he has blessed you NOW. The proof is right THERE, around your neck. He'll be stripped for this if anyone finds out. What was he THINKING. Even if the commitment behind the thought were felt true, to actually go through with it...! He puts you in danger; the peace talks… dammit, he puts Luke in danger as well if he swears the boy to secrecy. He endangers himself, that’s no question, obviously. Dammit! This whole DAMNED program—
Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods, oh gods… I’d forgotten… Oh gods, oh gods…
So you realize the gravity of what that means? That this is Simeon's one and only crystallized feather that he will ever give out? And that he gave it to YOU? Have you also been told that this jewel has never, in the unfathomably long history of the Celestial Realm, been given to a mortal? To do so is so unthinkable, so heretical, that it has simply never been done before.
He'll be stripped for this if anyone finds out.
Why, why, why, why…
I don't know why he keeps doing these things that puts him in so much danger. Multiple instances... It's… perplexing.
Why me, why me, why me, why why why did you have to fall in love…
Think about it, Chise. You are my very beating heart; the sweet breath in my lungs. I know deep down in my soul that I am meant to be with you. And I want to be with you until the very end.
…with me?
A book of prophecy…? Those actually exist? And you can read the future with it?
Sort of… My readings do tend to come true, but oftentimes in ways that I did not expect in the least. So in that case, am I truly gleaning anything useful from it?
Do any of the prophecies come true in the way that you think? Or… like, are some clearer than others?
Yes. It doesn’t happen often, but some readings are much clearer than others, leaving no room for doubt in how they are interpreted. Like there are fixed points in time, in fate, that cannot be changed, no matter what.
Fixed points in time, in fate, that cannot be changed.
Can’t be changed…? What have you seen that’s fated to happen like that?
Well… for instance… and you may not believe this… but I believe I was fated to meet you.
Fated… to meet me.
Fated to love me.
And for me, to love him.
If it matters… I’d already developed feelings for you before I realized.
Because that was the point.
Fixed, fated, cannot be changed.
Is there anything else…?
He had hesitated.
…Nothing that comes to mind, or has come to pass yet. Whatever’s meant to happen, it will happen. And in between all of that, and even beyond it, I will love you. Always.
Oh gods…
FOOL FOOL FOOL FOOL FOOL FOOL FOOL!
8:57 p.m.
I’ve been… such… a fool…
SOL! HOT! IT’S HOT! BURNS! BURNS! IT BURNS! MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP!
Just a dream. Look at me, Chise. Ahuvati. Sweetheart. Just a dream.
Just a dream… There is no pain, Chise. There is no pain. Go back to sleep…
I hoped… that Solomon believed… that I couldn’t remember…
The searing heat.
And how he had wept over me, before his spell had taken me away.
8:58 p.m.
You remember when Lucifer lost his memory, right? It was a little bit after that.
Asmo could be onto something there. For once. Maybe that’s when him and Solomon started seeing each other?
Between when Lucifer regained his memory, and when Solomon went to him…
Just before we last left the Devildom again, over two months ago. After giving you the Ring of Light. I was just… He came to check on me, to see if I was all right, and, well…
“Simeon…” I whispered brokenly.
When Solomon had gone to check on him.
To see if he was all right.
After giving me…
8:59 p.m.
I’m surprised that Michael was willing to part with such a precious item from his collection of Lucifer-related memorabilia. When you said you borrowed it, perhaps what you meant was that you took it without permission?
…The Ring of Light.
Hehehe… Oh, I don’t know about that… The negotiations weren’t moving along fast enough. I just sped things up a bit.
Said so… flippantly.
I know Simeon smiles all the time…
My angel had said it so flippantly. With such a bright smile.
My angel.
I’ve noticed that you’ve stopped calling him your–
I shuddered out an exhale.
…That I’d stopped calling him my angel.
“Sol,” I whispered next. “Oh, Solomon… I’m so… so…”
My shoulders slumped. I gripped my necklace again. I felt…
Resigned. Defeated. Empty.
I took a small breath. My voice. My spell. My cadence. Sounded empty.
Small, in the dark.
“…In the name of the sorcerer Chise, I command you…”
Left in the dark.
9:00 p.m.
“…Create a path where there is none, and lead me where I wish to go…”
I was just wishing I could have you for a guardian angel.
Are you in need a guardian angel, Simeon…?
Aha… Angels don’t have them.
You keep trying to do these things on your own. Don’t you want me to be there for you…?
…Once, Lucifer had said something… Something that has stuck with me ever since. Something that I’ll never forget. That changed me. He was in so much pain, filled with so much rage when he said it… He said that he didn’t know what Father wanted from him. That he didn’t understand what He wanted. He… begged. Begged to understand what it was that He wanted of him.
I keep thinking about what he said… I can’t get it out of my head. What is it that Father really wants from us…? To doubt Him in any way is wrong, but… the questions keep eating away at me. I just… don’t know what to do.
Small room... for wings.
Oh, I understand. They're lovely, and sweet, but we don't need them.
So there's another favourite of me?
You never showed me your wings until I visited the Celestial Realm, you know. The MOMENT I first laid eyes on you, I thought you were HOT. I thought to myself, this is the most beautiful man I have ever seen in my LIFE. Instant crush.
Instant crush for me, too.
Noooo… You don't need to say those things back.
I'll always tell you the truth of what I feel for you. So tell me... What about me attracted you so quickly?
Not like you to be vain.
Humour me.
Your shoulders, your collarbone, your… hips… your hair… So full, so thick, dark and beautiful. And oh, Simeon... Your BEAUTIFUL eyes... Your beautiful, kind, sweet eyes. Your lovely, patient smile. And most of all… Your beautiful, breathy voice, so calm, so…
So perfect. The most beautiful man, the most beautiful soul, that I had ever seen.
…Actually, I was… essential to their escape. Such as it was…
Your brothers are here today, to live another day. Thank you. Thank you. Oh, Simeon… Without you, I wouldn’t even exist.
Full circle.
Fate.
Oh, my love… You are truly… the very best angel.
Perhaps being an angel is not what it has always been made out to be. Perhaps I don’t make for a very good one.
That’s not true, that’s not true, oh, my love, it can’t be true…
I want you to feel safe coming to me. Always. To trust me to shelter you. If I can’t be your guardian, I want to be your refuge. And I want you to see me as your refuge, too.
It’s you who is the angel…
I’m getting the sense that being human is the better option, actually.
…Perhaps you’re right.
Simeon.
I was so callous.
I was supposed to be your refuge.
What do you suspect, Chise…?
Solomon…
Solomon.
I suspect the worst.
I spun in golden light.
I should have been there by now… Well past now, actually.
My Ring of Light carried me as though I were in a bubble. Like I was in some sort of stream. Moving against a current. Slowly. Pushing against some sort of invisible resistance.
Did something go wrong with my spell…?
This golden light…
This light. Simeon’s fear.
"Hello again, Chise."
…No. Leave me the fuck alone.
"You must understand."
No. I could never understand you.
"You have taken the first step on a path you cannot turn back from."
"If you’d like, I could turn it back. Turn you back."
Stop testing me! I gave you my answer last time!
"This is your last chance."
If you actually wanted to change things, if you actually had that power, you’d have done it yourself.
LET ME GO TO THEM.
A sigh.
"Very well. Continue to be Barbatos’ pawn in his schemes."
…What?
"Off you go, Lightbringer. Don’t say I didn’t warn you."
“Solomon.” Simeon took his hand, lacing their fingers together. “There’s one thing that neither of us can tell her, that we take to the other side."
"What...?"
"I won't tell her that it was you who put us on this path. That we both chose to let her survive it. That you manipulated time with Barbatos to save her over me."
Solomon bowed his head in shame. "Oh gods, Simeon..."
"Understand?" He brushed his thumb over his lover’s hand. "She's going to need you. You're going to need her."
"I'm so, so..."
"Just like you, she's not going to understand that this was a knot. That me losing my wings to save her was unchangeably fated. That we both would come to love her so, so much." He smiled. "Thanks for loving her, too."
"Simeon..." Solomon blinked back tears. “I’ve been making... another potion."
Simeon tilted his head. "Another potion? What kind?"
"A potion of immortality…” He choked on the next words. “I just have to collect the person's tears. One… dose… is all I can…”
"...Oh, oh my goodness..." Simeon's face softened. "So you did know how, all this time...? Oh, Solomon. That makes me so, so happy, that she's going to live happily ever after with you."
Solomon shuddered out a small sob. Of course. Of course he wouldn’t even hesitate in believing that it was for her. All for her. And not a drop of it for him.
If Simeon had asked... If he were the sort of person who would beg for his own life...
Solomon might be making a different choice.
But that was not who Simeon was...
He'd already made that choice. Solomon had put him on that path himself.
They both agreed, with no words said on it.
The tears he would be collecting tonight...
...would be Chise's.
"Thank goodness," Simeon sighed, closing his eyes with a smile. "Oh, thank goodness. That makes me so happy. That you two will go on together. Oh, that makes it so much more worth the trade, that I gave her – that both of us, together, are giving her – so much more time than we thought. We've done so much good. So much good for the realms. And for her. And for you. The two of you will be so good..."
"...You will ALWAYS be my guardian angel."
"You will always be my humans of refuge." Simeon's smile widened as he reached to trace the curve of Solomon's cheekbone. “My beautiful, loving souls.”
"Stop. Please, just stop.” Solomon squeezed his eyes shut, shuddering at his touch. “Please stop being so..."
"Being so...?"
"Being so, so beautiful…” Solomon sucked in a ragged inhale. “…I just can't take how beautiful you are.”
“Oh, Solomon… What have I done to you…?”
"Off you go, Lightbringer. Don’t say I didn’t warn you."
I opened my eyes with a gasp, stumbling forward to catch myself on the edge of my bedside table before I pitched over onto the bed.
The bed.
I met their eyes, rounded in shock, with Solomon’s arm held out to where he could have caught me if I’d continued in my stumble.
“Chise, are you–"
“Wh-What time is it?”
They glanced between each other.
“…Nine o’clock,” Simeon whispered. “Chise, sweetie, you’re pale…”
I swallowed to steady myself, blinking to steady my dizziness, turning my focus to them. To them. On the bed. Simeon had no shirt on. Solomon’s palm on his back.
I took in a shuddering breath. “…Show me.”
“Show…? Chise, you should sit–"
“Show me your wings, Simeon.”
He squeezed his eyes shut, bowing his head for a moment, taking a shuddering breath. “Chise…”
“Your wings… Please…”
He looked back up.
He just looked at me. Brokenly.
“Simeon…” I whispered hoarsely.
And then I touched my necklace.
He made a noise of hopelessness in his throat, shoulders slumping further under Sol’s touch.
Holding my eyes with his.
While I held my necklace.
Eyes locked in despair.
Hear me! Hear me! Hear me!
Please, please, hear me. Repeat what I say back.
Slowly, he shook his head.
Nothing. Nothing. Silence…
My pleas falling on deafened ears.
“Turn around…”
My voice broke on my words.
“…My love…”
“Turn around!” I cried to him, still holding the pendant as I took a step forward. “Show me your back, Sim!”
Solomon laid a gentle hand on his shoulder, before encouraging him to twist. Simeon slumped, closing his eyes as he shifted on the bed to turn.
“No…” I choked, shaking my head, tears welling in my eyes. “No…”
I had known all along.
I had just refused to look it in the eye.
And now… I wailed my grief.
You must understand something very important – angels do not shed their feathers like birds do. They are only lost in one of two ways: through a voluntary plucking, or through violence.
I screamed with that grief of mine, clutching my fists over my thundering heart, bending forward in a curl, bending my knees, my buckling knees.
Because there they were...
The scars. Those fresh, searing scars. An angry red.
In the end, after their fall, the brothers' wings had turned black. They had no scarring, because their wings had not sundered.
Except for Lucifer’s.
Lucifer, who had torn off his own wings in violence.
In violence...
Simeon bore those scars now. The scars of violence.
A fate not even cursed on the brothers.
Not even cursed on Lucifer, who had done it to himself.
But Simeon.
His back to me...
Condemned beyond the rebels themselves.
Stripped.
To take one, rather than have it plucked from the angel themselves in willingness, is considered an act of unthinkable violence.
Violence... Violence... Violence, against the best of all angels.
Who was angel no more.
“…How…” I began in a broken whisper of disbelief. “How have I not seen those… When we’ve been in bed together…”
“Sol has been hiding them for me,” he whispered.
“I’m so sorry, ahuvati…”
I felt myself sinking.
“Chise…!” Solomon scrambled off the bed to catch me in his arms.
"None of the other brothers have those!" I wailed again, clutching Solomon for support. "WHY DO YOU HAVE THOSE?!"
“My dear,” Solomon breathed shakily by my ear. “Please, come sit with us. This isn’t… how this was supposed to go. Come on.”
I allowed him to pull me back up, and to lead me over to the bed, where he sat me down. Allowed him, because I was a woman completely defeated anyway.
But face to face with Simeon’s back. The raggedness of them. The puckered, red flesh.
It broke me all over again.
This… This was so much worse. This was so much worse than I thought…
I threw myself on him, my lungs screaming for denied breath as I simply exhaled through the screaming without pause to inhale for more. Feral. Rabid. I felt insane. I was insane.
“I’m okay…” he whispered, pressed forward in a lean as I clawed at his scarred back, his voice soft in the face of my screaming. “I’m okay…”
“NO…!” I choked. “NO! I DID… THIS! I DID THIS! I DID–"
“No.” He turned to take me in his arms. I wailed as I struggled against him, beating at his chest with the palms of my hands, slapping the heels of them in dull thuds to the muscle there. “It was foretold.”
“NO!” I screamed against his chest. “THAT’S NOT HOW THIS WORKS!”
“It is,” he murmured.
“Chise…” Solomon laid his hand on my shoulder. “He saw this, a long time ago.”
“I DON’T CARE! WE COULD HAVE CHANGED IT!”
I could have changed it…
“No. Chise. Chise…” He took my wrist gently to stop my pounding fist on his shoulder. “The book can’t be changed. By anyone. Many, many, many people have tried–"
If you’d like, I could turn it back. Turn you back. This is your last chance.
I sobbed noisily against him. “Y-You traded… I didn’t… No… Gods, no…”
“A worthy trade,” he murmured gently into my hair, stroking.
“No… No… Like Lucifer’s scars,” I moaned miserably, dragging my nails down his bare chest, over and over. “On his back… I could have…”
Her feather… That is all that you would change? Not the outcome of the war? Or... how it started?
No.
Whyever not?
There’s nothing to change… What could I have really even changed…?
…This is your last chance.
Stop testing me! I gave you my answer last time!
“Lucifer’s…” Simeon breathed a sigh. “I should have known…”
“I’ve never so much as seen his in a swimsuit,” Solomon murmured.
I let out a horrible sob. “Like Satan’s marks… Ripped from violence…”
Simeon sucked in a breath in between his teeth. “Lucifer and Satan have…?”
“I-I'm just… mortal… You… traded… for nothing!”
“No, no…” He hummed a soft tune lightly as he took me fully into his arms, rocking me gently. “Sweetie… You’re unimaginably important…”
I felt Solomon’s arms embrace the two of us, his chin resting on the top of my head.
I wept quietly now, going limp in their arms with hopelessness. Too late. It’s too late.
“Here, Chise. Properly now…” Simeon pulled me to him as he adjusted his legs underneath me on the bed. “Just like that day in the classroom, when I held you on my lap and blessed you. Would you sit on my lap now while I tell you the whole story?”
I was already there. Already curled up against him. To be rocked in his arms.
"This is the first time I'm telling the story in full, by my own free will, from my own lips. Solomon will listen, too. I'm not sure if he knows everything, since we've discussed it all in bits and pieces..."
"I'm listening," Solomon said softly, curling up a bit himself to rest his head on Simeon’s shoulder.
Simeon sighed softly into my hair, his other arm wrapping around Solomon’s shoulders to pull him in.
“I think it’s been… fairly obvious by now, that I can no longer use the power of the angel’s blessing. I know that you figured that out on your own the hard way. I’m so, so sorry. I knew I needed to face the truth, but I was confused, and I didn’t know how. Solomon and the others figured out what was going on and confronted me about it. But this is the first time I’ve actually revealed it to anyone myself. In my own words… You’re both special to me, and I care about you. So I’m going to be honest with you.”
Please. Don’t be any worse.
“I can’t use the power of the angel’s blessing anymore. Because I’m not actually an angel.”
I shuddered. “Are you… like the brothers…”
“No, no,” he said softly. “I haven’t turned into a demon. What I’m trying to say is… I’m a human now.”
“You’re…” I breathed rapidly. “You’re…”
“I’m not an angel anymore. I’m a human, just like you.”
“But… but… but…”
“I’m mortal now, Chise.”
“…No, no, no…” My voice was so small. So pathetic. “This is my fault…”
Chise, I pray for your happiness and well-being. From now on, that ring will serve to protect you. May you be blessed with joy and good fortune.
I broke on a sob. “Why… Why…”
He shook his head into my hair. “This isn’t your fault at all. Please, I don’t want you saying things like that. We all did what we had to do. It’s nobody’s fault. I told you once, that often, prophecy is so very vague. But on occasion, some come to me through that book as moments of great significance. Great importance. Me, meeting you…”
I shook my head.
He dropped his voice into a softer whisper. “I didn’t know it, didn’t know who you were yet, when I first laid eyes on you. I told you that. But so very quickly, I knew… Just as I knew that I would trade my wings for your life.”
“Please… no…”
He laughed so very softly. “But the prophecy didn’t specify how. So I threw all caution to the wind. And oh, how it made me love you all the more for it, that I got to truly show… how much I loved you. To all.”
“Your blessing…” I choked out. “Dancing with me, in front of…”
“All my peers, yes. Whatever it took for me to be stripped.”
“The crystal…”
He reached up to press his palm to it over my chest. “Given purely out of true love for you. But… hah… another flaunt, to be sure. Because I was desperate to lose my wings. As soon as possible. To save your life. I didn’t know when it would happen, or how. Neither when I’d lose my wings or when your life would be endangered. So I raced against the clock… Doing whatever I could, flaunting every rule.”
“You… You idiot…”
“And then…” He kissed my hair again. “There it was… The Ring of Light. Every other action I had taken, I felt as though I fumbled forward blindly towards a goal obscured. But then… 'The Ring of Light could save her, if we had it.' Those words. They rang… And I knew. The fog cleared. The goal – my fate, my destiny – right there. The one thing that only I could do for you. Me, the only one who could save your life. A knot in the timeline, where fates converged in an overlap. Where the Book of Prophecy shows truest. Inevitable. And please believe me, it was all so willingly given…”
“I’m so… so sorry… I'm so… I am so…”
“Hush now.” He cupped the back of my head. "Chise... I already knew I was going to lose my wings. I had prophesized it a long, long time ago, and the revelation came to me as a fixed point in time. Fated. It was NEVER going to not happen to me. And the moment it occurred to me to take the Ring of Light... I was at peace with it. For thousands of years, the idea of losing my wings weighed on me. But the moment I realized WHY I would lose them, I finally understood: I'd lose them for love. And I'd do it again. Without hesitation, I would do it time and time again for you. Of course I would lose my wings for you. How could I not?” He buried his face against me at the sound of my next sob. “Sweetest heart… I love you with every piece of me. You are worth it. I understand now, and I am so, so happy.”
I was slumped against him now. Wordless. Unblinking.
“…Simeon,” Solomon said hoarsely. “You need to tell her the rest.”
Simeon sighed.
I waited for it. Empty. I couldn’t be any emptier.
“…The words of my sentence: 'Like sister Lilith before him, for his theft of a precious treasure of the Realm, for his treason in tampering with and extending the life of a human. Archangel Simeon, archangel no more, has been cast out and left to obscurity, to live his remaining mortal days as human. His name will die with him, his human lineage ended before it even begins, for he is made sterile, and will not be allowed to father children. The Demon Prince’s grievous mistake will not be allowed to be repeated. His angel blood dies with him.’”
I shuddered. My tears fell quietly now, streaking down my wet cheeks in fat droplets. Wet. My whole face. My eyes. Vision blurred. Cuddled to…
My mortal, human partner.
Like Lilith, who stole fruit, to cure her human lover. A precious ring taken, to extend my life.
"I'm... lucky that they didn't condemn me to Lilith's fate. Her original sentence, of course, was for her soul to be erased entirely from existence. But…" he hesitated, “…they foresaw another war if they’d repeated that sentence, so this was the compromise.”
Of course they did. I commanded seven of the rulers of the Devildom. I would have torn heaven, earth, and hell itself apart if they had tried.
The compromise to annihilation: to have his wings torn from his back in unthinkable violence.
I would have torched… everything, in my grief.
Both were horrifying fates within angel society. It was a message to the rest: Don’t fall out of line, or this is what will become of you. A human’s lifespan compared to that of an angel’s – they may as well have made him nothing.
It was nothing for them to give him to us in this compromise. He was made dead anyway.
“War? Yes,” Solomon said tersely. “They were quite right to think that.”
Yes. Like the brothers, I would have torched it all, with Solomon at my side. The unstoppable human partners to the archangel Simeon.
I could only take comfort in the thought that they must have been pissing themselves in fear while they quibbled over what to do with Simeon. A ‘mere archangel’ – made powerful by his outsider allies. How terrifying for them…
Good.
"Don’t say that,” Simeon said in a strained whisper. “No more talks of violence. Please.”
I shook my head slowly. “I’ll never forgive them. I’ll never forgive them…”
“Please, no more of that. From either of you. …But yes. They were scared of you. Of the Devildom, in some ways... Of the brothers' influence here. But mostly, they feared the two of you." Simeon gave us both a small, sad smile. "My human protectors. With your unimaginable powers combined, your close ties with the Devildom, your pacts… your love saved my life.” He gave a strained chuckle. “How’s that for influence...? That you have the Heavens themselves watching you with apprehension, your presence a weight in their decision-making. More so than even the seven brothers. Two humans..."
"But my very existence did this," I replied hoarsely. "Because I exist, this happened."
He let out a deep sigh. "And thank the stars for that..."
"No..."
"And around and around, regret goes." He took my hand in his, his touch gentle. "I know what it is that you feel, Chise. I know regret well. Regret drives me. Regret, that I didn't take a larger role in the rebellion. Regret, that I did not fall with my brothers and my sister, at their side." His eyes slid to hold Solomon's gaze. "Regret..."
Solomon nodded quietly at the look.
Simeon sighed again.
I, on the other hand, was shuddering again. "You... You regret that."
"Yes," he confirmed easily, with a gentle smile. "I've regretted it deeply since. And so, I will assure you, sweetheart – whether it was now, or in a thousand years, or ten thousand hence – this would have been the result of that regret. Even without your existence, my doubts would have grown too large for Father to ignore eventually. The day the brothers were condemned... my fate was already sealed. The seed of my own rebellion already planted. It was only a matter of time before I turned my back on that life, as the seven of them all had the courage to do, so long before I could. They did it for love. And now, so have I."
I shook my head, tears filling my eyes again. I was speechless. The hard lump in my throat refused to ease. I choked on another sob. I just wanted to… stop.
"No?" He tilted his head at the shake of mine. "You don't think it's worth it, to sacrifice for love? What about the brothers, who had sacrificed for Lilith, out of their love for her? Do you truly see it as being different from them standing for her, as I stand for you? What would you have done, Chise? For the brothers, for a beloved sister… or for me?"
“…Simeon. Oh, gods..."
He pressed my hand over his heart. "So allow me to love as deeply. Everyone deserves such a love. To love so deep. As I love you."
I pressed my other hand over top of his on his chest, squeezing my eyes shut against the tears. Still, they rolled down my cheeks. "…As I love you… I’m with you…"
"Thank you." He leaned forward to brush his kiss to my forehead. "I'm blessed by you. You really are something, Chise… Too forgiving. More so than I could possibly deserve. But even so, I can’t even begin to tell you how reassuring it is to hear you say that…”
“…I feel like I’m dying,” I whispered brokenly.
“Oh, sweetheart…” He dipped his head down to press his forehead to mine. “I’m so sorry to place this grief on you… I never, ever wanted to hurt you.”
I felt Solomon press his hand over top of mine, that was over Simeon’s heart.
"...Sol..."
His name left my throat as a croak.
"I'm here, Chise."
"As you always have been here for us," Simeon whispered, turning his face to press his nose into Solomon’s hair. "For me. I've put such a burden on you..."
"You're both my humans..." Sol curled around us, tucking his knees in under my thighs. "Both of you... My humans… Mine…"
I slipped my hand out from between his and Simeon's, to place mine on top of both of theirs instead.
Humans. Mortal. Mortal humans.
His lovers. Who would both grow old. And die.
Without him.
He would lose. Again. When he could have had one of us...
I squeezed my eyes closed as I curled my fingers around his. Oh, Solomon... Your grief must be so much heavier than my own. Weighed down by the eons of your loneliness.
It must hurt so much, to be caught in this cycle of passion.
“…Ahuvi," I said weakly.
He brushed his thumb against my hand. "I'm here, ahuvati. I’m right here."
If they had both just allowed me to die, like I was supposed to... they could have had their own happily ever after. Sol wouldn’t lose. Not anymore.
But now Sol knows tragedy again. His old tired friend. He’s going to watch it all fall apart, slowly, all over again.
He must be feeling... so desperate.
A desperate man. His hand held quietly in mine. Unshaking. Solid for me.
Was he mad, too? As mad as I felt? Was this what it felt like? To lose? Was this why he was how he was? Why he was so reckless? So fearless? Because he had nothing left to fear, stalked as he was by the inevitable? Grown used to it – resigned to it. Fearless, because he was burnt from it. Burnt out.
Already lost.
It should be the human experience. We lose each other to death. To disease, to accidents… All, to time. Slowly, suddenly. My father walked the sudden path. Now Simeon walked on the same path as me. The slower one. Oh, gods, please… Let it be the slower one.
He walked with me. We would be together. Hand-in-hand. Until the very end of us both. Together.
So why did it feel…
Like I’d lost…?
Why did I feel…
This sense of doom…?
Why did it feel like I was now on a path I couldn't turn from...?
You have taken the first step on a path you cannot turn back from.
“Ahuvi…” I broke out into more quiet sobs, shuddering with them in Simeon’s arms. “Ahuvi…”
“I’m here, ahuvati,” came his choked voice, unseen by my hot tears. “Ahuvati, I’m right here…”
You have taken the first step on a path you cannot turn back from.
If you’d like, I could turn it back. Turn you back.
This is your last chance.
What would have been the consequences for making such a choice? What would the cost have been? What would have been asked of me, in exchange? Some sort of… switch? To become His pawn? Would I have been asked to sacrifice my freedom? My own life, in exchange for their happily ever after?
In that moment, in their arms, I didn’t care about what the cost would have been. Like Simeon, I’d have given it all up. For them. I’d pay it. If He came down to me right now, and told me the price, I’d pay it.
But He did not come down. No matter how hard I prayed in that moment.
I squeezed my eyes shut, spilling the last of the tears that had beaded there.
I saw the moonlight fireflies behind the lids of my eyes.
I'm yours. For the rest of our lives.
I can't imagine my life without you. You are my anchor, Sim...
So don't imagine it. I will share in all of your life. In every joy, and ever grief. I'll be walking hand in hand with you through it all, to experience it all. You are mine, and I am yours.
Gods, Simeon. Promise...
I promise. I promise. I've found the freedom to truly love in you. I'm going to cherish it. Cherish you. I will cherish this whole life with you.
Oh, Simeon… You've been telling me this… all of this… this whole time…
And I’d refused to listen.
My prayers, my desperate pleas for His mercy, went unanswered.
This was so much worse than I could have ever imagined.
If you’d like, I could turn it back.
Whatever it took…
I wish I could turn it all back…
Tell me the truth and I'll believe it
But only what I want to know
I've already eaten the apple
Tell me my place and I'll belong there
As if my eyes have always been closed
I've already eaten the apple
And I want to come home
God I want to come home
Please let there be some kind of mercy
To pick the locks of these garden gates
Better yet, could there be a party
To mark the end of knowledge and pain
I'm only a cloud of atoms
I'm only a ocean of nerves
Now I believe, I believe that I'm ready
To forget everything that I've learned
Help me remember
Please help me remember
Help me remember
I'm already home
I'm already home
I'm already home
I'm already home
I'm already home
Tell Me the Truth and I'll Believe It
– Sleeping At Last, Philip Shepherd
Simeon: Hello, Lucifer.
Lucifer: Hello, Simeon.
Simeon: I’m with Chise and Solomon. I’ve told her.
Lucifer: I assumed. Thank you for telling me.
Lucifer: How is she?
Simeon: How do you think?
Simeon: She's finally asleep.
Lucifer: Of course.
Lucifer: Do you need anything?
Simeon: Could you walk her home tomorrow morning? I don’t want her to be alone. I think she needs you in particular right now.
Lucifer: Yes, of course. I’ll be there.
Notes:
Is it 'tehrs make teers,' or 'teers make tehrs'? Or 'teers make teers' or 'tehrs make tehrs'?
Chapter 44: Chapter 77-A: The Cost Of A Wish
Chapter Text
It’s OK. I know that to be human is to be farsighted. But feel me now, walking the chambers of your heart, pressing my palms to the soft walls of your living. Why did no one tell us that to die is to be reincarnated in those we love while they are still alive?
Ask me the altitude of heaven, and I will answer, “How tall are you?”
In my back pocket is a love note with every word you wish you’d said. At night I sit ecstatic at the loom weaving forgiveness into our worldly regrets.
– Love Letter From the After Life, Andrea Gibson
Despite how unfathomable it had seemed to me the night before, I had woken up to a brand new day. To the sunlight of the human world streaming through our blinds in our bedroom at home, entangled in Simeon and Solomon’s limbs as they held me, snuggling me between them in their own sleep.
I had closed my eyes while held in their arms – and then I’d woken up, still alive. Simeon, stirring with me. Solomon, still snoring softly. Alive. The three of us, and a new day.
And just like that, time continued on its way forward.
Dragging me, and my fresh grief, along with it. Whether I was ready to face the day or not.
Lucifer quietly swung the door of the House of Lamentation open for us both, his large gloved hand still holding my small, never having left it since he’d first taken it in his when he’d met me at Purgatory Hall. I hadn’t asked for him to come. Maybe Simeon or Solomon had asked him… I could have just teleported straight home myself, so I wasn’t really sure why it’d been set up for him to take me home.
But then I walked with him, hand in hand. Beside this tall and pale yet darkly-clad man, with his stern and serious expression. Who slowed his long-legged pace to match mine. My hand, dwarfed in his warm gloves like a child’s. Silent, all the way home. He’d taken me on the longer, more private path home, not the one that cut through the city. It’d only been the wind in the trees, and the sound of his booted footsteps, and the occasional scuff of my smaller sneakers. He hadn’t even so much as looked at me the entire time. He’d just looked straight ahead, face grave, in my company.
And I had needed that desperately.
I blinked as he pulled me gently by my hand into our house, my eyes adjusting to the warm orange light within, from the cool blues and white moonlight from outside. It hadn’t been cold outside, but there was always a certain ‘chill’ to the cooler tones of the Devildom. Peaceful, but not warm.
He kept his hand in mine as we both stepped into the foyer together. Into warmth, and the sounds of the brothers’ voices drifting through the hall as they talked.
Back with my family.
“Would you like me to escort you straight to your room, or mine?” Lucifer murmured to me, the first words he had spoken to me since we had left Purgatory Hall. “I will ensure your absolute privacy today, if that’s what you wish. No one will bother you.”
That was quite the choice. I felt uncertain to be given it. If I was so unsure, it would be safer to take the privacy, so I wouldn’t risk being overwhelmed.
“…What if you broke down in tears?” came Belphie’s softer, higher voice from the living room. The nicer living room. “I bet that would work like a charm on someone like Simeon.”
“Why not try tickling him?” came Satan’s voice next. “That might get you somewhere.”
“How about you throw some money his way?” Mammon suggested, uselessly. “I bet he’d feel like talkin’ then.”
“Come on, I need you guys to take this seriously!” said Luke, in his petulant, childish voice.
Lucifer snorted derisively at my side, finally dropping my hand to remove his coat. “What are those fools planning now?”
“We are taking it seriously,” Satan replied to Luke. “Very seriously.”
“Yeah!” Mammon said as well. “And anyway, how’re we s’posed to know how to get Simeon to talk? You’re askin’ the impossible here.”
“…Chise.”
My head was turned from Lucifer’s knuckle under my chin. Back to face him.
He smiled affectionately down at me. “Do what you will, little duck. You can find me in my study when you need a lap. As ever.”
I gave him a wavering smile as I touched my palm to his arm. “I love you. Thank you.”
He hummed in amusement as he leaned down to kiss my forehead. “I love you too. I regret to say that they’ll notice the puffiness of your eyes. I thought you should know.”
I nodded. “I guess that’s what I’m most worried about…”
“But if it weren’t for that, you’d be in there already in their company.” He shook his head. “Never mind it. Just go to them. Lie through your teeth. Say that you and Solomon have broken up for good.”
I snorted. “Trying to cheer me up? Or trying to hint at something regarding my relationship with Solomon?”
He quirked a smile. “Is it working?”
I giggled quietly. “Which one?”
He chuckled too, brushing another kiss to my brow. “Exactly. Go on now, lamb. To my Brothers From Hell, where you belong.”
“I belong with you as well,” I countered softly.
He ran his fingers through my hair, pushing a few strands from my forehead. “I already had the honour of getting to you first.”
I bumped my forehead lightly to his with a sigh, and a small, sad smile. “Avatar of Pride… So competitive… Whatever shall I do with you?”
He chuckled again, so soft. Eyes, so soft.
I tilted my chin up to catch his lips gently against mine. A grazing kiss. “I’ll come to you later.”
He kissed me back sweetly. “Good girl. I know you will.” He straightened with a heaving sigh, before turning me around to give me a gentle push towards the living room. “Brothers From Hell indeed. I haven’t strung them up yet since they were so worried over your absence last night. So get as much time in with them as you can, before I grace the stairwell with their struggling bodies, to dance to their echoing screams.”
I snorted as I parted from him, with a shake of my head.
“…Look, Chise’s back.” Belphie brightened like the sun, smiling with a rare show of teeth as he caught sight of me. “Hey.”
“Hey, Belph,” I greeted him softly, with a smile of own – one of surprising relief.
Though his expression didn’t change, I felt his eyes scan my face quickly to assess me. His smile widened in understanding. My ally, should things turn prying.
“Oh, and so is Lucifer,” Luke said too, as he craned his next to catch sight of him from around the corner while he hung his coat. “Hello…”
Lucifer glanced into the room, before giving a nod. “Hello.”
“Wh…?!” Mammon looked between the two of us, perplexed. “Lucifer! What’re you and Chise doin’ coming home TOGETHER, huh?!”
“I’ll be in my study.”
“Dammit, Lucifer!” Mammon yelled out after him. “Are ya even listenin’ to me?!”
Satan, after having glanced at me to assess my dispiritedness as well, gave a fake sigh. “I’m going to head to my room, too.”
“Satan.” Lucifer nodded to the side. “Take the loudmouth here along with you.”
“Ugh…” Satan slumped. “Why are you dumping him on me? …Come on, Mammon. Time to go.”
I raised my eyebrows up in surprise. He was probably hoping that I’d go to his room to talk one-on-one later, but he’d just agreed to what Lucifer ordered of him.
“YO, HUH?!” Mammon growled as he was grabbed roughly by the back of his jacket. “Who’re you callin’ a loudmouth?! Gr… SATAN! Don’t DRAG me by the scruff of my neck! DAMMIT, I ain't a cat!”
I shook my head with a fond smile as I watched my fiery soul and ’the loudmouth’ go squabbling down the hall. Well, my choice of hanging out with them all seemed to be quickly dissipating.
But I found that I didn’t mind. I found that I was being respected in a way. They’d all taken a look at my face, at my puffy eyes, and decided not to be assholes about it.
Though I somehow doubted I’d be extended this grace, this respect for my visible fragility, for too long. They were, after all, actively planning on ambushing Simeon for the same reasons.
Sillies…
“…Umm…” came Luke’s little voice. “Okay then, um… I think maybe I’ll go ahead and–"
I turned to him. “I’d like to talk to you for a minute if I could.”
He scuffed his feet on the floor shyly. “You need to talk to me…?”
Lucifer nodded, before finally turning to the hall himself, free of hellish distraction. “I’ll leave him in your capable hands, Chise.”
Belphie hummed as he curled up on the couch by the fireplace, one eye cracked still to watch us all leave from under his fringe. He slow-blinked at me in acknowledgment as I gave him a farewell-for-now wave.
Luke sat quietly on my bed, his feet not reaching the floor, just like mine. He twiddled his thumbs in his lap for a bit in silence, chewing on his bottom lip while he looked down. Digesting it.
And then, he gave me a small, brave smile. “…I see. So Simeon decided to talk to you, huh?”
“Yeah…” I rested my palm on his back. “Though I can’t get into any specifics.”
He nodded. And didn’t even look at his lap while he did. He held eye contact in the face of his disappointment. Brave boy. “Yeah, I know. And I’d like to hear the truth straight from Simeon himself, just like you did. So I’m not going to ask you what he said.”
I smiled gently at him. “You’re so kind.”
He sighed, finally glancing away. “You know… The old me would probably be jealous that Simeon chose to tell you and not me. I’d be off sulking somewhere right now. I was so convinced that Simeon didn’t have faith in me, and that’s why he wouldn’t talk to me about what was going on.”
I nodded, forcing myself to speak through the lump that rose in my throat. “…I completely understand…”
“I was so focused on my own feelings that I never stopped and considered how HE felt, and what he might be going through…” His bottom lip wavered a bit. “I wanted his approval to know he believed in me. I wanted to help him, so badly that I guess I lost track of what was really important. He looked back up at me, his eyes glossy with the tears he refused to shed. “This isn’t about me, it’s about Simeon. It’s his feelings that matter.”
“Luke…” I breathed, as I took him into my embrace, that lump in my throat threatening to choke me. “You are so… so much…”
Braver than me.
And wiser, too.
Kinder…
“It’s going to be okay, Chise…” He squirmed a bit in embarrassment, giving a shy little smile within my hug. “…Anyway, now that I know his life isn’t in danger, I feel a lot better. That’s all I needed.”
…The danger now is that Simeon has to live unprotected as a human in the human world or in the Devildom. You’ve already seen…
“Yeah…” I whispered.
He finally raised his arms to hug me back. Tightly. Genuinely. “Thank you, Chise. I’m going to be patient, and wait until Simeon’s ready to open up to me.”
“I’m so, so proud of y–"
“What is THAT?! It’s AMAZING!”
Luke pulled apart from me in confusion, frowning at my door. “Sounds like something’s going on outside of your room…”
I sighed. “Yeah, that’s… par for the course.” ’Outside of my room’ was, for some reason, a high-traffic area.
“I wonder what’s up?” He hopped from off of the bed to his feet. “Come on, Chise, let’s go find out.”
–
“WOOHOO! This is BEYOND epic lmao!”
“Oooh, this is going to make SUCH a good addition to my Devilgram page! Time to get some pictures!”
“Hurry up…” Beel panted. “I can’t take this anymore.”
I raised my eyebrows in bemusement. “What on Earth have you got there, Beel?”
Luke looked him up and down in disbelief. “…Is that a mountain of cup noodles…?”
He was holding so many that he was leaning back, spine curved, his eyes and nose just visible over the numerous boxes he carried. And once more, yet again, he somehow had the power to never drop food that he carried in his arms.
Because by all rights, he should have dropped those fucking things immediately.
“Yep!” Asmo answered with a grin. “One YEAR’S worth!”
“Holy crap, that looks good!” I grinned too, looking Beel up and down next as he huffed to take more careful steps towards the kitchen next to my room. I guess they actually did have a good reason to be making a commotion outside of my door that wasn’t ‘lure Chise out with our loud bullshit’.
“Yeah, I know!” Beel beamed back at me, despite his hilarious-looking high-kneed walks. “Just the sight of it is making my mouth water!”
“Beel and I were at Hell’s Supermarket picking up a few things,” Levi explained, “and they happened to be holding a raffle as part of their customer appreciation program. And yeah, I WON! I won BIG! Lololol.”
“You really DID, yes!” Asmo skipped along at Beel’s side. “And look, I think this is a new variety? ‘Infernal Bahamut flavour’.”
“Uh-oh…” I smirked. “So those belong to Levi?”
Levi snickered. “Meh, whatever. One look at my brother’s face was good enough – also he carried them here. There’s no WAY I could have done that!”
Beel even managed to wiggle a bit at that as we all followed him into the kitchen, to drop his load onto the table. “Is it okay if I eat them now?”
“Mmhm, you’re good to go!” Asmo answered. “I just posted my photos to Devilgram.”
“Beel grinned as he ran his house key along the plastic packaging to open a box. “Time for lunch. I’m going to go boil some of these up ASAP.”
“Aww, good for him,” Levi sniffled emotionally. “This is like a dream come true for Beel. It’s so sweet, I almost want to cry…”
“Wow… What a good big brother. ” I giggled as I stretched up as far as I could on my toes to muss his mop of indigo hair. “Such a good boy!”
He made a very strange noise in his throat as he turned beet red. Right. I guess I hadn’t topped him in a little bit.
“Ooh, I know, right?” Asmo giggled right along with me. “I’m so happy for him!”
I shook my head fondly. “Though I have a feeling it’ll only take him a week or so to burn through that ‘year’s supply’ of ramen.”
“A week?” Luke looked at the enormous amount of water that Beel was beginning to heat. In mutiple pot. “I’ll be surprised if it even lasts that long…”
I laughed. “You’re probably right. I want to try the Infernal Bahamut, Beel!”
He beamed at me. “Got it. Coming right up, Chise. We can eat them together.”
I wrapped an arm around Levi’s hips to squeeze him to my side. He completely surprised me by putting his own arm around me, too.
I watched Asmo dancing around Beel excitedly, cooing as he took more pictures. Beel, grinning wide.
I needed all of them.
"AAAAAAAAAAH!"
Asmo and I tiptoed delicately towards the sound of roaring, yelling, splintering, and crashing.
“DAMN IT! I’m going to KILL Lucifer! He’s crossed the line! This time I’m going to make him pay for real!”
I sighed quietly, whispering quietly. “Well, should have figured that.”
Asmo tutted with an agreeing shake of his head.
“I wonder what–“
“He BURNED my first edition copy of the Dictionary of Magic Potions?! …HE ACTUALLY BURNED IT?!”
“…That answers that.”
“Well, I’ll burn HIM!” Sounds of more crashing. And crackling. Oh gods please don’t let him be feeding the furniture into the fireplace again. “I’LL TOSS HIM INTO THE FIRES OF HELL AND BURN HIM TO A CRISP!”
“…Wow, you’re really in a bad mood, aren’t you Satan?” Asmo bravely addressed him first as we both peeked around the corner. “So, what happened this time?”
“Lucifer discovered that he’d secretly been keeping a first edition copy of the Dictionary of Magical Potions,” Levi explained calmly from his spot on the couch, turning the page of his manga while Satan leapt across the room for another inanimate victim. “So he burned it.”
“Well,” Asmo sighed, as he watched his brother make a mad-dash to the other side of the room again to, yes, feed the bonfire he was creating, “we were ordered to burn those, right? In that case, he didn’t really have a choice, did he?”
"What do YOU know?!" Satan snapped in a snarl. “That was a precious part of my collection! Book-burning is NEVER OKAY!”
“Hm.” I chewed my lip thoughtfully. “Kind of agree with you.”
"THANK YOU, CHISE, FOR GETTING IT."
“Thouuugh, the movements against book-burning in the human world don’t typically involve potions that are a danger to all societies of the three worlds that shouldn’t really be made common knowledge…”
“THE VALUE IN THE PRESERVATION OF HISTORY AND KNOWLEDGE, CHISE, IS NOT UP FOR DEBATE!”
“Got me there.” I grimaced as I watched him kick at the bottom coals of his pile to coax them back to life, flames licking at the wooden bookends he fed them next. “…Unrelated to what you’re doing right now, but when are you supposed to next, uh, go over the accounting books with Barbatos again?”
“…IN TWO DAYS.”
“Cool, cool. Just making sure you’re on that.”
“Accounting?” Asmo gave me a look of disbelief. "That’s what you’re concerned about?"
I sighed. “Oh, you know how bookkeeping is… Those books, um, don’t keep themselves…”
“…I guess…”
He roared as he threw a piece of pottery into the fireplace, for it to shatter on its back wall.
I tsked. What a waste.
“Aww, maaaan,” Mammon sighed, coming up from behind us with Beel in tow. “It’s gonna be a good long while before he gets over this.”
“Where’s Lucifer?” Beel muttered.
“He’s over at Purgatory Hall,” Levi answered.
Asmo sighed. “I guess the saving grace here is that he’s not around for this to….”
“…Add fuel to this raging fire?” I muttered.
He snorted.
“SHUT UP!” Satan snapped in our direction. “Don’t say that vile, vile name! I don’t want to hear it! Now I’ll NEVER be able to make verbum drops! I was going to trick Lucifer into taking them, but now everything’s ruined!”
Asmo shook his head. “Satan, try to take it down a notch, okay? You’re frightening Luke.”
Luke, whose knees were wobbling in a visible shake, looking like he was about to piss his pants.
Beel looked down at concern. “…Are you okay, Luke?”
“Wh-Wh-What’s… WRONG with him…” Luke stammered in a squeak, eyes as round as saucers. “Wh-What’s wrong with Satan?! Out of all of you brothers, I thought he was the one who was actually sort of reasonable! But now LOOK AT HIM!”
I tutted as I raised my eyebrows at Satan, who had frozen to the spot. “You’re scaring the children, Satan.”
“Lololol. Hey! Is it me, or did he just slip in a casual burn at our expense? Lololol.”
Mammon snickered. “Looks like Fido here was fooled by Satan’s killer smile. How many victims does that make now…”
“Don’t call me Fido!”
“…Satan, try to calm down,” came Belphie’s voice, also somehow uninterrupted from on the other sofa near Levi's. “I have some good news for you, all right?”
“Shut up, Belphie! What do you know? You were asleep during lab class, so just stay out of this!”
“Asleep and rolling towards your stupid death,” Mammon muttered grumpily.
“I was asleep, yeah.” Belphie raised his head up from his nest to smile sweetly. “But then Beel told me what had happened, so I knew what was going on. After the thing with the dark crevasse, everyone was running around like chickens with their heads cut off, so I took advantage of the confusion, and made off with the remaining ingredients.”
Satan’s eyes widened. “…What…?”
I snorted. “You devious bastard.”
He smirked. “I also took the opportunity to read the recipe for verbum drops in the dictionary before it was burned.” He tapped at his temple. “It’s all right here in my head.”
“…So what?” Satan shook his head after considering it for a moment. “In order to make verbum drops, you need the tears of the person whose secret you want to expose…”
“Oh, don’t worry about that,” Belphie cooed. “I already have some of Lucifer’s tears.”
Satan gasped.
“…You two are truly a match made in hell,” I muttered in amusement.
“You mean…” Luke stared at the vial Belphie pulled out of his hoodie pocket. “Right there? In that bottle?”
Beel blinked in wonder. “Belphie, how did you manage to–"
Belphie chuckled. “I heard Lucifer complained that an eyelash had gotten into his eye, so I ‘helped him’ get it out and quietly swiped some of his tears while doing so.”
“Whoa!” Mammon grinned at him. “Nice goin’, Belphie!”
“Come on!” Satan strode towards him, his tail lashing in his excitement. “Open up the bottle and let’s see!”
“Just a second…” Belphie was putting his elbows into it. “The lid is kind of hard to get off… Hrrugh!”
We all yelped, arms flying to cover our eyes at the sudden flash of light.
“…Wh-What happened?!” Luke cried out.
Satan dropped his arms, looking around, wide-eyed. “It looks like some sort of spell went off?!”
“…It’s all gone…” Belphie breathed in disbelief, his hands splayed in front of him. Palms, empty.
“Say wha?”
He began to pat at his hoodie pockets with a gasp of dismay. “All of the ingredients for verbum drops that I snuck out of the lab! They’re gone!” He stared up at Satan’s bewildered expression. “They’ve just disappeared…”
And then, we went back to a snarl. “WHAT?!”
“…And that’s not all.” Belphie wilted with a sulky look. “I can’t remember how to make them anymore, either. Even though I’d memorized the recipe…”
“Belphie,” I warned, “now’s not really a good time to be fucking with your brother, if that's what this is…”
"It isn't. But..." He coughed. Annoyed, but unable to resist anyway. “…Phrasing, Chise.”
I rolled my eyes as I crossed my arms in exasperation, even as my face turned red.
“Wh… hold on.” Levi straightened from his usual slouch. “That spell that just went off…”
“It must have been Lucifer, yep,” Asmo sighed. “He put a spell on the lid of the bottle to eliminate its contents AND erase your memory.”
“Rigged to go off the moment you tried to open it,” I said in dismay. I glanced at Satan, who’s face was going from red… to purple. “…Oh dear…”
“W-Wait…” Luke’s eyes widened. “So, that means that…”
Levi looked around, horrified over the emerging conspiracy. “Lucifer knew everything we were going to do before we did it…?”
“…Man,” Mammon muttered with a hard shiver of fear. “That’s just SCARY.”
“THAT’S IT.” Satan picked up a cookie jar that’d been left out on the coffee table, and slammed it to the ground to shatter into ceramic pieces “NOW I’M DEFINITELY GOING TO BURN HIM!”
“Aww…” I grimaced. “He really is mad…”
Beel nodded in despair, his eyes filled with emotional distress. “That was the kitty kat cookie jar. At least I ate all the cookies out of it before he broke it…”
“Rest in pieces, kitty kat cookie jar,” Levi moaned in dismay.
“Man, too bad…” Mammon saluted towards it. “Thanks for keepin’ our cookies fresh while ya lasted, little guy.”
“Kitty kat cookie jar really did a good job at it…” Beel sighed in sadness as Satan went screaming past him with a hammer next. “You could put your hand in it and make a fist without getting stuck, and it’d make cookies last a day extra from our others. I think.”
“How would ya even know for sure?!” Mammon rolled his eyes. “We’d barely get ‘em in there to keep 'em out of your sight before ya got caught red-handed taking 'em out again anyway!”
I shook my head as I watched Belphie helpfully pass Satan a lamp shade to burn next, in his own version of outrage for having been had. “Poor kookie kat. Satan’s going to regret that one when he snaps out of it.”
“He really did like it, yeah…”
“Mmhm. His favourite.”
“Too bad.”
"…What is this mess?” came a booming voice from the other entrance to the room. "...SATAAAAAAAN?"
"GET IN HERE AND FIGHT ME, ASSHOLE. JUST TRY IT."
I spun on my heel. “Aaaand that’s our cue to leave.”
“YUP.” Mammon scampered after me. “SEE YA’S.”
“Yep. Bye.”
“Toodles!”
“Wait for meeee!” Levi scrambled after us in a panic as the room began to fill with a thick, miasmic smoke.
“…S-So, with that said…”
Luke stood shyly, twisting from side to side a bit as he held onto the bottom hem of his shirt with his smaller fists, peeking up from underneath his blonde fringe.
“…I’ve decided to go back to Purgatory Hall after school today. Thanks again for taking me in, guys. And for making me feel at home.”
Satan chuckled. “I wouldn’t say we showed you much in the way of hospitality, but… sure thing.”
Simeon sighed in touched relief. “It’s been pretty rough with you gone, Luke.”
“Right…” He wilted a little further. “Sorry for all the days of meal duty I missed.”
“Not to worry,” Raphael said. “Solomon filled in for you while you were gone.”
I gasped. “Oh, no. Solomon, you didn’t–“
“That’s right!” he beamed with a delighted, sparkling laugh. “I was SO glad to have a chance to show off my skills in the kitchen!”
“Ooh…” I winced as I glanced at Simeon. “Why didn’t you tell me…?”
He shook his head in abject despair. “He’s… just so…”
Loving and earnest.
AND MOTHERFUCKING CURSED.
Solomon blinked sweetly. “What?”
“Solomon’s quite the cook, you know?” Raphael continued. “Everything he made was delicious.”
“Thank you, Raphael!” Solomon fucking beamed as I facepalmed. Well, it was no wonder that they were getting along. “You know, hearing you say that makes all that time spent in the kitchen experimenting feel worthwhile!"
“Ahahahah… haha…” Simeon let out a sigh.
“All right, then!” Solomon shifted excitedly in his chair. “What do you say we have a special dinner tonight to welcome Luke back? I can whip something up for–“
"Solomon," I warned darkly.
He literally whimpered at me. I growled back.
“N-No,” Simeon cut in with more grace and politeness and patience than I could have personally mustered. “That won’t be necessary, really. I’ll do the cooking.”
“R…right, yes!” Luke added quickly, desperately. “A-And I’ll help! After all, it’s been so long since I’ve gotten to use the Purgatory Hall kitchen. I miss it!”
“Really?” Solomon pouted. “Are you sure?”
"Hear me, foul curse…"
“HAHA! Kidding, just kidding!” Solomon began to sweat, his smile now plastered on his face as he held up his palms in surrender. “Of couuurse you miss the kitchen, Luke! And I missed your cooking and baking so much! Have at it, kiddo!”
“Well, regardless.” Raphael turned his small smile on Luke. “I have to say, we’re happy to have you back, Luke.”
Solomon brightened. “Right. The mood around Purgatory Hall is going to be a lot brighter with you there again.”
“…I know you were all worried about me.” Luke smiled shyly. “And I’m sorry. What I did was childish. It won’t happen again.”
“Oh, Luke…” I let out a fond sigh.
“Ahahaha!” Simeon shook his head in delight. “Oh Luke, I think you’re being a bit dramatic. After all, there’s nothing wrong with spending a few nights at a friend’s house, is there?”
I sighed again. But not fondly.
“…Solomon,” Satan muttered under his breath as he leaned to him. “Is Simeon still under the impression that Luke has been staying at the House of Lamentation for the fun of it?”
Solomon sighed. “I think it’s a matter of denial, really.”
“Huh.” I snorted. “Funny that you can recognize denial.”
“Hmm? What do you mean?”
“Neither one of us wanted to sit down and spell it out for him,” Raphael answered as well. “It would make things so… complicated.”
"Honestly,” Satan sighed. “I don’t believe you two…”
"I literally said something,” I muttered. “And he ignored me. Not unlike someone else I know… Perfect pair…”
I actually got a huff of a laugh out of Raphael for that one.
Simeon took Luke by his shoulders. “I mean, I’d rather you not stay away quite so long next time. But anytime you want to have a little sleepover, feel free.”
“…Uhh.” Luke gave him a blank look. “Did you say a sleepover?”
“Yes, why?” Simeon blinked at him in confusion. “That’s what you’ve been doing, right?”
“Oooh, umm…” Solomon jumped up to his feet. “Simmy, why don’t weeee… uhhh…”
“Hm?”
Raphael shook his head in quiet exasperation in the face of their lovesick hopelessness.
It felt so weird, to be teasing them… I’d just slip into it. And then abruptly come back to myself.
Like now. I think I even visibly startled a bit.
It shouldn’t be normal anymore. I should have been bawling my eyes out the moment I had laid my eyes back on them, the moment I had walked into the classroom with Luke at my side to meet them. I should have broken down, right there.
But I didn’t.
But it hadn’t been long at all since I had broken down. No time at all between then and seeing them again. No time to breathe or heal at all in between. Grief should hit you hard at first, so that you couldn’t even take a breath through your ugly tears and wracking sobs. That’s how grief should be respected. Right? To do otherwise, to be normal, would be disrespectful to grief. Disrespectful to what you grieved over. The very presence of grief means that whatever loss you were facing is worthy of breaking yourself for, out of respect for it. To be normal so soon meant being bad at loving the thing. Spitting on its grave. Like maybe you hadn’t deserved to have had it in the first place.
So the moment I woke up today, I should have broken down.
The moment I walked into this classroom, I should have broken down.
But I hadn’t…
I was very much crying in private now and then. But I should be in a constant state of it. I shouldn’t be allowed to have these breathers in between.
But I was breathing in between.
“…Hey, that reminds me,” Satan said, his voice breaking me out of my melancholy. I hadn’t been following the conversation. “I’ve been meaning to ask you all. Have you heard about the whole ‘wishing board’ thing? Everyone at RAD has been talking about it.”
Simeon frowned in confusion. “The wishing board thing…?”
“The wishing board thing…?” Luke repeated.
I shook my head in confirmation of my own ignorance.
Satan nodded. “Yeah. Everyone’s been talking about it. They say that if you make a wish and post it to the bulletin board on the RAD website, it’ll come true.”
I froze.
I wish I could turn it all back…
“You don’t say?” Solomon raised his eyebrows with piqued curiosity. “Interesting…”
“I like it.” Simeon’s bright smile returned as he straightened a bit. “It’s nice to believe in things like that.”
I should be breaking down.
“How absurd,” Raphael sighed.
“Wow…” Luke’s eyes went round. “I wonder if it’s true. What do you think, Chise?”
If you’d like, I could turn it back. Turn you back.
If you actually wanted to change things, if you actually had that power, you’d have done it yourself!
I gave him a small smile. “It’d be nice to believe something like that could be true…”
“I know, right?!” Luke smiled back at me. “Me too!”
Raphael shook his head. “Where exactly did you hear this?”
“From Asmo.”
Raphael made a noise in his throat. “All the more dubious.”
Satan chuckled with a little smirk. His I’m-so-smart, allow-me-to-prove-you-wrong smirk. “Well, at least hear what else I have to say before you right it off.”
“Fine…”
“So, yesterday Levi and Beel won a year’s supply of cup noodles in a raffle.”
Luke nodded. “Yeah, I know. I saw the giant stack of them.”
“Well, apparently that happened after Beel posted that he wanted to ‘eat to his heart’s content’ on the bulletin board.”
“Oh, Beelzebub…” Solomon sighed. “You didn’t have to wish for something like that…”
I narrowed my eyes at him suspiciously, but he said nothing more on the matter of feeding Beel himself.
“True,” Simeon chuckled. “After all, when isn’t he eating to his heart’s content…?”
Satan shook his head. “According to Asmo, the rumour used to be that posting wishes to the RAD bulletin board was ‘good luck’ and nothing more. But lately it’s different. Anytime someone posts a wish to the bulletin board, it comes true. At least, that’s what they say.”
Raphael shook his head next. “That’s ridiculous.”
“Reeeally…?” Solomon’s smile curved into a sly one. “Then what are you doing on your D.D.D., Raphael?”
Raphael lifted his eyes. “…I’m putting this whole ‘wishing board’ theory to the test. We’ll see if it’s true or not.”
“What did you write?” Simeon leaned over his shoulder. “…’I want a pair of pinking shears’.”
Luke blinked. “Pinking shears…?”
“They’re a type of scissors with a serrated edge meant for cutting fabric,” Satan explained.
Raphael sighed dubiously. “If I somehow end up with a pair of pinking shears, then I might be willing to believe this ‘wishing board’ story that–“
“Hey, got a second?”
We lifted our eyes, or turned to look over our shoulders, as Thirteen waltzed into the room to address us.
“Thirteen.” Simeon gave her his engaging smile. “Do you need something?”
“Do any of you want these?” She waved what she held in two fingers in the air. “I bought them hoping they’d come in handy when making traps and things. But I haven’t had much of a use for them.”
We all stared at her.
“They’re pinking shears,” she explained, while stretching her arm out to offer them up. “You like sewing stuff, right? Here, just take them, Raphael.”
Raphael stared at them.
For a long time. For a confusingly long time. At least, from Thirteen’s perspective.
She frowned as she physically took his hand to slap the shears into his palm. “Whatever. If you don’t want them, feel free to toss them. I can’t be bothered See you around, weirdos.”
“…Wow,” Luke gasped, after Thirteen had rounded the corner. We were all staring at the shears in Raphae’s hand. “Your wish actually came true…!”
“It… did, yes.”
“I want to try posting something to the bulletin board, too!” Luke carried on in excitement, cheeks turning pink. “I’d really like a new kitchen scale. Oooh, or maybe a hand mixer…”
I wish I could turn it all back…
“Calm down, Luke,” Raphael chided.
“We’ve established that wishes posted to the bulletin board come true,” Simeon said, before turning to Solomon. “But I’d say this goes beyond simple ‘good luck’.”
“Given that you’re turning to meeee,” Solomon said with a bright, flattered smile, “I’m going to make some assumptions, and I think you might be right. There might be some sort of magic at work.”
Simeon laughed dotingly. “Don’t let it get to your head, sorcerer.”
I should be breaking down over the proof of their sweet love for each other, too.
“Hmm. My thoughts exactly,” Satan said with a frown of thought.
“Aww…” Luke looked disappointed for a half-second, but then shrugged. “But it does make whatever you wish for come true, even if it’s just ‘magic'. That’s a good thing. Isn’t it, Chise?”
“Well… Sometimes certain wishes… don’t have very good intentions, depending on the wisher.”
“Oh no…” His face fell. “I didn’t really think of that…”
“That’s because you’re a sweet angel.” I shook my head. “I also just kind of feel like there’s something fishy about this. How far can this really go…?”
“Fishy...?” Luke was looking more and more disappointed by the second. “You think so…?”
Solomon nodded his agreement, though he was pressed his finger on where he was chewing his lip, no doubt rifling through the possibilities of how this thing was actually working.
…And probably how he could make it work for him, no doubt. Outside of a public posting upon a wishing board.
Right… The wishing board was public…
I wish I could turn it all back…
“Oh, Chise.”
I turned again in surprise, to find Belphie’s smile at the door as he ducked his head in. I smiled back. “Hi, Belphie.”
“So this is where you’ve been.” He nodded to the other next to me. “And Satan’s here, too. Perfect. New development: We’re having a student council meeting after school today. Chise, Lucifer told me to let you know that you have to be there as well.”
“Right…” I glanced at Satan.
He nodded. “So, now they’re calling a last-minute student council meeting… Could be about the wishing board.”
And then I glanced at Solomon next, who nodded as well.
And I was being called to the meeting too.
Solomon smiled encouragingly at me. “I look forward to mulling over another magical mystery with you, adorable apprentice of mine.”
I hummed in amusement. “Me too, my mad scientist of a sorcerer.”
Simeon laughed lightly in delight. “The teacher-apprentice dynamic between you two lovebirds really is adorable to watch.”
“…Lady Chise.”
I looked up from my spot on the sofa in our new greenhouse, my eyes lighting up at the sight of Barbatos standing there, with his hands clasped behind his back. His eyes were kindly and fond as he regarded me where I sat, textbook in hand.
“I hope I am not interrupting your studies.” He looked around. “Or the quiet solitude of your lunch break.”
I smiled. “Hello, Barbatos. Not at all.”
“How unusual to find you without a gaggle of followers. It seems that I have ‘lucked out’.” He returned my smile with an inclining of his head. “May I sit with you?”
“Come to check on my cheek?” I teased, as I shifted over to make room. Not too much room.
He chuckled as he took that slim seat, his thigh coming to a rest against mine. “You may say that.”
“I suppose you've come to check on me.”
“That is closer to the truth…” He took my hand lightly. “How are you? I understand that you have been told…”
I swallowed hard, before nodding, looking down at our held hands with a weaker smile. “Tsk tsk, Professor Barbatos… Holding the hand of a student on RAD grounds.”
He made a quiet noise of amusement as he rubbed his thumb over my knuckles. “Ah, well. I have tenure.”
I snorted, smiling wider. “That was funny.”
He chuckled, too. “It is good to hear that you are still capable of laughter.”
I tucked my chin in further, dropping my eyes down from his. “…Actually, it feels inappropriate when I do.”
“It is not so,” he said softly. “All who love you would worry themselves into madness if they saw your spirit break in such a way. You know this?”
“Well, yes, but–"
“If you do not expect them to hold you to such standards, free yourself of those standards, too.”
“…You’ve been here for three minutes tops, and you already have me relaxing. You have such a way of soothing me. Like no one else.” I shook my head. “And a way of finding me right when I need you. You’re an amazing counsellor.”
He shook his head too. “You give me too much credit. You were on my mind, I had a spare moment, and so I sought you. It was pure chance that I happened upon you, alone for once, and pensive in the moment. Though I am glad that my arrival was unintentionally punctual, in any case.”
“The ever-astute butler indeed.” I sighed. “I’m not ready to talk about any of it. But… I don’t want you to leave, either.”
“In that case, a different topic…” He gently lifted my hand, and I winced quietly as he ran his finger over Mammon’s ring. “Congratulations.”
“…Oh dear, I…” I swallowed. “I never explained anything to you… I didn’t even think… I haven’t even talked to you about…” What kind of future you envision with me, in the long-term.
But I couldn’t say that right now, when I found it so hard to look that far ahead.
So he took my former meaning.
I hadn’t fucking told him about Mammon and I, when all my other partners knew.
Idiot…
“Oh, but you have. You did last time at the festival, and again I witnessed with my own eyes his dedication to you.” He gave me an amused smile. “You saw something in Mammon that I did not, before now. I regretfully admit that I did see your relationship with him as… an ‘interesting choice’… I sincerely apologize.”
“Pff!” I couldn’t stop myself from shaking my head with a smirk. “No, no. Don’t get it wrong. He’s still a grubby gremlin with greedy grabby hands who’d crawl into a storm drain to retrieve a single grimm.”
Barbatos chuckled. “And yet, you say such things with so much affection for the rascal.”
My expression softened. Fond. “However he postures, whatever chaos he ends up involved in, however loud he may be, he loooves his family. He has a gentle, protective heart. Out of all my time with the brothers, he’s the only one who has never… well…” I grimaced. Uh-oh. Didn’t mean to go here. Too late now. “…Threatened me.”
Barbatos stared at me. “…Truly, the only one…?”
“Please, don’t worry about the rest,” I insisted with a wince. “For a lot of them, it was a matter of losing control to their Sins – but it’s important that Mammon be recognized as someone who never loses control. Not of his temper, at least. He barks, but never, ever bites. Maybe that’s why some see him as a weak demon, but from a human perspective…” I hummed in admiration. “…He’s the bravest for that. The kindest. In… my humble and physically-fragile human opinion.”
“I…” Barbatos frowned, no doubt thinking back on all that he’s witnessed of Mammon. And surprised himself, in finding that truth. “…I actually understand.”
“But you know how much we all love each other now. They’re my family, through and through.” I smiled at him. “And I’m sure that even you saw me as a threat once. I think.”
He hesitated, thinking, and then sighed.
“And you never lost control, either.” I took his hand. “Heh. At least, I don’t think you have.” He’d be a 'silent assassin' to Lucifer’s 'murdering me in front of witnesses out of tantrum'.
He shook his head slowly. “I am not that demon. Not… Ah… Any…”
“Not anymore…?”
My brain scrambled to take back to silent assassin killer comparison.
He sighed again. “…While it appears that it is a natural trait within Mammon from even the very start of his demon life and the resulting impulses that comes with that – a fact that I am stunned to find myself admiring him for now – for me, I had to work on it.”
My smile widened. "That is a very courageous thing in itself."
He gave another strained chuckle. “To a human?”
“I think you’ll find that you’re respected by all for it.”
He hummed. “I had not thought on that. I do not typically care for others’ opinions of me.”
“As you’ve said before.” I leaned to rest my head on his shoulder, and he leaned to rest his head on mine. “Another respectable trait, I think.”
“Well, you and the Young Master are the exceptions to that. So I am not entirely respectable.”
I giggled. “Well, I’m glad for that.”
He shook his head with a smirk, his cheek rubbing into my hair. “You are incorrigible…”
“So are you,” I pointed out. “Mister ‘I don’t know what being ‘lovers’ means in modern context.”
Barbatos laughed at that, full and genuine. I rare sound. “I enjoy teasing you a great deal.”
“Oh, I’ve noticed.” I turned my smile up at him, and he pulled his head away from the top of my head to look down to return my gaze. “I’ll never stop feeling so… honoured that you see me. Though honoured feels like the wrong word… At least for me. It sounds much better when you say it.”
He chuckled. “I am honoured to have my love returned by you.”
I giggled again. “See? Romantic, from your lips.”
“Like how the thought of seeing you give me a proper curtsy would feel out of place.” He reached to run his fingers along the curve of my jaw with a fond hum as I laughed in agreement. “How about, you are flattered?”
“Ahh, perfect…” I brushed my nose against his. “Flattered. Touched. Bewildered…”
“Bewildered?” He quirked a smile as his fingertips came to a rest in the dip of my jaw under my chin. “Is it truly that unbelievable?”
I looked at him with hesitation, uncertain. “…Can I confess something?”
The flicker of a frown left as quickly as it appeared, before he smoothed it over completely. “Always. I shall always listen.”
“…How do I say this. Sometimes… I’m worried…” I sighed. “I’ve heard… some talk about me having 'special effects' on demons and angels.” My brows knitted together with my doubt as I searched his eyes for any flicker of truth for my confession, before he could just deliver a comforting lie. “…I’m worried that it’s actually true. That it’s an actual effect. And that…”
“You would not be loved by any of us?” he murmured. “That it is a charm you exude, like Asmodeus'? Though by unintentional accident, where we are all drawn to you against all of our wills.”
“A magic that I can’t control,” I whispered. “And fate, too. All working together.”
“With you at the center.”
I swallowed hard, before nodding tightly. Our noses brushed with it. Our faces still close. His deep, forest-green eyes, with their dappled sunlight colour scattered in his irises, the only thing I could see. “…I suppose it sounds conceited,” I murmured hoarsely. “But that’s how I feel. That it really is true, and that I’m exerting an influence that’s causing people to even…” My voice began to break a bit. “To even… give up their… lives…”
Trading their immortality, even.
“But maybe they… wouldn’t… if it weren’t for…” I blinked rapidly. “But I love them…”
“You worry that your love is genuine, but you hold ours not… Made worse by the thought that you actually hold us hostage to you, without free will? And that one day, we will all wake as thought we were in a fugue state all along, to hold no love for you after all.” He smiled sympathetically at my growing look of despair as my doubts were directly voiced to me. “What a thought experiment you have created for us. Shall we make it funny?”
I blinked a few times.
“Perhaps. Perhaps not.” He rubbed the pad of his thumb against the tip of my chin. “But were it true, perhaps it is not as dire as you believe; perhaps it works to draw those to simply see you, to meet with you, to open themselves to your possibility. And then perhaps it is your true charms – your kindness, your softness – that binds them.”
“That’s the thing…” I lowered my eyes from his, looking at the tops of his cheeks. “I don’t think I’m particularly kind. I don’t even know was being ‘soft’ means. There are so many kind humans out there, doing good work, curing diseases, fighting disasters, rescuing people, actually saving lives. Humanitarian aid. Hells, it’s not like I’m not out there fighting any forest fires or anything… And sometimes the thoughts in my head aren’t so kind at all.”
He tilted my head up ever so slightly, to catch my eyes again. “I shall tell you more of yourself than your kindness, then. You are also dedicated and quick, smart and clever. Humble and nurturing, and often found in your own head with your thoughtfulness. You are vulnerable when vulnerability is needed, and fiery when the situation calls for fire. You are a quiet soul, and careful, until you have assessed that a wrong may have been committed, and it is then that you flare. It is because your usually much gentler nature where you refuse to give in to quick anger that makes your righteous defence of yourself and others so potent when it is required.
“You are understanding of genuine mistake and accident and take the time to guide the offender towards growth, while you are also fiercely critical of the misuse of power held by the privileged. And most importantly, you are able to tell the two differences apart, when misuse tries to disguise itself behind feigned, accidental ignorance. The grace in which you move through your life inspires us all, including the Young Master himself, who looks to you as inspiration for change…” He smiled at my stunned expression. “Is that enough, or must I continue to sing your praises?”
“…You really do love me,” I whispered in awe.
He quirked an eyebrow. “Oh dear. Was that in question?”
I curled my fingers into the front of his shirt. “While some might say you are out of my league…”
And some people have.
He snorted, wrinking his nose in offence. “Perish that thought at once!”
I laughed softly. “No, no… Maybe it’s like how you felt after I’d gone into the dream world… A sort of startling confirmation that I really do have this. It just feels really powerful right now.”
“Ah, yes.” His expression softened into understanding. “I am glad to make you feel my love for you in that same way. However much it leaves one near-gasping with it, it is strengthening.”
I nodded. “That really is exactly how I feel. I just… hope that… I’m not… forcing anything that isn’t genuine…” I shook my head. “I couldn’t… bear it. If it turned out that…”
He hummed for a moment. Eyes so soft, gazing back into my own once more. “…Is this my fate, to have you here at my side? Or is this love’s blind chance? Was it fate for me to catch glimpse of you in my future, where no matter what I did to steer myself elsewhere, I would be corralled towards it regardless of my actions? Or was that glimpse blind chance, and I was simply inspired to make my own destiny; to chase after one timeline in particular amongst countless others, because I allowed myself to imagine something more? Allowed myself to open my eyes to new possibilities? To hope? Do you have charm that worked to forge a love between us, that we never would have found without its magnetic pull?” He shook his head. “I know not. But does it matter that I do not? I will just say this: If I was charmed at our meeting, destined to be pulled to you, and were that charm now to make itself known before it released me from its hold – I would still choose you. For I have come to know you. And to allow for you to know me. There is bond now, that runs deeper than any theoretical false tie.”
My face relaxed into soft, touched awe. “Barbatos…”
“'What’s wrong with thinking about yourself for once? You're allowed to be happy before you've fixed everything.’ You said those words to me. Short and sweet and simple – and they shook my world. Such words woke me up once more, to wonder why I had not considered such a thing for myself. Because the truth is… I did not feel like I deserved such leniency. The importance of making life bearable? What right did I have to such a thing, when I have witnessed so many tragedies – and tragedies tends to linger in one’s memories for far longer than triumphs.” He sighed. “You have touched me and my scars. Touched me, and caressed me in tenderness. No dissipation of any charm will erase the fingerprints you have left upon my very soul. Were your charm snapped, I would remain tethered to you still, to that tenderness we have grown between us for ourselves. Were I pulled to this foundation by some outside force, I cannot answer; but it is this house, this shelter of our own that we have built upon that foundation, that I now stay for. For you are home. I stay for this tree of life we have planted together. For you have taken root within my heart.”
I cupped his face in my hands, turning towards him. “Oh, Barbatos… Thank you…”
Barbatos placed his hands over top of my own, pressing his forehead to mine. “I see that this has weighed on you. Did you come to me because you think I know more of fate, as one who commands time? If so, I must disappoint you: Fate eludes even me. Frustrates me often. A force that not even I have the strength to move."
My face fell. "I'm sorry... That wasn't explicitly on my mind, but now that you lay it out, I'm not actually sure if that's really the answer or not. That I came to you because of who you are."
"Not at all. I am no child; I have lived a long time, and it would not be the first time. I bear no grudge to those who see my powers as a means for hope. Certainly less than I begrudge those who salivate over such power for their gain instead." He chuckled. "Besides, it was I who sought you."
I gave him a weak smile. "I see the point in that, yeah..."
"And multiple things can be true. Perhaps it is just because I am chanced to be here for this particular musing of yours, and that I happen to offer a unique perspective as well."
I sighed in relief. "I hope that's the answer."
"Heh. Then we shall make it so."
"As simple as that, huh...?"
"You smiled, and sighed in what sounded like relief. It looked like perhaps that explanation rang true."
I bit my lip lightly for a moment. "I suppose it does... Or I want it to."
He nodded. "Then yes, it is as simple as that. You have made your own truth."
I laughed softly. "You're so wise, and soothing... I'm sorry for interrupting your train of thought."
He shook his head firmly. "Not at all. I am happy to talk you through doubt. Yet still, while you may have been drawn to me for such answers, instead you found something that I hope is a sufficient replacement:” He smiled fondly at me. “My love for you, and my wish to support you in your doubts; not as any Demon of Time, but as your loving partner.” He lifted his face up to press a kiss to my forehead at the sound of the choked noise of emotion that had caught in my throat. “And as your loving partner who has listened, I would also have you believe one more thing: I am not the only one who feels this way, had you approached anyone else.”
“But you said it so eloquently,” I said hoarsely in an attempt at a tease, my smile wavering and small as tears threatened to spill from my eyes. “I wish I were as eloquent as you in expressing myself for you back.”
Barbatos shook his head. "When you are the one who finds me in need of words of comfort during an existential crisis, you may wax poetic to me."
“Heh…” I turned my hands on his face to curl my fingers over his. “Thank you so much… For the thought experiment…”
He hummed in amusement. “I suppose this thought experiment did not turn out to be so funny.”
I shook my head with a laugh. “I’ll take romantic philosophy of the heart for comfort any day.”
“I am glad.” He slid his hands from his own face to wrap around me, to pull me to him in his embrace. “You are my Lady. This house… I had been living in such an empty house, for such a long time. You have filled it with cheer and light and warmth again. And I know that… it will continue to grow. Our life together will.”
“It will,” I whispered into his shoulder.
He hesitated. “…Chise…”
I hesitated at his hesitation. “…Um, yeah?”
“Should you ever have need of a phrase – kept just between us – please say ‘Fill Your Empty House’.”
“What…?” I blinked as I pulled back, tears forgotten in my confusion. “A secret phrase? But what for…?”
He smiled patiently at me, seeming a touch amused. “I am the 'Demon of Time'. Should you ever feel lost within its murk, remember what we have planted – and what we have built. It is only now that I have come to understand what this phrase I heard so long ago means to me, and so I share it with you now. What you end up doing with it… Well, only time will tell. You will understand when it comes.”
“Oh…kay…” I nodded slowly in complete uncertainty, before giving him another weak smile. "…Make something of nothing. Weave nothing to something…”
He chuckled, smiling too. “Was it chance that brought us together, in becoming something more…? Yes. That is what I am telling you, Chise. The answer to that question does not matter. What matters… is that we make the most of it.”
“And we make the most of it,” I whispered.
“We do…” He pulled me closer to nuzzle into my hair with a fond sigh. “You are my Light indeed… And I would quite like to kiss you now, if you’re amenable.”
I laughed against him, smiling as affection swelled in my heart. “I’ll always say yes to kissing you, silly.”
He pulled away to cup my face, leaning in close, eyes shining for me just before he closed them with mine.
Very well. Continue to be Barbatos’ pawn in his schemes.
…Pawn? To this loving man, this loving demon, who I now kissed? Who sought me out to check on me, to support me, to comfort me? Who was so eager and free with his kisses, whenever we both got the chance for privacy to share in them. Whose eyes seemed to exclusively follow me the moment I walked into the room. Like mine followed him. Like everything else fell away when we were together. To be just us.
I didn’t know what was going on. But I could never doubt my Barbatos.
No, I didn’t know what was going on.
Not entirely.
But I felt like some of the pieces were finally falling into place.
Diavolo nodded around to us all from his place at the head of the table. “All right, why don’t we go ahead and call this meeting to order? You may have already guessed why I’ve called you in here on such short notice.”
We all nodded, or shrugged, with some of us muttering in uncommitted grumpy boredom AKA Mammon. I gave the drowsing Belphie a little poke in the ribs before he nodded off entirely.
“It’s about this ‘wishing board’ phenomenon. I imagine some of you have already heard that wishes posted to the bulletin board on the RAD website have been coming true.”
“Yep, I knew it,” Satan said in seriousness-hiding-smug commentary.
Diavolo nodded to him, reinforcing his ego as his reward. “We’ll begin with a rundown of how this all started. Barbatos, if you would…”
“Of course, Young Master.”
I wiggled a little straighter, blinking away my own inattentiveness. I could almost feel the heat of his lips on mine still, from only a few hours before.
I’d almost earned myself another detention. And him a near-loss of his tenure, had those kisses heated any further, and had we been interrupted in the middle of them.
The limit had been quite pushed, before the bell had rung.
That was a special lounge indeed.
Barbatos, hands clasped behind him, back-straight, took over for his lord. He certainly didn’t look like a man who’d just been snogging a frisky, groping girlfriend over his lunch. “I took the liberty of investigating the phenomenon in question. It seems to have started when someone posted seeking advice regarding a love interest, and it later turned out that their feelings were reciprocated.” He flicked his eyes briefly to mine. “It is likely that this was a merely a coincidence, and nothing more.”
I found myself with a small smile playing on my lips. He didn’t smile back, and the touch of his eyes on mine had been brief, but I knew. He spoke to me just as clearly through his little gestures as he would if he’d just declared it all out loud for everyone around us to hear, our conversation repeated, word-for-word.
But instead, it was private.
“However,” he continued, “it seems to have started a rumour that posting wishes to the online bulletin board would make them come true, which brings us to our present situation.”
“Okay,” Belphie sighed lethargically, “that’s great and all, but why call an emergency meeting over this?”
“I’ll take over again,” Diavolo said. “A few days ago, someone posted the following message to the bulletin board: ‘I forgot to study for my exam. Please, help me out here.’”
I grimaced. “Uh-oh…”
He sighed with a nod, having heard my mutter. “Then, midway through the exam, the text on the pages suddenly became garbled, rendering the questions themselves illegible. In the end, the exam had to be cancelled.”
“So their wish came true…” Asmo mused to himself.
Barbatos nodded with a touch of a frown. “The situation has clearly become more serious.”
“Yes,” Diavolo agreed. “It would be dangerous to allow this to continue. We have to do something.”
“…I see.” Lucifer, arms crossed, having been looking down at the table while he listened intently, gave a nod as he finally looked up. Decision made, after obviously having been running through the options the entire spiel. “All right, then. All of you, listen up. For starters, I need you to find out whether there have been any similar phenomena reported in–“
“Just a moment, Lucifer,” Diavolo said as he held up his palm towards him. “I’d actually like Chise to be in charge of handling this.”
I hoped that the dragging sigh I let out was long enough to hide the fact that it had actually happened.
“That’s fine with me,” Asmo said with a shrug. “But why Chise?”
“Weee knooow whyyy…” I said under my breath with a playful tilting of my head with each drawn-out word, earning me a snicker from Belphie, and a disapproving glare from Lucifer for my muttering lip.
“Because this strikes me as the perfect sort of challenge,” Diavolo confirmed. “Chise, I’ve decided to make this your final trial for admission onto the student council! Your task is going to figure out what’s going on and fix it.”
I nodded my resigned acceptance. I don’t know why everyone else looked so surprised at this point.
…But I wondered what the hidden catch was.
Because I was really fucking tired of the hidden catch.
“As for the seven of you,” Diavolo continued, “you’re to follow Chise’s orders. And I do mean that. Because if you do anything you weren’t ordered to do, it will result in Chise’s disqualification.”
I rolled my eyes while everyone huffed and grumbled and sighed. Lucifer even let me do it.
“And that’s all I have to say. You know what you have to do.” Diavolo nodded to us all again. “Now do it.”
“All right,” I sighed as I stood to interrupt the incoming protests on my behalf – and for their own lazy behalves, surely. It was what it was. “We don’t have time to sit around discussing this.”
“My thoughts exactly,” Satan agreed. “This seems like the sort of situation where time is of the essence.”
“Indeed,” Barbatos agreed as well, inclining his head towards me in approval. “You’re quite right.”
“Yes, which is why I’m giving you a time limit!”
Now, I glared.
Diavolo beamed back at me, of course. “Starting tomorrow, you’ll have three days to find a solution!”
“Say WHAT?!” Mammon immediately butted in protest. This time, I didn’t still anyone. “We gotta start tomorrow, and we only get three days to do this?!”
“That’s not much time,” Beel murmured in worry as he looked at me.
“You have your orders, Chise.” Diavolo gave me a cheerful thumbs up. “We’re counting on you.”
Asmo sighed. “Wow, Chise… You poor thing…”
This really couldn’t have come at a worse time. First day back at school, after…
While I’d managed to get through the day without breaking down into tears, I still felt flayed. I’d gone through the entire day with muscles so tense I’d earned myself a pounding headache and a twitch in my neck and shoulders. I hadn’t eaten much. Being around crowds felt like someone had taken a cheese grater to my brain. The lights overhead in the classrooms at RAD felt like they scalded my very optic nerves. My throat was scratchy, sore, and a little swollen. I hadn’t cried, but I felt like I had been for days. Like a very bad hangover.
Right. I had been crying for days, on and off, over the whole weekend. And it was a bit like a very bad hangover. I was still drained and dehydrated and lacking in true sleep.
I felt emotionally raw and fragile, and physically sore and swollen. I had actually planned on finding Belphie and taking a nap with him. I’d just wanted to sleep the afternoon and night away, cuddled to his soft sweaters and warmth, so I could stop for a bit. Like a babe, only having to worry about food, drink, and snuggles.
But I guess I wouldn’t be getting that tonight. Or for the next two nights after.
And I wondered, and I wondered…
What the other catch might be.
I sighed as I looked ‘round at the expectant faces turned towards me. “…Does anyone have a bottle of water on them? I’ve got a horrible headache.”
“Yeah, sweets,” Asmo said quietly as he tugged his purple satchel onto his lap. “I’ve got you.”
Chapter 45: Chapter 77-B: Just Being Practical
Notes:
Satan stuff legit wasn't in my roadmap at all it just kind of. Blurted. Love it when that happens.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
I’d had packets of tea leaves pressed to me before I left the student council meeting by a very fussy Barbatos, who had suddenly become quite obsessive over my health in his concern for my headache reveal. Belphie was left perplexed over how it had been him that Barbatos had chosen to entrust with the tea’s optimal brewing instructions.
I snickered. It was through me that Barbatos was coming to know the brothers a little better, and his extra little interactions with them, even though they were small, was sowing fleeting moments of confusion here and there. I found it very funny.
So after Belphie had brewed that for us when we got home, we sat around in the living room – the good one, despite it having some extra scorch marks around the base of the fireplace, a singed rug, a few less pieces of furniture, a lamp a little brighter than the rest as it was missing its lamp shade, etc. – and planned.
“Barbatos was right,” Belphie sighed with pleasure over his cup. “Tea’s good. I could easily fall asleep to this.”
We all snorted at that.
He scowled at us. “Yeah, yeah, whatever…”
“All right.” I deepened my voice. "I’m calling this session into order."
Levi snickered along with the rest. “Lolol come on, it’s more like, ’I’m calling this session into order’.”
“Nuh-uh!” Mammon grinned. “It’s like, ’Why don’t we go ahead and call this meeting to order’.”
I snickered, too. “All right, that was the best one.”
“A’ight! Since I won, I’M in charge!” He stood up, hands on his fists. “Before doin’ anything else, we gotta make sure we understand present state of affairs!”
“That’s NOT how this works.” Levi rolled his eyes. “And now what’re you doing, Mammon?”
“Whaddya think?” Mammon smirked as he typed on his D.D.D, fingers flying. “I’m postin’ a wish to the wishin’ board to see what happens.”
“Ugh…” I rolled my eyes next.
“Yep, ugh indeed. Let me seeee.” Asmo scrolled on his D.D.D. to find Mammon’s post. “Mmhm. ’Give me full access to Lucifer’s credit card!’”
“But of course,” I sighed.
“Heh heh heh!” Mammon snerked. “C’mon, wishin’ board, make the Mammon’s day!”
Mammon earned himself a hard slap to the back of his head, sending him flying forth, hair mussed on the way.
“OW!” He rubbed the back of his head as he whirled with a growl. “Dammit, Lucifer, ya didn’t have to HIT me! What’d I do to deserve that?!”
“You mean you didn’t want me to hit you?” Lucifer gave him his sweet, dangerous smile. “Because it seemed like you were asking for it.”
“Yeah,” Belphie agreed. “Him hitting you is no surprise. What’s weird is that you didn’t know it was coming after writing what you did.”
“Well, whatever, small price to pay for the goodies!” Mammon extended his hand out, flexing his fingers in a beckon. “C’mon. Credit card. Put ‘er here.”
Levi shook his head in disbelief as Lucifer crossed his arms. “Wow. You’re like the ultimate masochist, Mammon.”
“Wh?! I am NOT!” He stared at Lucifer, who just stood, staring back. “…WHY AIN’T THIS WORKIN’?!”
“Ooh, Chise.” Asmo snuggled up to me. “Why don’t you try posting a wish?”
I wish I could turn it all back…
I tried to give my best sincere smile, and typed.
“Well?” Asmo leaned over, and then giggled.
I gave my victim a look of triumph as I hit post. “I want Lucifer to make a funny face!”
Lucifer turned his face to give me a balefully stoic look. It spoke to me:
No.
Asmo bit his lip, eyes sparkling in excited anticipation. “Sorry for staring, Lucifer, but I didn’t want to miss you looking ridiculous!”
“Mmhm.” Mammon snickered. “Same.”
“…You’re not staring. You’re holding up your D.D.D. camera.”
“Oooh, busted!”
“Huh.” Belphie frowned as we all waited. “Doesn’t look like it worked…”
Lucifer remained as stony as ever. How did he do it? Not even a twitch of a single muscle. The ultimate of resting bitch faces.
“…Yo, Lucifer!” Mammon held out his grabby fingers again. “Are ya gonna let me use your credit card now or what?!”
At that, Lucifer returned to his menacing smile. “Would you like me to hit you one more time for good measure?”
Beel shook his head. “Mammon’s wish hasn’t come true, and neither has Chise’s… Why not?”
“Good question,” Satan sighed in disappointment. “Raphael and Beel’s wishes came true immediately. Why aren’t yours?”
I frowned. “Well, a lot of magic doesn’t work on Lucifer, and we both wished something about him… Maybe the magic of the wishes doesn’t affect him?”
“I’ll try. We don’t know if people only get one wish.” Satan frowned as he typed with one hand. “…All right. I wished for Beel to say that he doesn’t want breakfast tomorrow. Harmless enough.”
Beel looked both horrified and crestfallen at the same time. “I’d rather die right here and now than have to skip breakfast tomorrow.”
Levi snorted. “Wow, that’s such an overreaction that it’s not even funny. Which is what makes it so funny looool.”
“Huh.” Belphie shook his head. “Doesn’t look like that worked, either…”
We all went quiet to think. Asmo turned on his back, legs draped over the sofa’s arm, his shoulders against my arm while he hugged himself in thought. Much to Mammon’s visible and audible annoyance. “…Maybe it isn’t enough just to post it online? Like, there might be some other condition that has to be met before it works.”
“Maybe it depends on where you are…” I frowned. “What if you have to make the wish while you’re at RAD?" I sat up straighter with a smile. “…Like, you need to be near where the magic spell is!”
“Yeah!” Belphie grinned at me. “You may be on to something!”
“We know Raphael was in the classroom when he made his wish.” I nodded to Beel. “Beel, where were you when you posted your wish?”
“In the RAD cafeteria. I did it as soon as Asmo told me about the ‘wishing board’ rumour.”
Belphie snuggled into my other side with a smile of pride. “Good thinking, Chise.”
“Y’all…” Mammon growled. “Don’t make me tear ya’s off of her with my own bare hands!”
“Okay then!” Asmo sat up with a smile too, though he still leaned his shoulder on mine. “What do you say we test it out first thing tomorrow?”
Satan nodded. “I’d say that’s a good idea, yeah. Well done, dove.”
Levi gave a quick salut. “Roger that.”
Mammon made a pathetic choking noise. “…Credit card, baby… I need you so baaaad…”
“So, Lucifer,” Satan said lightly as we ascended the stairs. “We’re done with our strategy session. Aren’t you going to head to your room?”
Lucifer glanced down the stairs at him where Satan had been bringing up the rear. “No. I need to speak to Chise.”
“Hmph.”
“And I’m guessing that you do as well, Satan. About the exact same thing.”
I looked between the two of them, confused. And with no small degree of trepidation.
Lucifer nodded at us both. “Let’s discuss this together, all three of us. I assume you have no objection, Chise?”
I felt my cheeks colour a bit. To be quite honestly, I seemed to be the only one out of the three of us who didn’t know what this was about, but had a few guesses. Some of which were quite awkward.
What Lucifer had said to Satan in the human world, and why I had been mopey and despondent with puffy eyes all weekend over Simeon, the result of their fight the other day which I had missed… Those being the worst options that I could think of from off the top of my head… And they always did like to surprise me with the worst. I was sure they could get even more creative about it.
I trudged very reluctantly after them.
“Well, Satan? There’s something you wanted to talk to Chise about.” Lucifer leaned his rear against his desk in his study, arms folded in front of him, with his one ankle crossing the other. It was, unfortunately, a hot look for him. “You first.”
Satan glanced at me, striaight, with one hand on his hip. Also a hot look.
“…It’s about today’s student council meeting,” he finally said with a sigh.
“Oh thank the stars,” I breathed in relief, earning myself two frowns.
Satan shook his head free of his confusion. “Lord Diavolo put you in charge of the wishing board, right? Well… Something weird is going on.”
I felt a little smile quirk in one corner of my lips. “Are you worried about my safety?”
His cheeks coloured prettily, and then he gave me a bashful smile. “Partly, yes. But that’s not the only thing that bothers me about this.” He sighed. “Think about it. Helping people find love and giving them giant stacks of cup noodles is all well and good. But depending on what people wish for, a lot of harm could come to both RAD and its students.
I wish I could turn it all back…
Fucking. Stop. Echoing. In my skull.
I’d made my decision…
That’s what I told myself. With a swallow, all I could think about… was the wishing board, and just how powerful it was.
No, no. Stupid. Not enough to control time and fate. To think it was as powerful as Barbatos himself, or even more so?
It was just ‘wishful thinking’.
“Sure, the ‘final trial’ is supposed to be tough. But for Lord Diavolo to entrust such a serious matter to Chise alone… Something else must be going on here.”
I nodded. “With all my trials so far, even the first ‘test,' there’s always been an extra catch. It was my immediate thought.”
He nodded, too. Before giving him a glance of suspicion at Lucifer. “…We need to find out whether he has some sort of ulterior motive.”
Lucifer stood, stoic.
Satan’s look began to turn into one of more seriousness. With a glare thrown in for good measure. “If you know something, now’s the time to say it, Lucifer.”
He shook his head. “No one has told me anything.”
Satan tsked darkly as he took another step to my side, as though saying that he was siding with me. “Somehow I find that hard to believe.”
Lucifer shook his head. “Whether you believe it or not is irrelevant. However, there’s one thing I can say about all this… I agree with you both. I think there’s more to this than there seems.
“Well, I’m glad to have you both see it too.” I smiled at them. “I feel better, knowing you’ll be keeping your eyes extra peeled to have my back. Thank you. Both of you.”
Satan coloured prettily again, while Lucifer gave a noise inside of his throat that could be passed off as a gentle clearing of it.
Lucifer finally relented with a fond smile for me. “But that isn’t the issue here. Even if Lord Diavolo does have an ulterior motive, that’s all the more reason not to let him down, Chise. Show him what you can do.”
My smile widened for him. “I don’t like this one single bit. But I’ll do my best.”
He chuckled. “Whether you like it or not, there’s no choice in the matter. I know you’ll make us proud – Diavolo included.” He nodded to us. “That’s all I had to say. I’ll see you two later.”
–
Satan sighed as he held my fingers while we walked down the hall. “…Even at times like this, all he can think about is what Lord Diavolo wants. It’s as if nothing else matters.”
I squeezed his fingers lightly. He heard what he had wanted to hear. Seen what he had wanted to see. Whereas I saw the look of soft support.
But it wasn’t the time to bring that up.
He looked down at his feet while we walked slowly, pensive. “…Still, even if we did confront Lord Diavolo directly about this, I doubt he’d be willing to call off the trial and give you something different to do.”
I shook my head. “It’s probably the point, anyway. It’s not like me guessing at an ulterior motive at this point would come as any surprise.” I snorted. “Even to Diavolo.”
He gave me a soft smile. “I guess all I can really do at this point is support you as best I can. I get the feeling that Lord Diavolo is toying with us, with you, and I don’t like it.”
I laughed, putting a bit of flirt into my voice. “Still, you’ll help me get through this, right?”
He chuckled quietly, eyes fond. “Well, if anyone is going to be there for you in your hour of need, I want it to be me.” His cheeks began to turn pink again as he stopped us to gaze down into my eyes. “…You’re coming to my room after this, right?”
I reached up to cup his face in my hands, all smiles for his green eyes. “I plan to spend the night with you. So yeah. That’s kind of a requirement.”
“Chise…” He pulled me to him by my waist. “Good. Because I wasn’t letting you go back to your room until morning anyway…”
“I love you.” I brushed his silken hair from his face as he leaned down to me. “Did you know that…?”
“I love you,” he murmured, before grazing a kiss to my lips, his hands cupping the sides of my ribs. He hesitated as our lips parted lightly from the kiss, his eyes searching mine. “…I’d also like to talk to you, too.”
I nodded, feeling uncertain by that as well. It was obvious that something was up with me.
But, like Solomon, it wasn’t my secret to tell.
–
“So,” he sighed, “for the first thing… I think you know what this is going to be about. And I’m sorry that you’re not going to like talking about it.” He turned back to me from shutting his door. “…But I need you to talk about it with me.”
I had slowly hunched while he spoke, my expression no doubt looking pretty hopeless.
He shook his head, but the way his eyes kept their lock on mine while his head moved told me of his concern as he kept his study of me. “The other night. You went to Purgatory Hall, to see Simeon and Solomon.”
I looked down at the ground. “…I could technically lie to you right now. That was my first thought.”
“Hm?” He blinked at me in surprise. “What do you mean?”
“I guess that was weird of me to share, rather than just making a decision either way.” I shook my head. “Maybe I wanted you to know that I considered doing something bad. Or maybe I’m just stalling.”
He quirked an eyebrow at me, before tilting his head. “Maybe you still are, in saying that.”
“Maybe…”
“Well then…” He sighed as he looked at me. While I kept my eyes down, I still felt his own gaze searing into my forehead. “Now that you’ve let the ‘cat out of the bag’ on that, where did you go?”
“To a park…” I scuffed my feet.
He snorted. “This is my room, you know. I’m not going anywhere. And here I am, rudely standing in front of this door, blocking your escape.”
I sighed. “I spent the night in my human world house with the two of them, yeah. Yeah. I was finally told.”
“So you really didn’t know…” He sighed. “I’d wondered which way you’d leaned on that. You fought against getting him to spill his secret, and I could only think of two reasons why: That you already knew and you were helping him hide it too, or…”
“…Or if I didn’t, and was waiting to be told as well.”
"Hurting as well," he added.
“Please, Satan…” I shook my head as I finally looked back up at him. “Don’t be mad at them. At him. And please… the efforts to make him tell in front of everyone before he’s ready… It all has to–”
“It’s bad, then.”
I hesitated, before I nodded quietly. Because obviously it was bad.
“Bad enough that even you can’t share…” his mouth set a bit in his jaw as he paused for a heartbeat, “…with me.”
I didn’t answer that. Just scuffed a bit again. Like a child being scolded.
He huffed in frustration as he looked down at the floor in thought. “…What could be so bad that our resident angel feels like he can’t sh–" He stopped abruptly, lips still parted from where he’d cut off his spoken thought. “…His message to me.”
I tried to pause my panic along with him paused words, clinging to the switch. “What message…?”
“That our pledge to you was more important for me to uphold now than ever…” He raised his eyes to me with a look of knowing sorrow. “What could any angel be going through that’s so bad…? That’s the question. What could any angel be hiding… with these symptoms to go along with it.”
I pressed my lips into a flat line.
Of course.
“Unable to defend himself… Unable to share with Luke… Raphael’s presence here… The ones in the highest positions of authority being aware, and not in a sharing mood…” He shook his head. “I may have been newly born and confused at the time, the nuances of other emotions were often lost on me in my struggle with my overwhelming Wrath, but I wasn’t a babe. I remember my brothers…”
He was always going to be either the last to figure it out, as the only pure demon among the brothers, or… the first to put it together, for his keen intelligence and deductive reasoning. This man who adored his mystery novels and puzzles.
The former had been a naive hope. In the aftermath… He. Was. There. He was BORN from that hurt.
He sighed, his face falling into a look of sympathy at the sight of my own look of despair. “…Only one version of events is ever true. And these are the hallmarks of a refugee. Of course, there’s precedent. Other refugees… that Lord Diavolo homed. Myself included. Dammit. I don’t know how I didn’t see it for myself…”
Of course he was going to be the one to figure it out. To think otherwise would be an insult to this keen and bright and ever-curious man. Who cared.
Belphie wasn’t going to be far behind if this didn’t come out into the open soon. And Belphie, while he was usually happy to silently hoard information to himself and kept his cards close, would sometimes blurt out a secret if he thought it suited him. Usually in a full room, to get that room to turn on the object of his ire with him.
You think so too, don’t you, Chise?
If he got outraged enough over something and thought himself provoked, he’d play those cards that he usually kept close. That’s why he collected them so carefully. To sift through them. Not all of them needed to be used, but he had them anyway, and when the time came, he would pluck the card from his stacked hand to slap it down on the table for everyone to see his victory. The anarchist rebel, if he thought something was unfair. There was a good chance Belphie wouldn’t blab for my sake, but his mind was quick, and he was undeniably unpredictable in his train of thought; he could change his mind in a blink, and I could easily see him deciding that speaking up would be protecting me from further harm. He was fiercely and territorially protective of me, and he’d already demanded that I be outraged for myself.
The two brothers, who were so close as they schemed up elaborate pranks to play on Lucifer, both equalled one another in their clever intelligence. Though Satan, at least, usually held more subtlety in the end.
I should warn Sim that things might not be going his way soon…
But I didn’t want to… I didn’t want anyone to know that Satan now knew. I wanted to hold that to myself. For myself. Taking a leaf from my own book – the one I had given to Barbatos – to take a little piece of selfishness for myself. To survive. To support myself outside of supporting Sim and Sol, before they consumed me completely.
“Please,” I whispered brokenly. “Don’t tell anyone. Don’t even… say it out loud. Not even to me… Not even… here.”
He came to me, his palms lightly coming to a rest on the sides of my ribs again, over where they curved most. “I am so sorry, dove…”
“I…” I blinked against the dampness that reached my eyes.
“Okay,” he agreed softly, his fingers coming up to lightly brush at my hair. “No more of that. All you need to know now is that now you can come to me. You need that. You weren’t given that. That’s what’s made me so… angry about this.”
I nodded tightly, unable to speak past the lump in my throat. There was more to it. It was so much worse than even I could have guessed, knowing all I knew, all the pieces I’d picked up because I was close to him. Pieces that Satan didn’t have.
But it was bad enough to know that Simeon had fallen from grace. Turned from his home, from his people.
That he was being punished in a very deep and serious way. Serious enough for the future King of the Devildom to be involved.
That he was being punished…
Because of me.
I could only lean into his offered embrace quietly.
He sighed as he held me to him. “Not the way I wanted this night to go…”
I shook my head, finally finding my voice, hoarse as it was. “…I needed you. I think… maybe the most?”
He stroked my hair with a pleased hum. “Sorry… Probably inappropriate of me to be happy to hear that.”
I shook my head again. “You’re my romantic heart. You always know just what to say. And… honestly, what not to.”
“Oh.” He held me closer, his voice cautiously surprised. “That’s… a subtlety that I never thought would ever be ascribed to me, once. Particularly within the nuance of a romantic relationship.”
I laughed softly, though the sound was still undeniably sad. “Your mix of romance and analytical analysis is so unique and endearing to me.”
“Ahah…” He let out an embarrassed laugh under his breath. “If you say so. I have to keep up with you, after all.”
“I find that it’s me running to keep up with you.” I shook my head into his chest with a relieved sigh at the change in topic, feeling myself relax a bit more into his warmth and scent. Into his favourite sweater that I’d always considered endearingly nerdy, which was also so, so soft.
“Oh…” He sighed with reluctance. “The second thing was me wanting to apologize for my behaviour the other day.”
“You mean, when you set the living room on fire?”
He winced. “…Yeah.”
I nuzzled into his sweater again with a small smile. “It’s the running away part…”
He shifted guiltily. “I can’t say it enough…”
“Satan.” I pulled away from him a bit to cup his face in my hands again. “You’re the Avatar of Wrath. I’m not trying to hold you to human standards of self-control. You’re a demon. You’re struggling with self-worth – yeah, shut up, that’s the core of it – but you’re still who you are.”
He had looked away to the side. “…Been reading some human world books on angry men in relationships. It’s abuse for your–”
“And you’re not human.”
“I don’t just want to be good to you. I want to be… good for you.” He sighed. “Building bonfires in the living room and smashing that cute kitty kat cookie jar isn’t…”
I laughed softly, gazing at him fondly. And sympathetically. “I knew you’d be regretting that one.”
“I’m really sorry, dove.”
I shook my head. “Look at you now. Being here for me. Walking the tightrope of firmly needing to know what’s going on to best support me, while giving just enough needed compassionate space. I wish I had your determination and guts to look your partner in the eye and say, ’I’m not going to take you hiding from me lying down’.”
“You hadn’t actually told me,” he teased lightly.
I shook my head, sadness creeping into me again. “I could have been the same. I’d already figured it out, deep down. Oh, fuck it, who am I kidding… It wasn’t even deep down. It was right in front of me, and I refused to look at it. I dragged this out just as much as he did. But you just… took it by the reins…” I sighed. “I admire your strength so much. I look up to you. I rely on you…”
“Dove…” He touched my chin with a frown. “I've seen how much you two… care about each other.”
I couldn’t stop the snort. “Yeah, I’ve noticed your little jabs. Even if he hasn’t. Or pretends not to…”
“Aha… Call it friendly rivalry.” He grimaced a bit. “…Truthfully, I look up to him. He’s so naturally kind and patient, and gives all of that to you in your relationship with him with an ease that I just…”
“Ah…” My eyes softened in understanding. “I can see how you might find that… a bit threatening? But I hope–”
“I could never hate the man,” he said grumpily. “He’s simply unhateable. In fact, I consider him a good friend, and I’m grateful to him for his care of you.” He cleared his throat. “…Mostly. Recent developments aside. But damn it if I can’t help feeling that ‘friendly rivalry,’ even if he seems completely oblivious to it out of his unwavering kindness and his belief in the best of people, which just pisses me off even more.”
I giggled. “I can’t help but think that it’s a little cute. That out of everyone you could be a little hissy kitty towards…”
“Hey…” He wrinkled his nose a bit in his offence. “That sounds quite juvenile.”
“Mm…” I raised myself up on my toes to drape my arms around his neck. “With a fluffed-out tail.”
He wrapped his arms tighter around me again, leaning down to press his forehead to mine. “Rude…”
“Don’t worry.” I brushed my fingers along his cheekbone. “It’s you that I–"
His name will die with him, his human lineage ended before it even begins; for he is made sterile, and will not be allowed to father children.
I swallowed as my mind immediately shied away. “…We’re uniquely us, and we’re starting to look towards our own future together. You are the Avatar of Wrath. I love the Avatar of Wrath, who would not harm a single hair on my head, and wouldn’t let anyone else try to do that either, because he uses his outrage to protect me. Channelled into a goodness. Into a righteousness. Satan, I don’t need you to be Simeon. You and I have our own plans for the future.”
He searched my face carefully. “…You still want those plans?”
I nodded. “Of course.”
“Kids. With me.”
I snorted. “That’s what I mean, yeah.”
His eyes immediately gleamed keen.
Oh boy.
This man had baby fever, and he had it bad.
“Oh, but…” His expression grew more serious. “While I’m in therapy, what else do we have to do to hurry this along? I know we did the hand fasting, but does that count enough for you and your people?”
“…Uhh…” I gave him a very confused look. “What do you mean…?”
He frowned at me. “Aren’t children born out of wedlock in human society considered social pariahs? We should brainstorm how we can meet that requirement in our own way so we have a plan ready to go as soon as we are.”
“Uhhh, errrr…” I felt my face turning red in the face of his absolute seriousness and growing excitement. “In some societies it still can be, but a lot have moved past that. It’s not really a thing… At least, not where I grew up.”
He tutted. “You humans really can’t make up your minds, huh? Well, that just makes more sense. The previous way you all did things was quite silly, in my opinion, but maybe that’s because it’s a concept that’s foreign to us demons who don’t make such pledges. At least, not yet. Still, I like the thought of being married to the human mother of my children; though I’m glad to hear that we don’t have to wait on the slow politics of the Devildom, so the children can come first.” He sucked in a sharp breath as his next thought came to him, and then he somehow managed to give me an even more serious frown – clearly of concern. And clearly, he was so focused that he hadn’t seen how my jaw had dropped. “That brings me to the second hurdle, one that might be even more pressing and dire: Let’s talk timeline. Fertile human women have a limited window for these kinds of things, right? Whereabouts are you on that, exactly? I’d like to plan exactly–"
I had pressed the heel of my palm into my forehead, bowing my head while I shook with laughter.
He blinked in confusion, looking a little offended while he was at it. “What? Did I get something wrong?”
“No, no, you’re not… pfff…” I struggled to contain myself. “You’re not wrong? Just being quite… practical.”
“Well, as we should be, right?” He shook his head, still confused. “How many would you like me to put in you? Two? Three? More? At least two, I think. I wouldn’t mind more, but of course, it’s up to you. ...As long as it’s at least two. Please.”
“Pfffff…!” I was bright red from both deep embarrassment for him and from the force of my laughter that was squeezing the breath from me.
“What…? Why are you laughing so hard?”
“Because I love you!” I grinned as I slapped my hands to his cheeks; not hard, just making him blink in surprise as I held him firm to smirk in his face. “Satan, you’re adorable!”
Now he was turning pink, abruptly quieted as he looked at me in stunned amazement. “…You’re beautiful. You’re so beautiful.”
"Satan..." I sighed out the last of my laughter, eyes softening, though I still grinned in amusement. "You're going to make an excellent father. An excellent team with me. And our babies are going to be drop. dead. gorgeous."
Now, his face was beet red. He stared at me for a few moments longer as he processed his shock, before slowly, a grin of his own took over his face. "We are a pretty good looking couple..."
"Mhmm..." I agreed, flirtatiously. "Satan. My Avatar of Wrath. Master of the passion of flames."
"How cheesy..." His grin quirked into one of flirtation back. "And you're the bellows who stokes those flames to life. Master of the master. Oxygen to embers."
"Hah. Who's the cheesy one now?" I murmured teasingly.
He chuckled. "Hells... You drive me crazy, Chise. And then you anchor me at the same time. It drives me crazier."
I giggled. "Uh-oh. Perpetual motion achieved. Sounds like I don't give you any rest.”
"About that..." He trailed his fingers lightly down my arms, tickling them into goosebumps. “‘Rest’ isn't something that I'd planned on getting with you tonight anyway. But I also didn't plan for this to get quite so... well. I'd understand if you're not up for it. We could just–"
“Oh, no." I grabbed him roughly by the front of his sweater, balling my fists there to yank him down to me. "I'm up for it.”
***
He hissed in a breath right before our lips crashed into one another's, before I was swept up tightly in his arms in a lift, to stumble backwards while he pushed me forwards to his waiting bed. His hands were on my body with a hungry desperation, almost too frantic to pull my shirt off over my head, my hair floating back down staticky with how quickly he'd ripped it off. I lifted his sweater in my own earnest request, and he hissed again in impatience for clothes while he stripped that off next, his shirt underneath pulled along with it.
I was huffing against his hot, desperate kisses as I ran my hands over his toned body with reverent appreciation, massaging the heels of my palms into his chest muscles. For a man who wasn't exactly active, he seemed to have a natural muscular tone to him; a demon's body, flexing under my fingers as he grabbed me up to him again to have us falling onto his bed with a bounce on his mattress where we landed, his weight on me as he tugged my pants and underwear down with a throaty growl -- he sound was feral with his need. I kicked my legs while I panted in desperation to help get them off faster, and soon he had them tearing from my ankles to land in a heap on the floor across his room.
"Fuck..." He spread my bared legs to hump his still-clothed erection to my exposed sex while I fumbled at his pants' fastening. "Oh, fuck, Chise, I want you so badly..."
He was pulled his cock out the moment I had his pants and underwear tugged down low enough for his girth and length to be freed. I keened at the sight, eyes locked to his swollen member that twitched for me as he watched me lay back while I drew my knees up in clear presentation. In desperate invitation, as I reached out one arm towards him with another keen as he paused to stare at me, my other hand holding one leg up by the back of my knee to keep myself folded for him to take me.
"...You're so fucking sexy," he growled tersely, before throwing himself back down on top of me for a rough kiss while he kicked his pants off the rest of the way from behind him. He ground his straining cock again me between belly and folds, gasping into my mouth while he humped me, while I whimpered, trying to tilt my pelvis up more to line him up further down.
He let me. I managed it. But we both cried out in surprise when his next hump had him spearing into me anyway, with no warning as it had slipped from my belly to land heavily between my thighs just in time for his next thrust. Plunged into me with the force that would have had him halfway, but he continued on in a desperate slam to hilt inside of me in one smooth glide. Joined, while we both choked at the abrupt sensation of it, of the pleasure that seared through us both. My heated and wet enveloping of him, and his girthy and throbbing stretch of me. We clung together while we swallowed air, eyes locked to each other's, wide.
He shook his head. "Fuck it."
He pulled back and slammed, making me throw my head back with a desperate cry, my toes curling as I pressed my knees to his sides in a lock. I dragged the up and down, and with a groan, with hard thrusts, he followed the pace I set with my flexing legs. Slamming deep, piercing; rhythmic, plunging thrusts that kissed my cervix in the very depths of me, again and again. Not fast, not slow, so firm, so deep, the slam and slap of skin on skin while he fell into taking me on my back while I cried out for him with every joining that shocked me.
Relentless. That's how he'd always been. Stamina found in a relentless pace. He could take me so fast if he wanted. But he didn't need to. He'd achieve the same result by taking me like this, drawing it out, working my sex thoroughly with his hard, plunging cock, that took just enough time with the speed of his thrusts to hit every sensitive inch of me, lighting me up steadily. Ruthlessly.
I choked desperately as I tried to keep one hand cupped to his cheek, tried to maintain eye contact with this man whose own eyes devoured the expressions of overwhelming pleasure and want for more of him on my face. Expressions that he drew forth from me as I cried out open-mouthed, my eyes half-lidded and glazing, lashes fluttering. Tilting my head up with every thrust; more, more, more.
He growled again. "You're going to cum, huh? Am I making you cum, Chise? Am I going to make you cum?”
“Saaatan…” I moaned. “I’mmm… Pleeeease…”
“You’re sooo beautiful,” he groaned back, desire flooding his expression. “Oh, look at you getting close…”
I choked on a sob, and then another cry, as I clung to him. I pushed and pulled him back and forth more powerfully with my knees, though my movements were jerky as my rigidity began to set in. Building. I was hyperventilating. Nodding, nodding, nodding, nodding. “Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes… plee-eee-eease…”
He leaned his face down to my neck.
"...I can't wait to bury my cock into you like this while you're pregnant with my baby," he whispered fiercely into my ear. Just as he tipped me over with another plunge that drove the swollen head of him right into my cervix.
I strained, tensed, choked on the scream, eyes rolling back while I spasmed underneath him. With that, he took me faster, growling while he watched me, watched the red flush suffuse over my face while I held my breath through the orgasm that ripped through my core. He took my rigid, contracting body hard and fast now while he rode me through, sparking the electricity of my high again and again, watching me shudder in silence with the flood of pleasure he delivered to me.
He was almost smug with what he could do to me, the way he kept me going, prolonging as though he were proving something to himself. That he could make me orgasm, again and again and again, from the plunge of HIS cock that he drove inside of me, while I laid there, awash in so much pleasure that I could only lay there for him and take it. He pounded into me, my sex audibly wet with my cream now, creamed for him. He didn't have to prove anything. He was already smug and confident. But he liked the proof of my cream on his cock anyway. The sound of my strangled choking. The pounding of skin on skin. The roll of my shoulders and back that signaled that I was supposed to be coming down -- but he didn't let me.
Relentless. He cupped my ass with one hand, spanking me hard. It forced a cry from my lips, shocked from the haze I'd been falling in. He kept me with him with another spank, not letting me fall into the haze of bliss. And another, anytime he saw my neck begin to relax. Slamming my cervix. Keeping my core blazing. Not letting me descend. Riding me at the top. The sound of his occasion spanks a loud crack in his room. He rubbed my ass in between, before spanking again. The skin there stung and burned. My heat flexed and contracted, squeezing his cock. Slap, slam. Growling feral for me, for my reaction. He knew how to control the bed. Me.
"Cum," he ordered, before slamming in with his slap on my skin, grinding into my cervix hard.
I came again. Maybe it was the same orgasm that just had a lower lull before it burst into flames again. No. Another, I thought absently, that he stacked on top of the last, while I was still at my most sensitive.
“Gooood,” he groaned, as he watched me unfurl even more for him than I already had. Bloomed fully into senselessness.
I loved being taken while I was senseless. I loved being a pillow princess. I loved being fucked. I loved being within my lover's power, and under my lover’s control. He loved taking me further and further, loved it when I surrendered to him. He loved to fuck me. Loved how easy it was to make me cum, so he could take advantage of that. To make the pleasure near-tortuous for me. I shuddered on his blankets underneath his moving body, my fingers flexing against his muscles, that flexed while he drove himself powerfully into me. Like our bodies were made to come together. I’d always thought that, since the very first time I’d had his perfectly fitting cock inside of me.
I’d lost track of time while I’d been at my peak. I keened weakly as I scratched at him, my muscles slowly releasing. So. Sensitive. So. Foggy.
"Sa...tan..." I whispered hoarsely, my body jouncing helplessly on the bed from his unending spearing of me. "You're… ss-so... deep..."
He smirked at me as he grabbed at his shirt nearby to stuff part of it into my mouth, silencing me. "I'm not done with you yet, little pet dove. Give. me. another. Right. Now!"
I screamed throatily, muffled through the fabric that he had gagged me with, while my back arched in and out of sharp, almost painful rolls with how forcefully tight my muscles contracted. Another drowning, I was so tired, my body was so tired, my head swam, my vision, too. It made it all the more searing to give into it fully. Falling into hoarse, helpless groans, where before I'd been screaming and crying out in pleasure. It was just as fiery, just as intense, if not even more so, but my body was overwhelmed.
My core, my belly, was a rampaging inferno, electricity shooting hot up and down my spine, but my muscles slowly began to relax in surrender. I was even breathing slowly. Deeply. Unseeing. The blonde man, my insatiable lover, rutting into me from above in a blur of bright gold. The image of him as an angel from Raphael's dream came to me as a dream of my own. His golden hair, blurred, was so beautiful. That's what I thought to myself before the muscles of my neck gave up next, for my head to loll uselessly to the side, unable to be held up anymore. I felt a bit of drool trickle out of the corner of my lips from the side my head turned to, from around the shirt in my mouth.
I felt him take that from me. Slowly some.
"Satan..." I whispered, body still rocked rhythmically from his thrusts.
"Dove..."
"I love you..." I put a lot of effort into slow blinking as I looked at him from the corners of my eyes. “You’re so… perfect… inside me… Mmnnn… Look at me..."
He hissed through his teeth as he leaned forward, his fingers curling tighter into the flesh of my legs that he held, nails digging.
"My Avatar of Wrath," I whispered. “Satan. Mine. I can't believe I get to be your lover... Can't believe I get this... Can't believe I get to be here..." I felt my eyes well up with tears. "So special. You're so special. We’re so…"
He took me into his arms with a strained whimper, pressing his forehead to my cheek now while he held me, slowing his pace, though he still sighed deeply with the pleasure of having me, having his cock buried in me. But he didn't need a fast and desperate pace to cum. His hips still rolled passionately. Not from his tip to his base anymore, but still kept deep, mid-shaft to hilt to mid-shaft to hilt, thrusting, gliding back and forth within my tight tunnel.
"I'll give you that baby," I murmured.
"...I'm going to cum," he hissed, squeezing his eyes shut while his back rolled up into a bridged arch overtop of me. "…Please. Dove. Please."
"You're going to make me cum just like this," I whispered. "Again and again, readying me for your actual seed. Your real seed. Aren't you…? Just like this…?"
"Yes yes yes... Oh fffff..." He gasped as he half-collapsed before catching himself, trying to stay it off for more.
"I can't think of anyone who'd be a more dedicated... faithful… father, husband… …cum in me…"
He cried out as he went from half-shaft to hilt one final time to abruptly spill, pumping, hips shuddering in small grinds against me with the contractions that shot through his cock with every pouring of his seed inside of me. His cum erupted from his tip to pump hot within me, shooting right to my cervix, flooding back to smother his twitching cock as it worked to give more. So much. He flooded me with so much. I sighed in satisfaction, warmed – heated – by the temperature of it. Potent enough for me to feel exactly where he'd released, pooled, and now subsided from.
"Oh, hells..." he groaned shakily, with what sounded like exhaustion, too. He finally began to lower more of his body weight on top of me in rest, burying his face into the crook of my neck while he gasped in air. "Th-That was… hah… a big one for me..."
I laughed weakly, a breathy sound that I barely managed. "I noticed..."
"Oh, dove," he sighed, tiredly nuzzling at me. "I couldn't ask for a better partner and lover."
I giggled self-consciously. "Can't say I did much, on my back and taking it like I was..."
He growled at that, fingers flexing against my skin.
My giggled was a little stronger. “Hmm, did that get you already...?"
"You're perfect," he murmured, before brushing a kiss to my jaw. "Perfect for me."
"You're an amazing lover," I whispered. "You just… wreck me into this damn mattress… You just radiate passion…"
He chuckled, a flirtatious sound. And smug. Then he groaned softly as he pulled his hips back, and I made a whine in my throat as he was tugged from me. He rolled over heavily onto his side with a sigh, his palm coming to a rest on my belly while he looked at me. Adoringly.
I smiled back as I shakily reached to rest my hand on his cheek. Left it there. Before that had taken a bunch of effort to even do that. I felt swollen and much too wet between my legs, and my core and belly ached. “Satan… I don’t even have the words.”
///
He turned his face to kiss my palm, eyes still on mine. "I'm at your side, Chise, no matter what. Not just as your lover. You have my pact, too. You have my heart and soul. You have my everything. I'm here for you."
"Thank you," I whispered in a small voice as I turned onto my own side to face him, where his hand surved from my belly over and around my waist. He pulled me closer before he rubbed lightly up and down my back, gazing into my eyes in soft silence, lost in them.
How did these demons stand the thought of my mortality, when I was so devastated over Simeon's? When I'd already been looking at him as though he were already dead, despite us sharing a similar timeline now? How could Satan look at me now and not see that... I curved my hand over his soft cheek. What was their secret? How did THEY not break down every time they looked into my eyes?
The children I could give him. That would be left with him when I was long gone. Maybe it was just as much his way of coping with my lifespan as it was his desire to be a father and partner.
"What're you thinking about?" he whispered into the quiet, eyes scanning my face. "You look pensive."
"I am." I moved my hand so that I was brushing his hair back with my stroking. “But I'd rather be present with you. If you don’t mind. I find too many pockets of time to think too hard… I’d just like to be distracted from spiralling right now."
He nodded as he pulled me while he pushed forward, to seek my lips with his in a soft kiss. I lingered there with him, soft and intimate, post-love-making in its sweetness. “…In that case. Changing the topic…”
“Uh-oh.”
"...You never did answer anything about timelines."
I laughed as I pressed my hand over my face. “Wow, this has really been on your mind. You’re like a dog with a bone with this baby fever of yours.”
He turned pink. "Ah, I didn’t mean at all for this to come off as pressuring–"
“Oh, Satan…” I shook my head fondly. “I’ve got, uh, some good years left to me on the ‘fertility' front…"
"I guess my most burning question is..." He hesitated. "...Is if you have plans with this with anyone else. And where... I come into that. On that timeline."
"Ohhh..." I felt instantly shy as I darted my eyes away.
He shook his head. "Please, just honesty. Don't worry about… jealousy. I’d just like to know."
"...All right." I squirmed uncomfortably. "Mammon and I have talked about it loosely. So that's... but." I took a breath as I looked at him directly again. "I want that with you, first."
He let out a sigh of so much relief, though he immediately snapped his jaw shut tight after he'd realized he'd done it.
I laughed again. "So much for 'don't worry about jealousy.'"
He gave an abashed smile. "So there will be a pause between us for... But..."
I nodded. Lucifer's own bold declaration of his intentions flashed in my mind a little too late, but I definitely wasn't going to mention that for a while. "I need to become a student council officer and then finish more schooling, Satan. After I finish my trials, I'll have a, uhh, covert talk with Diavolo and Solomon to fish around for more of an answer on where I can fit in a bit of a..." I smiled sheepishly, "...maternity leave break. Orrr two..."
He nodded back, smiling so warmly, eyes sparkling bright with joy. "Don't worry, I'm going to take good care of you while you're pregnant, and post-partum; it'll be as if you're not pregnant at all. Oh, uh, I don't mean that in a..." He cleared his throat, looking serious again, his gaze direct as though he were pledging. "I know that you and your body will be working very hard to make our little baby happen. So you'll be my entire life's purpose while you work your miracle on the behalf of us both. You will want for nothing.”
"You are so..." I was laughing hard again while I shook my head in amusement. "I do NOT doubt that in the least."
Please don't let this room fill up with pregnancy and newborn advice books just yet. I don't think he had enough room left in here for a collection like that.
"...I'm really going to be the first?"
"My soul..." I snuggled into him tightly, and he rolled onto his back with me in his arms to hold me against his chest. I sighed as I relaxed, melting against him. “You’re going to have to wait a couple years at least. But yes. It’ll be your first, and my first."
"Our first…" He grinned up at the ceiling as he held me, no doubt imagining it all in his mind's eye while he petted me.
I shook my head with a smile. What a dork. “I love you, silly man.”
He chuckled quietly. But very, very happily. “I love you too, heart of mine. But don’t fall asleep yet, dove… I told you, I wasn’t looking to take you in here for any rest tonight.”
“By the stars…” I groaned tiredly. “Am I even going to be able to walk tomorrow…?”
He was snickering now. The lack of answer was actually much more clever than anything else he could have conjured up as a comeback to that.
Notes:
Likely no update tomorrow. Going to be out and about.
Chapter 46: Chapter 78: Bug In The System
Chapter Text
Simeon smiled patiently at the sight of Solomon’s visible melancholy, as the man stared out of the window with his chin on his fist, and his elbow on the sofa’s arm. Life outside of Purgatory Hall carried on unseen, though, as he was lost in his thoughts.
“…What is it now, Sol?” Simeon interrupted lightly, to the startlement of Solomon, whose head whirled towards his voice in surprise.
“…Hm?” He blinked in confusion, still befuddled from having been abruptly pulled away. "What’s what now?"
“You know what I mean…” Simeon came to him, lowering himself slowly into the seat at his side to take Solomon’s free hand from his lap, to move it to his own to clasp. “Something’s weighing on you.”
Solomon gave him his sweet smile. “Maybe some things are okay being left unsaid?”
Sim tilted his head, amused. “Is that really how you feel, after everything?”
He shook his head. “It’s just a thought of so little consequence but made bigger by ego and insecurity.”
“Mm…” Simeon slipped his arm around Solomon’s back to pull him to him by his arm. “Setting aside that I don’t believe for a second that this is of ‘little consequence’ when I found you staring out of our window, morose… My Solomon? Admitting to ego and… even more shockingly… insecurity?”
He rolled his eyes. “It’s between me and ahuvati. I’d better not.”
“Ah…”
They both fell into silence together, with Simeon’s arm remaining around Solomon.
The kind of silence that Solomon hated – or, rather, was most irritated by – because it was Simeon’s ‘I’m waiting patiently’ silence. Which would stretch and stretch and stretch. Until Simeon got what he was waiting patiently for.
It was so unfair.
“…As in, you know, it should be between her and I.”
“Right, right.”
More silence.
He hated that damned grandfather clock in the hallway. It drove him nuts. And Simeon would use it to his advantage, of course, as it accentuated his patient silence.
Tick, tock, tick, tock.
One of these days he was going to open that thing up and take out all of the weights and hide them.
Tick, tock, tick, tock.
He sighed heavily. Simeon turned his face towards him in with a pleasant questioning look, and a soft hum of inquiry – as though he hadn’t been expecting it.
“…It’s just that… I was thinking about the other night, how after she’d been told, she was crying for me.” Solomon shook his head. “Truly, Sim. It’s just the fragile ego whispering in my ear. And I didn’t want to bring it to your attention anyway, for obvious reasons – so you wouldn’t overanalyze along with me. It just left me a little puzzle to ponder, that’s all. I’m sorry to worry you for something so, well, dumb.”
“Oh, Sol.” Simeon shook his head took, smiling wider as he slid his hand up from Solomon’s arm to his shoulder to give it a squeeze. “There’s no need to ramble embarrassed excuses and apologies. No, don't be sorry. It makes sense. I was the subject of her grief, and you were the other in the room who could give her strength and safety.”
“Me…”
“Silly sorcerer…” Simeon reached to touch Solomon’s chin lightly, turning his face to look at him. “You’re so loved. Did you think I’d begrudge you that?”
Solomon’s cheeks turned a bit pink, and he even spluttered a bit.
Much to Simeon’s delight, as he broke out into teasing laughter.
Luke: Could I ask you advice on something?
Barbatos: What can I help you with, Luke?
Luke: I’d like to make something nice for a person who’s done a lot for me.
Luke: So, if you know any good recipes, I was hoping you could tell me.
Barbatos: In that case, how about some baked confectionaries?
Barbatos: For example, macarons can be quite visually appealing.
Luke: Oh, that’s not a bad idea!
Barbatos: By the way, is this for someone at the House of Lamentation?
Barbatos: Surely it’s not for someone at Purgatory Hall?
Luke: It’s not like I’m making it for Chise or anything!
Barbatos: Why, I didn’t mention Chise’s name at all. ^^
Luke: 😳
Barbatos: 🤭
“So, Chise has only three days to pass the final trial,” Belphie recapped us as we made it to the top landing of the stairs in RAD. “And today is day one…”
Asmo shook his head at Belphie’s flat tone of voice, smiling encouragingly. “Well, we don’t have time to be dilly-dallying. We need to test out our theory ASAP!”
“Right. Wishes coming true if you post them from within RAD,” Levi said.
Beel shrugged. “How abut we all post something and see what happens?”
“YES!” Levi gasped with pink cheeks as he whipped out his D.D.D. “This is the moment I’ve been waiting for…!”
Belphie chuckled as he looked at me. “What are you going to wish for, Chise?”
I laughed under my breath, a little too quietly on accident as I looked down at my own D.D.D. “…I need something that will soothe the soul.”
“Rather vague,” Asmo said sympathetically with a touch of his fingers to my shoulder. “Do you need a little TLC? Just say the word, and I’ll give you all the TLC you can handle.”
I rolled my eyes with a truer smile. “Even when you’re trying to be soft, your actual choice in words speak volumes.”
Asmo giggled. “Noooo, not like thaaat… …Unless?” He waggled his eyebrows at me.
I shook my head with a giggle of my own.
Belphie snorted. “Yeah. That sounds stressful, not soothing.”
He gasped in offence. “Belphie! So mean!”
I sighed with a fond tut. “Okay, so, if what we wished for comes true, we’ll know that posting from RAD is the key to making it work.”
“Chise!” Asmo wiggled in his seat in the greenhouse lounge with happy smiles for me. “I heard the wish you posted to the bulletin board came true?!”
“Yep.” I took the seat across from him, smiling back as I held up my coffee cup for inspection. “I’ve won one hot drink of my choice, every school day, for a month. Courtesy of the new café that just opened up down the hall from our lounge’s grand opening raffle. I, my dear Asmo, am a happy camper.”
He tittered in amused delight. “That was a good one. And guess what? My wish came true, too! One of my fans gave me a limited-edition set made by a VERY exclusive cosmetics company. I’d given up all hope of ever owning one… until now!”
“Well, I scored a rare Seraphina-chan card in a trade!” Levi announced in a yell – almost a scream, really – as he raced into the lounge in excitement.
“And they decided to rebroadcast the Stargazer’s Travel Guide Special,” Belphie said next, following Levi in more slowly. “I missed it the first time they aired it.”
I nodded. “I’m down to watch some sci-fi with you.”
He grinned at me. “Great. The other part of my wish came true, then. To watch Stargazer’s Travel Guide Special with my Chise.”
“Awww…” I ducked my head with a blush, smiling as Belphie curled up in the seat next to me, tucking his legs under. “Cheeseball…”
“Looks like the wishing board didn’t waste any time doing its thing, huh?” Beel took the spot beside Belphie.
“Nope,” I said. “And now it’s clear we were right.”
Asmo nodded. “So posting from within RAD really IS the key to having your wishes granted!”
Training to become a sorcerer isn’t just about practising your spells. There’s a lot of book learning that goes into it as well. For example… turn to page 17,366 in your Magical Arts Compendium and look at this section here. 'Spells that only initiate when certain conditions are met are often powered by magic items.’
Page 17,366…?! Couldn’t they have broken up this compendium into a few more editions? An A-Z series?
Now, now. Focus. You can write your complaints to the publisher later. So if you see here, high-level sorcerers can create spells that trigger when specific conditions are met. Usually when a spell is initiated by a magic item, the item will overflow with magical energy in a way that pretty much anyone around will be able to sense.
My superhuman master’s speciality, right?
Oh, please. I specialize in it all. It just so happens that everyone else is mostly rather useless in the art. There’s profit in the mass-production of useless little trinkets, so most enchanters don’t push themselves beyond that, unless they have wealthy benefactors investing for personal collections, which–
Anywaaaay. I’m sorry for asking.
Hehe. Anyway, in addition to people being able to sense this magic energy, there’s also usually some sort of change in its appearance. For example, it might glow, or transform somehow.
Not all of yours ‘glow', do they?
There’s a little trick to getting around that; if you want the spell to go off without anyone noticing, you can make it so this energy is absorbed into something else. For example, if you’re dealing with a magic item that makes flowers bloom, you can use trees and shrubs to suppress any visible changes in the item. So it’s possible to make it look like they’ve bloomed on their own, rather than due to the item’s power.
I like that example.
Precisely why I gave it, adorable apprentice of mine. I don’t think you realize just how much effort I put into tailoring your studies specifically to that wandering attention of yours, in my desperate quest to keep it!
Heh… Good thing I’m so adorable, then.
My favourite pupil. Seeing your sweet face every day makes it all worth while.
I looked down at my demonii pumpkin latté with a little smile as I heard Solomon’s lovely, soothing voice in my head.
“Chise? Earth to Chiseee.” Belphie poked me gently in the belly, bringing me back to myself. “I noticed that you’re lost in thought. Any new ideas on what's going on?”
I nodded at him in reassurance as I ran my fingers through his hair, since he’d sneakily managed to slowly slide himself down to rest his head almost entirely in my lap, looking up at my with the top of his head pressed to my cup. I looked around at them all. “It’s possible that this isn’t just a ‘spell,’ but a magic item that's causing all of this.”
“A magic item…?” Beel tilted his head. “What would that look like?”
“Solomon taught me that spells that only work when certain conditions are met are usually powered by magic items.” I frowned. “And magic items are usually able to be sensed by people when they’re nearby.”
“Hmm…” Belphie looked up at the moon that shone through the glass above. “If Solomon’s theory is correct, then there’s a magic item hidden somewhere within RAD.”
Levi nodded. “That would also explain why you have to be at RAD when you post your wish for it to work.”
“We should be in proximity to it.” I gently scooped Belphie’s head up with my palm on the back of it, earning myself a pout. “Let’s go find ourselves a magic item. I hope it’s as easy as finding something that’s very obviously glowing…”
“Easier said than done,” Levi muttered doubtfully. “Are you forgetting that RAD is gigantic?”
Asmo rolled his eyes. “Well, good thing we have all of us brothers to help us out then, huh?”
I nodded. “We should split up to cover more ground. Keep your magic tingly senses hats on.”
Belphie snorted. “Nerd.”
“Great,” Mammon mumbled as he dragged his feel along. “So now I’m stuck lookin’ for this magic item thing. What a giant pain in the rear…”
Lucifer rolled his eyes. “If it’s that much of a bother, you don’t have to help out.”
Mammon made a sullen little noise in his throat, but his cheeks flushed red. “Hey, whoa, I never said I wouldn’t help. Why else do ya think I’m here?!”
“By the way, Mammon, you skipped Devildom law class today, didn’t you?” Satan asked casually.
“Wha?!” Mammon darted quick guilty glances between Satan and Lucifer. “N-No! I was right there in class, payin’ attention like a good student!” He turned to me pleadingly. “Back me up here, Chise! You believe me, don’t ya?! Just look at these eyes…” He began to simper pathetically, widening those big beautiful blue eyes of his. “These are HONEST eyes!”
I smirked at him. “I’ve never seen a guiltier set in my life.”
“C’MONNNN. Are ya really gonna believe Satan over ME?! Why?!”
Belphie snorted. “Probably because he’s way more trustworthy than you?”
“Shaddup!” Mammon snapped at him. “Demons aren’t s’posed to be trustworthy anyway!”
“Hey, come on,” Asmo sighed in annoyance. “Stop fooling around, and let’s start searching, okay?”
–
Beel shook his head in disappointment as we crossed the outdoor courtyard to meet up with the other groups. “Doesn’t seem to be here, huh…”
“No…” Belphie sighed. “I mean, it’s not like there aren’t any magic items around here at all, but…”
“There are a number of places where magic items, potions, and the like are stored, true,” Lucifer said. “But they’ve all been formally documented and approved to be here.”
“And they’re messing with my magic tingly senses,” I muttered in frustration. No sparkly gemstone sitting out in the open for me to find.
“So none of us found anything promising then…” Asmo shook his head as he joined us.
“Like, this thing could be hidden anywhere though, right?” Mammon shrugged. “So what’s the point of searchin’ at random? We’re never gonna find it this way, are we?”
“No,” Satan agreed. “Especially not if someone went out of their way to hide it someplace no one would think to look.”
It was looking more and more like
“Can you think of any promising places to search, Chise?”
I sighed as I thought through my frustration, chewing my lip for a bit. “…Where is the server for the RAD bulletin board kept?”
“Umm…” Levi blinked. “Like, where the website is kept?”
Belphie lit up in excitement. “You may be on to something. We might find a hint there that could lead us to the item.”
“The newspaper club is in charge of managing the online bulletin board,” Lucifer answered.
I nodded. “We should talk to Mephisto. Maybe even get it taken offline for a bit, before this stops being playful…”
Belphie nodded gravely. “Yeah, that’s a good idea.”
Mammon shook his head. “Hate to break it to ya, but the newspaper club folks went home a long time ago.”
“Ugh, fine,” Satan sighed in irritation. “We’ll just have to ask them tomorrow, then.”
“Guess we’ve done all we can for today…” Beel said nervously.
“Dammit,” I sighed too. “Well, there goes one day of three… Way too fast.”
“Oh, good morning, Chise!” Levi greeted me at the breakfast table. “So, we’re on to day two, huh? And tomorrow’s your deadline…”
I groaned as I slumped down heavily into my seat. “Don’t remind me…”
“Mmm…” He took in a deep breath, puffing out his chest. “The odds are daunting, but we must prevail!”
I giggled. “Thanks, Levi.”
“Good morniiiiiiing!” Asmo sang as he bounced in. “Oh, Levi, were you in charge of breakfast today?”
“Yep!” Levi grinned at him. “I decided to try replicating one of the camping meals they made in Witch Camp.”
“Ohhh… Cooooool…”
Levi’s grin turned into a glower. “You don’t have to say it like THAT!”
“…Morning,” Belphie mumbled next, dragging his feet to his chair.
“Good morning, Belphie!” Asmo cooed at him with too much energy. “You’re up early today, aren’t you?”
“Good morning, Chise,” Belphie greeted me first, rubbing at his eye with a yawn. “You too, Asmo. …And, uhh…”
Levi narrowed his eyes. “…Uh?”
“Ummm…” Belphie stopped, his fist still held near his eye, staring at Levi in confusion. “Le… Le…”
Levi’s face turned bright red.
“…Levi…!” Belphie finally finished quickly.
“Excuse me?” Levi glared at him. “What was THAT?! Looool. Are you REALLY messing with me this early in the morning already, or did you really just forget my NAME right now?!”
“No, I didn’t forget it,” Belphie mumbled uncertainly, looking between Levi and me in confusion. Maybe seeking backup, too.
“Oh yes, you did!” Levi snapped at him. “You TOTALLY did! It was obvious you were trying to remember it, but you couldn’t!”
Belphie slid down in his chair, looking genuinely confused and shame-faced. “Um, sorry…”
“Wh?!” Levi jumped a bit in his chair, visibly taken aback. “LOL So you admit it?! LOLOL Unbelievable! That’s like… a new LEVEL of insulting!”
“Come on, Levi,” Asmo cut in with a pacifying smile. “No need to be so upset. Belphie’s just feeling groggy right now, that’s all. He’s NEVER in the first half of the bunch who make it to breakfast first!”
Levi’s cheeks were pink again in his offence. “Maybe so, but still, who forgets their own BROTHER’S name?! Their own thousands-of-years-old brother! I mean–“ and there he went, turning sulky, “–I know it’s easy to forget I even exist, because I’m a total nobody… and a gloomy shut-in of an otaku on top of that… but still! Even I don’t deserve that!”
“I said I was sorry…” Belphie mumbled.
”…Hey! We’ve got a problem!”
Though my sigh was in exasperation for how disastrous the morning was going so far, I was concerned, too – because it wasn’t usually Satan who ran through the halls declaring a state of emergency.
He skidded to a halt in the dining room, breathless. “…A new wish was just posted to the bulletin board.”
“Welp…” I scooted my chair back to stand. “Guess we’ll be grabbing breakfast on the way.”
“B-B-But…” Levi looked down at his Witch Camp meal. “Awww…”
“Let’s seeee…” Mammon looked down at his D.D.D. screen while he walked by my side. ”’I don’t like school, and I don’t want to study’. Well, can’t say I don’t understand how they feel. I mean, I bet pretty much every student at RAD feels the same way.”
“Don’t assume that everyone is like you, Mammon,” Lucifer sighed in exasperation.
Beel shrugged. “Seems like more of a complaint than a wish.”
Satan nodded. ”But it’s been posted to the ‘wishing board.’ So even if it is just a complaint, there’s a good chance that it will end up being treated like a wish.”
Mammon sighed. “Still, we’ve looked all over the school, and nothin’ seems outta the ordinary, right? We got here early than everyone else and everythin’. Such a drag…”
I shook my head. “Something’s bound to happen. We’ve got to keep looking.”
“Yeah yeah, I know.” Mammon rolled his eyes, though he gave me a playful little nudge. “Why do ya think I came to school so early, huh?”
“Because you follow Chise around like a little lost puppy?” Beel said.
“WHADDYA MEAN?!”
“If the wish from last night is granted,” Lucifer cut in on Mammon’s renewed growling, “there’s no telling how that might manifest. Your decision to patrol the school was a smart one, Chise.”
“Thanks…” I murmured with a touch of pink rising to my cheeks.
Mammon shrugged. “But ya gotta post your wish from within rad for it to come true though, right? And the post showed up last night, so we should be good, right?”
“That would actually be great. But knowing our luck…”
“Not if whoever wrote it had practise that lasted into the evening,” Satan said. “Or a club meeting or something. Then it wouldn’t be surprising if they were still at school when they posted it.”
“Treat this as a crisis,” Lucifer ordered, just as Mammon’s shoulders slumped. “And be ready for anything.”
“All riiiiiight…”
“…Hey.” Beel jutted his chin out. “That looks like Lord Diavolo and Barbatos walking towards us.”
I brightened the fuck up.
They were indeed.
“Hello and good morning!” Diavolo greeted us with his signature friendly grin, his voice raised in his boom to carry down the hall. “I didn’t expect to run into all of you here so early. I take it you had the same idea we did?”
I nodded. “Did you see the post on the bulletin board, too?”
“We did, yes. Though I don’t know if whoever posted it was fully aware of the ‘wishing board’ phenomenon.”
Barbatos dipped his head. “We have not noticed anything odd happening here at RAD as of yet.”
I sighed. “The hope is that it wasn’t posted while on RAD grounds last night. So there’s a chance that nothing will come of it. But still…”
“It's quite a dire one if it does,” Diavolo agreed. “But classes are starting soon. You should probably all head to your classrooms. We’ll all just have to keep our eyes peeled throughout the day, just in case.”
Lucifer nodded. “Right. We’ll go ahead and do that.”
“Well then.” Barbatos swept a small bow. “We will be off, as well.”
“Bye…” I said shyly.
He quirked a smile as he straightened. “I am sure we will be reconvening on the matter soon, my lady.”
I laughed with a blush. “Hopefully not too soon. …On this matter.”
He chuckled as he turned away. With Diavolo beaming, and Mammon openly growling.
“…Man,” Mammon muttered grumpily as we turned the opposite way, “I don’t believe this. Ya mean I got up early today for nothin’?”
Beel sighed unhappily. “I’m hungry…”
“…Hey.” Satan turned with a frown. “Do you hear some sort of commotion coming from inside that classroom?”
I turned with him. “That’s quite the din…”
Lucifer tsked in irritation – instructor and hall monitor as he was. "What could that be about–"
–
“What is going ON here?!” Thirteen shouted in indignation as she backed away towards the door of the class, just as we opened it to check inside.
Raphael stood still to the side, arms at his sides with his back straight as usual, looking grimly ahead at the room.
“G’AH!” Mammon dove just in time to avoid being hit by a blackboard eraser that had hurtled towards him. “What the…! It’s like a war zone in here!”
“I swear it was like this when we got here!” Thirteen protested, as though used to being frequently accused of pranks.
“Yeah,” Raphael confirmed on her behalf, his voice dry and monotonous as he watched on in a bored sort of annoyance. “Desks, pens, paper, school supplies of every kind. It’s all flying violently around the room. You can’t even sit in your seat without being jostled around.”
“I can see that!” Mammon said, with a roll of his eyes at the obvious.
Raphael had a way of describing dire situations in a tone that would be more appropriate to use for more mild inconveniences.
“I… don’t think anyone will even be trying to sit in their seats in here,” I muttered in dismay.
“What’s with all the dust?” Satan asked in a nasally muffle as he pinched his fingers over his nose, squinting watering eyes against the powder as he let out a cough.
“Come on, babe,” I murmured, as I pulled him back towards the door.
“I’m guessing it’s because the blackboard erasers are going crazy right now…” Beel answered.
Lucifer was rubbing the heel of his palm against his forehead with an aggravated sigh that was almost an actual growl. “The furniture, equipment, supplies… It seems that all of it has a will of its own now, and it’s decided to go on strike.”
I shook my head. "'I don’t like the school, and I don’t want to study’. Looks like another bulletin board wish has come true.”
“C’mon, this is no time to be standin’ around analyzing things!” Mammon scolded as he dodged a sharp pencil, seemingly being particularly targeted by the flying object. At this point, I put those sorts of coincidences down to his bad luck. “Someone do somethin’!”
And the whispers were that the Avatar of Greed bestowed good luck upon those he pacted with…
Well, I guess I was still alive, against all odds. I shook my head as he let out a yelp, spluttering and coughing as he got his own face full of chalk dust after being nailed right in the nose by another flying eraser, making even Beel laugh.
Maybe I siphoned all the luck?
“All right, Chise,” Lucifer said with a smile for me. “What do you think we should do?”
Right. Dad wasn’t in charge.
“Take down that damned wishing board,” I said easily, in exasperation. “…We’ll check how bad this all is as we go.”
Lucifer nodded. “Excellent. On our way, then.”
Solomon: About the bulletin board on the RAD website…
Solomon: Maybe you should take it down for a while? As a temporary measure, while Chise figures out the cause. She should be able to without it actually being online, right?
Solomon: As an exchange student, I know it isn’t my place to tell you what to do, but… still.
Diavolo: Don’t be ridiculous.
Diavolo: You may be an exchange student, but you’re still a student at RAD.
Diavolo: I appreciate your suggestion, Solomon.
Diavolo: Thank you.
Diavolo: ☺️
Solomon: Ah, I get it.
Solomon: You’re leaving it up on purpose for some reason, huh?
Solomon: Well, I wouldn't want to let slip a learning opportunity for my sweet apprentice.
Solomon: In that case, I won’t mention it again.
Solomon: 😊
Diavolo: 😊
Raph: Mammon approached me.
Simeon: What about?
Raph: Apparently he’d like me to post something to the wishing board on his behalf.
Raph: “Give Mammon full access to Lucifer’s credit card!” Those were his exact words.
Simeon: 😂
Simeon: I hear that Lucifer ended up confiscating Mammon’s D.D.D.
Raph: 🙄
Raph: He’s still as immature as ever, isn’t he? He’s made no progress at all.
Simeon: Perhaps that’s part of what makes him so charming?
Raph: Are you being serious right now?
Simeon: 🤭
Chise: I’m thinking about you. 😊
Solomon: Oh?! 🤭
Solomon: How random! But as it turns out, I DO like to hear those things! ❤️
Chise: You're the best teacher in all the three worlds.
Solomon: Oh my, keep the compliments rolling!
Solomon: I don't think my head is quite big enough yet!
“It’s the same situation in all the other classrooms, too,” Satan confirmed. “There’s no way we’re going to be able to hold lessons like this.”
I shook my head in annoyance. “Guess that’s the point.”
“We’d better get down to the newspaper club office right now and have them take down the bulletin board,” Belphie said.
“Right,” Satan agreed. “That might make all the madness stop.”
Belphie smiled sweetly as he brushed arms with me. “I have to hand it to you, Chise. You’re doing great.”
“Yeah.” Satan smiled down at me too. “You’ve been making all the right calls, which makes this easier on all of us since we know we’re doing the right thing.”
My cheeks were getting warmer and warmer as they laid on the praise. “I wouldn’t go that far… We still don’t know if I’ve made the right calls just yet.”
“Don’t worry, you have,” Satan said encouragingly, before taking my hand in his. “We’re doing everything we can given the situation.”
“So you have Beel and the others checking in on all of the students to see how things are going, right?”
“Yeah,” I sighed. “All the desks and school supplies and stuff are going crazy, but the point seems to be to stage a strike so that classes can’t be held, and that’s it. No one has gotten hurt at all.”
Belphie smirked. “Mmhm. Just a little bop on Mammon’s nose. Nothing to worry about.”
I shook my head with a grin, suppressing my giggle for Mammon’s sake. “Since no one’s been harmed, I don’t think it’s necessary to evacuate, but I don’t think there’s really any point in staying open, either… I guess we’ll revisit that after talking with Mephisto.”
“Speaking of.” Satan stepped to our targeted door to give it a couple firm knocks. “Mephisto, we’re coming in.”
Mephisto snorted with a roll of his eyes once he’d realized who’d all entered. “…I was wondering who’d be so impolite as to barge in before I even gave permission. I should’ve known it was you.”
I rolled my eyes right back at him. “Want us to waste more time to go back out in the hall and try again?”
“There’s no need for that, no,” he said haughtily.
“We need you to take the bulletin board offline. Now.”
I quirked an eyebrow at Satan’s ‘firm' demand.
Mephisto cleared his throat. “Well, you seem to be focusing on the right problem now. But really, you should’ve gotten here much sooner.”
“Really?” I smirked behind my fist. “Wow, Satan…”
Satan shot me an indignant glare. “What?”
“Heh. You seem to know ‘what’…”
“I don’t know what you’re–"
“Mephisto,” Belphie cut in, “how much do you know about what’s going on?”
Mephisto puffed his chest out a bit with a smug look. “I have a general sense of the situation. You see, Lord Diavolo sent notice that the newspaper club was not to try to fix this problem on its own, since Chise’s trial involved solving it.”
I crossed my arms with a narrowing of my eyes. “…Did he now?”
“His orders,” Mephisto nearly cooed.
“Great, then let’s get this over with.” I pointed in the general direction of their computer lab setup. “We need to get this bulletin board taken down.”
He shook his head. “I don’t think it’s going to be as easy as you think.”
Satan tsked with an annoyed frown. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I can’t go into the admin menu.”
Mephisto did not look happy at the admission.
He sighed at our confused looks, before gesturing us towards his computer. “When I input the password and press ‘Enter’…”
My eyes widened as I felt it. Right there. The moment that key was pressed.
“As you can see, it just rejects me.” Mephisto glowered down at the monitor. “There’s nothing I can do.”
“That was some very strong magic I just sensed,” I murmured.
“Yeah, me too,” Satan agreed. “That’s definitely no ordinary magic. Seems that we were right about there being a magic item implanted within the bulletin board itself.”
“Pretty literally,” Belphie said with a sigh, tilting his head at the computer tower. “What do you want to do, Chise? Should we have Beel destroy the computer?”
“As in physically destroy it?” Mephisto shook his head, aghast. “Don’t even joke around about that. It’s not funny.”
“I wasn’t joking, actually.”
“Tch! I dare you to try!”
Belphie shrugged. “Okay. I’ll just pull up Beel’s number here…”
“…No! I won’t allow it!”
“Chise?” Satan turned his head to me. “Any ideas?”
“Yo yo yo! How’s it hangin’?” Mammon strode in with a grin, his fingers locked behind his head.
Mephisto grunted in irritation. “Just when I thought they couldn’t get any ruder. THIS one doesn’t even bother to knock…”
Asmo poked his head in next. “Since there’s no way classes can be held with things as they are, they’ve called off school for the day”
Satan nodded. “I figured as much.”
“Sooo…” Levi shuffled in after his brothers. “What exactly are you guys planning to do?”
Last time we focused on theory and principle, so I thought we’d try applying what we learned to a real-life setting today. Okay, this cherry tree should do nicely. As you can see, all of the leaves have fallen off. The branches are completely barren. Normally you wouldn’t expect this to bloom until next spring. However, we can make it bloom now using magic. Still, it’s no fun if we just cast a normal, run-of-the-mill spell.
Oh no, that certainly wouldn’t be up to Solomon the Wise’s standards.
All magic needs a bit of flair! So, what do you say we try using this magic item here? …See? It’s shaped like a flower bud. Isn’t it pretty? I made it myself.
It actually is pretty.
Hmph, you sound surprised.
That’s because I am surprised.
I’ll have you know that I’m capable of a little art here and there. Now, I’ll just channel some of my own magic into it, like this… And once it’s properly enchanted, I’ll seal it inside the tree.
Is this safe for the tree…?
Yes, my dear, my method is quite safe. I won’t get into it right now, but since you’re interested, I think I’ll have you study from my copy of 'Ethical Approaches to Environmentalism in the School of Magic' next. Call it a hunch, but I have a feeling that you’ll be specializing in that subset...
Could that feeling be driven by my very casual interest in botany?
Oh, you have a casual interest in botany, do you? Hehe. I hadn’t noticed. Well, even better.
You’re cute, you know?
Oh, watch this part, it's important! …Aaaaand there we go! I have this properly enchanted. Now watch closely, okay? …Three, two, one…
Solomon…
Great! I’d say that went well.
Oh, Sol, it’s so beautiful.
I knew you’d love this lesson. Now, you don’t have to go to the trouble of inserting your magic item inside the tree to get it to bloom. But if you don’t, then the exterior of the tree will be bathed in magic energy, making it instantly obvious that a spell is at work. However, if the magic item is sealed inside the tree, then you can’t sense the magic unless you get really close to the tree itself, right? So it’s a good method to use if you don’t want it to be obvious at a glance that magic is at work. Many cases of what people assume to be random ‘off-season flowering’ are actually caused by spells like this one.
…Seems like I should know how to dispel magic like this, too.
You should indeed. Not every trinket left around is as benevolent as this one. Are you ready? n order to remove a magic item from inside a solid object, here’s what you do. First, condense as much of your own magic energy as possible, creating a ball of magical light...
Here, ahuvati, my love. This flower bud is my gift to you.
“…Chise?” Mephisto frowned at my turn. “Where are you going?”
Satan inclined his head to the side. “What at the back of the room there?”
“Just the newspaper club’s main computer…”
I rested my palm on top of the case. “Right, well, here we go…”
“Oooh!” Asmo bubbled in excitement as he pulled out his D.D.D. “Is this the part where Chise the sorcerer saves the day in heroic, photo-worthy fashion?”
“…Hey, what do you think you’re doing?!” Mephisto stormed over at the sight of the light of my magic that I pushed into the tower.
"Ah… I thought I’d find all of you in here."
“Yep, it’s just like you said, Raphael!” Luke ran in with a grin.
Simeon raised his hand in greeting at the door. “What’s everyone doing in here?”
Asmo nodded towards the tower I had my palm pressed to. “Well, it looks like Chise has started casting some sort of spell.”
“…Chise? Spell?” Solomon rushed in after Simeon, eyes falling on me. He slowed with a grin as he came to me. “Ahh, I see. Looks like it’s time to find out what my apprentice is capable of.”
I immediately went red in the face, trying to push my feelings of shyness aside so that I wouldn’t interrupt my spell. It’d be annoying to have to start all over again… in front of my own teacher.
“Look!” Luke gasped. “A ball of light has started to form under Chise’s hand!”
Asmo suppressed himself from bouncing excitedly as he tried to keep his D.D.D. still. “Solomon, do you have any idea what Chise is trying to do?”
Solomon giggled, shining eyes locked on what I was doing. “Well, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t. We are talking about my apprentice here…”
Simeon laughed with an indulgent shake of his head. “You two are so cuuuute.”
Mammon growled, narrowing his eyes at Solomon. “Stop keepin’ us in suspense and just tell us what’s goin’ on!”
“Chise is trying to tamper with the magic item hidden inside the computer,” Solomon finally explained.
Mammon glanced at the tower. “Tamper with it?”
“That’s not going to mess up our computer, is it?!” Mephisto looked on at the brightening light in panic. “It better not!”
Solomon waved his hand with his musical laugh. “No need to worry. If this were enough to break your computer, then it would’ve broken a long time ago, back when the item was first inserted!”
“What exactly is that ball of light?” Luke asked. “And what’s it for?”
“Chise is condensing a large amount of magic energy into a single point. Then the idea is to thrust it into the computer. That would force the magic item back outside.”
“Ahhh, okay.” Simeon nodded his understanding.
“And once that’s done, Chise will pass the trial?!” Levi grinned. “Talk about easy victory loool.”
“…Hmm.” Solomon smiled sweetly. Secretively. “I don’t know about that.”
“Huh?”
I sighed as my light flashed bright, before it abruptly petered out entirely. “…Fuck…”
Luke’s eyes went wide. “Yikes!”
“Chise’s magic orb couldn’t break through,” Raphael said with a touch of confusion. “It just dissipated.”
“Yep!” Solomon closed the gap between us to rub my arm comfortingly in the face of my embarrassed pout. “Looks like that wasn’t enough magic energy to do the trick. It’s okay, ahuvati.”
“Really?” Satan looked taken aback. “Because Chise’s magic is pretty powerful…”
“What went wrong, Sol…?”
“Nothing within your control. You did your best!” Solomon sighed as he squatted down to get a better look at the tower, before shaking his head with a tut. “I have a feeling the magic item inside the computer is one that stores more magical energy with each use. So the more wishes it grants, the more powerful it becomes.”
“Oh no…” I grimaced. “Whoever planted this either fumbled the details of their prank big time, or they're even more malicious than we thought. It’s granted quite a few wishes at this point.”
He nodded up at me. “So it must have accumulated quite a bit of power. Yooouuu might not be up to a challenge like that quite yet.”
I sulked a little bit more. ”Yet?"
“Now now, none of that. You've just scratched the surface on your magic studies. You still have a long ways to go. But that's a matter of time, not a reflection on you.”
"Really laying the comfort on pretty thick," I muttered with a blush.
"But it's true! You're my best pupil! ...Just quite not there yet."
“Maaan,” Mammon sighed. “No way…”
Solomon stood with a sigh. "I should make a call..."
"A call...?"
He waved his hand dismissively with a bright smile as he sauntered out of the room. I scowled after him.
“...Well...” Satan looked down at the computer in worry after he'd gone. “What do we do now?”
“So, here’s a rundown of where we are at this point,” Belphie said as he addressed us all in the living room. “Thanks to Chise’s quick thinking, we were able to lock out all student ID’s from the computer system.”
“Huh? You did?” Beel shook his head in confusion. “I was able to log into the system just a few minutes ago.”
“We made an exception for those of us on the student council,” Belphie explained.
“We couldn’t take down the bulletin board in the end,” I added, “but at least locking students out of the system itself will stop them from making any new posts. We cannot afford for the magic item to get any bigger than it’s gotten, or deal with more ‘ill’-wishes.”
Belphie rested his hand on my shoulder. “I think we’ve done the best we can for the time being.”
“Right, yeah!” Mammon sat up straighter in eager agreement, no doubt to shine the spotlight back on himself at the sight of Belphie’s touch against me. “Don’t feel down, Chise! You got this!”
“Thanks…” I sighed. “But only have one day left.”
Satan patted my knee. “Or, to put it another way, we still have one day left.”
While I rolled my eyes at that, I couldn’t stop the smile. “That was a bit thick.”
“All right,” Belphie continued, “let’s come up with a plan for tomorrow–“
”EEEEEEEEEEK!"
“What was that?” Beel looked up at the ceiling with a blink. “Someone just screamed.”
“Yep.” Mammon hopped up to his feet. “And it sounded like Asmo.”
“For the love of all that is holy,” I sighed under my breath, “please just let it be him running out of his favourite limited-edition lipstick.”
We heard him continue on in his screaming all the way there, so by the time we’d burst into his room, we’d gotten there at a full run.
“ASMO?!” Satan fully kicked in the door to his bathroom once it’d been made obvious that he was screaming from in there.
His hands were both in his hair, curled and clutching into his roots, while he leaned over the side of his bathtub crying.
Mammon hurried inside next, going straight to him to take him by the shoulders, shaking him. “Yo, what’s wrong?!”
“It’s… It’s awful…!” he sobbed. “How could… how could this…?!”
“Calm down, Asmo,” Belphie sighed.
He pointed shakily over at his boudoir. “The m… the m-m… the mirror…!
I turned my head with a frown. “The mirror?”
“Th-The waterrrr…!”
“Asmo,” Belphie said in a raised voice, “just spit it out already.”
“My face…” he squeaked in a higher voice. “My beautiful face, it…”
“Asmo?” I kneeled down beside Mammon. “Your face…? It looks just like it always does.”
“IT’S NOT THERE…!” he yelled, before breaking out into fresh sobs.
“…Oh.” Belphie’s face fell flat. “Is that all?”
“Belphie, look,” Beel murmured in a voice of awe. “He doesn’t have a reflection…”
“Wha?!” Mammon leaned over the tub. “What’s goin’ on? I mean, I can see myself just fine.”
We all turned to his mirror. All accounted for.
Satan shook his head, perplexed. “So Asmo’s the only one with no reflection…?”
“Oh, Asmo…” I put my arm around his shoulders. “Let’s get you out of here. And someone go get Lucifer to meet us in the living room, stat.”
“Don’t cry,” I cooed softly, as I dabbed at his face. “It’s okay, we’ll get this figured out.”
“How could I not cry in a situation like this?” he whimpered. “What if I never get to see my beautiful face reflected in a mirror ever again… No nooooo…”
I sighed as he broke out into fresh sobbing again.
Beel shook his head in worry. “We took a closer look at the mirror, but nothing really seems to be wrong with it.”
“I don’t think it’s a problem with the mirror,” Mammon said. “I mean, Asmo’s reflection wasn’t in the bath water, and isn’t showin’ up in any glasses or windows either. He’s got no reflection at all.”
More sobbing.
Satan frowned. “And there’s no sign of any magic at work?”
“That’s weird…” Belphie looked down at his lap, brows furrowed. “What could be going on in thought?”
I sighed in frustration. “Has anyone found Lucifer?”
“He must be out.”
“Dammit…”
"…It must be something paranormal!"
I jumped out of my skin, looking around with round eyes.
Satan had frozen, before looking around as well. “…Did anyone just hear Levi say something just now?”
“Yeah, I heard him too,” Belphie confirmed. “Chise?”
“He sounded REALLY close,” I said in confusion. “But I don’t see him…”
Beel shook his head. “I thought Levi was in his room?”
”What?"
“Huh?” Asmo looked up, abruptly stopping his crying in his confusion.
“Hold on a second…” Belphie glanced around the room. “Levi, are you there?”
"YES, I’m here! Duh!"
“Weird.” Beel frowned. “It sounds like you’re standing right next to us, but I don’t see you anywhere.”
"Come on, quit joking around. This is real life, not a scene from My Invisible Escapades, the classic, slightly erotic, masterpiece of a manga series. If you think you can fool me that easily just because I’m an otaku, you’re wrong."
“OW!” Belphie whirled his head with a glare, touching the back of it.
"Ooh, sowwy. Did I bump into you?"
“No, someone hit me in the back of the head! Who did that?”
”I’m telling you, it was me! I bumped into you!”
“Levi?” I called softly. “Can you take my hand?”
"…PFWHA!? Y-Y-You want m-me to…! T-T-To…!"
“Just fucking do it– AH!” I nearly screamed as something unseen closed around my fingers.
“So you’re standing right by Chise…” Satan shook his head. “But we can’t actually see you, Levi.”
"Pfwha…? I’ve always FELT invisible, with the way people like to ignore me and all, but… now you’re telling me I really AM invisible?! Like I don’t even exist…?!"
“Oh Levi…” I clutched at the hand that held mine, reaching out beside me until I was patting at his arm. I think. I sighed in relief. He really was there.
"Well, it makes sense. I mean, it’s not like it matters whether I exist or not, right? I’m just a gross otaku, and nobody likes me…"
“I swear to god, Levi…”
”…Except for Chise, who’s the very best friend I’ve ever had.”
“That’s better. Thank you.”
“So you’re invisible, big deal!” Asmo snapped. “What about ME…?! I can never SEE myself again! This is the end of the world! You know what? I don’t even want to LIVE in a world like this! I hope it really DOES end!”
"Yeah, me too! …Wait, no! The world can’t end yet. Not before I’ve seen the final episode of the Ruri-chan anime! I don’t care if I basically don’t exist. I have to be there to witness it!"
“This is just… so… HORRIBLEEEE!” Asmo sobbed.
“Man,” he sighed in annoyance, “why they gotta be like this? What a giant pain.”
I stared at him, hesitating. “…Yeah.”
“Huh?” He frowned. “Why're ya lookin’ at me like that, Chees?”
My eyes widened. “Chees. Right. No reason, Mammon.”
“Huh?!” Mammon glared at me. “Do I got somethin’ on my face, or what?!”
I shook my head. “I love you. You know?”
He jumped as he turned bright red. “WHA?! …W-W-Well… DUH! ‘COURSE ya do! ‘C-C-Cause I’m… the Great…”
"Gross."
Diavolo: Barbatos, are you all right?
Barbatos: My Lord?
Diavolo: Earlier, when you dropped off that new stack, you looked a little pale. And you didn't even chastise me for as long as your usual.
Diavolo: Are you feeling unwell?
Barbatos: I am unsure of what you mean.
Barbatos: I am perfectly well, I assure you. 😊
Diavolo: If you say so. 🤨
Diavolo: Don't make me get Chise involved.
Barbatos: Do not worry her over such trivialities, My Lord. 😒
Diavolo: 🤭
Missed call from Solomon.
Missed call from Solomon.
Solomon: Hellooo, Lord Diavolo. I know I said that I would drop the matter, but I believe there may be an 'unintended development' in Chise's trial.
Solomon: Perhaps we could get together to discuss the testing of my apprentice in the morning?
Solomon: As Chise's teacher and mentor, I would very much like to understand the plan in full. 🙂
Chise: Lucifer.
Chise: Lucifer.
Chise: Lucifer.
Chise: Lucifer.
Chise: LUCIFER.
Chise: LUCIFER.
Chise: LUCIFERRRRRR!!!!
Chise: STOP FUCKING YOUR BOYFRIEND AND PICK UP YOUR PHOOOOONE!!!!!
Chapter 47: Chapter 79: Cease To Exist
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“…Ah!” Barbatos eyes widened in surprise as he very nearly tripped, though the stack of folders he had been carrying didn’t quite make it as unscathed in his efforts to keep himself upright.
Beel’s eyes widened as well as he rushed over, kneeling down with him. “Are you all right, Barbatos? Let me help you pick those up.”
“Yes…” Barbatos replied quietly, with a touch of embarrassment. “And I thank you.”
“Wow, Barbatos.” Belphie met up with them a little slower, never one to be seen running. Though he, too, kneeled to help, which could be considered an unusual show of effort put towards a kindness. “You’re not one to stumble and dump a stack of documents onto the ground. I feel like I’ve witnessed a truly rare event.”
Barbatos smiled kindly. “I didn’t stumble, actually. I just thought I saw something dart in front of me…”
Belphie nodded to the side, with a little smile of his own. “Would you be referring to that?”
“Hmm?” Barbatos turned his head to follow his point. “Is that a cat…?”
“Yeah,” Beel confirmed, as the three of them watched the creature weave its way back over. “It likes to wander around RAD hoping to run into Satan so it can score some treats.”
The little thing meowed demandingly as it encircled Barbatos.
Belphie chuckled. “Look how it’s rubbing up against you, Barbatos. I’d say it likes you.”
Barbatos chuckled as well, watching the creature in bemusement as it flopped onto its back on his shoes, exposing its belly. “…I’m not sure what it sees in me.”
“Maybe it smells some sort of food on you?” Beel asked, because of course.
“Ah, now that you mention it, I do have some donuts in my satchel. I was planning to serve them to the Young Master as a snack.” He smiled down indulgently at the creature, who kneaded its paws in the air flirtatiously. “I am afraid I do not have any cat treats on me, little cat.”
Belphie shook his head. “Don’t feel bad. Usually, people don’t carry around cat treats. Unless they’re Satan.”
“Mmhm…” Beel confirmed, through a full mouth.
“…Beel?” Belphie sighed fondly. “What’s that you’re eating now?”
Beel shrugged as he dipped his hand back into the ziplock back. “Some snacks I brought along for the day. I found them on the table in the foyer.”
Belphie frowned. He was the one who had to ensure the safety of what Beel put into his mouth, and a random ziplock bag lying out in the open in the House of Lamentation didn’t always bode well. “Hey, let me see that bag for a second.” He sniffed the contents, and then let out a sigh of exasperation. “I knew it. Beel, are you aware that these are cat treats?”
“Are they?” Beel blinked in surprise. “I didn’t realize.”
“Satan probably forgot them at the door before he left. But actually, this works out perfectly.” Belphie smiled back down at the kitty, who stuck out its foot with its beans stretched to groom. ’The razzle dazzle pose,’ Chise called it. “Why don’t you go ahead and give those to the kitty here?”
As if it understood their very language, it dropped its foot down to look up at Beel expectantly, its tail curling and uncurling a little more energetically.
“Oh, but…” Beel looked down at the bag he held in his hand a little unhappily. “I’m still hungry…”
Belphie shook his head in more exasperation. “You still want to eat more of those? Even knowing they’re cat treats?”
Beel shrugged. “Satan buys the good ones, I guess…”
“I don’t really think it’s that…”
Barbatos laughed softly. “Perhaps we could make a trade. My donuts for Beel’s cat treats. How does that sound? Then both Beelzebub and the cat would be happy.”
“Wait, are you sure that’s okay?” Belphie looked at Barbatos’ satchel that he unclasped doubtfully. “Those donuts are for Lord Diavolo, aren’t they?”
“Not to worry,” Barbatos said in soft dismissal. “I’ll serve the Young Master something else instead.”
Beel beamed at the box he produced. “Well, in that case, sure. I’m happy to trade my cat treats for donuts.”
“Then it would seem we have a deal.” Barbatos nodded. “Now then, here you are.”
Beel immediately thrust his hand into the box to dig in, one donut already gone in a flash. “…You really do make the best donuts, Barbatos.”
Barbatos chuckled as he squatted down again. “All right, kitten, here you go. Have some cat treats.”
“Hm.” Belphie smiled down at the two of them. “Barbatos…”
“Yes, Belphegor?”
“Thanks for being good to our Chise.” Belphie’s eyes softened. “She really perked up after that tea you gave her.”
“Oh, yeah.” Beel grinned. “It was a very tasty tea.”
“Oh!” Barbatos’ eyes widened a bit, and a light flush of pink touched his cheeks. “Why, I am very glad to hear it. I thank you for taking on the task of brewing it for her.”
Belphie’s smile turned into a smirk. “I approve of the flavour.”
“…Ah, thank you?”
–
“Here you are, Young Master.” Barbatos flourished him a respectful bow over the platter he set before his lord. “Coffee and butter cookies.”
Diavolo looked down at the arrangement in surprise. “Butter cookies? I thought you said you were bringing donuts today.”
Barbatos actually looked a touch sheepish. “Yes, well, it’s a bit of a long story, but…”
–
“Ahahaha!” Diavolo grinned with delight. “So you had to trade them away. Sounds like both the cat and Beelzebub ended up pleased.”
Barbatos sighed. “In any event, I apologize for the last-minute substitution.”
Diavolo chuckled as he waved his hand dismissively. “Don’t worry, I don’t mind a bit. Now, changing the subject, why don’t you sit down and have some coffee with me, Barbatos?”
Barbatos tilted his head in confusion. “You want me to join you?”
“Well…” Diavolo raised his eyebrows knowingly. “I’ve heard that coffee helps relieve headaches. And your head has been hurting you a lot lately, hasn’t it?”
Barbatos cleared his throat to protest, but after a moment, he finally sighed. “…Very well. I see that you have noticed.” His expression softened. “I should have known you would.”
Diavolo nodded. “Well, this is you after all. When something’s going on with you, I usually notice it.”
“You don’t normally request coffee. Is that why you asked for it today? For my sake?”
“You’re not my butler right now, Barbatos.” Diavolo nodded to the council seat next to him. “You’re my friend who’s joined me for tea. Now, go on. Have a seat.”
Barbatos chuckled with a fond shake of his head, giving in to the request to take the offered seat. After all, if he struggled any further, he had no doubt that a certain lady of his would become involved to push the issue of his care. “I cannot fool you, nor can I say no to you. I really am not match for you, Young Master.”
“Lucifer!” I stormed into the student council room with a middle finger at the ready, though it was quickly abandoned by the presence of Barbatos. “Where on EARTH have you been!”
“I don’t belieeeve this!” Asmo ran in sobbing next, to throw himself over his eldest brother’s lap in a snivelling drape. “Lucifer, you great big meanie! You got home so late last night, and then you left for school first thing in the morning. Whyyy?!”
Lucifer sighed at the sudden commotion as he first began to try unseating Asmo. Rather unsuccessfully.
”Yeah, that’s right! Classes are cancelled again today, so why weren’t you home when we woke up, huh?! Jerk!”
“Because I have student council work to do,” he replied dryly. “I come home late and then leave for school early all the time.”
I put my hands on my hips, glowering. “And my missed calls?!”
“By the time I looked at my D.D.D, I assumed you were already asleep. I also assumed that it was simply a matter of my pests for brothers causing a ruckus, of which you are capable of handling on your own, no?”
“This is a LITTLE more than just ‘a ruckus’ this time!”
Diavolo chuckled in amusement. “Surely you didn’t all come here just to yell at him, did you?”
Barbatos shook his head. “I assumed they were just unaware that classes had been cancelled.”
I glowered at the three of them, including even Barbatos. “Of COURSE I’m here. This is my last day for my trial. First tell me what ended up happening to the classrooms.”
“The desks, chairs, and supplies have stopped causing havoc,” Barbatos answered. “As long as we do not try to hold classes, they seem content to stay put.”
“Great. Onto the other matter!” I pointed to the air. “Levi’s invisible!”
The three authoratives all blinked.
Diavolo looked where I pointed doubtfully. “…Invisible?”
”…I’m over here, Chise.”
I moved my finger. “Yes. Invisible.”
“Forget THAT!” Asmo sobbed again. “Who cares! Someone needs to do something about my problem, and fast!”
”Well, I’m sure none of you care about what’s happened to ME. Not like I matter…”
“Somebody explain what’s going on here,” Lucifer sighed. “And start from the beginning.”
Now, I did give him the middle finger. “THAT’S WHAT I’VE BEEN TRYING TO DO!”
–
“…I see.” Lucifer’s frown deepened the longer I went on, his arms crossed now. “So Asmo has no reflection, and Levi has turned invisible.”
“Could it have something to do with the bulletin board?” Beel asked nervously.
I shook my head. “I don’t see how it could. We’d ALL be invisible by now – likely starting with you, Beel.”
He shuddered.
“We’d have heard about other students turning invisible too, surely,” I pointed out.
“I agree,” Belphie said. “If you think about it, it really shouldn’t have anything to do with the bulletin board.”
“So we’ve got MORE problems on TOP of the wishin’ board thing? Maaan, c’mon!”
Diavolo quirked his eyebrow with a glance to his side. “…Is something wrong, Barbatos?”
Barbatos lowered his hand from his own brow. “…No, Young Master. It is nothing.”
I tilted my head in concern. “Barbatos…?”
He shook his head. “I am only trying to think of what could be the cause of this, my lady. I am unsure as to the reason for your fuss, Young Master.”
Lucifer sighed in frustration. “In any event, we don’t yet know what’s happening here. Asmo and Levi, go back to the House of Lamentation and stay there. And don’t cause any trouble.”
“This is the woooorst…!” Asmo moaned in despair.
”I know what’s going on here. You’re shooing me away because you don’t want to deal with me, and eventually you’ll forget about me completely…”
“…Hey.” Lucifer pointed to one of his brothers. “Take these two back to the House of Lamentation…”
And then his expression turned a bit puzzled.
“Eh?” His brother narrowed his eyes. “What’s the deal, Lucifer? Why’re ya starin’ at me like that, huh?”
“…I can’t seem to remember your name.”
“WHA?!”
“Hmm…” Lucifer frowned again. “What was it again…?”
”Okay, no. Loool. There’s no WAY you forgot your own brother’s name lolol. Come on, you know it’s… um, I want to say… Hmm… what WAS it?”
His head swivelled around at all of our looks of perplexed confusion. “YOU GOTTA BE KIDDIN’ ME…!”
“…That’s strange,” Satan murmured. “I can’t seem to remember it either.”
“Umm, wait…” Diavolo frowned next, leaning forward to peer closer at him. “I’m pretty sure it’s… huh. That’s weird.”
“I know what’s goin’ on here! You’re all tryin’ to mess with me, aren’t ya?! That’s gotta be it!” He whirled to me. “Chees, you wouldn’t go along with this, right?! But they woulda told ya! So spill the beans!”
I stared at him in horror.
His look of panic began to set in. “…Chees?”
“Chise…?” Satan frowned as he touched my shoulder lightly. “Why are you crying…?”
“What…?” I touched my cheeks, before my eyes widened while I shook my head in confusion.
The white-haired man in front of me’s bronzed skin went paler at he stared at the hand I’d touched my face with.
“What…?” I looked at my fingers.
“…Did ya not put my ring on this mornin’?” He looked at me pleadingly. “Did ya leave it at home?”
“Ring…?” I frowned, feeling more befuddled the more I tried to concentrate on his words.
“Anyway, you. Take Asmo and Levi back to the House of–“
"I’m afraid there might not be time for that."
“Solomon!” I gasped as I practically ran towards him, leaving the stricken young man behind.
“Solomon!” Asmo moaned in relief. “You caaaame!”
“I did,” he said seriously. “So, can any of you remember his name? Chise, how about you?”
I shook my head mutely. For some reason, I very desperately didn’t want to admit it out loud.
“Oh, Chise…” Solomon sighed as he thumbed at my wet cheek. “Look how much you love.”
“What…?” I’d rarely seen Solomon look so concerned. It was rare to see a furrowed knot between his brow.
“Y-You can’t go forgettin’ my name!” he protested in a panic. “We’re…!”
”You know, come to think of it… Belphie, there was one time pretty recently when you forgot my name too, right?”
Belphie shifted to his other foot and back uncomfortable. “…That’s true, yeah.”
“Hmm…” Asmo hugged himself. “Yeah…”
“Asmodeus and Chise sent me a message last night after she couldn’t remember Mammon’s name, so I more or less understand what the situation is. And I’ve done a lot of thinking about what might be causing this.” He looked down at me directly again. “I believe it may be due to the dark crevasse.”
“Mam… Wait.” I started, blinking in shock. “You think the dark crevasse caused all this?”
He nodded. “That’s the only reasonable explanation I can think of. This is nothing more than conjecture on my part, but by nature, a dark crevasse has the power to eliminate whatever it swallows. That’s why they’re considered a borderline forbidden art.” He shook his head. “There was a reason why the recipe was removed from the later editions of A Dictionary of Applied Magical Potions. It never should have made it into the first.”
“Man…” The white-haired demon shuddered in fear. “When that thing sucked me in, I seriously thought it was over for me… D’ah, don’t remind me of that thing!”
“Mammon, Leviathan, and Asmodeus were all swallowed by the dark crevasse.”
I squeezed my eyes shut as I shook my head. “Mamms…”
“Chees!” he pleaded again. “C’mon! You’re almost there!”
I continued shaking my head. “Chees…”
“Normally,” Solomon continued, “they would have been as good as dead. Buuuut a certain somebody managed to save them.” He turned a bright, guilty smile on the demon in question. “…Isn’t that right, Barbatos?”
“You are correct, yes,” Barbatos replied quietly. “I was able to revive the three of them using time manipulation magic.”
Asmo gawked at him. “Really?! W-We were… DEAD?!”
“Erased, but yes. Essentially.”
”So for a while there, all three of us were dead LOOOOL. That’s so not funny LMAO.”
“I see,” Lucifer said with another one of his sighs. “It finally makes sense now.”
“Whoa, hold on!” The white-hair held up his hands, shaking his head in denial. “I got no clue what you’re even talkin’ about!”
Diavolo shook his head too, grimly. “In a nutshell, it turns out that the dark crevasse’s influence is much stronger than we thought, and the three of you are still bound to it.”
“Missing reflections,” Lucifer murmured, “turning invisible, having your name forgotten… It’s fair to assume that all of that is due to the crevasse.”
Solomon nodded. “Exactly. We need to completely sever the three of them from the dark crevasse, or this time they may really cease to exist… from all timelines, as though they had never been born at all. Not even Barbatos can bring them back after that point.”
“Barbatos…” I placed my hands over my heart. “Is that true…?”
Barbatos inclined his head. “Correct. If I cannot find versions of them within other timelines – if I could remember them to even try to do so – I could revive them. I cannot revive that which has not been born into existence in the first place.”
“So you’re saying we need to be ’severed’ from this dark crevasse to stop this from happening?” Asmo shook his head in despair. “But even Barbatos’ magic wasn’t enough to cut us off from it in the first place, right?!”
“Oh man, we’re TOTALLY screwed now! What’re we s’posed to do?!”
"It’s utter chaos…"
Belphie sighed, glancing at Diavolo. “And what are we going to do about the bulletin board? After all, today’s the final day of Chise’s trial. Don’t you think this is a little more important? She should get an extension.”
Diavolo held up his hand. “Let’s check on the status of that.”
Belphie’s expression fell into a scowl. “Are you joking?”
I wish I could turn it all back…
Just how far can this be pushed…?
I sucked in a breath. “Wait, wait. Maybe we can use this…”
–
Beel raised his eyes from his D.D.D. screen. “Sooo, I can really write anything?”
Lucifer nodded. “We just need to find out what’s going on with the bulletin board, so this time you can write whatever you want.”
“Okay then…” Beel wiggled happily as he began to type. “I want an all-you-can-eat meal at Hell’s Kitchen…”
Satan rolled his eyes. “How very ‘you,’ Beel.”
Belphie chuckled. “Looks like it was a good choice not to lock out our IDs from the system, huh?”
Beel tilted his head. “I just got a text message…” He gasped in delight. ”You’ve just won an all-you-can-eat meal at Hell’s Kitchen! There were only ten winners, and you’re one of them! Congratulations!”
“Guess Beel’s wish benefitted nine others,” Satan muttered. “But it looks like his wish came true right away.”
Asmo frowned. “So the bulletin board HASN’T lost the power to grant wishes yet.”
“Hmm…” Belphie sighed in frustration. “I really thought Chise’s idea was going to work…”
“Yeah.” Satan grimaced. “But when we tried typing ’return our brothers to normal’ into the wishing board, the post disappeared almost as soon as we uploaded it.
I had wilted considerably.
I wish I could turn it all back…
“It’s not that it didn’t grant our wish,” Lucifer added thoughtfully. “Rather, the post itself was deleted. So we can assume that the dark crevasse’s influence extends to the bulletin board as well. It’s like it’s eating reality.”
We all heard a ghostly moan of despair. But it was just Levi.
“There has to be something that will work!” I said desperately. “We’ve tried everything. What else can we do…?”
“Well, someone needs to figure out what it is, and quick!” White-hair added, just as desperately. “‘Cause we’re just about outta time!”
“…I was just thinking,” Belphie said softly. “What if we threw the magic item itself into a dark crevasse?”
I frowned. “What…?”
Asmo gasped. “Ooh, that just might work! I mean, the magic item is supposed to be really powerful after granting all those wishes, right?!”
”Belphie, you’re the king of good ideas! No one can top you!”
I pulled Belphie to me in a tight hug. “Belphie, you’re so clever…”
“Heh…” He grinned with a touch of a blush.
“Wait,” Satan interrupted. “In case you’ve forgotten, we can’t get to the magic item in the first place.”
Asmo wilted. “Oh, right…”
“Hey, Satan,” white-hair said with a frown. “Why’re ya huddled over your D.D.D. screen like that, huh?”
“…I’m sending a message.” He covered his screen. “Don’t mind me.”
Belphie sighed. “Is it yet another email to Lucifer with a cursed attachment?”
Beel shook his head. “You’re sending him cursed spam at a time like this?”
“Hey, it’s how I think best. Call it inspiration, if you will.”
Lucifer tutted. “You do realize I’m standing right here, don’t you?”
Satan shrugged. “Well, it’s become a daily routine for me at this point. It’s like playing Wordle with Chise at breakfast; I have to do it, or I just won’t feel right. This time I’m sending over the cyber devil virus.”
"Yikes… That one’s pretty serious. It infects your device then sends a bunch of messages that look like they’re coming from you.”
“Hehehe…” Satan gave an inappropriately-timed smirk. “It’s only a matter of time before Lord Diavolo finds out about all the shameful spam you’ve been sending out.”
Diavolo raised his brows in surprise. “Is that true, Lucifer?”
Lucifer sighed. “Don’t get too excited. As long as I don’t open the attachment, which I never do, there’s no need to worry.”
“Hah! That’s not true. That one time you–” I stopped abruptly, chasing the half-formed thought.
“…Well then,” Satan nearly cooed, “should I ask the bulletin board to make you WANT to open the file–"
My eyes widened.
Belphie tilted his head. “Chise?”
Why don’t we listen to this record today? Not to worry. Whenever I’m with you, I’m careful to select music that isn’t harmful to humans. They say this was composed by a demon who foresaw his own death inside a dream, which ended up being the inspiration for this piece.
As grim as ever, I see.
The best ones always are. It’s written in a classic style, but what’s really impressive is how it gets so elaborate at points throughout the piece–
You all right?
…I really should’ve turned off my D.D.D. Looks like a message from Satan. The title says ‘Urgent’. Ah, and there’s an attachment.
You think something bad has happened…?
No, I’m sure that’s not the case. But either way, I have no intention of asking him, and I’m certainly not opening his message.
You should probably at least read it…
There’s honestly no need, but… All right, fine. I suppose it’ll be a good experience for you to see this. I’m going to go ahead and open the file he attached, so make sure to stand back. Okay?
…Stand back? …Oh, SHIT! What the hell?!
Hah. It’s a type of spell that triggers when someone opens the attachment. See the black mist hovering around my feet? That’s a curse meant to make you stub your toe on the leg of a table.
…Oh my god, that’s so lame…
Why don’t you tell Satan that? It’s a simple curse, and easy to dispel. Watch…
There it is, gone. No more curse. I’ve been getting cursed messages like that from Satan every day lately. Now then, I wonder what he’s going to send me tomorrow.
You think your brother is cute, don’t you?
Well, I find him far more aggravating than anything else.
So you just let him keep sending viruses without scolding him, huh? Sounds like brotherly indulgence to me.
Well, better that he sends them to me personally and continues on hoping for success rather than unleashing one upon the entirety of RAD just to get back at me for banning him from such activities.
…I’d like to defend him and say that he wouldn’t take it that far, but…
Exactly.
“Infect the… Satan!” I nearly shouted his name. “You’re a genius!”
He looked up from his D.D.D. in confusion. “Hm…?”
White-hair jumped at my raised voice. “Wh-What is it?! What’s goin’ on?!”
“Well, look at this, it’s the entire crew.” Simeon smiled in delight as we all shuffled into the greenhouse lounge. “Hello there, everyone.”
Beel sniffed at the air, eyes going round.
“Simeon…” Belphie smiled. “Oh, and Luke. Hey.”
I, however, looked confused. “What are you doing here? Classes were cancelled today.”
“Solomon let us know what’s going on,” Luke explained, “so we thought we’d bring you a little something to snack on.”
Beel sniffed harder, drooling now. “I know that smell…”
Simeon laughed. “Yep, we brought you BLT devil sandwiches. We figured you’d be hungry, since classes were cancelled and the cafeteria is closed.”
Beel descended. Luke jumped back with a yelp, while the quiet Raphael shifted himself further down the sofa he sat on.
Simeon shook his head patiently. “Looks like your idea of putting a decoy piled of sandwiches there for Beelzebub was a good idea, Luke. It saved the others for the rest of them.”
“Thank you, the three of you!” Diavolo grinned at them. “We appreciate that!”
Barbatos dipped his head. “In that case, I’ll go brew a pot of tea.”
“HEY!” White-hair snapped at us. “Like, this is no time to be snackin’ and sippin’ on tea!”
”Yeah, that’s right! You need to do something about US first!”
“This is SUCH a nightmare!” Asmo moaned inconsolably. “What if I NEVER see myself in a mirror again?! I’d… I’d rather DIE!”
“Huh…” Luke looked around with a frown. “I can hear Leviathan, but I can’t see him… It’s just like Solomon said.”
“Now now,” Simeon said gently as he patted Asmo’s shoulder, “try to calm down, Asmodeus. That goes for you two as well, Leviathan and… um…” He tilted his head in confusion. “…Sorry, what was your name again?”
“What the…?! C’MON!”
Solomon giggled. “Don’t feel bad, Simeon. No one seems to be able to remember Mammon’s name now other than me.”
“Stop your gigglin’ ya chowderhead of a sorcerer! You need to do somethin’ about this! Right now!”
“Chowderhead…” I repeated.
“Sorry,” Beel said, mouth full. “Food comes first. If I don’t eat, I won’t have any gas left in the tank when it’s time to perform.”
Lucifer nodded. “For once, Beel actually makes a good point.”
“Yep!” Solomon grinned around at us all. “Come on, we’d better all grab something to eat before Beelzebub devours everything.”
Simeon created a new group: Exchange Friends!
Simeon: We’re all at RAD right now, having lunch together.
Simeon: And we have BLT devil sandwiches.
Luke: And we brought dessert, too!
Luke: 🤤🍽️
Raphael: Yes, and there’s tea. Courtesy of Barbatos himself.
Thirteen: …What is it you’re trying to say?
Chise: You should come have lunch with us, Thirteen.
Thirteen: Why on Earth would I do that?
Simeon: You don’t want to come?
Thirteen: To school? Even though we have the day off?
Thirteen: Whatever this is about, I’m sure I don’t want any part of it.
Thirteen: Pass.
Thirteen: I have a new trap prototype that I need to test.
Thirteen: By the way, completely unrelated, but does anyone know where I can find Solomon?
Chise: Doesn’t sound like you’re very busy to me.
Raphael: I concur.
Thirteen: Excuse me? Are you trying to get under my skin?
Thirteen: Well, you can mind your own business! And quit bothering me!
Belphie sighed in worry after his seventh glance at the door. “Satan still isn’t back… I know he said it would take a while to get everything ready, but he’d been gone a long time. What did you even ask him to do, Chise?”
I blinked innocently. “Curious?”
He rolled his eyes, before Asmo butted in before he could make a smartass remark. “Ooh, I am! I want to know, too! Let’s hear it!”
–
Raphael tilted his head. “A computer virus?”
I nodded. “We’re going to infect the bulletin board with a virus. That should hopefully give us the opening we need to remove the magic item inside.”
“Yes!” Diavolo beamed at me in approval. “Chise got the idea after seeing Satan send Lucifer a message with a curse attached. Pretty smart, don’t you think?”
“Satan contacted Mephisto and asked for help getting the virus ready,” Solomon added. “Which is what they’re doing right now. Satan said he needed someone who was good with computers to work on it with him.”
”WHOOOOA, JUST A SECOND!”
Luke jumped again with a squawk. “…Wow! Nothing sends your heart straight into your throat like hearing an invisible demon shout at the top of his lungs with no warning right in your ear…”
”I know what you’re thinking! I’m a shut-in, an otaku, and most of the time I’m completely useless! Of COURSE you’d think that, and you’re right! Still! …STILL! You never considered asking ME for help?! Wow, that’s just INSULTING! You KNOW I’m all about computers! Yet you asked SATAN?! And MEPHISTO?! Why would you DO that?!”
“D’AH!” White-hair slapped at the air. “Quit flailin’ around, Levi! You’re invisible, remember?! You’re gonna hurt someone!”
"But… but… it doesn’t make sense!” came his sob. ”It’s insane! I can’t accept this! I CAAAAN’T!”
“Oww…!” Asmo whined, rubbing at his arm. “You hit me! Levi, you just hit me! Didn’t you?!”
”What? No! I didn’t hit you! …I mean, my HAND hit you… but it was an accident!”
“Levi,” I chided, with an impatient sigh.
“How COULD you…?!” Asmo snapped in the direction of the voice. “No one has EVER hit me, not even LUCIFER!”
White-hair growled as he began to wrestle between Asmo and empty air. “Yo, calm down, both of you!”
“Butt out!” Asmo shouted at him, cheeks pink with outrage. “Like I’m going to listen to YOU! No one can even remember your name!”
“WHAT’D YOU SAY?!”
“ALL of you!” Lucifer finally snapped. “That’s ENOUGH!”
“C’mere, ya rotten narcissist! I’m gonna knock ya into next week!”
“Put a sock in it, you money-mongering moron!”
”G’ah… ow! Asmo, don’t step on my foot! Asmo… what’s-your-name! …Brother number two! Let go of my shirt!”
“SHADDUP, LEVI! And Asmo, you think you’re all special just ‘cause you're KINDA good lookin’. But it’s what’s inside that counts, and you got ZERO personality!”
Asmo gasped sharply. “…I may have zero personality, but YOU have zero brains! The only thing you’re good at is making a fool of yourself!”
“Shut up, weirdo!”
“Loser!”
“Whoa, come on!” Belphie sighed in irritation as he snuggled up closer to me to get out of the line of fire. “Enough. If you keep thrashing about like that, you’re going to–"
I put my head in my hands as the worst happened. “Great…”
“My sandwich…” Beel gasped in dismay. “You made me drop my sandwich…”
“Ugh, see?” Belphie growled with a shake of his head. “Now look what you’ve gone and done. I tried to warn you…”
“Don’t look at ME!” Asmo squeaked, cowering as Beel rose from his seat. “The Great Moron here was the one who bumped into Beel!”
“Only ‘cause you grabbed me by my collar!” He snapped. “Also, YOU’RE the moron, moron!”
“My…”
I squeezed my eyes shut as I scratched at my forehead. Just as Beel burst into his demon form.
“MY BLT DEVIL SANDWIIIIIIIICH!”
“Aaaah! Beelzebub, NO!” Luke scrambled over the arm of the sofa to land on the floor, taking cover. “No transforming in here!”
“BEEL!” I shouted at him. “If you hurt my plants, I SWEAR to god–"
“What the… who’s?!” Belphie eyes widened as he was slid towards his twin. “…Levi! Are you using me as a shield to protect yourself from Beel?!”
"Come on, Belphie, all you ever do is sleep! This is your chance to make yourself useful for once!"
“What?!” Belphie slapped behind him with a growl. “Could you BE any more insulting?”
I leapt to my feet, my fists bunched at my sides. “Okay, now I’m pissed. All of you –”
“Wait,” Raphael said.
I glowered at him. He inclined his head.
“…Here, Beelzebub,” Simeon said in his soft voice of patience. “Be a good boy and hold still while I stuff this BLT devil sandwich into your mouth…”
Beel frozen obediently, before he opened his jaw wide.
“…There!” Simeon patted his arm with a sweet smile. “Bon appetit!”
As Beel chewed, his horns and wings began to retract. “…Wow, that’s good.”
“Don’t worry,” Simeon said kindly. “And you too, Asmodeus. Don’t worry, you’re as beautiful as ever. You really think something like this could detract from your beauty? No.”
Asmo blinked in awe, and then straightened, all smiles. “R-Right, yes! I mean, of course…!”
“And as for you, well…” Simeon laid a gentle hand on white-hair’s shoulder. “I may not be able to remember your name, but…”
“It’s Mammon!” he snapped. “The GREAT Mammon!”
“Right… Mammon.” Simeon nodded. “Anyway, you do indeed have ‘brains.’ Otherwise, you wouldn’t be so good at counting money, would you?”
“…R-Right, yeah… Exactly!”
I felt the sting of tears burning in my eyes as I watched him. And not because I’d forgotten white-hair this time.
“Ah, that reminds me… Leviathan.” Simeon turned his smile in the direction of where there was weight sat on the couch. “I was hoping you could show me how to use this one function on my D.D.D. later. I can’t seem to figure it out. Would you mind?”
"…I mean, sure… if you need help with your D.D.D, then I’m your demon!"
Simeon… the best of all the angels. I pressed my hands over my heart. How could he have been stripped…? How…?
“Now come on, you three,” Simeon crooned as though he were speaking to a group of toddlers. “Look, we brought pickles for you as well. Try some!”
“Wow,” Belphie whispered. “Simeon calmed them down in no time flat.”
Diavolo nodded in approval. “He really is something, isn’t he?”
Simeon…
“Yes. He saved the rest of us a lot of effort.” Lucifer turned a smirk on Diavolo, before waving something in front of his nose teasingly. “So, Diavolo… why don’t you have some of these pickles?”
Diavolo pouted at him. “Very funny, Lucifer. You know I don’t like pickles…”
I reached forward to touch Simeon’s sleeve. “Sim…”
“Hmm?” He turned his sparkling smile down at me. “Yes, sweetheart?”
I pulled him closer with my curled fingers. “You’re amazing…”
He laughed in delight. “Why, thank you, Chise. I just didn’t want lunchtime to devolve into a giant fight, that’s all. I wanted everyone to sit down together and enjoy the food we brought.”
I kept pulling, until I had the fabric of his sleeve pressed to my forehead. Like he had so many times, he rested his other hand on the top of my head gently, his thumb brushing my hair.
“They’ve always been a wild bunch,” Raphael sighed. “Impossible to control. And yet you had no trouble calming them down, Simeon. A moment ago they were at each other’s throats, but now they seem like completely different demons. I’m starting to wonder if you’re some sort of wild-animal tamer.”
“Ahahah…” Simeon lifted his hand from my head to rub self-consciously at the back of his neck. “I suppose it’s sort of my job to do stuff like that…”
Raphael hummed quietly. “I have to say, you’re a lot better at it than you used to be.”
Simeon raised his eyebrows. “Should I take that as a compliment?”
“You should, yes. It was quite impressive.”
“Hmm…” He looked back down at me, where I was looking up with glossy eyes. He smiled sweetly again. “I don’t feel like I did anything special, personally…”
“But you did,” Raphael said quietly. “Really, that was very impressive.”
”Well, of course it was! What did you expect?”
Simeon jumped in alarm.
"Simeon here is none other than the great Christopher Peugeot, after all! Of COURSE he’s amazing! As if there was ever any doubt!”
“Leviathan, is that you?” Simeon pressed his hand over his heart with a sigh. “You scared me. I can’t say I’m much of a fan of this newfound invisibility.”
”You know, I hear the editorial department in charge of TSL has been getting tons of letters from fans looking forward to the next book in the series! Apparently a giant stack of them shows up every day! Naturally, I’ve written a few of my own, too!”
Simeon laughed in embarrassment. “Is that so?”
“Yeah…” Solomon smiled at him teasingly. “To be honest, I’ve sent some fan mail to you as well, Simeon.”
“Solomon!” Simeon laughed again, shaking his head. “We live together. You could have just given them to me in person…”
Solomon shook his head with a smile of fond exasperation. “Oh, Simeon. You don’t understand how a fan’s mind works…”
”You should see the online forum threads on predictions for book nine! They stretch on forever, and they’re only getting longer! I’m a regular contributor to those threads, actually.”
“Wow, Simeon.” Luke grinned up at him. “You serve as peacemaker between Lucifer’s brothers and you inspire passion among TSL fans… You really are amazing! It’s like you mean so much to so many people! I’m so proud to know you.”
“Luke…” Simeon’s eyes softened. “I don’t know what to say…”
"What the… is Belphie asleep?! Doesn’t he know we’re in the middle of a crisis?!"
Asmo giggled. “I guess he liked Simeon’s BLT devil sandwiches just as much as everyone else!”
“This cake Barbatos brought is delicious, too…”
“…Chise.” Simeon squatted down to take my hands in his. “Do you have a moment? Now that we’re done eating, I thought I’d go for a little walk. I was hoping you might come along.”
I really shouldn’t just leave the situation as it was, but Satan and Mephisto weren’t back yet anyway, and…
Simeon.
“Of course,” I agreed softly. “Let’s slip away.”
The last time we had taken a walk together around RAD, I’d been interviewing him for my paper for my 'second trial'.
If I could, I would give you feather after feather for the gift of having you each day…
Don’t pluck yourself bare.
I looked down at my feet as we walked further away from the greenhouse across the courtyard in silence. As though even this far away, he was afraid that we were still within earshot.
'I was wandering, hurt, lost in an endless night, and you reached out to me; nestled against each other, we wished that morning would never come. No one can know, no one can know, but I love you so deeply it hurts’…
…I’d like to kiss you.
Me too. Right now I want to kiss you so badly I can barely stand it… Stay right here with me. So I know I’m not alone… Please.
He’d been in so much pain that day. Over and over again, he had pulled me off to the side, alone. To tell me.
Would you like to talk…? I think… that’s what you wanted to do, right?
Maybe in a bit. A bit…
But over and over again, he kept losing his nerve… And I’d kept letting him flee back into his own anxiety.
Had it really been my responsibility to make him talk? A lot of people might say ‘no,' that it was on him. Because that’s how it should go. Because in a perfect relationship, between perfect people, with perfect communication, he should have been the one communicating it.
But he couldn’t do it, and continued to hurt for it. Nobody was perfect. Not even my perfect Sim. I should have supported him better.
I was so focused on my own feelings that I never stopped and considered how HE felt, and what he might be going through… I wanted his approval to know he believed in me. I wanted to help him, so badly that I guess I lost track of what was really important.
I could learn a few things from Luke.
This was the first time we’d found ourselves alone since he’d told me. It really wasn’t an ideal time for me to fall apart into a crumpled mess of tears. But I owed it to him to listen. I’d just have to be stronger later for the rest of them, too.
“It really is quiet here at school with everyone gone,” Simeon began softly. “It feels a bit like we’ve wandered into an alternate dimension.”
“You really saved the day back there…” I kicked lightly at a loose stone. “I don’t actually like using ’Stay’.”
He squeezed my hand. “I know you don’t. But I just got lucky, that’s all. If only it were that easy all the time…”
“Simeon…” I stepped closer to him to take his arm fully, leaning against it while we walked. “Everyone back there… That all came from their hearts.”
“Yeah…” He huffed softly. “It’s sort of hard to explain, but… I feel like I don’t have to worry quite so much anymore. Because it seemed like they were saying that they need me… That they appreciate me for who I am.” He smiled sadly down at me. “It made me feel like I need to accept that I’m not an angel anymore. To face that fact and come to terms with it. And you… You give me that courage.”
I stopped our walk to turn to stand in front of him, taking both his hands. “Just facing your…” I took in a breath. “Just facing your ‘fate’ was the most courageous act I have ever…”
He chuckled sadly. “You’d think that would be the hardest part. But facing you with the truth… Having to look you in the eye, and tell you, my love, who rails against all notions that things are 'just the way they are,' that this is the one thing that you could not challenge…”
I stepped to him, closing the gap between us to press my face to his chest. “…I don’t understand why…”
He sighed as he dropped my hands to wrap his arms around me, kissing the top of my hair at the sound of my sniffle. “Chise, my sweetheart, though I don’t have any right to ask anything of you… I have one wish.”
“One wish…?”
“One I don’t think any wishing board could grant me.” He rubbed his palm gently up and down my back. “I wish that you and Sol will have a happy ending. If you’re ever offered the chance to grasp that… If that hope ever presents itself… I hope you take it.”
I shook my head, confused. “What do you mean…? We’ll be together. We’ll help him…” Somehow.
“Those are the words of my wish,” he murmured, rocking me gently. “…Chise, once things have settled down again, I’m going to tell everyone the truth.”
I let out a long sigh in his arms. “I’m behind you all the way, Sim…”
“Thank you, my love. It means a lot to know you’re always in my corner.” He pulled me away from him slightly so he could cup my face, smiling sweetly down at me with his blue eyes. The halo’s within them… How had I not noticed how they had faded into his irises…? They were simply rings of a different colour, like the ones I had around my own pupils. A little unusual, maybe… but human.
He leaned down to brush a kiss to my forehead. “All this time I’ve felt like I’ve been trudging through a deep, dark tunnel. But now I feel as though I can see the faint, far-off light at the end.”
I took a breath. “Simeon… Speaking of the truth… Satan–“
“Satan?” Simeon raised his head in surprise, looking over my own.
"…Simeon? And Chise?"
“Huh?” I turned my head, too. “What the…? Speaking of speaking of…”
“I didn’t expect to run into you two here,” Satan said as he hurried over. “We were just heading back to the greenhouse.”
“Satan, Mephisto.” I hurried to meet them in the middle. “How did things go on your end? Are you ready?”
Satan nodded with a smile. “It went well. We’re all set. Just say the word, and we’ll set our virus loose on the bulletin board.”
I sighed with relief. “Good. Let’s get this done once and for all.”
Mephisto was frowning. “You’re sure this is going to work, right?”
I sighed again, but not with relief. “Nope.” I grabbed Satan’s hand with one of mine, and then Simeon’s with the other. “Come on, let’s get to the computer.”
“…No? Well, how very reassuring,” Mephisto muttered, as he followed us along.
Satan peered into the newspaper club room with a frown. “Where is everyone else? I texted them.”
Solomon waved in greeting. “We left them behind. They have their own duties to attend to, and this room is too small for everyone to cram into all at once.”
Mephisto scoffed in offence. “Well, I’m SORRY our office is too small for you…”
Diavolo chuckled, grinning around the room. “Perhaps it’s in poor taste to admit this, but I can’t help but feel sort of excited! This was not how I thought this would go!”
“You’re right, Diavolo,” Lucifer sighed. “That was in poor taste.”
“Tch!” Mephisto scowled at him. “You know, I’ve been wanting to say this for a while now… Lucifer, you need to show Lord Diavolo more respect! STARTING with addressing him as LORD–“
“Mephisto, I hear that you helped Satan prepare the virus?” Lucifer quirked a smile at him. “It’s not like you to be so willing to lend a hand…”
Mephisto sniffed arrogantly. “Well, considering I was offered such a fine-quality item as compensation, I couldn’t say no.”
Lucifer frowned in immediate concern. “A fine-quality item? What are you talking about?”
Mephisto shrugged. “I assume the bottle of Demonus Satan brought me must have come from your collection.”
“…Satan?” Lucifer trained his eyes on his younger brother. “Don’t tell me you stole a bottle from my private collection and gave it to Mephisto?”
“We can discuss this late,” Satan replied dismissively, earning himself a pissy tut. “Come on, we need to get started now.”
Mephisto nodded. “So, first we’ll infect the bulletin board with the virus, which will disrupt the magic item within. That will give us an opening, at which point Chise will remove the item. That’s our plan, right?”
“Right,” Satan agreed, hurrying to the server. “So, no time to lose. I’ll go ahead and post our message with the virus to the bulletin board now.”
“…The screen is starting to flicker,” Lucifer noted as Satan typed. “I suppose that must be the virus at work?”
“Looks lie it’s time to make our move.” Solomon placed his hand on my back, smiling encouragingly as he stepped forward with me. “Go for it, Chise.”
I took in a deep breath, before reaching towards the tower.
…Are you ready? In order to remove a magic item from inside a solid object, here’s what you do. First, condense as much of your own magic energy as possible, creating a ball of magical light. This ball of concentrated magic needs to be at least as powerful as the item you want to remove. You want it to be of uniform strength, condensed around a single point.
“Very good,” Solomon murmured by my ear, his hand still on the center of my back. “Focus on the ball of light you’ve formed in your hand…"
Okay, I feel like this should be enough…
Very good. I think so, too. Then you thrust your condensed magic orb into the tree, forcing the magic item inside out. Once the item has been removed, the tree will return to normal.
“And slowly force it inside the computer,” he whispered.
“Looks like it’s pushing back pretty hard,” I heard Diavolo mutter in concern from behind me. “Guess we’re going to have to go back to the drawing board…”
Lucifer held his hand up to him. “Wait, no. Look…”
…Almost there, keep concentrating, your mind is starting to waver. Imagine you’re channelling your entire being into the palm of your hand…
“…Nice!” I heard Satan say. “Keep going, Chise! You’re starting to force the item out of the PC!”
“Stay focused, Chise,” Solomon continued in his whisper. “Slow and steady, just like that…”
OH, look at that! I got the rose bud out!
I gasped I saw something fling itself to from the tower across the room, before my magic flashed brightly one last time.
Perfect! That’s how it’s done.
“Chise!” Satan knelt to my other side, grinning. “The item’s outside the PC! The connection’s been severed!”
Lucifer chuckled fondly. “Looks like the plan worked.”
“Yes…” Mephisto frowned for a moment, before giving a nod of approval. “The bulletin board is back to normal. I don’t sense any magic energy coming from it now.”
“Bravo, Chise!” Diavolo beamed at me. “Well done!”
“That was beautiful,” Solomon said softly at my side, smiling. “Nice work.”
Here, ahuvati, my love. This flower bud is my gift to you.
I threw my arms around him in a hug. “I love you, ahuvi… I couldn’t have done it without you.”
He laughed in delight as he caught me to him. “You played the biggest part by far.”
“Hmm…” Lucifer nudged what had thrown itself from the PC with his foot. “Now that we can actually see the item itself, I have to say, it’s…”
”It’s HUGE!”
Lucifer frowned as he glanced around. “Levi? Have you been here the whole time?”
”No, I just showed up. I got sick of hanging around Asmo and the other dude. They kept ignoring me. So I decided I’d come see how things were going here. I figured I might as well use the fact that I’m invisible to my advantage for once!”
I rolled my eyes. “No creeping peeping, Levi.”
”NNK! I-I-I…!”
Satan sighed as he squatted down in front of the object. “Well, you do have a point about the treasure box. It’s gigantic. How did this thing fit…?”
“The magic of magic,” Solomon answered unhelpfully.
Diavolo chuckled. “And to think that it started out as a tiny little box that could fit in the palm of your hand!”
…We all turned to him.
“I guess absorbing the magic from all of those wishes made it bigger!” he continued, obliviously.
I stared at him. “…It used to fit in the palm of your hand?”
“Lord Diavolo…” Satan’s expression began to fall into a glare. ”How exactly do you know how big the magic item was originally?”
“Ohhh… Aha, well, you see…”
“…Diavolo.”
Lucifer only had to say his name once, in his short, terse voice, to get a guilty squeak out of the prince.
”EEEEEEEEK!”
We all jumped in alarm.
”H… H-H-H-H-HEEEEELP!”
“That sounded like Asmo,” Lucifer said. “And… what was his name again?”
“That would be Mammon,” Solomon answered.
“Th… Th-Th-Th… That’s right, it’s ME!”
Lucifer frowned. “You two… Didn’t Chise tell you to wait in the greenhouse? What are you… No. Where are you?”
“Strange,” Mephisto muttered with a frown of his own. “It sounds like they’re right next to us, but I don’t see them anywhere.”
”That’s right, that’s exactly right!” came Asmo’s voice. ”We’re invisible now, too! Ugh, what do we do…?! WHAT DO WE DO?!”
”So you’re just like me now?!”
Solomon tsked, face serious again. “It seems that the dark crevasse’s effect has grown even stronger somehow.”
Diavolo shook his head. “But why is it that Asmodeus and… Sorry, what was his name again?”
“That would be Mammon.”
“Right, Mammon! Why is it that Asmodeus and Mammon are suddenly being impacted, but not Leviathan?”
”Whoa, not so fast! Something’s wrong with me, too! I just tried touching the magic item you removed from the PC, but I can’t! My hand goes right through it! I was able to touch things just fine a minute ago, but now I-I…!”
“Levi?” My eyes widened as I stretched out my arm. “Touch my hand, Levi. Please.”
”…I-I CAN’T! I’M TRYING! D’aaaaah! What’s going on… What’s going ON?! Don’t tell me I’m just going to fade away and die?!”
”Don’t say stuff lie that! You’re gonna jinx us!”
“It’s one thing if you two fade out of existence, but I’m far too beautiful for that! It would be too great a loss for the universe!”
“You three. Stay.” My command was simply given. I didn’t have time for their shit.
Lucifer rolled his eyes at the sound of the thuds and squawks. “That’s enough out of you three for now. Calm down.”
“Well, now that we’ve put a muzzle on them,” Satan said with a sigh, “what do you say we all head back to the greenhouse?”
“What about the magic item here?” Mephisto kicked at it lightly. “What should we do with it?”
“We can’t very well leave it here,” Lucifer answered. “We’ll take it with us.”
“…Oh, what was that?” I cooed. “You’re volunteering to carry that heavy chest for all of us, Diavolo? Why, thank you so much! Ever the servant to your people.”
Diavolo grimaced guiltily as he bent to pick it up. “Yes, Lady Chise…”
Mephisto gasped in outrage. “My Lord! Allow me…!”
”Yo, we’re back!”
Simeon whipped his head towards the voice with panic in his eyes. “How’d it go?!”
“We succeeded in removing the magic item from the computer,” Satan answered.
Simeon sighed in relief. “Good. But we’ve got our own problems here. It’s Barbatos, he’s…!”
“WHAT?!” I pushed my way forward into the greenhouse, and then gasped in horror as I went straight to him to take his face into my hands. “Barbatos, what’s wrong?! Your skin's cold…”
“Barbatos?!” Diavolo was right behind me. “Barbatos! You look so pale!”
“What’s wrong?” I murmured in a tight voice. “Your breathing is shallow, too.”
He only shook his head, eyes bright as though feverish, but his skin was so, so cold.
Solomon sighed. “I knew it… Barbatos, the dark crevasse is affecting you as well, isn’t it?”
“What?!” I looked between Sol and Barbatos with dismay.
“What did you say?” Lucifer hissed at him. “You knew? Did you know about this, Diavolo?”
Diavolo hesitated, before sighing as well. “…I had my suspicions. I could tell something wasn’t quite right.”
I studied Barbatos’ face, my brows furrowed with worry. “Why didn’t you tell me…?”
”I guess it makes sense after all. It was Barbatos who pulled the rest of us out of the dark crevasse.”
“Dammit! Isn’t there somethin’ we can do about all this?!”
“Barbatos,” Diavolo addressed him sternly, “I want you to go ahead and rest for now.”
Barbatos shook his head firmly, trying to give a thin smile. “No need to worry on my behalf, My Lord…”
He sighed in frustration. “Barbatos…”
I turned his face back to me. “You’re very much not okay. You know we can see that, right? Barbatos, you could have said…”
He sighed, before slumping slowly towards me. “I did not want to worry you, considering everything…”
“Silly man,” I whispered, catching him to me. His slim form was always familiar in my arms; the texture of his hair under my chin, too. Though I actually doubted he was conscious of his preferential choice, he liked to be the snuggled one in a cuddle. “Barbatos, you may have lived a long life, but you’re not freaking indestructible. Maybe if you had said something earlier…”
“I apologize…”
“By the way,” Lucifer cut in, “where are Beel and the others? They haven’t come back yet?”
Mephisto frowned. “Luke said he and the rest of the others were heading off in search of ingredients for verbum drops, right?”
“Yes,” Solomon confirmed, “those were Chise’s orders. Beelzebub, Luke, Belphegor, and Raphael all went together.”
Mephisto tutted. “Why would you send them off to do that at a time like this? We’re in the middle of an emergency.”
“That’s why we’re doing this,” I answered, while settling Barbatos' head on my collarbone. His lashes kept going in and out of fluttering, as though he were trying to remain awake. I steadied him in case he lost consciousness. I hoped the memory of him being in my arms in front of everyone was a little fuzzy for him later; he’d be terribly embarrassed over this. “We’re going to use the ingredients to create another dark crevasse.”
Mephisto jaw dropped. “…Are you mad?! Another dark crevasse?!”
“Yes,” Lucifer said. “Now that we’ve removed the magic item from the bulletin board, we need to throw it into a dark crevasse to dispose of it. Which means we have no choice but to create one again.”
Mephisto shook his head in disbelief. “That’s a very dangerous plan…”
“We’re well aware of that,” Lucifer answered impatiently.
I sighed. “I didn’t actually mean for Luke to go. I tried to tell him that it was too dangerous…”
”But he’d made up his mind, and he wasn’t about to let anyone talk him outta it. For a chihuahua, he sure is stubborn.”
“Mmhmm. He was like, ‘You can count on me!’ He couldn’t wait to get going.”
“Well, Raphael went along with him,” Simeon said nervously, “so I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
”Umm, what was it you said we needed, Solomon? Viridis sap, and… um, what else…”
“Black mistletoe sap,” Satan answered, “a shadow lava rock fragment, and a toxic chameleon heart. And some condor lantern plant root and aurora oil infused black quartz.”
“Correct.” Solomon grinned at him. “I’m impressed you remembered all that, Satan. You know a lot of promise, you know? Perhaps I should take you on as my alchemist apprentice! All my knowledge could be yours, if you only you’d agree to form a–"
“I know what the ingredients are,” Satan continued, ignoring the rest of his spiel. “But how are we supposed to mix them? Lucifer wanted that information hidden, so the recipe isn’t listed anywhere anymore.”
“Oh, I know that part.” Solomon laughed in delight as he tapped his temple. “All the information we need is right here in my head! And it could be all yours if–"
”Hold on, though… Why’re we makin’ verbum drops? What we need is a dark crevasse, right? I mean, y’all only ended up makin’ one the first time by accident. You don’t think we can just snap our fingers and make that happen again, do ya?”
Solomon shook his head. “The ingredients for a dark crevasse are almost identical to those used in verbum drops. Though we won’t need any tears, since we’re not trying to force anyone to reveal their secrets. Naturally, the quantities of each ingredient are different, as is the magic involved. But as long as we have the ingredients, I should be able to handle the rest!”
I glared at him. Had been, actually, since he started making his sales pitch to Satan. “You should be able to…?”
Satan shook his head. “…Didn’t you say it was a forbidden art?”
"You’re the best, Solomon… THE BEST…"
I pressed the now-seemingly-asleep Barbatos tighter to my chest as I fumbled for my D.D.D. that was buzzing in my pocket. “…Ohhh shit.”
Lucifer’s eyes were immediately on me. “What is it?”
Belphie: This is Raphael.
Belphie: I’m messaging you from Belphie’s D.D.D.
Belphie: We need help!
”Wait, what?!” came Asmo’s voice. ”Are things so bad that Belphie couldn’t send the message himself?!”
Solomon held up his palms to calm the panic that immediately began to bubble over in the room. “Okay, don’t automatically assume the worst. We need to focus on getting to them as fast as we can.”
“I’ll go.” Lucifer beckoned me. “Chise, you’re coming too.”
I looked down at Barbatos’ even breathing in concern. I sighed as I gently worked my hand under his head to lift him off. “…Right. We’ve got to hurry.”
“I’ll help lay him down,” Simeon murmured on his other side, rising to replace my hand with his while I lined up a pillow.
Solomon nodded. “They’re a fair distance away, but you’re a pro at teleportation magic at this point, right? Now, my panicky apprentice, calm your mind and focus all of your energy on the spell… Focus on them.”
I sighed again, before closing my eyes to take in a deep breath. ”…In the name of the sorcerer Chise, I command you… Create a path where there is none.”
Belphie’s soft eyes in the near-dark of the attic at night, as he brushed my hair back from my face while we laid side by side on the bed. My hands curving around his slim middle to wrap around him, pulling him close, to snuggle up against his sweater.
"…And lead us to those who require our help!"
“Belphie…” Beel panted. “I can’t fight it anymore, Belphie. I can feel myself slipping away…”
“Beel, no…” Belphie took his twin by the shoulders. “Stay with me!”
“I can’t. It’s… too late for me now…”
“Don’t you talk like that!” He shook him hard. “You have to hang in there. Look at me, Beel! Look at me!”
“Belphie, I’m sorry…” Beel whispered hoarsely. “I just can’t…”
“BEEL!” Belphie slapped his hands on his chest, trying to push the oncoming drooling demon back. “I’m serious! NO eating the ingredients…! Not after all the trouble we went through to get them!”
“I’m so hungry,” Beel groaned, reaching his arm out past Belphie. “I-I can’t take it anymore…”
“No means NO, Beel!”
“…What’s going on here?” Lucifer asked dourly.
“Ah, you’re here,” Raphael said to the side. “That was faster than I expected.”
Lucifer sighed. “Raphael, what in the three worlds is going on? And what was with the message you sent?”
“Ah, that?” He sighed, too. “Well, Beelzebub is trying to eat the ingredients we worked so hard to obtain.”
I glared at them. "This was the emergency? I should have known…”
“I’m sorry, Chise,” Belphie said miserably.
“I’m not mad at you, Belph.” I tapped my food in frustration, crossing my arms. “Beelzebub, you JUST ate a bunch of BLTs and cake. Are you seriously so hungry that you’re going to eat the ingredients we need to stop your brothers from DYING? You may as well get it over with and eat your brothers instead!”
Beel had frozen, mid-reach. “…N-N…”
"…Would you eat Belphie, Beel?”
Belphie shook his head with a sigh at Beel’s gasp of horror. “Well, I don’t know why I didn’t think of that, but… I guess it’ll probably work.”
“And YOU!” I whirled on Raphael, who stood quietly nearby. “Why did you use BELPHIE’S D.D.D. to text your emergency?! We thought something had happened to him!”
“My battery died.”
I smacked my forehead. “I think it’s entirely possible that I might snap and kill you all.”
“No need to taint your soul,” Lucifer said darkly, “as it’s also entirely possible I’d beat you to it.”
“Raphael, why are you carrying Luke on your back?”
“He was so exhausted that he fell asleep.”
I began muttering darkly under my breath as I reached into my bag.
Belphie shook his head while he watched me pull out some squashed cupcakes. “So, you knew, huh?”
“I certainly didn’t rule it out,” I growled.
“Thank goodness,” Belphie sighed in relief, as Beel nearly pounced on me. “I was really worried there for a moment.”
“Well, we’ve obtained all of the ingredients to make verbum drops,” Raphael said. “Let’s head back to RAD.”
“I swear to god,” I muttered, grabbing hands and yanking. "In the name of the sorcerer Chise, I command you…"
My group crashed to the ground, Lucifer’s group stood serene.
“Dammit, Chise,” Belphie growled, while Solomon stood by killing himself with laughter.
"D’AAAAAAH! Like, gimme some warning’ before ya pop outta nowhere like that! Ya scared me half to death!”
“They’re back!”
“Is everyone okay?” Satan asked with a frown, as he stooped to help me stand.
“Beel landed on top of me,” Belphie pointed out, “so, no. Beel, get off.”
“Sorry…”
Satan shook his head in exasperation. “I meant the emergency.”
“Oh, yeah. We’re fine.”
“Amazing, Chise!” Diavolo beamed at me. “You haven’t quite stuck your landings, but that you can teleport multiple people, including powerful demons…! I’ll never get over it.”
“I can’t believe just how far my apprentice has come,” Solomon sighed with fondness. “It’s enough to bring a tear to my eye.”
“Fairly certain those tears are from you laughing,” I growled at him, provoking even more laughter.
“Luke…!” Simeon rushed forward towards Raphael with a gasp. “Is he injured?!”
“No to worry,” Raphael assured him with his small smile. “He’s just sleeping.”
“Oh, thank the stars…”
Raphael turned his back to Mephisto. “…So, I’d appreciate it if you could take over from here…”
“Whoa, now just a second!” Mephisto protested. “Why are you unloading him on ME?! …Aww…”
Luke had just sighed softly in his sleep, rubbing his cheek into Raphael’s shoulder.
Mephisto hmphed, before reaching his arms out. “Tch, honestly. You should have gently set him down here on the couch so as not to wake him. Like this…”
Despite everything, I let out a giggle as Mephisto gently cupped Luke to him, before lowering him down.
“There, that should do it…”
Simeon, too, was covering his lips with his fingers, though I could see the grin from where I stood to his side.
“…Is something funny, Simeon?” Mephisto growled at him through his gritted teeth.
“Hm?” Simeon lowered his hand with a sweet, innocent blink of his eyes. “Oh… No, I just smile a lot by nature…”
Solomon tittered behind his hand next.
Sometimes Solomon and Simeon really did remind me of the other.
Mephisto puffed out a breath of resignation. “…I’ll stay here and look after Luke. The rest of you should go create the dark crevasse.”
”You really want to do it out here in the courtyard?” came Levi’s voice directly at my side, making me jump out of my skin.
Lucifer snorted. “Well, you saw what happens when you create a dark crevasse inside the school, didn’t you?”
"Yo, you’re sure this is okay, right? ‘Cause it won’t be cool if it ends up pullin’ us in again.”
Satan tsked. “If you guys get sucked in a second time, it’ll just prove what genuine morons you are.”
"That’s MEAN!" Asmo protested, no doubt with an invisible pout on his invisible face. "It’s not like we got pulled in on purpose, you know?”
I nodded to the center circle. “Put her right here, Beel.”
He nodded to me. “One weird magic treasure box, right here.”
“Well then.” Solomon stepped up beside me, smiling down at me with his chin resting on his knuckles.. “Guess it’s time to get started.”
“Everyone!” I turned to them all as I called for their attention. “Behind the, um, rock fences, please.”
“They’re just stone walls, Chise.”
I shook my head. “But they’re half the height… Like boundary separators…”
“Yeah, but still.”
"Half YOUR height," came white-haired’s voice.
I glowered. “Shut up! Fine! Get behind the stone walls. Now. The invisible ones, too.”
"So now we’re the invisible ones?!” came a sob from Levi.
“Get the FUCK behind the stone fence!” I shouted pissily.
“…Are we ready now?” Solomon asked with a grin. “Go ahead and get behind your ’stone fence’ as well, ahuvati.”
“But…”
He kneeled, unwrapping a powdered ingredient from its waxy paper. “Please.”
I sighed as I backed away. "Please be careful, my love…”
“…All right everyone!” Solomon called out. “Three… two…!”
We all gasped sharply as we were pulled to the sides by the whirl of it all. This time, with the buildings cupping the area where the dark crevasse came to life, it created what felt like an even more powerful 'wind tunnel’ that screamed in an echoing circle. Shit. It felt like a we were caught in a true hurricane now, with the eye of the storm right there, focused tightly in the center of the courtyard. Immediately my vision was obscured by the dust and debris that the crevasse whipped into a frenzied whirlwind around us.
“That’s SOME wind!” Beel shouted over the din of it all.
”AAAAH!” came a scream from nearby.
“What’s wrong, um…” Satan shook his head in frustration. “What’s-your-name!”
”Mammon! Ahhh! MY HEAD! DUDE, IT’S FUCKIN’ KILLING ME!”
“Mine too…!” came Asmo’s cry. ”And it’s… hard to… breathe…!”
“Uggghhhh… I feel like I’m about to be torn limb from limb!”
“This is bad,” I whispered. “This is bad. Didn’t expect this. Didn’t prepare for this.”
“Hey, SOLOMON!” Lucifer called angrily. “They ARE going to be okay, aren’t they?”
“The dark crevasse is exerting a very strong influence on them!” Solomon called back.
“OBVIOUSLY!” I shouted in despair.
“They’re going to have to try and hang in there a little longer! Everyone, take care not to be sucked inside!”
“This wind is insane!” Satan called.
“Well, there’s nothing to obstruct it out here,” Raphael replied, “so we’re being subjected to its full force.”
"How can you stand there analyzin’ why the wind’s so strong at a time like this?! I’m hangin’ on for dear life here!"
“It wasn’t supposed to go on for this long!” I shook my head. “Why isn’t the…!”
Diavolo grimaced. “So, here we are, staring down yet another dark crevasse… I was really hoping not to find myself in this position again.”
“…DIAVOLO!” My eyes widened. “Y-You brought Barbatos?!”
“…He wouldn’t– BARBATOS!”
“NO!” I screamed, as my indestructible demon swayed with the pull of the fierce wind, his feet sliding. While everyone was clutching at the fence, his hands were slipping alone the rock, fingers not finding purchase.
“…My head,” he groaned, pressing the heel of his palm to his brow with a squeeze of his eyes. “Spinning.”
Diavolo shook his head in dismay. “It’s like the dark crevasse has a stronger pull on the ones affected!”
“Levi!” Lucifer shouted. “There’s more open space where you are! Are you all right?!”
”I-I dunno… My legs feel so heavy, like they’re made of lead. It seems like that’s enough to keep me from being sucked in for now!”
I watched on in horror as Barbatos one foot slipped from underneath him, for him to crash down onto his hip with a sharp gasp. His fingers were scrabbling at the worn-down cobblestones now.
He was sliding on the side of his thigh, on his hip, as though he were on ice.
There was no way.
I slapped my palm to the stone under my feet.
"SPIRIT OF THE EARTH!” I cried desperately. ”CHISE THE SORCERER BESEECHES YOU! SEND FORTH YOUR ROOTS TO ENCAGE THIS DEMON BEFORE ME, AND STILL HIM IN PLACE!” I broke on a sob. "Please…! I’m begging you…!”
You request of us in humble kindness, out of fierce love? We thank you, Chise the Sorceress. It has been a long time since we have been beseeched.
I blinked in confusion. The very whirlwind seemed to slow with the odd voices that whispered in near-unison.
We of the Earth grant you your wish.
My Ring of Light flashed on my finger. I gasped as I watched roots burst from the Earth to enclose him in a cage that caught his body. I flung myself down on my belly to pull myself towards him by my elbows, before allowing myself to tumble into the cradle with him to hold him.
“Are you all right…?” I whispered.
He smiled weakly at me. “…I never expected you to have to be the one rescuing me, Chise.”
I gave him a weak smile of relief back. “Everyone needs help sometimes. Even you.”
He sighed, face falling again. “I’m ashamed to admit it, Chise, but it’s all I can do to remain conscious at the moment…”
I cupped the back of his head to press his face into my neck, resting my chin on the top of him. “I’ve got you.”
“Lord Diavolo…”
“He’s fine, Barbatos.”
“…Heheh.”
I frowned. “Umm, Barbatos?” Are you losing your marbles now, too?
“Ah, I apologize. It is just… I notice that even in a situation like this, you have no intention of going easy on me. Do you, My Lady?”
I kissed his hair. “Quite the opposite, actually.”
“Indeed… In fact, you gave me, the ancient Demon of Time, a stern reprimand. Aha… I think I understand what it is about you that I find so truly irresistible. It is no magical charm that drew me to you. Nor did any others fall for such thing, for that matter. It is you, and you alone. A charm of magic is a meek thing, compared to you…”
“Stop trying to talk,” I sighed in exasperation. “You’re exhausting yourself with your romantic ramblings…”
“Make something of nothing, weave nothing to something; was it chance that brought us together, in becoming something more…?”
“…Are you losing your mind, too?”
“I owe you my life.”
I shook my head in exasperation. “Hush. That’s not a thing in relationships.”
“…Hey, what about the magic item?!” came Satan’s voice. “Has it been pulled in yet?! We can’t keep going like this!”
“No such luck,” Raphael answered, as he peered into the center. “It hasn’t even budged.”
Beel shook his head in dismay. “Why not? The wind’s blowing so hard, and it’s right there…”
“It’s the will of the dark crevasse at work,” Lucifer explained. “It captured Levi and the others once before, and it wants them back. It’s probably preventing the magic item from being pulled in until it gets what it wants.”
“We didn’t prepare for this,” I murmured in fear.
"Dammit… I can’t take this! If this keeps up, I’m gonna get sucked in again…!”
“I… I don’t think I can hold on much longer, either…”
“Where are you two?!” Satan called. “I can’t see you, so I can’t help you!”
”Like, we’re right here!”
“I TOLD you, I can’t SEE you!” Satan snapped. “I don’t know where right here is!”
“I should go back out there,” I whispered, unwrapping myself from Barbatos. “I need to–“
He wrapped me back to him. “Do not.”
“Barbatos–“
“Wait a minute!” Simeon’s eyes widened. “Do I feel two of you clinging to me?”
"You have to do something, Simeon! Use your angelic powers!"
My eyes widened, too. “Oh, shit! Barbatos, please!”
“…I’m so sorry,” I heard Simeon say. “I can’t do that.”
”What do ya mean you can’t do it?! You don’t feel like savin’ us… is that it?!”
“No, it’s… It’s not that I don’t want to. It’s that…”
“Oh, Sim,” I moaned in miserable heartbreak. “I’m so sorry… This wasn’t how this was supposed to go…”
Barbatos sighed in sympathy. “That is not so…”
“…I’m not an angel anymore…” Simeon continued. “I’m human.”
"…SAY WHAT?!"
“I’m sorry…”
”Y… YO, CMON! This isn’t the time for this, dammit!”
“EEEEEEK!”
“Simeon!” Raphael called.
“We’ve got to help them, and fast!” Beel yelled out as well. “I don’t think Belphie can hang on for much longer, either!”
“This is bad,” Satan growled in fierce frustration. “At this rate, they’re going to end up being pulled in again!”
“…I’m not about to let that happen.” Lucifer’s voice, while not yelled out, still rang sternly regardless.
“LUCIFER!” Satan cried. “What do you think you’re doing?!”
I, too, cried out in despair as I watched Lucifer hop lithely over the stone wall, his true demon form enveloping his body as he went, his enormous wings unfurling from his back.
“I’m going to make sure they don’t get any closer to that thing,” he said smugly as he landed on his feet at a turn and a bend of his knees, spreading out the fullness of his wingspan.
“LUCIFER!” I called out to him in panic.
”Wh… YO, what’re ya doin’, Lucifer!?”
“Why are you standing in front of the dark crevasse?! You’re going to get pulled in along with us!”
“Stop worrying about ME,” he scolded them with a smile and a powerful beat of his wings, “and try not to die!”
My eyes widened. He was trying to use his wings to blow the three of them back away from the crevasse.
I wasn’t going to let him do that alone.
I touched my ring. His ring. Lucifer Morning Star’s ring. "Denizens of the darkness, awaken! You who are born of shadow, hear me! I am the one called Chise. I call upon you now to lend your power to Lucifer, Avatar of Pride!”
I heard him chuckle with that pride. Pride for me. Smug and confident. “My dear little lamb… Thank you for loaning me your bite.”
“…Holy hells,” Belphie said in amazement. “Lucifer's wings…”
"They’re ENORMOUS!" Asmo yelled in awe.
I smiled to myself. “Sorry that I can’t see from behind her…”
“Maybe another time, duck.”
"It’s workin’… IT’S WORKIN’!”
“I-I’m glad we’re being blown away from the crevasse instead of toward it, but…!”
“WE’RE ABOUT TO SLAM INTO THAT TREE, YEAH!” Levi screamed
“Quiet!” Lucifer shouted.
I blinked, raising my head to try and get a look after the blast of energy I felt.
I heard a bunch of oofs.
“Are all of you all right?!” I called out.
“…I’m not hurt!” Simeon called back. “Lucifer, did you conjure barriers around the three of us? You saved us…”
“Thank my lamb.”
”Whoa, hold on!” came white-haired’s voice next. ”YOU may be okay, but I’m NOT! Why’d ya set Simeon down on the ground, but leave ME hangin’ from this tree?!”
“Ugghhh…” Asmo groaned. ”Well, I got flung into the bushes…”
“Don’t blame me,” Lucifer said innocently. “You’re invisible, remember?”
”Asmo!” White-hair snapped. ”Back me up here, and give Lucifer a piece of your mind!”
Asmo sighed. ”How can I be mad when Lucifer’s just so amazing? And sooo cool…”
“What the… C’MON!”
“I’m happy you’re all safe…” Beel said, and the brokenness in his voice hurt me. “What a relief…”
“…You might not want to celebrate yet,” Belphie said from under Beel’s embrace, as he pointed through the gap he was looking through.
”Uhhh, is it just me,” Levi said, ”or is the dark crevasse even bigger now?!”
And I was hearing crunching and splintering.
“BAD NEWS!” Satan yelled. “The wind is starting to uproot the trees!”
”What?! Just when I thought we were safe, now we’ve got trees bearing down on us?!”
“CHISE!” Simeon’s voice called to me. “LOOK OUT!”
“There’s a tree heading right towards you!” Satan cried in panic.
I whipped my head to look behind me, wide-eyed. I doubted my cage of roots would be any match for a whole fucking tree, and Barbatos looked near-comatose at this point – there was no way he would be able to find any other purchase if our dam broke. I gripped Barbatos to me, and flung my hand out behind us with an instinctive blast of my own power that ripped through the air against the pull.
”Whoa…!”
“Did you repel that with your magic?!” came Diavolo’s impressed voice. “You never cease to amaze me!”
“…Guys,” Belphie yelled out in alarm, “I think the mortar holding the walls together is beginning to crumble in some spots.”
“I’ve had ENOUGH!” I screamed from my position. Barbatos didn’t even flinch in my arms now. His eyes were closed, his lips parted with his shallow breathing; a sheen of sweat now shone on his pale forehead, his hair beginning to stick to it. “SOMEONE NEEDS TO FIGURE OUT THAT TREASURE CHEST RIGHT NOW BEFORE WE ALL CEASE TO EXIST!” I pressed my lips to Barbatos’ damp forehead, my breath no doubt hot on his skin. "May the vestiges of pain that lingers within the demon in my arms be eliminated… Please, Barbatos, I don’t know what’s wrong, I don’t know why the other three aren’t affected in the same way as you, but please, hang in there…”
Beel shook his head. “It’s no use… The crevasse is bigger, the wind is stronger, but the chest won’t budge…”
“…Dammit!” Satan wrung his hand with a shake of his wrist. “Magic doesn’t work on it, either! Actually, I think that fucking thing just swallowed my spell as a snack! It just got bigger!”
“What do we do?” Belphie said in dismay. “The way things are going, the dark crevasse is going to end up swallowing all of RAD…”
I swallowed, mind racing. Think outside the box. …Wait. “…WHAT IF WE OPEN IT?!”
“Yes,” Lucifer agreed, “that’s our only option at this point. All we need is for the dark crevasse to swallow the magic energy contained inside the chest.”
“Okay, but how are we supposed to open it?” Satan shook his head. “It’s not like we have the key!”
Diavolo hesitated, and then gave an embarrassed smile. “…Oh, you need the key? In that case, it’s right here.”
Satan stared at him blankly. “…What?”
“…I’m going to kill your lord, Barbatos,” I muttered. Thankfully, Barbatos either ignored the treasonous/terroristic threat of regicide, or was too far gone to register it.
“The key’s right here…?” Satan repeated in disbelief.
“Right where…?” Beel asked in confusion, staring at Diavolo’s finger that was point to… his own face.
”Uh, Lord Diavolo, it doesn’t look like you have anything in your hands…” Levi said dryly. ”Or wait, is the key invisible or something? You know… like me?”
“Ahaha, no!” He grinned guiltily. “The key you’re looking for is right here… It’s my eye.”
I let out an explosive breath through my nose. Not unlike an enraged bull about to be set loose to charge towards the red flag.
“You see, the lock is keys to my magic energy, which it reads by scanning my iris.”
”…PWHAH?!”
I knew that it wasn’t the colour red, specifically, that lured bulls into their charge. And yet… Diavolo’s red uniform would do nicely for a bright target. With Barbatos unconscious, I might even be able to get away with pushing the prince straight into the crevasse itself. Surely it would be satisfied with such a generous sacrifice? A prince, after all, should serve his constituents, and protect–
“Well, just see for yourself!” While I had fumed darkly in homicidal outrage, Diavolo had changed into his demon form so that he, too, could beat his wings against the pull while he approached. Lucifer began to beat his wings again as well to create a sort of path where Diavolo was safer to approach. He kneeled down in front of the damned box. “All I have to do is lean in so my eye is right next to the chest, and voila…!”
“…It’s blinding…!” Beel gasped in pain. We all did, as we flung our arms over our eyes against it on instinct, to the detriment of some who had been holding on to precarious positions.
”What’s goin’ on?! I can’t see a thing…!”
“Don’t worry,” Diavolo answered. “It’s just all the magic energy that was stored within the chest in visible form. Look at that…”
“We CAN’T look!” I cried out in frustration.
"Like, I can’t even open my eyes…!”
“Right. The light is being pulled inside the dark crevasse now,” he explained.
“I’M SLIPPING AGAIN…!” Asmo screamed. "THIS BUSH ISN’T…! OW!"
”HAH! That looked like a rough land– OW!”
“Serves you right to fall out of your tree! …Wait, we can see again!”
“Wait…” Belphie blinked as the light finally faded. “Is the wind dying down, too…?”
I hesitated, before laying Barbatos down on the stone to raise my head over the top of our cradle of roots. My eyes widened in shock. “ASMO?!”
“The dark crevasse!” He beamed from his sprawl on the ground. “It’s gone…!”
“Whoa, Asmo!” Mammon’s eyes were wide, too. “I can see you again!”
“Oh hey, I can see you, too!” Asmo turned his beam to his brother. “In which case…” He gasped. “M-My mirror…! I need my mirror…! I forgot my mirror at home DOES ANYONE HAVE A MIRROR?!”
“You’re the only one who keeps a mirror on you at all times, Asmo,” Belphie sighed in his flat voice.
“MAMMON!” I cried out as I scrambled to my feet. “OH MY GOD, MAMMON! OH MY G–"
“NNGGK! WHAT’RE YA…!” He wheezed as he caught me to him when I’d flung myself into his arms. “…Baby girl, ya nut, you almost knocked us into next month!”
“I’m so sorry,” I began to sob immediately, burrowing my face into his jacket to inhale his scent before my nose began to drip. “I’m so so sorry, I can’t believe… I can’t believe I forgot…”
“Babyyyyy…” He sighed. “Peel your hand offa me and let me see my damned ring on your finger.”
“Mmnn…” I whimpered as I pulled my hand from around his middle to show it.
“…Good,” he growled, before wrapping me tight again. “Now don’t ya ever forget me again, punk! And it’s the GREAT Mammon to ya! …And I can see you too, Levi!”
“We’re visibleeee!” Levi cheered.
Mammon grinned as he spun my sobbing self in a full circle on his heel. “You BET we are!”
“We’re back to normaaaal!” Levi sobbed with me.
“WE’RE BACK TO NORMAAAAL!”
I screeched as he stopped our spin to grab me from under my armpits to throw me up into the air like a toddler, before he caught me again with a laugh. My next shriek was one of outrage as he did it again.
“…Hey, come on,” Belphie sighed again, though it may have been the air squeezed out of his lungs from Levi’s grip on him. “I know you’re happy and all, but could you maybe stop hugging me?”
“Mm…” Satan tried to grimace through his obvious smile as he was jumped by Asmo. “I feel your pain…”
“Barbatos!” Solomon kneeled to where the steward of mine now sat up. “How do you feel? Any better?”
He nodded. “Yes. Much better, in fact, now that the dark crevasse is gone.”
“Oh, Barbatos…” I went from sobbing to full-on inconsolable weeping.
“Damn, baby girl.” Mammon rubbed my back with a frown. “It’s all over now, eh? Look at ya! You did so good!”
“I am perfectly all right, Chise,” Barbatos said softly. “There is no need to shed tears on my behalf.”
“Thank goodness.” Solomon smiled as he felt Barbatos’ forehead with the back of his hand. “The colour has come back into your face. It really does seem like you’re better, yeah.”
"Now that you have confirmed for yourself, kindly stop touching me."
"Hehe! So prickly!"
Lucifer straightened from where he had kneeled, holding something pinched between his thumb and index finger. “Take a look at this.”
“Wh…” Levi stared at it in disbelief. “Is that the treasure chest from before…? It’s all tiny now!”
Lucifer nodded. “It probably returned to its original size after losing the magic that was stored inside.”
“So then… it’s over?” Belphie cracked a small smile. “Crisis averted…?”
“Y’know, we gotta have a talk!” Mammon growled. “Like, NOW!”
“That’s right,” Satan bit through gritted as well. “We do need to have a talk…”
“Yes. We. Do,” I agreed, training my wet eyes on Diavolo.
“What were you talkin’ about earlier, Simeon?!”
...Not what I had–
“You’ve got some explaining to do, Lord Diavolo,” Satan said sternly.
Right. Satan already knew, so. He was with me.
“You’re not an angel, but a human?!” Asmo said in dismay. “What?! Simeon, what…!”
“Lord Diavolo,” Levi joined in, “did you know about the treasure chest all along?!”
“Yeah, sounds like he did,” Belphie agreed darkly. “You owe us an explanation.”
Lucifer sighed. “Hey, calm down…”
“Ahahah…” Diavolo’s smile came out as a grimace. His arms that were folded in front of him were less of a general crossing over his chest and more of a hugging-himself-in-shame stance. “You got me…”
“Perhaps we should continue this conversation elsewhere…” Barbatos suggested in his usual calm and quiet lisp.
Steward once more.
To a prince I’d like to throttle.
Diavolo nodded. “I think this calls for an overnight stay at the Demon Lord’s Castle. You’ve all certainly earned it.”
“I’ll say,” Solomon said in his light voice, though his smile was very toothy as he laid his hand on my shoulder with a protective squeeze. “We have a lot to celebrate, considering my adorable apprentice here passed your little test.”
They all gasped in realization as they turned to me.
“Your test…!” Asmo squeaked first, before bursting into bubbling laughter as he ran towards me with his arms stretched wide. “CHISE! YOUR TRIAL…!”
“Your third trial…” Belphie smiled at me – the smile he reserved only for me.
“Baby GIIIRLLLL! …OI, ASMO! GET YOUR PAWS OFFA MY CHISE…!”
I sighed shakily as I was taken up into a big family group hug, completely engulfed within the arms of all of my demons. My adrenaline had fled abruptly at Solomon’s proclamation, as though that realization had truly been what had marked the end of the life-threatening event we’d just gone through, and my knees had begun to buckle. They all caught me up against them, babbling in excitement and congratulations, none the wiser.
I think I would have rathered my ass be lit on fire like Mammon's during his own trial.
But somehow, by the skin of our teeth, we had all survived. No casualties…
I’d just passed my third and final trial…
To become the first human student council officer of RAD.
To become family.
Notes:
*sigh* well gang, this is chapter 79 – actually, it goes into chapter 80, since I wasn’t going to cut it off in the middle of The Chaos like the game did.
I do have multiple chapters that go beyond chapter 80 that ties up my own non-canon plots. But yeah. We might have another week left, if I post every day? (Maybe longer, since there will be more original content from here on out until the end).
Chapter 48: Chapter 80-A: This, Our Inescapable Grief
Notes:
Another chapter that I’ve been writing and editing and smushing pieces together for literal months. So much so that it was supposed to include the NEXT chapter as well, but by the time it reached 18k words and still not done, I decided it was best to split it in half. Heh.
Chapter Text
“Wait a minute…” Mammon looked back over his shoulder with a frown after we’d all crowded through the Demon Lord Castle’s front doors. “Hey, what happened to Mephisto? He was with us when we left RAD, right?”
Beel shrugged. “He went home.”
I rolled my eyes. “You were THAT absorbed in your D.D.D?”
“Wha?! He went HOME?!” Mammon shook his head in disbelief. “Man, like… does he just hate fun or somethin’?!”
“I know, right!?!” Asmo bubbled as he bounced his way forward in a skip. “How could he pass up the chance to go to a sleepover at the Demon Lord’s Castle?”
“Now listen…” Lucifer said tersely from behind us all as he brought up the rear to keep an eye on his brothers. “Don’t go getting the wrong idea. Diavolo only invited you here out of the kindness of his heart. He thought the four of you needed a good rest after enduring the effects of the dark crevasse.”
“Right, right, we knoooow…” Levi grumbled.
“Mmhm!” Asmo chirped absently. “We knooow, Luciferrrr.”
“You don’t gotta tell me twice,” Mammon muttered.
Belphie sighed as he blinked his eyes against the harsher lighting of the throne room we shuffled into next. “Is this really necessary, though? I don’t see why they need to be pampered. They don’t look the least bit tired to me…”
“Still, what’s the harm, right?” Luke walked beside me with a grin. “Every once in a while it’s good to do something special for yourself!”
Beel smiled down at him, always looking like a giant with a puppy whenever they were together. “You seem really happy, huh Luke?”
“Wh-What?” Luke’s grin turned into a pout as his cheeks went pink. “N-No, I wouldn’t go that far…!”
Barbatos sighed from the other side of me. “Normally, I would handle the entertaining duties myself, since it is my specialty…”
“Don’t even think about it, Barbatos,” Diavolo scolded him. “You’re still recovering. I want you to take it easy for a while. Just to be on the safe side.”
“Mhmm,” I agreed. “I’m not letting you out of my sight, just to make sure you’re not doing anything other than recovering.”
He actually had a touch of a sulk to his face as Diavolo burst out into laughter at my added admonishment. “Understood…”
I’m sure he felt like he had a lot to ‘re-prove’ after his ’shameful display’ today.
Simeon shook his head in amusement. “Don’t worry about it. We’ll just look after ourselves if that’s okay.”
“Exactly, yeah!” Solomon agreed with a cheerful smile. “And I’m happy to help with the cooking!”
“Oh no no no no!” Levi’s eyes went wide. So did everyone else’s. “You leave that up to the seven of us!”
“Right!” Asmo piped up nervously. “We’ve got it covered!”
“Are you sure…?”
“Solomon,” I warned in a growl.
“Ahaha! Right…” He sighed, dejected. “Still banned…”
“ALWAYS banned,” I corrected him.
–
“Well then…” Diavolo leaned back in his chair, folding his arms in front of him with a smile that for once didn’t quite meet his eyes. “What should we discuss first?”
“The treasure chest,” Satan insisted immediately, beating Mammon to the punch. “What was up with that?”
“Aha…” Diavolo wilted slightly with a wince. Probably having hoped that Mammon would have beaten us out. “Right, that… Well, it’s a bit of a long story, but…”
”I’m listening,” I said dryly.
“Ahaha…” He cleared his throat. “…The magic item was actually hidden within the bulletin board as part of RAD Gets Pranked.”
We all stared at him.
“…Say what?!” Mammon finally shouted into the silence.
“…Pfwha?!” Levi added next, as helpful as ever as the other half of their dynamic duo-ism.
“Huh?” – I gave Belphie a pass. Because I was also very confused.
“I’m sorry…” Luke looked around with a frown. “RAD Gets Pranked?”
“Yeah,” Beel answered. “It’s a special event we have at RAD.”
Asmo nodded. “Once every four years, one student is randomly selected to plan and execute a practical joke to be played on all of RAD.”
Lucifer looked unimpressed as he took up the explanation next. “Though it’s technically a prank, the student in charge still has to get official permission first.” He glanced at Diavolo. “Which includes specifying what they’re going to do and how they’re going to do it. The president of RAD’s student council… is the approver.”
I made a rude noise. Barbatos’ presence be damned. Becaaauuuse…
“Wait…” Belphie sighed. “So that means Lord Diavolo and Barbatos knew all along that the bulletin board thing was part of RAD Gets Pranked?”
“Lord Diavolo and Barbatos, huh?” I fake-frowned. “Hmm. Lord Diavolo and Barbatos…”
Barbatos sighed. “…You need not repeat it, My Lady. I heard you.”
I nodded seriously. “Just making sure.”
“You’re kiddin’ me…!” Mammon gawked with his mouth hanging open.
Satan tsked in irritation. “So that’s why the box opened when Lord Diavolo’s iris was scanned…”
“Wait though…” Mammon’s expression darkened as he glared at Diavolo accusingly. “You were s’posed to SHARE all of that with the student council! You might have the say, but them’s the rules!”
“Indeed,” Lucifer added in his driest voice. “That was the agreement, so that the rest of the council would know that they need not step in. But to simply… monitor to make sure nothing went wrong.”
“…Ahah.”
“Young Master,” Barbatos admonished.
Diavolo grimaced. “Naturally, I planned to do that at first. However… the rumour ended up spreading faster than we’d expected. And, well–” his voice had cracked high like a teenager’s on the ‘well,’ “–things started to go very much downhill.”
“…Clearly.” Somehow, Lucifer had made his voice even drier with the sarcasm mixed in.
“Mmmhmmm…” Solomon drawled with a hum in his throat in agreement.
“That’s when it hit me that it would make the perfect challenge for Chise’s final trial.” Diavolo smiled handsomely bright at his lover; with hopeless hope, evident by the stony cold expression Lucifer gave in return. “…Which meant I had to keep it a secret from all of you!”
His usual deep and booming rich voice was pretty squeaky at this point. It reminded me of Mammon’s very own whenever Lucifer slapped another credit card bill down in front of him at the breakfast table.
Barbatos sighed heavily. “Originally, it was supposed to be nothing more than a minor prank…”
“Uhhh…” Levi snorted. “There was nothing minor about that lolol.”
“Mmmmhhhmmmm…” Solomon smiled sweetly. ”Somebody forgot to take a liiiittle extra look at the item used… Which you know…” He laughed gaily, shaking his head as he folded his arms in front of him. “It was quite the overlook! You know, considering that the item was no doubt enchanted by the student who’d proposed the prank, and therefore it really should have been examined for flaws before–"
“Yes,” Barbatos cut in darkly. “You make your point.”
“The plan was to grant wishes posted to the bulletin board,” Diavolo continued with a puppy-dog pout since his shiny smile had been ignored, “which would delight whoever posted them… Until they were hit with a small penalty for it later on. Just a minor annoyance. Like being tasked with cleaning up the art classroom, or having to take a quiz, or write a paper…”
Lucifer sighed heavily. “…So I was right, then.”
“You were right?” Asmo turned his head to him. “Lucifer, did you know about this?!”
He shook his head. “No one told me what was going on. But when you consider the timing, it only makes sense.”
“Well, you’ve got a point,” Belphie said. “It IS RAD Gets Pranked season, after all.”
“Still, none of us figured it out,” Beel mumbled.
“Pff, c’mon!” Mammon glowered. “How were we s’posed to know?!”
“All right, no need to get so worked up,” Solomon cut in despite his own dangerous smile. “Putting that aside for now… Chise’s final trial for entry onto the student council was to solve the bulletin board problem within three days, right? Soooo…”
Diavolo nodded, grinning in relief at the switch in topic. “It means exactly what you think it means, yes. Congratulations, Chise! You’ve passed your final trial!”
Everyone erupted into cheers, and my forehead was nearly slammed down onto the table from Mammon’s pounce. “HOORAAAAAY!”
Belphie grinned as he gathered me too, nearly sending Mammon straight to the floor. “Congratulations, Chise…!”
“What the… BELPHIE!” Mammon snapped as he tried to slap the youngest off. “Who said you could hug Chise?!”
“Congratulations, Chise!” Beel said with a beaming smile.
“Hey, no fair…!” Asmo jumped on all of us next. “I want in on this, too!”
“G’uh…” Belphie groaned as he was nearly squashed into my lap. “Asmo, that was more of a tackle than a hug.”
“Yep, that’s great news,” Levi said, his eyes sliding to the side in a side-eye. “But even so, I’m not ready to celebrate just yet…”
“Right, yeah,” Satan sighed. “There’s still someone here who owes us an explanation, huh…”
Luke shifted in his seat, sinking into a hunch. “Wh-What…?”
Asmo slid from on top of us to land on his feet. “Simeon…”
Luke nearly curled on himself.
“Oh yeah…” Mammon muttered, as all of us turned our eyes to Simeon down the way. “Now that ya mention it, he tried to mess with us earlier, huh? Which was… super-lame… All that stuff about how he wasn’t an angel, but a human, and not usin’ his powers to save us, ‘cause that’s somethin’ that’s… like that’s somethin’ he would even do.” Mammon tried to go for a smile. “Y’know Simeon, you got a messed up sense of humour! That wasn’t funny at all! I didn’t even know you had it in ya!”
“Mammon…” I took his hand gently.
Simeon sighed as he looked down at his lap. “I wasn’t joking.”
“C’mon, enough!” Mammon pleaded more desperately. “Seriously, no one’s laughin’ here!”
Simeon lifted his eyes to him directly to give him a gentle yet pained smile. “You already know it’s true, don’t you Mammon? Here, give me your hand…”
Mammon swallowed hard as he stared at the dark hand that Simeon offered him. I didn’t know what this was about, but I gave Mammon a gentle push to walk towards him.
So Mammon stepped up to him, and reached out.
“Good,” Simeon said soothingly as his fingers enclosed around Mammon’s. “Now, while holding my hand, clear your mind, and focus…”
After a moment’s silence, Mammon exhaled through his nose, his mouth flattening into a grim line.
“…See?” Simeon said softly.
“…I can’t feel your power anymore.”
Luke made a noise of despair. “What…?”
Dropping Mammon’s hand, Simeon turned his sympathetic eyes onto the young angel. “Like I said before, I’m not an angel anymore. I’m just an ordinary human now.”
“But Simeon… why…?” Asmo asked in a cracked voice. “How could this happen…”
I felt Barbatos’ hand slip into mine from under the table. I looked down at my lap, when he held my fingers.
“…Is it because you took the Ring of Light from the Celestial Realm?” Satan asked, already knowing the answer for himself. “Is that why?”
“Well…” Simeon’s eyes flickered to where I sat in a hunch of pain and guilt. “Something like that, yeah.”
“Oh, Chise,” Asmo whispered sympathetically. “I’m so…”
“Ch-Chise…?” Levi looked at me sorrowfully as well.
“Anyway,” Simeon cut in with forced cheeriness, “I figured it was a chance to experience new things. So I opened a café in the human world and joined the Devildom exchange program as a human…” He gave encouraging smiles around the table. “Long story short, I’m very much on a journey of self-discovery now.”
“I-I don’t get it,” Levi said in a small voice, “how can you talk about this like it’s no big deal?!”
“Ahahah…” Simeon rubbed at the back of his neck. “Well, I’m able to talk about it like this NOW, sure. But it’s actually taken me a… long time to get to this point, and it hasn’t…” He sighed as he watched me slump further. “…It hasn’t been easy.” He shook his head at our silence. “Come on, everyone, wipe those looks off of your faces. This isn’t the end of the world.”
“…Your lifespan,” Satan said, not even in question.
Simeon swallowed visibly, and then nodded.
“Oh…” Asmo covered his face with his hands.
“Luke…” Solomon whispered as he put his arm around the angel. “Are you okay…?”
“…I, um…” The boy’s voice wavered, pitched high. “…I’m f… I’m… N-No, I’m not really…”
“Simeon is still Simeon,” I said in a soft, tight voice, struggling against my own tears as well. But I was important to Luke.
“Exactly, yes,” Lucifer agreed.
“…I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to tell you,” Simeon said softly as well, his smile finally fading. “I honestly spent a long time agonizing over this. But I’ve begun to accept that this is who I am. And I get this feeling…” He looked at me again. “…Like all of this happened for a reason.”
I shook my head mutely.
“Also, I may be a human, but I’m still…”
“You’re still you,” Lucifer finished for him firmly with a smile of his own, “so what else do you need?”
Simeon let out a breath, returning his smile gratefully. “Lucifer, I…”
“Yeah, that’s right…” Asmo smiled kindly too.
Levi nodded. “And let’s not forget, it’s not like this just happened. We’ve been living alongside you all this time, and none of us even noticed you were human.”
“Mmhm,” Belphie agreed gently.
“Yep,” Beel added too, “no arguing with that.”
Simeon chuckled softly. “The whole reason I was able to reach this conclusion is because of all of you, you know? You made me want to face the reality of what I was going through and overcome it.”
Satan sighed, before smiling encouragingly as well. Even admiringly. “You sure aren’t one to give in to negativity, are you?”
“Nope…” Solomon put his arms around Simeon’s shoulders now, squeezing him to himself. “That’s what makes Simeon ’Simeon’.”
“Yeah…” Luke murmured in agreement, before giving him a little smile too. “That really is just like you, Simeon.”
Mammon shifted from foot to foot. “…So, Raphael…”
Raphael had been very, very, very quiet. He simply sat on the other end, as though he wished to be furthest away. He raised his face at the sound of his name.
Mammon looked at him from out of the corner of his eye. “I’m guessin’ this means you’ve been here monitoring him this whole time?”
Out in the open, at last.
And Raphael didn’t even respond. Couldn’t even deny it.
“Well,” Simeon cut in quickly, “I don’t know if monitor is really the right word… He’s been watching over me, making sure I’m okay. Isn’t that right, Raphael?”
There was a stretch of silence, before Raphael closed his eyes with a sigh. “…Really, Simeon… You’re always so very ‘you’.”
Always believing in the best of intentions, contrary to the evidence of a colder truth.
And yet… I thought back to Raphael’s dream of Simeon with his arms around him, touching him, speaking with him, all in affectionate familiarity. I thought back to him crying out Simeon’s name in fear for his powerless friend’s life. How he had humbled himself with deep thanks when I had saved that same life, that him and I both cherished.
Because he loved Simeon.
Raphael was just a person, not some boogeyman of the Celestial Realm. And it was the very, very least that they could do, to assign a spy who would also protect Simeon…
“Ahahah.” Simeon touched his neck again in his self-consciousness. “Why thank you, Raphael.”
Raphael shook his head with another sigh of exasperation. “I mean that partly as a compliment, and partly as a cry for help.”
I snorted. That was a sentiment that I could get behind, at least.
As could Lucifer, it seemed, who had just let out a ”Pfff.”
“…Aha…” Luke giggled.
“Hehehe…” Simeon smothered his mouth behind his fingers, before he burst out into merry laughter anyway.
Raphael cracked a smile, dipping his head in shyness. “I assure you, it’s no laughing matter… Honestly…”
“I have to say, Diavolo really is generous. Hiring the chef from Ristorante Six to come here and make dinner for us… what a wonderful thing to do.” Simeon breathed in the night air as he gently slipped his hand in mine, the two of us side-by-side on a garden bench. “…Sorry for asking you to join me out here, Chise. But I’d appreciate if you could keep me company for a bit, just until dinner’s ready.”
I shook my head. “You don’t need to be sorry to want to spend time with me.”
He smiled lovingly. “I feel so much better. I have to admit, I was a little nervous at first, but now I’m really glad I decided to tell everyone the truth.”
I leaned into him a bit. “I’m not sure I would say that it was a decision. You kind of didn’t have a choice.”
He nodded sadly. “…I guess you’re right. And the news hit Luke so hard that he was in tears. I was really hoping I wouldn’t make him cry…”
“The worst happened,” I said softly, “but we all survived it, and came out on the other side together.”
“You’re right…” He turned his face further to press his forehead to mine affectionately. “Sometimes we get news that makes us sad enough to cry. That’s life.”
I nodded. “Luke has to feel those things. We all do… You can’t protect people from that. And what it also means is that Luke has something in his life that he treasures so much he would cry over it when something happens. He deserves to have those sorts of things, don’t you think?”
“…Chise…” He sighed. “You’re right. How could I not be proud of him, and happy that he has those ties?” He looked up into the Devildom sky with a shake of his head. “I haven’t been a human for long, but I’m beginning to think that grief is part of what it means to be one.”
“It’s the flip side of the loving human experience,” I agreed in a whisper. “It can take a long time for humans to realize that. So you’re a bit ahead there.”
He looked at my face, studying me for a moment, no doubt reading my own grief there. I’d lost more throughout my life, after all, alone as I was. So he gave me an encouraging smile instead, blessing me with a change in subject before I could shed anymore tears today. “Well, Mammon gave me several very firm slaps on the back for encouragement. My back still sort of hurts from that. Beel didn’t say anything at all, he just hugged me. …So tightly that I could hear my spine compress.”
I laughed softly, the sound nasally from my near-miss of tears. “They do that…”
“Heh. They each reacted differently, but they all accepted me for who I am. I can’t tell you how happy that made me.”
“Oh, Sim…” I sighed as I cupped his cheek. "That was your worst case scenario…?”
“I really did spin myself into a spiral, didn’t I?” he agreed with a gentle smile. “I should have had more faith. Also… it was really reassuring having you there with me. Thank you, Chise.”
“I’m always here,” I said softly. “If you’ll keep letting me…”
“Yes…” He gazed into my eyes, studying them. “…We haven’t kissed since that night.”
“We haven’t…?” I thought back with a slight tilt of my head. “…I guess you’re right.”
“I was just wondering if that was just a coincidence, or if– mm…”
I kissed him. What a stupid thought. I extinguished it with my lips before he could even speak it out loud. More and more spiralling. More worst case scenarios. Catastrophizing. I kissed him deeply, both hands cupping his face, to prove otherwise. For all of his outward ‘anti-negativity’ that he extended to others, when it came to the way he talked to himself… It was like he made up for it with a vengeance.
“…Silly,” I whispered to him as our lips broke away. “How dare you think that of me.”
He blinked in shock. “…You’re right. I’m sorry for that, too.”
I kissed him again. A shorter kiss. Just for good measure.
He smiled dotingly as we pulled back a bit. “Now I feel even more reassured… So, could you go ahead and keep doing that? To give me the courage to meet all the challenges to come.”
I smiled back. “As many times as it takes.”
His smile turned into a teasing one as he pulled me in closer to him. “No one’s looking, after all. And even if someone does see, we could even make a point to do it right in front of them if you want?”
I let out a true laugh. “Contrary to our other outdoor clandestine meetings?”
“Exactly…” He chuckled quietly as he brushed his nose down mine. “So come here, Chise. Kiss me one more time…”
And I did. We did.
–
“…Listen,” he whispered softly into my hair with his arms around me, holding me quietly after our kisses had finally fallen away. Dinner, no doubt, would be very soon. “I plan to do a lot of thinking about who I am, and what I can do as the ’new me’. So don’t go anywhere, okay Chise? I want you to see what I make of myself.”
I smiled into his shoulder. “I know you’ll be an amazing human, Simeon. So how about we both be humans together…?”
He laughed, his breath warm in my hair as he nuzzled the top of my head. “I would like that so much, sweetheart. More than anything, in fact. That sounds like the most wonderful life.”
“Wheeeew, man!” Mammon stretched his arms up with a grin. “That was one good meal!”
“Yeah,” Beel sighed with bliss. “The chef from Ristorante Six really is something. That was amazing…”
Belphie chuckled with a fond shake of his head. “Yep, it was fantastic. And since this is supposed to be our reward for all our hard work, Lord Diavolo says we each get our own room tonight…”
They all turned to look at me.
“…Man, he’s one generous guy!” Mammon said casually.
“Well, it’s not just all about us,” Beel pointed out. “We’re also celebrating Chise making it onto the student council, right?”
Belphie smiled as he took my arm. “Yep.”
I patted his hand affectionately, returning his smile, before looking around at the expectant eyes of the table. Until my eyes met one person’s in particular.
Wouldn’t it be really funny if I chose Lord Diavolo?
Haha. No.
I smiled at whose eyes I had met. “Well, Barbatos? Are you feeling tired after everything today? We can retire to your room if you are.”
They all turned their heads to Barbatos, whose eyes had widened a bit. And his face – bless him – turned bright tomato red. The reddest I have ever seen it.
The discontented grumblings of the mob broke out from under their breaths.
But of course… this was Barbatos. So no one openly said a word, and there were no pitchforks to be had. Though I hear a sort-of distinct, “I’mma kill him,” though said just quietly enough to be somewhat plausibly deniable.
Finally, after a hushed-mumbling-sort-of quiet, Barbatos cleared his throat lightly, before standing smoothly from his chair. “…Yes, Chise. It has been a rather long day indeed. Let us have evening tea together in my room.”
”Hmph," came someone’s doubtful reply from further down the table.
“Mhmm.” I stood with a grin. “Goodnight, everyone! See you all in the morning!”
“…Night, Chise.”
“Goodnight, sweetie.”
“Nighty night…”
Sniffle.
I shook my head in exasperation as I turned to take Barbatos’ arm.
Glares, glares, glares on our backs, as we left the party openly together.
"Chise..." Barbatos swept his fingers lightly through my hair, before tucking the strains he caught behind my ear.
“Well, that was lovely tea as always, but…” I touched the inside of his wrist as I curled up to his side on his bed, holding his gaze. He’s been a little quieter and introspective. As he had been all night. Not that he had in any way lapsed in his mannerisms for conversation, but I could tell there was something more there. Or something less. "Are you sure you're feeling well again, Barbatos…? You seem…"
He nodded with a gentle smile. "As though I were never unwell in the first place, in truth. And I do mean that in truth. You need not worry in the least."
I sighed in relief. "Thank the stars... I was so worried."
"I know." He stopped his brushing on my face to rest his fingers under my chin, holding my face still to look at him. “…Chise. It is my fortune to travel with someone special to a favourite place. I would take you.”
My fortune says, ‘If you wish for it, all of your dreams will come true,’ 'Travel: You should go to your favourite place with someone special.’
“You’ve already said–?" I blinked in confusion. “Wait, you don't mean NOW, do you...?"
"I do." He shifted closer to me, taking both of my hands in his. "It is on the castle grounds, in fact. So it is quite close… in a way."
“Castle grounds? …In a way?”
“That is what I said.” He stood, gently pulling me up with him with his fingers holding mine. "Please, come with me.”
I let him, of course, but even if I had thought not to, I was confused enough to be taken in a daze. “If it’s so close… Why haven’t we gone there yet…?”
“You will see shortly,” he said quietly.
“…We've been walking for a while," I said doubtfully. "This is quite the maze... I hadn't realized there was anything in particular around here."
He nodded. "That is the point. We pass many obstacles to reach our destination that are designed to 'discourage' the curious. I guide you now in safety."
My eyes widened. "You mean, we've been walking through traps?"
He chuckled softly. “Yes. Mostly harmless, at first, to turn the harmless back. Less so, later, to turn the harmful."
“I… see. So, that tree..." I turned my head to the side. "It's been on our left side this whole time. We've been going in circles around it, getting closer. Is that the center...?"
He dipped his head, eyes alight in amusement. "Yes. Our destination is under that tree."
"It's massive," I murmured, looking up at the branches of it that we were already beginning to be sheltered by. “The leaves are lilac? And I feel... something. A tugging."
"Indeed. There are many sources of magical energy in the worlds. They are referred to as magic wellsprings. Ancient fountains of magic. Though many are actual sources of water, as they are a convenient pulling power that draws out the magic that permeates deep within the Earth itself, not all are."
"Wellsprings... because they well with magic."
"Precisely. And this one..." He gestured towards it. "...Is one of the very oldest. An original source, you could say. The roots that pull up. ...And it is also the reason why the Demon Lord's Castle was built here."
I sucked in a breath. "...To protect it?"
"Ah, that was one of the reasons," he murmured, looking up at the branches that stretched above us. "Protect it, lay claim to it... All a matter of which motivation lens you view through history, and the stretch of it, as Kings came and went."
I nodded. "I'm sure it's a powerful position to be in... To have exclusive use of something like this."
"It was meant for the very world," he agreed, "but there are many who would keep it for themselves. Most, actually," he added sadly. “Greed, power… Such a bountiful natural resource attracts it all. You could point to some rulers in history declaring fierce protection of such a resource that belongs to the Devildom, but in truth, that is propaganda that made it through to the history books. It is all a farce. Power is power, and the powerful seek it.”
"How does it... work?"
"Well, magic is life, in a way. Therefore, it is a Tree of Life."
I frowned at his inflection. "You say 'a' Tree of Life. Are there others?"
"One for each world. The crown of roots."
"...The crown? You make it sound like magic depends on it entirely."
"Yes..." he murmured, looking down at his feet. "The original, as I said."
"How…?”
Barbatos shook his head. "I know not. For their existence predates even that if my own."
I couldn't even grasp such a thing. I had no idea where to even place him in time. Where along in life he came to be.
"A tree..." I whispered, frowning at the tickle in the back of my mind. "...What are those up in the boughs...?"
He watched me from the corner of his eye now, quiet.
I squinted curiously. So high up. "Are those... seed pods?" It was then that I caught his glancing, as I looked to him for answers. "...That means it can procreate, right?"
He shook his head sadly. "Not... anymore."
"But the other worlds...? They can't be pollinated with one another?" I shook my head too, in confusion. "Then how did they come to have seed pods in the first place...? Unless..."
"Yes," he confirmed. "They are either unfertilized, or altogether dead duds."
"They just... hang there? Forever?” I frowned. "Do they fall, do they crack, has anyone opened one...? What's inside? Is it a hard nut, or does it have fruit...? Or some other sort of fibre or flesh or milk, like coconut...? Can they be eaten? Is that how you consume the magic?"
He chuckled fondly at my pelting of questions. "More like... a yolk."
"Huh?" I turned my face back to him, eyes wide. "Like... eggs? That's not... What…?"
"You're almost there," he murmured with a smile.
“Eggs. They're not... fruit, or plant matter. That's... a creature.”
"Indeed. As for the matter of their edibility, well... If you'd consider consuming the fetuses of an ancient race of a sentient, near-exinct species to be ethical... I suppose you could crack open a pod and have a taste."
I stared at him in stunned silence.
He shook his head. "I suppose it was incorrect to say that they are entirely considered duds. I know not how they fertilize. Not precisely. It is not from tree to tree that they are stirred to new life, or a reflection of such, within their yolk. It appears to be magic itself that gives nutrients to the tree, this Tree of Life and origin of magic, to produce…"
It is said that in ancient times, the Devildom was ruled by the Fairy King, who tended a great tree. It was from this tree that the Little D's were born. This was before Demonkind arrived, you see.
"...The Little D's." I looked back up at the tree in wonder. "This is where the Little D's are born.”
"Yes," he confirmed.
You could call them fairies, or even spirits. However, they seem to view themselves as demons at present. As such, their true nature is unknown. They are very mysterious, unique beings. And what's more, quite rare.
Every so often, when a new demon is born into this world, one of their kind is born as well. This is an extremely rare occurrence. Not every demon has a spirit counterpart.
We don't know why some demons are chosen and why some aren't. But yes, Chise, when the seven were born into this world as demons, seven Little D's were born of the tree alongside them. Each of the seven have a spirit counterpart.
"Seven of them," I murmured, "for each of the brothers..."
"A phenomenon that has never occurred in memory; to have had such a sudden boon in its crop, why… not even I can remember such a thing to have ever occurred before, though it is entirely possible I have forgotten. Still, I do not think that is the case. Seven, all at once.” He shook his head with wonder. “It made the tree all the more mysterious, and its whims and what motivates them quite perplexing.”
“Whims and motivations…? You make it sound like it’s sentient…” Though I could hardly be surprised. Many plant life in the Devildom seemed to be a mix of plant and animal, and some even seemed to understand language itself, and respond to it. Was that sentience that had evolved within them because of this tree…? This ‘root crown’ that drank and produced magic, sustaining itself with itself, while influencing the very evolution of all life within this world?
My eyes scanned the canopy overhead, moving between pod to pod. They were dark and large. At least large enough to envelop a Little D, which were about the size as someone’s head – even the smallest were bigger than a bowling ball. But some were… massive. Maybe even big enough for me to crawl into. Where the smaller ones were like a ball, it seemed like the larger they got, the more elongated they became, in an oblong shape. They were slightly glossy where the moonlight streamed to reflect on them. Maybe not black, like I had thought. A deep purple, perhaps? The foliage was, after all, lilac. But I couldn't really tell from this far away, and from under the shade the tree’s shad. The Devildom's eternal night didn’t help either.
They looked so… alien.
"Here we are," Barbatos said softly. "The Tree of Life."
My eyes traveled down the trunk in awe. The roots lifted itself up, gnarled and old in a tight twist, some as thick as my own torso.
"...It's massive," I whispered. "As big as any Sequoia, at the least…"
“Bigger," he agreed, “and far older. Maybe as old as life itself."
I shook my head in disbelief. "Some of the pods are SO big..."
"The bigger, the deader. At least, that is what I believe."
My face fell into a look of sorrow for that loss. I wondered what sort of creature would have emerged. "Why do you think that…?” What a waste.
"They are the original seeds. The oldest, that have never birthed. They have hung for hundreds of millions of years. At this point, I think it can be said that they are lost." He beckoned as he continued on towards the trunk. "Come, Chise. We have not yet reached our true destination."
"We haven't...?" I followed along, almost reluctantly. The sheer force of its magic that inundated my senses felt overwhelming, in a panicky sort of way. It didn't belong to me. It shouldn't belong to anyone. I felt like I shouldn't even be here. I was too… young, somehow. That’s how it felt. It was so, so strange. Like I wasn’t ‘ready’ or ‘ripe enough’ to be here, but I never would be, therefore I should never have come, for this would never belong to me.
It shouldn’t belong to anyone but the very worlds themselves.
After a moment’s hesitation, I fought back against the feeling and followed him as he actually began to physically climb the enormous roots, his movements lithe and deft to my clumsy scrabbling. I grimaced as I chipped a couple nails while trying to claw my way up, the grit of dirt and bark soon finding their way under my fingernails.
Until finally, with me panting and frowning in frustrating to take his offered hand for the last bump, we reached where he could touch its trunk. I studied my nails quickly, praying that I wouldn’t find any splinters poking out.
"...I must confess. The fortune said that I would travel with someone special to a favourite place.” He shook his head. “But truthfully, I cannot say that this is a favourite. However, where we go next, it is important. And it is the place that first sprang to mind when I read those words out loud."
I nodded. "Then it counts. I think it's in the spirit of it, anyway."
He smiled at me. "Thank you for understanding. I would be happy to take you to another favourite place at a later date, to fulfill the exactness of the words, if not the spirit. Just in case."
I shook my head with a laugh. "I'd go anywhere with you. I wouldn't have minded whatever you chose."
He dipped his head. "As long as it was together... Yes."
And then, head still bowed, eyes closed, I felt the pulse of his own power thread through with what the tree itself gave off. Threaded beautifully. Almost like a perfect sort of song, in a perfect sort of harmony. Goosebumps rose on my arms and the hairs on the back of my neck stood as I watched the bark under his palm shimmer and twist. And around it, the outline of white light, a thin line that ran from the bottom left of him, up, arched, and ran back down to his left.
A doorway.
A portal.
I stared at it, suddenly feeling even more nervous. "Barbatos...?"
He took his palm away from the tree to press it to his middle, before bowing at his waist, his other arm stretching out to me to offer his hand. "My Lady. Would you come with me?"
I actually hesitated. He waited patiently for my true answer, as though in understanding that I may very well decline.
There was something about the portal that was grave. It gave off an ominous feeling: it should not be. It should not be possible. It should not exist. Forbidden. Forbidden. Forbidden. Look away. This is history. This is future. This is present.
The present. It was like I could physically feel it, the convergence.
This moment. Here. With Barbatos bowed, his hand outstretched, this portal that led into this unfathomably ancient and powerful tree.
Was fate.
A knot, where the threads that were bound by it drew taught.
"Barbatos..." I whispered in fear and... awe.
"You feel it," he murmured quietly. "I offer you my hand. However..."
"...I will always take it."
“Eventually, yes. Should you refuse my hand, Chise, time will blink, and you will stand here again before me, until you make fate's choice."
"How many times have I refused..."
“If time has blinked, it is gone. I cannot answer that question, for your refusals no longer exist. This could be the very first offer. This could be your thousandth. It could have taken me explaining this as in depth as I am for your acceptance, where the very first time, I did not." He shook his head. "I apologize, and empathize... For while I understand the desperation you feel right now for answers, the answers matter not. You are stuck. As am I."
"But..." I shook my head. "You brought us here..."
"It was writ in my fortune."
"That was just a piece of paper..."
"You may have said so already, and decided to turn your back on your disbelief in that alone. It may be that I did not expand on the meaning previously, and allowed you to turn away; and now, in this version of events, I will explain, and maybe, you will accept my explanation. Though maybe you will not. Maybe we will have to try again, to find the key. But in this version, I explain with these words: this was not writ in a single scrap of paper. It was writ in a war of demons and angels that sowed hatred long past, that lingers in the distrust of today. It was writ in a war of rebellion between angels, their bonds torn between loyalties and love. It was writ in the fall and death and rebirth of Lilith, your ancestor, whose lineage eventually birthed you. It was writ in the glimpse I happened upon in Time's vastness on accident, a needle I did find in the haystack, stepping on it against all odds. It was writ the moment a teacup fell between us, writ when you picked it up, writ when you pricked your finger..."
"Okay," I whispered. "I get it..."
"What is your answer, Chise? Will you join me in my travels, as my someone special?"
I bit my lip with a sigh between my teeth, before reaching out my hand to touch his. "...I guess I may as well."
He laughed in surprised amusement. "What a thing to say in fate's face. Were it a person, I would like to see its expression now in the face of such sarcastic flippancy. Perhaps this really is the first and only time this moment has been offered. For you are you.”
“More like forced down my throat,” I murmured as I stepped to his side. “‘Offered' implies a sort of…”
“Choice to decline, yes. Politely, or otherwise.” He took my hand to put me on the crook of his arm inside. “Such is fate. I find it quite without manners, myself.”
I smiled, shaking my head up at him as I settled my palms on his arm. “I can imagine that frustrates you.”
“It does indeed.” He turned his face back to the portal. “We step forward together.”
I nodded. “Together…”
Raphael knocked on the door to the guest bedroom. “Lucifer… It’s Raphael.”
”Raphael…?"
“Yes.”
"…Come in, then."
“Raphael…” Lucifer frowned at the angel seraphim who stepped inside to disturb his quiet reading. “I didn’t expect a visit from you.”
The angel shook his head. “I didn’t make any appointment, so it makes sense that you wouldn’t expect me.”
Lucifer sighed in exasperation as he set his book aside. “You really haven’t changed at all, have you?”
He dropped Lucifer’s eyes to look to the side. “…I suppose that depends on your definition of change.”
That was a sentiment that Lucifer was very familiar with. One that was perplexing and hopelessly tangled – contradictory in a lot of ways. So much change, and also so little of it. Trying to compare your present self with the memory of who you think you used to be through the lens of who your are now, based only on shifting memories and the stories of people who used to know you, but who never shared your conscience, and have changed as well…
He dropped that subject.
“So. What brings you to my room at this hour?”
“…I wanted to thank you for saving Simeon’s life today,” Raphael replied in his monotonous tone of voice. “When you changed into your… demon form.”
Lucifer quirked an eyebrow. “Well, Simeon is a friend, and I couldn’t allow my brothers to perish either. Past or otherwise. It was nothing, Raphael. Nothing for you to thank me for.”
“I see.”
Raphael continued to stand there, falling into his awkward sort of silence.
Lucifer leaned back, crossing his arms with a frown. “What is this really about, Raphael?”
“…I’m confused.”
Lucifer sighed in frustration now. "Please just spit it out. I’ve no desire to pry it from you, so if you’re looking for me to beg for tidbits–"
“Ever since I got here…” He hesitated, before reaching for the heart. “Don’t you hate me? Now that you’re free to hate, as a demon? You’ve been so…”
“Free to hate as a demon?” Lucifer’s frown deepened. “I’m unsure of what you mean. I hated freely as an angel.”
“What? Is that why–”
“You don’t believe me?” Lucifer felt a smirk curve over his lips. “After all, did we not all share in our hatred for demonkind? For all who were not us?”
Raphael just stared at him.
“We rationalized them as being lesser beings than ourselves so that we could hate them.” Lucifer tilted his head. “Tell me. Do you feel the same about demons now?”
“I…” He looked disturbed. Openly disturbed, and bewildered, and unsure. And even a little scared. “I…”
“I don’t hate you, Raphael. I never hated you, and I never could hate you. You are un-hateable.”
“But… But I…” Raphael shook his head in protesting despair. “I was commander of that squadron, that day…”
Lucifer quirked his brow. “And then once you realized who it was that your squadron had ambushed, you retracted your order. You gave a new one. I heard you in the heavens, Raphael.”
Raphael continued shaking his head. “But it was too late… But she still…”
“It was not 'too late’.” Lucifer’s voice had turned into a growl as he spoke low through gritted teeth. “You were ignored. There was just enough time for plausible deniability. But just as much time for obedience, too. A choice was made, and it wasn’t yours.” Lucifer tsked. “Had it been the opposite – had you made the opposite order again and that soldier had stayed his hand – that soldier would have been stripped for that act of treason, rather than lauded as he was for… ‘heroism’ instead.”
“No… I should have stayed at Simeon’s side… Like he asked me…”
“And be where he is now?”
“Maybe if I had… Simeon wouldn’t be where he is now, either!” Raphael clenched his fists to his sides, trembling as he stared down at the ground. “We could have had…! Maybe I could have saved all of you! If I had just…!”
“Raphael–"
“Maybe Lilith wouldn’t have died, maybe you wouldn’t have pledged yourself into eternal servitude to the demon prince, maybe you would have been forgiven! And then Simeon wouldn’t have felt… so alone… and he wouldn’t have…”
“Fallen in love with two humans…?” Lucifer shook his head. “You think he was filling a void that his doubt left in his heart with them?”
“I lost all of you that day,” Raphael said hoarsely. “All of you. If I hadn’t been there…”
“Then another would have been,” Lucifer said simply, “who would not have stayed their order; then, the slaughtering of the twins would have been next, instead of letting them go. Everything was out of your hands, Raphael.”
“That’s not true.” Raphael pressed his closed fist over his heart. “I could have had peace. I would choose a dream, over the nightmare I've created…”
“You didn’t choose that dream in the end, though, did you? You woke up.”
“I nearly hurt Belphie again… And Chise. And you.”
“Did you choose us, then? Is that what helped you to turn away from it?” Lucifer gave him a gentle smile. “Once more, you turned yourself from your own happiness to save our lives… How very like you.”
“…A false happiness.”
Lucifer hummed quietly. “A false happiness indeed.”
Raphael sucked in a breath, expression going blank.
Lucifer’s face grew more somber. “I’m sorry about Simeon’s situation, Raphael. I’m sure it affects you much more than you let on in front of us all.”
“I just don’t… understand…”
“You don’t understand what He wants from Simeon. …Or from you.”
Raphael flinched. “I didn’t say that.”
“You’re upset over how Simeon has been treated, aren’t you? It didn’t seem right to you, did it?” Lucifer studied him careful as Raphael became more and more still. “And on top of all that, now there’s a chance he’ll end up as a fallen angel. You want to speak out against what’s happening, but you aren’t allowed to meet with Father. And I’m sure Michael refused you as well, didn’t he? Raphael. What did you think in that moment? What is it you wanted to do?”
It was too much. Lucifer, looking at him, knew he had pushed too far.
That stricken look – it was all too familiar to him.
Shepherding someone, yet again, towards more rebellion. Planting the seed of doubt.
And damn it all, he didn’t actually want to be the catalyst for any such thing. Not again. Not for anyone else.
The shock of Simeon’s own fated ‘disgrace’ was heavy enough. Raphael was so young. He had so much ahead of him.
He could do so much.
“…I’ve never felt so alone,” Raphael whispered, eyes so far away, his voice one that carried a broken spirit within it. “So miserable. Even with all of you around me again, I have never felt so alone.” He looked down at the floor. “It’s too much. And it’s of my own making.”
“I will never blame you,” Lucifer murmured sympathetically. “If you’re hoping for my blame to justify your own, I won’t be giving it. Forgive yourself, Raphael.”
“…I can’t…”
“No? Atone for it, then.”
“I can’t think of anything that could atone for this sin I carry…” Raphael pressed his hand over his heart. “…I will never have atonement from Lilith…"
“Ah… Atonement for…” Lucifer rested his cheek on his fist, considering him for a moment – as well as pushing it all down, to keep his expression neutral, and to keep the stutter that had nearly just slipped out from his words. “…You dedicate your life to building peace between worlds, then. You’re in a position to – from the other side.”
“I see.” The angel looked down at his feet. “You mean to say… to uphold the Devildom prince’s plans for peace between the three worlds. That is a lifetime commitment.”
“Yes. Finding peace is never easy.”
Raphael hesitated. “…Do Beel and Belphie know? That it was me that day?”
Lucifer shook his head. “I don’t think so. And I think it should stay that way.”
“But–”
"Stop trying to make people hate you, Raphael,” Lucifer said firmly. “Does it serve the twins in any way to rip open that wound again, after they’ve fought so hard to find their own peace? Telling them serves you and your own conscience only, and I won’t allow it. Call it your own punishment, if you must. Justify it as another aspect of your atonement, to let them have their peace. I just charged you with building peace, Raphael. So build peace.”
Raphael nodded. Slowly.
“And may you build it within yourself along the way.”
Silence fell between the two men.
Lucifer had meant that to be his dismissal of him.
But the angel remained.
“Raphael…”
“I need–"
“Atonement for Lilith." Lucifer sighed. "...That's what you want?” Something his soul could find relief in, in the short-term.
Raphael dipped his head. “Yes. And for… her beloved brother, who stood where others would not. Please…"
Of course. Of course he would.
And Lucifer should not take advantage of that.
"Well, if it's atonement that you seek..." He dipped his hand down the front of his shirt's collar. "...perhaps there is something you can do still. For her."
Raphael's frowned at the locket that rested in Lucifer's palm. "What is it?"
Lucifer flicked it open. "It hasn't been crystallized."
Raphael's eyes flew open wider, and he took a step back. "How... How do you have that?" He sucked in a breath through his teeth. “…Willing, or plucked? How, Lucifer?"
"I don't know," Lucifer admitted softly. "I got this from Father."
“…From Father?!”
Lucifer didn’t know if he had ever seen the usually stoic Raphael’s jaw drop like that.
"I assume he has it 'stopped in time,' in his own way. Otherwise, it would not exist past her death. If that is proof enough?"
"...Right," Raphael agreed tightly, looking down at it with reservations that ran deep. Though he was aware that Barbatos could also do such a thing – as heinous as it was that a demon had such a power that only Father should have the sole responsibility possess – he could not, would not believe that Lucifer would abuse Lilith's trust in that way. Or his. Demon or not.
Lucifer enclosed it within his fist with a sigh. "However, I understand that I ask for much with this. I was, after all, given this uncrystallized. I'm not entirely sure if there was a reason for that or not..."
"Father..." Raphael swallowed as he stared at Lucifer's fist. "I don't understand. Why would he give you such a thing, AND strip you?"
He shook his head. "I really cannot say."
Raphael's shoulders slumped. "...I'll do it."
"Raphael..."
He held out his hand. "Let me do this. Now."
"All right." Lucifer reached between them, turning his hand to allow for the feather to fall into the angel's waiting palm. "Thank you. I assure you that this will stay between us."
Raphael didn’t respond as he bowed his head over it, the prayer already on his lips.
His prayer for his fallen sister, over her little feather in his hand.
Raphael's prayer, over Lilith's remains.
Chapter 49: Intermission: A Fairytale Romance
Chapter Text
"Barbatos..." I whispered in awe as my eyes swept the scene before me. "What is this place...?"
"Actually..." Barbatos smiled down at me from at my side, giving my hand a light squeeze. "I am wondering if you might humour me with a guess."
I turned to look at him, but my words of protest died on my lips with my gasp. "Barbatos...!"
Barbatos had changed into his full demon form, including the livery he wore when he donned it. He smiled down at the flicker of hunger in my eyes as I stared at him. His branching bones that crowned his head. His deep green eyes, glowing, swirling, captivating with his power. The teal strands in his hair shone with an actual glow from within them, the light running up and down a few in an occasional glitter. My eyes traveled down his body, past the teal ruffles at his throat and wrists. His forked tail, too, was present, and hovering just off the ground near my ankles. A glow ran along the patterned markings of it, pulsing now and then with the same speed and frequency as the thrums in his hair.
"Oh, Barbatos..." I whispered, raising my eyes back to his demon's. "You're so beautiful..."
He leaned between us to press a soft kiss to my forehead. This creature, kissing me. I shook my head in wonder. I'm sure my eyes were as large and as round as dinner plates.
He pulled away with a smile of amusement. “This world. You feel its magic?”
I nodded. “It’s almost overwhelming…”
He inclined his head, too. “It is a wave of giddy force, no? It pulls the power of my true form to the fore, whether I will it or not.” His smile quirked wider. “So, with that said… Your guess, Chise?"
"My...?"
He gestured around us, turning his face away. "Please, tell me. What is this place?"
“…Right. A guess?" I shook my head, bewildered. "I wouldn't even know where to start. I'd guess wrong."
He laughed softly. "Yes, you most certainly would. And yet... I request a guess."
I turned my face back to scanning the world around us, slowly taking it in. "I don't even..."
It was unlike anything I'd ever seen, or heard of, or read about. A world of perpetual magenta. A red grass stretched as far as I could see in a expansive, vast field, disappearing over the horizon of gentle hills in the far distance. And that, really, was it. It was just... grass, that rippled with a soft breeze, like a breath; the world sighed with it, with the soft rustle of grass kissing grass.
The sky was pink. Clouds moved slowly above us. A darker hued pink. It was dark, but not as dark as the Devildom. An enormous moon loomed up in the sky, illuminating this world.
And in the middle of it all, of this... nothing... we stood. Upon the giant roots of another Tree of Life.
This world...
I hesitated. "...Are we on a different planet altogether?"
He chuckled softly. "I had a feeling that would be your guess."
"Can you actually do that...?"
"Yes, and I have. However..." He smiled indulgently at my excited gasp. "The universe is vast, and seeking a planet to stand upon and survive the experience is like trying to 'find a needle in a haystack'. Except on a much larger scale; my visualizations when I open portals is, while not the exact same, similar to the limits expected in the concentration required in teleportation magic: it is driven through personal experience. Through personal connection.”
I laughed. “Well, I can see why other planets go a bit beyond personal visualizations”
“Yes, so you understand.” He chuckled, too. “While I have managed through sheer luck alone to find some celestial bodies that I myself can withstand the atmosphere of, you would perish immediately on any of them."
I sighed. "Well, you guessed my guess, and said my guess would be wrong. Have I satisfied your curiosity?"
"I apologize." He smiled with more than enough amusement to belie the apology. "I am always so very interested in your perspective, and how your mind works. I come to know you through it."
I sighed, before smiling back. "All right. I'll forgive you. Could I have the real answer now, please?"
"A reflection," he said. "This world... is a reflection."
"Of…?"
He turned his face up. "Look at the sky. What do you see? What do you notice?"
I looked up with him, frowning. Confused. A little frustrated. Not sure of what I should be looking for. It's just a sky. A pink sky. With a moon. And clouds. And–
"...The stars are like the ones in the Devildom," I finally answered.
"Yes. Well done."
"This world reflects the Devildom…?” I frowned again. "I don't understand. Why does the Devildom have a reflection? Do all worlds have…?"
"Come." He nodded down. "Let us descend. I will show you. And tell you. ...And ask you more infuriating questions."
I groaned as his arm left my hold upon it. "Barbatooos..."
He chuckled. "Come, my dear love. Surely you are not so incapable that I must carry you down in my arms?"
"Is that an option...?"
He shot me a smirk from over his shoulder. "If you choose humiliation, yes."
I groaned again as I followed behind him. Humiliation was actually kind of tempting. It'd mean being carried down in the powerful arms of a hot demon creature with a glowing tail, after all. Like a princess stolen away in the night.
But I never did like embarrassing myself if I could help it; especially not in front of Barbatos in particular.
–
I groaned for the millionth time as I brushed my palms against the front of my shirt. "I think I got a splinter... Or ten..."
"Allow me..." He smiled indulgently as he took my hand. "Not so. You are the picture of health."
"I don't feel like the picture of health," I muttered in irritation. I looked around us with a heavy sigh, releasing my breaths of effort. I squinted as I caught sight of something hidden in a little nook among the roots. "...Is that a blanket?"
"Yes. It is mine." He held my hand in his to lead me towards it.
I eyed it curiously as we approached. "Do you come here often...?"
"No, not really. But when I do, here is preferential to sitting in the annoying grass."
I snorted in amusement, before blinking as the depths of the nook revealed itself the closer we got. "...It's like you have a little camp set up here."
He sighed. “There have been times where I sought refuge in the familiar.”
I eyed a stack of old tomes and empty planters, "It's dusty..."
"Yes. My apologies for its state." He knelt to take up the blanket in his fingers, before shaking it out with a couple snaps to remove a bit of debris. "It has been a while since I have visited this place."
"That's not really the issue..." I hugged myself as I continued to look around. He had a small table laid out, and a single chair pushed in neatly against it. A teaset. A shelf. Some figures, that looked like they'd been hand carved from... some were bone, others soapstone, or wood. "...Did you carve these yourself?"
He raised his eyes up in surprise. "...Oh, yes. I had quite forgotten those were there."
I leaned down to them. "They're so precious..." Little animals, birds, flowers, insects. Just... knick-knacks.
"Just a small hobby to while away time," he said dismissively, with a touch of embarrassment.
"I can't imagine you having enough free time where you'd feel the need to 'while it' away."
He chuckled at that. “You may pick one to have, if you would like. Or take all.”
“I couldn’t possibly…”
“Come, Chise.” He gestured beside him. “Would you sit with me?"
I went to him with a sigh. "What is this place really, Barbatos? To you?"
"A beginning, and an end."
I shook my head. "I asked what it is to you. And you’re still here.”
He smiled fondly at me. "Thank you for intuiting my meaning, and trying to extend compassion."
I hmph’d grumpily. I decided I wasn't going to talk anymore until I got actual answers. I'd already asked my questions.
He nodded in acknowledgment of my frustration, though his smile widened. "If that answer is not to your liking, you may think of it as a beginning, end, and then new beginning."
"I suppose..." I muttered as I drew my knees up to my chest, forgetting that I'd just vowed silence. The realization just made me grumpier.
He sighed. "The answer you seek, Chise... This is not a mere reflection. At least, it is not just that. This world... Is the Realm of the Fae."
I gawked at him, jaw fully falling open as my brain blue-screened for one long moment. "...It's WHAT?!"
Barbatos nodded quietly. Sadly.
"But I thought...!" My eyes were wide. "I thought that...! The first Demon King, he... He took over the Devildom and–"
The fairy of the woods.
My jaw snapped shut with a clack as the final bell rang. From Simeon's play... With Me. The final toll, ringing within me.
Barbatos regarded me quietly. Waiting. Waiting for the pieces to fall. For me to put them together.
"...What are you atoning for, Barbatos," I croaked, my throat suddenly feeling very dry.
He simply looked at me.
I looked up at the tree above us, of what I could see through the roots. The foliage of this one was pink. Swaying gently in the wind. The pods were still dark purple.
It’s sins that you atone for.
Start there.
Start with him.
Lower-level demons shudder at the sound of his name, okay? They always have. He’s THAT big of a deal. He has the proven ability to see the past and future, which makes him crazy powerful. So powerful that there is a rumour that he could rival Lord Diavolo’s father himself.
They say he’s… maybe the very first demon ever.
They say that he's… the Father of Demons.
“…You know,” I began casually, “I keep having these strange dreams…”
Barbatos’ eyes flickered back and forth between both of my eyes. “…Strange dreams?”
“The Father who’s above – the brothers’ Father anyway – keeps seeking me out to speak with me.” I laughed softly. “God himself, speaking to me, personally, in my dreams. Sounds insane, right?”
He wrinkled his nose. “…Sounds distasteful, actually.”
I giggled quietly. “You know… For what humans would see as a Messiah, I never wake up feeling very happy after those dreams.”
He shook his head with a sigh. “I imagine not.”
“You see… He keeps offering me these weird deals.”
At that, Barbatos straightened his back, his face turned fully towards me. “What deals?”
“Deals to change events…” I studied his face while I spoke. “To change… time.”
He was studying me carefully, too. “And what have you–"
“It’s all nonsense, of course,” I said in a lowered voice, smoother and more comforting. “Just dreams. After all, I can only think of one person with the power over Time…”
He shook his head, relief in his eyes. “I cannot change all things.”
“I know,” I said. “Which made me even more suspicious.”
“As it should,” he said seriously, his voice firm. “It is a serious responsibility.”
I hummed in agreement as I turned my face back up to the trees. “Speaking of Fathers…”
I heard him inhale deeply, and hold that breath.
"The Father of Demons," I mused softly to myself. "And their Father – the boys' I mean – is the Father of Angels"
Barbatos flicked his eyes to look at me again.
"So there's an opposite... There are two Fathers." I looked up into the sky through the roots and the boughs, lost in my own thoughts. “…Only ONE seems particularly loud, though."
At that, Barbatos couldn't help but let out a laugh of surprise, and amusement.
I huffed out a laugh as well, and then grinned. "Have they met? I wonder how they get along."
Barbatos hummed thoughtfully as well, with a quirk of a smile on his lips. "An interesting question indeed. I imagine they would grate on one another in their opposites."
"And so many others..." I sighed. "How did they come to be? Did one come before the other? Or are they related, and showed up at the same time? What was... everything like, when they first got here?" I shook my head. "It must have been pretty empty.”
A rift from an ancient world
To a world empty, devoid of time's span
Left alone, to make the most of it.
"I imagine so," Barbatos replied softly.
I considered the stars for a moment. “…Where did the other go…? Why did he leave?”
“Perhaps it got too loud.” He turned his face up with mine. “Or perhaps, too quiet.”
Why have you brought me here?
Answer the doubts in my ears.
Speak, speak, into the silence.
Was there purpose in the silence…?
“Even though I’m suspicious of him, I do have a feeling… that He really can touch time.” I glanced at his glance. “…It kind of reinforces my brother theory. At least, it does to me. It makes sense – the brothers who can both touch time.”
He hummed in quiet thought again. “…I have been thinking.”
“Of…?”
“How good it is good to have another Wise sorcerer.”
“What…?” I looked directly at him in surprise. “Is that a jab at Solomon, or–”
He smiled at me in sweet understanding. "Do you know why I named you Lightbringer?"
"Umm..." I blinked as I thought about it. "I honestly thought because... Solomon has the Ring of Wisdom, and I have the Ring of Light, and, err... that was it."
And suddenly, I knew that was the wrong answer. Too simple. And I was embarrassed for it, to have not thought about it any deeper.
He looked at me kindly, as though seeing through to my self-consciousness. "It is fine that you think that, do not worry. In a large way, your logic is mostly correct. The Ring of Wisdom accepted Solomon, therefore he has been named Wise, and the Ring of Light accepted you, therefore you have been named Light."
"But... that's not all there is..."
He shook his head. "As is often the case when fate and ancient, powerful magic collide, it is more complex than it appears."
"All right..." I sighed as I tried to forgive myself for the carelessness. And at fate being mentioned yet again. "So, what's the other reason why I was named Light?"
His eyes sparkled as he hugged his knees closer. "I shall not tell you."
"Barbatos!" I scowled at him. "Again? Dangling mysteries in front of me AGAIN?"
He smiled. "I enjoy being challenged by you. It is refreshing. So very many do not dare speak to me in the manner that you do."
I immediately went red, clamping my jaw shut.
He chuckled. "Very cute."
"You really do have a mean streak to you..."
He laid a hand on my arm. "Your destiny comes in Time."
"Time that YOU see."
"Yes."
I sighed into a sulk. "That's not fair... I'm stumbling in the dark."
"Ah..." His smile widened. "But you are Light."
“…Ugh… You’re lucky that I like you so much."
His hand on my arm turned into a soft stroke. "I am sorry. But truthfully, I believe you to enjoy a puzzle, especially in self-reflection. You connect patterns well. It is fascinating to watch you."
I narrowed my eyes. "So you're dangling bits and pieces in front of me so you can WATCH?"
"Hmm..." His smile turned a bit sly. "I have given you many answers. It is up to you to fit them together."
"Many answers...? When?"
"Throughout my entire time knowing you.”
“…Since the teacup.”
He chuckled quietly. “I will admit to subtlety."
I shook my head. "Subtlety in conversation isn't exactly memorable if I didn't know that I needed to pick up on it. Especially nearly three year's worth. Three years may seem like an atom in a bucket to you, but..."
"Once you find out the answer... you will be 'kicking yourself', as they say."
"BARBATOS!”
He was smirking again. "You name me."
I glared at him in sheer irritation. "I never thought you'd turn your Diavolo-teasing on me! Ugh."
He laughed. "You wanted to know the true me? Hello, Chise. ...Ah!" He blinked in surprise, eyes widening in realization. "Now I understand why it is that you re-greet me so often. Oh my… That is…"
It was my turn to smirk. "So someone CAN pull the wool over YOUR eyes sometimes."
His smile widened. "That was an enjoyable puzzle. I feel warmth. Chise… That is so cute.”
I couldn't help but smile back. "I did start doing it out of affection. It was a private joke with myself, but I'm glad you figured it out."
“Yes. Now it can be an ‘inside joke’ between us both…” He leaned over to rest his cheek on my shoulder. His own show of affection.
"You're sweet," I said softly.
"I have not always been so."
“Hah. Neither have I."
He shook his head. "That is hard to imagine."
"It's hard for me to imagine about you, too."
"That is more flattering than you can know..."
I slipped my arm around his shoulders, pulling him closer. His cheek slid from my own shoulder down into the dip of where my shoulder met collar.
As usual.
Just like on the train to buy hellfire rose tea leaves.
I hummed softly to myself in content as I rested my cheek against his hair.
We both fell into a comfortable silence with one another. Silences were always comfortable with him. Somehow, I thought about things so much deeper through these silences especially. Sometimes, I even figured things out, just from having his calming presence on my shoulder alone.
This time… my eyes swept through the strange scenery before us.
And him. He had brought me here for a reason. He was sharing his story, but in pieces.
“…What happened here, Barbatos?” I asked softly. “Why do the legends say that the First Demon King took over the Fairy World, to make it into the Devildom as we know today? While this place exists…?”
“A great calamity. A sundering…” He shook his head, his voice dropping into a whisper. “It was not supposed to happen…”
Though the details were lost to me entirely, something else occurred to me. “…Are you sure about that?”
His head moved under my cheek in surprise. “Pardon...?”
“That it wasn’t supposed to happen?”
“Ah… You speak of fate.”
“Mhmm…”
He sighed, quiet. Thinking. I let him be. He did, genuinely, seem deep in thought, and not necessarily in a way where he was avoiding a question.
So I waited, too.
“…Have I done any this of my own free will?”
I blinked in confusion at his abrupt musing that cut the silence. “What do you mean…?”
“Have I steered myself towards a destiny of my own making? When I walk through the timelines and choose, am I really choosing, or am I supposed to be walking those timelines, and what I choose is already predetermined? Even when I bring multiple timelines to a point, to a knot, am I moving against nature and how it's supposed to be, or do I exist for that exact purpose? Is it my own free will that drives my decisions and actions, to make use of a power that should not exist for any?”
“Barbatos…” I sighed in sympathy. “I guess even you have unanswered questions, huh…?”
“Indeed.” He smiled, but it had a touch of sadness to it. “Maybe I have the most, for having so much life to my name to have been collecting them, unanswered. And so I ask to the sky that does not answer: Am I simply a tool of the universe, and there is one timeline alone that is so vast and expansive, and what I play with are only mere veins within? Perhaps I swim in a pre-ordained stream, so much bigger than I, that I cannot see such a big picture. Am I working within numbers of the thousands, when I actually live in the unfathomable trillions that I cannot step back and see? That my own mind cannot even begin to comprehend? Powerful as I am, so powerful that my familia is seen as perhaps the original of creation, perhaps there are giants greater than I.
“An ant who climbs through the debris of the mountain. A speck of dust catching the shine of a sun 150 million kilometers away, reflecting the light of a body so large that we could fit 1.3 million of our own Earth within, an Earth that could fit a couple sextillion's worth of its own people – my fellows specks of dust, stacked upon one another like a globe of sardines – within its own body." He smiled at my growing look of uncomprehending shock. "If I gave you pad and paper, would you be able to write out a sextillion?"
"N...No." I giggled a bit in nervous amusement. "Not offhand..."
He chuckled. "No."
I looked down at my knees. "You've thought a lot about this..."
"Yes," he said simply. "My powers make me quite anxious. Sometimes to the point where I believe myself quite mad. So the answer to your question, Chise, is that I am not certain if what I had done was meant to be… But I think I can say with some other certainty that you yourself struggle with the guilt of the inevitable, and question deeply if it really were to be. If maybe, perhaps, if you had the means to go back, maybe even very far back, you could weave different. To run your fingers along the threads that led you to now, to find and detangle a smaller knot, that leads to the inextricable.”
I wish I could turn it all back…
I bit my lip lightly as nodded, lowering my eyes. The both of us fell into a thoughtful silence for a while.
But it wasn't just our own personal predicaments we had found ourselves in that I thought about. It was the existentialism of it all. The box he put all of that in. The larger stream of his own dilemmas. The questioning of, that may never be answered. No… That will never be answered.
Though that didn’t stop of us from asking anyway.
“…Why have you brought me here?” I sang softly. "Answer the doubts in my ears. Speak, speak, into the silence…”
He took in a slow breath, a small look of whimsy on his face as he closed his eyes at the sound of my voice. “…In time long past, we were forsaken. Born of seed we did awaken."
"Rent from time and space, neither beast nor man..."
I looked up at the enormous tree above us. At the seed pods that hung there. Dead pods. A dead world.
…Dead kin.
What would it have been like, to awaken to a world before there WERE any beasts or man? Who would you even BE, without any established community or society…? You would be neither… You would be nothing. You wouldn’t understand. Who the hell were you, without community and culture to define you…? Who the hell were any of us, without our connections to others…?
Who in the hells were you, if you were born into…
"A world empty, devoid..."
If you were the first.
"Left alone, to make the most of it."
And then you found... other trees.
Other pods.
…Fertile pods.
"And we made the most of it."
Brothers.
What was it like for him, to have been a being hatched…? I tried to picture a new creature, emerging from slick yolk, that stuck to its naked body as it dug its way out of its shell of safety and into a world unknown. Alone.
How long had he had to wander, to find others like him…? How long did he believe himself to be the only one…? How many times had he revisited the tree of his birth, to look up towards its boughs, turning his face up towards the other pods, and long for the company of more kin that seemed to refuse to wake?
And then finally, in his wanderings, he found others. What would that moment have felt like, to a creature who had no name for new emotions? Who had no language. For he had had no one to communicate with before that moment, to think of making one.
“…Make something of nothing, weave nothing to something. Was it chance that brought us together, in becoming something more, something more."
And then you made more. Even just the concept of language was something more, something you hadn’t had before. So you made so much more. To keep yourselves company. To keep yourselves sane. To keep yourselves... hells, even just entertained. To ease your yearning. Fuck it. To ease boredom.
"All we had was one another."
…And to ease your loneliness.
"Until there was more, something more."
Because what did you have to lose, when you began with nothing anyway?
You may as well… Create more.
"More to hold onto. More to let go. To let go."
When you have nothing to lose...
You create more… You turn that nothing into something…
And then suddenly, you have something to lose.
"You let go,” I whispered.
"Was there purpose in the silence? What have we done what have we wrought?"
And then you wonder, as you watch it begin to crumble, if you made a mistake. Maybe you were supposed to be empty after all. Maybe that's why you were born that way.
"Once, kings of our kingdoms, finding love in alliance..."
Maybe you weren't meant to have it all.
"But false in our guidance, one turned in defiance."
Maybe you weren't ready for that responsibility. To have more.
"Waged a war, back and forth. Ashes to ashes, skin to bone."
Maybe you weren't supposed to soar so high.
"Together, we are falling, into nothing, into nothing, once more."
Because now you're falling. Plummeting back down to where you started. Fearing the loneliness even more, because you've had a taste of what it would be like to have a different existence.
"More to hold onto, more to let go…” He sighed. “And so we let go..."
And now it's all falling around your ears. Everything you had built. Crumbling into dust.
"And so I whisper this ancient song, of our bond... Now no more."
And now, you're even lonelier now. Even lonelier than when you began.
Because you hadn't started with nothing. You did have a little piece of something.
And now even that... is no more.
You hadn't realized what you had.
And now you've truly lost it all.
What a sad and hopeless song. Whoever had written it must have been at their very, very rock bottom, with no hope of climbing. Broken and empty. They would have started with hopes and dreams for something more. That's what they had started with. That was the 'nothing' they had weaved now.
But now they sat at the bottom of the pit, without even those. Without hopes. Without dreams.
I looked at him. At his side profile. He had lifted his face, upturned to the boughs of the tree above us. Eyes gazing up at his broken kin, who never emerged. He had been the survivor. The chosen one. The rest, perished before he could meet them, and weave with them, and show them, and share them with… something more.
And yet...
Somehow...
He had picked himself up off the cold ground of that hopeless pit anyway, and climbed out.
And now...
As I reached towards his hand to take it...
All I wanted to give to him, was something more.
"I love you, Barbatos," I whispered, as I took his hand in mine. "You're not alone."
The smile he turned to me now shone like the sun. Hello, Barbatos. When you first wrote this song, you must have sang it alone, again and again, believing it in full.
That you really had lost it all.
"I love you too, Chise."
But hope doesn't die that easily, does it?
The thirst to keep going couldn't be denied.
And then he had glimpsed the possibility...
Of something more.
Something more coming his way in his future, something he could imagine and believe in, to find something more.
In me.
Even though he had never met me, not really. He didn't know my personality or the depths of what I would become. I was just a concept. A concept that he made his reality.
It really didn't have to be me. He glimpsed something personally in us, but anyone could find that any one thing to hope for.
It just so happened that I was this one particular thing that allowed his imagination for the possible to break free.
It could have been one gentle kiss, that you would never feel from that particular person again, but had moved you to tears anyway. It could have been the sight of a giggling babe. Hells, it could be in the moment one bit into the apple, or a particularly beautiful cloud that moved across the sky of a sunset that was not particularly important. Just another fruit, just another setting of the sun, just a passing smile of a stranger, that sparked hope -- for something more.
It just so happened that out of everything he could have hoped for, anything he could have used to birth that hope...
It just so happened that he had hoped for me.
And now, the smile that he turned to me now...
I could not be more honoured. There could not be any being in all the three realms who could be more honoured than I. To be me, right now. To love and be loved. To be sought and wanted.
This song wasn't his origin, like I had thought. It was his rebirth. His second chance.
Because who bothers to write a song when they had no hope to one day share it?
It wasn't a hopeless song at all. Its very existence, its very creation, was the seed of his hope. He'd thought it crushed, but it germinated regardless. Hardy and stubborn. Nature found its way.
His nature. His passion. His imagination.
Was there purpose in the silence?
Yes.
It was to fill it.
"Fill Your Empty House."
He smiled wider. "Yes. That is the name of the song."
At that, I was taken aback. "Really...?"
"Once, I had named it the Song of the Sinners..." He hummed the tune a little, before chuckling. "...But I renamed it much later, though long ago."
"When you realized you really did have hope after all..."
"Yes. Precisely."
"When you'd glimpsed..."
He sighed with his contented musing. "When I had glimpsed a simple broken teacup."
I smiled to myself. "Quite the symbolism..."
He chuckled. "Broken, destined for the trash heap, and yet plucked from its destination and made precious anyway. Not discarded, but lifted up from the floor -- to be treasured. Repurposed."
"Given new purpose."
"A new life, that it did not expect." He sighed again, so soft, so fond. "Adorned with the fingerprint of one who had touched a touch-starved soul."
"An image of brokenness. Utterly worthy of love."
"Thank you so very much for thinking so."
"...I'm still missing a piece to this puzzle, aren't I?"
He nodded. "Yes. But you have gotten a great deal of it. Thank you for caring, to take this time is proof of it..."
I sighed. "I'm still missing how exactly it all fell apart. How this… calamity happened."
"You are, yes."
“The answer to what you're 'atoning’ for."
"Yes." He looked down at his lap, pensive. "...I have had a great many failures. Some... colossal in scale and cost."
I slid my hand up his arm to press his head more firmly to my collarbone. "You're worthy of love anyway, you know."
He sighed. "I hope you still think so, once you understand the whole picture. Though that hope of mine is very selfish indeed, considering. I would deserve to lose that sentiment of yours, for all my sins. I would not fault you if you changed your mind."
I shook my head. "You're mine now."
"Yours now..." He quirked a smile. "Yes. I am yours now.”
I brushed my fingers through the fine texture of his hair, feeling it flow through my touch.
The grasses that touch this tree's to exposed roots...
The blanket to this nursery. This hatching.
This beginning.
What came first? The creature or the egg?
In this case... It was the egg that birthed sentience.
And it started and stopped there.
I'm missing something, I'm missing something, I'm missing something, something more...
...How many HAD hatched...?
I knew of only two Fathers alive now. Had there been more...? His song had felt like there was more than just the one brother. Had this 'calamity' he'd taken part of claimed the others?
My heart dropped at the implication.
...Hells. Had he taken part in the extinction of his own species?
The ancient Giants of Time. Such a war would be… unimaginably destructive. Nuclear. Their powers were essentially weapons of mass destruction – on a scale that could rent not just a single world, but multiple realms. The human equivalent that I could think of – a nuclear world war – would look like small potatoes to what multiple beings like Barbatos and ‘Father’ were capable of.
And when the dust finally settled… Only two survivors stood. The only two left.
One very loud, sitting unchallenged upon a new throne of his making, the victor of a war for power; pronouncing himself not just king, but deity. Striking down loyal angels who dared challenge his will and word.
And then one very quiet, committing himself to humble atonement in the name of his survivor’s guilt, and… his deep grief. Drinking tea and baking cakes and watering plants as he guided a young ruler, who wanted to change the worlds for the better.
I knew which one I respected.
“…Barbatos…” I touched my fingers underneath his chin to lift his face to meet my eyes. “I need you to know very badly how much more I fall in love with you every single day. I love you for who you are today, and I love who you used to be for bringing who you are now to me.”
“Chise…” He raised his hand up to touch his fingers to my cheek. “I am blessed to have your love, demon as I am…”
I knew which one I considered a classic demon.
"I'm just as blessed to have yours.” I shook my head as I cupped his face. “You care so much for the Little D’s. You took them in personally…”
He nodded, blinking slowly at my touch.
“No one knows what they are… Fae, or demon…?”
He smiled sadly. “No, no one knows what they are, or why they come to be. Only that they now consider themselves to be demon.”
I nodded. “If that’s what they call themselves today, then it must be true.”
There was a touch of relief, and maybe even amusement, in his eyes as he gazed at me. “…Yes. Their identity should be respected as such.”
“So, that’s one of their mysteries solved.” I nodded seriously. “There’s still more, but that part is indisputably settled.”
He chuckled softly. “Your comfort of me in existential crisis is a lot more succinct than my own.”
I smiled. “I’d be happy to turn it into poetic waxing if you’d like? I don’t think I’d be as elegant as you, though.”
“I need no such thing…” He slipped his hand into my hair, closing his eyes briefly. “Chise…”
“Yes…?”
"Could I kiss you...?"
"Please, yesmmm…” I wrapped my arms underneath his to gather him to me around his middle when his lips met mine in an emotionally-driven kiss. Not fierce, but still so strong. More like... desperate. Desperate to be seen, and acknowledged, and accepted, and received. I returned his energy to him in kind, nearly pulling him into my lap with how I pressed chest flush to mine, his torso twisting towards me so that he could kiss me fully, with both his hands slipping into my hair to hold me by the back of my head.
His lips, a little on the thinner side, but he pursued them full to mine. Full and soft and deep and strong. He turned further, dragging his knee to the side until he kneeled and leaned forward against me in my arms, my own knees coming down from where I had been hugging them to myself to make room for him to close the gap. His hands slid down hair, from my cheeks, for him to slide the flats of his palms down my body slowly, fingers splayed to take in my shape, following my curves.
I followed suit, touching him back, roving over his body, pressing firmly to feel the bumps of his bones. Shoulders, collar, spine, ribs, hips. The shape of him, too. The shape of him, where the base of his tail met tailbone, where he shivered in surprise at my caressing touch as I traced the circumference of that with a feathery touch of my fingertips. Shivered, and pushed, pushing forward to push me down, down, until I was laid on my back on the blanket, with his hands sliding up my body again, dipping in and out from the curves of my hips to waist to ribs to around the back of me while he pressed in between my legs. Lying flush on top of me.
And kissing, kissing, slow and rolling and deep and sweet. Deliberate, every single one. No absence. Attentive, with every rolling inch, again and again. I inhaled shakily at his bold request, his soft lick against my lips with the tip of my tongue, sliding slowly between the crevasse of them to ask for my mouth. Intentional. So intentional. I parted my lips in invitation, in acceptance.
Somehow he made the meeting of our tongues so respectful and sweet, a gentle tasting. Nothing crude. No demand. But a gentle giving. More kissing. He sighed now and then, a light yet warm breath in my mouth; affectionate, fond, familiar. So familiar. The sound of lips sticking to lips as they parted so that they could come together again, the sound of damp tongues greeting one another in slow, gentle slides. A slow writhe of our mouths.
I felt his tail trailing gently down my skin in an affectionate touch. I pulled one hand away from him to hold my fingers to it while it slithered underneath the pads of them in its gentle stroking. He hummed softly against my lips when I began to stroke him back. The scales were smooth and tightly bound, not unlike Levi's. I lifted my other hand up to trail the fingertip of my index finger over the curves of his crown of bones, the texture curious -- my finger glided smoothly, but there was just enough roughness to them for it to be noticeable. Maybe like true bones.
The colourful glow of his hair that cascaded in a curtain around my face while he kissed me was just bright enough for me to see the colour behind my closed eyes, illuminating our faces in a blue that rose and fell with the pulsing.
He was so unbelievably beautiful. And it was me he kissed so tenderly. Me he touched, and tasted, and sighed into. I slid my legs up against his under I wrapped them around his hips, holding him to me, arching my back so that my chest flushed tighter to his. I just wanted... everything. That's all. I just wanted everything. I just wanted it all. If that wasn't too much to ask for...
We had kissed for a long time before I'd wrapped my legs around him to pull his pelvis in by his hips. It was when the straining of him between his legs became undeniable to us both that his lips slowly parted from mine. We both opened our eyes to the other's, together, our gazes holding. His eyes... So bright and deeply green. The deepest green depths of an untouchable forest. The spark of bright greens and yellows of the dancing motes of light within. His irises glowed and glittered and moved. His narrow demon's pupils dilated. His lips still parted with a slight purse from our kissing.
My fingers fell from his crown of bones to trail down his cheek.
".. I want you desperately, Chise," he whispered. "No one has stood up for my life in so direct a way in so... very long."
I smiled shyly at him, my voice as whispery as his. "You would have done the same for me..."
"Yes." He shifted over top of me so that he could cup my face again, holding himself up on his elbows. “There are no words to properly express my gratitude. So I would reward you for my life with my body, if you would have me.”
"Barbatos–"
“I wish to know you deeper than any other,” he continued, near desperate as he searched my eyes with his. “To hold you in my arms and feel the beating of your heart. To run my hands through your hair and kiss every inch of your body. I want to make love to you…”
My smile widened, and I shook my head with a growing blush. “I don’t need any reward for your life but for you to keep living it – preferably with me. Silly…” I laughed softly. “You also don’t have to beg, or find an excuse to, well…" I trailed my fingers down his face again. His sweet face. His earnest eyes. “Believe that it’s all okay, and just have me, Barbatos…”
“As long as you realize,” he said in a huskier voice, “I might not be able to restrain myself once I begin.”
I let out a slow breath to try and slow the abrupt racing of my heart. “…Good.”
***
He gently touched at my neck scarf. I gently ran my fingers through the ruffles at the neck of his demon's attire, before I smoothed my hands over his chest to work the gold buttons that clasped down the sides. He pulled gently at the loose knot of my small scarf around my neck to slide it away from my throat, while I parted his tailcoat back from his shoulders. He leaned back slightly on his knees to reach his arms up behind him, tugging off his sleeves while I continued pushing it back off his shoulders, until he laid it to the side in a neat pile of blacks and greys and beautiful stark teals from the ruffles and inner lining.
He came back to me with more kisses, his own fingers plucking at the buttons of my uniform while my fingers trailed over his soft undershirt to untuck it from his slacks. Soon he was opening my shirt as well, and after I helped remove it over my shoulders too, his lips left mine to trail tender kisses down the center of my throat. Down my collarbone, his warm breath and deliberate kisses, lips pressing to the plush swell of the tops of my breasts peeking over my bra. I ran the braided leather around his neck through my fingers. It was such a curious choice, with all his formality and finery, to choose this material to attach the piece of teacup too, even as fine and as well braided as it was. I thumbed over the delicate porcelain piece, turning it in my fingers as his hands slid around my back to gently pinch at the hooks of my bra.
I left the piece to hang around his neck, the pendant at a rest between my ribs while he kissed at my breasts, slipping the straps of my slack bra from off of my shoulders so he could graze his lips against the hardening buds while I shivered at the feathery sensation he switched to. His fingers were on the fastenings of my pants down while I removed my bra the rest of the way until it was a heap on top of his tailcoat. The fly of my pants was smoothed open by him by the time I reached to lift the bottom hem of his undershirt up, and he leaned back obligingly to remove that, too. Until we were both fully topless, paused in seeking more nakedness to press our chests flush again, my breasts swelling between the press of our warm bodies for us to cup each other's faces one more in a deep kiss.
I slid my fingers into his fine hair, running then through the soft thrum of light that ran through the teal strands. It just felt like hair. But the thrum of light had increased in its frequency. Did it beat with his heart? Every few? Slower than the thundering of my own, but almost timed with me, if it were pulsing every few.
His hands left their cup on my cheeks, leaving my own hands in his hair to keep our kisses close while they trailed down to find my pants again. He unhooked one leg from his pin of me to pull them down slowly over my hips, his thumbs hooking fully into the band of my underwear to pull them down too. I pulled off my shoes with a press of my toes to my heels just before my pants were pulled from around my ankles, his fingers hooking into my socks to take them along as well.
I laid naked underneath him on his blanket, underneath the tree of his birth; gazing up at him, as he gazed down at me with soft and meaningful adoration. As I looked at him, I hoped he saw that in my own eyes, too.
"You're so beautiful," he murmured as he came back down to me, his face close once more, the tips of our noses touching, as though we balanced there. "Thank you..."
I shook my head with a smile as I raised my hands to run my palms over his bare chest. "There's nothing to thank me for... But if there is, I'd say thank you as well."
"Thank you for your love and patience." He closed his eyes as he rubbed noses with me slowly. "For your understanding. For your compassion."
"Thank you for seeing something special me," I said softly. "For trusting me to show me this. You showed me this out of love. I feel it. I know this couldn't have been easy..."
"No," he agreed. "But I feel more at peace now than I have in... well, I do not remember the last time I have felt this way. I expected to feel more sorrow in coming back here, but instead... I found peace. Because you are here, too. In sharing with my heart, I feel not so alone."
"I'm glad..." I slid my hands over the curves of his shoulders, up to lace my fingers over the back of his neck. I sighed under the warmth of his body, closing my eyes for a moment with a smile. "I feel more at peace too. It turns out that it's a powerful feeling, to feel trusted. It might be the ultimate show of love. Or close to it."
"Yes, I believe so as well." I felt him press a kiss to my smile. "Allow me to taste you. I love pleasing you in that way."
I felt heat rise to my cheeks with my self-conscious giggle. "Well, I'm not stopping you..."
He chuckled softly as he moved his face back to my neck, his warm breath tickling me with more kisses while he slid the palms of his hands back down my curves again. He went quicker this time – or, it was more that he down my body with larger gaps in between, because each kiss still felt slow and deliberate – until he was at my mound between the apex of my thighs, with his hands spreading them apart to reveal more.
I sighed as I slipped the tips of my fingers back into his hair, sliding through the roots at the top of his scalp. He inhaled softly at my touch, and then hummed in pleasure on the exhale at my scent. He ran the pad of a fingertip along just where the skin of my folds turned a little silkier in texture, his nose running down gently on the other side while I shivered above him. Unstimulated, but responding in quivering anticipation.
He spread my legs wider so that my folds parted naturally without the help of his fingers. I bent my knees to hold myself apart, feeling the heat in my cheeks intensify as I sat up slightly on my elbows to watch him shyly. His eyes flicked up to meet my gaze, and amusement touched his expression at the sight of my own. He gave me a soft lick, eyes glued to mine to watch my reaction, and I rewarded him with a flex of muscles and a gasp escaping my throat. I didn't need to see the smile that was hidden between my legs to know that he had quirked one; the crinkling corners of his eyes and the amusement that danced there told on him. And then he did it again, and again, watching me, watching as he dragged his fingertip from the side of my folds inwards into the silkier heat of me, to slide up through my growing slick while I let out a louder gasp.
"Sweet thing," he murmured, while watching, watching, as he slid two fingers slowly inside of me. I choked on a soft whine as he sunk them, working them in achingly slow circles to touch every inch of wall as he went. I began a soft pant of excitement as he sunk in and in, his eyes locked to mine. His expression growing with fire, while mine showed desperation. Slowly stimulating. His circular swirling timed perfectly to make a pass over the exact spot that begged to thrum. The first true stimulation, and I cried out softly for it, my knees and heels bunching apart even further.
He reached the limit of depth his fingers could reach, but didn't linger there, immediately pulling back while he slowly twisted them into an upwards curl for the pads to drag in their ebb along the ceiling of me. I let out a longer moan, lashes fluttering, and then a louder moan, as his tongue finally caressed my clit above my depths. I already felt so swollen, my body pulsing on its own, desire beginning to flood slowly. It rose up within my belly while he licked more firmly, while his fingers sunk back in. Slowly, back and forth, entering, pushing, pulling, tongue swirling slow, while my legs began to shake with it.
"Please..." I moaned softly, my fingers curling tighter into the roots of his hair. "Please, more, a-a little faster..."
He hummed throatily in amusement. He'd been waiting for precisely that: for me to finally ask for it. To ask for more. My eyebrow twitched in impatient frustration, but I left the feeling behind with a sharper gasp as he took my clit between his lips to press them around it."
"Please!" I begged, louder. "Fingers! Faster! Like you're...!" Fucking me. Please. Finger fuck me.
I cried out as he pushed them in with a little more force, and a harder drag along my ceiling. And then immediately pulling away again, to thrust back it. Quick enough to make the sound of slick obviously now. Gliding. Fingers gliding now. While he sucked and pressed my clit, tongue peeking through to swirl wet on it, the very tip pressing to the very center of the bud. I cried out again, a more desperate sound, and louder. I tilted my pelvis towards him further, knees raising in the air while I humped up to his face for more. I tried not to curl my fingers into a death-grip in his hair between his crown of bones, but they shook from the effort, fighting against my impulse to push him closer to me, to hump into his face while my hips began to move in a roll timed to his quickened fingering.
"Barbatos, Barbatos," I gasped as my eyes fluttered closed. "Oh gods oh gods, that feels, oh, Barbatos, please..."
More pressing to the very centers of my pleasure in reward for my begging. I cried out with another buck of my hips, this time, in my contracting distraction, unintentionally pushing his head down for me to grind up into his face. He continued eating out my clit, continued finger-fucking me, while I fucked up into his face in a haze, becoming fully awash in please. I cried out rhythmically, open-mouthed into the alien air around us, squirming and heaving and arching and humping. Unfurling, becoming a mess on the blanket underneath us as one of my hands left his hair to slap at the ground with the arch of my back.
"Barbatos...!" I was panting, gasping, writhing, the tree above us blurring in my vision. "Oh gods Barbatos!"
Sucking, gliding, slick and wet and condensed into tight points between my legs. He worked me relentlessly, watching the heave in my breasts, the pleasured contortion of my face, taking in my cries, my humping now trapping the bones of his horns to my inner thighs as my head lolled.
"I'm cumming!" I cried out in a high, tight voice. "Barbatos! I'm cumming! I'm cumming! Keep going! I'm cumming! I'm going to...!"
I strangled with another sharp arch of my back, curling upwards while my legs came down to dig my heels into Barbatos' back. My fingers curled hard into the blanket while my other hand pressed him, while I pulsed, and pulsed, my contractions shooting through him, my hips rolling in uneven stutters along with me. I shuddered, letting out another gasping cry, and a choked sob, continuing to thrum and thrum with waves of pleasure. I keen, high-pitched, with a longer shudder that ran up along my spine. And then another choking noise as I relaxed my arch down. Keening, whimpering, shaking as he slowed his stimulating of me. Until he kissed in the folds of me one last time with the withdrawing of his glistening fingers, his eyes raising back up to look at me with adoring wonder while I panted.
I moaned as I turned my face lazily back to him at the sound of him removing his slacks and underwear, blinking slowly with a swelling inside of my chest at the sight of his cock springing free, standing to proud attention in the cool air. His demon marks pulsed in light that matched his hair and tail, running from top to bottom, again and again down the lightning patterns of him, lightning itself. Despite the casualness of his undressing, and the deliberate way he laid his clothes and his shoes to the side, he came back to me with a kiss that drove what little breath I'd had to me out in its ferocious need. As he'd built and built me up to my peak, his cock had strained harder and harder to have me, driven mad now by lust and want and need as he kissed me eagerly while I wrapped my legs back around him to pull him close by his hips.
"Please," I whispered hoarsely, shakily, "please take me, please take me, please take me."
"My body is yours," he murmured back huskily, as his cock came to line up directly at my entrance. I felt his forked tail slip around behind underneaht me to wrap around in a hold of my waist, pulling me up flush with a flex of its muscle.
"Please..." I heaved air in and out in anticipation. Held up by this tail, pinned down by this demon – this different species, this unfathomably ancient creature, with his shimmering eyes and glowing hair – while his cock seated through my folds, ready to have me. Somehow having the part that would fit in joining to mine, despite the potential hundreds of millions of years between our two births. Oh, gods... "Oh, gods, please, please..."
He pushed to enter me with a low sigh as his lips came to mine that whimpered as the sensation of his breaching stretch, of the beginning of his climb. Up inside of me, joining his cock into my sex, seeking the sheath for our unity in one slow, smooth glide through the cream he'd coaxed from my body in his pleasuring of me. Up, through, stretching, tunneling, my whimpering drawing out into a long, high whine while I clung to his body from underneath him. Until he reached the end of my depths, the smooth curve of his head pressing a firm kiss to my aching cervix.
I panted, while he sucked in slow, shaky breaths, staring down at me while I trembled visibly underneath him, staring back with a waver to my bottom lip. He came down to me on lowered elbows to kiss me sweetly into soothing stillness, his fingers brushing my hair back from my neck in soft strokes, the strands coming to rest on the blanket underneath while I moved my lips along with his. Slow and tender, while I warmed him inside of me, my heat flexing in small pulses around him, gripping.
Kissing me, he began to move. A slow roll of his hips back, trapping me next whimper with the next press of his lips to mine. And then the peak of his roll turned to roll back into a push, sliding back into my heat, the same stretch, the same silky tunnelling, the same kiss to my cervix that had me squeezing him instead of me with a reflexive contraction. Kissing me slowly as he pulled back again, and then easing back in, steady and slow and indulgent and without pause.
Making love to me. He'd wanted to make love to me. So he moved love to me. Ebbing and flowing, in and out, the gentle motions of his hips and pelvis leaving and then meeting me again. Pleasure, but a soft and meaningful pleasure, a tender feeling of each other, soaking in every inch of the moment. He made love to me in this important place, to give it a new meaning, more fulfilling.
My moans were whispered as I helped him move with gentle pulls and pushes of my thighs that were pressed to his hips, following the rhythm and pacing that he set for us. If he wanted to love me, I'd let him, and wholeheartedly. Though my body undeniably thrummed and pulsed with the soft pleasure he gave, I relaxed and relaxed, falling away from the intensity of the orgasm he had given me to soak into a beautiful bliss. Barbatos' body moving in time to mine. It was beyond anything I could ever ask for.
"I would take us further now..." he whispered huskily, right against my trembling lips.
"Please," I whispered back shakily, my fingers curling into a bunch against his skin at his words. "I want you to have me screaming out your name."
"Wh...!" He gasped as my words had him thrusting harder into me in reflexive desire, making me cry out in pleasure as well.
"Yes!" I cried out at his next. "YES!"
"Oh, Chise...!" he gasped with his next gliding thrust, pulling me tighter to him by his tail and his into arms that he slipped behind me. "Oh, Chise, you feel so...!"
"Good, good," I choked on my voice as I clung back to him, trying to rut upwards with my hips, meeting his thrusts. "S-So big, ssso… good– Oh gods…!”
He moved and moved, his breath hot on my face as he kept his lips pressed to mine, though his actual kisses became less frequent. We panted into each other's mouths, our moans drawn out by our connecting hips while we held each other through the desperate rocking waves he paced us through. Over and over, he felt scalding within me, driving my walls into a stretch around his thick girth again and again. I felt his tail tighten in its grip around me as he pressed his knee up to push my hips into a higher tilt, beginning to fold me while he drove his cock down into my depths.
His true passion unfurled within and around me as he gave and gave, thrusted and thrusted, into the wet and gliding through cream, his palms holding my ribs while he cried out his passion for me, with me. He finally and truly lost himself in it, into me, all his restraints falling away. I knew him now. His origins, anyway. I was in this place with him. He didn't need to hold back. His love making was insatiable now. Emotional. A devoted fervour drove his hips again and again.
It was another giving of himself over to me. I might not get this again, or often, driven as it was by the deep vulnerability he felt tonight, in sharing this all with me. I buried my faced into his neck with another cry of pleasure. But that was okay. He had this outlet now. He could always go to me now.
He'd found me. He had me. I gripped him with tears blurring my vision as I tilted my head back to press him to my neck, my cries becoming louder and tighter and more frequent. He groaned as he took the flesh of my neck between his lips to hold there, his furrowed brow pressing tight to my jaw while he made passionate love to me. I drove him harder with my heels and knees and thighs, thrusting my own hips up to meet him. My cervix burned, my belly seared, my sex ached, and I felt spark after spark with each jolting joining.
"Barbatos...!" I cried out again, louder, eyes squeezed shut while my body was jounced by him. "Barbatos! Barbatos! Barbatos! BARBATOS, KEEP GOING!"
I was, finally, begging in screams, like I'd promised. Begging desperately as I quickly neared another high. Very, very quickly.
"Love, love," he groaned, spreading his knees apart. "Please, Chise, I just... cannot... have any less..."
"Pleeeeease," I sobbed.
"Chise..." he said in a strained, quiet voice. "Chise..."
I grabbed at him, all of him, hard. Throwing my arms and legs around him entirely to slam him down on top of me while he gasped in surprise at my sudden fierceness, falling onto me while he gave another slam.
I threw us into a roll. Until I was on top. My shoulders and back rolling in my telling signal, as the ride I took up was one that stuttered unevenly. "Make me cum, I'm going to cum! Keep…!”
He stared up at me. "Oh... my… love…"
And then he picked up his pace again. Hands gripping my hips now, his tail keeping me upright, he had me still, for him to drive up into.
My roll was stuttered and strained and slow and out of rhythm as he pounded up into me, gasping for air as he watched me sway above him in my throes. I choked as I threw my head back with a hard and visible shudder, eyes unseeing as the heat flashed through me, guided to my peak by his cock inside of me. Everything between my legs contracted around him again and again as I thrummed, halted now to take his plunging cock.
I swayed unevenly with his bouncing of me. His eyes roved my body, the sight of me, the slow rolls of my shoulders, the quick bouncing of my breasts. And shuddering. A gasp. My head tipping forward with it. Shoulders curling forward tight. My palms on his belly. The flush of heat on my face. My glazed-over eyes, locking to his.
"Chise, oh, oh, oh..." he whispered my name and verbalized his pleasure with each stroke of himself inside of me, his eyes studying my face with ravenous need. "Oh, feel, feels d... divine, please, oh, oh! I beg...! Please…!”
I shuddered, lashes fluttered. Groaned long and low. Cupped his jaw with one hand, lifting my hips, to pull him out with my other. To wrap my shaking fingers tightly around his girth. To fist him hard. Faster than he could have possibly fucked me.
He cried out with an arch of his back, his hands on my hips flying down to grip my thighs. "S-Soon...!"
I keened low. Already close. I fisted fast, squeezing, the glistening milky white of my cream making it so very easy to jack him. He panted and panted and panted.
"Yes, yes, yes yes yes yes..." He tilted his head back, sucking in air, before returning to his panting, his face fully flushing. "Yes yes yes..."
"Can I have you in me this time...?" I asked softly. Shakily.
"Yes yes yes yes…!” He choked on a sob, eyes squeezing shut as he humped his hips up and down to fuck into my fist. "Yes, yes, Chise! I'm! I'm! I'm! Going! To…!”
His back and shoulders rolled as he shuddered, his words cut off with his high cry. He thrusted his hips up. My fist slammed down to his base. At the same time that I came down, to plunge him back into me. The moment he came.
“OH!” He cried out sharply as his eyes snapped open while he sat up with a bolt to yank me into his embrace, his hips connecting up and in, sheathed hard. He stared up at me from his hunch near my chest with brows drawn together while he spilled within me. I watched in amazement as his forest green eyes now also glowed with teals, the same glittering hue cascading in a wave from the tip of his tail to the base. His eyes shone glossy with the whirlwind swirl of colours in his irises while he pumped his cum hot inside of me. Thrumming, thrumming, brighter and hotter, the pace and intensity of his colours in his hair, his stripes on his hips and belly and thighs like lit stretch marks, his tail matching each burst of his seed erupting from his cock’s head to flood deep into my belly.
He came quietly beneath me, shuddering out his orgasm with a light heaving of his chest against mine, his panting softened. With every shuddering release inside me the colours of him pulsed, like a small flare that kept sparking inside him, lit from within.
He was so beautiful.
I leaned my face down to his in awe. His eyes swirled green, the base deep as a forest, the accents swirling bright as shards of emeralds. They glowed with power again. And again.
He choked softly while his eyes were locked to mine. It was the haggard, thousand-yard stare of a person who’d lost too much. And then who'd finally been touched, and loved, and made love to.
I cupped his face in my hands, leaning forward in another curl to press my forehead to his as his flooding of me began to ebb. It was at this gesture that he finally pulled his eyes from mine, for him to go limper in a slouch, his forehead falling from mine to come to a hard bump on my collarbone as he let out a shaky exhale.
///
“Oh…” He held me tight against him, his face buried into my chest, while his shoulders shook. “Oh…”
"Barbatos...?" I wrapped my arms around his shoulders to cup him to me, one hand pressing to the back of his head. “Are you okay…?”
His own hand unwrapped from around me to press to the center of my torso, below my breasts.
“Should I get off? Should we leave?”
Barbatos pressed his hand where he had rested it, shaking his head. “I shall love you. I shall protect you. I… am…”
“Hm...?” I twirled his hair in my fingers. “I know that. I feel the same way.”
He looked back up at me. He looked so… fragile. He opened his mouth, and then closed it. He did it again. And then he sighed. “…I love you, Chise Lightbringer. My Lady Light.”
“I love you too, Barbatos, Father of Demons, and my Demon of Time.” I smiled down at him warmly as I cupped his jaw again. The dam had broken. He’d tell me in his own time now. “You’re okay. Okay? You’re with me.”
He lifted his hand from my torso to press his palm over one of mine on his jaw. “Whatever may come. Whatever fate dictates. You have earned my aching heart.”
My smile softened as I touched my nose to his again. “And you have earned mine.”
He closed his eyes at the touch. “I hope… to continue to earn. Despite fate. Despite my mistakes. Despite those of the past, and… as… as well as…”
“I don’t ask for perfection." I wrapped him close. “I just ask for my Barbatos.”
“…You have him,” he murmured. “As much as he is able to give. Everything he is able to give.”
Candycane4980 on Chapter 1 Sun 03 Aug 2025 09:32PM UTC
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Candycane4980 on Chapter 1 Fri 08 Aug 2025 04:07AM UTC
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define_fluorescent on Chapter 2 Fri 04 Jul 2025 06:01AM UTC
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define_fluorescent on Chapter 2 Fri 04 Jul 2025 06:03AM UTC
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define_fluorescent on Chapter 2 Fri 04 Jul 2025 06:09AM UTC
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Fallen_Time on Chapter 2 Fri 04 Jul 2025 06:20AM UTC
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define_fluorescent on Chapter 2 Fri 04 Jul 2025 01:02PM UTC
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Candycane4980 on Chapter 2 Mon 04 Aug 2025 06:04AM UTC
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Candycane4980 on Chapter 2 Mon 04 Aug 2025 06:06AM UTC
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Candycane4980 on Chapter 3 Mon 04 Aug 2025 06:20AM UTC
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Candycane4980 on Chapter 4 Mon 04 Aug 2025 07:00AM UTC
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Candycane4980 on Chapter 5 Mon 04 Aug 2025 07:01AM UTC
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Candycane4980 on Chapter 6 Mon 04 Aug 2025 07:01AM UTC
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define_fluorescent on Chapter 6 Wed 06 Aug 2025 09:31PM UTC
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Candycane4980 on Chapter 7 Mon 04 Aug 2025 07:10AM UTC
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Candycane4980 on Chapter 8 Mon 04 Aug 2025 07:23AM UTC
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define_fluorescent on Chapter 8 Wed 06 Aug 2025 09:28PM UTC
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Candycane4980 on Chapter 11 Mon 04 Aug 2025 06:02PM UTC
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define_fluorescent on Chapter 11 Mon 04 Aug 2025 06:28PM UTC
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define_fluorescent on Chapter 12 Tue 15 Jul 2025 09:33PM UTC
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Candycane4980 on Chapter 12 Mon 04 Aug 2025 06:23PM UTC
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define_fluorescent on Chapter 12 Wed 06 Aug 2025 09:11PM UTC
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BiDepressedDreamer on Chapter 12 Wed 16 Jul 2025 02:10AM UTC
Last Edited Wed 16 Jul 2025 02:12AM UTC
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define_fluorescent on Chapter 12 Wed 16 Jul 2025 02:52AM UTC
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define_fluorescent on Chapter 12 Wed 16 Jul 2025 03:15AM UTC
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BiDepressedDreamer on Chapter 12 Wed 16 Jul 2025 03:46AM UTC
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define_fluorescent on Chapter 12 Wed 16 Jul 2025 03:47AM UTC
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define_fluorescent on Chapter 12 Wed 16 Jul 2025 03:26PM UTC
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Candycane4980 on Chapter 12 Mon 04 Aug 2025 06:22PM UTC
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define_fluorescent on Chapter 12 Wed 06 Aug 2025 09:25PM UTC
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LolaSnowed on Chapter 22 Thu 31 Jul 2025 02:33AM UTC
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define_fluorescent on Chapter 22 Thu 31 Jul 2025 04:11PM UTC
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LolaSnowed on Chapter 26 Fri 08 Aug 2025 12:39AM UTC
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define_fluorescent on Chapter 26 Fri 08 Aug 2025 01:11AM UTC
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Wavy (Wavy_01) on Chapter 27 Sun 10 Aug 2025 07:57AM UTC
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define_fluorescent on Chapter 27 Sun 10 Aug 2025 03:24PM UTC
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Wavy (Wavy_01) on Chapter 27 Sun 10 Aug 2025 03:38PM UTC
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LolaSnowed on Chapter 29 Tue 12 Aug 2025 01:44AM UTC
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define_fluorescent on Chapter 29 Tue 12 Aug 2025 01:51AM UTC
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Iva (Guest) on Chapter 36 Fri 22 Aug 2025 01:43AM UTC
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define_fluorescent on Chapter 36 Fri 22 Aug 2025 09:28PM UTC
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Iva (Guest) on Chapter 36 Fri 22 Aug 2025 11:55PM UTC
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