(Lesson 10 spoilers)
Content: you have the attic flashback™ when belphie confronts you about being human
cw: blood mentions, violence, lesson 16 flashback from OG game
"You mean you lied to us?"
"You were one of them all this time?"
You stood in the coliseum, air cold against your skin as the blood pumped through your veins. Your gaze swept from brother to brother, and each of them shared expressions ranging from surprise and shock to sadness and flickering hope. Well, all of them except for Belphie.
"It's the humans' fault that Lilith died! They're the reason she was punished!" Belphie shouted, balling his fists as he took several steps towards you menacingly.
You tried to open your mouth to explain, but a strange panic had constricted your throat. Suddenly, images began flashing through your mind as you tried to look away, at anyone else but Belphie.
No…no, no, no.
It was like the attic all over again; the sound of manic laughter filled your ears, and a tail closed around your windpipe as claws stapled through your skin. The thick metallic scent of blood and the increasing pressure around your throat overwhelmed your senses...
You're so stupid that I can't help but laugh. Don't blame me for tricking you, blame yourself for falling for it.
A horrified scream spilled out of your lips before you could register it, and you scrambled back away from him, tumbling onto the ground. Diavolo, Mammon and Levi all rushed forward to catch you, but it sent you into a further panic and you tried to hide your head in your arms. The concrete felt warm, just like the wooden floor of the attic had…
"MC!"
A sharp gasp escaped you as reality slammed back against your chest and forced you to focus on the snowy-haired figure now kneeling in front you. You weren't sure when Solomon had arrived, but you were glad he was in front of you, blocking Belphie from your sight. You clung to the sorcerer, hiding from the seething gaze of the Avatar of Sloth; although, the demon had forgotten his anger when you had fallen to the floor.
"Lilith, I c-can't do this," The sound of your labored breathing filled the Coliseum, and everyone fell silent. "I can't help them again, I'm going to die, he's going to k-kill me again and I'm never going to see them again, p-please…" You whimpered, shaking as Solomon held you close.
Belphie's eyes widened as you spoke. His lips parted slightly in shock, "L-Lilith…?"
Lucifer, on the other side, was just as shocked. Whatever interrogation he had been ready to throw at you died in his throat as he watched you, barely coherent in Solomon's grasp. Did you somehow know Lilith? But…that was impossible, there was no way, unless you…
Had Lilith retained her memories as a human and sent you down here to watch over them?
It would've made sense, if it weren't for the fact that you had been Solomon's apprentice for long enough for another explanation to be considered.
Diavolo took a few slow steps towards you, attempting to mediate the situation when your mind began to spiral again at the sight of his arms. Arms, strong enough to snap you in two…
"No…no, no, no, Solomon," you whispered. "It's happening again. I'm going to die. He's going to crush me. I can't b-breath-"
"Shhh MC, it's okay. I'm here now, I won't let anyone hurt you. We'll go somewhere they can't follow, alright? You're safe." Solomon rubbed circles into your back when he felt you start to shake again.
Mammon, Levi and Asmo stood, wide-eyed with anguish painted on their faces as they watched you trembling in the sorcerer's arms. They wanted nothing more than to reach out to you, but stopped when Solomon glared at all of them, particularly Lucifer and Belphie.
Mammon wanted to scoop you up in his arms and tell you everything was going to be okay. He didn't care that you were human, and you must've had your reasons for keeping it a secret. He wanted to shout at Lucifer, about how you were a friend, not an enemy. However, his brother's now forlorn face told him he didn't need to say anything. He wasn't sure what your connection to Lilith was, but it was clear to him that you would never harm his brothers.
Asmo didn't know whether to comfort you or give you space. Every time Belphie got close to you, you sounded so scared, one would've thought the Avatar of Sloth had tried to murder you instead of just having an argument; yes, an argument, that's what it was. You were all just having a heated discussion and everything would resolve itself in a few moments if you just talked it out…
Levi watched you scramble backwards across the floor, as if you had been burned by Belphie's glare. He couldn't process how you were the headstrong, brave, levelheaded attendant, whilst at the same time, the frightened attendant on the floor, reduced to a trembling mess. He was angry at Lucifer for continuing to grill you while you were clearly distraught, but he decided to focus on the fact that you had addressed Lilith in your frenzy. Had their sister asked you to do something while she was still alive?
Beel froze for a few moments before pulling his twin back. The latter let himself be moved without protest or hesitation, but Belphie's gaze was still trained on you and Solomon. Beel felt nothing but shame. You had been so kind to them as their attendant, helping them feel at ease in the Devildom and soothing their fears and worries, and this was how they repaid you? All because you had kept the fact that you were a human a secret?
He understood Belphie's pain, but at the same time, like Mammon had said, it was nothing but a label. What had happened to Lilith hadn't been your fault. But…you knew Lilith. Somehow, that alone reassured him of your good intentions.
Barbatos had the horrible feeling in the back of his mind that he was supposed to know why you were reacting the way you did to the Avatar of Sloth. He couldn't place his thoughts on it, and he could estimate the tragic consequences he'd face if he tried to look into the timelines to find an answer. All he knew was that you were needed here, and that your presence would help the Young Lord in a way that nobody else would be able to accomplish.
Diavolo could feel the lump in his throat growing painful. This had been his fault, hadn't it? If only he had offered you immediate protection at the Castle when he'd found out you were human…he had sensed the sincerity in your voice when you said you wanted to help him, and he wanted to cry out. He could see the understanding in your eyes, as if you saw right through the composed prince's facade and talked to the troubled young boy that was struggling to fix the Devildom. You were…a friend.
Belphie stepped back; his emotions were all over the place, and he wouldn't be able to handle himself if anyone said another word. But one look at Beel's face had silenced whatever vile dialogue he had stewed in his mind for days. He knew that you had not been aware of the Celestial War, nor had you had any involvement with it. But why did you speak of Lilith? Had she been in touch with you? N-no, MC, he wasn't going to kill you! He was…Belphie shuddered at the realization that, if he hadn't been stopped, and if Solomon hadn't interfered, in his misplaced anger he might have actually…
He doesn't want to think about what he might've done.
You had shown him so much kindness, you'd been so understanding, helping him through his emotions; he was going to throw it all down the drain and all because of what? You were a human? He felt ashamed, and he felt a pang in his chest when Solomon disappeared with you. Would he get a chance to apologize to you?
Lucifer swallowed heavily, taking a slight step back from the group, but not once did his eyes leave your figure. And if your eyes had found Lucifer's in that moment, you would have seen the glimmer of sympathy and emotion that shone through layer upon layer of cold indifference buried deep within them.
The Avatar of Pride recalled his suspicions about you and your arrival in the Devildom. He used to think you were plotting something; that you would harm his brothers after getting close to them. But now, as he watched your trembling figure, he couldn't bring himself to even think that you'd do such a thing.
You were so weak and vulnerable right now, if anyone were to tell him you were a danger to his brothers— each powerful in their own right— he would laugh. However, he noted that despite your decreasing stability of mind and inherent fear of Belphie, you hadn't tried to attack any of them.
Somehow, he could hear Lilith's voice mocking him in his head, "Still think they're gonna hurt our brothers, Luci?"
There were so many questions he still needed to ask you.
"Wait, MC! Solomon!" Diavolo cried out before the two of you disappear in a flash of light.
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